THE MIDLAND THEATRE ANNOUNCES 2026/27 STAGE DOOR CABARET SERIES

AN IMMERSIVE ON-STAGE CONCERT EXPERIENCE WITH SIX SINGER-SONGWRITERS

Sponsored by Huntington Bank, the historic Newark theatre invites ~120 guests through its stage door and onto its stage for six evenings of music discovery; series tickets on sale June 9, with Annual Fund member early access June 2

NEWARK, Ohio (June 2, 2026) -- The Midland Theatre is proud to announce its 2026/27 Stage Door Cabaret Series, sponsored by Huntington Bank, an immersive on-stage concert series that brings audiences within feet of touring singer-songwriters from across the country. Beginning September 17, 2026, patrons will enter through the theatre’s stage door, the very door used by the artists themselves, and take a seat at a table for four on the historic Newark stage, joining 120 guests for an intimate evening of music discovery.

Stage Door Cabaret is one of The Midland’s most distinctive offerings. The format breaks down the traditional wall between artist and audience, replacing rows of seats and a darkened hall with a softly lit gathering on the stage itself, just feet from the singer-songwriter sharing the room. Performances consistently sell out, and the series rewards early commitment.

“Stage Door is one of our favorite gatherings of the year,” said Maryann Crist, Executive Director of The Midland Theatre. “We open our stage door, welcome our community onto the historic Midland stage, and share the evening together at tables for four. The Midland exists to share extraordinary art with everyone, and there is no warmer way to do that than around a Stage Door table.”

The 2026/27 Stage Door Cabaret lineup features:

• Jesse Ruben, September 17, 2026. The folk-pop storyteller behind more than 60 million streams, a TODAY Show performance, and music featured on Disney+, NPR, and MTV.

• Richard Shindell, October 15, 2026. A narrative songwriter whose life crossing thresholds, between a Zen Buddhist monastery and the streets of Paris, has shaped a body of work renowned for its vivid storytelling.

• David Wilcox, November 12, 2026. A musician’s musician and writer’s writer, a quiet force in American folk for more than thirty years, returning with his latest album, The Way I Tell the Story, praised by Rolling Stone and the New York Times.

• Hiroya Tsukamoto, February 18, 2027. One guitar, a thousand stories. The Berklee-trained fingerstyle virtuoso has been celebrated at the Blue Note, the United Nations, and beyond.

• Kaki King, March 11, 2027. The Brooklyn guitarist Rolling Stone called “a genre unto herself,” whose intricate fingerpicking and percussive tapping have powered film scores, shared stages with Dave Grohl, and reshaped what a single guitar can do.

• Amanda Grace, April 29, 2027. Folk, alt-pop, and Americana in one voice. The Minnesota songwriter and pianist’s warm vocals and melody-first ballads have earned eight albums and a Blues & Roots Radio Album of the Year nomination.

The Stage Door Cabaret Series is sponsored by Huntington Bank.

Tickets are available in two formats. The full six-show series secures the same seat for every Stage Door evening at $189.50 per seat, with all fees included. Individual show tickets are also available at $35 each, plus applicable fees, an accessible price for any one performance.

“Series tickets are the best deal we offer all year,” Crist added. “Patrons save nearly $80 per seat, they keep the same seat for every show, and they do it knowing these performances sell out year after year. If there is a Stage Door artist you cannot bear to miss, the safest seat in the house is the one you reserve right now.”

All tickets, series and individual, are available online at midlandtheatre.org/stagedoor. Annual Fund members get early access beginning June 2, 2026, and general public sales open June 9, 2026. Patrons who are not yet Annual Fund members can join during online checkout to unlock the member presale immediately. Tickets may also be purchased by phone at 740-345-5483 during Box Office hours.

About The Midland Theatre

The Midland Theatre, Newark’s cultural cornerstone since 1928, stands as a testament to the enduring power of live performance and community connection. Located at 36 North Park Place in Newark, Ohio, this historic Spanish Revival theatre has been enriching the lives of audiences for nearly a century. Originally opening its doors on December 20, 1928, The Midland served as Newark’s premier entertainment destination for 50 years before closing in 1978. Following an $8.5 million restoration by The Longaberger Company completed in 2000, The Midland reopened as a vibrant performing arts venue operated by the Newark Midland Theatre Association, a local volunteer non-profit organization. Today, The Midland continues its mission of making high-quality live performance accessible to the entire community through its “Arts for All” philosophy.

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