Josh Groban in Kansas City brings together Broadway, film, and symphonic sound
Josh Groban is coming to Starlight Theatre in Kansas City with the "Stage, Screen, and Symphony" concert, a program that very precisely describes his current artistic phase. The performance is scheduled for September 1, 2026, at 8:00 PM, and it will be an evening in which his distinctive vocals meet Broadway, film music, and full symphonic arrangements.
This is not a tour conceived as a classic overview of the biggest pop hits. Groban has built the program around music that tells a story, whether it comes from a musical, a film, or a grand orchestral arrangement. That concept is particularly well suited to a singer who, throughout his career, has constantly moved between traditional pop, orchestral music, film themes, and Broadway.
Kansas City, meanwhile, is getting one of the final concerts of this leg of the tour. According to the current performance schedule, after Starlight Theatre there is only one more concert in The Woodlands, Texas, before Groban returns to his "GEMS" program in Las Vegas in October.
Tickets for this event are currently on sale.
"CINEMATIC" gives the concert a new musical framework
The most important context for the current tour is the album "CINEMATIC", released on May 8, 2026. The album contains ten of Groban's interpretations of songs strongly associated with film history and was produced by Greg Wells.
Among the selected titles are "As Time Goes By" from the world of the film "Casablanca", "Skyfall" from the James Bond series, "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" from "The Lion King", "When You Wish Upon a Star" from "Pinocchio", "Moon River" from "Breakfast at Tiffany's", and "Brucia La Terra", a song associated with the cinematic world of "The Godfather".
Jennifer Hudson also appears on the album in "Unchained Melody", while Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles participates in "Can You Feel the Love Tonight". Groban recorded "Moon River" with his father Jack Groban. The collection closes with his version of "Stand By Me".
That selection helps explain why the new tour is orchestral. These are songs in which strings, winds, and major dynamic transitions are not merely decoration, but an important part of the musical dramaturgy. Groban's voice, known for its broad melodic arcs and ability to move from very quiet passages to powerful climaxes, is in its natural environment when backed by a large ensemble.
What the concerts so far reveal about the program
The exact set list for Kansas City should not be assumed in advance. Still, the concerts Groban has already performed on the "Stage, Screen, and Symphony" tour provide a very concrete picture of its direction.
At the performances at Wolf Trap on August 22 and Bethel Woods on August 23, the program combined Broadway, film themes, and songs from the new album. The documented repertoire included "Pure Imagination", "What I Did for Love", "Old Devil Moon", "The Barber and His Wife", "On My Own", "All I Ask of You", and "Evermore".
The film portion of the evening included, among others, "As Time Goes By", "Remember Me", "Cinema Paradiso", "Brucia la terra", "Can You Feel the Love Tonight", and "Skyfall". Groban's rendition of "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" was also performed.
It is particularly interesting how strongly his theatrical career can be felt in this program. Groban is not a singer who approaches Broadway only through occasional covers of well-known songs. On Broadway, he played the title role in the revival production of the musical "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street", for which he was nominated for a Tony Award in 2023 in the category of Best Leading Actor in a Musical.
Because of that, Stephen Sondheim's songs and other theatrical compositions carry a different weight in this concert program than they would in a standard pop crossover performance. Groban has behind him the experience of portraying a character through an entire theatrical evening, working with a large orchestra, and performing material in which the lyrics are as important as vocal technique.
From "You Raise Me Up" to Broadway
For part of the audience, Josh Groban is still primarily the voice of songs such as "You Raise Me Up", which earned him a Grammy nomination in the category of Male Pop Vocal Performance. His second album "Closer" reached the top of the U.S. album chart, and "You Raise Me Up" became one of the songs that permanently defined his career.
The Recording Academy records a total of five Grammy nominations for him, including nominations associated with the albums "Noël", "Stages", "Stages Live", and the Broadway recording "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street".
That career also explains the audience profile at Starlight Theatre. The concert is a logical choice for longtime Groban fans, but the program is not limited to them. Broadway enthusiasts can get an entire series of recognizable theatrical songs, film music fans can hear material from the album "CINEMATIC", and audiences who prefer large-scale orchestral pop can hear a format in which Groban's vocals are given full expression.
- For Broadway fans: the current repertoire includes music connected with musicals and Groban's theatrical experience.
- For film fans: "CINEMATIC" brings songs associated with titles such as "Casablanca", "The Lion King", "Skyfall", and "Breakfast at Tiffany's".
- For longtime fans: the concert retains the recognizable combination of powerful vocals and grand orchestral arrangements.
- For audiences hearing Groban live for the first time: the program is conceived as a thematic whole, not merely a sequence of unrelated hits.
A symphony orchestra changes the character of familiar songs
One of the key features of the tour is performing with full symphony orchestras. When announcing the program, Groban explained that he is drawn to music that tells a story and that with this tour he wants to bring Broadway, film, and symphonic arrangements together into a single concert world.
On some of the dates so far, he has performed with orchestras connected to the host city or institution. For example, Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra accompanied him at the performance in Chautauqua, National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap, while Charlotte Symphony Orchestra was announced for the concert in Charlotte. For Kansas City, there is no need to assume the name of the ensemble in advance if it has not been specifically confirmed in the information for that performance.
The concerts so far demonstrate why the orchestra matters. "Skyfall" calls for a dramatic rise in intensity, "As Time Goes By" allows room for a more intimate approach, while songs from musicals function through the relationship between voice, lyrics, and orchestration. Instead of constant maximum volume, this kind of program has the potential for pronounced contrasts between quiet, almost theatrical moments and sweeping symphonic finales.
It is worth securing tickets in time.
Starlight Theatre is a natural fit for a concert like this
Starlight Theatre is located in Swope Park at 4600 Starlight Road in Kansas City, Missouri. It is a historic open-air theatre that has been part of the city since 1950 and has combined Broadway productions with concert programming for decades.
The open-air nature of the venue is an important part of the experience. The audience is not enclosed in a traditional concert hall, so an evening performance takes on a different sense of space. Starlight has a wide, fixed seating area oriented toward a large stage, and the sense of proximity to the performer depends significantly on the selected section. The front sections provide a more immediate view of Groban and the orchestra, while the more distant sections provide a broader view of the entire stage and production.
The venue has a long history specifically with large-format shows and music. It opened as part of the celebration of Kansas City's centennial, and after the success of its first productions it became a permanent performing arts venue. Today, Starlight is one of the recognizable cultural destinations in Swope Park.
For "Stage, Screen, and Symphony", that is an interesting combination: repertoire that often evokes a darkened theatre or cinema is performed outdoors, in a venue that has been accustomed to Broadway and major concert productions for decades.
Arriving by car, parking, and rideshare
For visitors arriving by car, Starlight states that general parking is available at no additional charge and is filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Depending on the entrance to Swope Park, staff direct vehicles toward the available parking areas.
Starlight recommends arriving early enough so that parking and entry do not become part of the final minutes before the concert. For visitors using pre-booked premium parking, the venue gives a practical guideline of arriving approximately 45 to 60 minutes before the program begins.
Rideshare vehicles should approach via 63rd Street. The pickup and drop-off point is located on Starlight Road, at the northern corner of the complex near Gate 4.
Public transportation is also available. RideKC lists Starlight Theatre among its destinations, with routes 18 - Indiana and 63 - 63rd Street nearby. Visitors relying on the bus should pay particular attention to checking the current evening timetable and the final return departures, because the concert may end later than usual daytime travel hours.
What to check before entering Starlight
For concerts, Starlight does not publish one universal door-opening time. Entry times vary by event, so the venue recommends arriving before the time stated on the concert ticket. The confirmed start time for this concert is 8:00 PM, but the door-opening time should be checked in the information accompanying the specific ticket before arrival.
Starlight applies a clear-bag policy. Clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bags up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches are permitted, as is a clear one-gallon zip-top bag and a small clutch or "fanny pack" up to 4.5 x 6.5 inches. Exceptions are available for medically necessary items after inspection.
One factory-sealed bottle of water up to 24 oz per person is permitted. An empty reusable plastic bottle of the same maximum size may also be brought in, while metal and glass bottles are not allowed. Outside food and other beverages generally may not be brought in, except when there is a medical need handled according to the venue's rules.
Concessions and merchandise points inside Starlight operate cashlessly, using cards and supported digital payment methods.
Because Starlight is an outdoor venue, it is worth checking the weather conditions immediately before departure and dressing for the evening temperature. The venue's general rule is that performances proceed in rain unless dangerous weather conditions occur. Rules and any possible changes may additionally be adjusted to the requirements of the individual tour.
Kansas City as the penultimate stop of the tour
The concert's position in the schedule gives it additional context. "Stage, Screen, and Symphony" began in August, and before Kansas City, Groban travels through a series of U.S. cities and concert venues, including Cincinnati, Canandaigua, Mashantucket, Bethel, Charlotte, Cuyahoga Falls, and Grand Rapids. After the evening at Starlight Theatre, the current schedule for this program continues with one more date in The Woodlands on September 3.
That means Kansas City receives the presentation of the project at a point when the repertoire has already gone through a series of performances before audiences. Documented concerts from the second half of August show a fairly clearly defined combination of Broadway and film, but also small changes between individual dates. That is precisely why previous set lists can be a useful indication of the atmosphere, but not a promise of exactly what will be performed at Starlight.
In October, Groban returns to The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas with the "GEMS" program, a differently conceived project from this summer symphonic tour. Kansas City is therefore one of the final cities where the specific combination of "Stage, Screen, and Symphony" can be heard in its 2026 U.S. summer edition.
An evening for audiences who hear a song as a story
Groban's greatest advantage in this program is not only the power of his voice. His career has long demonstrated an interest in songs with clear dramaturgy: from "You Raise Me Up" and orchestral pop, through albums dedicated to theatrical repertoire, to his Broadway work and now an album composed of film songs.
"Stage, Screen, and Symphony" brings all those threads together in one place. Audiences can expect an evening that relies more on melody, orchestration, lyrics, and vocal interpretation than on the rhythm of a typical stadium pop concert. The repertoire so far moves from Sondheim to film standards, from Disney songs to "Skyfall", and then back toward theatre.
That is precisely why this is not a concert intended only for audiences who know Groban's entire discography. Someone may come for Broadway, someone for film music, someone for his voice, and someone for the rare opportunity to hear popular repertoire within a full orchestral framework.
Tickets for this event are in demand.
Practical reminder for the concert evening
Before setting out, it is useful to check several things: the door-opening time stated with the specific ticket, current traffic information, bag rules, and any weather-related warnings. For drivers, general parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis, while rideshare users should account for the designated pickup and drop-off point on the northern side of the venue.
Starlight is in Swope Park, outside the very center of Kansas City, so visitors traveling from another city may find it sensible to coordinate accommodation and the return journey after the concert in advance. Kansas City itself offers enough attractions to make the concert part of a longer visit, but for the evening of the performance, the most important thing is to leave enough time to reach the park and enter the large open-air complex.
For a concert in which voice and orchestra are at the center of attention, it is particularly worthwhile to arrive without rushing. "Stage, Screen, and Symphony" is not a program that depends on one song or one grand finale, but on a sequence of musical stories that move from Broadway to the silver screen and back again.
Sources:
- Josh Groban - official artist website: announcement of the album "CINEMATIC", release date, and current musical context.
- Warner Records - information about the album "CINEMATIC", the list of ten songs, and confirmed collaborators.
- Live Nation - current schedule for the "Stage, Screen, and Symphony" tour and confirmation of the concert at Starlight Theatre.
- Ticketmaster - documented set lists from recent tour performances in August 2026.
- Recording Academy - information about Groban's Grammy nominations and the context of the song "You Raise Me Up".
- Playbill - Groban's role in "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" and his Tony Award nomination.
- Starlight Theatre - venue history, parking, rideshare, entry rules, bags, water, payment, and weather policy.
- Kansas City Parks & Recreation - confirmation of the concert date, time, and location.
- RideKC - current public transportation routes serving the Starlight Theatre area.