Stranger Things Star to Appear at the Riverside Studios
Noah Schnapp will perform in world premiere of Andy Sandberg’s Affluenza
Noah Schnapp played Will Byers in the Netflix series
August 24, 2026
Riverside Studios will open its 2026–27 Mainstage season this autumn with the world premiere of Affluenza, a darkly comic new play written and directed by Tony Award‑winning producer Andy Sandberg — and featuring Noah Schnapp, the American actor best known for playing Will Byers in Stranger Things. The production runs from 26 September to 21 November, marking one of the venue’s most high‑profile launches in recent years.
Schnapp, who first appeared on screen as a child actor voicing Charlie Brown in The Peanuts Movie before becoming a global name through Netflix’s hit sci‑fi series, takes on a story rooted firmly in the real world. Affluenza is inspired by a notorious legal defence that shocked the United States: the claim that a teenager was too wealthy, too indulged and too sheltered to understand the difference between right and wrong.
The play follows the aftermath of a drunken joyride in the Hamptons that ends in devastation. As the case unfolds, the question at its centre becomes increasingly uncomfortable — can privilege distort moral judgement so profoundly that accountability becomes impossible? Sandberg’s script examines the ripple effects of inherited wealth, family legacy and a justice system that often bends under the weight of influence. Set amid the manicured excess of America’s ultra‑rich, the production asks whether any of us truly grasp the generational cost of opulence.
Sandberg, whose career spans directing, acting and producing, brings a sharp satirical edge to the material. His previous work on Broadway earned him a Tony Award, and Affluenza marks his first collaboration with Riverside Studios. The play is the opening title in a five‑show Mainstage season, with further productions to be announced later in the year.
Running at 2 hours 15 minutes including an interval, Affluenza is recommended for ages 14 and above. Riverside Studios expects strong demand for the limited eight‑week engagement, particularly given Schnapp’s international profile and the topical nature of the story.
Tickets are available from £25.
Riverside Studios is at 101 Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith W6 9BN.
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