Performing arts schools announce season schedule

Sep 18, 2025

ﾂ鮓ｹｴｫﾃｽ City University窶冱 upcoming performing arts season features an array of classic and contemporary works, from iconic American musicals to timeless comedies and powerful dramas. The lineup includes a mix of new premieres and beloved classics, all performed by the talented students of the Bass School of Music, School of Theatre and Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Entertainment.

The American opera 窶彜treet Scene窶� opens the mainstage schedule the first weekend of October. Later this year, ﾂ鮓ｹｴｫﾃｽ goes all out for the holiday season with a musical (窶弩hite Christmas窶�), choir and orchestra performance (Christmas Vespers), a play (窶廬t窶冱 a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play窶�) and dance show (窶廩oliday Spectacular窶�). The classic drama 窶廾ur Town,窶� dance extravaganza 窶廴ove! Dance for the World of Entertainment窶� and musical 窶廣ｲﾔｲｹｲﾙｲｹｲｱｲｹ窶� will close out the academic year in the spring.

窶弋his season is an invitation to the community,窶� said W. Jerome Stevenson, ﾂ鮓ｹｴｫﾃｽ窶冱 interim dean of music and theatre. 窶廡rom 窶狼he Importance of Being Earnest窶� comedic skewering of high-brow society, 窶狼he Prom窶冱窶� heartfelt message of inclusion, to the family appeal of our holiday favorites. This season is a celebration of great storytelling that offers our audiences a chance to rediscover what makes performing arts at ﾂ鮓ｹｴｫﾃｽ so special.窶�

ﾂ鮓ｹｴｫﾃｽ窶冱 performing arts schools have built a strong reputation for sending talented alumni into showbusiness success 窶� on stages and on production teams 窶� with regular appearances on Playbill窶冱窶廝ig Ten窶� honor roll of top schools educating Broadway performers. ﾂ鮓ｹｴｫﾃｽ is home to the ﾂ鮓ｹｴｫﾃｽ Opera & Music Theater Company, the nation窶冱 oldest campus-based troupe that has been honored with 11 National Opera Association production awards. The School of Theatre is celebrating its 103^rd year, and the dance and entertainment school consistently ranks within the top 10 in the country.

Dance and Entertainment Dean Melanie Shelley noted ﾂ鮓ｹｴｫﾃｽ窶冱 reputation for excellence in the performing arts.

窶弋hese shows provide local audiences with a preview of the talent that will grace the biggest stages in show business,窶� Shelley said.

2025-2026 Season Highlights

Oct. 3-5, mainstage opera 窶彜treet Scene窶�: This pioneering American opera, set in a sweltering 1940s New York tenement, explores 24 hours in the lives of ordinary people grappling with love, passion and death. It's based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning play and features music by Kurt Weill and lyrics by Langston Hughes.
Oct. 10-12, spotlight opera 窶彝hondda Rips it Up!窶�: A hilarious and high-energy ﾂ鮓ｹｴｫﾃｽ premiere, this comic operetta celebrates the true story of Margaret Mackworth, the trailblazing Viscountess Rhondda, who was a key figure in the Welsh Suffrage movement. The award-winning work features a score described as a 窶徭wirling, transparent weave of operetta, cabaret, music hall and jazz.窶�
Oct. 17, student dance choreography show 窶�Just Getting Started窶�: An audience favorite that is cast, choreographed, costumed and performed entirely by students.
Oct. 30-Nov. 8, theatre mainstage 窶弋he Government Inspector窶�: A witty and biting satirical comedy about a corrupt mayor and his cronies who panic when they learn an incognito inspector is coming to investigate their misdeeds. The timeless play is a comedy of errors inspired by a story from Russian poet Alexander Pushkin.
Nov. 21-23, mainstage musical 窶廬rving Berlin窶冱 White Christmas窶�: Based on the classic film, this musical follows two song-and-dance men who team up with a sister act to save a struggling Vermont inn. The show is packed with 17 beloved Irving Berlin songs and dazzling dance numbers that make it a perfect holiday show for the whole family.
Dec. 11-14, theatre mainstage 窶廬t窶冱 a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play窶�: A reimagined version of the cherished Frank Capra film, this production presents the story of idealistic George Bailey as a live radio broadcast. The play is a heart-warming tale of love and redemption that captures the spirit of the holiday season.
Dec. 11-14, dance show 窶廩oliday Spectacular窶�: The Star Dance Company's annual production to open the holiday season with dazzle and delight. The magic of the season will unfold on stage as holiday sweets come to life and charm their way into hearts.
Dec. 12-13, Christmas Vespers: This annual tradition features more than 250 instrumentalists and choral singers in a traditional celebratory concert. The event includes a full orchestra, chamber ensembles, poetry and Scripture readings, and communal singing of carols.
Feb. 5-8, theatre mainstage 窶弋he Importance of Being Earnest窶�: Oscar Wilde窶冱 comedic masterpiece about two young men who lead double lives to escape social obligations, both taking on the name Ernest. Hailed as one of the most quoted plays in English, it窶冱 a brilliant and witty satire on Victorian social conventions.
Feb. 27-March 1, mainstage opera 窶弋he Merry Widow窶�: This popular operetta, performed in English with projected supertitles, follows a wealthy widow whose fortune is vital to her tiny nation窶冱 economy. The story is a delightful mix of romantic misunderstandings, lavish ballroom scenes and memorable waltzes.
March 6-8, spotlight musical 窶弋he Prom窶�: A Tony Award-nominated musical comedy about four washed-up Broadway actors who travel to Indiana to help a student who is banned from attending her prom with her girlfriend. The show is a joyous celebration of love, inclusivity and being true to oneself.
March 12-14, Star Dance Company窶冱 窶廴OVE! Dance for the World of Entertainment窶�: Honoring the legacy of the Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Entertainment, 窶廴OVE!窶� performers will illuminate the stage with vivid costumes, dynamic movement and contagious energy.
April 9-12, theatre mainstage 窶廾ur Town窶�: Winner of the 1938 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, this Thornton Wilder classic explores life, death and everything in between in the small New Hampshire town of Grover窶冱 Corners. The play is a powerful and profound meditation on the simple, yet infinitely full, moments of everyday life.
April 24-26, mainstage musical 窶廣ｲﾔｲｹｲﾙｲｹｲｱｲｹ窶�: Inspired by the legend of the Grand Duchess Anastasia, this musical follows the journey of a young amnesiac woman who is rumored to be the long-lost daughter of the last Russian czar. The story is a sweeping tale set in post-revolutionary Russia and 1920s Paris.

The season also features a diverse lineup of free orchestra and instrumental concerts, experimental theater, student showcases and more. For specific dates, times and ticket information, visit the ﾂ鮓ｹｴｫﾃｽ box office website at .

Pictured above, ﾂ鮓ｹｴｫﾃｽ students perform in 窶廣nything Goes,窶� which closed the university窶冱 latest performing arts season in spring 2025. Photo courtesy of Michael Anderson

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