From a spoken-word festival to a performance by political pranksters Capitol Steps, and a Johnny Mercer Centennial Celebration to a concert in which bluegrass and African musicians explore the banjo’s roots, it’s all part of the Rialto Center for the Arts’ eclectic 2009-10 series.

There’s a strong international flavor to the schedule announced this week as well, bringing artists from India, Israel, Mexico and Spain to the Georgia State University-run performance space downtown starting this fall. Here’s the lineup at a glance:

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Georgia State University

The late Savannah-born composer Johnny Mercer received 19 Academy Award nominations and was co-founder of Capitol Records. He is probably best known as the lyricist for ‘Moon River,’ which won an Oscar for him and Henry Mancini in 1961 as the theme song for ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s.’

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• Oct. 2-3: Can’t, Don’t, Won’t Stop Hip Theater Festival: Taking Spoken Word to Another Level, hip-hop-inspired artistry featuring Marc Bamuthi Joseph and Spoken Word Theater Ensemble Universes.

• Oct. 10: Paco Peña, flamenco guitar with dance.

• Oct. 31: Los Cenzontles, Mexican-American roots music.

• Nov. 7: Idan Raichel Project, Israeli musicians presenting a blend of traditional Ethiopian folk music, Arabic poetry, Yemenite chants, biblical psalms and Caribbean rhythms.

• Nov. 14: Johnny Mercer Centennial Celebration, trumpeter Joe Gransden and vocalist Lizz Wright with the GSU Jazz Band paying tribute on the great Georgia songwriter’s 100th birthday.

• Dec. 5-6: Gala Holiday Concert, featuring 200-plus student and faculty musicians from the GSU School of Music.

• Jan. 16: Jazz bassist Christian McBride and Inside Straight.

• Jan. 23: Capitol Steps, political satire and song.

• Feb. 13: “Lady Day,” a Billie Holiday tribute by jazz singer Dee Dee Bridgewater.

• Feb. 20: Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, modern dance inspired by the paintings of Harlem Renaissance artist Jacob Lawrence.

• March 6: Béla Fleck: The Africa Project, the bluegrass banjo player collaborates with African musicians Bassekou Kouyate and his band Ngoni Ba, Anania Ngoliga and John Kitime.

• March 20: Zakir Hussain & Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, Indian musicians.

• April 10: Trey McIntyre Project, contemporary ballet.

• April 16: Tenor saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi with the GSU Jazz Band.

• April 22-25: Bizet’s “Carmen,” featuring the GSU Opera Theatre and Symphony Orchestra.

• May 1: Eddie Palmieri, Latin jazz pianist.

Subscriptions are on sale; single tickets will become available Sept. 2. Subscribers buying tickets to four or more shows receive a 15 percent discount; six or more, 20 percent discount. 404-413-9849, www.rialtocenter.org.