Upcoming Events

An immersive experience like no other, join Indian Ink Theatre: Mrs. Krishnan’s Party with music, dancing, and vegetarian dhal prepared live in this heart-warming show. Presented at Maya Tea Warehouse. Indians throw big parties. Heard of Diwali? A million lamps floating on a river and fireworks lighting the sky. Heard of Holi? An explosion of color and joy–massive dry cleaning bills. How about Onam? An annual harvest festival celebrating life, death, and rebirth…and possibly the biggest of them all! Mrs. Krishnan is renting an apartment to the overzealous wannabe DJ, James. James has invited a few friends into the back room of Mrs. Krishnan’s corner shop as a special surprise to celebrate Onam and her son’s return home. But when 100 strangers turn up (you, the audience) Mrs. Krishnan has no choice but to throw the party of her life. Please join us after the show to enjoy a taste of freshly prepared vegetarian dhal (red lentils) and rice with the cast! ParTEA Pass Add-On Looking for even more fun? Here’s your chance to really steep yourself in adventure! Join Manish Shah, the founder and CEO of Maya Tea Company and Transit Tea, for an exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour of the Maya Tea Factory—happening just one hour before the performance. You’ll leave brimming with tea wisdom and … TWO $100 gift cards (yes, TWO—one for Maya Tea and one for Transit Tea, because we believe in spoiling you properly). And that’s not all! Sip your way to joy with a limited-edition commemorative tea canteen, created just for this event. It’s perfect for showing off during the show—or to your friends later when you casually mention how you got the VIP treatment. Trust us, this is the kind of experience that makes people say, “Wait, YOU did what?!” Seating Chart Top Table: prize seat at the center of the room. First-class treatment all the way, and a place to rest your drink.Inner Circle: premium seat, close to all the action. You can see and be seen. Perfect for the in-crowd.Wallflowers: prefer to hang back? This is the seat for you with a perfect view of everything.Cheeky Seats: not too hot, not too cold. Close, but not too close.Party Animals: you came to party! You need room to move and you’re gonna dance like no-one is watching! Click to enlarge image

Embark on a 60-year musical legacy with Ladysmith Black Mambazo, five-time Grammy winners spreading messages of peace and love. With a deep respect for cultural and personal history, they return to the Old Pueblo for an evening of uplifting South African rhythms and harmonies taking center stage at the Rialto Theatre. For over 60 years, the five-time Grammy-winning group Ladysmith Black Mambazo has captivated global audiences with messages of peace, love, and harmony. Formed in the early 1960s, their name symbolizes the founder’s hometown (Ladysmith), strength (Black, like oxen), and the ability to triumph over rivals (Mambazo, Zulu for chopping ax). Specializing in isicathamiya, a traditional music style developed in South African mines, the group reflects the cultural resilience of black workers who, despite harsh conditions, found solace in music during weekends away from home. In the mid-1980s, Paul Simon collaborated with them, introducing their rich harmonies to mainstream audiences through his landmark Graceland album, a pivotal moment in the popularization of World Music. Their musical efforts over the past five decades have garnered praise and accolades from a wide body of people, organizations, and countries. The late former South African president Nelson Mandela designated the group “South Africa’s cultural ambassadors to the world,” a title the members carry with them with the highest honor. In 2018, the group received two Grammy Award nominations for two separate albums, a first in the history of World Music. These two nominations brought their career total to 19 Grammy nominations. Artist's Site Facebook Instagram Twitter

Discover the next frontier of dance in a centennial celebration with one of the most influential forces of the 20th Century, the Martha Graham Dance Company. Presented in Centennial Hall. Since 1926, Martha Graham’s groundbreaking and uniquely American dance style has influenced generations of artists, dancers, and audiences worldwide. In celebration of its upcoming centennial, the Company has organized GRAHAM100. This three-season program explores Graham’s artistic legacy through performances, new productions, exhibitions, film screenings, publications, discussions, and educational activities. This March, join “one of the great companies of the world” (New York Times) for a captivating performance featuring Graham masterworks and new pieces, including Steps in the Street (1936, featuring UA School of Dance students), Immediate Tragedy (1937), Errand into the Maze (1947), CAVE (2022), and We The People (2024).

Guided by their signature blend of dark psychedelia and Latin-inspired rhythms, XIXA invites you on an extraordinary journey through the mystical underworld. Presented at the Rialto Theatre. On their latest album, XIXA leave the sunbaked desert behind, taking listeners on a journey through the underworld. Diving into the richness of folklore, Brian Lopez and Gabriel Sullivan, who share XIXA’s songwriting, lead vocals and lead guitars, expand on their mystic, psychedelic rock, reaching more into their Latin influences to create a musical and lyrical narrative for XOLO, an album exploring both a mythic journey and what messages it might have for today. XOLO (in both band name and album title, the x is pronounced like ch) refers to the breed of Mexican hairless dog, Xoloitzcuintli, sacred in Mayan and Aztec cultures as guides through the underworld, Mictlán. The record loosely tells the story of a young girl, Arcoiris, on her journey through all nine levels of Mictlán, guided by her sacred protector, El Xolo. Musically, the moods and styles shift along with the journey. Still guided by dark psychedelia and cumbia, XIXA brings more dynamic arrangements, expanding their musical language and carving the album into more distinct chapters. XOLO is the band’s third full-length record, following Genesis (2021) and Bloodline (2016), and EPs The Code (2019) and Shift and Shadow (2015).

Connect with multifaceted pianist Lisa Moore in a striking performance that combines lyricism and virtuosity with expressive and emotional power. Presented and fully seated on stage for an up-close and intimate audience experience in Centennial Hall. Hailed as “brilliant and searching…beautiful and impassioned” by The New York Times, Lisa Moore brings unmatched emotional depth and virtuosity to every performance. Her extraordinary career has taken her to iconic venues like Carnegie Hall, La Scala, and the Sydney Opera House. A champion of modern music, she has premiered hundreds of works, collaborating with over 200 living composers. Her acclaimed recordings span genres, with standout releases like Mad Rush (Philip Glass) and The Stone People, named a New York Times Top Classical Album of 2016. A founding member of Bang on a Can All-Stars, Moore has performed alongside legends like Philip Glass, Meredith Monk, and Steve Reich. Her music bridges the traditional and avant-garde, delivering unforgettable performances that resonate with passion and precision.

Join Arizona Arts Live and TENWEST this spring for an unforgettable evening with the man whose voice has defined a generation of storytelling, Guy Raz. Presented live in Centennial Hall. Guy Raz is celebrated as one of the most influential podcasters of our time, creating global sensations like How I Built This, TED Radio Hour, and the award-winning kids’ science show Wow in the World. Dubbed by The New York Times as “one of the most popular podcasters in history,” his shows captivate 19 million listeners monthly. With a career spanning over 25 years, Raz’s engaging storytelling and unparalleled interview style have earned him a reputation as “the greatest interviewer of his generation” (Forbes). From anchoring groundbreaking news at NPR and CNN to transforming the podcasting world, Raz’s achievements have garnered numerous accolades, including the Edward R. Murrow Award and a Peabody. Over his illustrious career, he has interviewed over 20,000 people, including presidents, Nobel Prize winners, and cultural icons, bringing their stories to life with depth and insight. In 2017, Raz became the first person in the history of podcasting to have three shows in the top 20 on the Apple Podcasts charts simultaneously. His talk, 7 Lessons I’ve Learned From the World’s Greatest Entrepreneurs will inspire you with the practical advice you need to make your next business breakthrough. Artist's Site Facebook Instagram Twitter

Internationally renowned Reggie Watts uses his formidable voice, looping pedals, and vast imagination to blur the lines between music and comedy. Join Arizona Arts Live and TENWEST for an evening of unparalleled talent at 191 Toole. Using only his extraordinary voice, looping pedals, and boundless imagination, musician, comedian, writer Reggie Watts delivers entirely improvised performances that are as unpredictable as they are unforgettable. Most recently, he starred as bandleader on The Late Late Show with James Corden and as DJ for the 2021 Emmy Awards. Watts’ Netflix special, Spatial, earned rave reviews, with The New York Times hailing him as “the most influential absurdist in comedy today” and The A.V. Club calling the performance “exhilarating, silly, exhausting, and transcendent.” A favorite on major stages and festivals worldwide, including Bonnaroo, SXSW, Just For Laughs, and Bumbershoot, his unique fusion of comedy and music continues to captivate fans across the U.S. and Europe.

Join Grammy-winning Silkroad Ensemble in an unforgettable musical journey around the world, offering a fresh perspective on the history and migration of music. Presented in Centennial Hall. Silkroad brings together musicians globally to inspire collaboration and add more equity and justice into the world. Conceived by Yo-Yo Ma in 1988, Silkroad continues to break new ground with innovative music, cultural collaboration, and high-quality arts education under the leadership of visionary Artistic Director Rhiannon Giddens. In Uplifted Voices, Silkroad showcases a synthesis of global musical traditions and contemporary innovation, with each artist contributing their unique voice to craft a shared musical experience. From the Tuscarora Nation in North Carolina, singer-songwriter and activist Pura Fé blends traditional Native American sounds with contemporary Americana, honoring her Indigenous heritage while celebrating its enduring relevance. Japanese multi-percussionist Haruka Fujii has gained international acclaim as a prominent solo percussionist and marimbist, known for her interpretations of contemporary music and premieres of works by leading composers. Scottish harpist and composer Maeve Gilchrist intertwines jazz and folk while staying true to her Celtic roots, expanding the harp’s role into new, unexplored territories. Acclaimed cellist Karen Ouzounian centers her artistic practice on her love of the collaborative process and the development of adventurous new works. Lebanese violinist and composer Layale Chaker merges the intricate sounds of Arabic Maqam with jazz and contemporary classical elements, inviting listeners on a journey into new soundscapes. Mazz Swift, a violinist and composer, brings a deeply innovative approach, fusing classic African American music, electronica, and mindfulness, with improvisation as a central theme across genres.

Ten acrobats and a live string quartet celebrate the music of composer Dmitri Shostakovich in a stunning work of power, virtuosity, and physical poetry with Opus by Circa. Presented in Centennial Hall. Australian company Circa returns with a bold piece of extreme physicality and nuanced detail melded into a seamless whole with Opus. Beginning with a solo performer suspended on a rope serenaded by musicians, Opus then moves powerfully through rapidly alternating scenes of dislocated stillness and violent explosions into extreme physicality to arrive at exquisitely detailed and nuanced geometries of acrobats flying, balancing, and landing. This groundbreaking experience is brought to life by France’s Debussy String Quartet who perform three passionate quartets by 20th-century composer Dmitri Shostakovich live and from memory. The result? A red-hot fusion of extreme acrobatics, lyrical movement, and group choreography. Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Vimeo

Experience an evening of virtuosic brilliance with American pianist Jon Nakamatsu whose electrifying performances have captivated audiences worldwide for over three decades. Presented and fully seated on stage for an up-close and intimate audience experience in Centennial Hall. Now in his third decade of touring worldwide, Jon Nakamatsu continues to draw critical and public acclaim for his intensity, elegance and electrifying solo, concerto, and chamber music performances. Catapulted to international attention in 1997 as the Gold Medalist of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition—the only American to achieve this distinction since 1981—he subsequently developed a multi-faceted career encompassing recording, education, arts administration, and public speaking. From major symphony halls to intimate chamber performances, Jon Nakamatsu brings music to life in a way that feels both powerful and personal. Whether he’s playing Beethoven, Gershwin, or something in between, his performances are full of nuance and emotion.