Penn State Centre Stage Will Present ONE NIGHT ON BROADWAY at Playhouse Theatre

Penn State Centre Stage will present ONE NIGHT ON BROADWAY, a fundraising event celebrating alumni of the School of Theatre, on Monday, May 18, 2026 at the Playhouse Theatre on Penn State’s University Park campus.

Directed by John Simpkins, head of Penn State Musical Theatre and the Nagle Family Endowed Chair in Musical Theatre, with music direction by Connor Crotzer Scartascini, the evening will feature performances by Broadway and musical theatre alumni including John El-Jor, Amirah Joy Lomax, Melody Munitz, and Blake Stadnik.

John El-Jor is known for his Drama Desk-nominated performance in WE LIVE IN CAIRO, while Amirah Joy Lomax has appeared in regional productions of THE WIZ, HAIR, and LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS. Melody Munitz has toured nationally in THE ADDAMS FAMILY and AMERICAN GIRL, and Blake Stadnik is known for portraying Jack Damon on NBC’s This Is Us.

The event will also include remarks from 2025–26 Penn State Laureate Pearl Gluck and a performance by composer and lyricist Alexander Sage Oyen, whose musical TYRANTS is part of the Penn State Centre Stage Fall 2026 season.

“We are excited to welcome four of our incredible alums back to campus so we can celebrate them and share in their artistic excellence,” Simpkins said in a statement. “We are so proud of the graduates of Penn State Musical Theatre.”

Event Details

The evening will begin with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres on the Olsan-Stone Terrace, followed by the alumni performance at the Playhouse Theatre. Guests selecting the VIP ticket option will also attend an onstage gala dinner and champagne toast alongside alumni and artists.

The event will additionally feature displays highlighting the work of School of Theatre designers and technicians, including alumni Heather Augustine, whose recent credits include THE OUTSIDERS, and Robert W. Schneider, associated with THE BAKER’S WIFE.

Kikora Franklin, director of the School of Theatre and artistic director of Penn State Centre Stage, said the evening is intended to celebrate both alumni achievement and interdisciplinary collaboration across the university community.

Ticket Information