Beloved MIAC artist Melissa Errico returns with a new holiday concert

Image
Melissa Errico

Melissa Errico: The Secret Diary of Mrs. Santa is sold out. To join the waitlist, call the box office at 814-824-3000 (Tues.-Thurs., noon-5 p.m.). If tickets are returned or additional seats are released, we鈥檒l contact patrons in the order requests are received.

Tony-nominated Broadway singer, actress, recording artist, and author Melissa Errico reunites with America鈥檚 great piano man, Billy Stritch, on Wednesday, Dec. 10, at 7:30 p.m. in 海角乱伦社区 University鈥檚 Walker Recital Hall for their fourth holiday season together鈥攖his time with a brand-new show, 鈥淭he Secret Diary of Mrs. Santa.鈥

Through beloved American Songbook classics and inventive twists on holiday favorites, Errico offers a playful portrait of life at the North Pole: romantic mischief (鈥淏aby, It鈥檚 Cold Outside鈥), toy-making joys (鈥淲hen She Loved Me鈥), a moving reconciliation (鈥淚鈥檒l Be Home for Christmas鈥), and sparkling selections like 鈥淩udolph,鈥 鈥淎lways True to You in My Fashion,鈥 and 鈥淪leigh Ride,鈥 along with clever parodies including 鈥淭oo Darn Cold鈥 and a hard-swinging 鈥淗oliday Feeling.鈥 A fiery jazz trio rounds out an evening certain to become a seasonal highlight.

Widely praised for her dazzling artistry, Errico has been hailed as 鈥渁 true Broadway superstar at the peak of her powers鈥 and celebrated by The New York Times, which writes: 鈥淎ny chance to hear Melissa Errico sing is a chance not to be missed.鈥 London critics agree, calling her concerts 鈥渁 perfect night out!鈥 and praising how she and her band 鈥渃ombine all the best from musical theatre and underground jazz.鈥 BroadwayWorld adds, 鈥渙ne song after another, Melissa Errico has her audience sighing, crying, cheering, and melting in their seats鈥 or laughing, laughing, laughing.鈥

Touring the world with her acclaimed thematic concerts鈥攆rom Singapore to Paris to San Francisco鈥擡rrico has carved out a singular niche in theatre and jazz. At her Carnegie Hall debut, Steven Reineke, principal conductor of the New York Pops, introduced her as 鈥渁 unique force in the musical life of New York City: a Broadway star, a concert artist, and an author who regularly contributes essays to The New York Times. There鈥檚 really no one like her!鈥

Errico first appeared with the 海角乱伦社区 Institute for Arts & Culture in October 2020 in a livestreamed program of songs and stories hosted by MIAC Artistic Director Dr. Brett D. Johnson. She returned in April 2022 for a ravishing concert of works by Michel Legrand鈥攚ith additional songs by Cole Porter, Stephen Sondheim, and Randy Newman鈥攑erformed on the stage of the Mary D鈥橝ngelo Performing Arts Center. In September 2023, she headlined MIAC鈥檚 film-noir-inspired soir茅e, followed in November 2024 by a new program of Sondheim songs celebrating her album 鈥淪ondheim In The City,鈥 hailed by The New York Times as 鈥渁 New York house tour of thrill and heartbreak鈥 from one of Sondheim鈥檚 deepest-hearted yet lightest-touch interpreters.鈥 Her most recent MIAC collaboration, 鈥淒iva to Diva,鈥 features intimate onstage conversations with fellow artists about the joys and challenges of concert and cabaret performance. The series is available at .

Her international engagements have included a Paris duet with Isabelle Georges broadcast on Radio France and a sold-out cabaret at Le Bal Blomet, as well as opening for music icon George Benson at the Montreal Jazz Festival to rapturous response. She made her London concert-hall debut singing Sondheim on July 12, 2025, and has expanded into symphonic work with two successful orchestral appearances in the U.S. and Canada.

Her recent projects include a holiday series with the Syracuse Symphony conducted by Tedd Firth, a musical reverie of WWI for The Doughboy Foundation, and a new album, 鈥淚 Can Dream, Can鈥檛 I: Illusions & Conversations from The Great American Songbook,鈥 with Firth. Tour dates are available at .

First known for her starring roles on Broadway鈥攊ncluding 鈥淢y Fair Lady,鈥 鈥淗igh Society,鈥 鈥淎nna Karenina,鈥 鈥淲hite Christmas,鈥 鈥淒racula,鈥 and 鈥淟es Mis茅rables鈥濃擡rrico has also built a wide-ranging career in television and film. She starred in the CBS series 鈥淐entral Park West鈥 and appeared on 鈥淏lue Bloods,鈥 鈥淭he Knick,鈥 and Showtime鈥檚 鈥淏illions.鈥 Onstage, she has played numerous non-musical roles by Shaw and Oscar Wilde, including 鈥淒ear Liar鈥 in spring 2023, portraying George Bernard Shaw鈥檚 original Eliza Doolittle.

Errico is currently developing her collected New York Times essays, 鈥淪cenes from an Acting Life,鈥 into a book. She has three daughters and is married to tennis player and journalist Patrick McEnroe.

Tickets, priced $45鈥$55, may be purchased online at , by phone at 814-824-3000, or in person at the Mary D鈥橝ngelo Performing Arts Center box office (Tues.鈥揟hurs., noon鈥5 p.m.). A $5 per-ticket processing fee applies to all orders.

This performance is made possible through the generous support of Make It Fabulous Catering & Events. The 2025鈥26 MIAC Live season is sponsored by Alan & Patti Schaal and VNET, with additional support from the Greater Erie Alliance for Equality and the Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority.