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Wharton Center for Performing Arts

Upcoming Shows

World Ballet Company Presents: Swan Lake

Sep 27

World Ballet Company Presents: Swan Lake comes to Wharton Center's Cobb Great Hall on September 27, 2026, featuring a live orchestra performing Tchaikovsky's iconic score. The production, led by Sasha Gorskaya and Gulya Hartwick, showcases a cast of 50 international dancers...

Photo Review: Hank Williams, Jr.

Photo Review: Hank Williams, Jr.

by Brian Hilbrand · August 16, 2026

Hank Williams, Jr.'s rescheduled tour stop this past Friday at the Acrisure Amphitheater was nothing short of impressive and worth the wait from the original date, which was moved due to wildfire smoke from Canada reducing the Air quality in Michigan, and making it not good to be outside for extend…

Review: ESCAPE TO MARGARETAVILLE at Cornwell’s Turkeyville

Review: ESCAPE TO MARGARETAVILLE at Cornwell’s Turkeyville

by Brian Hilbrand · July 29, 2026

Escape to Margaretaville has been one of my bucket list shows as long as I have known they made it a musical.   I was supposed to originally see it back in 2020, when it was part of a season ticket I had to the Broadway Grand Rapids season, but ultimately it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemi…

Review: “WEIRD AL” YANKOVIC BIGGER & WEIRDER TOUR at Acrisure Amphitheater

Review: “WEIRD AL” YANKOVIC BIGGER & WEIRDER TOUR at Acrisure Amphitheater

by Brian Hilbrand · July 9, 2026

“Weird Al” in true fashion sang a variety of spoofs from his original catalog, including hits like: “Tacky,” “Polkamania!,” 'It’s My World (and We’re All Living in It),” 'One More Minute,”“Another One Rides the Bus,” 'Amish Paradise,” 'Smells Like Nirvana,' and “Dare to B…

Review: DARIUS RUCKER'S SONGS OF SUMMER TOUR at Acrisure Amphitheater

Review: DARIUS RUCKER'S SONGS OF SUMMER TOUR at Acrisure Amphitheater

by Brian Hilbrand · June 29, 2026

I was fortunate enough to see and work a show when Darius first reintroduced himself as a Country artist at a small acoustic concert. Darius Rucker played the 107 MUS The Moose (WMUS) concert in Muskegon, Michigan, in 2013 shortly after he transitioned to country music, acting as a headliner for the…

Review: A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER at Avon Players

Review: A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER at Avon Players

by Emily Schenk · June 2, 2026

A production of A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder is only as strong as its many moving parts, and this cast delivered them with delicious precision. The women of the show were far more than romantic interests orbiting Monty’s schemes—they were a dazzling constellation all their own. Hosan…

Review: HAMILTON at The Fisher Theatre

Review: HAMILTON at The Fisher Theatre

by Emily Schenk · May 5, 2026

Hamilton is the room where it happens—a history remix that’s not throwing away its shot at dazzling you with rhyme, rhythm, and revolution. Founding fathers trade powdered wigs for mic drops as ambition rises faster than the tempo, and duels come with both pistols and punchlines. This production…

Review: THE LION KING at Broadway Grand Rapids

Review: THE LION KING at Broadway Grand Rapids

by Brian Hilbrand · April 21, 2026

The Lion King has been touring North America for more than 23 years, and during that time has welcomed over 25 million theatergoers, making it North America’s longest-running and most-attended Broadway tour. Having already played more than 10,000 performances in over 90 cities across North America…

Review: FIDDLER ON THE ROOF at Stagecrafters

Review: FIDDLER ON THE ROOF at Stagecrafters

by Emily Schenk · April 18, 2026

Fiddler on the Roof follows Tevye, a poor milkman in Anatevka, and his five daughters who choose love over arranged marriages, challenging Tevye’s beliefs about faith and family.…

Past Shows

93 total · showing 1–10

The Book of Mormon

The Book of Mormon

Jun 19 – Jun 22, 2025

The New York Times calls it “the best musical of this century.” The Washington Post says, “It is the kind of evening that restores your faith in musicals.” And Entertainment Weekly says, “Grade A: the funniest musical of all time.” Jimmy Fallon of The Tonight Show calls it...

Hamilton

Hamilton

May 21 – Jun 1, 2025

A revolutionary story of passion, unstoppable ambition, and the dawn of a new nation. Hamilton is the epic saga that follows the rise of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton as he fights for honor, love, and a legacy that would shape the course of a nation. Based on Ron Chernow’s...

CHICAGO

CHICAGO

Apr 8 – Apr 13, 2025

CHICAGO is still the one musical with everything that makes Broadway shimmy-shake: a universal tale of fame, fortune, and all that jazz, with one showstopping song after another and the most astonishing dancing you’ve ever seen. In the whirlwind of Chicago’s Jazz Age, two of the...

Two Trains Running

Mar 22

Experience The Acting Company's production of August Wilson's Two Trains Running, which explores community and identity during the civil rights movement. Set in the 1960s, the play highlights the lives of an urban community as they navigate transformation while celebrating their...

Life of Pi

Life of Pi

Mar 11 – Mar 16, 2025

A THEATRICAL EVENT UNLIKE ANYTHING ELSE! Winner of three Tony Awards® and the Olivier Award for Best Play, the Broadway and West End sensation LIFE OF PI is “an exhilarating evening of theater” ( The Wall Street Journal ). Based on the novel that sold more than 15 million copies...

MJ

MJ

Feb 11 – Feb 16, 2025

He is one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Now, Michael Jackson’s unique and unparalleled artistry comes to East Lansing as MJ , the multi-Tony Award® winning new musical centered around the making of the 1992 Dangerous World Tour, begins a tour of its own. Created by...

Shucked

Shucked

Jan 21 – Jan 26, 2025

Shucked is the Tony Award®–winning musical comedy The Wall Street Journal calls “flat out hilarious!” And nobody knows funny like economists. Featuring a book by Tony Award winner Robert Horn ( Tootsie ), a score by the Grammy® Award–winning songwriting team of Brandy Clark and...

Wild Hope: With Photographer Ami Vitale

Jan 14

Join photographer Ami Vitale for an engaging exploration of our connection with the natural world in Wild Hope. On January 14, 2025, Vitale will share inspiring stories highlighting the efforts required to protect endangered species like pandas, rhinos, and elephants. Known for...

Sugar and Booze

Dec 3

Ana Gasteyer, known for her iconic runs on Saturday Night Live and her Broadway performances, takes the stage for a unique holiday celebration in Sugar and Booze. Set to an intimate audience on December 3, 2024, Gasteyer combines seasonal classics with her original holiday...

BroadwayWorld TV


Ghost Light Cabaret Series: One Hit Wonders in Michigan Ghost Light Cabaret Series: One Hit Wonders
Flint Institute of Music (8/31-9/02)
Les Miserables in Michigan Les Miserables
Grosse Pointe Theatre (9/18-10/11)
SISTER ACT in Michigan SISTER ACT
THE ENCORE MUSICAL THEATRE COMPANY (10/08-10/17)
Anything Goes in Michigan Anything Goes
The Civic Auditorium (9/18-9/27)
Tribute: QUEEN in Michigan Tribute: QUEEN
THE ENCORE MUSICAL THEATRE COMPANY (9/11-9/13)
CURTAINS the musical in Michigan CURTAINS the musical
Inspire Theatre (10/16-11/01)
The Notebook in Michigan The Notebook
Cobb Great Hall (10/27-11/01)
Clue in Michigan Clue
Flint Institute of Music (11/13-11/13)
La Rondine (The Swallow) in Michigan La Rondine (The Swallow)
Power Center for the Performing Arts (11/05-11/08)
Aping Jane in Michigan Aping Jane
Tipping Point Theatre (9/23-10/18)