From Carnegie Hall to Duke

Enjoy acclaimed performances at a discount from Duke Arts Presents

A collage shows photos of pianist Michelle Cann, Kodo One Earth and Thomanerchor Leipzig
Duke Arts Presents events provides a 25% discount for staff and faculty. Photo collage by Paul Figuerado

Attending performance arts of all kinds at Duke is a benefit Shana McAlexander thoroughly embraces. But she never thought of herself as a huge advocate for the arts at large until she really pondered her connection to Duke Arts Presents.

When the Duke Arts Presents’ 2024-25 season brochure arrived, she went through every page and tore out the ones that included events she wanted to attend. Dance performances of all kinds and powerful Japanese drumming were among the scraps of paper she severed from the booklet and saved as reminders.

Without conscious thought, McAlexander, an Assistant Research Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, had made a vision board of everything she desired.

“There’s just so many resources here at Duke, sometimes it’s actually kind of overwhelming how many cool things we can go to,” McAlexander said.

McAlexander often uses the 25% discount for staff and faculty through Duke Arts Presents to purchase more than one ticket – and decides later whom she will bring with her to the performances.

Duke Arts’ Director of Programming Aaron Shackelford said support and involvement from Duke community members is vital.

“A lot of the work we bring in is with an eye toward both engaging with the ideas and the work that’s happening at Duke as well as opportunities to bring our community together,” Shackelford said.

For the 2024-25 season, programming is varied and powerful. Pianist Michelle Cann performs Feb. 21 with “The Women of Chicago’s Black Renaissance,” a program that pairs Cann’s renditions of works with spoken commentary. 

A comedic puppet show called “Bill’s 44th” runs from Feb. 28 to March 2 and addresses themes of impatience and loneliness.

And Kodo One Earth Tour 2025: Warabe is a taiko drumming troupe that performs March 23 – and is one of the performances McAlexander highlighted to see.

“I think it’s a false stereotype that engineers aren’t connected to their creative side because it’s such a big part of design. And I want to encourage all of our engineering folks to take advantage,” said McAlexander, whose research interests include STEM education and representation in science and engineering careers. 

And to explore art at all levels on campus at a discount is a treasure, she said.

“You’re not going to see these artists for these prices in New York,” Shackelford said. “It’s a real benefit of working at Duke to have this access to these artists. A number of these artists are coming straight from places like Lincoln Center or Carnegie Hall to Duke. That’s a real benefit as a staff member or a faculty member to get to see these artists at these prices right in your own backyard.”

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