Monmouth University Center for the Arts Fall 2022 Brochure

Rock and Strings

THE MUSIC OF TOM WAITS Pat Guadagno & Small Change with special guests Eryn O’Ree & Ryan Gregg

Sat. September 24 ● 8 PM

POLLAK THEATRE | Tickets: $35 - $55

PAT GUADAGNO and some very special guests, celebrate the head-scratching, mind-bending, brilliance of Rock & Roll Hall of famer Tom Waits. Jazz, rock diva ERYN O’REE and shady street showman RYAN GREGG, join Guadagno and his band Small Change to deliver the blood and whiskey-stained music of one of the most provocative artists of our time.

ROGER MCGUINN

Sat. October 1 ● 8 PM

POLLAK THEATRE | Tickets: $48-$60

As a co-founder of The Byrds, ROGER McGUINN is firmly established as an indisputable industry icon. From his signature 12-string Rickenbacker sound, to his instantly recognizable vocals on hits like Turn, Turn, Turn, Eight Miles High and Mr. Tambourine Man, McGuinn didn’t just make music; he made history. He delivers the gift of an evening with a master that is as intimate as it is spellbinding.

BÉLA FLECK & ABIGAIL WASHBURN

Sat. October 15 ● 8 PM

POLLAK THEATRE | Tickets: $43 - $65

Hailed as “the king and queen of the banjo,” (Paste Magazine) sixteen-time Grammy® Award-winner Béla Fleck returns to our stage alongside his wife, fellow banjoist and singer Abigail Washburn. Fleck is the world’s premier banjo player, known for his eclectic mix of bluegrass and jazz, while Washburn marries folk traditions with far-flung Eastern influences. Together, their sound is familiar yet wildly innovative and on stage, their artistry and chemistry results in a picking partnership unlike any on the planet.

The Power of Theatre

A BRONX TALE

starring Chazz Palminteri

Sun. November 6 ● 4 PM

POLLAK THEATRE | Tickets: $50 - $80

Academy Award® nominated actor CHAZZ PALMINTERI stars in the original, award-winning one man show, which started it all. In A Bronx Tale, Palminteri vividly depicts a young boy’s rough childhood in the 1960s-era Bronx and the unforgettable people he encountered. A classic coming-of-age story reaching one’s true potential and trusting one’s heart, A Bronx Tale is directed by four-time Tony Award® winner Jerry Zaks.

MY MOTHER’S ITALIAN, MY FATHER’S JEWISH & I’M HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS!

Sun. December 11 ● 4 PM

POLLAK THEATRE | Tickets: $50-$60

After last season’s sell-out, it’s another laugh-filled evening of family chaos from the award-winning writer and comedian STEVE SOLOMON. Steve is back with more wild and hilarious stories - including holiday dinner at Grandma’s, where if you’re under 55, you STILL sit at the children’s table. A time of peace - a time of joy - a time of remembering why you left home in the first place!

TELL PHARAOH

Sat. April 22 ● 8 PM and Sun. April 23 ● 4 PM

POLLAK THEATRE | Tickets: $20

Produced by DUNBAR REPERTORY COMPANY, Tell Pharaoh is a concert drama about Harlem, our nation’s foremost Black community, from the time of slavery all the way through the 21st century. Written by playwright Loften Mitchell who was part of a groundswell of writers that contributed to the Black American theatre movement in the 1960s, the play is a masterfully crafted and poetic recitation of a history that began long before the slave trade.

ORCHESTRA OF ST. PETER BY THE SEA

Fri. December 2 ● 8 PM POLLAK THEATRE | Tickets: $55 - $65

The annual holiday tradition returns with the ever lovable and charismatic Father Alphonse Stevenson conducting the Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea for their 30th concert of carols and seasonal favorites. 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.

THE DOO WOP PROJECT

Sat. February 4 ● 8 PM

POLLAK THEATRE | Tickets: $43 - $65

THE DOO WOP PROJECT takes audiences on a journey featuring foundational tunes from the Crests, Belmonts and Flamingos through the vocal artistry of Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, and The Four Seasons all the way to DooWopified versions of modern hits from Michael Jackson, Jason Mraz, Maroon 5, and Sam Smith. Featuring stars from the Broadway hits Jersey Boys, Motown: The Musical, and A Bronx Tale, The Doo Wop Project brings unparalleled authenticity of sound and vocal excellence to recreate—and in some cases entirely reimagine—the greatest music in American pop and rock history.

CHERISH THE LADIES

Sat. March 4 ● 8 PM

POLLAK THEATRE | Tickets: $43 - $65

One of America’s most heralded Irish music ensembles for the last 37 years, CHERISH THE LADIES has won the hearts of audiences worldwide with their rousing blend of traditional music, captivating vocals, and propulsive step dancing. Under the leadership of JOANIE MADDEN, these extremely gifted women create a moving experience with a blend of virtuoso instrumentals, beautiful vocals, traditional and original arrangements along with stunning step dancing — all presented with extraordinary talent, creativity, and humor.

LIVE IN HD in surround sound with easy-to-read subtitles on our 30’ screen

TO THE

CHERUBINI’S MEDEA

Sat. October 22 ● 1 PM

Tickets: $23 | Run Time: 3:06

MET SEASON & SAVE!

VERDI’S FALSTAFF

Sat. April 1 ● 12:30 PM

Tickets: $23 | Run Time: 3:00

Sondra Radvanovsky stars as the mythic sorceress who will stop at nothing in her quest for vengeance. Joining Radvanovsky in Cherubini’s rarely performed masterpiece is tenor Matthew Polenzani as Medea’s husband, Giasone; soprano Janai Brugger as her rival, Glauce; bass Michele Pertusi as her father, Creonte.

VERDI’S LA TRAVIATA

Sat. November 5 ● 1 PM

Tickets: $23 | Run Time: 3:11

Soprano Nadine Sierra stars as the self-sacrificing courtesan Violetta in Michael Mayer’s vibrant production of Verdi’s beloved tragedy. Tenor Stephen Costello is her self-centered lover Alfredo, alongside baritone Luca Salsi as his disapproving father and Maestro Daniele Callegari on the podium.

KEVIN PUTS’S THE HOURS

Sat. December 10 ● 1 PM

Tickets: $23 | Run Time: 3:13

Adapted from Michael Cunningham’s novel, which also served as the inspiration for the Oscar-winning film, soprano Renée Fleming joins soprano Kelli O’Hara and mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato to portray three women from different eras who grapple with their inner demons and their roles in society.

GIORDANO’S FEDORA

Sat. January 14 ● 1 PM

Tickets: $23 | Run Time: 2:41

Giordano’s exhilarating drama returns to the Met for the first time in 25 years, starring soprano Sonya Yoncheva in the title role of the 19th-century princess who falls in love with her fiancé’s murderer, Count Loris, sung by tenor Piotr Beczała.

WAGNER’S LOHENGRIN

Sat. March 18 ● 12 PM

Tickets: $23 | Run Time: 4:54

Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts a cast led by tenor Piotr Beczała in the title role of the mysterious swan knight. Soprano Tamara Wilson is the duchess Elsa, falsely accused of murder, going head-to-head with soprano Christine Goerke as the sorceress Ortrud.

The Met: Live in HD series is made possible by a generous grant from its founding sponsor

Digital support of The Met: Live in HD is provided by

Michael Volle is the knight Falstaff, in Verdi’s comedy alongside a cast that features sopranos Hera Hyesang Park and Ailyn Pérez, mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnson Cano, contralto Marie-Nicole Lemieux, tenor Bogdan Volkov, and baritone Christopher Maltman.

STRAUSS’S DER ROSENKAVALIER

Sat. April 15 ● 12 PM

Tickets: $23 | Run Time: 4:42

A stellar trio assembles to take on the lead roles of Strauss’s comedy, with soprano Lise Davidsen in her Met role debut as the Marschallin, opposite mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard in her Met role debut as Octavian, and soprano Erin Morley as Sophie.

BLANCHARD’S CHAMPION

Sat. April 29 ● 1 PM

Tickets: $23 | Run Time: 3:20

In Terence Blanchard’s first opera after Fire Shut Up in My Bones, bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green is the young boxer Emile Griffith, who rises from obscurity to become a world champion. Bass-baritone Eric Owens portrays Griffith’s older self, haunted by ghosts from his past.

MOZART’S DON GIOVANNI

Sat. May 20 ● 1 PM

Tickets: $23 | Run Time: 3:14

Tony Award–winning director Ivo van Hove makes his Met debut in a new staging of Mozart’s tragicomedy. Nathalie Stutzmann makes her Met debut conducting a starstudded cast with baritone Peter Mattei as Don Giovanni, and the Leporello of bass-baritone Adam Plachetka.

MOZART’S DIE

ZAUBERFLÖTE

Sat. June 3 ● 1 PM

Tickets: $23 | Run Time: 3:30

Nathalie Stutzmann conducts her second work this season with a brilliant cast that includes soprano Erin Morley as Pamina, tenor Lawrence Brownlee as Tamino, and baritone Thomas Oliemans in his Met debut as Papageno.

ALL BROADCASTS AT THE POLLAK THEATRE

Large print programs are available at each performance

Presentations of the Met: Live in HD series at Monmouth University are made possible by a generous gift from University Trustee Robert Sculthorpe, as well as gifts from the Fairleigh S. Dickinson, Jr. Foundation Inc. and the Nicola Musso Charitable Foundation.

The Met: Live in HD series is supported by HD Broadcasts are supported by

With state-of-the-art filming techniques, the British theatre behind the Tony Award winning WAR HORSE & ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS brings thrilling HD broadcasts to Pollak Theatre.

JACK ABSOLUTE FLIES AGAIN

Thurs. October 20 ● 7:30 PM

Tickets: $23 | Run Time: 2 hours, 40 min

A rollicking new comedy by RICHARD BEAN (One Man, Two Guvnors) and OLIVER CHRIS (Twelfth Night). Emily Burns directs this spectacularly entertaining new version of Sheridan’s The Rivals. Featuring a cast including Caroline Quentin, Laurie Davidson, Natalie Simpson and Kelvin Fletcher.

THE SEAGULL

Thurs. November 17 ● 7:30 PM

Tickets: $23 | Run Time: 3 hours

EMILIA CLARKE (Game of Thrones) makes her West End debut in this 21st century retelling of Anton Chekhov’s tale of love and loneliness. Filmed live in London’s West End with a cast including Tom Rhys Harries (White Lines), Daniel Monks (The Normal Heart), Sophie Wu (Fresh Meat) and Indira Varma (Game of Thrones).

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

Thurs. December 15 ● 7:30 PM

Tickets: $23 | Run Time: 2 hours 30 min

KATHERINE PARKINSON (The IT Crowd) and JOHN HEFFERNAN (Dracula) lead the cast in Shakespeare’s romcom of sun, sea and mistaken identity. Following the award-winning success of National Theatre Live’s Romeo & Juliet, Twelfth Night and Antony and Cleopatra, director Simon Godwin returns with this irresistible comedy, broadcast live from the National Theatre stage.

THE CRUCIBLE

Thurs. March 2 ● 7:30 PM

Tickets: $23 | Run Time: 3 hours

A witch hunt is beginning in Arthur Miller’s captivating parable of power with Erin Doherty (The Crown) and Brendan Cowell (Yerma). Lyndsey Turner (Hamlet) directs this contemporary new staging, designed by Tony Awardwinner Es Devlin (The Lehman Trilogy). Captured live from the Olivier stage at the National Theatre.

OTHELLO

Thurs. April 27 ● 7:30 PM

Tickets: $23 | Run Time: 3 hours

An extraordinary new production of Shakespeare’s most enduring tragedy, directed by Clint Dyer with a cast that includes Giles Terera (Hamilton), Rosy McEwen (The Alienist) and Paul Hilton (The Inheritance). Othello is filmed live on the Lyttleton stage of the National Theatre.

ADULT

EDUCATION SERIES

Join Monmouth University faculty and friends as they host virtual courses exploring topics that blend leisure and learning.

ROOTS OF ROCK ’N’ ROLL, PART I

Class Schedule: Thursdays – Sept. 15, 22 & 29 | 7:30 – 9 PM

This three-session virtual course taught by KIT O’TOOLE – the first of a two-part course – explores how gospel, blues, and jazz contributed to the development of the music of Elvis Presley, Fats Domino, Little Richard, and much more. How gospel, blues and jazz impacted instrumentation, vocal style, and composition will also be studied. In addition to multimedia presentations, class discussion and activities will enable attendees to identify the essential elements of rock.

THIS DAY IN MUSIC

Class Schedule: Thursdays - Oct. 6, 13 & 20 | 7:30 - 9 PM

In this collaboration with the Rhythm and Blues Preservation Society, we are delighted to present This Day in Music, a three session virtual course taught by SONJA ELISE FREEMAN and PERRY THOMPSON. Each course meeting will address a profound moment on that date in music history. This semester’s dates include Jimi Hendrix and the Experience’s inaugural performance in 1966, Prince’s adoption of a symbol to represent his name in 1992, and Hip-Hop legend Snoop Dogg’s 50th birthday in 2021.

WRITING MEMOIR

Class Schedule: Thursdays – Oct. 27, Nov. 3 & 10 | 7:30 – 9 PM

This three-session virtual course provides attendees with an introduction to basic modes for telling the stories of their lives. Working in a supportive workshop setting, students will enjoy engaging, wide-ranging discussion about the joys and challenges of bringing their memories to life. Instructor: MIKE FARRAGHER, Monmouth University alumnus and author of numerous works of fiction and memoir.

ROOTS OF ROCK ’N’ ROLL, PART II

Class Schedule: Thursdays - Dec. 1, 8 & 15 | 7:30 - 9 PM

Part two of the Roots of Rock ’n’ Roll course – a three-session virtual course taught by KIT O’TOOLE – continues exploring the foundations of the genre, this time exploring country, folk, and skiffle. How these art forms influenced both American and British artists will be studied in terms of instrumentation, singing style, and composition. In addition to multimedia presentations, class discussion and activities will enable attendees to identify the essential elements of rock.

What our audiences are saying:

“This was my first time at this wonderful theater. [We] were quite impressed with the seating layout, intimacy and proximity to the entertainment. We will be looking into attending more programs at this venue. We all left the theater feeling joy.”