American Dreams with Brian Stokes Mitchell

Returning to SPAC for the first time since 2014, two-time Tony® Award–winning Broadway star Brian Stokes Mitchell leads an “American Dreams” program, highlighted by his narration of Aaron Copland’s Lincoln Portrait — a stirring reflection on unity, equality, and democratic responsibility. In honor of America’s 250th anniversary, the program also pays tribute to Marian Anderson’s landmark performance of the work at SPAC 50 years ago, linking past and present in a celebration of American ideals. 

The evening continues with Broadway favorites, including “Wheels of a Dream” from Ragtime, the role Mitchell originally brought to life, “The Impossible Dream” (Man of La Mancha), and Iryna Aleksiychuk’s Go Where the Wind Takes You…, dedicated to the courageous women of Ukraine, before concluding with Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9, a masterwork inspired by American musical traditions and the nation’s evolving identity. Together, these works honor the past while inspiring hope for the future. 

Tickets go on sale to the public on Wednesday, March 25 at 10AM. ​

SPAC Member presale takes place March 16 through 24, tiered by membership level: ​

• President’s Circle, Premiere Patron, & Corporate Visionary: Monday, March 16 at 10AM​
• Golden Patron, Corporate Innovator, & Corporate Pioneer: Thursday, March 19 at 10AM​
• Patron, Corporate Leader, & Corporate Mentor: Monday, March 23 at 10AM
• Bravo & Encore: Monday, March 23 at 10AM​
• Applause & Ovation: Tuesday, March 24 at 10AM

Not a member? Join today for presale access!

Please note: All e-tickets for The Philadelphia Orchestra will be sent one week prior to the performance date. Please contact the Box Office with any questions at 518-584-9330.

*Please note that web & phone ticket purchases will incur a $7 service fee; no fees are applied for in-person ticket purchases at our Box Office.

Premier Parking Upgrade Available! 

Premier parking is available as an optional upgrade! Limited spaces are available. Purchase at checkout for $20 and enjoy easy access to the Route 50 entry gate.  

Choose premier parking as an add-on during ticket checkout or purchase separately here

General admission parking is free. 

Program

*Indicates SPAC premiere 

This program is approximately 2 hours long, inclusive of one intermission. 

Performers

Marin Alsop | conductor 
Brian Stokes Mitchell | vocalist and narrator

One of the foremost conductors of our time, Marin Alsop is the first woman to serve as the head of major orchestras in the United States, South America, Austria, and Great Britain. She is internationally recognized for her innovative approach to programming and is the first and only conductor to receive a MacArthur Fellowship. 

Alsop serves as Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the Polish National Radio Symphony; Principal Guest Conductor of the Philharmonia Orchestra; Principal Guest Conductor of The Philadelphia Orchestra; and Chief Conductor of the Ravinia Festival. She made history as the first female conductor of the BBC’s Last Night of the Proms. Her long-awaited Berlin Philharmonic debut was in 2025. 

To nurture the careers of women conductors, Alsop founded the Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship to empower extraordinary women conductors through intensive coaching, mentoring, and financial support. Today, all 36 award winners hold over 30 music director or chief conductor positions. 

Alsop is a 2025-26 Carnegie Hall Perspectives artist, leading concerts by the Philharmonia Orchestra, and America at 250 programs with The Philadelphia Orchestra, National Orchestral Institute Philharmonic, and The Juilliard Orchestra. Other season highlights include opening The Philadelphia Orchestra’s season with the world premiere of John Adams’ The Rock You Stand On, dedicated to her; concerts with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; Dallas Symphony Orchestra; Houston Symphony; Washington National Opera; Polish National Radio Symphony; ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra; and Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin. 

In 2021, Alsop assumed the title of Music Director Laureate and OrchKids Founder of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. During her 14-year tenure as Music Director, she led the orchestra on its first European tour in 13 years, conducted more than two dozen world premieres, and founded the music education program OrchKids. She is the winner of the 2025 the Golden Baton Award from the League of American Orchestras. 

Dubbed “the last leading man” by The New York Times, two-time Tony Award winner Brian Stokes Mitchell has enjoyed a career that spans Broadway, television, film, and concert appearances with the country’s finest conductors and orchestras. 
  
He received Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle awards for his star turn in Kiss Me, Kate. He also gave Tony-nominated performances in Man of La Mancha, August Wilson’s King Hedley II, and Ragtime. Other notable Broadway shows include Kiss of the Spider Woman, Jelly’s Last Jam, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and Shuffle Along. In 2016 he was awarded his second Tony Award, the prestigious Isabelle Stevenson Tony for his Charitable work with The Actors Fund.  That same year Stokes was inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame.  
  
An extremely versatile and in-demand singer, Stokes has performed at venues spanning jazz, opera, pops, country, and musical theater worlds. He has worked with John Williams, Marvin Hamlisch, Gustavo Dudamel, Keith Lockhart, Michael Tilson Thomas, The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Big Band, The Mormon Tabernacle choir and the Muppets. Stokes has made multiple appearances at Carnegie Hall beginning with his debut with the San Francisco Symphony through his televised performance in South Pacific opposite Reba McEntire to his sold-out solo concert, which he continues to perform throughout the U.S. He has been invited twice to perform at the White House (both times aired on PBS’s “Great Performances”) and has performed multiple times for Presidents Clinton and Obama. 
 
Stokes has delved deeply into various music disciplines. In addition to singing he began piano studies at the age of 6. A self-professed autodidact, his musical curiosity led him to teach himself composing, arranging and orchestration, starting in his teens. He later studied, Film scoring, orchestration, and conducting both privately and through UCLA and subsequently scored and conducted a number of “Trapper John, MD” episodes, a series on which he was also a regular cast member. His musical talent has extended to the present day as producer, arranger and orchestrator on his three solo albums including Simply Broadway and his latest recording Plays With Music.  Stokes has appeared on more than 20 albums. 
 
His extensive screen credits began with a guest starring role on “Roots:The next Generations”, followed by a 7-year stint on Trapper John, MD and have continued with memorable appearances on everything from PBS’ Great Performances to The Fresh Prince, Frasier, Glee, Jumping the Broom and his most recent recurring roles on Madam Secretary, Mr. Robot, The Path, Billions and The Good Fight.  Other recent TV appearances include The Blacklist, Elementary, and Bull. As a voice-over artist he has played dozens of characters on animated TV episodes including performing “Through Heaven’s Eyes” in  Dreamwork’s “The Prince of Egypt.” 
 
As a writer Stokes has contributed to the book Hirschfeld’s Harlem, wrote the preface to At This Theatre, and co-authored the children’s book Lights on Broadway. 
 
For fun he has been known to fly planes and jump out of them (usually not at the same time), and he can ride a bicycle on a high wire. 
 
Stokes has enjoyed working with numerous charitable organizations from the March of Dimes to the USO.  He is on the board of Americans For the Arts and is serving his 16th term as Chairman of the Board of the Entertainment Community Fund (formerly The Actors Fund). 

Please note, only one discount is valid per ticket.

Thank You to Our 2026 Philadelphia Orchestra Sponsors

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