Mercyhurst welcomes legendary Betty Buckley for residency and April 17 concert
The Mercyhurst Institute for Arts & Culture is proud to welcome artist-in-residence Betty Buckley, the legendary, multi-award-winning actress and singer whose illustrious career spans theatre, film, television, and concert stages around the world. Buckley will return to campus for a workshop with Mercyhurst students from Sunday, April 12, through Thursday, April 16, culminating in a public concert on Friday, April 17, at 7:30 p.m. in Walker Recital Hall.
A recipient of honorary doctorates from Boston Conservatory of Music and Marymount Manhattan College, Buckley has taught at leading institutions including Boston University, the University of Oklahoma, Syracuse University, Carnegie Mellon University, and the University of North Texas, among others. She has also led workshops at the Williamstown Theatre Festival and the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Festival and has served on the faculty at T. Schreiber Studio in New York City for more than 50 years.
A trailblazer in modern musical theatre, Buckley earned acclaim for her iconic roles in “1776,” “Pippin,” “The Mystery of Edwin Drood,” “Carrie,” and “Cats,” the latter of which earned her a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. She later received a Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance as Hesione in “Triumph of Love” and an Olivier Award nomination for her lauded portrayal of Norma Desmond in the London production of “Sunset Boulevard,” a role she reprised to further critical acclaim on Broadway. In 2018 and 2019, she headlined the first national tour of the new Broadway production of “Hello, Dolly!”
Her extensive Off-Broadway credits include “The Old Friends” (2014 Drama Desk nomination), “White’s Lies,” “Juno’s Swans,” “Edwin Drood” for the NYSF, and “I’m Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road.” Regional credits include “The Perfectionist,” “Gypsy,” “Threepenny Opera,” “Camino Real,” “Buffalo Gal,” “Arsenic and Old Lace,” and “Grey Gardens” (2016 Ovation Award nomination).
Buckley was inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame in 2012 and has received numerous prestigious honors, including the 2017 Julie Harris Award for Lifetime Achievement from The Actors Fund and the 2023 American Songbook Association Lifetime Achievement Award. She has also been honored with three additional Lifetime Achievement Awards for her contributions to theatre from the New England Theatre Conference, The Shubert Theater in New Haven, and the T. Schreiber School in New York City. For her work in the national tour of “Hello, Dolly!,” she received the Sarah Siddons Award for outstanding performance in a Chicago theatrical production.
Alongside her theatrical achievements, Buckley continues to work extensively in film. She is featured in the new films “By Design,” written and directed by Amanda Kramer, and “Eternity” for A24 Studios, starring Miles Teller and Elizabeth Olsen. In March 2024, she co-starred in “Imaginary” for Blumhouse and Lionsgate. Additional film credits include the M. Night Shyamalan hit “Split,” in which she co-starred with James McAvoy and received a Saturn Award nomination, as well as Shyamalan’s “The Happening,” Lawrence Kasdan’s “Wyatt Earp,” Woody Allen’s “Another Woman,” Roman Polanski’s “Frantic,” Bruce Beresford’s “Tender Mercies,” and Brian De Palma’s screen adaptation of Stephen King’s “Carrie.”
Buckley recently wrote, narrated, and produced “The Mayfly,” an animated short film directed by award-winning animator Sue Perrotto, with music by her longtime musical director and pianist Christian Jacob. Animated traditionally in 2D, “The Mayfly” tells the story of Megalyn Mayfly, who goes against all expectations and dedicates her short life to music and dance on a journey from Central Park West to the Carlyle Hotel on the Upper East Side. The film had its world premiere at the American Documentary and Animation Film Festival (AmDocs) in Palm Springs, California, and has since garnered critical acclaim at festivals worldwide, including the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City.
Buckley’s recent television credits include a recurring role on “Law & Order: SVU” for NBC. She co-starred in the third season of AMC’s hit series “Preacher” and has guest starred on “The Cleaning Lady,” “Supergirl,” “Chicago Med,” and “Pretty Little Liars.” For HBO, she appeared in “Getting On,” “The Leftovers,” and “The Pacific,” and for three seasons on “OZ.” She also portrayed Abby Bradford in the beloved drama series “Eight is Enough.”
Buckley has recorded 18 albums, including “Hope” (2018), “Story Songs” (2017), and “Ghostlight” (2014), produced by T Bone Burnett. She has received two GRAMMY nominations and continues to tour extensively with her ensemble of musicians.
For her April 17 concert, Buckley will be joined by her longtime musical director, Christian Jacob.
French pianist and multi-Grammy-nominated arranger Christian Jacob began playing classical music at age four and discovered jazz at age nine. After graduating with “First Prize” from the Paris Conservatory, Jacob moved to the United States, where he received the Oscar Peterson Jazz Masters Award and won the Great American Jazz Piano Competition. His credits include scoring two major motion pictures for director Clint Eastwood, “Sully” and “The 15:17 to Paris.” He leads his own trio, co-founded the Tierney Sutton Band, and maintains a long and celebrated association as musical director for Broadway legend Betty Buckley. Jacob is currently performing music from his latest recordings, “The Originals,” a collection of 13 original compositions for jazz trio and strings, and his solo piano album, “Beautiful Jazz.”
Tickets priced $50–$60 can be purchased online at miac.universitytickets.com, by phone at 814-824-3000, or in person at the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center box office (Tues.–Thurs., noon–5 p.m.). Each order is subject to a $5 per ticket processing fee, regardless of purchase or payment method.
This performance is sponsored by Oliver’s Rooftop and Roma’s Italian Kitchen. The 2025–26 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.