Chris Holman welcomes back Eric Olmscheid, Executive Director, Wharton Center for Performing Arts, East Lansing, MI.
Watch Eric and Chris discuss Wharton Center’s 45th season, economic impact, audience growth, and arts innovation in the YouTube video shared below:Chris had several questions he wanted to cover with Eric in this conversation:
- With this new season lineup, how does Wharton Center contribute to the local economy in terms of tourism, spending, and business activity?
- Subscription packages are a big part of your model. How do they help create more predictable revenue and long-term audience engagement?
- You’re bringing in globally recognized talent alongside emerging artists. How does that mix help attract different audiences and expand your market reach?
- For local businesses, especially in hospitality and retail, what opportunities come from a strong performing arts season like this?
- As you celebrate your 45th anniversary, how are you balancing tradition with innovation to stay competitive in today’s entertainment and events landscape?
WHARTON CENTER ANNOUNCES 25 EVENTS AS A PART OF THE 2026–2027 SEASON
Yo-Yo Ma & Emanuel Ax, An Evening with Sutton Foster, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Richard Thomas in Mark Twain Tonight!, Ana Gasteyer, & more!
EAST LANSING, MI — Wharton Center’s 2026-2027 Performing Arts Season invites audiences on an unforgettable journey featuring iconic stories and unforgettable voices. Subscription packages for Wharton Center’s 45th anniversary season went on sale Wednesday, April 29, at 9 AM.
“As we launch our 45th anniversary season, the 2026–2027 lineup reflects both where we’ve been and where we’re going,” shares Wharton Center Executive Director Eric Olmscheid. “We are proud to welcome artists from across the globe, celebrated performers with international acclaim alongside exciting emerging voices, each thoughtfully selected to bring the very best of the performing arts to East Lansing.”
“We kick off our 2026–2027 season with one of Broadway’s brightest stars, Michigan native Sutton Foster, who will be joined by Michigan students participating in the state-wide showcase that bears her name,” Olmscheid continues. “Season highlights include Endea Owens and The Cookout (Endea is an MSU alumnus and 2022 Alumni Grand Award winner), Count Basie Orchestra with Carmen Bradford (an MSU Jazz Studies faculty member hired by Count Basie himself as featured vocalist), and What Do You Do With a Problem?: a new work as part of our Act One Family Series, co-commissioned by Wharton Center.”
“This season also marks a milestone with Dance Theatre of Harlem, the company that graced Wharton Center’s stage in the inaugural 1982 season, returning for our 45th Anniversary,” says Olmscheid.
Patrons can choose five or more Performing Arts events to create their own season subscription package and unlock exclusive benefits, including subscriber-only discounts, priority seating, interest-free payment plans, and more. Subscribers can also add Broadway shows to their Performing Arts subscription today. Wharton Center Broadway Series subscribers can also add Performing Arts events to their packages. Individual tickets will go on sale later this summer.
An Evening with Sutton Foster Oct 3, 2026
Manual Cinema’s The Fourth Witch Nov 11, 2026
Ana Gasteyer: Sugar & Booze Holiday Spectacular Nov 19, 2026
The Acting Company: A Midsummer Night’s Dream Feb 9, 2027
Yamato–The Drummers of Japan Mar 16, 2026
Richard Thomas in Mark Twain Tonight! May 6, 2026
2026–2027 CLASSICAL
Yo-Yo Ma & Emanuel Ax Dec 8, 2026
Berlin Philharmonic Brass Feb 2, 2027
Midori & Festival Strings Lucerne Feb 21, 2027
Avi Avital & Ksenija Sidorova Mar 18, 2027
2026–2027 DANCE
Ballets Jazz Montréal: Dance Me – Music by Leonard Cohen Nov 5, 2026
Dance Theatre of Harlem Feb 17, 2027
Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández Mar 2, 2027
2026–2027 JAZZ
Endea Owens & The Cookout Oct 9, 2026
Count Basie Orchestra with Carmen Bradford Jan 12, 2027
Emmet Cohen Trio Mar 3, 2027
Club 750 Music: Brittany Davis Jan 6, 2027
Club 750 Cabaret: Nicholas Rodriguez – Sincerely, Sondheim Jan 7, 2027
Club 750 Comedy: John Heffron Jan 8, 2027
Club 750 Music: Layale Chaker & Maeve Gilchrist Mar 23, 2027
Club 750 Cabaret: Caroline Bowman Mar 24, 2027
Club 750 Comedy: Leah Rudick Mar 25, 2027
2026–2027 ACT ONE FAMILY SERIES
What Do You Do With a Problem? Nov 15, 2026
Three Little Pigs and Other Tales* Feb 13, 2027
The Boy Who Cried Wolf* May 1, 2027
*Sensory-Friendly Performances Available
2026–2027 BROADWAY SEASON
Beetlejuice Sept 18–20, 2026
The Notebook Oct 27 – Nov 1, 2026
SIX: The Musical Dec 1–6, 2026
Alicia Keys’ Hell’s Kitchen Jan 19–24, 2027
BOOP! The Musical Feb 23–28, 2027
Disney’s The Lion King Mar 10-15, 2027
The Outsiders June 22–27, 2027
The Phantom of the Opera Aug 25 – Sept 5, 2027
EAST LANSING, MI — Wharton Center announces an iconic lineup of shows that will entertain and inspire audiences for its 45th season. The six-show subscriber series features four Wharton Center premieres, including The Outsiders, alongside the return of legendary favorites The Phantom of the Opera and Disney’s The Lion King. Subscription packages go on sale on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, at 8AM, with six-show packages starting at $245.
Broadway Series subscribers gain first access to the season along with priority access to special events like SIX and Beetlejuice, risk-free ticket exchanges, interest-free payment plans, and many more subscriber benefits.
WHARTON CENTER’S 2026–2027 BROADWAY 6-SHOW PACKAGE:
The Notebook: Oct 27 – Nov 1, 2026
Alicia Keys’ Hell’s Kitchen: Jan 19–24, 2027
Boop! The Musical: Feb 23–28, 2027
Disney’s The Lion King: Apr 8–25, 2027
The Outsiders: June 22–27, 2027
The Phantom of the Opera: Aug 25 – Sept 5, 2027
PLUS TWO SPECTACULAR SPECIAL EVENTS:
Beetlejuice: Sept 18–20, 2026
SIX: Dec 1–6, 2026
The 2026-2027 Broadway Series boasts a collective 67 Tony Award® nominations with 21 wins, including three Tony Award® winning Best Musicals: The Outsiders (2024), Disney’s The Lion King (1998), and The Phantom of the Opera (1988).
“It’s fitting that as we celebrate our upcoming 45th season, we do so by highlighting iconic stories that helped define Wharton Center,” says Wharton Center Executive Director Eric Olmscheid. “From bringing back the beloved original production of The Phantom of the Opera to the newest shows still running on Broadway today, the season showcases the excitement and legacy of Broadway right here at Wharton Center. There’s no better way to experience our 2026–2027 Broadway Series from start to finish than by becoming a subscriber.”
SHOW DESCRIPTIONS
The Notebook: Oct 27 – Nov 1, 2026
Based on the best-selling novel that inspired the iconic film, THE NOTEBOOK tells the story of Allie and Noah, both from different worlds, who share a lifetime of love despite the forces that threaten to pull them apart. “Full of butterfly-inducing highs and beautiful songs” (Entertainment Weekly), THE NOTEBOOK is a deeply moving portrait of the enduring power of love.
Chris Jones of The Chicago Tribune says THE NOTEBOOK is “absolutely gorgeous, not to be missed,” and The New York Daily News calls it “a love story for the ages.”
Alicia Keys’ Hell’s Kitchen: Jan 19–24, 2027
HELL’S KITCHEN, the award-winning Broadway musical created and inspired by 17-time Grammy Award-winning Alicia Keys, takes you on the journey of Ali: a 17-year-old girl full of fire.
Relatable, raw, and refreshingly fun, it’s a celebration of finding yourself, your purpose, and the people who lift you up. The music—a mix of Keys’ greatest hits and new songs written exclusively for the show—and exhilarating choreography bring to life a story that speaks to you no matter where you’re from, where you’ve been, or where you’re going.
Feel the energy of this multi-award-winning musical and experience where dreams begin: HELL’S KITCHEN.
BOOP!® The Musical: Feb 23–28, 2027
For almost a century, the Betty Boop® character has won hearts and inspired fans around the world with her trademark looks, voice, and style. Now, in BOOP!® The Musical, Betty’s dream of an ordinary day off from super-celebrity in her black-and-white world leads to a “bright and bubbly” (Time Out New York) adventure of color, music, and love in New York City. “A show-stopping rainbow of joy” (The Daily Beast), BOOP! is the new Broadway musical-comedy extravaganza that’s fun for everyone – bringing heart, laughter, and a whole lot of Boop-oop-a-doop to the stage!
Disney’s The Lion King: April 8–25, 2027
Giraffes strut. Birds swoop. Gazelles leap. The entire Serengeti comes to life as never before. And as the music soars, Pride Rock slowly emerges from the mist. This is Disney’s THE LION KING, making its triumphant return to Wharton Center!
More than 100 million people around the world have experienced the awe-inspiring visual artistry, the unforgettable music, and the uniquely theatrical storytelling of this Broadway spectacular—one of the most breathtaking and beloved productions ever to grace the stage.
Winner of six Tony Awards®, including Best Musical, THE LION KING brings together one of the most imaginative creative teams on Broadway. Tony Award® winning director Julie Taymor brings to life a story filled with hope and adventure set against an amazing backdrop of stunning visuals. THE LION KING also features the extraordinary work of Tony Award® winning choreographer Garth Fagan and some of Broadway’s most recognizable music, crafted by Tony Award ® winning artists Elton John and Tim Rice.
There is simply nothing else like THE LION KING.
The Outsiders: June 22–27, 2027
Adapted from S.E. HINTON’s seminal novel and FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA’s iconic film, this thrilling new musical features a book by ADAM RAPP with JUSTIN LEVINE, music and lyrics by JAMESTOWN REVIVAL (Jonathan Clay & Zach Chance) and Tony Award® winner JUSTIN LEVINE, music supervision, orchestration, and arrangements by JUSTIN LEVINE, choreography by RICK KUPERMAN & JEFF KUPERMAN, and direction by Tony Award® winner DANYA TAYMOR. Entertainment Weekly says, “THE OUTSIDERS has the power to inspire an entire generation.”
In Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1967, Ponyboy Curtis, his best friend Johnny Cade and their Greaser family of ‘outsiders’ battle with their affluent rivals, the Socs. THE OUTSIDERS navigates the complexities of self-discovery as the Greasers dream about who they want to become in a world that may never accept them. With a dynamic original score, THE OUTSIDERS is a story of friendship, family, belonging … and the realization that there is still “lots of good in the world.”
The Phantom of the Opera: Aug 25 – Sept 5, 2027
The Phantom is back to thrill audiences once again in Cameron Mackintosh’s revitalized new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s legendary musical, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA! Based on the brilliant original production seen around the world, this romantic and haunting tale about a disfigured musical genius, known only as ‘The Phantom,’ who haunts the depths of the Paris Opera House, returns to East Lansing “more spectacular than ever” (Sunday Express). Mesmerized by the talents and beauty of a young soprano, Christine, The Phantom lures her as his protégé and falls fiercely in love with her. Unaware of Christine’s love for Raoul, the Phantom’s obsession sets the scene for a dramatic turn of events where jealousy, madness, and passions collide.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Beetlejuice: Sept 18–20, 2026
It’s showtime! Based on Tim Burton’s dearly beloved film, this hilarious musical tells the story of Lydia Deetz, a strange and unusual teenager whose whole life changes when she meets a recently deceased couple and a demon with a thing for stripes. With an irreverent book, an astonishing set, and a score that’s out of this Netherworld, BEETLEJUICE is “SCREAMINGLY GOOD FUN!” (Variety). And under its uproarious surface (six feet under, to be exact), it’s a remarkably touching show about family, love, and making the most of every Day-O!
SIX: Dec 1–6, 2026
From Tudor Queens to Pop Icons, the SIX wives of Henry VIII take the microphone to remix five hundred years of historical heartbreak into a Euphoric Celebration of 21st century girl power! This new original musical is the global sensation that everyone is losing their head over!
The New York Times says SIX “TOTALLY RULES!” (Critic’s Pick) and The Washington Post hails SIX as “Exactly the kind of energizing, inspirational illumination this town aches for!”
Broadway subscriptions go on sale Tuesday, March 3, with six-show packages starting at just $245.
Visit WhartonSeason.com for more details and to secure your seats!
The Broadway at Wharton Center Series is supported by MSU Federal Credit Union.
For high-resolution images and additional media assets from Wharton Center’s 2026–2027 season, visit WhartonCenterMedia.com.
