As the United States prepares to celebrate Independence Day, we are looking ahead to our upcoming presenting season, which features explorations of America’s past, present and future through music, dance, theater and comedy.
The highlighted events below from Duke Arts Presents offer exciting, engaging, and thought-provoking perspectives on American history and culture. We hope to see you there!
Comedy
Sep 5, 2024
Perhaps best known for their political comedy as correspondents for The Daily Show, Roy Wood Jr. and Jordan Klepper kick off our season with a funny and fortifying look at America’s present.
Dance
Sep 27–28, 2024
Explore tap, America’s original dance form, with Ayodele Casel, “a tap dancer of unquestionable radiance.” (The New York Times). “Rooted,” is an intimate, interactive work that delves into the deep roots of tap dance with live music and a talented company of artists.
Theater
Oct 4–5, 2024
As we barrel towards a divisive general election, the brilliant Belgian theater company Ontroerend Goed steps into the ring with a political performance that takes your focus off the issues and onto the nature of democracy itself.
Music
We have partnered with the Music Maker Foundation to program four free concerts every Wednesday in September at American Tobacco Campus! Each concert highlights a different style of roots music, including zydeco, gospel, blues, and more!
Music
Oct 10, 2024
Featuring Taj Mahal, Dom Flemons, and Jackson Browne, this concert celebrates the Music Maker Foundation’s mission of amplifying artists of America’s roots music traditions.
Vocal Ensemble
Jan 18, 2025
Driven to deliver authentic stories through voice and body, award-winning chamber chorus Tonality brings “America Will Be,” a program that conjures a patriotic future for the United States for all people.
Piano Recital
Feb 21, 2025
Michelle Cann will make her Duke debut with “The Women of Chicago’s Black Renaissance” a program that revives works by once-marginalized American composers. Cann accompanies each work with spoken commentary delving into the life and history of its composer.
Music
Apr 18, 2025
GRAMMY®-winning musician Meshell Ndegeocello will perform from her newest album No More Water: The Gospel Of James Baldwin, a striking homage to the eminent American writer and activist James Baldwin.
Vocal Ensemble
Nov 7, 2024
Enjoy a moment of reprieve and healing post-election with British vocal ensemble Tenebrae. Tickets are $10 for the public. Tickets are free for all Duke students, faculty, and staff. In addition, $5 add-on tickets are available for children accompanied by an adult.