The Wright Performance Series 2026-2027

The Wright Performances is a multidisciplinary series of performance works created by critically acclaimed American artists. As a companion to The Wright’s Exhibitions and Public Programs, the series complements the holistic exploration of the profound impact of African American artists and historians on cultures throughout the world.

PHILADANCO! Dance Company: Friday, October 30, 2026 and Saturday, October 31, 2026 @7:30 PM $45.00 General Admission

For more than five decades, PHILADANCO! has been a leading force in American dance, preserving and celebrating the rich traditions of Black concert dance while inspiring new generations of artists and audiences. Renowned for its extraordinary dancers, technical excellence, and commitment to artistic innovation, PHILADANCO! continues to shape the landscape of modern dance through works that honor the past while embracing the future.

PHILADANCO! returns to The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History with a dynamic program that showcases the company’s creative vision, cultural legacy, and enduring influence. Featuring works from four distinctive choreographic voices, this performance highlights the depth, versatility, and evolution that have defined the company throughout its celebrated history.

Audiences can expect an unforgettable evening of movement, music, and storytelling that reflects the beauty, resilience, and innovation of the Black experience. From powerful athleticism to deeply expressive artistry, each piece offers a unique perspective while demonstrating why PHILADANCO! remains one of the nation’s most respected dance companies.

jessica Care moore: Friday, December 11, 2026 and Saturday, December 12, 2026 @7:30 PM $35.00 General Admission

Experience an unforgettable evening of poetry, music, and healing with Wild Beauty, an original experimental opera created by acclaimed Detroit poet jessica Care moore. Blending spoken word, opera, jazz, soul, and orchestral composition, Wild Beauty is a powerful meditation on grief, resilience, love, and the search for joy in the face of profound loss.

This ambitious multidisciplinary work brings together an extraordinary ensemble of artists, including composer De'Sean Jones, pianist Jon Dixon, opera soul soprano Kisma Jordan, vocalist and composer Shara Nova, and Detroit soul artist Ideeyah. Together, they create a rich and immersive performance that transforms personal reflection into a shared experience of remembrance and renewal.

Audiences can expect a deeply moving journey by way of evocative poetry, soul-stirring vocals, and beautiful musical arrangements.

About Wild Beauty

An Experimental Opera Libretto by jessica Care moore

Composer: De'Sean Jones | Pianist: Jon Dixon

Featuring Kisma Jordan, Shara Nova, Ideeyah and jessica Care moore

Wild Beauty is a deeply spiritual work that searches for joy in the midst of so much loss during a global pandemic. The poet weaves her heart and longing for peace and balance around a gorgeous bed of orchestral strings and melodic keys.

Wild Beauty exhales the pain of the poet's losses through powerhouse opera Soul soprano Kisma Jordan, the choral compositions of Shara Nova and the jazzy soul vocals of Detroit's own, Ideeyah.

Original composition by De'Sean Jones and additional musical score by Jon Dixon. Wild Beauty is a trance, a prayer, a song, a remembrance. This ambitious collaborative work by jessica Care moore will make you laugh, cry and heal our heavy hearts through the power of words, music and song.

David Rousseve: Friday, March 26, 2027 and Saturday, March 27, 2027 @7:30 PM $30.00 General Admission

You are invited to join us for a powerful evening with acclaimed choreographer, performer, and storyteller David Roussève as he celebrates the 40th anniversary of his company, REALITY, with Becoming Daddy AF. Part autobiography, part retrospective, and wholly captivating, this deeply personal dance-theater work explores identity, ancestry, love, loss, and the stories that shape who we become.

Becoming Daddy AF reflects the museum’s commitment to presenting artists whose work illuminates the richness and complexity of the human experience. Through movement, music, archival imagery, and vivid storytelling, Roussève traces generations of family history while reflecting on his journey as a queer African American artist whose life and work have spanned decades of cultural and social change.

Audiences can expect a moving and often humorous performance that blends contemporary dance with intimate personal narrative. From ancestral roots stretching back centuries to the triumphs and challenges of modern life, Roussève’s expressive artistry invites viewers into a story of resilience, self-discovery, and the enduring search for connection and belonging.

Meshell Ndegeocello: Friday, April 16, 2027 and Saturday, April 17, 2027 $45.00 General Admission

Visionary musician, composer, and cultural storyteller Meshell Ndegeocello brings her groundbreaking work No More Water: The Gospel of James Baldwin to The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History for an unforgettable evening of music, reflection, and artistic exploration. Inspired by the life and legacy of James Baldwin, the performance honors one of the most influential voices of the twentieth century while examining themes that remain deeply relevant today.

Ndegeocello’s innovative production exemplifies the power of the arts to engage history, challenge perspectives, and spark meaningful dialogue. Through a rich blend of jazz, soul, spoken word, and experimental soundscapes, she explores Baldwin’s enduring reflections on race, identity, spirituality, love, and justice, creating a work that is both deeply personal and universally resonant.

Audiences can expect an immersive musical experience that transcends genres and invites contemplation, connection, and discovery. Anchored by Ndegeocello’s celebrated artistry and inspired by Baldwin’s prophetic voice, the performance offers a moving tribute to a literary giant while encouraging reflection on the social and cultural questions that continue to shape our world.