Seven years ago, The Orpheum Theatre launched the Red Carpet Series, which brought world-class artists and performers to Galesburg, Ill.
Over the next seven years, the Red Carpet Series featured some of The Orpheum Theare’s most celebrated entertainers and show experiences including Kevin Smith, David Sedaris, The Russian National Ballet, Kathleen Madigan, AJ Croce, NYC’s The Acting Company, and more. While it ran successfully, a change in leadership immediately followed by the mandated COVID-19 shutdown led to the decision to discontinue the series.
With the 2025-26 season, the Red Carpet Series has re-launched with the support of the presenting sponsor, The City of Galesburg.
The first Red Carpet Series show of the season will feature the return of Cirque Mechanics and its new show, “Tilt,” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23. Also scheduled are:
- Nov. 8 – Sharpe Family Singers – sponsored by Anderson State Bank
- Dec. 10 – The Grand Ol’ Christmas Show – sponsored by Old National Bank
- Feb. 18, 2026 – Dinosaur World Live! – sponsored by CBI Bank & Trust and Experience Galesburg
- March 6 – Chris Ruggiero
- March 20 – Uptown: A Celebration of Motown & Soul
Season subscriptions to the entire Red Carpet Series are available starting at $180 here. You also can call 309-342-2299 or stop at the box office Tuesday-Friday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
The Orpheum Theatre is lat 57 S. Kellogg St. in Downtown Galesburg. Individual tickets are available for the 2025 shows starting at $34.
“When hired as the new executive director last year, I was given excellent direction from the Orpheum’s Board Directors via the strategic plan as to how we can better serve the community,” said Andrew Driscoll, executive director of The Orpheum Theatre. “As I looked at the history of The Orpheum starting with our official reopening in 1988 featuring the incomparable Henry Mancini, world-class performances from marquee artists have been a vital part of our programming to stretch the imagination and expectation of patrons. Re-engaging the Red Carpet Series as part of my first full season here became my biggest programming priority,”
Cirque Mechanics
Fresh off the success of its Drama Desk Award-nominated production “Zephyr” and a five-week holiday run of “Yuletide Factory” Off-Broadway at the New Victory Theater, acclaimed theatrical circus company Cirque Mechanics has announced its sixth touring production, “Tilt!”
This new spectacle takes audiences on a high-flying journey through the magic, thrills, and nostalgia of America’s iconic 1980s amusement parks. The cast hails from the worlds of circus, gymnastics, dance, and clowning from across the United States.
At the heart of the spectacle is a giant man-powered Ferris Wheel (named after its founder George Washington Gale Ferris Jr., who was born in Galesburg,) surrounded by whimsical, human-driven contraptions that evoke the classic rides and games of the era.
The story follows a weary amusement park worker whose joy for the job has long faded—until a chance encounter changes everything.