Lisa Smith News

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Darlene Love kicks off the 2019-2020 season at the Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts with her powerhouse vocals on Thursday, September 12 at 8 p.m. in Smothers Theatre.

Celebrated songwriters Rosanne Cash and Burton Cummings, American Idol winner Ruben Studdard, returning favorites Tommy Emmanueland Lea Salonga, and Whose Line is it Anyway? stars Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood are just a few of the artists set to appear at the Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts at Pepperdine University during its 2019-2020 season.

After an exciting week of classical guitar performances, Christopher Parkening and Pepperdine University announced the winner of the fifth quadrennial Parkening International Guitar Competition. The competition, the world's preeminent guitar competition, took place from Tuesday, May 28 through Saturday, June 1, 2019.

The world's preeminent classical guitar competition, the Parkening International Guitar Competition, has selected 15 standout competitors for its fifth triennial competition. Representing six countries, they will vie for the largest prize purse among guitar competitions, competing at Pepperdine University from Thursday, May 30, through Saturday, June 1, 2019, on the University's campus in Malibu, California.  Renowned guitar virtuoso Christopher Parkening, the competition's namesake and artistic director, is Distinguished Professor of Music at Pepperdine's Seaver College. The competition honors his lifetime commitment to fostering musical excellence in young artists as demonstrated by his mentor, Spanish guitarist Andres Segovia.

Renowned multi-cultural dance troupe Pacif co Dance Company presents its unique blend of traditional and contemporary Mexican dance and folklore in an entertaining and educational family performance at Pepperdine University's Smothers Theatre in Malibu on Sunday, April 14 at 2 p.m. at the Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts.

Children's musician Jazzy Ash brings her lively, family-friendly New Orleans-themed music to Pepperdine University's Smothers Theatre in Malibu on Today, March 2 at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts.

Violinist YooJin Jang comes to Pepperdine University's Raitt Recital Hall at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 7, 2019 at the Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts as the final Recital Series performer of the 2018-2019 season. She will be accompanied by pianist Renana Gutman.

Renowned dance company Jessica Lang Dance performs the creative and inspiring work of award-winning choreographer Jessica Lang at Pepperdine University's Smothers Theatre in Malibu on Tuesday, March 5 at 8 p.m. at the Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts.

Children's musician Jazzy Ash brings her lively, family-friendly New Orleans-themed music to Pepperdine University's Smothers Theatre in Malibu on Saturday, March 2 at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts.

COLLIDE presents a contemporary version of Oscar Wilde's classic novel premiering March 22- April 7 at Park Square Theatre. Set in modern day New York City, the story follows a beautiful young Dorian Gray who stumbles into an accidental photo opportunity and shoots to heights of social media fame. Disturbed that her physical beauty will deteriorate with age, Dorian wishes for eternal youth. Her wish is granted, and the photo rather than the woman degrades as she pursues a life of corruption and debauchery, reminding her that though her looks are unscathed, her soul is not. Can she still find salvation? Or is her soul trapped in the photograph?

Members of The Flora L. Thornton Opera Program will perform Johann Strauss's beloved operetta Die Fledermaus at Pepperdine University's Smothers Theatre on Thursday, February 21 and Saturday, February 23, 2019 at 7:30 p.m. at the Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts.

Renowned for celebrating the American modern dance heritage and preserving the uniqueness of the African American cultural experience, dance company Ailey II will perform at Pepperdine University's Smothers Theatre in Malibu on Tuesday, February 26 at 8 p.m. 

The best of New York City theatre comes to Pepperdine University's Smothers Theatre in Malibu for one unforgettable night of entertainment with On Broadway on Tuesday, January 29 at 8 p.m.  

Pianist Kenny Broberg comes to Pepperdine University's Raitt Recital Hall at 2 p.m. on Sunday, February 10, 2019 at the Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts as part of the Recital Series performances of the 2018-2019 season. 

Multi-instrumentalist Dan Zanes and Haitian-American jazz vocalist Claudia Eliaza bring their educational and interactive children's show to Pepperdine University's Smothers Theatre in Malibu on Sunday, January 27 at 2 p.m.  

Singer/songwriter Bill Frisell performs music from his newest pop culture-inspired project at Pepperdine University's Smothers Theatre in Malibu on Tuesday, January 22 at 8 p.m.  

Consummate performer Alasdair Fraser, "the Michael Jordan of Scottish fiddling," (San Francisco Examiner) and brilliant Californian cellist Natalie Haas bring their virtuosic musical partnership to Pepperdine University's Smothers Theatre in Malibu on Sunday, January 13 at 2 p.m.  

Singer, actor, and Broadway star Sheena Easton performs hits from her extensive 40-year musical career at Pepperdine University's Smothers Theatre in Malibu on Saturday, January 19 at 8 p.m.  

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and founder of the Lovin' Spoonful John Sebastian brings his timeless catalog and stories about seminal moments in music history to Pepperdine University's Smothers Theatre in Malibu on Thursday, January 10 at 8 p.m. 

The "number one hit maker of the 1980s" (Radio and Records), Jeffrey Osborne brings his soulful sounds to Pepperdine University's Smothers Theatre in Malibu on Saturday, January 12 at 8 p.m.