WPAC announces shows for its 2025-26 season

The Wilson Performing Arts Center’s 2025-26 season kicks off on Thursday, Aug. 28.
Executive director Val Zane and director of operations Candy Garey previewed the upcoming shows for the season, which begins with “Circus Pop! The Giant Bubble Show,” at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Zane said the opportunity to bring the show to Red Oak happened by chance.
“The person who brought us Puppy Pals, which was a phenomenal show last season, brought us Circus Pop. The show is amazingly family-friendly, as you can imagine. It is a full-on circus show. Veteran circus performer Logan Jimenez does the show, and he was formerly with Ringling Brothers. He does fire eating and fire magic and escape routines, but his big thing is bubbles. He’s going to bring countless bubbles to the Wilson, and they’re going to be all over the auditorium and, I’m sure, all over the building, and he’s going to put kids and adults inside of bubbles as well. So if you’ve ever wanted to be in a bubble, I encourage you to come to the show,” explained Zane.
Shortly after that, the season continues with “Power of Love,” the world’s greatest Huey Lewis & The News tribute band, on Sept. 6 at 7:30 p.m.
“Candy is a huge Huey Lewis and The News fan, and I also love Huey Lewis. The lead singer, Tommy Clufetos, has traveled the world, and he’s performed with Chubby Checker, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, and dozens more. That show is sponsored by a  huge Huey Lewis and the News fan. The representatives of the show called us one day and pitched their act, and we thought it would be a great show to bring to the Wilson,” Zane said.
In October, the first community theater production will take to the WPAC stage, an adaptation of the classic 1968 George A. Romero zombie film “Night of the Living Dead.” The show is directed by Tracy Rhodes, and takes place Oct. 17-18 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 19 at 2:30 p.m.
“Tracy just portrayed Sebastian in “The Little Mermaid” and she was absolutely amazing, and she directed “Prancer” last Christmas. So she’s just a phenomenal local talent. She brought this one to us. She has this entire vision of making it a black and white vibe and then having just the blood be red. We recommend it only for kids ages 16 and older. We’re still looking for three zombies, but by next week we’ll probably have those three zombies,” Zane stated.
On Nov. 8, Rock 4 Vets will once again perform beginning at 7:30 p.m. with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. The show will be hosted by Dan Crouse. Admission is free for veterans. The event also features a live auction and chances to win cash and prizes.
At 2:30 p.m. on Nov. 23, the WPAC will host “Professor Wow’s Fun-Believable Science Show.”
“If you think science is fun you’re going to love this show. This one is $20 again, because again, we’re keeping our prices low. The show is all about these amazing science tricks and acts. They make things explode. Basically, it’s fun for the whole family and it will teach you as well. It’s both educational and fun. They do a 12-foot tall foam monster, they do balloons in orbit, and they do a super colossal vortex cannon. You’ll learn that nothing is impossible at this show,” advised Zane.
As we approach Christmas, the WPAC is hosting The Organ Masters Christmas Concert with Kevin Lloyd and Greg Owen on Dec. 20 at 7:30 p.m.
“They’re local amazing talents. Kevin Lloyd even plays it with his feet. This one is sponsored by Marianne Pilling and John Scherle, who is always at Rock for Vets. They’re also local amazing people. This show will definitely get you in the Christmas spirit,” Zane said.
The first show of 2026 is “Gooney Bird Greene & her True Life Adventures,” a children’s community theater production which takes place Jan. 23 at 6:30 p.m., and Jan. 24 and 25 at 2:30 p.m.
“This one is directed by Laura LaPrell, who does so many things for the WPAC. The really cool thing about this show is that not only are the children going to be on the stage, but they’re going to be doing all the behind-the-scenes stuff too. So have your kids come out for this show. They’re going to learn a lot, and they’re going to do a lot, and it’s just kind of cool for us to be able to see kids do everything with adult supervision and help,” Zane explained. “They’ll be able to learn the fly system, lighting and sound, how to build their costumes. It’s sort of a bounce-off of what we do with camps over the summer. The kids will be able to learn a lot.”
Closing out the month of January is Elton Dan & The Rocketband, featuring Janice Hill from Rock 4 Vets. That show takes to the stage at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 31.
“Janice sings with Rock 4 Vets. She brought this to us. She is an absolutely amazing talent. We had been wanting to get her on the stage as well, outside of Rock 4 Vets, because she just has this beautiful, smooth voice. Just super soulful and an amazingly wonderful woman. She knows Elton Dan, who performs Elton John songs. His Rocketband is equally amazing. It’s going to be the type of show where they’re just playing and playing until people want to leave. You’ll definitely get your money’s worth at this show,” commented Zane.
The first show in February is Into The Gray, featuring Skinny Webb. That show will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 21. The very next week, the Wilson will host the David Anthony Magic & Hypnosis Comedy Show at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 28.
“I was researching hypnotists, because I thought that would be fun, and I found David Anthony His act is family-friendly and it’s comedic. Anything that’s funny, I love. Some people think they can’t be hypnotized, so I’m inviting all those people to the show,” Zane stated.
On March 28 at 6:30 p.m., Zane said the WPAC is hosting its first-ever Wilson’s Youth Talent Showcase.
“Ethan Strunk brought this to us. He’s a 16-year-old here in Red Oak. He had this idea about doing a talent show and we met with him several times helping him formulate his idea. It’ll be similar in a way to “America’s Got Talent,” but with all local talent. We’re going to put out a pitch asking people to send in videos and come audition for the show,” Zane advised. “There will be a prize, the winner in different age categories will get prizes and scholarships. The age limit is up to 18-years-old to participate, and we’ll break it out into different age categories so that an eight-year-old is not going up against an 18-year-old. We’re going to accept all sorts of talent and I’m really excited to see what comes along.”
In April, another community theater production takes to the stage, “Dear Jack, Dear Louise,” directed by Larry Brandstetter, at 7:30 p.m. April 17-18 and 2:30 p.m. April 19.
“This is the story of playwright Ken Ludwig’s parents. It’s the actual story of how his parents met. Back in World War II, a man and a woman, one lives in Oregon, and the other one lives in New York City. Basically, they fall in love via writing letters to each other back and forth during the war. The war plays a huge part in this because the man goes off to war. And I’m not going to tell you how it ends, but it’s very, very romantic,” commented Zane. “We’re going to be asking the community to send their own letters to us that they have of their parents and grandparents that maybe that they’ve saved. We’re going to post them in the lobby so that people can come in and, read the real-life letters of people in the community.”
May 2 at 7:30 p.m. brings “Dueling Divas” to the stage, featuring Jackie Allen and Susie Thorne, who are professional jazz singers.
“They have this who-did-it-better kind of thing, where they get up on stage and they basically duel it out over who sings the song better, and who performs better. It’s a fun, interactive show where you actually get to watch the, you know, the singer up on stage become a diva and see who’s better than the other,” stated Zane.
Closing out the official 2025-26 season is “Legally Blonde The Musical,” directed by Julie Murren, with musical direction by Don Torbett. The show will be June 5-6 and 12-13 at 7:30 p.m., and June 7 and 14 at 2:30 p.m.
“It’s based on the movie starring Reese Witherspoon. She’s in love with a guy, he goes off to college and wants nothing to do with her because he’s going to Harvard. She decides to chase him there, and then in trying to fall in love with him and get him to fall in love with her, she ends up falling in love with the law, becomes a lawyer, and proves to herself and to the world how amazing women really are,” Zane said.
Season tickets are on sale now. They’ll be prorated after the first day of the first event, so people can still get them throughout the season. The benefit of the season ticket holder is if they, their friends or family want to also purchase tickets, their tickets are going to be the season ticket holder price of $18. They also get discounts off all of the WPAC’s other events such as camps and piano lessons. The WPAC also still has the family four pack for $100.
Zane said they’re also going to be hosting some pop-up events such as a Halloween karaoke party from 5-8 p.m. Oct. 25.
“This one is totally family-friendly. Kids of all ages can come up and be on our stage and do karaoke. We’re going to try to do pop ups quarterly. This one’s attached to Halloween. Maybe we’ll do one that has a Christmas theme, and something around Valentine’s Day or in the spring. It seems to be a lot of fun to get up there on stage, you know, to sing,” Zane explained. “At Halloween Karaoke, you can sing anything you want. The first 24 people to register are guaranteed a spot to sing, and we’ll also be doing a costume contest during the event.”
Zane added a big part of this season and seasons moving forward is focusing on kids specifically.
“This year we’re actually starting our children’s community theater committee. We’ve done children’s theater before, but now we’re going to be specifically doing shows and events that are specifically targeted towards kids,” stated Zane.
Lastly, Zane said the WPAC has installed handicap-accessible doors at the front and back of the building, as well as in the restrooms, thanks to donations from the Iowa West and the Montgomery County Foundation and the Red Oak Monday Club. The push-button automatic doors collectively cost around $25,000 and were made possible through the generous donations.
To learn more about the WPAC or buy tickets, visit wilsonartscenter.org or call 623-3183.