This summer, the university welcomed Chad Hilligus, the new executive and artistic director of the Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts (The Soraya). Hilligus joins The Soraya from the Gallo Center for the Arts in Modesto where, as CEO, he led artistic programming and oversaw operations, finance, education and advancement.
The Soraya is the San Fernando Valley’s cultural heart — a beacon for world-class dance, classical, jazz and artists from around the globe. The award-winning, state-of-the-art, 1,700-seat performance venue presents more than 40 events each year.
“Over the years, I’ve been very interested in and inspired by the programming of The Soraya. It also has an incredible reputation with artists,” said Hilligus, who began his tenure June 15. “When I talk to artists and managers about their favorite places to perform, The Soraya is always at the top of the list. They know when they come here, it feels like home. There’s such a high level of detail and service here. All of those things have made it a place I’ve aspired to in my career.”
At the helm, Hilligus succeeds longtime executive and artistic director Thor Steingraber, who departed The Soraya this past spring to run arts programming organization Vivo Performing Arts in Boston. Hilligus said he’s incredibly excited to share with audiences the packed and dynamic 2026-27 season.
“The program the team has put together for 2026-27, to me, is the perfect culmination of the vision that Thor and the team have built over the last 12 years,” Hilligus said. “For me to come in and see that come to life is probably the most exciting thing. There are a number of performances I’m particularly excited about, including our opening night with Sutton Foster and the Pacific Jazz Orchestra [Sept. 19]. We also have some really exciting collaborations — this year we’re collaborating with the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony on a special tribute to George Gershwin, featuring Michael Feinstein [Oct. 11]. … And for the first time ever, we’re presenting the L.A. Phil [March 26] with a special program featuring conductor Domingo Hindoyan, the new music director for L.A. Opera.”
Looking to the future, Hilligus has embarked on what he called “a listening tour,” meeting with community leaders, donors and other Soraya stakeholders, to learn more about potential growth areas and key priorities. Some of those key priorities for 2027 and beyond include more engagement with CSUN’s student population, potentially by presenting artists not typically seen at the Soraya, such as comedians and pop artists, Hilligus said. He’s also heard continued demand for Broadway artists and programming.
“That could look like leaning more heavily into presenting major Broadway stars, like Sutton Foster and Audra McDonald, or it could mean presenting national Broadway touring companies,” Hilligus said. “That’s exciting for me, because I come from a Broadway background.”
A native of Kansas and former professional performer, Hilligus brings an artist’s perspective to his leadership. He toured internationally as a member of The Ten Tenors from 2011-14 and starred as Tony in the 50th anniversary world tour of “West Side Story” from 2009-11. He earned a bachelor’s degree in voice performance and a master’s in opera and voice performance from the University of Utah. After extensive touring, Hilligus moved into arts administration. In addition to the Gallo Center, he previously served with Performance Santa Fe, the largest arts presenting organization in northern New Mexico at the time.
“I’m so pleased that Chad Hilligus will be leading The Soraya,” CSUN President Erika D. Beck said. “Chad is a proven leader in the performing arts, with more than 20 years of experience as an artist, producer, director and fundraiser and a deep understanding of how the arts connect us across cultures, across generations and across differences. The Soraya serves as both a transformative learning environment for our students and a dynamic gathering place where everyone belongs. Chad’s vision and artistic integrity will realize even greater impact.”
“One of the most exciting and inspiring aspects of joining The Soraya and serving the Los Angeles area is the region’s incredible diversity,” Hilligus noted.
“Los Angeles has such a rich cultural fabric of different ethnic communities from literally everywhere in the world,” he said. “The possibilities are endless. As we look ahead to 2027-28, one of my goals is to be as representative as possible with our programming, reflecting as many different communities as we can. That should be our role as a performing arts center, and as one of the premier cultural institutions in the state.”
