Star-studded performers on deck for MIAC LIVE 2023-2024 season

The Mercyhurst Institute for Arts & Culture will welcome Broadway stars, internationally acclaimed musicians, and luminaries of stage and screen to Erie, Pennsylvania, as part of its 2023-24 MIAC Live series. 

“Over the past few years, the Institute has become a premier destination for world-class performing arts experiences,” said MIAC artistic director Dr. Brett D. Johnson. “Our 2023-24 season offers more of what patrons have come to expect: dynamic performers, both familiar and new, in a beautiful venue that enhances the energy and intimacy of live performance.”

Its season conclusion for 2022-2023 was a performance by Aaron Tveit, one of the world’s most popular Broadway/Hollywood/TV crossover stars, yielded concertgoers from 25 states and three foreign countries. 

The new season kicks off on Thursday, Sept. 21, when two-time Tony Award-winning actor, singer, and dancer Sutton Foster comes to the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center for a solo concert performance.

Sutton Foster is a Tony Award-winning actress, singer, and dancer who was most recently seen as Marian Paroo in the Broadway revival of “The Music Man,” opposite Hugh Jackman. Her performance earned her a seventh Tony nomination as well as the coveted 2022 Drama League Distinguished Performance Award. Other Broadway credits include “Violet” (Tony nomination), “Anything Goes” (Tony Award), “Shrek The Musical” (Tony nomination), “Young Frankenstein,” “The Drowsy Chaperone” (Tony nomination), “Little Women” (Tony nomination), and “Thoroughly Modern Millie” (Tony Award). On television, Foster led the critically acclaimed TV Land series “Younger” and starred in the ABC Family series “Bunheads.” Additional on-screen credits include “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life,” “A Million Little Things,” “Instinct,” “Flight of the Conchords,” “Royal Pains,” “Law & Order: SVU,” “Elementary,” and “Sesame Street.” As a solo artist, she has graced the stages of Carnegie Hall, The Café Carlyle, Feinstein's, Lincoln Center’s American Songbook series, and many others. 

Next, on Wednesday, Oct. 25, award-winning actor Alan Cumming joins award-winning journalist Ari Shapiro for “Och & Oy! A Considered Cabaret.”

Alan Cumming (“Cabaret,” “The Good Wife”) and Ari Shapiro (NPR’s “All Things Considered,” Pink Martini) both transport audiences to other worlds through their stories. Now, they’re joining forces in song. Witness the exclusive debut of their new evening of tunes and tall tales titled “Och & Oy! A Considered Cabaret,” with musical direction by Henry Koperski. 

In a statement, Cumming said, “I’ve got to know Ari over the last few years, both socially and when he interviewed me for a couple of events. The last time was an evening in D.C., and by the end of it I realized our chemistry and the unusual combo of us, as well as the fact that Ari has an amazing voice, would make for a really great cabaret show. And kapow! We’re doing it! What I love most is it’s fresh and ever-changing.” 

Shapiro added, “When Alan first suggested that we create a show together, I didn't quite believe him. Then as we started to dig into this collaboration, I realized how much our professional lives actually complement each other. We’re both storytellers who try to help audiences better understand themselves and the world around them. This show lets us explore those shared ideals on stage together, through stories and songs.”

MIAC rings in the holidays on Tuesday, Nov. 28, with the world-famous Preservation Hall Jazz Band. 

The flame keepers of New Orleans' jazz legacy, Preservation Hall Jazz Band brings 60 years’ worth of “The Big Easy” inspired musical stylings to the world. Based in the heart of New Orleans, Preservation Hall is a tiny but mighty space, the go-to spot for jazz lovers around the world. Founded in 1961 by tuba player Allan Jaffe, Preservation Hall Jazz Band was formed to preserve the city’s priceless musical heritage and give their veteran musicians a place to play, and it instantly attracted players linked to the glory days of the 1920s. Now run by Jaffe’s son, tuba player Ben Jaffe, the group features a wealth of New Orleans talent. Dedicated to constantly enriching the sounds of jazz music, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band’s performance delivers a captivating show that expands beyond just performance. Instead, it reaches an ineffable, immersive musical experience. “People come to Preservation Hall and have transformative experiences,” Jaffe said, “and that’s part of our mission: to go out in the world and make that experience available to people.”

The spring season begins on Thursday, Feb. 29, when dazzling singer and actress Jessica Vosk brings her Carnegie Hall debut show, “My Golden Age,” to Mercyhurst University.

Jessica Vosk is a celebrated singer and actress known for stirring roles on the musical theatre and concert stage. In 2021, she made her sold-out Carnegie Hall debut with “My Golden Age” and starred as the Narrator in the 50th anniversary of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” at Lincoln Center. Before that, Vosk finished an acclaimed run as Elphaba in “Wicked” on Broadway, performing the role for two years. She starred in New York City Ballet’s Jerome Robbins tribute “Something to Dance About,” and re-created the role of Fruma Sarah in the most recent Broadway revival of “Fiddler on the Roof.” Her debut Billboard-charting solo album “Wild and Free” was released in 2018 and was followed by 2020’s “A Very Coco Christmas.” Vosk had an unconventional journey to Broadway, starting her career on Wall Street before taking the leap of faith to pursue her dreams. Her story has been profiled on ABC's “20/20” and on NBC's “Nightly News with Lester Holt.”

On Tuesday, March 12, singer, songwriter, and producer Sy Smith returns to Mercyhurst for a solo engagement after captivating a sold-out crowd at Chris Botti’s March 2023 concert. 

Sy Smith has long since solidified her place in the world of underground soul music (she’s often called “the hardest working woman in underground soul”). This Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, and producer helped cultivate the nu-soul scene in that city more than 10 years ago, a scene which now easily boasts some of the most progressive artists of that genre to date. Her catalog includes five studio albums with contributions from a who’s who of producers: James Poyser of The Roots, Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest, and Nicolay of The Foreign Exchange. All five of her albums, including her brand-new project, “Sometimes A Rose Will Grow in Concrete,” have been heralded by critics around the world for Smith’s lyrical dexterity, vocal whimsy, and ability to spin a story like few others in soul music. Listeners often remark on Smith’s vocal range, which moves effortlessly from a speakeasy, gritty alto all the way to a stratospheric soprano whistle register reminiscent of the late Minnie Riperton.

On Tuesday, April 9, world-renowned dance company Step Afrika! brings Erie audiences to their feet with a dynamic, one-of-a-kind performance.   

Founded in 1994 by C. Brian Williams, Step Afrika! is the first professional company dedicated to the tradition of stepping, a polyrhythmic, percussive dance form that uses the body as an instrument. Under Mr. Williams’ leadership, stepping has evolved into one of America’s cultural exports, touring more than 50 countries across the globe. Step Afrika! blends percussive dance styles practiced by historically African American fraternities and sororities, traditional West and Southern African dances, and an array of contemporary dance and art forms into a cohesive, compelling artistic experience. Performances are much more than dance shows; they integrate songs, storytelling, humor, and audience participation. The blend of technique, agility, and pure energy makes each performance unique and leaves the audience with their hearts pounding. Step Afrika! is one of the top five African American dance companies in the United States, the largest African American-led arts organization in Washington, D.C., and Washington, D.C.’s only Cultural Ambassador.

Concluding the season on Wednesday, May 1, is Tony Award winner Gavin Creel.

Gavin Creel won a Tony Award for his performance as Cornelius Hackl in the acclaimed Broadway revival of “Hello, Dolly!”, starring Bette Midler. He made his Broadway debut in “Thoroughly Modern Millie" (Tony nomination) and went on to star in the Broadway productions of “La Cage aux Folles,” “Hair” (Tony nomination), “The Book of Mormon,” “She Loves Me,” “Waitress,” and “Into the Woods.” He received an Olivier Award for his portrayal of Elder Price in the London production of “The Book of Mormon” and appeared on the West End in “Mary Poppins,” “Hair,” and “Waitress.” On television, Creel performed a solo PBS concert special with “Stars on Stage,” starred in the premiere episodes of Ryan Murphy's anthology series “American Horror Stories,” and charmed audiences as Bill alongside Julie Andrews in “Eloise at the Plaza” and “Eloise at Christmastime.” He is currently at work on a new music theatre piece entitled “Walk on Through: Confessions of a Museum Novice,” inspired by the collections of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

THE 501 & THE SILVER CIRCLE
Patrons can gain first access to tickets and enjoy other exclusive benefits, including premium seats at star-studded performances, private receptions, valet parking, and an invitation to MIAC’s signature event, The Summer Soirée, by joining The 501 or The Silver Circle.

Through their generosity, 501 and Silver Circle members sustain the Mercyhurst Institute for Arts & Culture. One hundred percent of each membership supports the Institute’s mission of strengthening the vibrancy of the Erie region through richly varied, inclusive cultural experiences. 

This year’s Soirée, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 9, is inspired by film noir: the sound of a lonely saxophone, the melancholy patter of midnight rain, the velvet black of a city at night, and one lonely chanteuse in a strapless gown. Guests will enjoy noir-themed cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and an intimate concert by MIAC favorite Melissa Errico.

A Tony-nominated actress, singer, and author who contributes regularly to The New York Times, Errico returns to Mercyhurst University for “A Noir Romance,” a seductive suite of noir songs, ranging from forties movie music such as David Raksin’s “Laura” to contemporary extensions of noir, with new songs by Patricia Barber & David Shire, a world premiere song by Michel Legrand, and classics like “The Man That Got Away,” “Blame It On My Youth,” and the Harry Warren gem “Checkin’ My Heart.” 
 
Memberships are available now and will be processed in the order in which they are received. For more information, and to register or renew, visit the MIAC 501 and Silver Circle webpage. Current members wishing to keep or upgrade their seats must renew by Friday, June 30. 

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, July 11. 

MORE INFORMATION
Single tickets go on sale Tuesday, Aug. 15, at noon, and can be purchased online, by phone at 814-824-3000, or at the box office in the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center.

MELISSA ERRICO: A NOIR ROMANCE (SUMMER SOIRÉE)
Saturday, Sept. 9, at 7:30 p.m.
Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center

SUTTON FOSTER
Thursday, Sept. 21, 7:30 p.m.
Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center

ALAN CUMMING & ARI SHAPIRO: OCH & OY! A CONSIDERED CABARET
Wednesday, Oct. 25, 7:30 p.m.
Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center

PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND
Tuesday, Nov. 28, 7:30 p.m.
Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center

JESSICA VOSK: MY GOLDEN AGE
Thursday, Feb. 29, 7:30 p.m.
Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center

SY SMITH
Tuesday, March 12, 7:30 p.m.
Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center

STEP AFRIKA!
Tuesday, April 9, 7:30 p.m.
Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center

GAVIN CREEL
Wednesday, May 1, 7:30 p.m.
Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center