The silky smooth rhythm and blues sound of the Manhattans kicks off the 2026-27 McGregor Live! series with a performance on Sunday, Sept. 13 at 3 p.m.
It’ll be the third time that the group – featuring Henderson’s own Gerald Alston – has performed at the Henderson performing arts venue, but it’s the first time being included in the McGregor Live! series, said Mark Hopper, McGregor Hall’s executive and artistic director.
“We’re real excited that they’re kicking off things,” Hopper said.
The concert marks a culmination of weekend activities for Henderson Institute’s 50th reunion, he said on Monday’s TownTalk. “We’ve had a good time working with them closely and being partners with them on this.”
Following on the heels of the Manhattans is a strong lineup that includes theater, movie adaptions brought to the stage, ballet and tributes to a couple of pop music icons.
“I am more proud of this series than anything we have ever done,” Hopper said. “I will go out on a limb and say this is the best bargain in North Carolina for live entertainment…We’re super proud of this series.” And tickets for all five shows between September 2026 and March 2027 are a bargain at $140 each.
Auditions for the Broadway musical Frozen are coming up on Aug. 8 and 10 for the production that will take the stage for four performances on consecutive weekends Nov. 7-8 and Nov. 14-15.
And there will be an event for children to come have tea with Elsa and Anna, too, before the Nov. 14 show. Stay tuned for details about tickets for this special treat.
Bringing “Frozen” to McGregor Hall is a pretty big deal, and Hopper said it’s one of the first two amateur theaters around to present the full Broadway original version of the wildly popular Disney musical that includes princesses, magic and humor to create a timeless story of sisterhood, acceptance and the real meaning of true love.
“This is a big one,” Hopper exclaimed, adding that the cast will include ultra-talented people from the region who are drawn to McGregor Hall for its growing reputation for quality productions.
Before you know it, the holiday season will be on our doorstep – and on McGregor Hall’s, too. Ballet North Carolina brings its production of The Nutcracker to Henderson for a Sunday afternoon performance on Dec. 6.
Get into the holiday spirit without having to drive to Raleigh, “This is the big one that’s done at Memorial Auditorium in Raleigh every year. This is huge, huge,” Hopper said.
Students at the local Ballet Arts studio will play the roles of mice, joining professional dancers on stage to recreate the beloved holiday story.
“We’ll be able to give those students a chance to interact with some professionals in the field,” he said, and the 3 p.m. show makes it perfect for families.
The Tony-winning play “Dear Evan Hansen” is next up in the lineup with four performances in February. The opening night is Feb. 13 at 7:30 p.m. and includes an optional add-on Valentine’s Day dinner before the show. The other performances are at 3 p.m. on Feb. 14, 20 and 21.
Originally a play that opened on Broadway in 2016, “Dear Evan Hansen” deals with some heavy topics but manages to infuse a good dose of humor into the story of title character who comes from a single-parent household who is struggling and wants to go to college and, as Hopper puts it, “gets himself into a big, big pickle.”
“We’re going to be the first amateur theater in the state to present this,” he said, adding that McGregor Hall has developed quite a reputation among regional theaters for its productions and professionalism – some cast members travel from a couple of hours away to the nightly rehearsals, he said.
“We have become the destination for people who want to do really first class theater, musical theater, especially…We’ve established ourselves as the name in the Triangle. Nobody is doing theater at the level, at the scale, that we do it.”
The final show in the series is a tribute show called “52nd St. & Captain Fantastic,” and will feature the music of legends Billy Joel and Elton John.
“It’s a show where you get to hear all your favorites from two artists in the same night,” Hopper said. There will be top-shelf pianists, a live band – not to mention out-of-this-world costumes, Hopper said.
The show is set for Sunday, Mar. 14 at 3 p.m.
“We’re very proud of what we’re able to do, and the people that we’re able to bring to Henderson because of it,” he said.
Buy tickets online at www.mcgregorhall.org or call or stop by the box office. The box office is open Monday – Friday from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and is located at 201 Breckenridge St. The number is 252.598.0662
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