Lesher Center Announces 2026/27 Season Headliners Series

Lesher Center is set to present in partnership with Diablo Regional Arts Association, a collection of internationally recognized performers for their 2026/27 season Headliners Series. Featuring a diverse roster of celebrated artists from across the worlds of comedy, dance, theater, world music, and family entertainment, the series continues the Lesher Center's commitment to presenting exceptional live experiences for audiences throughout the East Bay.

"Each season, our goal is to bring world-class artists to Walnut Creek while introducing audiences to extraordinary performances they might not otherwise have the opportunity to experience," says Carolyn Jackson, General Manager at the Lesher Center. "The 2026/27 Headliners Series reflects the incredible breadth of today's performing arts landscape—from unforgettable music and dance to acclaimed comedians, theatrical experiences, and family-friendly events."

“Our Headliners series acts as a pillar of the education and access programs that are unique to the Lesher Center,” adds Peggy White, Executive Director of Diablo Regional Arts Association.  “DRAA subsidizes nearly 1,600 tickets and transportation costs for Contra Costa County Title One students to attend Dance Theatre of Harlem’s schooltime performances. We also bring award-winning a cappella artists from College Notes to local high schools to mentor and discuss directly with students how being active in the arts can play a broader role in their education. Combined with our robust Pay What You Can program, which offers nearly 10,000 tickets to our Lesher Center Presents, Bedford Gallery and Center REP performances, I’m thankful that our funders continually work with us to seek new initiatives that help to remove the hurdles that can come with experiencing the arts in Contra Costa County."
 
Tickets for the Headliners Series are on-sale now by visiting LesherArtsCenter.org. To receive notifications on upcoming Headliners Series and Pay What You Can performances at the Lesher Center, visit LesherArtsCenter.org and fill out the Enews Sign Up form and preferences.

The 2026/27 Season Headliners Series includes:
 
The Best of The Second City

October 17, 2026, 7:30 PM
Get ready to laugh as The Best of The Second City makes its way to the Lesher Center as part of the 2nd annual Diablo Improv Festival. 

Since 1959, Second City has been the oldest—and one of the most celebrated—improvisational theater troupes in the country. Having served as the training ground for some of contemporary comedy’s most beloved comedians, including Tina Fey, John Candy, Martin Short, Mike Myers, Bill Murray and many more, Second City has been the first name in laughter for years. The Best of The Second City features some of the best sketch-comedy and songs from the comedy vaults, all updated for the modern era. On top of those offerings, The Best of Second City offers audiences the company’s newest classics and trademark improvisation performed by The Second City Touring Company’s best, brightest and funniest troupe members. 

Nimesh Patel

October 23, 2026, 7:30 PM
The Lesher Center kicks off the 2-day Diwali Celebration with headlining comedian and writer, Nimesh Patel. 

Patel is a comedian and Emmy-nominated writer who has risen the ranks to some of comedy’s biggest stages due to his unassailable joke writing and prolific output. Named as one of Variety’s prestigious “10 Comics To Watch” of 2023 and hailed by Vulture as “a Comedian You Should and Will Know,” Nimesh has charted a path from sold out comedy clubs to major theaters.  

His most recent self-produced special Lucky Lefty about his experience having testicular cancer “for three business days” is his third in the past two years. Lucky Lefty along with his first two self-produced specials Thank You China and Jokes to Get You Through Quarantine have amassed millions of views on YouTube alone with no sign of slowing down.  

His first writing job came after Chris Rock saw him perform standup and hired him directly to write for The Academy Awards in 2016 and tour with him. Since then, he has written for Saturday Night Live with Vanity Fair hailing him as the show’s “most intriguing new hire,” A Little Late with Lilly Singh, The White House Correspondents Dinner, and was a producer for Full Frontal with Samantha Bee. He is a favorite on the late-night circuit with multiple appearances on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and Late Night with Seth Meyers. 

Christmas Dreaming with Stella Cole

December 12, 2026, 7:30 PM
This holiday season, the Lesher Center’s Headliners series brings you a return visit from one of the music industry’s most exciting new artists, Stella Cole. 

A singular voice that calls to mind “a powerhouse rivaling Judy Garland and Rosemary Clooney” (People Magazine), you’re invited to join Stella as she celebrates the holiday season in this all-new concert featuring songs on her her new holiday album “Merry Christmas, Darling.”  

Interpreting well-known holiday classics like “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “White Christmas” and “It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas”, Stella also brings to the stage new classics with discoveries like “Christmas Dreaming” and “That's What I Want for Christmas.”  

With a voice that bridges generations, Stella Cole has cultivated nearly 2 million social media followers through her fresh interpretations of timeless songs by iconic artists, including Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, and Nat “King” Cole. Often described as a Laufey-meets-Bublé sensation, Cole brings a fresh interpretation of classic repertoire to a new generation.

Dance Theatre of Harlem

February 26, 2027, 7:30 PM
February 27, 2027, 7:30 PM
One of the Lesher Center’s most anticipated events of the year, this multi-ethnic dance company performs a forward-thinking repertoire that includes treasured classics and innovative contemporary works that celebrate Black culture and empowerment through the arts for all. 
 
Dance Theatre of Harlem is a leading dance institution of unparalleled global acclaim, encompassing a professional touring company, a leading studio school, and a national and international education and community outreach program. Each component of Dance Theatre of Harlem carries a solid commitment towards enriching the lives of young people and adults around the world through the arts. Founded in 1969 by Arthur Mitchell and Karel Shook, Dance Theatre of Harlem is considered “one of ballet’s most exciting undertakings” (The New York Times). Shortly after the assassination of The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Mitchell was inspired to start a school that would offer children—especially those in Harlem, the community in which he was born—the opportunity to learn about dance and the allied arts. 
 
Now in its sixth decade, Dance Theatre of Harlem has grown into a multi-cultural dance institution with an extraordinary legacy of providing opportunities for creative expression and artistic excellence that continues to set standards in the performing arts. Dance Theatre of Harlem has achieved unprecedented success, bringing innovative and bold new forms of artistic expression to audiences in New York City, across the country and around the world.

Kaiser Permanente's College Notes 2027

March 5, 2027, 7:30 PM
March 6, 2027, 7:30 PM
Join us as we celebrate the 10th anniversary of Kaiser Permanente’s College Notes! This sold-out, only-at-the-Lesher Center event showcases the nation’s award-winning a cappella groups from universities across the country. An evening of pitch-perfect harmony, the Hofmann Theater explodes with the voices of over 80 singers performing some of today’s biggest hits—and a few surprises. Tickets sell out early—don’t miss this glorious event featuring today’s brightest minds and their even brighter voices!

The Doo Wop Project: Echoes of the Street

April 3, 2027, 7:30 PM
The dynamic Broadway stars of The Doo Wop Project are on a mission to put “Doo Wop” on everyone’s playlist! With their smokin’ hot band, they capture and deliver the classic sounds of the guys who, back in the day, harmonized with each other on stoops, in the subway, and on street corners—and they have created a unique and exciting way to “Doowop-ify” today's biggest hits, reimagining them as though they had been written during the Doo Wop era!  

Their brand new 90-minute show, Echoes of the Street, keeps the sound of Doo Wop alive for audiences of all ages. You’ll hear the classics from your favorites, including hits from The Del Vikings, The Tymes, The Marcels, The Four Seasons, and Motown as well as The Doo Wop Project’s “Doowop-ified” versions of contemporary hits, including songs from Taylor Swift, Pharell Williams, Daft Punk and Chris Stapleton.  

YAMATO the Drummers of Japan World Tour

April 7, 2027, 7:30 PM
For more than three decades, YAMATO Drummers of Japan have captivated audiences around the globe with their extraordinary fusion of rhythm, athleticism and theatrical storytelling. With over 5,000 performances in 55 countries, YAMATO transcends traditional concert experiences, blending music, movement, and emotion into “physical music.”  

Their latest production, Tamayura: Echoes of the Soul, centers on a profound question: What is taiko? More than an instrument, YAMATO presents it as a heartbeat, a voice of the soul, and a universal language that connects people across cultures. On stage, the artists command more than 40 taiko drums of varying sizes and tones, including the awe-inspiring “Odaiko”, which measures nearly two meters in diameter and weighing 500 kilograms.  

 

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