Bernadette Peters and More Set for The Hylton Performing Arts Center 2026–27 Season
The season will also feature performances by Trinity Irish Dance Company, Straight No Chaser, and many more.
The Hylton Performing Arts Center has unveiled its 2026–27 season of performances, featuring a myriad of artistic acts and styles as part of its four main series: Hylton Presents, Hylton Family Series, Matinee Idylls, and American Roots Series, as well as a special Hylton Center EXTRA!
Season subscriptions are currently on sale to Friends of the Hylton Center at HyltonCenter.org/preview or by phone at 703-993-7700. Subscriptions go on sale to the general public on Wednesday, April 22, and individual tickets go on sale on Tuesday, August 4. Tickets to the Hylton Center EXTRA! performance go on sale in September at a date to be announced.
The Hylton Center also announced 2026–27 programming for its Arts Partners, including performances by the Manassas Ballet Theatre, Manassas Chorale, Manassas Symphony Orchestra, Prince William Little Theatre, and the Creative And Performing Arts Center.
Hylton Presents
Hylton Presents returns to Merchant Hall with a mix of audience favorites and new voices. The series opens the 2026–27 season on September 19 with An Evening with Bernadette Peters featuring the American Festival Pops Orchestra in a delightful concert of Broadway favorites and American standards from a celebrated icon of the stage. This highly anticipated performance marks Peters's Hylton Center debut.
Hylton Presents fall programming features Complexions Contemporary Ballet in Star Dust on October 4, which includes a high-energy tribute to David Bowie; the return of Mountain Stage Hosted by Kathy Mattea on October 18, a live taping of the long-running NPR program; and Keyboard Conversations with Jeffrey Siegel on November 8, blending virtuosic piano performance with engaging commentary about pieces by Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin, Debussy, and Gershwin.
Additional fall performances include the Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra's 25th anniversary celebration performance, To Swing Through the Sky, on November 14—a multimedia exploration of jazz and aviation; the Hylton Center debut of Ju Percussion Group in Energy ∞ Infinite on November 15, fusing Eastern and Western music traditions in a dynamic program; and returning holiday favorites, including Chanticleer in A Chanticleer Christmas on November 29, Seán Heely's Celtic Christmas on December 6, the American Festival Pops Orchestra in Holiday Pops: Songs of the Season on December 11, and the Vienna Boys Choir's Christmas in Vienna on December 13.
Winter and spring lineup
The winter and spring lineup of Hylton Presents showcases two Hylton Center debuts, including Trinity Irish Dance Company on March 5, presenting a bold, contemporary take on traditional Irish dance; and guitarist Sharon Isbin and Concerto Málaga on April 4, uniting virtuosic guitar and Spanish orchestral traditions. Other performances include Cirque Éloize's ID-Evolution on January 30, blending circus arts with urban dance; The Acting Company's A Midsummer Night's Dream on February 20, an adaptation of Shakespeare's most popular play; Ladysmith Black Mambazo on February 28, sharing their signature South African vocal harmonies; the American Festival Pops Orchestra in Road Trip: A Musical Journey Across America on April 10, which celebrates the nation's diverse musical roots; and Straight No Chaser on April 18, the chart-topping a cappella group known for its inventive arrangements and humor.
Hylton Center EXTRA!
A special Hylton Center EXTRA! performance brings legendary cellist Yo-Yo Ma to the stage with pianist Solon Gordon on April 2, offering a rare opportunity to experience one of the world's most celebrated musicians in an intimate concert setting. Tickets for this performance go on sale in September 2026.
Children's Entertainment
The Hylton Family Series continues in the 2026–27 season with engaging quality entertainment for children. Programs feature Mason Artist-in-Residence Barefoot Puppet Theatre in Galapagos George on October 24, a true tale inspired by the last tortoise found on Pinta Island; Mutts Gone Nuts in Unleashed on November 21, a high-energy comedy dog spectacular; Enchantment Theatre Company's The Adventures of Harold and the Purple Crayon on February 7, bringing the beloved children's books to life through puppets and multimedia; the Laurie Berkner Band on February 13, delivering interactive, kid-friendly pop favorites; and Imagination Stage's Wake Up, Brother Bear on February 27, an immersive theatrical journey for young audiences.
The Matinee Idylls
The Matinee Idylls series returns with hour-long chamber concerts paired with a luncheon from a local caterer and a post-performance reception with the artists. New and familiar artists to join the series this season include the Maximilian Jacobs Trio on October 13, blending jazz, classical, and Balkan folk influences; vocal ensemble Ars Populi in AMERICANA on November 10, celebrating America's musical heritage; Virginia Opera in A Taste of Opera on February 2; and pianist Francesca Hurst in From Dusk Till Dawn on March 30, a program tracing the arc of night through music.
American Roots Series
Finally, the American Roots Series resumes its showcase of the best in bluegrass, jazz, blues, and more in the 2026–27 season. Featured artists include bluegrass veterans Nothin' Fancy in their Hylton Center debut on October 3; Grammy-nominated blues powerhouse Shemekia Copeland on November 7; acclaimed bluegrass duo Darin and Brooke Aldridge on February 21; and Mason Artist-in-Residence Che Apalache on April 17, blending Latin American and Appalachian traditions in a genre-defying sound.
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