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  • Paul Mecurio’s Permission to Speak

    Starring EMMY & PEABODY Award winning comedian from “The Late Show w/Stephen Colbert,” “The Daily Show” and “The Colbert Report,” “Permission to Speak” was met on Broadway with rave reviews and nominated for the prestigious “Most Unique Show” Broadway Alliance Award. In this exciting comedy show with a twist, the audience stars WITH Paul who improvises with audience members – randomly bringing folks on stage and letting them share their often hilarious, jaw-dropping personal stories. Directed by legendary director Frank Oz (Creator and voice of YODA and Co-creator of “The Muppets”). A breath of fresh air, PERMISSION TO SPEAK is first and foremost, funny and entertaining, but also a truly freeing experience that connects people through their amazing shared stories.

     

  • Ballet Hispánico

    Ballet Hispánico is the nation’s renowned Latino dance organization and one of America’s Cultural Treasures. For 50 years Ballet Hispánico has been bringing communities together to celebrate and explore Latino cultures through innovative dance performances, transformative dance training, and enduring community engagement experiences. The organization’s founder, National Medal of Arts recipient Tina Ramirez, sought to give voice to the Hispanic experience and break through stereotypes. Today, Ballet Hispánico is led by Eduardo Vilaro, an acclaimed choreographer and former member of the Company, whose vision of social equity, cultural identity, and quality arts education for all drives its programs.

    The evening’s program will include:

    Club Havana
    Choreographer Pedro Ruiz, a native of Cuba, brings the intoxicating rhythms of conga, rumba, mambo, and cha cha to life in “Club Havana.” Set to a fusion of Cuban, jazz, and big-band swing music, this performance promises to be a silky, sexy joy.

    New Sleep (Duet)
    Choreographed by William Forsythe, “New Sleep (Duet)” offers a unique and inventive dance movement based on balletic axioms. Forsythe’s work reorients ballet as a dynamic 21st-century art form, pushing the boundaries of dance.

    Línea Recta
    From choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa comes “Línea Recta,” a powerful and resonant work that explores the absence of physical partnering in flamenco dance. While maintaining the genre’s hallmark passion, Lopez Ochoa’s piece offers an original and explosive movement language performed to flamenco guitar by Eric Vaarzon Morel.

  • Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea

     

    Join us for a magical evening of music and celebration at the 31st Annual Holiday Concert with Father Alphonse Stevenson and the Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea! Experience the joy and spirit of the holiday season as Father Alphonse Stevenson and his 42-piece Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea and talented soloists fill the theater carols and seasonal favorites. This longstanding tradition has delighted audiences for over three decades, and we can’t wait to make this year’s concert even more memorable.

     

  • Willie Nile

    Join us for our Performing Arts season-opening concert with Willie Nile and opening act James Maddock.

    The New York Times called Buffalo, NY born Willie Nile “one of the most gifted singer-songwriters to emerge from the New York scene in years.” Uncut Magazine called him “A one-man Clash.” His album Streets Of New York was hailed as “a platter for the ages” by Uncut. Rolling Stone listed The Innocent Ones as one of the “Top Ten Best Under-The-Radar Albums of 2011” and BBC Radio called it “THE rock ‘n’ roll album of the year.” His single from that album, “One Guitar,” was the “Top Pick of the Week” in USA Today.

    Bono, Bruce Springsteen, Pete Townshend, Lou Reed, Lucinda Williams, Jim Jarmusch, and Little Steven are among those who have sung his praises. His album, American Ride, won “Best Rock Album of the Year” at the Independent Music Awards. It appeared on dozens of year-end Top Ten lists for 2013 and was voted “Album Of The Year” by Twangville Magazine. Bono called it, “One of the great guides to unraveling the mystery that is the troubled beauty of America.”

    Willie has toured across the U.S. with The Who and has sung with Bruce Springsteen and Ringo Starr. As the induction program from the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame says: “His live performances are legendary.” His 2020 album New York At Night got rave reviews, with The Associated Press calling it: “As sharp and guitar-driven as ever…the fire within Nile, once a peer of The Replacements and The Clash, continues to light a similar torch…anthemic…custom made for these times..” Downbeat Magazine calling it a “sonic love letter to Gotham.” His new studio album The Day The Earth Stood Still features a duet with Steve Earle on the song “Blood On Your Hands.”  The London Times called him “A man who embodies the true spirit of rock n’ roll.” The New Yorker wrote that Willie Nile is “One of the most brilliant singer-songwriters of the past 30 years.”

  • The Les Paul Experience

    A musical tribute celebrating the life & career of the legendary jazz musician, inventor; musical pioneer known as the “father of the electric guitar,” Les Paul. This exclusive one-night only concert of Jersey Jams will feature an All-Star Band led by Musical Director and Performer, BOBBY BANDIERA with Layonne Holmes, Tony Perruso, John Pittas, Kevin Bregande, Muddy Shews, Tommy Labella and Jillian Rhys McCoy.

    The evening will feature some of New Jersey’s greatest performers including:

    SONNY KENN     (Red Bank, NJ)
    ANTHONY KRIZAN of the Spin Doctors (Raritan, NJ)
    REAGAN RICHARDS     of Williams Honor (Long Branch, NJ)
    BILLY HECTOR     (Orange, NJ)
    LENNY KAYE of the Patti Smith Band (North Brunswick, NJ)
    JIM BABJAK of the Smithereens (Carteret, NJ)

    The evening will conclude with an informal Q&A with friends and colleagues of Les Paul.  This special musical tribute concert is presented in conjunction with the photography exhibition “Les Paul: Thru the Lens” running in the Pollak Gallery from March 20 – May 31.

    GOLD CIRCLE VIP Tickets include: (limited quantity)

    • A pre-show reception (from 6-7:30 pm) with music by Monmouth Students Jenae & Max
    • Private viewing of Les Paul Thru the Lens exhibition in the Pollak Gallery
    • Premium Seating

    Presented in Association with The Les Paul Foundation

    **Exclusive Offer**: Les Paul in His Own Words

    Les Paul in his own words - book cover

    By Les Paul and Michael Cochran
    Forward by Paul McCartney
    Hard cover 368 pages, 9 1/2” x 12” x 1 1/2”
    Special Offer – $50 + tax (Retails for $75)
    Purchase Now

    The charm of this book is “listening” to Les Paul tell his story. Michael Cochran captures Les’ way of telling stories and Les had plenty to tell. This large, beautiful book encompasses the fascinating life of the musician and inventor who seemed to live forever. Les takes the reader from his childhood in Waukesha, Wisconsin through his adventures in St. Louis, Chicago, LA, New Jersey and New York. Les explains how he developed the solid-body guitar and endless recording techniques that changed the world of music. The high quality color prints and photos include many of Les Paul, his extensive guitar collection, musician friends, his inventions and his home recording studios in LA and New Jersey.

    Pre-order and pick up the night of show or anytime Monday-Friday 9am – 5 pm at the Pollak Box Office.

     

  • The American Soldier

    MATINEE SHOW ADDED! Douglas Taurel (“Nurse Jackie,” “Blue Bloods”) is the creator and star of the Off-Broadway Award-nominated solo play, “The American Soldier,” based on true events and documentary letters written by veterans and their family members from the American Revolution through current-day Afghanistan. It honors the experiences of veterans and their families and explores the internal struggles they face when returning home from combat. “The American Soldier” has been nominated for the Amnesty International Award for theatre excellence , received 4 stars internationally, and has been featured in The Huffington Post, The Washington Post and Time Out.
    There will also be a FREE evening performance of this show at 8PM. Click here for more information.

    This program was made possible thanks to The Board of County Commissioners and Monmouth County American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) COVID-19 Community Recovery Grant Program.

  • An Evening with Cowboy Junkies

    Sometimes revolutions begin quietly.

    In 1988, Cowboy Junkies proved that there was an audience waiting for something quiet, beautiful and reflective. The Trinity Session was like a whisper that cut through the noise — and it was compelling. It stood out in the midst of the flash and bombast that came to define the late 80’s. The now classic recording combined folk, blues and rock in a way that had never been heard before and went on to sell more than a million copies.

    Formed in Toronto in 1985 with siblings Michael Timmins on guitar, Margo Timmins on vocals, Peter Timmins on drums, and Michael’s lifelong friend Alan Anton on bass, the band has sparkled over the course of 26 albums. “I’ve known Alan longer than I’ve known Pete,” says Michael. “We were friends before Pete was born.”

    Unlike most long-lasting groups, Cowboy Junkies have never had a break up or taken a sanity-saving hiatus. There’s an appreciation of each other that keeps them constantly working. “It’s that intimacy and understanding of what each one of us brings to the table,” says Michael.

  • The Boxmasters – Billy Bob Thornton and J.D. Andrew

    Formed in 2007 by Billy Bob Thornton and J.D. Andrew, The Boxmasters have recorded an impressive and diverse catalogue of music that touches on their love of a wide array of influences, but most importantly, the rock and roll of the 1960’s. Listening to The Boxmasters, one can hear obvious odes to the Beatles, Byrds and Beach Boys, but also important to The Boxmasters are The Mothers of Invention, Kris Kristofferson, John Prine and Big Star. Since forming The Boxmasters, several long-time friends have contributed to the sound of the band, but the core of The Boxmasters has always been Andrew and Thornton. As primary songwriters, the sound of the Boxmasters has been an evolution as the duo constantly strive to find new inspiration, new sounds and new ways of expressing what is in their hearts and on their minds. But at the core, there is a backbeat, a lyric with meaning and music played with emotion.

    As a touring band, The Boxmasters have cultivated a rabid cult fanbase across the United States and Canada. Opening for the likes of ZZ Top, Steve Miller, George Thorogood and Kid Rock The Boxmasters have proven to win over large audiences. As a headliner, frequent stops in Kansas City at “Knuckleheads”, Springfield, Illinois at “Boondocks” and “Merrimack Hall” in Huntsville, Alabama have shown dedicated yet still growing audiences. Two appearances at Levon Helm’s “Midnight Ramble” in Woodstock, New York were highlight performances for the band, as well as the “Ramble at The Ryman” that Levon hosted in 2008. The Boxmasters performed on “The Grand Ole Opry” in 2015, another in a growing resume of must-play venues.

  • Arlo Guthrie – What’s Left Of Me – A Conversation With Bob Santelli

    Arlo Guthrie is returning to the stage for a series of appearances after his retirement from musical performances. As the oldest son of Woody Guthrie and Marjorie Guthrie, Arlo made his first appearance onstage at age 13 and built a renowned career touring North American for six decades. In October 2020, Guthrie announced his retirement from the road amid the onslaught of the Coronavirus pandemic. Two years later, he’s had enough of retirement and launched a new company Gut3 Productions with his wife Marti Ladd to present the new “In Conversation with Arlo Guthrie” four-part series.

    “These engagements won’t be musical events,” said Guthrie. “We’ll be setting this as an interview with talking, joking, telling stories…as well as answering questions from the audience. We’ll have some fun, and we’ll talk about serious subjects, as well”.

    What’s Left Of Me features Arlo in conversation with Bob Santelli, Executive Director of the Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music and includes rarely seen video footage along with an audience Q&A. Unscripted, unrehearsed, and under no illusions but his own, Arlo Guthrie returns to venerable venues as a man who has seen it all, and lived to tell the story after 60 years on the road.

    Mr. Santelli, a contributor to Rolling Stone magazine, is co-author with Nora Guthrie of Woody Guthrie – Songs and Art, Words of Wisdom, which will be available for purchase.

    About Arlo Guthrie

    Arlo Guthrie was born on July 10, 1947, in Brooklyn, New York; the son of legendary folk artist Woody Guthrie and Marjorie Mazia Guthrie. Arlo grew up surrounded by renowned folk musicians: Pete Seeger, Leadbelly, Cisco Houston, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, and the Weavers. Since the age of 13, Arlo became absorbed in the music that was shaping the world. By the age of 20, he was touring overseas.

    A natural-born storyteller and accomplished musician, Arlo attracted and surprised audiences all over the world with his unique folk style. Arlo’s career soared with his debut of “The Alice’s Restaurant Massacree” at the Newport Folk Festival in 1967. Later that year, he was nominated for a GRAMMY Award in the “Best Folk Performance” category for the studio version of the song on his debut album, Alice’s Restaurant. The album went Gold (1969) and then Platinum (1986), and was adapted into a film by director Arthur Penn and released a few days after Arlo performed at the original Woodstock Festival in 1969.

    Arlo has released 32 acclaimed albums, has appeared in notable TV shows and movies throughout the decades, and led a lauded six-decade-long touring career performing on the world’s most distinguished stages.

    About Bob Santelli

    Bob Santelli is the author of more than a dozen books on American music, including, Woody Guthrie: Songs and Art, Words and Wisdom (w/co-author Nora Guthrie) and Greetings from E Street: The Story of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.  Santelli is currently the Executive Director of the Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music at Monmouth University and the Director of Popular Music at Oregon State University. He also was the Founding Executive Director of the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles, the former CEO and Artistic Director of Experience Music Project in Seattle, and the Vice-President of Education and Public Programs at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland. A GRAMMY winner, Santelli co-produced with Smithsonian Folkways box sets and books on Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly, and Pete Seeger.  He also was one of the executive producers of the public television series In Performance at the White House during the Obama administration and created music education programs with First Lady Michelle Obama.

     

  • Pilobolus Big Five-Oh!

    For this 50th anniversary celebration, Pilobolus questions its own “givens,” turns its traditions sideways, and brings its past into the future. As fresh and vibrant as ever, Pilobolus –that feisty arts organism– puts the “Oh!” in ​BIG FIVE OH!​, and continues to morph its way thrillingly into audiences’ hearts and minds. The celebration includes signature works from vintage classics to their trend setting innovative work in shadow.