‘A-list Hollywood legend’ coming to Modesto’s Gallo Center. The new season lineup
Morgan Freeman is coming to Modesto.
Let that sink in for a moment: Esteemed, Academy-Award winning, critically acclaimed actor Morgan Freeman is coming to Modesto.
And he’s just one of the stars set to take the stage at the Gallo Center for the Arts during its 2025-26 season.
Tickets for the new lineup of shows go on sale to the public on Monday, June 2.
The season features a host of performers and productions, including several popular returning acts.
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Freeman will be on stage to present “Morgan Freeman’s Symphonic Blues Experience,” according to a press release from the Gallo Center. The show is described as “a transformative journey through the music, culture and legacy of the Mississippi Delta, the birthplace of the blues.”
The actor is “absolutely” a big get for the Gallo Center, Chief Executive Officer Chad Hilligus said in an email interview.
“It’s not often an A-list Hollywood legend comes to Modesto, so it will be a truly special evening for Morgan Freeman fans and blues buffs alike,” he said.
Freeman, appearing Nov. 21, will introduce and narrate the blues show.
“The show is still in development, so we’re actually involved in the process, which is very exciting,” Hilligus said. “The audience will experience Morgan both live on stage and through pre-produced multimedia components interwoven throughout.
“I also anticipate some kind of moderated on-stage conversation wherein Morgan will talk about his life, career and the history of the project.”
A five-time Oscar nominee, Freeman won in 2005 as best supporting actor for his role in “Million Dollar Baby.”
Look for a season-opening celebration
While the new slate begins in August, the official season doesn’t open until Sept. 13. It promises two laugh-filled shows with comedians Jay Leno and guest Arsenio Hall, according to the release.
Leno and Hall, former late-night talk-show rivals, will perform at 4 and 8 p.m.
Between the performances, the Gallo Center will mark the season’s opening with a Party on the Plaza from 5:30 to 8 p.m. It’s open to those with tickets to either of the shows.
The outdoor party in front of the theater will have seating, food trucks, a DJ, a classic car display and more.
“This will be the first time that our official season opener is a double-header, so we wanted to come up with a way for both audiences to participate in the festivities, either on their way out of the first show, or on their way in to the second,” Hilligus said.
All of this comes on the heels of the Gallo Center being recognized by Pollstar Magazine as a Top 10 worldwide venue of 2,000 seats or less, based on ticket sales during March and April, according to the press release.
“This was a major achievement and tells a strong story. It reinforces our reputation as the Valley’s premier performing arts destination,” Hilligus said in the email interview. “We’re so grateful to the community who continues to support our diverse and innovative programming.”
Other notable artists
Some of the other big-name performers and shows planned for the downtown Modesto venue include Richard Thomas (“The Waltons”) in the one-man show “Mark Twain Tonight! by Hal Holbrook”; country music’s Tracy Lawrence and Clay Walker; comics Marlon Wayans, Brian Regan and Vicki Lawrence; music stars Boz Skaggs, Montell Jordan & Ginuwine, Joss Stone, Air Supply and Kansas; Latin artists Los Tigres del Norte and La Santa Cecilia; Broadway star Lea Salonga; and holiday performances by Brian McKnight, Mannheim Steamroller and Dave Koz.
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Audience favorites Postmodern Jukebox, Theresa Caputo and The Ten Tenors also will be back.
There’s a lineup of Broadway tours including “Chicago,” “Mrs. Doubtfire,” “Tina — the Tina Turner Musical” and “Clue.”
Several kid-friendly shows are planned, among which will bring beloved “Sesame Street” character Elmo and some of his friends to the center, as well as a Peppa Pig concert.
Hilligus expects several shows to sell out, saying it’s difficult to predict how many, “as we’ve got so many big names coming next season.”
He said Salonga, a Tony Award winner for her lead role in “Miss Saigon,” likely will sell out her two shows, as she did when she was at the Gallo Center in 2021. Hilligus also noted the Gipsy Kings, Los Tigres del Norte, Air Supply, Ginuwine & Montell Jordan and Boz Scaggs.
He said “comedy always does very well here, so I’d also put money on Brian Regan and Marlon Wayans both going quickly.”
With the new season comes the center’s traditional nod to diversity, including Latin and other international artists, dance, family entertainment, homegrown talent and more.
Trying something different
Three new performance series join the 2025-26 season — GCA Cabaret, Coffee House: Acoustic, Folk & America and Cinematic Events.
“Trying new things and introducing audiences to new artists and ideas was a priority as we put the new season together.” Hilligus said in the press release.
In the GCA Cabaret series, ticketholders can choose VIP table seating on stage or in the orchestra pit in the Foster Family Theater. It includes “a complimentary beverage served tableside for a uniquely cabaret-style experience,” he said.
Cabaret shows feature Sincerely Sondheim, Stella Cole Christmas and Cellovoci.
The Coffee House: Acoustic, Folk & America series brings in Joan Osborne singing the songs of Bob Dylan, Mat Kearney and Noah Reid.
Cinematic Events promises screenings of several popular and classic films and a TV series with actors or others associated with them on stage to speak about their experiences.
Tickets for the 2025-26 season will be available at www.galloarts.org or at the center’s box office, 1000 I St., Modesto.
Hilligus warned against ticket scammers and online third-party ticket brokers, as he did in a 2023 story in The Bee. The Gallo Center is the only authorized ticket dealer for its shows.
Hilligus said that so far, 19 shows “and counting” have sold out in the current 2024-25 season and he expects to surpass that for 2025-26.
“My goal is always to outdo ourselves from the previous year,” he said, “and I think we’ve accomplished that.”
This story was originally published May 16, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
