Jeff Goldblum to narrate Exit Stage Right, a Docuseries Inside the Cliburn, the World’s Most Demanding Piano Competition

Goldblum is to narrate Exit Stage Right, a five-part documentary series from the Cliburn and Framework Productions, directed by Steven Pierce, that follows pianists through the 2025 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth, Texas.

Goldblum, one of Hollywood’s most recognizable actors (Jurassic Park, Independence Day, Wicked), is also an accomplished jazz pianist who tours the world with his band, the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra. In the series, he says: “The only thing standing between them and the career they all dream of is what they do on that stage.”

Held every four years for pianists aged 18 to 30, the Cliburn Competition has been launching concert careers since 1962. Its 2025 edition ran from 21 May to 7 June, and its broadcast drew more than 20 million views across over 145 countries.

Exit Stage Right runs five episodes and 4 hours 2 minutes, from the opening draw through preliminaries, quarterfinals and semifinals to a final in which six pianists each play two concertos with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Marin Alsop. Featured competitors Aristo Sham, Vitaly Starikov, Carter Johnson, Angel Stanislav Wang, Chaeyoung Park and Yanjun Chen.

The series positions itself in the competition-docuseries lane of Drive to Survive, Cheer and Last Chance U – a format producers say has not yet been applied to classical music.

Exit Stage Right was created by James Allerdyce and Steven Pierce. Rights are held by Cliburn Media, with Framework Productions producing. Music, archive and talent are licensed worldwide, in all media and in perpetuity, including the competition performances. The series is picture-locked, with delivery in early 2027.

Framework holds exclusive documentary access to the Cliburn’s 2027 and 2028 competitions. Season two will follow the Cliburn’s young pianist competition in 2027, featuring pianists under 18. Season three, in 2028, centres on a new conducting competition launching in Houston, chaired by Alsop.

Jeff Goldblum said: “I’ve loved the piano since I was a boy, so being a part of this was a delight. The work these young musicians put in, the discipline, the devotion, is just staggering. And then to watch them walk out on that stage with the whole world listening and take their shot at a real career? Thrilling. Truly inspiring stuff.”

Jacques Marquis, President and CEO, the Cliburn, added: “Every four years, our goal is to launch and prepare exceptional pianists for the rigors of an international touring career while providing a global stage for them to share their art. This series tells their stories, their struggles, and their aspirations, giving audiences a first-hand look beyond the stage at their passion, commitment, and drive. We are overjoyed to have Jeff Goldblum, a world-renowned artist who shares our love for the piano, join us in telling these stories.”

Steven Pierce, director and co-creator of Exit Stage Right, added: “Jeff is a pianist, he has a life-long love for music, and he cares about young performers. He understood straight away what these artists put on the line, and his voice carries viewers into a world most people have never seen from the inside.”