Travel the world through Luther College’s 2023-24 Center Stage Series

Small Island, Big Song will be featured in the 2023-24 Luther College Center Stage Series. "This season highlights one of Luther’s core values: understanding ourselves and the world by being both grounded and global," said Kristen Underwood, director of campus programming.

Luther College is thrilled to present the 2023-24 Center Stage Series. Season tickets are available now for six exciting performances by international artists, presented at the college’s Center for Faith and Life. Both the series and its corresponding Center Stage Dinner Series are available at a discounted price if ordered by Sept. 29.

“I’m delighted to present these incredibly accomplished performing artists,” said Kristen Underwood, director of campus programming. “In addition to offering something for everyone, this season highlights one of Luther’s core values: understanding ourselves and the world by being both grounded and global. I hope the cumulative effect of these six performances will be the feeling of having traveled the globe from the Center for Faith and Life.”

The 2023-24 lineup includes performances by:

• Multi-instrumental quartet Invoke on Friday, Sept. 29
• The Acting Company’s “Odyssey” on Thursday, Oct. 26
• Wu Fei and Abigail Washburn on Thursday, Nov. 9
• Langston Hughes’ jazz poem “Ask Your Mama: 12 Moods for Jazz,” featuring the Ron McCurdy Quartet, on Friday, Feb. 9
• tenThing Brass Ensemble on Thursday, March 7
• Small Island Big Song, featuring First Nation artists from the Pacific and Indian Ocean islands, on Tuesday, April 23

All Center Stage Series performances are held in the Center for Faith and Life at 7:30 p.m. Tickets and more information about each of the performances can be found at tickets.luther.edu. Purchase tickets for all six shows before Sept. 29 to waive any ticketing fees and receive 15% off. Individual ticket sales start Aug. 29.

At the Center Stage Dinner Series, guests can enjoy a gourmet three-course dinner before each show in the Peace Dining Room, overlooking lower campus and the Upper Iowa River. Beer and wine are available for purchase. As with the performances, purchasing tickets to all six dinners before Sept. 29 waives any ticketing fees and provides a 15% discount. Information for the dinner series can also be found at tickets.luther.edu, with menus posted two weeks before the corresponding event. Luther chefs can easily accommodate dietary restrictions when notified in advance.

The Luther Book Shop is open for “Sip and Shop” from 6 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. on all performance nights. Ticketed guests receive a complimentary glass of wine while they browse the shop before the performance.

Center Stage student matinees

The Center Stage Series also offers matinees for school groups and families. This year, both matinée performances will be in the spring:

• Tomás and the Library Lady, recommended for grades K- 5 but open to all, on Thursday, Feb. 15, at 10am and 12:30pm. Sponsored by Dragonfly Books.
• Small Island Big Song, recommended for 5th grade and up but open to all, on Tuesday, April 23 at 12:30pm. Sponsored by Decorah Bank and Trust.

To reserve tickets for a matinee performance, please contact Bradley Phillips at phillibr@luther.edu or (563) 387-1293. Community members are welcome as space allows.

Thanks to support from sponsors, funds are available to assist with tickets and transportation for school groups. To request financial support for school groups, contact Kristen Underwood at undekr01@luther.edu or (563) 387-1536.

Sponsors make the series possible

The Center Stage Series is made possible by the generous support of major season sponsors, including Gundersen Health System, WinnMed, Decorah Bank and Trust, the John W. Kurtich Foundation, Corey and Suzanne (Roverud) Mineck, and the Torgerson Center for Nordic Studies.

About Luther College

At Luther College in beautiful Decorah, Iowa, students explore big questions and take action to benefit people, communities and society. Our academic programs, experiential approach to learning and welcoming community inspire students to learn actively, live purposefully and lead courageously for a lifetime of impact. Learn more at luther.edu.

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