The Lensic Presents

With over 20 years in comedy, Tom Papa is a celebrated comedian, actor, author, and host.

Amy Sedaris is a prolific actress, author, comedian and rabbit educator. She has appeared often on screen, both large and small. Sedaris’ Emmy® nominated comedy series, At Home with Amy Sedaris, aired for three seasons on truTV.

We're excited to present a very special Songs & Stories evening featuring two full sets: an acoustic “guitar pull” song swap followed by James and his band joined by Dave Alvin and Jimmy Dale!

The gala is the largest fundraiser for the Lensic’s robust education programs, which reach over 13,000 students annually. Step right up for an extraordinary evening on the Lensic stage!

Virtuosic quintet Punch Brothers push the boundaries of acoustic music, garnering critical acclaim. Most Recently, Punch Brothers have been focused on their new musical variety show, “The Energy Curfew Music Hour,” with season one available on Audible and all podcasting platforms.

Rhiannon Giddens has made a singular, iconic career out of stretching her brand of folk music, with its miles-deep historical roots and contemporary sensibilities, into just about every field imaginable.

Don’t miss legendary guitarist Dave Mason perform live with his band! A member of the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame and founding member of the group Traffic, Mason has been performing for five decades.

The Psychedelic Furs may not have invented rock & roll per se, but their influence since arriving on the post-punk scorched earth landscape four decades ago has reverberated and resonated among all those who cherish the sweet-and-sour spot where rawness and romanticism meet.

Guitarist/vocalist Keb' Mo' draws heavily on the old-fashioned country-blues style of Robert Johnson while keeping his sound contemporary with touches of soul and folksy storytelling. Shawn Colvin is one of the leading lights of the "new folk movement" that began in the late '80s.

The Swell Season is back. After reconvening for a limited number of sold-out shows in March 2022, followed by a more extensive US tour in August 2023, the duo returns with new music. A studio session that started out as an effort to create a couple new singles to bring with them on tour, ended up yielding a full length album, fittingly titled ´Forward´.

With the 2014 formation of I’m With Her, singer/songwriters Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’Donovan, and Sara Watkins introduced an essential new force into the world of folk music.

The Waterboys have been led by Scottish singer and guitarist Mike Scott since the 1980s and have evolved through many line-ups, winning a fearsome concert reputation along the way.

Renée Fleming and Kevin Spencer explore how the arts impact the brain, drawing from Fleming’s 2024 anthology Music and Mind and leading initiatives in music, health, and neuroscience.

Renée Fleming’s Voice of Nature: the Anthropocene blends Romantic and contemporary song with film, reflecting on humanity’s evolving relationship with nature through music and visual storytelling.

Dominique Fils-Aimé is a rising name in jazz that you’ll want to watch—since her 2018 debut full-length, she has steadily collected awards and acclaim for her music.

The Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band's goals are to celebrate and continue the tradition of song as a vessel for stories and lessons of the Indigenous people of the Americas. The project celebrates the diversity and vitality of Indigenous peoples in jazz: past, present, and future.

For forty-eight years, Hubbard Street has been one of the most original forces in contemporary dance, bringing top choreographers and works to Chicago and beyond.

Soul legend Booker T. Jones brings his iconic sound to the Lensic, celebrating a legacy that includes Stax Records classics, a Grammy Lifetime Award, and Rock Hall induction.

Hasta La Muerte is an enthralling new production from the imagination of Las Cafeteras that explores the stages of grief and celebrates life and death in the spirit of the Indigenous Mexican Day of the Dead tradition.

With nearly 4 million followers across his social media, Josh Johnson was recently called “the funniest guy on the internet” by WIRED and is a star on the rise.

Formed by lead vocalists and songwriters Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig, acclaimed indie band Lucius is best known for their sinuous harmonies and highly-original, pop-noir musical artistry.

Four-time Grammy winner Stanley Clarke, a jazz-fusion pioneer and bass virtuoso, revolutionized the genre with Return to Forever and is celebrated as a living legend in global music history.

Circles: Honoring Indigenous Santa Fe is a powerful multi-arts experience that blends song, dance, spoken word, and visual storytelling into a vibrant celebration of Indigenous culture, presence, and resilience.

DakhaBrakha is a music quartet from Kyiv, Ukraine. Their music has textural, layered sounds with distinctive percussive heartbeats, thumping bass lines, distorted electric guitars, and influences of jazz, spoken word, rap, and punk.

Celebrate the holidays with The Klezmatics, the Grammy-winning klezmer superstars who revolutionized Yiddish music.

The Squirrel Nut Zippers bring their joyous, raucous Christmas Caravan tour back on the road, performing all the hits from holidays past.

The most delightful way to send off the year returns with Joe Illick and The New Year’s Eve Orchestra. This year's featured artist is acclaimed violinist Augustin Hadelich.

Storm Large: musician, actor, playwright, author, awesome. She returns to the Lensic for the fourth time, a show you won't want to miss.

Australian music ensemble The Ten Tenors returns to the Lensic for an evening of ten-part harmonies and show-stopping choreography.

Bring the whole family to see Grammy-winning folk and roots music duo The Okee Dokee Brothers!

Brazilian guitar duo Sérgio and Odair Assad blend classical, jazz, folk, and Latin styles with unmatched artistry, drawing on deep musical roots and training under Segovia’s disciple Monina Távora.

Trekking Mexico is a colorful educational show for the whole family that takes audiences on a journey through Mexico’s historic and geographic regions, featuring folkloric music and dance.

American Ballet Theatre embraces a rich tradition that seamlessly blends timeless classics with groundbreaking contemporary works.

With The Bad Plus, acclaimed artists Chris Potter and Craig Taborn revisit the formative repertoire of Keith Jarrett’s American Quartet.

It wouldn’t be St. Patrick’s Day without a visit from Lúnasa! These Irish music superstars return to the Lensic for the fourth time to bring joyous Celtic tunes to our stage.

Featuring a dozen musicians and songs in twenty-five languages, Pink Martini, Pink Martini plays a risk-taking blend of jazz, world music, cabaret, lounge, and mid-century film music.

This touching and playful show uses live sound effects, stunning interactive animation, and an abundance of theatrical imagination. Great for anyone age three and up.

The legendary bassists Christian McBride and Edgar Meyer will meld will meld McBride’s jazz and R&B fusion with Meyer’s bluegrass and classical sensibilities for what is sure to be an unforgettable performance of new compositions and timeless American standards. 

The Australian Chamber Orchestra lives and breathes its craft, making waves around the world for its explosive performances that redefine orchestral music.

Come and celebrate the fortieth anniversary of this much-loved institution on a white-knuckle shopping-trolley dash through every kind of musical genre.

Dance Theatre of Harlem stands as a dynamic force in the ballet world, captivating audiences both nationally and internationally.