As seen in Asheville Citizen Times • Friday, September 19, 2025
Beginning with a season-opening performance on Saturday, September 27, the Wortham Center’s 2025/26 season brings an array of world-class artists in music, theatre, dance, comedy and family entertainment, along with workshops, masterclasses and special events.
“Each year, Wortham aims to curate a season that reflects the incredible diversity and curiosity of our Western North Carolina audiences,” said Rae Geoffrey, managing director of the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts. “This year, audiences will find Grammy, Tony and Emmy Award-winners, groundbreaking new works, and vibrant programs for all ages—alongside beloved traditions and exclusive, one-night-only events.”
Throughout its nine-month 2025/26 season, the Wortham Center will present more than 47 performances from 30 artists, along with 20 additional performances from 13 artists in the Kirk and Lucy Borland Student Series (in memory of son Patrick Beighley). This series gives school groups and families the chance to experience world-class works of art at an accessible price.
All tickets are on sale now at worthamarts.org, by phone at 828-257-4530, or in person at the Wortham Center box office. Flexible, multi-show discount packages are also available, starting with as few as three performances and offering savings of 10–25% off regular ticket prices, depending on the number of shows selected.
Leading off Wortham’s new season is the “spirited and spectacular” (The New York Times) Soweto Gospel Choir performing Peace (Sep 27) . This multi-Grammy and Emmy Award-winning group—renowned for radiant performances of South African freedom songs—returns to Asheville after a previous sold-out performance, bringing inspirational spirituals and classics by Aretha Franklin, Peter Gabriel and Leonard Cohen.
Pilobolus returns next with their Other Worlds Collection (Oct 10 & 11), following their previous packed-house performance, inviting audiences into a breathtaking world of movement, storytelling and surprise. Their latest collection blends acrobatic daring with raw emotion and whimsical invention, pushing dance into bold new territory.
One of the most anticipated family-friendly shows this fall, recently featured on CBS Sunday Morning, Lightwire Theater presents DINO-LIGHT (Oct 17) a glow-in-the-dark adventure full of puppetry, technology and dance—perfect for all ages.
Fresh from national fame and multiple TV appearances including his third place win on America’s Got Talent, comedian Josh Blue brings his Berserker Tour (Oct 23) to the Wortham stage. Known for shattering stereotypes and redefining disability representation in comedy, Blue is a powerhouse of quick wit and fearless charm.
The hit series The Comedy Zone returns for five laugh-filled weekends featuring nationally recognized comics with credits from Netflix, Comedy Central and The Tonight Show: Orlando Leyba (Oct 24 & 25), Helen Hong (Dec 5 & 6, limited availability), Sid Davis (Jan 16 & 17), Michael Palascak (Feb 27 & 28), and Kevin Bozeman (Apr 3 & 4). After two popular seasons in the Tina McGuire Theatre, this beloved program offers fast-paced performances that leave audiences smiling long after the curtain falls. For the first time, VIP tables are available.
Master storyteller Donna Washington (with 11 albums, 6 books, and 30 national awards) takes the stage just in time for Halloween with Of Blood and Bone (Oct. 28)—a riveting collection of eerie and unsettling tales from folklore traditions that will haunt and delight adult audiences.
November features renowned singersongwriter Karla Bonoff (Nov 1), whose spare and moving ballads—made famous by legends like Linda Ronstadt and Bonnie Raitt—have become the hallmark of American songwriting.
Exploding with energy and cultural vibrance, Cirque Kalabanté’s Afrique en Cirque (Nov 14) showcases acrobatic feats and rhythmic live music drawn from the sights and sounds of Guinea— a circus experience like no other. This performance is sold out.
Just before the holidays, celebrate the season with the uplifting A Swannanoa Solstice (Dec 21), a 20+ year local tradition celebrating Appalachian culture, seasonal cheer and musical storytelling with a cast of beloved regional artists.
After the new year, Canada’s finest bluegrass band The Slocan Ramblers (Jan 16) makes its Wortham debut, advancing “the high lonesome sound of bluegrass to great acclaim.” (The Bluegrass Situation).
Mid-season brings two powerhouse productions from the Tony-winning The Acting Company, performed by a dynamic ensemble of New York-based actors. Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Jan 23) bursts with mischief and magic as four young lovers and a troupe of amateur actors collide in an enchanted forest. The following night, Dickens’ Great Expectations by Nikki Massoud (Jan 24) transforms classic literature into fast-paced, theatrical drama—complete with escaped convicts, decaying mansions, and unexpected hilarity.
On Feb. 6, Wortham welcomes audiences to a one-of-a-kind event LP & The Vinyl: From Blues to Beatles to Bowie – A Benefit for Arts for All Kids. With intimate stage-side seating, light bites, drinks, and soul-stirring music—all to support arts access for WNC students.
Solas (Feb 14) returns to celebrate 30 years as one of the most influential Irish ensembles in the U.S., praised for their fiery instrumentals and boundarypushing sound. Next, experience Ailey II: The Next Generation of Dance (Feb 17 & 18), merging the creative visions of emerging choreographers with the exhilarating energy of Alvin Ailey’s legacy in one of America’s most beloved dance companies.
Joshua Lozoff (Cheers, Clueless, Penn & Teller: Fool Us) brings his interactive Life is Magic (Feb 20) showcasing mind-bending illusions, mentalism, and warm human connection—a family show that appeals to all ages.
In March, Wortham audiences will see stars when Emmy Award-winner Jane Lynch (Glee, Only Murders in the Building, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) and comedy favorite Kate Flannery (Meredith from NBC’s hit, The Office) present their gleefully raucous musical cabaret The Trouble with Angels (Mar 3).
Dynamic, New York jazz vocalist Nicole Zuraitis (Mar 4) makes her Wortham debut with original compositions and imaginative interpretations that earned her two Grammy wins.
BODYTRAFFIC (Mar 13 & 14) ignites the stage with theatrical storytelling, explosive technique, and a genre-defying blend of ballet, hip-hop, Afro-Cuban and modern styles—championing acclaimed choreographers in a repertoire bursting with sheer joy.
Photo by Guzman Rosado
John McCutcheon (Mar 21), a Grammy- nominated folk legend hailed by Pete Seeger and Johnny Cash, McCutcheon brings his signature multiinstrumental mastery and honest storytelling, continuing to charm audiences of every generation.
Closing out the month is All Things Equal: The Life & Trials of Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Mar 25 & 26). Written by multiple Tony Award-winning playwright Rupert Holmes, this one woman play offers a witty, moving portrait of the late Justice’s journey from activist to icon. Sponsored by Roberts & Stevens, P.A.
One of Scotland’s most innovative folk groups, Breabach performs on Apr 11 with a fiery, award-winning blend of Highland and Island traditions. With six BBC ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards, the band’s sound is both rooted and bold.
Reginald Golden and the Reginald Golden Singers take the stage Apr 17 with Stony the Road— a powerful suite inspired by Lift Every Voice and Sing. Blending gospel, blues, folk and jazz, and seen in BET Presents: Love & Happiness – An Obama Celebration, these stirring performers will take audiences on a journey through the African American musical tradition.
Wortham favorite Robert Dubac returns to the Tina McGuire Theatre Apr 23–25 with his new, The Male Intellect: An Oxymoron?. This one-man comedy dissects the gender divide with wit, charm and a cold beer.
Stewart/Owen Dance + Guests closes the season May 1 & 2 with a fresh collection of works from Wortham’s company-in-residence. Featuring guest choreographers and the Asheville premiere of The Front— a sharply satirical piece commissioned by the American Dance Festival.
The Wortham Center also continues its Kirk & Lucy Borland Student Series (in memory of son Patrick Beighley), serving thousands of students each year with affordable, curriculum-related performances including Pilobolus, Ailey II, Stuntboy and Pete the Cat.
