The 2025-2026 season at the Bowlus Fine Arts Center was unveiled Monday evening to much fanfare.
An estimated 100 attended the event that included a catered meal and a preview of upcoming shows.
Preview highlights included “Spamilton,” a razor-sharp parody of the blockbuster musical “Hamilton.” The Oct. 4 spoof is packed with clever lyrics, dazzling dance numbers, and jabs at all things Broadway.
If you’re a “Hamilton” die-hard you won’t be offended, assures director Gerard Alessandrini. How does he know?
Because “Hamilton” director Lin-Manuel Miranda gave it the ultimate endorsement: “I laughed my brains out.”
Just two weeks later, Oct. 18, is “Free Fallin’, The Tom Petty Concert Experience.”
This isn’t just a cover band. It’s a full-scale live production that authentically re-creates the sights and sounds of a Tom Petty concert, complete with period instruments, spot-on costumes, and the signature energy that made Petty’s performances legendary.
Be sure to mark on your calendar March 28, when Pittsburg native Jennifer Schott joins Emily Falvey for “A Night of Songs & Stories.”
Now in Nashville, the songwriters and musicians will offer an intimate evening of music and behind-the-scenes tales from their careers with Schott on acoustic guitar and Falvey on piano. They’ll perform original songs recorded by Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts, Cody Johnson, Mickey Guyton, and more — sharing how each came to life and landed with chart-topping artists.
Also from Kansas are Jennylou and the Buckaroos performing a lively mix of acoustic bluegrass, classic country, and original songs on April 18.
The Buckaroos have performed at Winfield’s Walnut Valley Bluegrass Festival, the Kansas State Fair and many other community events over the past three years. They were the winners of the first Kansas Bluegrass Association band contest in February 2025.
If you like red-hot picking, fiddling, and harmony vocals, this is a can’t-miss show.
Learning made fun
National Geographic explorer Lisa Briggs shares tales of real pirates and their mark on history with her Sept. 26 program “A Pirate’s Life.”
For most people, pirates might be little more than Halloween costumes or characters from Hollywood blockbusters — but for Briggs, an underwater archaeologist, piracy is a living, breathing window into world history.
This all-for-the-family show invites audiences to uncover the truth behind the legends, revealing how pirates shaped empires, disrupted trade routes, and left behind clues in the deep that continue to fascinate scientists and adventurers alike.
An unparalleled drama will unfold Feb. 20 when Randy Otto presents his powerful one-man performance as Winston Churchill.
