Monmouth University Center for the Arts Spring 2024 Brochure

COMING UP IN 2024...

TICKETS AT: 732.263.6889 OR MONMOUTH.EDU/MCA

BECOME A MEMBER and get early access to seats!

DETAILS INSIDE.

PERFORMING ARTS SERIES

ON A WINTER’S NIGHT Reunion Tour 2024 Sat. February 10 ● 8 PM POLLAK THEATRE Tickets starting at $45

Step into a timeless celebration of winter’s magic as legendary singer-songwriters reunite for an unforgettable evening, crafting heartfelt melodies into a soul-stirring tapestry. PATTY LARKIN’s inventive guitar wizardry, CLIFF EBERHARDT’s profound lyrics, JOHN GORKA’s poetic folk melodies, and LUCY KAPLANSKY’s enchanting voice promise an extraordinary concert, delivering musical brilliance and cherished memories. Don’t miss this chance to rediscover the enchantment!

An Evening with

GLEN PHILLIPS & SHAWN MULLINS Sat. February 24 ● 8 PM | Pollak Theatre | Tickets starting at $50 Experience acoustic brilliance as these legends share their captivating melodies in a onenight-only concert. GLEN PHILLIPS, renowned for his emotive songwriting from Toad the Wet Sprocket to his prolific solo career, brings introspective lyrics to life in his latest album, There is So Much Here. Meanwhile, SHAWN MULLINS, acclaimed for hits like Lullaby and Beautiful Wreck, revisits his roots with Soul’s Core Revival, celebrating two decades of musical magic.

GOLD CIRCLE SEATS SELLING FAST!

PERFORMING ARTS SERIES L.A. THEATRE WORKS’

A WEEKEND WITH PABLO PICASSO Sat. March 2 ● 8 PM

POLLAK THEATRE | Tickets starting at $45

The genius of Picasso comes to life in this live theatrical piece starring HERBERT SIGUENZA in the role of the legendary artist. Journey through Picasso’s mind & creative process during a revealing weekend in his studio as he prepares to deliver 6 new works to a buyer coming Monday.

Siguenza’s captivating performance immerses audiences in Picasso’s life and art. This is a mustsee event for art lovers & theater enthusiasts!

MARY GAUTHIER with

special guest Jaimee Harris Sat. March 30 ● 8 PM

POLLAK THEATRE | Tickets starting at $30

Join us for an evening of soul-stirring melodies from an artist whose storytelling and raw emotion resonate deeply. With a career spanning over two decades, Gauthier’s music mirrors life’s intricacies, weaving tales of love, loss, and redemption, exemplified in her latest album, Dark Enough to See the Stars. Dubbed the “Next Queen of Americana-Folk” by NPR, JAIMEE HARRIS, Gauthier’s partner and collaborator, brings her ethereal voice to this evening where melodies meet emotions and stories come to life.

METAMORPHOSIS: PORTRAITS OF SONG Fri. April 26 ● 8 PM

POLLAK THEATRE | Tickets: $35

Experience an extraordinary evening where art and music intertwine in a one-night-only concert featuring the brightest female singer-songwriters of the Jersey Shore, drawing inspiration from the captivating artworks of Nanci France-Vaz. CHRISTINE ELISE, PAM MCCOY, MARY MCCRINK, RACHEL DOBKEN, LAURA JOHNSON, and JAQUITA MAY are among those featured in Vaz’s narrative figure paintings on exhibition this spring in the Pollak Gallery. These talented artists step out of the canvases to perform live in an evening celebrating female artistry and inspiration.

PERFORMING ARTS SERIES FROM BIRMINGHAM TO BOTSWANA Sun. April 28 ● 4 PM

POLLAK THEATRE | Tickets $20

Experience GWEN MOTEN’s powerful one-woman play presented by DUNBAR REPERTORY COMPANY. Commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Birmingham Church bombing during the Civil Rights Movement, Moten weaves captivating storytelling and exceptional singing, sharing her personal connections to the event. Exploring the historical context of social movements and drawing parallels from her travels in apartheid-era South Africa and East Berlin, Moten’s performance delivers an unforgettable journey through history and international perspectives.

JOAN OSBORNE + CRASH TEST DUMMIES Fri. May 3 ● 8 PM

POLLAK THEATRE | Tickets starting at $49

JOAN OSBORNE and the CRASH TEST DUMMIES join forces for an unforgettable night of music.

Osborne, a seven-time Grammy nominee and acclaimed by AllMusic.com as “the most gifted vocalist of her generation,” delivers soulful renditions of her timeless hits like One of Us, captivating audiences with her powerful performances. Meanwhile, alt-rock icons Crash Test Dummies, renowned for their platinumcertified sensation Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm, amaze with their fusion of folk and blues, led by Brad Roberts’ unmistakable bass-baritone voice.

Join Our Member Program!!

By becoming a Member of the Center for the Arts for just $150 per year, you’ll gain access to a range of exceptional benefits that will elevate your cultural experiences to new heights: u

Early access to seats before anyone else

u

Members only lounges/special receptions

u

Exclusive access to members only contests/offers

u

Last-minute house seat upgrades and MORE!

® SCAN HERE FOR MORE INFO!

Alumni, Employees and MU Parents get $50 off membership!

To join visit www.monmouth.edu/MCA or call the box office 732.263.6889

in surround sound with easy-to-read subtitles on our 30’ screen What our audiences are saying: “When I see an opera at Pollak, I feel as if I am at the Met. It’s wonderful.”

BIZET’S CARMEN Sat. January 27 ● 1 PM Tickets: $23 | Run Time: 3:44

® NEW

PRODUCTION

Acclaimed English director Carrie Cracknell brings a new production of one of opera’s most enduringly powerful works. Dazzling young mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina leads a powerhouse quartet of stars in the complex and volatile title role, alongside tenor Piotr Beczała as Don José, soprano Angel Blue as Micaëla, and bass-baritone Kyle Ketelsen as Escamillo.

VERDI’S

LA FORZA DEL DESTINO Sat. March 9 ● 12 PM Tickets: $23 | Run Time: 4:22

® NEW

PRODUCTION

Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts this grand tale of ill-fated love, deadly vendettas, and family strife, with soprano Lise Davidsen as the noble Leonora.

Director Mariusz Treliński delivers the Met’s first new Forza in nearly 30 years, setting it in a contemporary world and making extensive use of the turntable to represent the unstoppable advance of destiny that drives the opera’s calamitous events.

GOUNOD’S

®

ROMÉO ET JULIETTE Sat. March 23 ● 1 PM Tickets: $23 | Run Time: 3:31

REVIVAL

Two singers at the height of their powers— radiant soprano Nadine Sierra and tenor sensation Benjamin Bernheim—come together as the star-crossed lovers in The Met: Live in HD series is made possible by a generous grant from its founding sponsor

Gounod’s sumptuous Shakespeare adaptation, with Met Music Director Yannick NézetSéguin on the podium to conduct one of the repertoire’s most romantic scores.

®

PUCCINI’S LA RONDINE Sat. April 20 ● 1 PM Tickets: $23 | Run Time: 2:47

REVIVAL

Puccini’s bittersweet love story makes a rare Met appearance with soprano Angel Blue starring as the French courtesan Magda, opposite tenor Jonathan Tetelman as Ruggero, an idealistic young man who offers her an alternative to her life of excess. Maestro Speranza Scappucci conducts Nicolas Joël’s Art Deco–inspired staging, transporting audiences from the heart of Parisian nightlife to a dreamy vision of the French Riviera.

PUCCINI’S

MADAMA BUTTERFLY Sat. May 11 ● 1 PM Tickets: $23 | Run Time: 3:15

® NEW

PRODUCTION

Extraordinary soprano Asmik Grigorian tackles the demanding role of Cio-Cio-San, the loyal geisha at the heart of Puccini’s devastating tragedy. Tenor Jonathan Tetelman stars as the callous American naval officer Pinkerton, whose betrayal destroys her. Mezzo-soprano Elizabeth DeShong reprises the role of Suzuki, and baritone Lucas Meachem is Sharpless.

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.

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

The Met: Live in HD series is supported by

Great Art On Screen Experience a global revolution of world class art, history and biography through the works of the greatest masters of our time.

JEFF KOONS: A PRIVATE PORTRAIT Mon. January 29 ● 7:30 PM | POLLAK THEATRE Tickets: $23 | Run Time: 80 minutes

Jeff Koons is widely regarded as one of the most influential, popular and disputed artists of the last 30 years. This film will show the hidden mechanisms lying behind the person, the artist and the Koons brand.

THE IMMORTALS:

THE WONDER OF THE MUSEO EGIZIO Mon. March 25 ● 7:30 PM | POLLAK THEATRE Tickets: $23 | Run Time: 86 minutes

Narrated by JEREMY IRONS, the documentary tells the tale of Kha, builder of pharaoh’s tombs who must undertake a journey to the Underworld. Taking us inside the world of Egyptian mythology, religion & funerary culture, the film interweaves the history of the Museo Egizio, that will soon be celebrating its 200th anniversary.

Proudly supported by

The British theatre behind the Tony award-winning WAR HORSE & ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS brings thrilling HD broadcasts to Pollak Theatre.

ROMEO AND JULIET Thurs. February 15 ● 7:30 PM | POLLAK THEATRE Tickets: $23 | Run Time: 100 minutes

Romeo and Juliet risk everything to be together. In defiance of their feuding families, they chase a future of joy and passion as violence erupts around them. JESSIE BUCKLEY (Wild Rose, Judy) and JOSH O’CONNOR (The Crown, God’s Own Country) play Juliet and Romeo.

VANYA Thurs. March 21 ● 7:30 PM | POLLAK THEATRE Tickets: $23 | Run Time: 110 minutes

ANDREW SCOTT (Fleabag) brings multiple characters to life in Simon Stephens’ (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time) radical new version of Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya. Hopes, dreams, and regrets are thrust into sharp focus in this one-man adaptation which explores the complexities of human emotions.

DEAR ENGLAND Thurs. April 11 ● 7:30 PM | POLLAK THEATRE Tickets: $23 | Run Time: 160 minutes

JOSEPH FIENNES (The Handmaid’s Tale) plays Gareth Southgate in James Graham’s gripping examination of nation and game. The country that gave the world football has since delivered a painful pattern of loss.

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.

ADULT EDUCATION SERIES

Join Monmouth University faculty and friends as they host courses both virtually and in person exploring topics that blend leisure and learning.

BRITISH INVASION, PART 3: THE THIRD WAVE Tues. Jan. 25 & Feb. 1 | 7:30 - 9 PM $50 for two virtual sessions

This two-session virtual course taught by KIT O’TOOLE will survey some of the major artists of the Second Wave period, from 1967 through the 1970s.

It will cover genres from psychedelia through blues rock, progressive rock, glam rock, and much more.

DON’T STOP BELIEVIN’: RACE & CLASS IN ROCK MUSIC Tues. Feb. 20 & 27 | 7:30 - 9 PM $50 for two virtual sessions

Since exploding on the scene in the late 1970s, Journey has inspired generations of fans with hit after hit. This two-session virtual course taught

by DAVID HAMILTON GOLLAND dispels rehashed myths and also shows how race and class in popular music contributed to their breakout success.

WRITING MEMOIR (ADVANCED) Tues. Mar. 19 & 26 | 7:30 - 9 PM $50 for two virtual sessions

This two-session virtual course taught by MIKE FARRAGHER (88) builds on the wildly popular Intro to Memoir Writing workshops with an emphasis on character development, dialogue, and scene setting that will make any story a page turner. No prior writing experience needed and all levels welcome!

THE ART OF UKRAINIAN EGG DECORATING Thurs. Mar. 21, 7 - 9:30 PM | Pollak Gallery Room 139 | $50 (materials included)

Celebrate the spring with this unique opportunity to learn the seasonal ancient art known as Pysanky

by JENNIFER SANTA MARIA. Pysanky, also known as Ukrainian eggs, is an ancient folk tradition that has been passed down for thousands of years.

This tutorial will cover the history and traditions surrounding Pysanky, a demonstration, and independent practice session. The instructor will provide a variety of eggs, dyes, and tools.

SELF-PUBLISHING, STEP-BY-STEP Tues. Apr. 16 & 23 | 7:30 - 9 PM $50 for two virtual sessions

This two-session virtual course taught by CHRISTY

SCHMIDT, provides participants with a complete roadmap to guide them through the selfpublishing process.

THE BEATLES’ A HARD DAY’S NIGHT Tues. Apr. 30 & Thurs. May 2 | 7:30 - 9 PM $50 for two virtual sessions

This summer marks 60 years since the release of the Beatles’ first and best feature film, A Hard Day’s Night. This two-session virtual course taught

by SCOTT MCLAREN will chronicle the Beatles’ rise to success, the explosion of Beatlemania across Britain, their subsequent conquering of the US, all leading to their critically acclaimed first film and soundtrack.

BRITISH INVASION, PART 4: THE FOURTH WAVE Thursdays - May 9 & 16 | 7:30 - 9 PM $50 for two virtual sessions

This two-session virtual course taught by KIT O’TOOLE will survey some of the major artists of the Third Wave period, from the late 1970s through the 1980s and beyond. It will cover genres from punk through new wave, synth pop, rock, and much more.

PLEINAIR CHIAROSCURO DRAWING COURSE Tue. Jun. 18, 12-5 PM | Erlanger Gardens $95 (materials not included)

GINA TORELLO will guide you in this NEW one-of-a-kind workshop. The class will cover compositional structure perspective, diverse application of materials and most of all the process of capturing the light in black and white in the Chiaroscuro technique in the open air. All levels of experience are welcome. A detailed supply list will be provided prior to the course.

PLEINAIR OIL PAINTING COURSE Thur. Jun. 20, 12-5 PM | Erlanger Gardens $95 (materials not included)

GINA TORELLO will teach a step-by-step guided oil painting course covering compositional structure perspective, color theory, diverse application of materials and most of all the process of capturing the light in the open air. All levels of experience welcome. A detailed supply list will be provided prior to the course.

Monmouth University Center for the Arts is committed to making its facilities and performances accessible for all patrons. If you require special assistance attending our events please advise the Box Office when ordering your tickets.

BUY TICKETS ONLINE OR BY PHONE AT:

u ARTNOW: Performance, Art & Technology Series

u Department of Music & Theatre Productions

u Tuesday Night Book Club

u Tuesday Night Record Club

u Gallery Exhibitions

u Visiting Writers Series

u World Cinema Series

Also check our website for information about our additional events at the CENTER FOR THE ARTS including:

MONMOUTH.EDU/MCA ∙ 732.263.6889

Alumni, Employees and MU Parents get $50 off membership!

SCAN HERE FOR MORE INFO!

®

SEE INSIDE FOR DETAILS...

to seats before anyone else and more!

By becoming a Member of the Center for the Arts for just $150 per year, you’ll gain EARLY ACCESS

Join our Member Program!

Where you can always enjoy FREE PARKING!

All shows at POLLAK THEATRE 400 Cedar Avenue West Long Branch, NJ 07764

Monmouth University

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