Tickets for subscription orders go on sale at a Preview Party on June 3 and online, by phone and in person June 4. Single-show sales start July 8.
WAUSAU − The Grand Theater has announced what it calls its “biggest lineup of shows in recent history” and will bring 39 performances to the stage in downtown Wausau between August 2025 and May 2026.
The Grand announced its 2025-26 season lineup in a news release Monday. The upcoming season features everything from theater to American Idol contestants, legendary musicians to acrobatic performances, comedy, dance and even stage and screen star Richard Thomas coming to Wausau as Mark Twain.
The entire Grand Theater schedule will also include add-on shows, plus outside promoter and local production rental events, the release said.
“We are thrilled to offer local audiences world-class theater experiences that are rare to find in cities the size of Wausau,” Executive Director Sean Wright said in the release. “The Grand’s ability to schedule so many high caliber productions is a testament to north central Wisconsin’s support of the performing arts.”
Tickets to all of the 2025-26 season shows are available with a subscription order (four or more shows) starting at 5:30 p.m. June 3 at The Grand’s Season Preview Party. Order a season subscription starting June 4 online at www.grandtheater.org, by calling the Ticket Office at 715-842-0988 or by visiting in person at 401 Fourth St. in downtown Wausau. Those who purchase a season subscription order receive priority seating before single shows go on sale to the general public on July 8.
The Grand Theater 2025-26 season lineup
The following synopsis of the 2025-26 season performances was provided by The Grand Theater:
- Aug. 21: The Righteous Brothers Farewell Tour. Take a journey through decades of timeless hits, including “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin,’” “Unchained Melody,” “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life,” “Soul and Inspiration” and “Rock and Roll Heaven.”
- Oct. 3: Folsom Prison Experience. This performance recreates Johnny Cash’s famous 1968 concert at Folsom Prison and combines stage drama with live music and audience interaction. It stars Jay Ernest from the Church of Cash.
- Oct. 7: Celtic Thunder. An Intimate Evening with Celtic Thunder takes you through the group’s impressive legacy, featuring a setlist of their greatest hits and showing their powerful harmonies and soaring ballads.
- Oct. 14-15: The Addams Family. Join everyone’s favorite creepy, kooky characters as they meet the “normal” family of daughter Wednesday Addams’ new boyfriend in this hilarious musical for all ages.
- Oct. 16: Tusk: The Classic Fleetwood Mac Tribute. Tusk features renditions of both the solo and full-band songs, with each member specializing in one of the core lineup of Fleetwood Mac (Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood).
- Oct. 18: iLuminate. Iluminate delivers an immersion of technology, music and movement for all ages, featuring some of the country’s top dancers performing to energetic music − including top pop and rock hits, jazz, Latin, hip-hop and more.
- Oct. 21: Mania − The ABBA Tribute. The world’s No. 1 touring ABBA tribute returns to The Grand to recreate the magic of ABBA’s music in all its glory. “Dancing Queen,” “Waterloo,” “Mamma Mia,” “Take a Chance on Me” and many more of ABBA’s greatest hits will transport you back to the disco era of the 1970s.
- Oct. 23: Colin Mochrie & Brad Sherwood. The dynamic duo from TV’s “Whose Line is it Anyway?” take the stage in their new live show, “Asking for Trouble.” Armed with their lightning-fast wits, Mochrie and Sherwood transform the audience’s suggestions into an unpredictable evening of side-splitting laughter.
- Oct. 24: Celebrating Meat Loaf. This stunning concert is the only authentic reimagining of the legendary Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman songbook, performed by world-class alumni of Meat Loaf’s official band, The Neverland Express, and featuring American Idol winner Caleb Johnson as lead vocalist.
- Nov. 14: Six One Five Collective. This rising group of Grammy-nominated artists and songwriters have written songs and opened shows for household names like George Strait and Kenny Chesney. Their Grand Theater debut will feature a mix of country, Americana, folk and pop.
- Nov. 19: One Vision of Queen featuring Marc Martel. This theatrical production features the songs that Queen made famous. Martel will astound you with his showmanship and voice in a night full of the Queen hits you know and love.
- Nov. 22: Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland. This all-new spectacular production will transport you to a winter wonderland with a blend breathtaking acrobatics, soaring aerial performances and your favorite holiday music.
- Nov. 25-26: TINA-The Tina Turner Musical. This uplifting comeback story is the inspiring journey of a woman who broke barriers and became the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll. It is set to the soundtrack of her most beloved hits.
- Dec. 10: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy’s Holiday Party. Drawing on a rich catalogue of holiday classics and Christmas originals, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy’s “Wild and Swingin’ Holiday Party” is a fun and quirky take on the holidays for the whole family.
- Dec. 11: The Oak Ridge Boys. The Oak Ridge Boys will make one last stop in Wausau on their “American Made Christmas Farewell Tour.” The show will feature the group’s country and pop hits, plus holiday songs you know and love.
- Dec. 12: Altenburgh Christmas Extravaganza. John Altenburgh returns with this true Wisconsin Christmas tradition, with a lineup of some of the finest and most fun musicians in the state performing jazz, blues, country and Christmas classics.
- Jan. 13-14, 2026: Kinky Boots. Based on true events, “Kinky Boots” follows the owner of a struggling shoe factory who finds inspiration in the form of a new customer in need of some sturdy stilettos. This musical captivates and entertains audiences around the world with a Tony Award-winning score by Cyndi Lauper.
- Jan. 23, 2026: Collin Raye. One of country music’s biggest stars of the 1990s, Raye will bring you a night of hits, including “Love, Me,” “In This Life,” “My Kind of Girl” and “I Can Still Feel You.”
- Jan. 24, 2026: Classic Albums Live: The Lithium Experience. This concert pays homage to the heavy grunge and alternative hits of the 1990s by Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Alanis Morrisette, Soundgarden, Jane’s Addiction, Stone Temple Pilots and more.
- Feb. 7, 2026: Mrs. Doubtfire. Everyone’s favorite Scottish nanny is headed to Wausau is this loveable hit musical that tells the hysterical and heartfelt story of an out-of-work actor who will do anything for his kids. Family-friendly showtimes at 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.
- Feb. 12, 2026: Three American Troubadours. Concert celebrates the lives and careers of James Taylor, Carly Simon and Carole King with songs such as “You’re So Vain,” “You’ve Got A Friend” and “How Sweet It Is.”
- Feb. 17, 2026: Mark Twain Tonight! See stage and screen star Richard Thomas in this hilarious and wise one-man show originally performed and written by Hal Holbrook. Thomas is the first actor authorized to perform the play since the original.
- Feb. 19, 2026: Peking Acrobats. They push the limits of human ability, defying gravity with amazing displays of contortion, flexibility and control and display their technical prowess at such arts as trick-cycling, precision tumbling and juggling.
- Feb. 24, 2026: Judy Collins. One of the most iconic voices in folk music, Collins has inspired generations with her stunning vocals, powerful songwriting and timeless classics like “Both Sides Now” and “Send in the Clowns.”
- Feb. 27, 2026: Hot Club of Cowtown & Tyler Hilton. Actor/singer Tyler Hilton joins Hot Club of Cowtown to bring the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s celebrated hits to life on stage, weaving a combination of country, jazz and swing.
- March 3-4, 2026: Chicago. In the whirlwind of Chicago’s Jazz Age, two of the Cook County Jail’s most notorious murderesses − vaudeville star Velma Kelly and chorus girl Roxie Hart − compete for headlines amidst a media frenzy in this show-stopping musical that is the winner of six Tony Awards.
- March 5, 2026: Celtic Angels Ireland. With over 30 Irish traditional and contemporary tunes performed live by the Trinity Ensemble, the Heavenly Celtic Angels and the Dynamic Celtic Knights Dancers, the spectacular Celtic Angels Ireland is guaranteed to entertain.
- March 8, 2026: The TEN Tenors. This special 30th anniversary show features a powerful mix of classical crossover, Neapolitan classics and classic rock anthems − all delivered with their trademark Aussie charm and vocal brilliance.
- March 15, 2026: Drum Tao. They fill the stage with phenomenal athleticism and musical expression on the incomparable Wadaiko drums and the beautiful melody of Japanese flutes and harps.
- March 20, 2026: Classic Albums Live: The Eagles − Their Greatest Hits. Hear “Their Greatest Hits” performed live, note for note, cut for cut by the incredible musicians of Classic Albums Live, plus a second set full of the rest of your Eagles favorites.
- March 22, 2026: The Linda Ronstadt Experience. American Idol star Tristan McIntosh creates a stunning portrayal of Ronstadt in the prime of her career, supported by a backing band.
- March 26, 2026: Women of Americana. Join this celebration of early folk, gospel and Western swing music. Vocalists and instrumentalists Cristina Vane and Brennen Leigh perform iconic songs including “This Land is Your Land” (Woody Guthrie), “This Train” (Sister Rosetta Tharpe), “Just Like a Woman” (Bob Dylan), “Angel from Montgomery” (Bonnie Raitt and John Prine) and more.
- April 11, 2026: I Am, He Said – A Celebration of Neil Diamond. Matt, Jeff and Tommy Vee, nephew and sons of the legendary Bobby Vee, come together with an all-star band to perform the timeless catalog of Diamond, including songs like “Cracklin’ Rosie,” “Song Sung Blue” and “Sweet Caroline.”
- April 16, 2026: Dallas String Quartet. “Strings Unleashed: A Rock Fusion Experience” is a new electric evening filled with your favorite rock songs − played on electric string instruments − with favorites from Led Zeppelin, Metallica, AC/DC, Journey, Bon Jovi, Guns N’ Roses and more.
- April 22, 2026: 360 Allstars. A non-stop, energy-packed urban circus complete with dancing, beat boxing, acrobatics, BMX biking and more.
- April 24, 2026: Electric Avenue: The 80s MTV Experience. An immersive experience of 1980s new wave and radio pop, capturing the essence of youthful energy and sonic celebration.
- April 26, 2026: Evil Woman − The American ELO. Evil Woman’s 12 musicians perform the eternally groovy music of Jeff Lynne’s Electric Light Orchestra in a multimedia concert of pop and orchestral arrangements that transport you to the heady era of symphonic rock.
- April 30, 2026: Robin Spielberg. Hailed as one of America’s most popular contemporary pianists/composers, Spielberg is a long-time member of the prestigious Steinway Artist Roster. She will perform pieces for solo piano from her repertoire of popular American melodies and original favorites.
- May 7, 2026: Mama I’m a Big Girl Now. Broadway’s beloved leading ladies − Kerry Butler, Laura Bell Bundy and Marissa Jaret Winokur − reunite for a night of music, laughter and memories. It will include an array of popular songs from musicals including “Hairspray,” “Legally Blonde,” “Wicked,” “Grease,” “Little Shop of Horrors” and more.
Editor Jamie Rokus can be reached at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter at @Jamie_Rokus.