Kansas State University

MANHATTAN — From drama to comedy to extraordinary musical talents, Kansas State University's 2014-2015 McCain Performance Series will offer a season of entertainment.

"This year's series presents the very top shows in a multitude of genres," said Todd Holmberg, McCain executive director. "The McCain Performance Series has a rich history of bringing world-class artists and attractions to Manhattan. This season may have the most exciting lineup ever."

Taking the spotlight will be Tony Award-winning hits like "Anything Goes" and "Peter and the Starcatcher." Rounding out the Broadway hits will be "Elf: The Broadway Musical," "Sister Act" and "Million Dollar Quartet." Well-known celebrities like Larry The Cable Guy, William Shatner and Grammy Award-winning country artist LeAnn Rimes also will be performing. Other headliners include Straight No Chaser, Garrison Keillor, Wynton Marsalis, Michael Feinstein, Buddy Guy and Yo-Yo Ma. A wide variety of music, dance, theatre and family friendly attractions from around the world also will take the stage.

Season tickets for the upcoming McCain Performance Series are now on sale. Those who subscribe to seven or more events can save up to 20 percent on ticket purchases. Priority seating will go to those who subscribe to at least seven events and also make a donation to the Friends of McCain by July 3. Single tickets will be available July 27, including online. Discounts are available to students, faculty and staff, and the military. Season tickets can be purchased in person or by calling the McCain Auditorium box office. For more information or to download a brochure, call 785-532-6428 or visit http://www.k.state.edu/mccain.

The 2014-2015 McCain Performance Series, with all performances in McCain Auditorium unless otherwise noted, includes:

• Buddy Guy, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5. Rolling Stone magazine named Guy as one of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time." Opening the show will be 14-year-old Quinn Sullivan whose guitar skills have landed him appearances on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" and "Ellen."

• Larry the Cable Guy, 4 and 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 14. The comedic superstar is a multiplatinum recording artist, Grammy nominee, Billboard Award winner and one of the top comedians in the country.

• Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25. An evening of big band jazz, led by Marsalis, one of the most outstanding jazz musicians of his generation.

• Music of the Sun with ETHEL and Robert Mirabal, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10. An inspirational cross-cultural contemporary music event celebrating Native American culture.

• "Basetrack," 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14. This production is adapted from the widely popular Facebook page that inspired soldiers and their families to communicate during the Afghanistan conflict. "Basetrack" looks at the legacy of war on our veterans.

• Straight No Chaser, "Happy Hour Tour 2014," 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23. This male a cappella group has emerged with a massive fan base and a reputation as an unforgettable live act.

• "An Evening with Garrison Keillor," 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 27. America's favorite storyteller and host of "A Prairie Home Companion," Keillor will share anecdotes about growing up in the Midwest.

• "Anything Goes," 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30. Cole Porter's Tony Award-winning musical comedy comes to Manhattan with some of musical theatre's most memorable standards.

• Moscow State Symphony Orchestra with Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 5. Conductor Pavel Kogan leads one of the top Russian orchestras in an all-Tchaikovsky program featuring one of the leading violinists of our time.

• Lakota Sioux Dance Theater presents "Cokata Upo," 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 9. Extravagant costumes, traditional dance and historic narratives tell the story of the birth, death and rebirth of a nation.

• "Elf," 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14. "Elf" is a hilarious tale of an orphan child who is transported to the North Pole but leaves to find his birth father in New York.

• Sybarite5, 3 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16. This Grammy-nominated string quintet performs everything from Mozart to Radiohead.

• Yo-Yo Ma, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3. Spend an evening with classical music's most celebrated artist.

• LeAnn Rimes, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 16. Enjoy one of today's most noted female country artists.

• "Christmas with The King Singers," 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19. One of the world's most celebrated vocal ensembles comes to McCain for a holiday performance.

• "Shatner's World," 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 22, 2015. "Shatner's World" is a one-man force of nature that delivers a larger than-life performance complete with William Shatner's humor, signature storytelling and select musical selections.

• "Dancing Pros Live," 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 29, 2015. Professional dancers from "Dancing with the Stars," "So You Think You Can Dance" and other dance champions compete live on stage accompanied live by singers from "The Voice" and "American Idol." Alan Thicke hosts the evening and celebrity judges help the audience select the winners.

• "Sister Act," 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6, 2015. "Sister Act" is Broadway's feel-amazing comedy smash featuring music by eight-time Oscar winner Alan Menken.

• The McCain Student Showcase, 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015. Kansas State University students share their creativity and achievement.

• Circus Oz: "But Wait…There's More," 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2015. A cheeky vaudeville-inspired circus show for all ages.

• KODO, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015. A celebration of music, physicality and life from the world's top Taiko drummers.

• The Chieftains, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 10, 2015. Get a jump on St. Patty's Day with the best-known Irish band on the planet.

• "The Intergalactic Nemesis: Twin Infinity, Live Action Graphic Novel," 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 30, 2015. Comic book panels — 1,250 in all — tell a hilarious sci-fi adventure story from an enormous movie screen. Three actors voice dozens of characters while a Foley artist creates all the sound effects.

• Diavolo, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 1, 2015. Architecture in motion, Diavolo are dancers, gymnasts, actors, and athletes who interact with oversized surrealistic structures to express the challenges and absurdities of everyday life in an increasingly technological world.

• "Peter and the Starcatcher," 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 6, 2015. This musical comedy takes you on a ride through the Neverland you never knew to answer the question: How did Peter Pan become the boy who never grew up?

• "The Second City Hits Home," 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Saturday, April 11, 2015, Wareham Opera House, 410 Poyntz Ave., Manhattan. With a mix of sketch, song and improv, Chicago's legendary comedy theatre finds laughs in everything from Manhattan's history, events and hot-button issues.

• "Million Dollar Quartet," 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 13, 2015. Inspired by the true story of the famed recording session that brought together rock 'n' roll icons Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins for the first and only time.

• Spencer's Theater of Illusion, 4 p.m. Sunday, April 19, 2015. A fusion of magic and illusion, humor and mystery, and persona and personality keeps the audience guessing in this performance.

• "Don Quixote," 4 p.m. Sunday, April 26, 2015. Enjoy this famous ballet based on Cervantes' epic tale of romance and chivalry.

• Michael Feinstein's "The Sinatra Project," 7:30 p.m. Sunday, May 10, 2015. The multiplatinum-selling singer and pianist creates a multimedia musical celebration of Sinatra's centennial worthy of "Ol' Blue Eyes" himself.