The PAC is has become a premiere destination for bigger touring shows to tech and prepare for their tours by spending time honing it. This season continues that trend when “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical” spends two-and-a-half weeks preparing and will launch the tour right here on Sept. 21.
Hunt said 30 years ago the intent to was build a great arts center not only for the community but to accommodate such shows in a convenient location.
“It’s a great thing the industry knows about us. There are a lot of places they could go but they choose to come here,” he said.
The show, which played on Broadway previously, will recreate the many phases of Turner’s career, from her years with Ike Turner to her solo successes in a biographical extravaganza with a live band onstage.
A year ago, “Mannheim Steamroller Christmas” rung in the holidays with a sold-out show here and it will haul Santa’s sleigh again on Dec. 12. Hunt said to expect a similar experience to 2023 with a distinctive new age sound to the holiday tradition.
Another popular live entertainment experience the community has embraced is showing a popular movie combined with a live concert experience. Have the time of your life on March 14 when “Dirty Dancing in Concert” brings in the energy of a live dance party with dancing, singing and music while the story of Baby and Johnny unfolds on the screen and the audience can join in.
A show that will cross generations will occur when a favorite kids’ show is revived in “Fraggle Rock Live” on March 23. The popular characters created by Jim Henson will be on stage in new adventures that will entertain those raised on it and kids discovering the classic characters for the first time.
The Club Kuss series of smaller, more intimate shows entertained PAC audiences for years and after a hiatus, Hunt thought this was a good time to revive it as a chance to let up-and-coming artists shine with touches like seating closer to the stage, complimentary desserts and a cash bar.
“Club Kuss is something we liked doing and people say they missed it and we thought it was the right time to bring it back,” Hunt said.
The series’ first show and the season opener on Sept. 19 features singer-songwriter and pianist Vienna Teng, She’s released several albums and appeared on “The Late Show with David Letterman.”
Comedy will be part of two Club Kuss offerings starting with Reggie Conquest on Oct. 17. He’s performed his act on Comedy Central and been on popular television shows like “Abbott Elementary” and was in the recent horror hit “Scream 5.”
“Saturday Night Live” has been one of America’s biggest comedy institutions for almost 50 years. University of Dayton alum Molly Kearney was in the most recent cast and has also appeared on Comedy Central and in television versions of “A League of Their Own” and “The Mighty Ducks” and will bring her standup act to Club Kuss on Jan. 9.
Closing out the season on April 24 will be Latin Grammy nominee and award-winning singer Gina Chavez with a pop/rock sound that Hunt said will bring high energy to the audience.
More details
Tickets are now on sale. For more information on the series, go to pac.clarkstate.edu.
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