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  • Ethel with Robert Mirabal

    Continuing a deeply successful six-year collaboration inspired by ceremonies dedicated to the Sun, ETHEL and Robert Mirabal, Native American musician, instrument builder and three time GRAMMY® Award winner present their next evolution of the cross-cultural concert experience. The inspiration this time is Water as the embodiment of Spirit, and its essential role in Life on Earth. The audience is immersed in a flow of music, narrative, and ritual, that evokes timeless Native American traditions through contemporary musical artistry. As delivered by these master performers, the effect is breathtaking, even ecstatic. To complement the music created by ETHEL and Mirabal exclusively for this program, ETHEL will also perform part of Gabriela Lena Frank’s epic Andean Walkabout and Phil Kline’s gorgeous The River. 

    “Indefatigable and eclectic” (The New York Times), “vital and brilliant” (The New Yorker), at the heart of ETHEL is a collaborative ethos—a quest for a common creative expression forged in the celebration of community. 

    A Native American “Renaissance man”—musician, composer, painter, master craftsman, poet, actor, screenwriter, horseman and farmer—Mirabal travels extensively throughout the world, offering “exquisitely nuanced flute playing” (The New York Times) and creating music that honors the spirits of the earth.

    More information at: http://www.ethelcentral.org/

  • Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea – SOLD OUT

    *PLEASE NOTE THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT! Ticket holders can still purchase tickets to the Anniversary Reception.*

     There will be a 25th pre-show Anniversary Reception at 6:30 pm. Tickets to the reception are $25 and availability is limited.

    Celebrating his 25th year at Monmouth University, the ever lovable and expressive Reverend Alphonse Stevenson returns to conduct the Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea in a well-established Christmas tradition at Monmouth University. There’s simply no better way to start the holiday season than to spend a special evening with Father Alphonse, his 42-piece orchestra and distinguished vocalists as he provides humorous and personal anecdotes amidst a program of holiday classics and carols. This Christmas tradition is sure to sell out so get your tickets early! 

  • William Close and the Earth Harp Collective

    PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED FROM JAN. 23, 2016

     William Close and the Earth Harp Collective recently pushed the boundaries of the “performance experience” when they finished third on NBC’s hit show “America’s Got Talent.” The group received massive praise and admiration from fans and all three judges. William Close is an installation artist and musician who has developed over 100 new types of musical instruments. He is the inventor of the majestic stringed instrument, The Earth Harp, the world’s largest stringed instrument. Featuring the Earth Harp at the center of the group and many other signature instruments designed by Close, William and the Earth Harp Collective is the latest adventure in the innovator’s already outstanding career. 

    William’s work explores the connection between architecture and music.  Inspired by the Frank Lloyd Wright quote “architecture is frozen music,” Close creates musical installations that use the architecture as part of the instrument. Some of Close’s other instruments include, The Drum Orb, The Percussion Jacket, The Aquatar, the Wing Harp, and The Drumbrella to name a few. 

    More information at: http://williamandtheearthharp.com/  
      

  • Taylor 2

    Established in 1993, this six-member company brings Paul Taylor’s dances to venues of any size with all the artistry of the world renowned choreographer’s work – representing the wide range of athleticism, humor and emotion found in his work. In selecting repertoire for Taylor 2, Mr. Taylor chooses dances that span the broad spectrum of his career. Several of the dances performed by Taylor 2 have been re-worked from the Paul Taylor Dance Company’s version to enable the smaller ensemble of dancers to perform them. “A major interest is in seeing how ingeniously Taylor has edited his work for a six-person ensemble — half the size of the original… This version of Company B is not a patched hand-me-down, but a lighter and more intimate creation that delivers the same emotional knockout.” — Robert Johnson, The Star-Ledger

    “Taylor 2 is a kind of a miracle… All of the dancers are considerable talents [who] unite fearlessness with skill.” – Gia Kourlas, New York Times

    More information: www.ptamd.org/#whatisptamd

  • LA Theatreworks: Dracula

    Bram Stoker’s novel of 1897, Dracula, was published with little popular fanfare. Critics, however, praised the author and put Stoker in the category of Mary Shelley and Edgar Allan Poe. But audiences didn’t flock to the tale of this otherworldly being that feeds off others to preserve eternal life, until the early-mid 1900s when film versions generated enormous press for the title. Invasion stories, during the height of British colonialism, were made popular by Rudyard Kipling, Arthur Conan Doyle and others, but Stoker’s Dracula was like nothing the world had seen. This gothic horror is a classic for all time and has spawned hundreds of spin-offs in popular culture from Twilight to True Blood.

    In Charles Morey’s acclaimed adaptation, Count Dracula slips quietly into Victorian London with a cargo of his native Transylvanian soil, necessary for rest between his victims. The city seems helpless against his frightful power, and only one man, the smart and resourceful Dr. Van Helsing, can stop the carnage. But to do this, he must uncover the vampire’s lair and pierce Dracula’s heart with a wooden stake- setting up an epic confrontation of good vs evil. Over the years, the story of Dracula has been used as commentary in modern studies of psychology, women’s issues, and colonialism, while never losing its place as one of the greatest horror stories ever told.

    Under the leadership of Producing Director, Susan Albert Loewenberg, L.A. Theatre Works (LATW) has been the foremost radio theater company in the United States for more than two decades. L.A. Theatre Works is broadcast weekly in America on public radio stations, daily in China on the Radio Beijing Network, streamed online at www.latw.org and programs are aired internationally on the BBC, CBC, and many other English language networks. LATW has single-handedly brought the finest recorded dramatic literature into the homes of millions. On the road, LATW has delighted audiences with its unique live radio theater style performances in over 300 small towns and major cities, including New York, Boston, San Francisco, Washington and Chicago, Beijing and Shanghai. An L.A. Theatre Works performance is immediate, spontaneous, and features a first-rate cast, live sound effects, and a connection to the audience rarely felt in a traditional theater setting. This theater… is an event.

    The cast of Dracula includes the well-known TV and film actor Nicholas Hormann who’s been seen in dozens of television hits including The West Wing, Parks & Recreation, Modern Family, and Desperate Housewives. His numerous film credits include Kramer vs Kramer and the early Oliver Stone horror film The Hand. Mr. Hormann will play Dr. Van Helsing.

    Veteran horror film actor Skip Pipo will play the role of Renfield. Mr. Pipo’s long list of film and TV credits include B-movie favorites such as The Janitor, Sam Hell, and Poker Run as well as the television series The Black Dawn.

    The cast also includes Michael Kirby who just wrapped the horror film Hell’s Heart, Paul Culos, Graham Outerbridge, and Alexis Jacknow, all up and coming TV actors, Summer Spiro a star of the new web series Dabsity, and Patrick Wenk-Wolff who has been seen recently on television in The Last Ship, Rizzoli & Isles, and Life on Mars.

  • Doo Wop Explosion: A Night of Acappella Harmony

    Born on the street corners of urban America, rhythm & blues and doo wop singing reached its peak in the 1950’s, but still has a strong following today. While doo wop singing began as an African American art form, by the late 1950’s it was enjoyed by singers of all races. Doo wop harmony in its purist form is acappella (without instrumentals). We’ve assembled six of the top acappella doo wop vocal groups from NYC to Philadelphia, plus a couple special guests.  Choice hails from Jersey City and has been singing for 35 years.  Their video recently went viral attracting 6 million views.  The Tee-Tones formed on the streets of Brooklyn and fine tuned their harmonies in the tunnels of the NYC subway system. They’ve since appeared on Good Morning America and ABC World News Tonight.  The versatile group, Quiet Storm, has developed a huge following in the Philadelphia area.  Called “Storm Chasers,” their fans follow them from concert to concert. Frankie and the Fashions are a Philadelphia acappella group whose origins reach back to the 1960’s. They’ve recorded several CD’s and are well known for their popular signature song, “What Do I Have To Do”. The popular Piscataway NJ group, Re-MemberThen, has the distinction of twice winning the acappella showdowns at the Meadowlands. The Vic Donna Group is known for their tight intricate harmonies of obscure R&B and Doo Wop collectors sides and original material. Vic, himself, has been singing since 1956. Over the years, he’s been backed on record by such noted groups as the Fi-Tones, Parakeets, Cadillacs, Sharps, Compliments and Angels. The Vic Donna Group has recently added a couple new singers with a lot of previous experience. As a special guest, we welcome Larry Chance of the Earls.  Larry is an internationally known doo wop star who has agreed to sing acappella for us, backed by Re-MemberThen.  By way of a big screen video, we’ll have De’Sean Dooley, grandson of the Orioles Sonny Til, singing Orioles songs backed by Quiet Storm. Concert produced and emceed
    by Classic Urban Harmony’s Pam & Charlie Horner for Monmouth University’s
    Center for the Arts.     

    $45 Gold Circle seats include a meet and greet reception with some of the groups from 5:30 to 6:30 PM 

    *This line up is subject to change*

  • Cherish the Ladies

    “It is simply impossible to imagine an audience that wouldn’t enjoy what they do,” says the Boston Globe speaking of Cherish the Ladies, the long-running, Grammy-nominated, Irish-American super group that formed in New York City in 1985 to celebrate the rise of extraordinary women in what had been a male-dominated Irish music scene and has
    since toured the world, played the White House and the Olympics, recorded 15 outstanding albums including their latest, An Irish Homecoming which was also videotaped for an Emmy-winning Public Television Special that is airing across America.

    Under the leadership of the dynamic and irrepressible flute and whistle champion Joanie Madden, these ladies create an evening that includes a spectacular blend of virtuoso instrumental talents, beautiful vocals, captivating arrangements, and stunning
    step dancing. Their continued success as one of the top Celtic groups in the world is due to the ensembles ability to take the best of Irish traditional music and dance and put it forth in an immensely entertaining show.

  • Imago Theatre’s ZooZoo

    Imago Theatre, best known for FROGZ is proud to announce its latest family hit ZooZoo, a whimsical, terrifically silly family show that has delighted audiences nationwide with its giggle-inducing short vignettes performed without words to an original score—a perfect theatre experience for children. ZooZoo is a circus, a zoo, and a world all its own, where penguins play musical chairs, a cat becomes trapped in a giant paper bag, hippos have insomnia, and anteaters work as waiters—all resulting in a madcap revue of illusion, comedy, and fun. Imago’s shows have been described as Cirque Du Soleil-evoking acrobatics mixed with Mummenschanz-like mime, set in a unique, yet accessible, French-influenced, avant-garde playground. Recommended for ages 3 and older.

    Children’s Tickets Half Price

    More information: http://imagotheatre.com/ 

  • Borealis Wind Quintet and The Monmouth Winds

    The
    Borealis Wind Quintet, like the Spectacular Aurora Borealis, displays a
    brilliant array of sparkling color and magic in the music they perform.
    Nominated for a Grammy in 2006, they are without question the major wind
    quintet of our time.

    Their warm yet commanding stage presence, combined with great music, always
    captivates the audience. Engaging and delightful, the Borealis brings a fresh
    sound and an exciting program to each performance. They are recognized for
    their fundamental contributions to the wind quintet literature with their many
    commissions, recordings, and editions of rare and traditional music.

    Their tours have taken them to major halls throughout the U.S. including Weill
    Hall (Carnegie) in New York, the Frick Museum, Princeton, Notre Dame, Wolf
    Trap, Four Seasons in Berkeley, Strathmore in Maryland and the Corning Museum
    in New York, just to name a few. The Borealis recordings number five with one
    Grammy nomination. The latest, Borealis En Salon, is both lush and elegant.

    The Monmouth Winds, formed in 2009, features five
    musicians from the Garden State: Jenny Cline, flute; Nicholas Gatto, oboe;
    Richard Grossman, clarinet; Richard Sachs, horn; and Linda Balavram, bassoon.
    They have been steadily building a following, delighting audiences in the
    tri-state area with their entertaining performances of eclectic
    repertoire.  Lately they have been busy commissioning new works for their
    ensemble, including works by Jeffrey Scott, Gary Schocker, Daniel Dorff, David
    Evan Thomas and Laurence Dresner.  They have performed at the 2013 (New
    Orleans) and 2015 (Washington, D.C.) National Flute Association conventions,
    and they will be premiering their next commission, a work by Eric Ewazen, at
    the Juilliard School this fall.

  • Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill with Switchback

    Two world renowned Celtic duos come together for the first time on the Pollak Stage for a spectacular night of Irish music.  Irish fiddle virtuoso Martin Hayes and American master guitarist Dennis Cahill have garnered international renown for taking traditional Irish music to the edge of the genre with slow-building, fiery performances while incorporating sensibilities from the worlds of blues and jazz. NPR calls them “one of the best fiddlers on the planet and a subtle guitar master” and The New York Times says “simply exquisite.” Hayes and Cahill have performed for President Obama and leaders of the European Union, in major concert halls and headlining festivals around the globe.

    Brian FitzGerald     and Martin McCormack of Switchback have been playing their brand of eclectic Celtic and Americana music at sold-out concert halls, performing arts centers and festivals for over 20 years. Featuring a mix of Irish music and original songs, their concerts have been described as “breathtaking scenery for your ears.” With a mix of mandolin, guitar, and bass their harmonies have won comparisons to the Louvin Brothers, the Everly Brothers and Simon and Garfunkel.