MIAC unveils bold 2026-27 season of must-see performances

Monday, May 11, 2026

The ��Ƶ Institute for Arts & Culture (MIAC) has announced its 2026–27 season, bringing an exciting mix of acclaimed artists to the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center and Walker Recital Hall at ��Ƶ University. Featuring Broadway, film, and television stars; innovative ensembles; and returning favorites, the lineup continues MIAC’s commitment to presenting world-class performances that connect with audiences and enrich the Erie community.

“What excites me about this season is its range. We’re welcoming artists who are redefining their fields alongside performers who have shaped them,” said MIAC Artistic Director Dr. Brett D. Johnson. “Our audiences will experience everything from virtuosic musicianship to deeply personal storytelling, and our students will have direct access to artists working at the highest level of the profession. Five of this season’s artists will engage directly with our campus and community through masterclasses, workshops, and other outreach activities. Those experiences are essential to what we do: they deepen learning, spark curiosity, and ensure that the impact of each visit extends far beyond the performance itself.”

The season opens on Friday, Aug. 28, when GRAMMY-winning trumpeter Chris Botti returns to the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center after his highly acclaimed, sold-out March 2023 concert.

GRAMMY-winning trumpeter Chris Botti has been one of the most popular instrumentalists in the world for nearly three decades; he’s collaborated with some of the biggest superstars on the planet, including Sting, Paul Simon, Barbra Streisand, Lady Gaga, Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, Bette Midler, Joni Mitchell, Steven Tyler, Andrea Bocelli, Herbie Hancock, Yo-Yo Ma, and others; he’s topped the jazz charts with numerous albums, earned multiple Gold and Platinum records, performed with symphony orchestras and on prestigious stages from Carnegie Hall to the Hollywood Bowl to the Sydney Opera House. In short, Chris Botti really needs no introduction. Yet with his Blue Note Records debut, he’s offering one anyway. “Vol. 1” is in many ways a fresh start for the trumpeter. Having successfully crossed over from jazz renown to pop stardom, Botti’s first album in more than a decade finds him crossing back, with a small group project focused on acoustic jazz and classic standards.

On Wednesday, Sept. 30, Tony and GRAMMY-winning, three-time Emmy–nominated actress and singer Renée Elise Goldsberry takes the stage at the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center for a high-energy concert that’s sure to have audiences on their feet.

Most recently, Renée Elise Goldsberry starred in the Netflix comedy “Girls5Eva,” earning multiple Critics Choice and TCA Award nominations for her scene-stealing performance as the deliciously self-obsessed Wickie Roy. She originated the role of Angelica Schuyler in “Hamilton” and appeared in Disney+’s Emmy-winning filmed version. Her Broadway credits include starring roles in “Rent,” “The Color Purple,” “The Lion King,” and “Good People,” with additional screen appearances in “The Good Wife,” “She-Hulk,” and “One Life to Live,” for which she earned two Daytime Emmy Award nominations. She recently released her debut album, “Who I Really Am,” featuring original music that blends soul, blues, pop, folk, and gospel influences, and is the subject of the acclaimed 2025 documentary “Satisfied,” which explores her "Hamilton" journey alongside the emotional terrain of family-building and new motherhood, now available on demand. She returns to CBS this spring in the new series “Cupertino.”

On Tuesday, Nov. 10, Black Violin brings its genre-defying sound to the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center, blending classical virtuosity with hip-hop, R&B, and electronic influences.

For nearly two decades, Black Violin has been merging string arrangements with modern beats and vocals and building bridges in communities along the way. Members Kev Marcus and Wil Baptiste first met in orchestra class at Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale, becoming classically trained on the violin and viola through their high school and college careers. Post-college, they reconvened to produce beats for South Florida rappers and began building an audience in local clubs. They later went on to win Showtime at the Apollo in 2005 and eventually sold out headline performances at venues across the country. Their 2019 album “Take the Stairs” earned a GRAMMY nomination for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album, followed by a second nomination for “The Message,” a collaboration with The Blind Boys of Alabama. In 2019, the group launched the Black Violin Foundation Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering youth by providing access to quality music programs in their community.

The fall season concludes Tuesday, Dec. 8, when internationally acclaimed performer David Archuleta brings his serenading holiday show to the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center. Expect to hear a full Christmas and holiday set list including his hit, “Christmas Every Day,” and all your favorite holiday classics, including “O, Holy Night,” “Let It Snow,” and more.

Since first stepping into the pop spotlight at age 17, David Archuleta has embodied the kind of genuine star power that can’t be manufactured. After years of dazzling audiences with his radiant personality and phenomenal voice, he’s taken a journey that’s included turning out multiple platinum-selling hits, achieving global acclaim as a captivating live performer, and emerging as an undeniable fixture on the pop-culture scene.

The spring season kicks off on Sunday, Feb. 7, with a collaborative presentation between MIAC and DANCE Erie, bringing Ohio Contemporary Ballet to the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center stage alongside Erie-based companies Dafmark Dance Theater, Seiche Dance Collective, and SoMar Dance Works.

For more than three decades, Ohio Contemporary Ballet has engaged audiences across Northeast Ohio through dynamic performances and robust educational programs, building on the region’s rich artistic legacy while shaping the future of dance in the Great Lakes region. Under the artistic leadership of Dr. Margaret Carlson, a former principal dancer with the original Cleveland Ballet, and Richard Dickinson, MFA, a former Ohio Ballet dancer, the company is committed to presenting consistently excellent work that delights audiences with a diverse range of choreographic voices. Championing dance as a vehicle for cultural exchange, Ohio Contemporary Ballet engages accomplished dancers and choreographers from across the country and around the world. Based at the Ohio Contemporary Ballet Center in Shaker Heights, the organization extends its impact beyond the stage through classes, community programs, and educational initiatives that broaden access to the art form.

The season continues Wednesday, March 3, when Tony nominee Patrick Page brings his electrifying solo performance, "All the Devils Are Here," to the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center in an evening that transforms Shakespeare’s most notorious villains into a riveting exploration of power, ambition, and human nature.

Patrick Page received a Tony nomination and a GRAMMY for his work in “Hadestown” on Broadway after starring as Hades in the off-Broadway, Citadel Theatre, and National Theatre productions. Other Broadway credits include “Saint Joan,” “Casa Valentina,” “Time to Kill,” “Spring Awakening,” “Cyrano de Bergerac,” “Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark,” “A Man for All Seasons,” “Julius Caesar,” “The Lion King,” “Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas,” “Beauty and the Beast,” and “The Kentucky Cycle.” His television credits include recurring roles on “Elementary,” “Madam Secretary,” “Flesh and Bone,” and guest starring roles on “Evil,” “NCIS: New Orleans,” “The Good Wife,” “The Blacklist,” “Chicago P.D.,” “Law and Order: S.V.U.,” and “The Gilded Age.”

In his tour de force show, “All the Devils Are Here,” he turns his attention to the twisted motivation and hidden humanity at the heart of Shakespeare’s greatest villains. Moving swiftly through the Shakespeare canon, Page illuminates the playwright's ever-evolving conception of evil by delving into more than a dozen of his most wicked creations. Thrilling, biting, hilarious, and enlightening, what Page delivers is a masterclass on the most terrifying subject of them all: human nature. Created and performed by Patrick Page, and directed by Simon Godwin, the duo brings the fullness of Shakespeare to life in this dynamic, contemporary, and accessible take on Shakespeare’s villains, promising an evening of mesmerizing artistry, powerful storytelling, and a rare intimacy that will redefine your perception of Shakespeare and his villains.

On Saturday, April 17, legendary multi-award-winning actress and singer—and ��Ƶ artist-in-residence—Betty Buckley returns to Walker Recital Hall for another mesmerizing evening of storytelling through song with her longtime musical director, Christian Jacob.

Betty Buckley’s award-winning career spans television, film, stage, and concert work around the world. She earned acclaim for her iconic performances in “1776,” “Pippin,” “The Mystery of Edwin Drood,” “Carrie,” and “Cats,” which earned her a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. She later received a Tony nomination for her performance as Hesione in “Triumph of Love” and an Olivier Award nomination for her lauded portrayal of Norma Desmond in the London production of “Sunset Boulevard,” a role she reprised to further critical acclaim on Broadway. She has captivated audiences on screen in films like “Carrie,” “Tender Mercies,” “Split,” “Imaginary,” “By Design,” and “Eternity,” as well as on TV in “Law & Order: SVU,” “The Cleaning Lady,” “Preacher,” and “Eight is Enough.” Buckley is also a celebrated recording artist, with 19 solo albums to her credit, including “Enough,” recorded live during her 2025 Joe’s Pub residency and set for release July 17 on Palmetto Records. In June 2023, she was named artist-in-residence at ��Ƶ University and returns to campus annually to teach and concertize.

French pianist and multi-GRAMMY-nominated arranger Christian Jacob began playing classical music at age four and discovered jazz at age nine. After graduating with “First Prize” from the Paris Conservatory, Jacob moved to America, where he was honored with the Oscar Peterson Jazz Masters Award and won the Great American Jazz Piano Competition. His credits include scoring two major motion pictures for director Clint Eastwood—“Sully” and “The 15:17 to Paris.” He leads his own trio, co-founded the Tierney Sutton Band, and enjoys a long and heralded association as musical director for Broadway legend Betty Buckley. Currently, Jacob is performing music from his latest recordings: “The Originals,” a collection of 13 original compositions for jazz trio and strings, and his solo piano album, “Beautiful Jazz.”

The season concludes on Friday, May 7, with acclaimed Broadway and television actor Claybourne Elder bringing his show, "If the Stars Were Mine," to Walker Recital Hall.

A Drama Desk, SAG, Lucille Lortel, and GRAMMY nominee, Claybourne Elder can currently be seen as John Adams in HBO’s “The Gilded Age” and in the Hallmark original "Deck the Walls." On Broadway, he earned widespread acclaim as Andy in the Tony-winning revival of "Company," starring Patti LuPone, and has also appeared in "Bonnie and Clyde," "Sunday in the Park with George," and "Torch Song." His other New York stage credits include "Road Show" at The Public Theater, "One Arm" at New Group, "Do I Hear a Waltz?" at New York City Center, "Allegro" at Classic Stage Company, and "Venice" at The Public Theater.

"If the Stars Were Mine" is a hilarious and heartfelt evening—part cabaret, part stand-up—featuring music by Stephen Sondheim, selections from the Great American Songbook, Whitney Houston, and more.

THE 501 & THE SILVER CIRCLE
Patrons can gain first access to tickets by joining The 501 or The Silver Circle, membership societies of the MIAC. Membership support plays a vital role in sustaining MIAC’s programming and advancing its mission to present world-class performing arts experiences.

In recognition of their support, members receive a range of exclusive benefits, including priority ticket access, premium seating, invitations to private receptions, valet parking, and tickets to MIAC’s signature event, The Summer Soirée.

This year’s soirée, set for Saturday, Aug. 8, promises an unforgettable evening featuring an elegant reception on the grounds of the ��Ƶ campus followed by an intimate concert by jazz legend Ann Hampton Callaway in Walker Recital Hall at 7:30 p.m.

Memberships are available now at . Current members wishing to keep or upgrade their seats must renew by Friday, June 5. New memberships will be processed in the order in which they are received.

Please direct membership questions to MIAC Artistic Director Dr. Brett Johnson at 814-824-2663 or bjohnson@mercyhurst.edu.

SEASON SUBSCRIPTIONS
With the purchase of tickets to four or more MIAC Live performances, subscribers save 10 percent on single ticket prices. Season subscriptions will be available beginning Tuesday, June 9, at noon.

The Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center box office will be open during normal hours, Tues.-Thurs., noon-5 p.m., throughout the summer. The box office will be closed Friday, May 22-Monday, June 1, and Friday, June 26-Monday, July 6.

MORE INFORMATION
Single tickets go on sale Tuesday, July 14, at noon, and can be purchased online at , by phone at 814-824-3000, or at the box office in the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center.

CHRIS BOTTI
Friday, Aug. 28 @ 7:30 p.m.
Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center

AN EVENING WITH RENEE ELISE GOLDSBERRY
Wednesday, Sept. 30 @ 7:30 p.m.
Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center

BLACK VIOLIN
Tuesday, Nov. 10 @ 7:30 p.m.
Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center

DAVID ARCHULETA HOLIDAY SHOW
Tuesday, Dec. 8 @ 7:30 p.m.
Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center

OHIO CONTEMPORARY BALLET
WITH DAFMARK DANCE THEATER, SEICHE DANCE COLLECTIVE, AND SOMAR DANCE WORKS
PRESENTED BY MIAC AND DANCE ERIE
Sunday, Feb. 7 @ 3:00 p.m.
Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center

PATRICK PAGE: ALL THE DEVILS ARE HERE
Wednesday, March 3 @ 7:30 p.m.
Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center

BETTY BUCKLEY (ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE)
Saturday, April 17 @ 7:30 p.m.
Walker Recital Hall

CLAYBOURNE ELDER: IF THE STARS WERE MINE
Friday, May 7 @ 7:30 p.m.
Walker Recital Hall

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MIAC unveils bold 2026-27 season of must-see performances

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