Bankhead Presents Program | October 2025
Sponsored in part
Colin Hay
FRI OCT 10 @ 8 PM
Born in Scotland, Hay moved with his family as a teenager to Australia, where he first came to international fame with seminal ’80s hitmakers Men At Work. While the band would reach the heights of stardom—they took home a GRAMMY Award for Best New Artist and sold more than 30 million records worldwide on the strength of #1 singles like “Who Can It Be Now?” and “Down Under”—by 1985, they’d called it quits and gone their separate ways. Hay released his solo debut the following year and, over the course of the next three-and-a-half decades, went on to record twelve more critically acclaimed studio albums that would help establish him as one of his generation’s most hardworking and reliable craftsmen. Rolling Stone praised his “witty, hooky pop” tunes, while NPR’s World Café lauded his “distinctive voice,” and late night hosts from David Letterman and Craig Ferguson to Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel have all welcomed him for performances.
Over the course of his remarkable solo career, Hay developed a reputation as a gifted raconteur with serious comedy chops, and his frequent appearances at LA’s Largo club helped garner him a legion of fans in the entertainment world. Among them was actor/director Zach Braff, who called Hay’s mix of heartfelt songwriting and hilarious storytelling “one of the most amazing things I had ever seen.” Braff would go on to feature Hay’s music prominently in the GRAMMY-winning soundtrack for Garden State and invite him to appear as himself on the hit series Scrubs, which helped introduce his music to a whole new generation of listeners.
On top of his rigorous schedule as a solo artist, Hay has also managed to tour the world several times over with Ringo Starr & His All–Star Band, release an audiobook of Aesop’s Fables, star in the award-winning documentary Waiting For My Real Life, and even provide the voice for Fergus Flamingo in Disney’s The Wild.
The Filharmonic
SAT OCT 11 @ 8 PM
The Filharmonic, an LA-based a cappella group of Filipino-Americans who were featured in NBC’s hit musical competition, The Sing-Off, has much to sing about. After the show the 5-piece vocal group kept the momentum rolling with countless national and international shows, they were featured in the Universal Pictures hit movie Pitch Perfect 2, and set off a viral sensation with their Late Late Show appearances. They have performed with artists like John Legend, Shawn Mendes, and many more. The Filharmonic brings their unique blend of hip hop, pop, and R&B to stages everywhere and can be found on YouTube and all music streaming platforms. You can also check them out on social media @thefilharmonic. They consist of vocalists Vj Rosales, Joe Caigoy, Trace Gaynor, Vocal Bass Jules Cruz, and Beat Boxer Niko Del Rey.
Ballet Folklorico Mexicano de Carlos Moreno
SUN OCT 12 @ 3 PM
Drawing on the artistic variety of México’s different regions, the Ballet Folklorico Mexicano has a dance repertory of 120 pieces. Many of these are presented in their traditional form while others have been restaged to include artistic elements from more contemporary choreography. In this way, the indigenous rhythms of Tarascan Indian dances from central México stand in sharp contrast to the Spanish military; and courtship dances from that region. Similarly the African influences that characterize dances from the Gulf of México are juxtaposed by Mexican polkas that mark the influence of eastern European from the north. In her review of the company, Jennifer Fisher, the celebrated dance critic for The Los Angeles Times, noted that the Ballet “has much appeal. They are tightly rehearsed and (their) choreography is inventive.”
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John C. Reilly is Mister Romantic
MON OCT 13 @ 7:30 PM
John C. Reilly’s most personal and highly anticipated project in 2025 will be Mister Romantic, an intimate vaudeville show that has already garnered critical acclaim and captured the public’s imagination. Described by Vanity Fair as “fiercely funny” and hailed by Theaterly as one of the best performances of 2024 following a one-night show in New York, Mister Romantic marks a new chapter in Reilly’s career.
The Martin Sexton Abbey Road Show
SAT OCT 18 @ 8 PM
America comes together in the music of Martin Sexton. Our hearts mend, our political and philosophical differences melt away, and the various strains of our roots music entangle. Of Sexton, The New York Times says: “His unpretentious heartiness helps him focus on every soul singer’s goal: to amplify the sound of the ordinary heart.”
Sexton has remained true to his mission of sharing peace and harmony throughout his 10 albums, and in countless incendiary live performances. He has thus built a loyal following of fans, including critics and superstar artists. He is without a doubt what Billboard calls: “The real thing.”
These days, people are coming together to revel in Sexton’s musicality for his Martin Sexton Abbey Road Show. This is a live show extravaganza in which he performs the iconic Beatles’ album in its entirety followed by a set of mainly original music. Currently, Sexton is also working on his 11th album, which will be his first full-length album in 10 years.
Sexton is a songwriter’s songwriter, with a multi-octave voice that knows no bounds. Acoustic Guitar Magazine calls him a: “Master of dynamics, reducing a room to silence with his blustering baritone, then teasing that silence with a fluttering falsetto.”
Sexton’s career in music has unfolded like the stories in one of his sweetly redemptive songs. He got his start busking on streets and performing at open mics. Since then, he has gone on to be praised by modern legends such as John Mayer and Dave Matthews, who calls him one of his favorite singer-songwriters. Sexton’s songs of grappling and gratitude were the soundtrack to John Mayer’s early gigging years, and made an indelible impact on the budding songwriter. Mayer says: “This is the music of my LIFE.”
Sexton has headlined venues from The Fillmore to Carnegie Hall, and his songs have appeared in television series such as Scrubs, Parenthood, Masters of Sex, and in numerous films. His dynamically emotive live show has earned him critical raves and an engaged and loyal following. The Wall Street Journal says: “Mr. Sexton as an impassioned performer can bring women and men to tears when they see him live.”
Sponsored in part
The Rocky Horror Picture Show 50th Anniversary Spectacular Tour with Nell Campbell
FRI OCT 24 @ 8 PM
Nell Campbell, aka Little Nell, was born Laura Campbell in Sydney, Australia, on May 24th, 1953. Her father Ross, a well-known journalist and humorist, coined her Little Nell in his weekly newspaper column about their family life.
From the age of ten she studied ballet, modern dance, tap, and singing. On leaving high school she attended a one-year course at Drama School. Aged 18 she moved to London and among other jobs busked in the street, singing and tap dancing to 1930’s songs where director Jim Sharman spotted her and soon after asked if she would be in his upcoming stage production of a new musical, The Rocky Horror Show, to open at the tiny, sixty seat Theatre Upstairs of The Royal Court Theatre.
After a three-week rehearsal period with new songs being written as they went along, the show opened and was an overnight sensation. The following year the film The Rocky Horror Picture Show was made and although originally not a success, in the US midnight screenings with audience participation began and thanks to the wonderful fans it is the longest running film of all time.
Nell’s career includes a string of singles for A&M Records, opening her legendary nightclub, Nell’s, in NYC, and working as a journalist all the while continuing to appear in theatre, television, and film. Her daughter Tilly was born in 1998.
UNCLE Credit Union Art Gallery at the Bankhead Theater
Fragile Earth: A Call to Action
Quest Science Collaboration
Now thru October 19, 2025
New Hours Thursdays & Fridays, 12 pm — 6 pm | Saturdays, 9 am — 1 pm*
FREE & OPEN to the Public
*PLEASE NOTE: The Art Gallery is CLOSED Sundays through Wednesdays, as well as on Saturdays when matinee performances take place at The Bankhead.
Fragile Earth: A Call to Action is an art exhibit that explores the delicate balance of our planet’s ecosystems and the urgent need for environmental stewardship. Featuring works from local and regional artists, the exhibit showcases a diverse range of mediums, including painting, sculpture, photography, and interactive installations. Each piece serves as a poignant reflection on humanity’s impact on the Earth and a rallying cry for meaningful action to combat climate change. The Reception for “Fragile Earth” at the UNCLE Credit Union Art Gallery was on Saturday, September 6, from 1-4 pm. Learn More …
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Earlier This Month
An Evening with Jake Shimabukuro
THU OCT 2 @ 7:30 PM
Since gaining prominence in the early 2000’s, ukulele marvel Jake Shimabukuro has mesmerized audiences with his innovative and dynamic style, taking the instrument to dizzying new heights. Over a dozen solo albums, Shimabukuro has shown a knack for moving effortlessly between genres, sometimes in the same song. After being taught the instrument by his mother at age four, Jake became a local phenom, performing on his own and in a local group Pure Heart. Early in his solo career he became a YouTube sensation when his cover of George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” went viral. Since then, Jake has gone on to play the world’s most venerable venues, from The Hollywood Bowl to Lincoln Center to the Sydney Opera House and The N.O. Jazz Fests, and collaborated with some of the world’s greatest musicians, including Yo-Yo Ma, Bela Fleck and The Flecktones, Jimmy Buffett, Jack Johnson, Bette Midler, Ziggy Marley, Sonny Landreth, Billy Strings, Lukas & Willie Nelson, and Warren Haynes. Shimabukuro has also won his share of awards and, just a few years ago, he was nominated by President Joe Biden to serve as a Member for the National Council on the Arts.
Debbie Gibson’s Newstalgia Live
Greatest Hits & Beyond
FRI OCT 3 @ 8 PM
Debbie Gibson burst onto the scene at just 16, making history with her Billboard Hot
100 chart-topper “Foolish Beat”—a record that still stands, making her the youngest female artist to write, produce, and perform a No. 1 hit. Her extraordinary talent has led to over 16 million in album sales and a prolific theatrical career spanning 17 musicals, including Les Misérables, Beauty and the Beast, Grease on the West End, and Cabaret. In 2021, Gibson released her first pop album in nearly two decades, The Body Remembers, which soared to No. 2 on the Apple Pop Sales Chart. In 2024, she celebrated the 35th anniversary of her iconic album Electric Youth with special performances worldwide. Gibson is set to release her upcoming memoir “Eternally Electric” through Gallery Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, this fall.
