FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Livermore Valley Arts
Contact: Ruth Egherman (925) 583-2306
Showcasing the Performing Arts at The Bankhead This Spring
Livermore, CA – (March 9, 2026) – Livermore Valley Arts is exhilarated to present some of the best of the performing arts world in the Tri-Valley this spring. From the best of the best with rising stars of the ballet world at ABT Studio Company on Friday, March 20, to the star of Broadway’s Hairspray and TV’s Glee himself, Matthew Morrison Presents Show Up on Thursday, March 26, to the untold story of Mozart’s prodigy sister in Sylvia Milo’s remarkable award-winning play THE OTHER MOZART on Sunday, March 29, The Bankhead will be filled with dance, music, and theatre to enrich and inspire audiences this month. All of these sensational performances will be at the beautiful Bankhead Theater in Downtown Livermore.
ABT Studio Company, the junior company of American Ballet Theatre, is made up of 12-18 rising stars of the ballet world between the ages of 17 and 21. ABT Studio Company prepares these outstanding young dancers, who hail from all over the globe, to enter American Ballet Theatre or other leading ballet companies worldwide. Nearly 80% of current dancers in American Ballet Theatre are alumni of ABT Studio Company, including 8 Soloists and 14 Principal Dancers—among them Misty Copeland, Isabella Boylston, and Calvin Royal III. ABT Studio Company dancers perform masterworks of the classical and neoclassical canons alongside contemporary works. The group commissions a wide variety of choreographers to create new, custom ballets on the dancers each season, with a special focus on female choreographers. The highly mobile ABT Studio Company serves as an ambassador for American Ballet Theatre by touring to venues large and small. In recent years, ABT Studio Company has performed in international cities such as London, Athens, Manila, Hong Kong, and St. Petersburg, as well as in a wide variety of US performing arts centers, college campuses, festivals, and galas. “From the opening pose and throughout this movement, there was passion and professionalism…these performers are the next generation of ballet dancers, blossoming before our eyes,” (Broadway World), who will bring to life some incredible choreographic performances right in Livermore on March 20.
A versatile actor recognized for his work on-stage and on-screen, Matthew Morrison, best known for his standout role as the Glee Club director “Will Schuester,” on Glee, is a dynamic performer whose charisma and versatility have captivated audiences for years. With a background in musical theatre and nominations for Tony, Emmy, and Golden Globe Awards, Morrison effortlessly blends his impressive vocal talents with a strong acting presence, bringing depth and charm to his performances. Morrison made his debut on Broadway in Footloose, but his big break came when he was cast as heartthrob Link Larkin in the hit Hairspray. Morrison was later nominated for a Tony Award for his role in The Light in the Piazza, and received a Drama Desk Nomination for Outstanding Actor in a Musical for 10 Million Miles. He also starred in the Tony-winning revival of South Pacific at Lincoln Center Theatre in New York. He also starred as “J.M. Barrie” in the musical Finding Neverland. Morrison received two Drama Desk nominations for his role and won the category of Favorite Actor in a Musical in the Broadway.com Audience Awards. In addition to his Broadway tenure, Morrison is probably best known for starring in Fox’s musical comedy series Glee; the show was created by Ryan Murphy and won the Golden Globe Award for “Best Television Series – Comedy or Musical” in 2010 and 2011, with Morrison also nominated for Best Actor in both years. Morrison has many other iconic roles on TV/Film, most notably on the hit CBS show The Good Wife, where he played U.S. Attorney “Conor Fox” through the series finale, and as “Paul Stadler” throughout seasons 13 and 14 of ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy. Morrison has released four studio albums: his debut, self-titled album through Mercury Records in 2011, which featured an A-list lineup of guest artists including Sting, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Sir Elton John, and most recently, Where It All Began, which is a Broadway standards record that was produced by the legendary Phil Ramone. A do-not-miss concert event, Matthew Morrison Presents Show Up, will be stopping by The Bankhead on March 26 for the delight of Tri-Valley audiences.
“A gem of a show” (The Stage London) and “fascinating…dreamlike…an arresting depiction” (Londonist), THE OTHER MOZART, the untold story of Mozart’s prodigy sister, will be playing at the Bankhead Theater on March 29. Written by Sylvia Milo and directed by Isaac Byrne, the Drama Desk, Off Broadway Alliance Award Nominated and New York Innovative Theatre Awards Winning Play is the true, untold story of Nannerl Mozart, the sister of Amadeus—a prodigy, keyboard virtuoso and composer, who performed throughout Europe with her brother to equal acclaim, but her work and her story faded away, lost to history. Described by The New York Times as “strikingly beautiful,” the one-woman 75-minute drama is set on a magnificent 18-foot dress that fills and spills over the entire stage. Created by Little Matchstick Factory and developed at the Cherry Lane Theatre in New York City, THE OTHER MOZART is based on facts, stories, and lines pulled directly from the Mozart family’s humorous and heartbreaking letters. With the opulent beauty of the dress and hair design, the sweet smell of perfume, and the clouds of dusting powder rising from the stage, THE OTHER MOZART is a multi-sensual experience that transports the audience into a world of outsized beauty and delight—but also of overwhelming restrictions and prejudice where, finally, this other Mozart tells her story. Sound design by Nathan Davis, costume design by Magdalena Dabrowska (dress) and Miodrag Guberinic (pannier/corset sculpture), dress concept by Anna Sroka, hair design by Courtney Bednarowski, lighting design by Joshua Rose, and period style movement by Janice Orlandi all create a world of opulence and elegance through articulate delicacy. Along with music composed by her famous brother and Marianna Martines (a Viennese female composer who inspired Nannerl), the play features original music by Nathan Davis and Phyllis Chen—featured composers of the Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center, BAM, and the International Contemporary Ensemble—for the instruments Nannerl knew intimately such as clavichords, music boxes, and bells, as well as teacups, fans, and other ordinary objects that might have captured her imagination. Following, among other productions, a critically acclaimed Off-Broadway run at the HERE Arts Center in New York City and continuous international tours, this March, The Bankhead will also play home to “Sylvia Milo’s luscious depiction…[that] eschews the dreaded bio-adaptation problem…with class and evocative energy…a surprisingly deep and penetrating analysis of the life of Wolfgang’s older sister” (Stage and Cinema). Be sure not to miss this “fascinating and irresistibly intelligent…beautiful” (Theatermania) special touring production.
Tickets for shows in the 2025—2026 Bankhead Presents season are available online, by calling 925-373-6800, or at the box office windows. For a complete list of events, visit LivermoreArts.org.
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Livermore Valley Arts is an independent 501(c)3 non-profit offering wide-ranging programs that provide access to the arts for the Tri-Valley community and beyond. The Bankhead Theater and Bothwell Arts Center are home to eight resident performing arts companies, over 40 studio artists, and cultural arts instructors. LivermoreArts.org
Show: ABT Studio Company
Date/Time: Friday, March 20, 2026, at 8:00pm
Tickets: $25—$95 ($25 student/military personnel) / Groups of 10 or more save 20%
Show: Matthew Morrison Presents Show Up
Date/Time: Thursday, March 26, 2026, at 7:30pm
Tickets: $65—$95 ($25 student/military personnel) / Groups of 10 or more save 20%
Show: The Other Mozart
Date/Time: Sunday, March 29, 2026, at 7:00pm
Tickets: $25—$75 ($25 student/military personnel) / Groups of 10 or more save 20% Dates, times, and ticket prices for other events available at www.LivermoreArts.org
