This is a scene from a touring production of "The Sound of Music," one of four musical coming to the Cowan Center during 2018-2019 season. (Courtesy) 

Rick Springfield, Dan Rather and “The Sound of Music” are all coming to the University of Texas at Tyler’s Cowan Center. 

Susan Thomae-Morphew, the performance center’s executive director, announced the lineup of the 2018-19 subscription season during a luncheon/news conference Thursday attended by news representatives, show sponsors and the center’s advisers.

The season will run from September until April 2019. The 17 shows include bands, Broadway plays, dance troupes, specialty acts, children’s shows and distinguished speakers. 

Set to take the stage are dance troupes iLuminate and Los Vivancos; the Irish band the Chieftains; the New York Philharmonic String Quartet; the musicals “The Sound of Music,” “The King and I,” “Something Rotten!” and “Finding Neverland;” musical acts Springfield, Kool and the Gang, the Texas Tenors, Robert Cray and the Selena Experience; speakers Rather and Dennis Miller; and children’s shows “The Ugly Duckling” and “The Magic School Bus.”

“I think it is safe to say we have a winning season,” Thomae-Morphew said after showing a video previewing the acts. 

In a statement released after the news conference, she added: “We think it’s one of our strongest and most diverse seasons yet. We’re over the moon about our Broadway series which has four shows — two standards and two brand-new musicals. Fans of music by legendary performers will love our Braithwaite series.”

Season subscription sales will begin Monday. Information on buying tickets and the acts is on the venue’s website, cowancenter.org. 

 COWAN CENTER LINEUP

The Performing Arts Series

• iLuminate: Oct. 13
• Los Vivancos “Born to Dance”: Feb. 26, 2019
• The Chieftains with Paddy Moloney, Switchback: March 16, 2019
• New York Philharmonic String Quartet: March 30, 2019

Broadway Series

• “The Sound of Music,” Nov. 8
• “Something Rotten!” Jan. 24, 2019
• “The King and I,” Feb. 4, 2019
• “Finding Neverland,” April 9, 2019

Braithwaite Intimate Gatherings Series

• Rick Springfield, Sept. 20
• Robert Cray Band, Dec. 8
• Kool & The Gang, Feb. 9, 2019

Special Events

• The Texas Tenors, Sept. 19
• The Selena Experience, Oct. 27

Distinguished Lecture Series

• Dennis Miller, Oct. 4
• Dan Rather, March 19, 2019

Arts in Education

• “The Ugly Duckling,” Feb. 1, 2019
• “The Magic School Bus,” Feb. 19, 2019