The exterior of Madison Center for the Arts in Phoenix.
ADM Group/Madison Center for the Arts
Madison Center for the Arts may not get the same hype as other Phoenix cultural hubs, but it remains one of the Valley’s best-kept secrets.
Since debuting in 2018, the 24,547-square-foot venue near 16th Street and Missouri Avenue has quietly served as a stylish spot to catch live performances. Its 904-seat theater delivers clean sightlines, primo acoustics and excellent sound.
It isn’t a space built for just one crowd. The venue’s diverse calendar spans touring musicians, legacy acts, tribute shows, family-friendly productions, circus spectacles and community showcases. One night leans more into classic rock. The next brings mariachi, comedy or a matinee packed with gravity-defying acrobats or fearsome-looking dinosaurs.
What sets Madison Center for the Arts apart is its scale. It occupies a particular sweet spot, where its theater is large enough for national tours but keeps shows feeling personal and intimate.
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Madison Center for the Arts features a 904-seat theater.
ADM Group/Madison Center for the Arts
And then there are its community ties. The venue is run by the Madison School District with student showcases, school events and educational programming featured on its calendar alongside professional bookings. It’s equal parts cultural anchor and neighborhood stage.
That same balance runs through the Madison Center for the Arts 2025-26 season, which continues through April.
The lineup mixes such nostalgia-filled concerts and high-energy tributes as So Good! The Neil Diamond Experience with family-friendly spectacles such as Omnium: A Bold New Circus. Plus, the hit parody “Spamilton” takes gleeful swings at “Hamilton” and other Broadway favorites while the Buckets N Boards Comedy Percussion Show turns trash cans, rhythm and chaos into loud and fast physical comedy.
Here’s the full event lineup for Madison Center for the Arts’ 2025-26 season.
The box office of the Madison Center for the Arts.
Madison Center for the Arts
The Arizona Nutcracker
Dec. 20, 1 and 6 p.m. and Dec. 21, 1 p.m.
So Good! The Neil Diamond Experience
Jan. 8, 7 p.m.
Buckets N Boards Comedy Percussion Show
Jan. 15, 7 p.m.
“Spamilton”
Jan. 30, 7 p.m.
Arizona Operatunity — “Rusalka: The Littlest Mermaid”
Feb. 12, 10 a.m.
American Elton
Feb. 14, 7 p.m.
Omnium: A Bold New Circus
March 22, 3 p.m.
The Hit Men of Country
April 7, 7 p.m.
Dinosaur World Live!
April 15, 7 p.m.
Phoenix Symphony: Woodwind Whirlwind
April 20, 10 a.m.