Jan 27 Tuesday
Come learn with Emily McMason, certified Parent Coach and lover of big feelings! Explore the ways that affirming and welcoming all of our childrens’ feelings allows them to become emotionally aware and self-accepting.
Hands On will provide free childcare services and a snack for children attending, for a total of 20 children, ages 2-12.
“Audiences come not knowing what to expect — but leave blown away.” – Monday Magazine“IGN has redefined what an acoustic guitar show can be.” – Times Colonist
International Guitar Night (IGN) returns with a dynamic lineup featuring classical guitar virtuoso Thu Le (Vietnam), rock/flamenco/classical powerhouse Lucas Imbiriba (Brazil), innovative fingerstyle guitarist Alexandr Misko (Russia), and, for the first time, ukulele master Taimane (Hawaii).
Lucas Imbiriba blends flamenco fire, Latin rhythms, classical melodies, and rock energy into breathtaking performances. A former multiple classical competition winner, he later embraced rock and viral acoustic arrangements, earning millions of views and a worldwide following.
Thu Le is a celebrated Vietnamese guitarist whose performances combine exceptional technical command with lyrical expression. A graduate of prestigious European conservatories, she bridges Eastern and Western traditions through a distinctive voice on the classical guitar, earning acclaim on international stages.
Alexandr Misko is a modern fingerstyle innovator whose percussive techniques and viral videos have captivated audiences. With six albums and performances from Carnegie Hall to major festivals, he continues to push guitar boundaries with his custom-built instruments.
Taimane redefines the ukulele with her genre-spanning artistry, blending classical, rock, and Polynesian influences. From Waikiki street performances to global tours, she has amassed millions of fans and four Nā Hōkū Hanohano awards, proving the instrument’s limitless potential.
Welcomed by KNKX. Frank Vignola is one of the most extraordinary guitarists performing before the public today. His stunning virtuosity has made him the guitarist of choice for many of the world’s top musicians, including Ringo Starr, Madonna, Donald Fagen, John Lewis, Tommy Emmanuel, Lionel Hampton, the Boston Pops, the New York Pops, and guitar legend Les Paul, who named Vignola to his “Five Most Admired Guitarists List:” for the Wall Street Journal.
His dynamic genre-spanning music has brought him to 21 countries on three continents – and still growing – performing in some of the world’s most illustrious venues, including the Sydney Opera House, Carnegie Hall, The Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, New York’s Lincoln Center, The Blue Note, and the world’s oldest indoor concert hall, Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza, Italy.
Pasquale Grasso - It was the kind of endorsement most rising guitarists can only dream of, and then some. In his interview for Vintage Guitar magazine’s February 2016 cover story, Pat Metheny was asked to name some younger musicians who’d impressed him. “The best guitar player I’ve heard in maybe my entire life is floating around now, Pasquale Grasso,” said the jazz-guitar icon and NEA Jazz Master. “This guy is doing something so amazingly musical and so difficult. “Mostly what I hear now are guitar players who sound a little bit like me mixed with a little bit of [John Scofield] and a little bit of [Bill Frisell],” he continued. “What’s interesting about Pasquale is that he doesn’t sound anything like that at all. In a way, it is a little bit of a throwback, because his model—which is an incredible model to have—is Bud Powell. He has somehow captured the essence of that language from piano onto guitar in a way that almost nobody has ever addressed. He’s the most significant new guy I’ve heard in many, many years.”
Li - written by Wei He Directed by Christie Zhao. A comedy set in Inner Mongolia about a thief who gives away more than she gets, Li may have to reconsider her career choice. But along the way, she discovers a quirky cast of characters that make life just a little less lonely. This world premiere play with heart, humor and original music provides a glimpse into the lives of a thief, her family, an old lady she tries to steal from, plus a friend and his chicken.
Evening and matinee performances.
To watch Stella Cole perform is to be transported back in time. Her sense of joy and wonder is infectious. The 26-year-old rising Star vocalist brings classics to life for new generations with her new album It’s Magic. Produced by Grammy-winner Matt Pierson (Samara Joy, Brad Mehldau) and featuring lush string arrnagements by renowned Grammy-winning pianist arranger Alan Broadbent (Natalie Cole, Diana Krall), the album breathes new life in to classic love songs. With a voice that bridges generations, Cole has cultivated over 1.7 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-Buble sensation, Cole brings a fresh spin on classics.
On her highly anticipated debut recording, Stella is presented performing interpreting a collection of classics in a variety of settings, including many featuring an orchestra arranged by multiple Grammy-winner Alan Broadbent. Featuring songs made famous by everyone from Barbra Streisand (“When the Sun Comes Out”) and Judy Garland (“The Boy Next Door” and a classic re-interpretation of “Over the Rainbow”) to Billie Eilish (“My Future”) and Audrey Hepburn (“Moon River” of course!), it is sure to be one of the most impressive vocal recordings of 2024.
Upon first hearing Stella Cole, one is immediately struck by her rich tone and extraordinary vocal control. However, what is particularly rare is her ability to interpret songs that were initially intended for actors in character in a direct, personally vulnerable way that connects to something within herself, placing her in the lineage of the greatest interpreters of the repertoire. Perhaps most exciting, to her many young fans, who have never heard these songs before, these are Stella Cole songs, which clearly makes her one of the most exciting artists of her generation.
Tumble out of bed and stumble to the theater for this delicious workplace revenge comedy from living legend Dolly Parton. Pushed to the boiling point by their sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical boss, three female co-workers concoct a plan to get even—a plan that spins wildly and hilariously out of control. Hey, a girl can scheme, can’t she?
Set in the Rolodex era, when shag rugs, pet rocks, and disco were the grooviest things around, this must-see, dance-filled musical is based on the hit 1980 film and features the blockbuster title song—plus a new score of 18 original numbers by Dolly Parton herself. Outrageous, big-hearted, and even a little romantic, 9 to 5: The Musical is about teaming up and getting credit, it’s about kicking butt and taking care of business, and it’s about to put a huge smile on your face.
Get your deerstalker cap on—the play’s afoot! From multi-award-winning playwright Ken Ludwig (Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood) comes a fast-paced adventure about everyone’s favorite detective solving his most notorious case. The male heirs of the Baskerville line are being dispatched one by one. To find their killer, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson must crack the mystery of “The Hound of the Baskervilles” before a family curse dooms its newest heir. Watch as our intrepid investigators try to escape a dizzying web of clues, silly accents, disguises and deceit as five actors deftly portray more than 40 characters. Does a wild hellhound prowl the moors of Devonshire? Can our heroes discover the truth in time? Join the fun and see how far from elementary the truth can be.
Sponsored by KNKX. National Book Award-nominated author of The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois Honorée Fanonne Jeffers is at a crossroads in her nonfiction debut with this personal and thought-provoking work that explores the journeys and possibilities of Black women throughout American history and in contemporary times.
Q&A with Colleen Echohawk, our Community Curated Series director.
Jan 28 Wednesday
Got a big dream of playing the Tiny Desk? Send us a video of you playing one song behind a desk of your choosing. If you win, you'll get to play your very own Tiny Desk concert and go on tour with NPR Music. When you enter the 2026 Tiny Desk Contest, you join a nationwide community of music-makers and creators. Get started on your video now! GET ALL THE DETAILS HERE.
Here's what you do:Create a new video that shows you playing one song you've written.Do it the way you'd perform a Tiny Desk concert: at a desk. (Any desk!)Upload your video to YouTube.Fill out the entry form after it opens at 10 a.m. ET on January 13 and before 11:59 p.m. ET on February 9, 2026.
The winner will:Play a Tiny Desk concert at NPR in Washington, D.C.Be featured on NPR’s All Things ConsideredHeadline NPR Music's Tiny Desk Contest On The Road tour
We are protesting project 2025. TacomaRama marching band will join us for the next 4 years. We will meet each month on the Saturday closest to the 18th each month. Always 10am, always Reconciliation park. Feel loved and supported.