Four Broadway productions, internationally acclaimed dance companies and world-renowned musicians will take the stage at Penn State this year as the Center for the Performing Arts announced its 2026-27 season, featuring performances, community programs and educational opportunities beginning this fall.
The season, which runs from October through April, features touring productions of “The Wiz,” “Clue,” “Shucked” and “A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical,” along with performances by the Shanghai Ballet, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, Australia’s Gravity & Other Myths and Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther” in Concert.
The lineup includes theater, ballet, jazz, classical music, circus arts and free community programming designed to bring artists and audiences together throughout the year.
Tickets go on sale to Center for the Performing Arts members at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11, before becoming available to the public at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12. Tickets can be purchased online through the Arts Ticket Center, by calling 814-863-0255 or in person at Eisenhower Auditorium from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays.
“Our season offers shared experiences to spark curiosity, connections and renewal,” Center for the Performing Arts director Sita Frederick said in a statement.
The season opens at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, with Teatro La Plaza’s production of “Hamlet” at Eisenhower Auditorium. The contemporary adaptation features a cast of actors with Down syndrome and explores themes of identity, belonging and inclusion through Shakespeare’s classic tragedy.
Broadway productions make up a major portion of the season, beginning with “The Wiz” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22. The Tony Award-winning musical reimagines “The Wizard of Oz” with a score influenced by soul, gospel, rock and 1970s funk.
The stage adaptation of “Clue” follows at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, bringing the popular Hasbro board game and 1985 film to the stage as a murder-mystery comedy.
In the spring, the Tony Award-winning musical comedy “Shucked” comes to Eisenhower Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 2, followed by “A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 18. The musical follows Diamond’s rise from a Brooklyn kid to a music icon through hits including “Sweet Caroline,” “Song Sung Blue” and “Love on the Rocks.”
The season also features international dance and movement performances. Australia’s Gravity & Other Myths will present “Ten Thousand Hours” at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, combining acrobatics, live percussion and athletic movement to explore the pursuit of physical mastery.
The Shanghai Ballet returns to North America for the first time in more than five years with “Giselle” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5. Led by artistic director Xin Lili, the company will perform the classical ballet centered on love and betrayal.
Music performances include Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis presenting “Marsalis’ Swinging Cities” at 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8. The performance comes during Marsalis’ final season as artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center and music director of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.
Penn State’s School of Music will present its annual “Mosaic” holiday concert at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, featuring student musicians, vocal soloists and ensembles.
The spring schedule continues with the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute Concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 23. A headliner will be announced at a later date.
Minty Fresh Circus, conceived and directed by Monique Martin, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9. The production features an all-Black cast of athletes whose movements draw from African and Black American culture.
The Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists, conducted by Masaaki Suzuki, will perform Bach’s “St. Matthew Passion” at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16, marking the 300th anniversary of the sacred work.
At 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 2, Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther” in Concert will pair a screening of the Oscar-winning film with a live performance of Ludwig Göransson’s Academy Award-winning score.
The season nears its conclusion with the “Let’s Dance Workshop for All Ages, All Abilities” at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 30, at Eisenhower Auditorium. The workshop will feature members of the local For Good Troupe performing excerpts from musical theater productions before participants learn choreography on stage.
The Leonkoro Quartet will close out the season with two April performances. The Berlin-based ensemble will host an intimate Coffeehouse Concert at 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 7, at the Lion’s Lair in the HUB-Robeson Center before performing at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 8, in Recital Hall.
Beyond ticketed performances, the Center will continue offering free community programs through its Joyfull series, which combines live performances with cultural experiences and cuisine.
The 2026-27 Joyfull schedule includes:
- Hispanic Heritage Month Edition – 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 14, Heritage Hall, HUB-Robeson Center
- Feast Edition – 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 12, Alumni Hall, HUB-Robeson Center
- Minty Fresh Edition– 6 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 7, Heritage Hall, HUB-Robeson Center
- Women’s History Month Edition – 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 23, Heritage Hall, HUB-Robeson Center
- Pride Edition – 6 p.m. Monday, April 12, Heritage Hall, HUB-Robeson Center
The center also will continue its School-Time Matinee series. The 2026-27 schedule includes Gravity & Other Myths’ “Ten Thousand Hours” at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28, and “The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System” at 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 7. Reservations are required.
Accessibility services will continue throughout the season, including American Sign Language interpretation for select performances, audio description services for “The Wiz” and “A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical” and sensory-friendly resources at Eisenhower Auditorium.
Eisenhower Auditorium remains a KultureCity-certified sensory-inclusive venue, offering guests access to a quiet space and sensory support items, including noise-reducing earmuffs, anti-strobe glasses and lap pads.
The center also will continue partnerships focused on expanding access to the arts, including a Performing Arts and Disability Collaborative with the Penn State Humanities Institute and Well-Being Concerts, a partnership with Carnegie Hall that combines music and health-focused programming.
Center for the Performing Arts members receive early ticket access and invitations to exclusive events, including artist discussions, socials, Shure Audio demonstrations and a season-opening event at Brass 16823. Memberships begin at $5 for students.
Those who become members by 4 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4, will receive access to member benefits before the public ticket sale begins.
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