Music, Theatre, and Dance Highlight Ford Center's 2025-26 Season
Broadway, jazz, gospel and holiday shows take the stage
OXFORD, Miss. – The 2025-26 season at the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts will bring world-class performers, beloved classics and popular new productions to the University of Mississippi.
The schedule provides opportunities for cultural and arts experiences to satisfy a broad range of tastes, said Julia Aubrey, Ford Center director and Ole Miss associate professor of music.
"Attending live theatrical performances is a unique experience," she said. "Every show is different because the performers are reacting to the space and energy coming from the audience in real time
The fall schedule opens with a Sept. 11 performance by The Avett Brothers.
Known for their high-energy performances and heartfelt songwriting, The Avett Brothers meld bluegrass, country, punk, folk and rock 'n' roll. They are four-time Grammy Award nominees and recipients of an Americana Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award.
"It is quite a coup to bring these superstars to the Ford Center," Aubrey said. "There is lots of great buzz in the community about this event, and we are assured of a sell-out."
The fall schedule also includes:
- Sept. 18: The Doo Wop Project – Broadway veterans backed by a crack band deliver the classic street-corner harmonies of the doo-wop era, along with creative reimaginings of modern hits.
- Oct. 17: "Tina – The Tina Turner Musical" – The inspiring story of how Tina Turner went from a humble upbringing in Tennessee to one of the world's biggest rock stars, set to her iconic songs. Recommended for ages 16-plus.
- Oct. 19: Soweto Gospel Choir – Peace – Multi-Grammy and Emmy Award winners perform a program of South African freedom songs, traditional spirituals and timeless classics.
- Nov. 6: Rumours of Fleetwood Mac – The tribute band performs classic hits by one of rock's most enduring bands in a show personally endorsed by Mick Fleetwood.
- Nov. 17: Artemis – A jazz supergroup founded by pianist Renee Rosnes, featuring trumpet, saxophone, bass and drums. The ensemble just won Jazz Group of the Year for the second time.
- Dec. 2: "Christmas in the Air" – A holiday dance and variety production featuring Rockette-style precision dancers, singers and actors in a family-friendly production.
- Dec. 11: "Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet" – An update of the classic holiday ballet featuring an international cast, whimsical puppetry and lavish European sets and costumes. A special feature will be local children dancing alongside the professionals.
The spring schedule features:
- Jan. 26: earspace – Chamber ensemble performing immersive new works and rarely heard repertoire for strings, winds, piano and percussion.
- Jan. 29: "The Choir of Man" – Nine multi-instrumentalist singers perform well-known pop, rock, folk, Broadway and pub tunes in a show that combines music, dance and a working bar onstage.
- Feb. 16: "Tango After Dark" – World tango champion Germán Cornejo, of Argentina, and a company of skilled dancers present an intimate evening of authentic tango.
- March 3: Jazz at Lincoln Center presents Great American Crooners – Celebrate the golden age of jazz with music inspired by Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and Bobby Darin.
- March 20: "Wizard of Oz on Ice" – A reimagined production of "The Wizard of Oz" retells Dorothy's journey in a skating production with a new custom soundtrack and light show.
- March 29: Verdi Requiem – The Memphis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus perform the dramatic, powerful sacred masterpiece in collaboration with our own University of Mississippi Choirs.
- April 7: Peacherine Ragtime Society Orchestra – "Stage and Screen Spectacular" – The multi-talented 12-person troupe delivers musical journey through the 20th century, pairing ragtime with classic silent comedy.
- April 12: "Mrs. Doubtfire" – A musical comedy based on the beloved film retells the heartfelt story of a father who will do anything for his children. Recommended for ages 16-plus.
In an age of streaming, on-demand entertainment, the Ford Center lineup offers audiences opportunities to form deeper connections with the arts, Aubrey said.
"There is a direct and immediate connection between the performers and the audience that cannot be duplicated with movies or television," she said. "Live arts enhance our existence by sharing a collective experience with our community.
"A recording is always the same; live performances offer subtle differences. That is what makes it unique and worthy of one's time."
For tickets or more information on any Ford Center production, go to https://fordcenter.org/.
By Jordan Karnbach
