Posted on Wednesday, September 23, 2026
For 59 seasons, the Westminster College Celebrity Series has given audiences a reason to take their seats in Orr Auditorium—to hear a favorite artist, discover a new performer, laugh, applaud and share an evening of live entertainment.
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fter nearly six decades, the Celebrity Series—the longtime performing arts program that began in 1967 as part of Westminster’s Artist-Lecture series—will take its final bow following the final performance of the 2026-2027 season on April 24, 2027.
The decision to conclude the series was made after the recent retirement announcement of longtime Celebrity Series Director Connie McGinnis. McGinnis joined the program in 1997 as box office manager, later became assistant director and was named director in 2012 following the retirement of Gene DeCaprio ’49, who led the program for 22 years. DeCaprio passed away in 2024 at the age of 97.
“Although it is sad to say goodbye to such a wonderful program, I assure you it is the best decision for Westminster College,” McGinnis said. “If it wasn’t, no one would fight harder for it than me.”
McGinnis said the decision reflects changing audience patterns and the increasing costs of presenting nationally recognized performers, particularly as the program has worked to attract new and younger audiences while maintaining affordable ticket prices.
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What began as an Artist-Lecture series evolved over the decades into the Celebrity Series, bringing music, theater, comedy, dance and other live entertainment to Orr Auditorium and audiences throughout western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio.
Among the many performers who have appeared on the Orr stage are Paul Anka, Neil Sedaka, Tony Bennett, Ben Vereen, Betty Buckley, Judy Collins, Jackie Evancho, Glenn Campbell, Amy Grant, America, Little River Band, Air Supply and The Commodores. The series also introduced audiences to artists who were less familiar but whose talent made them compelling additions to the program.
Among the performances that stand out to McGinnis is a concert by trumpeter Chris Botti, whom she first saw perform at the Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City.
“I was particularly proud and honored to present Chris Botti,” she said. “He is so incredibly talented.”
She also remembers presenting Neil Berg, whose productions featuring Broadway performers became audience favorites and were booked numerous times in response to audience demand.
And sometimes, McGinnis said, the most rewarding artists were those whose names weren't immediately familiar to Westminster audiences.
“Many of the artists I have been most excited about presenting are artists who I knew our audience most likely wouldn’t recognize by name, but their talent was just so unsurpassed I just had to introduce them,” she said.
During her tenure, McGinnis has watched the program’s audience change while remaining focused on its essential purpose: bringing exceptional live entertainment to the region and creating an experience people can share with one another.
“First and foremost, the reason people return is the unwavering quality of our shows,” McGinnis said. “I think it is the connection to one another and the connection to Westminster College as well.”
For many longtime patrons, attending a Celebrity Series performance has become a tradition shared with family and friends. Season subscribers have formed friendships with fellow patrons. Alumni return to campus to see a favorite artist and parents buy tickets to be able to attend shows with their Westminster students, who have long been able to attend performances for free.
“It truly is a community and a family on the nights of shows,” McGinnis said. “Everyone is happy to see one another again and to welcome others and enjoy some of the best talent in the world together.”
That sense of community is what McGinnis hopes will remain part of the program’s legacy.
“I hope they remember the marvelous world-class talent that has been on the Orr stage,” she said. “I hope they remember the joy and smiles and friends made at Celebrity Series.”
She also hopes audiences remember something larger than the individual performances.
“I hope they remember the magic of sharing a single, once-in-a-lifetime evening with hundreds of others while enjoying the highest, purest expression of humanity at our shows,” McGinnis said. “I hope they have learned to appreciate, as have I, how this experience brings us together, bridges differences and reminds us of our shared humanity. After 59 seasons, that legacy of connection and shared appreciation is a profound gift.”
The 2026-2027 Celebrity Series season opens on Saturday, Sept. 26, with legendary rock band Three Dog Night, whose hits include “Joy to the World,” “Mama Told Me (Not to Come)” and “One.” The remaining performances include The Barricade Boys on Tuesday, Oct. 13, Under the Streetlamp’s “Hip to the Holidays” on Saturday, Dec. 12, and The StepCrew on Saturday, March 6, 2027, before the series concludes April 24 with “Live and Let Die: The Music of Paul McCartney.”
For McGinnis, the experience of seeing a full auditorium remains one of the most rewarding parts of the job.
“I marvel at an auditorium filled with people and I am grateful they are there,” she said. “I know they are looking for an enjoyable evening and I feel a great responsibility to make sure it exceeds their expectations.”
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“For them, this is a special night out—an occasion to get dressed up and enjoy dinner before the event,” she said. “We recognize the value of that experience, and we never take a single ticket sale for granted.”
Season subscriptions and individual tickets for the final Celebrity Series are still available at www.westminster.edu/celebrity or by contacting Celebrity Series Box Office Manager Georgene Gib at 724-946-7354.
As the Celebrity Series prepares for its final season, McGinnis has one message for the generations of patrons who have supported the program.
“Thank you,” she said. “Thank you all for your support, friendship and encouragement throughout the years. Georgene and I sincerely hope the Celebrity Series brought you joy as it has us.”
Pictured from top: Gene DeCaprio and Connie McGinnis; DeCaprio with Tony Bennett; McGinnis with Chris Botti; The Four Phantoms on the Orr Auditorium stage; the final season lineup of shows.
