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  • Wit

    BY MARGARET EDSON
    Winner of the 1999 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

    THE STORY: Vivian Bearing, Ph.D., a renowned professor of English who has spent years studying and teaching the brilliant and difficult metaphysical sonnets of John Donne, has been diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer. Her approach to the study of Donne: aggressively probing, intensely rational. But during the course of her illness—and her stint as a prize patient in an experimental chemotherapy program at a major teaching hospital—Vivian comes to reassess her life and her work with a profundity and humor that are transformative both for her and the audience. (source: Dramatists Play Service)

    Winner of the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Play.

    In her extraordinary first play, Margaret Edson has created a work that is as intellectually challenging as it is emotionally immediate.

    “[A] brutally human and beautifully layered new play…you feel both enlightened and, in a strange way, enormously comforted.” —The New York Times.

    “A dazzling and humane new play that you will remember till your dying day.” —New York Magazine.

  • Wit

    BY MARGARET EDSON
    Winner of the 1999 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

    THE STORY: Vivian Bearing, Ph.D., a renowned professor of English who has spent years studying and teaching the brilliant and difficult metaphysical sonnets of John Donne, has been diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer. Her approach to the study of Donne: aggressively probing, intensely rational. But during the course of her illness—and her stint as a prize patient in an experimental chemotherapy program at a major teaching hospital—Vivian comes to reassess her life and her work with a profundity and humor that are transformative both for her and the audience. (source: Dramatists Play Service)

    Winner of the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Play.

    In her extraordinary first play, Margaret Edson has created a work that is as intellectually challenging as it is emotionally immediate.

    “[A] brutally human and beautifully layered new play…you feel both enlightened and, in a strange way, enormously comforted.” —The New York Times.

    “A dazzling and humane new play that you will remember till your dying day.” —New York Magazine.

  • Pussy Noir and Victoria Reis: A Conversation about Collaboration

    Join us for a conversation between artist Pussy Noir and curator and gallery director Victoria Reis. They will talk about the specific collaborations they have undertaken together as well the broader importance of collaboration to their professional and creative practices.

    An ArtNOW and 2024 Intercultural Center Black History Month Event

    Jason Barnes (Pussy Noir) was born and raised in the Washington, D.C., area and grew up in its theaters and rehearsal halls. At 18, diving headfirst into the New York entertainment industry, Barnes began with styling photoshoots and working backstage at fashion shows. He spent some time in Paris, enchanted by the European fashion and art scenes, and is influenced by the time to this day.

    Mixing his background in music, theater, art, and fashion, the Pussy Noir character developed into an androgynous entity within the nightclub circuit; later, museums and galleries around the city. A popular act in the D.C. region, Barnes continues to culture his brand by giving the audience exuberant energy during performances and providing a gender-queer imagery inviting the audience to have a full sensory experience during their/his performances. Barnes has made appearances and performed in many groundbreaking shows and events. He also produces and performs in a “one-woman” cabaret at Trade, now in its third-year run.

    https://www.kennedy-center.org/artists/n/no-nz/Pussy-Noir/

    Victoria Reis is a curator, writer, and arts organizer who has been actively supporting contemporary visual artists and arts organizations within local, national, and international contexts since 1991.

    In 2002, Reis co-founded Transformer, an internationally recognized non-profit visual arts organization based in Washington, DC. Since 2006, Reis has been leading Transformer as its Executive & Artistic Director, curating and presenting substantial exhibitions and programs in support of emerging artists, innovative cultural production, and new & best practices within contemporary visual art. Reis has established comprehensive cultural partnerships & collaborations with an extensive range of arts, educational, and diplomatic organizations and institutions. She has launched and advanced the careers of several hundred artists.

    In May 2017, Reis expanded Transformer’s programming to include Siren Arts, an Asbury Park-based summer residency program for emerging visual artists working within the performance art discipline. Reis is a Founding Member of Common Field, a national network of art spaces and artist-led initiatives. She has been a member of ArtTable since 2000. In 2018, she joined the Board of Directors of Monmouth Arts, a non-profit arts organization supporting artists and arts organizations throughout Monmouth County, New Jersey.

    Transformer DC: https://www.transformerdc.org/about
    Siren Art series: https://www.transformerdc.org/siren-arts

    For 2024 Black History Month Events visit: https://www.monmouth.edu/intercultural/black-history-month/

  • Don McLean – Starry Starry Night Tour 2024

    Experience an unforgettable night of music as the legendary Don McLean takes center stage for the Starry Starry Night Tour. Born in New Rochelle, New York, in 1945, Don McLean’s musical journey began at a young age. Overcoming childhood asthma, McLean’s passion for music flourished as he explored folk music, recorded his first studio sessions, and eventually rose to international stardom with hits like “American Pie” and “Vincent.”

    In the 1970s, McLean became a major concert attraction, captivating audiences worldwide. His iconic song “American Pie” became a cultural phenomenon, ranking among the top songs of the 20th century. The Starry Starry Night Tour promises an evening filled with McLean’s classic hits, showcasing his extensive repertoire that spans folk, rock & roll, and timeless American classics. Don’t miss the chance to witness a music icon live on stage, celebrating over five decades of a remarkable career.

  • The Cardboard Show

    Monmouth University, in conjunction with Parlor Gallery is thrilled to kick off the year with a captivating art exhibition that transcends traditional boundaries. Prepare to immerse yourself in a world of limitless imagination at the much-anticipated Cardboard Show, an extraordinary celebration of free-form and experimental creativity.

    The Cardboard Show is the result: a collection of large-scale sculptures and forms in three distinct voices, united by medium, friendship, and a commitment to a playful approach to creating art for its own sake. These three artists sequestered themselves in Parlor Gallery last January and opened the doors to the public a month later to share their fantastical and unique cardboard creations in an immersive type of presentation. For the continuation of this project, the artists will follow the same practice of collaborating in the same space at the same time, building these wonderous creations on site starting January 16th, 2024, and will continue to construct and design the exhibition until the opening night on February 9th, 2024.

    Demo and Meet & Greet:
    Thursday, March 21st. Demo from 3-4 and continuation of the Meet & Greet from 4 – 6.

    Opening Night Reception: Friday, February 9th from 6-9pm. In addition to the opening reception, there will also be an artist meet & greet and informal artist talk during the exhibition.

    Unveiling the Magic:
    The Cardboard Show is a testament to the power of collaboration. Three visionary artists—Porkchop, Bradley Hoffer, and Jason Stumpf—invite you to witness the evolution of their fantastical creations. Having sequestered themselves in Parlor Gallery last January, the artists opened their doors to the public a month later, sharing the enchantment of their unique cardboard world.

    Creating Wonders in Real-Time:
    As part of the ongoing project, these artists will once again unite under one roof, infusing life into their cardboard wonders starting January 16th, 2024. Witness the magic unfold as they construct and design this extraordinary exhibition, culminating in the grand opening on February 9th, 2024. Join us on a journey where art transcends boundaries, fueled by the collaborative spirit of three local artists and friends. In addition to the cardboard sculptures, each artist will also be exhibiting a selection of each of their respective work.

    About the Artists:

    Bradley Hoffer is a multi-disciplinary artist, designer, carpenter, and maker of original and preconceived concepts. Living and working most of his life in NJ; he received a BFA in sculpture from Mason Gross school of Visual Art at Rutgers. Bradley’s distinct style/work is recognizable using continuous line along with a balance of colors. For this show at Monmouth University, he is exploring a new complex level of layers in three dimensions. Cardboard is the medium that is being used to accomplish the new sculptures. Bradley is also revealing a collection of paintings that have been in the works for the past 6 years.

    Jason Stumpf is multidisciplinary artist based in Asbury Park, NJ. A woodworker for over 30 years, his work ranges from sculpture and furniture to cabinetry and wooden boats. His work is influenced by a fascination with structure, minimalism, and materiality.  Jason furniture designs often take inspiration from archaic forms and techniques. Those influences are expressed through a minimalist, modern design ethos. His sculptures stretch that practical design aesthetic into abstracted forms and ideas.

    Porkchop is a multi-disciplinary artist from New Jersey. He has an MFA in Sculpture from VCU and a BFA in Fine Arts from University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Porkchop has established a great presence through his magnificently scaled murals, including the extensively documented scenes he composed along the Asbury Park Boardwalk in conversation with the sea. Narrative is a prevalent theme in his work. Denizens and visitors to Monmouth County have been enjoying Porkchop’s vibrant and colorful artwork and murals for years, but in most recent manifestation, the artist strips his works of his normally vivid palette and instead employs intentionally ritualistic and graphic monochromatic designs and symbols accented with Gold. Influenced by ancient history, mythology, religion and literature, the artist Porkchop sources out, manipulates, and casts familiar objects. He then painstakingly recreates their surfaces giving them a new existence into a dark and curious storyline. The application of paint into his intentional ritualistic designs followed by flawless coats of glossy resin is an act of pure precision and care, like the work of a surgeon or mortician. There are often unexpected but pleasant marriages of imagery and object. By stripping these pieces of his usual vibrant palette, Porkchop’s choice of black & white emphasizes the narrative in the works, which becomes difficult to ignore. Presenting these pieces in symmetry creates an alter that pulls the stories altogether.

  • Blue Hawk Boardwalk Jam

    Monmouth University and Blue Hawk Records will be hosting Light Of Day’s benefit concert on January 18th at The Break in Asbury Park at 8:00 PM.

    This event is part of the annual Light Of Day’s WinterFest concert events that raise money and awareness for the foundation’s cause, Parkinson’s disease and related illnesses like ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) and PSP (Progressive Supranuclear Palsy), and the fight for a cure.

    The foundation has raised over $5.75 million since 2000, holding these annual concerts, which started in Asbury Park. Past performers have included Bruce Springsteen, Michael J. Fox, John Rzeznik from the Goo Goo Dolls, as well as local NJ artists.

    This year’s lineup consists of Monmouth artists, Amani Lillian, Abby Garcia, Samantha Spano, and White Wing; The Blue Hawk House Band, and local Asbury Park band, Wavez.

    The event is also being hosted by Monmouth’s very own Professor Joe Rapolla, Chair of the Music & Theatre Arts Department, and alumnus, Zack Sandler.

    More info at: https://www.bluehawkrecords.com/blog/bhr-to-host-light-of-day-benefit-concert 

  • Nye

    a new play by Tim Price
    directed by Rufus Norris

    Michael Sheen plays Nye Bevan in a surreal and spectacular journey through the life and legacy of the man who transformed Britain’s welfare state.

    From campaigning at the coalfield to leading the battle to create the National Health Service, Aneurin ‘Nye’ Bevan is often referred to as the politician with greatest influence over the UK without ever being Prime Minister.

    Confronted with death, Aneurin ‘Nye’ Bevan’s deepest memories lead him on a mind-bending journey back through his life; from childhood to mining underground, Parliament and fights with Churchill.

    Written by Tim Price and directed by Rufus Norris (Small Island), this epic new Welsh fantasia will be filmed live at the National Theatre in London.

  • The Motive and the Cue

    a new play by Jack Thorne
    directed by Sam Mendes

    Sam Mendes (The Lehman Trilogy) directs Mark Gatiss as John Gielgud and Johnny Flynn as Richard Burton in this fierce and funny new play.

    1964: Richard Burton, newly married to Elizabeth Taylor, is to play the title role in an experimental new Broadway production of Hamlet under John Gielgud’s exacting direction. But as rehearsals progress, two ages of theatre collide and the collaboration between actor and director soon threatens to unravel.

    Written by Jack Thorne (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) and designed by Es Devlin (The Crucible), the Evening Standard award-winning best new play was filmed live during a sold-out run at the National Theatre.

  • Dear England

    a new play by James Graham
    directed by Rupert Goold

    Joseph Fiennes (The Handmaid’s Tale) plays Gareth Southgate in James Graham’s (Sherwood) gripping examination of nation and game. The country that gave the world football has since delivered a painful pattern of loss. Why can’t England’s men win at their own game? With the worst track record for penalties in the world, Gareth Southgate knows he needs to open his mind and face up to the years of hurt, to take team and country back to the promised land.

    Filmed live on stage at the National Theatre, Rupert Goold (Judy) directs this spectacular new play.

  • Joan Osborne + Crash Test Dummies

    Two incredible artists, each performing their own set! Since she broke through over 25 years ago with the multi-platinum Relish and its touchstone mega-smash “One of Us,” Joan Osborne the seven-time Grammy nominee has never played it safe. Osborne has followed her restless musical heart, exploring a diverse range of genres: pop rock, soul, R&B, blues, roots rock, gospel, funk, and country – all of which can be heard on her latest album Trouble and Strife, along with the Western side of C&W and a touch of glam and disco. “For a lot of the record, we were going for a ‘70s AM radio vibe,” says Osborne. As for the lyrics, the songs “are the most political I’ve ever written,” she conveys of her first album of originals since 2014’s confessional Love and Hate. Osborne also produced Trouble and Strife, primarily recorded in her basement studio in Brooklyn and released on the label she founded in 1991, Womanly Hips. 

    In 2018, 25 years after the release of their multi-Grammy nominated hit album “God Shuffled His Feet”, The Crash Test Dummies hit the road for the first 8me in 20 years with an Anniversary Tour that spanned North America. The overwhelming recep8on led to a 30th Anniversary Tour in 2022 for their debut release “The Ghosts That Haunt Me” that touched down in the US, UK, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Canada. And the band is showing no signs of slowing down . . .

    “Touring again was not something we’d planned on, but surprisingly – at least to me – there are lots of people who many years later, s8ll want to come and hear us. The folks that are coming out to see these shows tell us their stories, some of them very funny, some very dark and all very personal. It’s very humbling, being in the confidence of so many people” says lead singer-songwriter Brad Roberts, “and it has inspired us to con8nue to tour and make music.”

    Early 2023 will see the release a new, original Crash Test Dummies single “Sacred Alphabet“ as they again hit the road in North America and Europe.