SHOW DESCRIPTION

Joe Kosin, VP and Head of Programming at Innovation Arts & Entertainment, joins Soul Sessions to talk through the Broadway in Jackson 2026–2027 season — five productions coming to a newly renovated Thalia Mara Hall, from the Tony Award-winning Jersey Boys to the percussion phenomenon STOMP to the live, interactive Price Is Right Live. Kosin discusses what goes into building an eclectic season lineup, why Thalia Mara Hall is unlike any other venue in Mississippi, and what it will take to bring week-long blockbuster runs back to Jackson. He also walks listeners through the Broadway in Jackson membership program and why now is the time to lock in seats. The season, presented by Trustmark, runs September 2026 through May 2027.

TRANSCRIPT

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INTRO

Paul

It's official. Broadway in Jackson is coming back for the 2026–2027 season. The announcement was made earlier this week, and by the next morning, the phones were already ringing about adding more shows. Hey, it's Paul Wolf with a front row seat to conversations on culture from Jackson, Mississippi. We call our podcast Soul Sessions. It's the people, places, and events that make the City With Soul shine. On today's show, we're talking with Joe Kosin, VP and Head of Programming at Innovation Arts & Entertainment, the company behind Broadway in Jackson, about the five productions coming to Thalia Mara Hall this season, what the hall's reopening means for touring Broadway, and why getting Jackson back to a week-long run of a blockbuster show is the goal — and why he thinks that's actually within reach.

Building the Season

Paul

The season was announced earlier this week — a jukebox musical, a holiday concert event, a percussion show, a Broadway comedy, and a live game show as a season add-on. When you're putting together a lineup like this, how do you think about variety? Is it intentional from the start or does it come together right when the shows become available?

Joe

It's a function of both being somewhat deliberate in how we program the season, as well as just the ins and outs of routing touring entertainment and when shows have open dates versus when the theater's available. To take a step back, the first thing that we look at is which shows do we want to bring to Jackson, right? And identifying those and pursuing them with the goal of having an eclectic lineup as we've resulted with this year. And you know, we don't always get every show that we want, because sometimes they just can't make it — the tours don't have the availability, there's too many people who want the shows, or when they are available, maybe there's some other event happening at the theater. So it's a kind of a juggling act between the two of them.

But it's also a multi-month process. And even right now I'm starting to work on the next Broadway season in 2027 and 2028. So it all kind of comes together. You know, there's a lot of starts and stops along the way and things that bubble up and then fade off and then things that kind of stick. But we are pretty deliberate about being very intentful and direct about the titles that we want to play as part of the season. And I'm happy to say that for this year we were left with a fantastic result that I hope everyone in Jackson is excited for.

Why Thalia Mara Matters

Paul

All of this is happening at Thalia Mara Hall that just reopened in January after an extended renovation — restored seating and upgraded technical capabilities, new patron amenities too. From where you sit as a programmer bringing in national touring productions into the market, what does that reopening of Thalia Mara mean to you? And what does a venue like Thalia Mara at its best make possible for these tours?

Joe

Well, I can't give enough praise to the Jackson Convention Center and Visit Jackson. Cherre Miller and her team — you know, they took over a hard situation at the end of last year. And I've been working with the city and with Thalia Mara Hall for over ten years, and I must say, the building's in the best shape I've ever seen it. I was there this past April when Bob Dylan had his sold-out show, and I was just so blown away by how clean it was, how well kept it was, and how well run it was with the staff. So I'm so excited that the convention center has stepped in to take over the day-to-day operation of the venue.

When it comes to touring entertainment, there's really no other venue in Mississippi that has the capabilities that Thalia Mara Hall has, which is why when it closed, it was such a sad event, right? There's no other theater with the technical capabilities in terms of what the stage can offer, as well as what the venue's capacity is in terms of how many patrons it can seat. Over two thousand people can come and enjoy a show at Thalia Mara Hall. So there really is nothing like it in the rest of the state. And that's why our goal is to have the best and biggest Broadway shows come to Thalia Mara Hall. This year it's a series of one-night engagements. But when Jersey Boys first came to the market — I think it was in 2016 — they were here for a full week and they played eight performances. And we're working hard to build back to a Broadway series that can sustain that type of run of Broadway shows so that we can welcome over sixteen thousand people into the venue over the course of a week.

Jersey Boys Returns

Paul

You mentioned Jersey Boys. What does it mean to bring a show like that back that already has kind of a history with an audience here in Jackson?

Joe

Jersey Boys — I mean, it's Tony Award-winning. The story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. It is one of the most iconic Broadway titles of all time. And to bring it back on its kind of 20th anniversary tour — this is the first time it's toured in many years. And it's a special one-night event where we only have two thousand people who can get in, and we have quite a bit of seasoned members — Broadway in Jackson members — who will have their season tickets for the show. So I think the tickets will go fast for that one.

What STOMP Gets Right

Paul

Speaking of long-running shows, STOMP is in the season lineup. It's been running since 1991. No words, no traditional instruments, no conventional narrative — just rhythm and physicality with found objects. What does that show keep getting right that audiences keep responding to more and more over thirty years' time?

Joe

I think it's worldly, right? It's really bringing in culture that may not be present in any city in America. But that sensation of how a group can turn brooms and trash cans and just sheer rhythm into an unforgettable show — and to be captivating for the full length of a production where people don't want to move because they're so enthralled by what they're seeing on stage — that's a pretty memorable night. And that's really what we aim for: to deliver folks something that they can walk away from the theater saying, "Wow, that was something that I can't see on a screen," because nothing can replace what live entertainment is. And I think a show like STOMP really drives that point home.

How to Get Your Seats

Paul

So if anyone wants to lock in their seats now, walk us through how that process works and why now is the time to move on that.

Joe

So earlier this week, we announced the offering for the 2026–2027 season. And since we've been operating the Broadway in Jackson series at Thalia Mara since 2015, we have a long list of members who have been with us for that whole time period. So they're the folks who get the opportunity to renew their memberships first. And why that's important is that when you purchase a membership, you're purchasing your seat — a collection of seats. Someone like me who likes going to shows and sporting events at a very particular seat, you know, in the middle, kind of on the aisle — that's mine, right? And so our longstanding members get the first crack to renew their memberships so they can hold on to their seats.

Folks who are interested in becoming a member for Broadway in Jackson can find out more information at JacksonBroadway.com. What that looks like is going there and signing up to become a member. And then those memberships will be available for a special presale price — an early bird price — starting on July 21st. At that time, people can log in, go into their accounts that we'll create for them, and they can choose the seat that they want for each show. They'll be able to see the different price levels — it's more expensive to sit dead center in the orchestra versus sitting up in the balcony — but we offer a wide range of more affordable options where you can get tickets to all four shows for as little as $212. And overall, even when purchasing the best seats in the house, you're basically paying for three shows but getting four, because you get about a twenty-five percent discount.

And there's a lot of other benefits to being a member as well. You can purchase additional seats to each show, so if you want to bring some family or friends along to Jersey Boys or Mannheim Steamroller, or give some great seats away as gifts — we have a dedicated customer service team at our office that will help people through the process of picking their seats, or maybe if they want to change their seats, or any sort of help that they need. So there's a lot of benefits to being a member, and we really appreciate especially the folks who have been with us for the past ten-plus years and who have kind of ridden through the storm with us as well.

And one of those is Trustmark, who is our title sponsor. They're back once again. It's Broadway in Jackson presented by Trustmark. They've been a longstanding supporter of the series — we really couldn't do it without them. They're a huge part of this effort to bring Broadway back to Jackson. And we're eager to have the house filled for Jersey Boys on September 30th and see everybody come out and have their eyes light up.

More Shows on the Way

Paul

I know it is the goal of Broadway in Jackson to have more than just these four shows plus the extra — the Price Is Right show that's coming next March. That'll be a lot of fun. You're looking at adding shows potentially to this season. There could be some pop-up events and concerts and other entertainment opportunities that we're just not even aware of yet, right?

Joe

Correct. You know, we have this initial offering of the four Broadway shows and The Price Is Right Live. But I was on a phone call this morning — one of the producers saw the announcement and was happy to see that shows are steadily coming back to Jackson, and we were talking about adding an engagement for the spring. And that's what I do every day. I talk to agents and producers who are routing tours all across the country, and we try and find opportunities for them to play Jackson as well as the other markets that we go into. So yeah, definitely keep your eyes peeled — or your thumbs glued to your phone — about future announcements. Last year, for instance, we were able to bring Bob Dylan to Thalia Mara, which was an incredible evening for a sold-out show. So we're always looking to bring the best in touring entertainment to Jackson and serve the people of Jackson and the surrounding area what they're looking for. And they've told us time and time again that they want Broadway, they want first-class concerts, they want great comedians. And it's great to be kind of back to normal — and even better than normal.

Why Jackson Deserves a Spot on the Map

Paul

A city like Jackson often gets overlooked for major touring events, concerts, sports, things of that nature. But Innovation Arts & Entertainment, Broadway in Jackson — you're bringing it to us. Why do you think that's so important to make Jackson a stop?

Joe

Ultimately, you know, we operate in a business, and it subscribes to the laws of supply and demand. Just like when you're trying to buy a concert ticket or a Broadway ticket, there's only so many seats you can buy, right? And it's the same thing with touring shows — there's only so many cities that they can play. That's our goal, especially when you get into the upper echelon of the blockbuster titles like Wicked and Lion King and Hamilton. They play about fifteen cities a year. So it takes a lot to lure them in to play any market. And it's a very long process that takes, you know, decades to build the market into something that can sustain that type of supply — and are we giving enough demand?

So Broadway in Jackson — we started the series in 2015, we actually took it over from a former operator — and we had a ton of success out of the gates. And I was actually having meetings with big Broadway shows. That sounds very generic — I can't say who because it's subject to confidentiality — but shows that would play for a week or two and play eight or sixteen performances that you just can't see anywhere else except for the touring production, and they play fifteen cities a year and then New York or London. And then COVID happened, which kind of stalled everything for a while. And then we came back after that. And really, Broadway in Jackson throughout the post-COVID time period, up until the venue's closure, you couldn't get a ticket. I mean, most of our shows sold out in 2022 and 2023, up until the closure in 2024. So we were starting to hit that stride again, and I was starting to have those conversations again with the producers about, hey, when can we bring this blockbuster title to Jackson? And then unfortunately, the venue closed, and now we're climbing the hill again.

And you know, there have been those times where it's like, okay, can we really start this climb again? And the answer is absolutely yes. We know that the people in Jackson and the surrounding area — a lot of our seasoned members drive in from Ridgeland or Madison — and it's great to get people downtown. That's all I know when I go to Jackson, and I've been there many times: I stay next to the theater at the Westin, go out to the restaurants downtown. And I think that when we have shows at Thalia Mara Hall, it's bringing people in from all over, and they're being patrons of the surrounding businesses. And that is such a huge economic driver for any city, as well as just the overall quality of life of offering these great cultural arts programming. Touring Broadway is right at the top of that list of things that people want to see in their city, and it's super important that they don't have to take a drive to Memphis or New Orleans to see these shows. And that's our mission — to bring these titles, and the big ones too. But it's just gonna take us a while to get back there. So we ask everyone to join us so that we can continue to bring the best Broadway, as well as other entertainment, to the city and to the Jackson area and to Thalia Mara Hall.

Paul

That is Joe Kosin, VP and Head of Programming at Innovation Arts & Entertainment — and the person who's been making the case for Jackson to the touring industry for more than a decade. What comes through in this conversation is something worth sitting with. Markets don't get blockbuster Broadway shows because they deserve them. They get them because they built the demand, sustained it through the hard years, and kept showing up. Jackson sold out Jersey Boys for a full week the last time it was here. Shows filled Thalia Mara Hall through the 2022 and 2023 seasons. And then when the venue closed, the climb started over. But Joe's betting that Jackson will make the climb back — and he's already on the phone trying to make it happen.

The 2026–2027 Broadway in Jackson season, presented by Trustmark, opens September 30th with Jersey Boys at Thalia Mara Hall. Then Mannheim Steamroller Christmas arrives on Friday, December 18th — and if you've been looking for a holiday event that actually feels like an event, this is it. Mannheim Steamroller has been redefining what a Christmas concert can look like for more than forty years. On March 24th, 2027, come on down — The Price Is Right Live comes in as a season add-on, and it's exactly what it sounds like: the television game show, live on stage, with real audience members competing for real prizes. STOMP lands on Sunday, April 4th — eight performers turning brooms and garbage cans and matchboxes and their own bodies into a percussion experience that somehow never gets old. And Beetlejuice closes out the season on Tuesday, May 18th. Based on the Tim Burton film, the Broadway production took what was already a beloved, strange, darkly funny story and made it bigger and louder and considerably more chaotic — in the best possible way.

New members can register for presale access now at JacksonBroadway.com. The portal opens July 21st, and if Joe's right about the demand, the good seats are not going to last long. We'll have links in our show notes at visitjackson.com/soulsessions.

Soul Sessions comes to you from Visit Jackson, the destination organization for Jackson, Mississippi — the City With Soul. Our executive producers are Jonathan Pettus and Dr. Rickey Thigpen, and I'm Paul Wolf, managing editor and your host for these conversations. You can keep up with everything happening in the City With Soul at visitjackson.com. If you have a question about Jackson or a story idea you'd like us to explore, send it my way. My email address is pwolf@visitjackson.com.

Thanks so much for listening. I'll talk to you next time.

Listen to previous episodes of Soul Sessions