Beginning in 2024, Lesher Center’s Headliners Series adopted the use of digital programs meant to be viewed on mobile devices. By cutting our paper use and eliminating substantial printing costs we are sustaining our mission to elevate the arts in the greater Contra Costa region.
Please be considerate of other patrons and artists when viewing digital programs on your mobile devices. View digital programs before the performance begins or during intermissions.
Patrons who create distractions may be asked to leave.
Announcing the 2024/25 Headliner Series
At The Lesher Center Support Lesher Center
Program Details
Approx 90 minutes with no intermission
Welcome
Thank you for joining us!
Our Lesher Center Presents series is designed to bring audiences year-round entertainment and inspiring artistic voices through our Headliners Series, Center Repertory Company productions, and Bedford Gallery exhibitions.
At the Lesher Center you’ll find a diverse array of genres, artists, and themes at this beautiful home for incredible, innovative arts experiences. In the following pages of this digital program, we invite you to explore our programming and learn more—you won’t want to miss what you’ll find at the Lesher Center!
Peggy + Carolyn
Peggy White
Executive Director, Diablo Regional Arts Association
Carolyn Jackson
General Manager, Lesher Center for the Arts
Featuring world-renowned artists, the Lesher Center Presents Headliners series showcases a diverse range of artists and genres— from Broadway powerhouses to the newest superstars of Jazz, Dance, World-Music!
The 2024/25 Headliners Season includes:
A FIRESIDE CHAT WITH RITA MORENO
September 18, 2024 Actress, dancer, and entertainment icon—the ‘EGOT’ winner sits down to discuss her eight-decades of life in entertainment and passion for Arts Education.
360 ALLSTARS
October 26, 2024
BMX, beatbox, and breakdance collide in this internationally acclaimed performance troupe!
MS. MONÉT
January 11, 2025
A fan favorite from NBC’s The Voice, the Bay Area native and jazz singer rising star has toured with Boz Scaggs, Michael McDonald, Johnny Mathis and more!
STELLA COLE
January 18, 2025
Straddling the world of jazz, pop and musical theater, this multifaceted performer’s star is fast on the rise through her fresh interpretations of songs from Barbra Streisand to Billie Eilish.
MANDY PATINKIN IN CONCERT: BEING ALIVE WITH ADAM BEN DAVID
February 20, 2025
From Evita to The Princess Bride to TV’s “Homeland”, the Broadway legend and powerhouse actor / singer is nothing short of electrifying.
COLLEGE NOTES A CAPPELLA
February 21-22, 2025
The sold-out event returns as the nation’s top collegiate A Cappella performance groups gather for this only-at-the Lesher Center event!
DANCE THEATRE OF HARLEM
March 14-15, 2025
The celebrated multi-ethnic dance company celebrate Black culture and empowerment through the arts for all.
TERENCE BLANCHARD
The world-renown Grammy Awardwinning jazz trumpeter—and San Francisco Jazz’s Executive Artistic Director—celebrates the 20th anniversary of his critically acclaimed recording, Flow.
MIGUEL ZENÓN
April 11, 2025
The internationally acclaimed Grammy Award-winner has been hailed as one of the most influential saxophonists of his generation.
MARIACHI REYNA DE LOS ANGELES
June 13, 2025
America’s first allfemale mariachi ensemble makes their Lesher Center debut Summer 2025.
All shows on sale now! The Headliners Series is brought to you by the Lesher Center and Diablo Regional Arts Association.
About the Artists
BRAD SHERWOOD is one of the greatest living American improvisers, and loves writing about himself in the third person.
He is best known for his thirteen seasons, as a series regular on the Emmy nominated ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway?’. He will next be seen in 2017 in the 5th season of ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway?’ airing on the CW Network. His other credits include The Drew Carey Show, Talk Soup, The Newz, Improv-a-ganza, The Green Screen Show, This Vs. That, The Dating Game, LA Law, and The Tonight Show.
COLIN MOCHRIE
Scotland, that craggy, majestic, malt whiskeyed land, has spawned many myths besides the Loch Ness Monster. One such legend is Colin Mochrie (Hilaritycus smoothius).
A migratory creature that left his birthplace for the Great White North (Canada), Colin learned his theatrical craft through repeated behavioral rituals at Studio 58 located in the mountain nestled, sparkling jewel of the Northwest, Vancouver, British Columbia. A hard-working, imaginative mammal, Colin used his chameleonlike skills to blend in with others of
his ilk, never being noticed, until noted anthropologists Dan Patterson and Mark Leveson discovered him at The Toronto Second City. Moving him to the Whose Line is it Anyway Institute in historical and damp London, England, Patterson and Leveson slowly groomed Colin till he became an international sensation. Working with Drew Carey at the U.S based institute of the same name, only increased interest in the reclusive beast.
Lesher Center Resident Programs
Our nonprofit partner, DRAA, invests in the power of the arts to transform lives and creates avenues for everyone to experience the arts.
There are many ways to show your support! Your gifts through the Lesher Center’s nonprofit partner, Diablo Regional Arts Association, drive excellence, innovation, diversity, and access for all through performances, exhibitions, and education programs.
• Make a one-time or monthly donation
• Sponsor an event or program
• Donate stock or IRA
• Make a legacy with planned giving
• Use your corporate match program
• Volunteer Donate Now QUESTIONS? Contact DRAA! (925) 295-1470 or info@draa.org
Thank you to our Sponsors Presenting Sponsor
Season Sponsors
Print Media Sponsor
Thank you to our Donors
Donors 1-1-23 thru 1-8-24
$100-$249
June Aguilar
Amy Alanes
Beverly Anderson
Marty Aufhauser
Christine Barclay
Carol & Claude Benedix
Muriel Bentsen
Amos & Carla Blackmon
Stephen & Anne Bruenn
Alan Burckin
Zenaida Campos
Sue & Rich Carlston
Tameca Carr
Javier Carrillo
Duane & Helen Carroll
Christy Casassa
David Clark
Chris Clevers
Marilyn Dalziel
Jan Dolan
Joan Dorsey
Ben Drew
Sheila Driscoll
John Edwards & Anna Meniktas-Edwards
Richard Einstoss
Paula Elliott
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Robert & Carrol Foxall
Jean & Richard Frankel
Barry Gross
Carol Haig
Sandra Haley
Tom & Anjali Hanzel
Carol Hess
Susan & Donald Hill
Virginia Hind Hodgson
Virginia Horgan
Ruth Hussey
Diana Ichikawa
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Ruth James
Ning Jiang
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Sally Kennedy
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Carol Ann King
Louanne Klein & Dave Radosevich
Cheryl & Eric Kohleriter
Alisa Kramer
Dave Kwinter
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Donors 1-1-23 thru 1-8-24
Linda Lamerdin
Claire Laverdiere
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Louise Schulden
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Andrea Shipman
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Linda Sonner
Gail Stevens
Lori Talbot
Carole Temps
Rebecca Thompson
June Thornton
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Pat Van Oss
Linda & Clark Vilas
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Gary Wong
Hua Yang
$250-$499
Lori Allio
Cherlene Andresen
Jeanie & Edward Beatson
Jamie Broadhurst
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Carolyn Bybee
Manny Cho
Phyllis Christopher & Jill Garcia
Dottie & Eric Curole
Chris & Nancy Doan
Bill & Keva Dodd
Jerome S. Frantz
Linda Giffin
Marsha Ginsburg
Jean Godwin
Nicole Green
Ellen & Peter Hauskens
Thank you to our Donors
Donors 1-1-23 thru 1-8-24
Ira Hillyer
Nancy & Bruce Kaufman
Carol & James Kennedy
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Linda & James Landau
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Sidne Long
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Ann Merideth
Toni Ratner Miller
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Sue Rainey
Gerald Ricker
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Mary Jane Sullivan
Meredith Taylor
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Susan Tuttle
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Catherine Watters
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James & Barbara Wolpman
$500-$999
Andrea Baldacci
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Paul Cocotis
Serdar Copur
Jana Corral
Brian Dean & Palvir Shoker
Scott Denison & Kerri Shawn
Dennis Drew
Jim & Beverly Dubrin
Michele Ducharme
Holly Eliot
Jane & Roger Emanuel
Emilee Enders
Joseph Ficurelli
Gary & Susie Fisher
Barney Fonzi
Shannon Gross
Kathy & John Hemmenway
Thank you to our Donors
Donors 1-1-23 thru 1-8-24
Carol Holland
Reshea Holman
Natalie & Roger Hughes
Carolyn & Anthony Jackson
Linda Johnson
Barbara Kline
Linda Kramer
June Krug
Richard Leffingwell
Leslie Lessenger
Tina Locke
Christine Mitroff
Tracy & Robyn Nishimura
Elizabeth & Mark Orcutt
Johnathan Plumpton
Elaine & Ken Richter
Davis & Louise Riemer
Barbara & Danny Riggio
Jeff & Jodi Riley
Allison & Sean Roberts
Andrew Robinson
Gary Schaub & Maria Gounaris
William & Nathalie Schmicker
Chris & Rosario Toler
Violet & Carl Torneros
Gerry Wallace
$1,000-$2,499
Judy Ackerhalt
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Bobbi & Marty Bach
Gretchen Bartzen & Michael
Rippey
Donna Batchelor
Annette & Don Bausley
Virginia & Mark Bigelow
David & Manny Bowlby
Dawn & Peter Brightbill
Kristen & Dan Buckshi
Patrick & Shirley Campbell
Jacqueline & James Carroll
Melissa Carucci
Barbara Cavella
Gloria & Randy Christensen
Tricia & Eric Copeland
Carrie Cox
Cindy & Gary Darling
Juliet Don
Jennifer Fish
Mary & Jan Francis
Lynn Garrett
Nishta & Vito Giallorenzo
Claude Grillo
Anne Grodin
Thank you to our Donors
Donors 1-1-23 thru 1-8-24
Susie & Charles Hanson
Nicholas Harrison
Robin & Chuck Henry
Carle Hirahara
Ellen Hole
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Marion Iles
Peter Johnson
Robert Kaliski
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Trudy Ketelhut
Julianne & Bill Kloos
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Bob Linscheid
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Carol Jane Louisell
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Kathleen & John Odne
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Jill & Bill Purcell
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Mari Reid
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Jeffrey Rose
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M. Louise Rothman-Riemer
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Christine & Fred Seely
Maryann Sheridan
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Melissa Ward
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Ann & Tom Watrous
Gayl Westendorf & Laura Kim
Matt Whelan & Camille Priselac
Kevin & Jill Wilk
Stephen Woodhead & Lisa
McConnell
Emily & Danny Wu
Carole Wynstra
Broadway Plaza
Dudum Corp
Thank you to our Donors
Donors 1-1-23 thru 1-8-24
F&M Bank
Macy’s/Bloomingdales
The Safeway Foundation
TWANDA Foundation
$2,500-$4,999
Annette & Tom Alborg
Douglas Alvey
Catharine & Dan Baker
Sharon & Paul Baker
Alice Beckman
Diane Crowley Young & Lance
Young
Suzanne & CJ Doherty
Carol & Ken Fowler
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Richard Goodman
Loella & Ralph Haskew
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Sondhi
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Desiree Renee Ralph
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Elaine Taylor
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Nevin Kessler
Laura & Eric Lamison
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Steve & Mackenzie Lesher
Jill O’Brien
Celia Mason
Robert Mathewson & Lucinda
Tay
Patricia Niven & Chris Dix
Jeanne Ryan
Thank you to our Donors
Donors 1-1-23 thru 1-8-24
Marsha & Richard Servetnick
Cindy & Tom Silva
Linda & Jack Thompson
Deveney & Larry Totten
Bonnie Waters & Dennis
Winslow
Community Bank of the Bay ParkSmart, Inc.
Republic Services
William A. Kerr Foundation
$10,000-$24,999
Anonymous (2)
Tammy & Ken Anderson
Angie & Peter Coffee
Brian Hirahara
Mort Johnson & Donna Andrews
Karen Kahn & Bill Kaufmann
Sharon & Jim Moore
Bob Power
Dino Riggio
Jane & Chuck Roehrig
Spalding Rooker
Kevin Sánchez
Gary Skrel
Patricia Stull
Jennifer & Peters Suh
Cheryl & Christian Valentine
Mike & Paula Weintraub
John Muir Health
Martinez Refining Company
Miller Starr Regalia
$25,000-$49,999
Hofmann Family Foundation
Holly Ingraham & David Julius
Gay White
$50,000-$99,999
Sharon Simpson $100,000 + Eric Rudney
Chevron
Dean & Margaret Lesher Foundation
Kaiser Permanente, Diablo Area
Leadership
City of Walnut Creek
Leadership
Loella Haskew
Mayor
Cindy Darling, Matt Francois, Cindy Silva, Kevin Wilk
City Council Members
Jill Dresser (Vice-Chair), Peter Magnani, Netsanet (Net) Tesfay, Iasmine Klauber, Sarah Baltazar
Arts Commission Members
Dan Buckshi
City Manager
Kevin Safine
Arts + Recreation Department
Director
Diablo Regional Arts Association Board of Directors
David Julius Board President
Catharine Baker
Peter Brightbill
Jamie Broadhurst
Angie Coffee
Nadia Costa
Juliet Don
Julie Ducharme
Barry Gordon
Todd Heintz
Brian Hirahara
Natalie Inouye
Laura Lamison
Sandeep Kaujalgi
Nevin Kessler
Bob Power
Dino Riggio
Spalding Rooker
Eric Rudney
Kevin Sanchez
Marsha Servetnick
Patricia Stull
Peters Suh
Mike Weintraub
Deneen Wohlford
Steve Woodhead
Peggy White Executive Director
Lesher Center Team
General Manager
Carolyn Jackson
Production Services Supervisor
Toni Kilcoyne
Technical Staff
Daniel Aldrich
Alex Bull
Terry D’Emidio
Meghan DeBellis
Claire Denman
Alex Howard
Chris Joe
Steve Pino
Garrick Schuster
Josh Stouffer
Fiona Sundy
Josh Yarnell
Steve Young
Audience Services Supervisor
Jeremiah Vierling
Ticket Office Staff
Cian Chu
Penelope Griffin
Hali Loyd
Robert Nolan
Julia Toon
Zeus Valentine
Aurora Wassmuth
House Managers
Peter Catalano
Reece Jordahl
Karen Kopp
Denise Kruft, Katie Ladowicz
Cameron Lippincott
Krizzia Manlangit
Carole Price
Amelia Record
Lucia Robke
Sam Samuels
Bell Stark
Cheryl Wong-Ng
Usher Coordinator
Pat Rusich
Office Specialists
Linda Nomura
Sarah Wilcox
Marketing Staff
Katrienne Lemye
Shelly Rose
Randy Taradash
Bedford Gallery provides exhibitions and public programs that reflect and engage the diverse audiences of the Contra Costa region.
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The resident professional theatre company of Lesher Center. Celebrate the power of the human imagination and enrich the cultural life of our community. Follow Us!
