The Michigan State University Wharton Center recently announced its slate of touring Broadway shows for the coming season. The Wharton is now releasing the rest of its programming schedule for 2026 and the first half of 2027.
The classical music slate coming to the Wharton Center next season is led by the duo of cellist Yo-Yo Ma and pianist Emanuel Ax on December 8.
Executive Director Eric Olmscheid says it will be Ma’s sixth appearance on campus.
“Yo-Yo Ma and Emanuel Ax have been friends for over 50 years and performing together for over 40,” he explained.
“I think that energy just translates on stage. We don’t yet know what they’re going to perform. They haven’t selected their rep yet for next season, and this is one of the very first events that I put on the calendar for this season.”
If you’re closer to Ann Arbor, the University Musical Society is bringing Ma and Ax to Hill Auditorium two days later on December 10.
Other classical performances on the schedule include the Berlin Philharmonic Brass next February 2, Midori and Festival Strings Lucerne February 21, and Avi Avital and Ksenija Sidorova March 18.
Broadway lovers can look forward to An Evening With Sutton Foster October 3 of this year. The native of Troy, Michigan is the namesake of the Wharton-sponsored Sutton Foster Awards for high school musical performers.
“Seven Tony Award nominations, two Tony Award wins, many, many other awards, and she’s just such a great performer!" Olmscheid said.
"She will choose from the kind of the Broadway catalog and her favorite songs, and it will just be an evening with her telling stories and songs with her accompanist at the piano.”
Jazz programming will include the Count Basie Orchestra with singer Carmen Bradford from the MSU College of Music faculty on January 12 and the Emmet Cohen Trio next March.
Endea Owens and The Cookout will perform on October 9, 2026.
Owens, a graduate of Julliard and the MSU College of Music, is best known for her work with the band on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert." Olmscheid became enamored with bringing her to town after seeing her perform in New York.
“Walked into the jazz club and immediately knew that she must be on our stage. She’s just electric! She leads her trio from her bass in the front, and is just really a dynamic performer," he said.
Actor Richard Thomas was last in East Lansing portraying Atticus Finch in “To Kill a Mockingbird.” He returns May 6, 2027 in “Mark Twain Tonight!”.
“Mark Twain Tonight” was written by Hal Holbrook, who portrayed the legendary author himself for many years, including at Wharton.
For Olmscheid, Richard Thomas is a great fit for the role.
“His resemblance of Mark Twain and what I know of it through Hal Holbrook’s lens is just remarkable and is so spot on. The response has been extremely positive across the country for this, for this edition.”
Wharton’s smaller comedy and music “Club 750” shows will be back, and the Act One Family Series also returns, as will a dance slate that includes Dance Theatre of Harlem.
The MSU Wharton Center is a financial supporter of WKAR.
Story Transcript
Scott Pohl: With Inside The Arts, I’m Scott Pohl.
The Michigan State University Wharton Center recently announced its slate of touring Broadway shows for the coming season. Today, the Wharton is releasing the rest of its programming schedule for 2026 and the first half of 2027.
For Inside The Arts this week, I talked with Wharton Center executive director Eric Olmscheid.
The classical music slate coming to the Wharton Center next season is led by the duo of cellist Yo-Yo Ma and pianist Emanuel Ax on December 8.
(Soundbite of Composition, "Cello Sonata No. 3 in A Major, Op. 69 / I. Allegro ma non tanto" by Ludwig van Beethoven)
Executive Director Eric Olmscheid says it will be Ma’s sixth appearance on campus.
Olmscheid: Yo-Yo Ma and Emanuel Ax have been friends for over 50 years, and performing together for over 40, and I think that energy just translates on stage. We don’t yet know what they’re going to perform, they haven’t selected their rep yet for next season, and this is one of the very first events that I put on the calendar for this season.
Pohl: If you’re closer to Ann Arbor, the University Musical Society is bringing Ma and Ax to Hill Auditorium two days later, on December 10.
Other classical performances on the schedule include the Berlin Philharmonic Brass next February 2, Midori and Festival Strings Lucerne February 21, and Avi Avital and Ksenija Sidorova March 18, 2027.
Broadway lovers can look forward to An Evening With Sutton Foster October 3. The native of Troy, Michigan is the namesake of the Wharton-sponsored Sutton Foster Awards for high school musical performers.
Olmsheid: Seven Tony Award nominations, two Tony Award wins, many, many other awards, and she’s just such a great performer! She will choose from the kind of the Broadway catalog and her favorite songs, and it will just be an evening with her telling stories and songs with her accompanist at the piano.
Pohl: Jazz programming will include the Count Basie Orchestra with singer Carmen Bradford from the MSU College of Music faculty on January 12; the Emmet Cohen Trio next March; and Endea Owens and The Cookout on October 9.
(Soundbite of bass freestyle by Endea Owens amid clapping and cheering crowd and a drum beat)
Owens, a graduate of Julliard and the MSU College of Music is best known for her work with the band on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert." Olmscheid became enamored with bringing her to town after seeing her perform in New York.
Olmscheid: Walked into the jazz club and immediately knew that she must be on our stage. She’s just electric! She leads her trio from her bass in the front, and is just really a dynamic performer.
Pohl: Actor Richard Thomas was last in East Lansing portraying Atticus Finch in “To Kill a Mockingbird.” He returns May 6, 2027 in “Mark Twain Tonight!"
(Soundbite of Play, "Mark Twain Tonight!")
Richard Thomas: (As Mark Twain) It’s a comical invention, the human race, any way you look at it.
Pohl: “Mark Twain Tonight!” was written by Hal Holbrook, who portrayed the legendary author himself for many years, including at Wharton.
(Soundbite of Play, "Mark Twain Tonight!")
Thomas: (As Mark Twain) Humor is mankind’s greatest blessing.
Pohl: For Olmscheid, Richard Thomas is a great fit for the role.
Olmscheid: His resemblance of Mark Twain and what I know of it through Hal Holbrook’s lens is just remarkable and is so spot on. The response has been extremely positive across the country for this, for this edition.
Pohl: Wharton’s smaller comedy and music “Club 750” shows will be back, and the Act One Family Series also returns, as will a dance slate that includes Dance Theatre of Harlem.
With Inside The Arts, I’m Scott Pohl. The Wharton Center is a financial supporter of WKAR.
