WELCOME TO THE WALLIS 2026/2027 SEASON.
It is a great honor to join this remarkable institution as Executive Director and CEO and to welcome you into a new season of artistic exploration, conversation, and community.
Before looking ahead, I want to acknowledge and thank Robert van Leer for his thoughtful leadership and meaningful contributions to The Wallis. The 2026/2027 season was largely shaped under his tenure, reflecting the long horizon required for artistic planning and partnership-building. Robert’s commitment to ambitious programming helped further establish The Wallis as one of the country’s most vibrant cultural destinations, and I am deeply appreciative of the foundation he leaves behind.
I could not be more thrilled for the opportunity to lead this extraordinary organization into its next chapter. The Wallis occupies a unique place in the cultural life of Los Angeles: a gathering space where artists and audiences come together not only to be entertained, but also to be challenged, inspired, and connected through shared experience.
I believe deeply in the power of the arts to build community. At their best, the performing arts create spaces where curiosity flourishes, where differing perspectives can be explored with empathy, and where imagination expands our understanding of one another. I am dedicated to cultivating a creative community of individuals who enjoy engaging in the world of ideas — a community energized by discovery, dialogue, and the joy of live performance.
The arts have always been a time-honored vehicle for expressing the many dimensions of what it means to be human. Through music, dance, theater, film, and storytelling, we encounter beauty and complexity, humor and heartbreak, memory and possibility. In a rapidly changing world, these shared artistic experiences remind us of our common humanity and our capacity for connection.
This season reflects those values beautifully. Across every performance and event, you will find artists whose work sparks reflection, ignites imagination, and celebrates the richness of human experience.
I hope you will join us often — not only as audience members, but as essential participants in the life of this institution.
Thank you for being part of The Wallis community. I look forward to all we will experience and create together in the years ahead.
Warmly,
Jean Davidson EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & CEO / THE WALLIS
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SUBSCRIPTION PACKAGE INSPIRATION
Here are a few curated subscription packages you may enjoy. These are only recommendations to spark ideas. Subscription packages are fully customizable with 3+ events.
THEATER & OPERA
Hershey Felder: The Piano and Me MAR 11-21
The Shot APR 11-MAY 2
LA Opera & Beth Morrison Projects: The Old Man & The Sea MAY 20-23
DANCE
Ronald K. Brown: EVIDENCE OCT 8-10
CONTRA-TIEMPO: ¡azúcar! DEC 17-19
Los Angeles Ballet: Movers and Shakers FEB 4-6
GALLIM APR 1-3
Alonzo King LINES Ballet JUN 3-5
COMEDY
Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares OCT 1-4
Sasha Velour: Travesty OCT 29-30
Sandra Bernhard: Caught Off Guard DEC 5
FAMILY
Manual Cinema Presents: Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About a Terrible Monster NOV 20-21
Passing The Crown: Celebrating the Queens of Hip Hop JAN 29
The Adventures of Tortoise and Hare: The Next Generation FEB 20
BROADWAY
Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares OCT 1-4
Sandra Bernhard: Caught Off Guard DEC 5
Jason Robert Brown & Friends DEC 12
Isaac Mizrahi APR 17
CLASSICAL MUSIC
Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra
Strauss, Ravel, Beethoven OCT 18
Ruo, Bates, Noone, Schoenberg NOV 22
Bach: The Christmas Oratorio DEC 20
Stravinsky, Mozart, Goode FEB 14
Haydn, Mozart, Kalhor APR 25
GLOBAL SOUNDS
Daymé Arocena’s Alkemi SEP 26
Las Migas NOV 12
Naghash Ensemble NOV 18
JAZZ
Joshua Redman Quartet SEP 25
Daymé Arocena’s Alkemi SEPT 26
Pacific Jazz Orchestra: Kandace Springs FEB 9
JOSHUA REDMAN QUARTET
WORDS FALL SHORT
SPECIAL GUEST SKYLAR TANG
SEPT 25, 2026 / 7:30 PM
We open the 2026/27 season with jazz saxophonist Joshua Redman performing Words Fall Short, a new instrumental program moving beyond his recent vocal collaborations into original compositions for quartet with pianist Paul Cornish, bassist Philip Norris, and drummer Nazir Ebo, plus guest trumpeter Skylar Tang.
A defining voice in modern jazz, Redman returns with a focus on expressive instrumental storytelling and improvisation. This season opener celebrates interplay, invention, and the electricity of live performance, where master musicians challenge one another and the audience with spontaneity, depth, and surprise.
DAYMÉ AROCENA’S ALKEMI
SEPT 26, 2026 / 7:30 PM
Heralded by NPR as “a cross between Celia Cruz and Aretha Franklin,” Daymé Arocena delivers a genre-defying performance blending Afro-Cuban roots with neo-soul, jazz, and Latin pop. A GRAMMY-nominated and Juno Award–winning artist, she expands her sound through Nueva Era (2015) and Alkemi (2024), and her feature on the 2026 GRAMMY-nominated The Original Influencers
Born in Cuba and based in Puerto Rico, she brings emotional intensity, shifting between intimacy and explosive power. With a dynamic band, she turns each song into a living exchange of voice, rhythm, and spirit that leaves audiences transformed.
LOS ANGELES CHAMBER ORCHESTRA: MOVEMENT(S)!
SEPT 27, 2026 / 4:00 PM
LINA GONZÁLEZ-GRANADOS CONDUCTOR
JOHN HOLIDAY COUNTERTENOR
We open the LACO season with MOVEMENT(S)!, an orchestral celebration of dance led by LA Opera’s first Colombian-American conductor, Lina González-Granados, and featuring countertenor John Holiday Four composers explore music as movement across cultures and eras.
Kodály’s Dances of Galánta opens the evening, followed by the world premiere of Carlos Simon’s The After Party!. Gabriela Lena Frank’s Elegía Andina offers reflective stillness, and De Falla’s Three-Cornered Hat Suite No. 1 closes with flamenco energy.
LOS ANGELES CHAMBER ORCHESTRA: STRAUSS, RAVEL, BEETHOVEN
OCT 18, 2026 / 4:00 PM
JAIME MARTÍN MUSIC DIRECTOR
CONRAD TAO PIANO
Three monumental works, three emotional worlds. Music Director Jaime Martín leads a program that moves from mourning to joy, introspection to heroism. The concert opens with Strauss’s Metamorphosen, a powerful elegy for 23 solo strings composed near the end of World War II. Ravel’s Piano
Concerto in G Major follows, with Conrad Tao bringing brilliance and lyricism to its jazz-inspired energy. The evening concludes with Beethoven’s revolutionary “Eroica” Symphony, charting a path from struggle to renewal.
MUSE/IQUE
AMERICAN SOUND TAKES FLIGHT FROM AARON COPLAND TO PAUL SIMON - OUR MUSICAL PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS
OCT 23 - 25, 2026
SASHA VELOUR: TRAVESTY
OCT 29 - 30, 2026
What defines the sound of American music? Under the visionary leadership of Artistic Director Rachael Worby, MUSE/IQUE explores that question in an immersive concert experience that weaves together live music, storytelling, and cultural context. Tracing a musical lineage from Aaron Copland’s vision to the artists he inspired, the program celebrates a distinctly American sound—expansive, optimistic, and rooted in folk traditions.
From Copland’s Simple Gifts to Paul Simon’s American Tune, audiences will discover how one composer’s musical language continues to shape and resonate across generations. An uplifting journey through the sounds that define America.
Winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 9 and one of the most acclaimed drag artists of her generation, Sasha Velour returns to The Wallis with Travesty, a solo work tracing queer history across time. Through a series of lip-sync performances, Velour embodies a cast of characters—from a witch burned at the stake to patrons of an underground gay bar—revealing cycles of resistance and survival. Blending drag, performance art, costume design, choreography, and cultural commentary, Travesty is visually striking, emotionally resonant.
An unforgettable evening that lingers after the final image fades.
NOV 12, 2026 / 7:30 PM
NOV 15, 2026 / 4:00 PM
One of Spain’s most electrifying all-women ensembles, Las Migas is a powerhouse quartet that fuses traditional flamenco with bold contemporary sensibilities. With more than two decades on the road and multiple Latin GRAMMY wins (including for their latest album Flamencas), they’ve built a devoted global following with their explosive energy, signature black hats, and unmistakable theatrical flair. Their new program, Flamencas, celebrates flamenco through a modern lens. With soaring vocals, fierce guitar, and propulsive percussion, it reimagines flamenco as sensual, powerful, magnetic. Experience the power of Las Migas as they carry this tradition forward.
One of opera’s most exciting voices, Jamie Barton brings her mezzosoprano and magnetic stage presence to The Wallis for an intimate recital. Fresh from performances at the Metropolitan Opera and Vienna State Opera, she has been called “the latest darling of the American opera scene” by the LA Times. Praised by Gramophone for a voice “you could listen to all day,” Barton combines vocal richness with warmth and immediacy.
This is a rare chance to experience one of opera’s most compelling stars up close, where power meets intimacy and every phrase feels lived in.
NAGHASH ENSEMBLE
NOV 18, 2026 / 7:30 PM
JOHN HODIAN COMPOSER & PIANO
HASMIK BAGHDASARYAN SOPRANO
TATEVIK MOVSESYAN SOPRANO
SHAHANE ZALYAN ALTO
TIGRAN HOVHANNISYAN DHOL
ARAM NIKOGHOSYAN OUD
ANDRANIK GASPARYAN DUDUK
LOS ANGELES CHAMBER ORCHESTRA:
RUO, BATES, NOONE, SCHOENBERG
NOV 22, 2026 / 4:00 PM
LUDOVIC MORLOT CONDUCTOR
WU MAN PIPA
BENJAMIN SMOLEN FLUTE
The Naghash Ensemble blends Armenian folk song, contemporary classical music, post-minimalism, rock, and jazz. Named after medieval poet Mkrtich Naghash, it reimagines his sacred texts in a modern musical language. Three vocalists join instrumentalists on duduk, oud, dhol, and piano to create a sound described as ancient yet urgent—“part folk music, part classical, and profoundly moving.”
Written by Armenian-American composer John Hodian, Songs of Exile is a meditation on humanity’s relationship to the divine, told through a monk separated from his homeland. Experience music that bridges centuries with spiritual force.
French conductor Ludovic Morlot leads music spanning continents, cultures, and personal histories. The program opens with Huang Ruo’s Folksongs for Orchestra, refracting Chinese folk tradition into orchestral color. It continues with Mason Bates’s Pipa Concerto, a meeting of ancient Chinese lute and modern orchestra, performed by Wu Man. The second half features Eímear Noone’s Five Pieces in L.A., performed by LACO Principal Flute Benjamin Smolen, tracing her path in film music. The evening concludes with Schoenberg’s second chamber symphony, further linking European tradition to Los Angeles and the future sound of cinematic scores.
SANDRA BERNHARD: CAUGHT OFF GUARD
DEC 5, 2026 | 7:00 PM & 9:30 PM
LOS ANGELES CHAMBER ORCHESTRA: VIVALDI’S VENICE
DEC 6, 2026 / 4:00 PM
FRANCESCO CORTI LEADER & HARPSICHORD RACHEL BARTON PINE VIOLA D’AMORE
Sandra Bernhard returns to The Wallis with her signature blend of razorsharp wit, social commentary, and tenderness. In these wild, how-lowcan-we-go times, she meets the chaos head-on — often admitting she’s caught off guard. With her unmistakable groove and cool, Bernhard delivers an evening of curated music, personal storytelling, and unfiltered observations that will make you laugh, think, and probably dance in your seat.
This is your chance to spend time with one of comedy’s most original and fearless voices. Maybe it won’t change the planet, but it sure will elevate the conversation.
Step into Vivaldi’s Venice, a crossroads where European and Middle Eastern influences met and mingled. Francesco Corti leads from the harpsichord as LACO’s players perform concertos. Highlights include the reconstructed Organ and Violin Concerto, featuring Assistant Concertmaster Tereza Stanislav, and Vivaldi’s virtuosic violin concerto “Grosso Mughal,” performed by Concertmaster Margaret Batjer
Violinist Rachel Barton Pine joins for rare Viola d’amore concertos, known for haunting resonance. Works by Albinoni and Galuppi complete the program, revealing the elegance and expressive breadth of 18th-century Venice.
THE STRING QUEENS
DEC 11, 2026 / 7:30 PM
JASON ROBERT BROWN & FRIENDS
DEC 12, 2026 / 7:30 PM
The String Queens are a Washington, D.C.–based trio blending classical training with soul, jazz, pop, and R&B. Featuring violin, cello, and viola, they bring rhythmic drive and expressive depth, creating a sound that feels rooted and modern. They reimagine music by Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, the Beatles, and John Coltrane through textured arrangements and dynamic interplay. This holiday season, they bring warmth and joy to classics like My Favorite Things, O Holy Night, and Mary, Did You Know
Three musicians remind us why it’s the most wonderful time of year.
Jason Robert Brown has shaped the sound of contemporary musical theater with songs that are intimate, restless, funny, and deeply human. A three-time Tony Award winner, he brings audiences inside the music and stories behind a career that includes Parade, The Last Five Years, Songs for a New World, 13 , and The Bridges of Madison County
Joined by special guests, Brown moves between performance and conversation with the same emotional precision that defines his work. Personal reflection and special performances come together in an evening that is both expansive and remarkably close-up.
LOS ANGELES CHAMBER ORCHESTRA:
BACH: THE CHRISTMAS ORATORIO
DEC 20, 2026 | 4:00 PM & 9:00 PM
JAIME MARTÍN MUSIC DIRECTOR
AMANDA FORSYTHE SOPRANO
TAMARA MUMFORD ALTO
JAMES GILCHRIST TENOR-EVANGELIST
TYLER DUNCAN BASS-BARITONE
LOS ANGELES MASTER CHORALE SINGERS
LOS ANGELES CHAMBER ORCHESTRA:
PULSE & PRECISION
JAN 10, 2027 / 4:00 PM
Celebrate the holiday season with Bach’s Christmas Oratorio , led by LACO Music Director Jaime Martín Joined by GRAMMY Award-winning soprano Amanda Forsythe , alto Tamara Mumford , tenor and Evangelist James Gilchrist , bassbaritone Tyler Duncan , and the singers of the Los Angeles Master Chorale , LACO brings this beloved masterpiece to life. Across three cantatas tracing the Nativity—from the birth of Jesus to the angels’ announcement to the shepherds— Bach’s music unfolds in radiant Baroque splendor. Brilliant trumpets, timpani, hunting horns, and richly colored winds illuminate the season gloriously.
LACO presents a program spanning a century of music from Spain, Brazil, and Argentina, where folk traditions meet modernist innovation. Principal winds take center stage in Oscar Navarro ’s cinematic Juego de Ladrones (Game of Thieves) , while Principal Flutist Benjamin Smolen captures the rhythmic freedom of tango in Piazzolla ’s Tango Etude No. 3.
LACO’s string quartet brings Argentine folk rhythms to life in Ginastera’s String Quartet No. 1, complemented by the luminous lyricism of Tania León ’s Alma and Villa-Lobos’ Improviso No. 7.
DUNN ORCHESTRA THE EIGHTIES
JAN 16, 2027 / 7:30 PM
Scott Dunn and his orchestra return in a celebration of one of Hollywood’s most iconic decades. The 1980s revived sweeping orchestral film scores, bigger, bolder, and more emotionally charged than ever, a golden era of unforgettable music. This concert features John Williams (The Empire Strikes Back, E.T.) , Danny Elfman (Batman), Ennio Morricone (The Mission) , Randy Newman, Dave Grusin, and more.
Film music of the 1980s created themes that lingered long after the credits rolled. Experience these iconic scores and their unforgettable melodies once more.
PACIFIC JAZZ ORCHESTRA
FEAT. KANDACE SPRINGS
FEB 9, 2027 / 7:30 PM
Led by 7-time Grammy-nominated composer and conductor Chris Walden, the Pacific Jazz Orchestra brings jazz sophistication and symphonic scale to The Wallis for a one-night performance featuring singer and pianist Kandace Springs. A Blue Note recording artist praised by Prince for having “a voice that could melt snow,” Springs captivates audiences with her smoky tone, and ability to bridge jazz and contemporary soul. Backed by the cinematic sound of the 40-piece orchestra, she creates music that feels both intimate and grand.
An unforgettable evening where orchestral power meets soulful expression.
LOS ANGELES CHAMBER ORCHESTRA: STRAVINSKY, MOZART, GOODE FEB 14, 2027 / 1:00 PM
JAIME MARTÍN MUSIC DIRECTOR
RICHARD GOODE PIANO
LOS ANGELES CHAMBER ORCHESTRA: SHOSTAKOVICH & HAMELIN MAR 7, 2027 | 4:00 PM
MARC-ANDRÉ HAMELIN PIANO
YANYAN BAO PIANO
Three composers, three sound worlds: classical grandeur, minimalism, and neoclassical wit. The program opens with Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 25, performed by Richard Goode, revealing both elegance and emotional depth. Philip Glass’s Symphony No. 3 for strings follows, unfolding in pulsing, evolving patterns that feel constantly in motion. The evening concludes with Stravinsky’s Pulcinella, a playful, witty and inventive reimagining of Baroque forms filtered through his unmistakable musical voice.
Across these three works, each composer turns to the past to create something entirely new, revealing music’s endless capacity for reinvention.
Composer-virtuoso and LACO collaborator Marc-André Hamelin returns to The Wallis for an afternoon of musical interplay. From a duet at a single piano to quintets in dynamic exchange, the program explores conversation across instruments, generations, and time. Hamelin opens with Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel ’s Three Pieces for Piano, Four Hands, with pianist Yanyan Bao , followed by his own Piano Quintet, which balances virtuosity with lyricism, and concludes with Shostakovich ’s Piano Quintet in G minor, moving between intensity, and tenderness.
AN EVENING WITH ISAAC MIZRAHI
APR 17, 2027 | 7:30 PM
LA OPERA:
ERIN MORLEY & LAWRENCE BROWNLEE
APR 22, 2027 / 7:30 PM
LAWRENCE BROWNLEE TENOR
ERIN MORLEY SOPRANO
Entertainment and fashion icon Isaac Mizrahi returns to The Wallis with his signature charm, quick-witted humor, and deeply engaging style. Joined by his jazz band, he blends classic standards and contemporary pop with candid stories and razor-sharp cultural commentary in an evening that is stylish, and unexpectedly moving.
Whether offering celebrity gossip or delivering a song with warmth and louche humor, Mizrahi creates a performance that feels like time spent with one of New York’s most original and multifaceted talents.
Don’t miss this opportunity to experience this Beverly Hills favorite.
Photo by Dario Acosta.
In a special co-presentation with LA Opera, soprano Erin Morley and tenor Lawrence Brownlee return to The Wallis for an unforgettable evening celebrating the golden age of bel canto. Morley, praised for “silken clarity” and “needlepoint precision,” is a leading coloratura soprano. Brownlee, hailed as “one of the world’s leading bel canto stars,” is celebrated for his radiant tone and virtuosity. Together, they bring their album Golden Age to the stage, performing arias and duets by Donizetti, Rossini, Bizet, Delibes, and Verdi
An evening where vocal artistry meets musical delight.
SCOTT DUNN ORCHESTRA BY
GEORGE!:
THE BRITISH ARE COMING
APR 24, 2027 / 7:30 PM
LOS ANGELES CHAMBER ORCHESTRA: HAYDN, MOZART, KALHOR
APR 25, 2027 / 4:00 PM
MATTHIAS PINTSCHER CONDUCTOR
KAYHAN KALHOR KAMANCHĒH
Conductor and pianist Scott Dunn returns to The Wallis with his orchestra for a vibrant celebration of British film music. Timed for St. George’s Day, By George! pays tribute to British cinema through scores by John Barry, Richard Rodney Bennett, George Fenton, David Arnold, and Rachel Portman Featuring music from Casino Royale , Out of Africa , Gandhi, Bridge on the River Kwai, Emma , and The Cider House Rules , the program showcases the emotional richness, elegance, and unmistakable character of British film scoring across generations. The British are still coming, and sounding better than ever.
Matthias Pintscher leads LACO in a program tracing an arc from darkness to light across three centuries and musical worlds. He opens with Haydn ’s Symphony No. 44, “Trauer,” a work of unusual weight and solemn introspection. That mood deepens in the Wallis debut of Kayhan Kalhor , performing Blue as the Turquoise Night of Neyshabur on kamancheh, a work that draws upon Persian classical tradition to create music both ancient and immediate. The program closes with Mozart ’s Symphony No. 36, the “Linz,” brimming with energy and grace.
LA OPERA: SONDRA RADVANOVSKY IN RECITAL
MAY 8, 2027 / 7:30 PM
ANTHONY V. MANOLI PIANO
One of today’s most commanding dramatic sopranos, Sondra Radvanovsky returns to The Wallis for a one-night-only recital. Known for her expressive voice and electrifying stage presence, she is a defining interpreter of Verdi’s heroines, acclaimed at the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, and the Royal Opera House.
In this rare, intimate recital, Radvanovsky showcases the full range of her artistry, from soaring dramatic arias to exquisitely nuanced, lyrical songs, accompanied by pianist Anthony V. Manoli. Expect an evening of vocal splendor, and the unmistakable presence of an artist at the height of her powers.
LA OPERA & BETH MORRISON PROJECTS:
THE OLD MAN & THE SEA
MAY 20 - 23, 2027
MUSIC BY Paola Prestini
LIBRETTO BY Royce Vavrek
DIRECTED BY Karmina Silec
MUSIC DIRECTED BY Mila Henry
PRODUCED AND CO-PRESENTED BY Beth Morrison Projects
A breathtaking music-theater adaptation of Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea tells the story of an aging Cuban fisherman who refuses to yield to time, solitude, or the sea itself. Day after day, he searches for a catch that might restore his purpose—until one extraordinary struggle changes everything.
Created by Beth Morrison Projects in collaboration with LA Opera , this visually arresting production transforms eight pools of water into a living stage, with striking lighting, costumes, and an immersive soundscape. It is a meditation on endurance, loss, and human dignity.
LAURA BENANTI: NOBODY CARES
OCT 1 - 4, 2026
Direct from an acclaimed run at Edinburgh Fringe and two sold-out Off-Broadway engagements comes Nobody Cares, a one-woman comedy show from the hilarious mind of Tony Award® winner Laura Benanti. With her powerhouse Broadway voice and razor-sharp wit, Benanti delivers a no-holds-barred evening of stories and original songs that take aim at motherhood, people-pleasing, ambition, and the absurdities of getting older.
Equal parts confessional and comedy, the show is a New York Times Critic’s Pick and a love letter to recovering people pleasers, exhausted mothers, and anyone who’s ever tried to have it all.
HERSHEY FELDER THE PIANO AND ME
MAR 11 - 21, 2027
Known for his hit portrayals of musical geniuses, Hershey Felder now turns to himself in this deeply moving new play. Growing up in Montreal as the child of Polish and Hungarian immigrants, he discovers the piano, its music connecting him to his heritage and opening a world of adventure, possibility, and connection.
Featuring works by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, and Bartók, Hershey Felder: The Piano and Me reveals the inspiration behind his career of more than 6,000 performances and offers a touching portrait of music’s power.
THE SHOT
APR 11 - MAY 2, 2027
Written by Robin Gerber, performed by EMMY and SAG-nominated actress Sharon Lawrence, and directed by Michelle Joyner, The Shot is a onewoman play about Katharine Graham, pioneering publisher of The Washington Post. Once a subservient wife hiding a secret, she transforms after family tragedy. Through the Pentagon Papers and Watergate, Graham becomes a symbol of courage and integrity.
The Shot reveals the personal cost of speaking truth to power through the story of one person who found her voice when it mattered most. One woman. One voice. One story that changes everything.
Made possible in part by a gift from the Wyatt and Selwyn Families in Loving Memory of Paul Selwyn, Founding President.
RONALD K. BROWN/ EVIDENCE
OCT 8 - 10, 2026
Led by visionary choreographer Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE is one of America’s most emotionally resonant dance companies, fusing contemporary movement with African and African-American traditions into work that is personal and communal. This program presents Upside Down (1998), a meditation on loss and collective strength set to Oumou Sangaré and Fela Kuti, and Max Roach 100 / Tender Warriors (2024), honoring Max Roach through Afro-Cubaninflected movement and sound.
Rooted in Brown’s Brooklyn upbringing and diasporic influences, the evening traces lineage, memory, and resistance through dance that moves the body and stirs the soul.
CONTRA-TIEMPO ¡AZÚCAR!
DEC 17-19, 2026
CONTRA-TIEMPO is a Los Angelesbased activist dance theater company blending Salsa, Afro-Cuban, hip-hop, and contemporary dance with storytelling. Led by founder Ana Maria Alvarez, the company fosters connection and imagination. In ¡azúcar!, CONTRA-TIEMPO traces sugar’s history from healing plant to its role in the transatlantic slave trade and its impact on Black and Latino communities. Through athletic, emotionally charged movement, the dancers unearth ancestral memory, confront systems of oppression, and celebrate resilience, joy, and the sacred feminine. Here, the audience is not separate from the story, but inside it.
PASSING THE CROWN: CELEBRATING THE QUEENS OF HIP HOP
JAN 29, 2027
Passing the Crown is a celebration of hip-hop queens, bringing together B-girls, orchestral musicians, MCs, and DJs in a genre-defying performance between concert, dance battle, and cultural tribute.
Premiered at Lincoln Center’s Summer for the City Festival, it honors women across generations, from Queen Latifah and Monie Love to Rapsody and Doechii. Through orchestration and street dance vocabularies, it reimagines hip-hop through female and genderexpansive artistry.
This is more than a performance. It’s a powerful declaration that uplifts the royalty, resilience, and artistry of Hip-Hop Queens.
LOS ANGELES BALLET: MOVERS AND SHAKERS
FEB 4 - 6, 2027
Movers and Shakers, a mixed repertory program, showcases some of today’s most exciting choreographers. Polyphonia by Christopher Wheeldon set to music by György Ligeti—pairs arresting sound with his signature physical intensity, the work that first established him as a major voice in ballet. Ma Cong’s Carry Me Anew offers a sensual, high-energy display of movement in motion. A highly anticipated world premiere by Maté Szentes completes the program, reflecting Los Angeles Ballet’s commitment to emerging choreographic voices.
Movers and Shakers reveals where ballet is today—and where it is headed.
APR 1 - 3, 2027
Founded and directed by New York–based choreographer Andrea Miller, GALLIM is known for its visceral physicality, emotional intensity, and cinematic sensibility. Blending fierce athleticism with theatrical storytelling, the company creates immersive contemporary dance works that feel at once raw, immediate, and deeply human.
Internationally acclaimed, GALLIM has been presented at leading venues and festivals worldwide, including Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Brooklyn Academy of Music, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Jacob’s Pillow, and The Joyce Theater.
JUN 3 - 5, 2027
Alonzo King LINES Ballet returns to The Wallis with a program of powerful, contemporary ballet by visionary choreographer Alonzo King Renowned for his sculptural and emotionally charged choreography, King blends classical ballet technique with a wide range of cultural and spiritual influences, creating movement that is both timeless and strikingly original.
Featuring the company’s worldclass dancers, this evening offers a rare opportunity to experience ballet that is intellectually rigorous and visually arresting. Whether exploring themes of humanity, connection, or the natural world, King’s work invites audiences into a profoundly unforgettable dance experience.
MANUAL CINEMA PRESENTS LEONARDO! A WONDERFUL SHOW ABOUT A TERRIBLE MONSTER
NOV 20 - 21, 2026
LIGHTWIRE THEATER THE ADVENTURES OF TORTOISE AND HARE: THE NEXT GENERATION
FEB 20, 2027
Leonardo is a terrible monster—at least, he’s supposed to be. He tries to be scary, but he isn’t. Everything changes when he meets Sam, the most scaredy-cat kid in the world. Will Leonardo finally scare someone, or form an unlikely friendship instead? Created by Manual Cinema, this family production brings Mo Willems’ books to life with paper puppets, book pages, monsters, and live music. Watch it as a cinematic projection or see the artists build the story in real time. There’s no wrong way to experience this whimsical world of monsters and friendship.
Lightwire Theater, a New Orleans company founded by husband-andwife team Ian and Eleanor Carney, uses black light and LED puppetry to reimagine classic stories through music, storytelling, and illumination. Known for visually inventive family productions, the company brings a playful new spin to Aesop’s fable. In this update, Tortoise and Hare are now parents whose children have disappeared into a digital world of smartphones and video games, forcing the longtime rivals to team up once again. Using glowing puppets and a playful score, Lightwire Theater delivers a warm, humorous, imaginative family adventure.
FAMILY FEST
DIA DE LOS MUERTOS
NOV 1, 2026 / 11:00 AM
Step into a world of color, music, and tradition as The Wallis honors Día De Los Muertos for the second annual Family Fest | Día De Los Muertos.
This event will honor the holiday as a time to remember loved ones, share stories, and celebrate life. You are invited to a joyous afternoon filled with vibrant activities, festive music, dance, and foods inspired by this rich cultural tradition. There is fun for all ages as we come together to honor the past and embrace the present with community and joy.
FAMILY FEST
NOWRUZ
MAR 20, 2027 / 11:00 AM
Celebrate the arrival of spring, renewal, and new beginnings as The Wallis welcomes the season with Family Fest | Nowruz.
Rooted in centuries of tradition, Nowruz—the Persian New Year—is a joyful celebration of hope, community, and the promise of a fresh start. You are invited to a vibrant afternoon filled with music, dance, hands-on activities, and cultural experiences inspired by this beloved holiday. There is fun for all ages as we gather to welcome the new year, honor traditions, and celebrate the spirit of renewal together.
FAMILY FEST
LUNAR NEW YEAR
JAN 23, 2027 / 11:00 AM
Celebrate the Year of the Fire Goat with a joyful, high-energy afternoon for the whole family at The Wallis!
Our campus comes alive with the colors, sounds, and traditions of the Lunar New Year, also known as Spring Festival. Join us as we welcome good fortune and ring in new beginnings with lively performances, delicious foods, and hands-on creative activities for all ages. Whether you’re listening to stories or simply soaking up the festive energy, there’s something here for everyone.
FAMILY FEST
PRIDE
JUN 12, 2027/ 11:00 AM
Celebrate PRIDE at The Wallis with our free, outdoor Family Fest, a joyful afternoon honoring Pride Month and the creativity, resilience, and vibrant contributions of the LGBTQIA+ community. Bring the whole family for an afternoon of music, dance, storytelling, and hands-on creative activities for all ages. Whether you’re dancing in the sunshine, exploring art-making stations, or simply soaking up the energy, this is a day to honor love, identity, inclusion, and connection.
The Wallis is thrilled to partner once again with Film Independent, the Los Angeles-based nonprofit that champions independent filmmakers and bold storytelling. Throughout the season, we’ll present a lively series of exclusive film screenings, live script readings with star-studded casts, and candid conversations with award-winning directors, actors, composers, and producers.
Past guests have included Guillermo del Toro , Andrew Garfield , Mary McCartney , Seth Meyers , Molly Shannon , Patrick Stewart , Donald Glover , and many more. Whether you’re a die-hard cinephile or just love great stories, these events offer a rare, behindthe-scenes look at the creativity and craft of independent film.
Experience the magic of London’s West End from the heart of Beverly Hills as National Theatre in America returns to The Wallis for the 2026/2027 Season. This acclaimed series brings the best of British theater to the big screen, featuring high-definition films of world-class productions—from timeless classics to groundbreaking new works. Each screening offers audiences a front-row seat to stellar performances by renowned actors, captured live from Britain’s most exciting stages. Stay in the know—sign up for our e-newsletter and receive updates on programming.
