DECATUR, Ill.-- Millikin University’s College of Fine Arts is pleased to announce a jam-packed lineup of Arts at Millikin performances for the 2025-26 season. The University is proud to contribute to the vibrant and life-giving arts scene in Decatur, and Millikin welcomes the community to join us for a year of thrilling live entertainment, art, theatre and music.
In addition to the fantastic Kirkland Series lineup, the Schools of Theatre & Dance, Art & Creative Media, and Music have added a full calendar of plays, music, exhibitions, and shows in the Albert Taylor Theatre and the Virginia Rogers Theatre to the 2025-2026 season.
“This is an exciting time for the arts, and you are most welcome to experience it with us this season. Art encourages and allows us to feel; it’s transformational and gives us deep access to not only ourselves but the world around us. We invite you to be a part of our journey of engaging in live performances and visual arts,” said Cameron Jackson, Millikin’s Dean of the College of Fine Arts. “I am humbled to share what will be an exciting season of art, theatre and music with you, our community. We thank you for your support of the fine arts and Millikin University, and we look forward to seeing you on campus and in the community in the months ahead.”
For the complete list of Arts at Millikin performances, check out the performance catalog or visit millikin.edu/arts-millikin. Single-ticket sales for all 2025-26 events, excluding Vespers, are now available for purchase at millikin.universitytickets.com. Vespers tickets go on sale on Nov. 4, 2025.
Learn more about the Kirkland Series of performances here.
Here are some of the performance highlights from the College of Fine Arts' three schools: Theatre & Dance, Art & Creative Media, and Music:
SCHOOL OF THEATRE & DANCE
A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder
Virginia Rogers Theatre
October 16 | 7:30 p.m.
October 17 | 7:30 p.m.
October 18 | 2 p.m.
October 19 | 2 p.m.
Book by: Robert L. Freedman
Composed by: Steven Lutvak
Directed by: Kevin Long
Music Direction by: Beth Mason Creighton ’01
When the low-born Monty Navarro finds out he's eighth in line for an earldom in the lofty D'Ysquith family, he sets off down a ghoulish path. Can he knock off his unsuspecting relatives without being caught? “A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder” is a murderous romp filled with unforgettable music and nonstop laughs.
The Tempest
Virginia Rogers Theatre of Dance
November 13 | 7:30 p.m.
November 14 | 7:30 p.m.
November 15 | 7:30 p.m.
November 16 | 2 p.m.
Written by: William Shakespeare
Directed by: Alex Miller
Prospero uses magic to conjure a storm and torment the survivors of a shipwreck, including the King of Naples and Prospero’s treacherous brother, Antonio. Prospero’s slave, Caliban, plots to rid himself of his master, but is thwarted by Prospero’s spirit-servant, Ariel. The King’s son Ferdinand, thought to be dead,
falls in love with Prospero’s daughter Miranda. Prospero confronts his brother and reveals his identity as the usurped Duke of Milan.
Solstice: A Concert of Dance
Virginia Rogers Theatre
December 11 | 7:30 p.m.
December 12 | 7:30 p.m.
December 13 | 7:30 p.m.
Directed by: Angela Fledderman Miller
A blend of faculty and student work showcases the strength and creativity of the dance program at Millikin. Join us for a celebration of movement, sound, and light through a variety of dance genres.
The Great American Trailer Park Musical
Virginia Rogers Theatre
March 5 | 7:30 p.m.
March 6 | 7:30 p.m.
March 7 | 7:30 p.m.
March 8 | 2 p.m.
Music and Lyrics by: David Nehls
Book by: Betsy Kelso
Directed by: Jefferson Farber ’05
Music Direction by: Beth Mason Creighton ’01
There’s a new tenant at Armadillo Acres — and she’s wreaking havoc all over Florida’s most exclusive trailer park. When Pippi, the stripper on the run, comes between the Dr. Phil-loving, agoraphobic Jeannie and her tollbooth collector husband, the storms begin to brew.
Holy Chicken Sandwich
Pipe Dreams Studio Theatre
April 9 | 7:30 p.m.
April 10 | 7:30 p.m.
April 11 | 7:30 p.m.
April 12 | 2 p.m.
Educational Premiere
Written by: Kira Rockwell
Directed by: Tom Pacio
Co-produced by Millikin School of Theatre & Dance
At the highly anticipated grand opening of a controversial fast-food empire, 100 devotees gather in the parking lot for an overnight campout to win a year of free large combos. As the night unfolds, it’s clear there’s a fox in the chicken coop. “Holy Chicken Sandwich” is a comedic mystery — a play that invites
audiences to uncover what’s really in the secret sauce of devotion.
SCHOOL OF ART & CREATIVE MEDIA
Frank Lloyd Wright: Schumacher Textiles Exhibit
Perkinson Art Gallery
September 12-November 30
Reception: October 2 | 4-6 p.m.
F. Schumacher and Company, manufacturer of wallpapers, textiles, and other interior design accessories, produced a range of decorative designs by Frank Lloyd Wright. The mission of the OAD Archives, Inc., a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation, is to honor the past, celebrate the present, and encourage the future of creative organic architecture and design through education, endorsement, and promotion.
Sponsored by the Organic Architecture and Design Archives.
Nihonga Artists from the Japanese Painting Academy
Robert Crowder Art Gallery
October 1-December 19
Reception: November 8 | 3-5 p.m.
Nihonga is a Japanese style of painting that typically uses mineral pigments, and occasionally ink, together with other organic pigments on silk or paper. The term was coined during the Meiji period (1868–1912) to differentiate it from its counterpart, known as Yōga, or Western-style
painting. The term translates to “pictures in a Japanese style.”
Sponsored by Yasu Tanano.
Central Illinois High School Student & Educator Art Exhibition
Perkinson Art Gallery
February 2-27
Reception & Awards: February 7, 4-6 p.m.
Norman Rockwell
Area high school teachers select art and media works from their most talented students and submit their own professional works for this exhibition, part of a continuing effort to showcase the talents of our young Central Illinois artists to the local community. Awards and scholarships will be presented at the reception.
Millikin's Images in Motion Film Festival
Kirkland Fine Arts Center
April 29 | 6 p.m.
Millikin's Images in Motion Film Festival is a community event that showcases Millikin's animators and filmmakers. Guest judges will select winners and present awards, including the Motion Best in Show Award. Students will have the opportunity to discuss their work with guests. Get a sneak peek of upcoming projects from 1901 Productions, a Millikin student-run film company.
SCHOOL OF MUSIC
Vocal Festival Finale
University Choir and the Millikin Vocal Festival Choir
Kirkland Fine Arts Center
September 29 | 4 p.m.
Free
The culmination of two days of effort from more than 200 high school students from around the region, this performance exudes energy and enthusiasm as the University Choir joins the students for a performance.
Halloween! Percussion Ensemble
Albert Taylor Theatre
October 29 | 7:30 p.m.
October 30 | 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Tickets: $15
Join the Millikin Percussion Ensembles for the 19th annual Halloween concerts. This all-ages, family-friendly event of the season will take place in the infamously haunted Albert Taylor Theatre. Audience members are invited to join the ensemble in costume; prizes will be awarded for the best costumes.
Vespers
Kirkland Fine Arts Center
December 6 | 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
December 7 | 2 p.m.
Millikin’s most-beloved holiday event returns! Join us for carols, choirs, and candlelight. More than 200 musicians join for this joyous musical feast. Songs from past centuries combine with familiar carols and arrangements to create a concert of seasonal warmth for the whole family. Tickets on sale November 4
Purchase tickets online at millikin.universitytickets.com or call the Ticket Office at 217.424.6318.
Hollis Prize Competition Finals
March 28 | 7:30 p.m.
Kaeuper Hall
Winner’s Recital
April 12 | 2 p.m.
Gail Borden Public Library, Elgin, Ill.
Join three of Millikin’s top student performers in a recital competition like none other! Made possible by Dr. C. Kimm Hollis ’72, the Hollis Prize represents the highest award bestowed upon a student musician enrolled at Millikin University. The winner receives a $3,000 honorarium and an opportunity to perform their program at the Gail Borden Public Library in Elgin, Ill.
Cinderella
Virginia Rogers Theatre
May 1 | 7:30 p.m.
May 2 | 7:30 p.m.
May 3 | 2 p.m.
Libretto & Music by: Pauline Viardot
English Translation by: Rachel M. Harris
Directed by: Aubrey Hawkinson
Guest Conductor: John Massaro
Co-produced by the School of Theatre & Dance, School
of Music and Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra
This charming French salon opera from 1904 originally boasted prolific operatic mezzo-soprano Pauline Viardot as both its composer and librettist. Experience a Cinderella tale like you’ve never seen before with the revitalized English translation sure to appeal to a wide audience of musical theatre and opera lovers alike. Co-produced by the School of Theatre & Dance, the School of Music, and the Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra.
