McKnight Center unveils 2025-2026 season featuring Hugh Jackman

Mark Blakeman, the Marilynn and Carl Thoma Executive Director of The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts, is guiding the Stillwater venue into its seventh season with a slate of performances that reflects its growing national and international profile.

The upcoming 2025-2026 season features a blend of high-profile shows, including a performance by Hugh Jackman, an appearance by the Seoul Philharmonic, and a variety of other Broadway, jazz, and orchestral events.

Blakeman said the season continues The McKnight Center’s mission to engage, educate and inspire. Visiting artists will offer mentorship opportunities for Oklahoma State University students and local youth, including free concerts and masterclasses.

The program also emphasizes community connection through accessible performances and cultural experiences.

To view the full schedule and purchase tickets, visit McKnightCenter.org.

A Cultural Hub Since 2019

The McKnight Center opened in 2019 as a world-class cultural destination with the goal of transforming lives through the performing arts. Designed to offer high-caliber artistic experiences while removing barriers to attendance, the center quickly became a hub for creativity and learning in Stillwater and beyond.

Its mission extends into local schools and OSU’s campus, fostering lifelong engagement with the arts.

Bringing World-Class Talent to Oklahoma

Each season, The McKnight Center presents about 25 mainstage performances, ranging from Broadway musicals to international symphony orchestras and acclaimed solo artists. Past seasons have featured the New York Philharmonic, Yo-Yo Ma, Martina McBride, Leslie Odom, Jr., Garth Brooks, Trace Adkins, and "The Book of Mormon."

The center also serves as a primary performance venue for the Michael and Anne Greenwood School of Music at OSU. Additionally, it partners with Stillwater Public Schools to welcome thousands of students for free performances and arts education programs.

State-of-the-Art Facilities

The Performance Hall seats 1,098 guests, with no seat more than 100 feet from the stage, ensuring what Blakeman describes as an acoustically pure and intimate experience.

Performances are often simulcast live to the center’s outdoor plaza, which features a 32-foot LED wall and surround sound for free community viewing.

The McKnight Center also includes a 217-seat Recital Hall, providing a versatile and premier space for a wide range of performing arts.

Follow the McKnight Center

Instagram: @mcknightcenter

Facebook: facebook.com/mcknightcenter