Grunin Center 2022 - 2023 Brochure

2022-2023 SEASON

Photo by Marconi Photography

A Message from Interim Executive and Artistic Director Heidi M. Sheridan

Welcome to the Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts at Ocean County College. Thanks to the enormous generosity of the Grunin Foundation, we are excited to bring yet another year of world-class performances and cultural events to Ocean County. From award winning vocalists and musicians to esteemed lecturers to family and educational programming and more, our season’s offerings present something for everyone in our shore community. We hope that you will join us!

The Grunin Foundation endowment has transformed arts engagement in Ocean County, and with your continued patronage, we can look forward to a future of exciting performances. Please join us as the arts come alive in Ocean County. I look forward to welcoming you to many of our 2022-2023 shows.

Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts Staff Heidi M. Sheridan Interim Executive & Artistic Director Jessica Zawerczuk Assistant Director, Marketing & Sales Jaclyn Wood Assistant Director, Education & Community Engagement Victoria Buczynski Marketing & Sales Specialist Erik Stratton Education & Community Engagement Coordinator Bryn Farace Technical Production Manager Stephan Caldwell and Sue Towery Technical Production Coordinators

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Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts • 2022-2023 Season

My late wife Linda and I have always had philanthropy in our hearts. We built our reputation as lawyers who worked hard, related to our clients’ needs and always sought to act with the highest integrity. In 2013, we established the Grunin Foundation, with our son Jeremy, to give back to the community that afforded us so many incredible opportunities.

Our Foundation’s mission is to improve the quality of life for all members of our community by using philanthropy to drive economic excellence at the Central Jersey Shore. We envision a thriving community where everyone has equitable access to an abundance of exemplary arts, culture, education, healthcare and economic opportunities. Aligned with our mission and vision, the Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts is a key arts hub in our community, keeping our arts culture flourishing.

A Message from Jay Grunin

While the world is certainly different today, the importance of the arts has not changed. As we work towards recovering from the global health crisis, we must continue to show our support now more than ever. The creativity and determination to keep the arts alive, even when we could not physically be together, has been inspiring.

The arts connect us all. They heal, offer hope and will bring an economic renewal to the Central Jersey Shore. While we stayed connected to the arts virtually, we are now ready to safely welcome back artists, musicians and entertainers to the stage. Our community will be there, united by the arts, with our spirits more grateful, our applause louder and our hearts fuller.

For updated health and safety guidelines, please visit grunincenter.org/safety-guidelines

grunincenter.org • 732-255-0500

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Subscription Packages!

The more you buy, the more you save on eligible Grunin Presents events:  Buy 3 events, save 10%  Buy 5 events, save 15%  Buy 7 events, save 20% Ticket prices for Grunin Presents shows are based on seat location.

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Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts • 2022-2023 Season

SATURDAY  SEPTEMBER 24, 2022 7:00pm  Main Stage  $35 Jukebox Saturday Night is a music review of the great Big Bands during the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. Join us for a fun-filled event for all ages that captures the exciting sounds, great melodies, and lyrics of yesterday. Featuring an energetic group of instrumentalists and vocalists who will keep you moving in your seats, tapping your toes, and clapping your hands.

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B R O O K LY N R I D E R

Brooklyn Rider - The Four Elements THURSDAY  SEPTEMBER 29, 2022 7:00pm  Main Stage  $38/$32 In part a celebration of Earth’s wondrous mysteries, string quartet Brooklyn Rider's latest project calls attention to the powerful forces of climate change which, taken together, represent the single greatest challenge of our time.

The Four Elements gathers music either broadly representative of, or directly inspired by, the classical elements of earth, air, fire, and water.

There will also be an 11:00 am school program. Contact us by phone to learn more!

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Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts • 2022-2023 Season

Paul Reiser

with special guest Vance Gilbert SATURDAY  OCTOBER 8, 2022 8:00pm  Main Stage  $55/$45/$35 Join comedian, actor, television writer, author, and musician Paul Reiser for an evening of standup comedy. One of Hollywood’s most prolific creatives, he is starring in two hit shows for Netflix: Stranger Things as Dr. Sam Owens, in a role created by the Duffer Brothers specifically for Reiser, and Chuck Lorre’s The Kominsky Method, for which he received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.

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SATURDAY  OCTOBER 15, 2022 8:00pm  Main Stage  $39/$29 The Sixties Show is from NYC and is the greatest 1960s musical re-creation show on earth! The band features former band members of The Who, Bob Dylan, and NBC TV’s Saturday Night Live band. In addition to the concert experience, the show is a full multi-media Broadway-style production that is powerfully dramatized by a combination of time travel special effects, narration, 60’s archival audio, newsreel footage, and a light show.

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Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts • 2022-2023 Season

EPHRAT ASHERIE DANCE: UNDERSCORED

FRIDAY  OCTOBER 21, 2022 7:00pm  Main Stage  $30/$25 Created and performed by members of the company with special guest artists from New York City’s underground scene, Asherie’s newest work is inspired by the intergenerational memories of club dancers. Ephrat Asherie Dance invites audiences to join them on an exhilarating journey through the ever-changing physical landscape of New York City’s underground dance community.

There will also be an 11:00 am school program on Thursday, October 20, 2022.

Contact us by phone to learn more!

This funding from the Association of Performing Arts Professionals, made possible with the generous support of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, will fuel a stronger, more equitable way of working as the performing arts ecosystem recovers. #ArtsForward

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SATURDAY  OCTOBER 29, 2022 8:00pm  Main Stage  $25 For over 47 years, The Rocky Horror Picture Show has delighted audiences and terrified parents.

Featuring a shadow cast of the film (that’s actors acting in front of the screen during the film), you’ll Time Warp through an evening you’ll never forget! Rated R, Ages 17+ Produced in association with Danny Kapilian Presents

Sorry, no outside props allowed.

Approved prop bags will be for sale in the lobby before the show.

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Westminster Concert Bell Choir

FRIDAY  DECEMBER 2, 2022 7:30pm  Main Stage  $20 Based at Rider University’s Westminster Choir College and conducted by Kathleen Ebling Shaw, the Westminster Concert Bell Choir is composed of undergraduate and graduate students selected by audition. This year celebrates the 44th year of the handbell curriculum at Westminster Choir College, the first institution in the world to develop such a program.

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VIENNA BOYS CHOIR

THURSDAY  DECEMBER 8, 2022 7:00pm  Main Stage  $52/$48 Vienna Boys Choir, renowned as one of the finest vocal ensembles in the world for over 5 centuries, performs frequently throughout North America in everything from houses of worship to great concert venues like New York’s Carnegie Hall and Chicago’s Symphony Hall.

The chorus is comprised of four separate ensembles of 23-26 boys each, totaling 100 choristers at the Vienna Boys Choir’s school at any given time - all of them between the ages of 10 and 14.

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JUDY COLLINS

Holidays & Hits SUNDAY  DECEMBER 11, 2022 7:00pm  Main Stage  $57/$47 Judy Collins has inspired audiences with sublime vocals, boldly vulnerable songwriting, personal life triumphs, and a firm commitment to social activism.

In the 1960s, she evoked both the idealism and steely determination of a generation united against social and environmental injustices. Five decades later, her luminescent presence shines brightly as new generations bask in the glow of her iconic 50-album body of work, and heed inspiration from her spiritual discipline to thrive in the music industry for half a century.

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FRIDAY  DECEMBER 16, 2022 7:30pm  Main Stage  $39/$35 A spectacular live music event with top Irish musicians on vocals, Irish fiddle, bodhrán, Irish flute, guitar, bass, drums, and All-Ireland uilleann piper Fiachra O’Regan from Connemara with the added bonues of the always crowd-pleasing Irish dancers. Christmas with The Celts is a perfect combination of modern Christmas hits, lively ancient Irish Carols, and hilarious spontaneous humor that gives audiences a most memorable and interactive Christmas experience.

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CLASSIC ALBUMS LIVE PERFORMS

PINK FLOYD’S THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON FRIDAY  MARCH 3, 2023  8:00pm  Main Stage  $48/$42 twenty million people bought this album first on vinyl, then cassette, then cd then one day it was on our phones we’ve lived a life alongside this album dark side of the moon came out in 1973 it was everywhere the album cover prism was drawn on countless school binders we started paying attention to the sound of cash registers having a good stereo system was a thing classic albums live knows how to perform this album it’s complex and full of soul just getting the alarm clocks together was a feat all the little voices then you had to find someone that could sing ‘great gig in the sky’ we did, and it’s joyous the musicians care about this album it was our flagship show in 2003 it’s the album that changed everything it’s a masterpiece that will be remembered forever

craig martin founder, classic albums live

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FRIDAY  MARCH 10, 2023 8:00pm  Main Stage  $48/$42 Songs We Love is a journey through the first 50 years of jazz song. Under the musical direction of Riley Mulherkar, 3 guest vocalists will join an all-star band made up of New York’s rising stars. Combining their distinct talents, the group will sing their way through four decades of music, beginning with the early blues and jazz of the 1920s and ending in the early 1950s. Iconic singers to be IMG_JALC_FLYER.indd 1 9/2/21 11:45 AM explored include Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and Judy Garland.

There will also be an 11:00am school program. Contact us by phone to learn more!

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RED HOT

CHILLI

PIPERS

SUNDAY  MARCH 12, 2023 7:00pm  Main Stage  $49/$39 It’s the Red Hot Chilli PIPERS – (NOT the Peppers!) Bagpipes with attitude.

Drums with a Scottish accent. It’s Bagpipes. It’s Rock. It’s Bagrock.

AC/DC meets the poet Robert Burns. Where rock anthems sit comfortably alongside the great tunes from the glens and mountains of Scotland.

ENT-24-RHCP-Poster-A3.indd 1

14/12/2012 14:11

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SATURDAY  MARCH 25, 2023 8:00pm  Main Stage  $45/$35 A multimedia experience combining the music, dance, and stories of Ireland and featuring the ethereal voice of leading Irish tenor Michael Londra.

Backed by his immensely talented band and world champion Irish dancers, Michael shares songs, stories, and traditional music of his home country.

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SATURDAY  APRIL 1, 2023 7:00pm  Main Stage  $35 America’s longest-running live stage production, The Tamburitzans have entertained audiences of all ages for over eight decades. Dedicated to perpetuating international cultural heritage, the ensemble delivers a highcaliber multi-media showcase. This season’s ensemble features 29 passionate young professionals in a vibrant and energetic production featuring festive costumes, bold visuals, daring acrobatics, and musical variety.

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Paula Poundstone is known for her smart, observational humor and a spontaneous wit that has become the stuff of legend. Time magazine, in the March 2020 “Best of” issue, listed Paula’s HBO special, Cats, Cops and Stuff as one of the 5 Funniest Stand-Up Specials Ever.

Paula can be heard weekly as the host of the comedy podcast, Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone and as a regular panelist on NPR’s comedy news quiz, Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!

THURSDAY APRIL 13, 2023 7:00pm Main Stage $45/$35

Photo by Shannon Greer

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Nimbus Dance: Falling Sky FRIDAY  APRIL 21, 2023 7:00pm  Main Stage  $20 Nimbus Dance brings a soulful program to the Grunin Center. Artistic Director Samuel Pott’s Falling Sky contrasts humanity’s indomitable strength with the catastrophic consequences of climate change. A “fantastic choreographer” who “perfectly encapsulates love” (Huffington Post), Mr. Pott goes beyond physically virtuosic movement to illustrate what happens when the world you’ve conquered turns against you.

Projected scenic design by award-winning video artists Laia Cabrera and Isabelle Duverger, and original music by Qasim Naqvi, combine to build a theatrically suspenseful experience.

This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

To find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov.

Photos by Jeff Velez/Acid Test Photography

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SUNDAY APRIL 23, 2023 5:00pm  Main Stage $39/$29 The brainchild of internationally accomplished pianists Andreas Kern and Paul Cibis, the Piano Battle sees the duo go head-tohead on stage, charming and enchanting the audience with a variety of classical pieces. The two artists, with distinctly different performance styles, take turns to perform pieces by composers such as Chopin, Liszt, and Debussy. They will even improvise based on the tunes you request. To learn more, visit pianobattle.com.

Photo by Mathias Bothor

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FRIDAY  APRIL 28, 2023 8:00pm  Main Stage  $35 A chronological journey of The Who’s legendary catalog through the wood and wire of bluegrass instrumentation. Framed as a follow-up to The HillBenders' 2015 acoustic interpretation of The Who’s TOMMY, WhoGrass now gives the audience a career spanning twist on one of Rock ’n’ Roll’s greatest bands.

From the early hits and through The Who’s discography with a peek into Pete Townshend’s solo career, the rolling banjo, intense dobro percussion, and thunderous vocals will have even the biggest Who fan singing along!

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FRIDAY  JUNE 23, 2023 8:00pm  Main Stage  $30/$20 The Great Rock N Roll Time Machine is an all-out overload of sight and sound that brings audiences back to the glory days of 70s and 80s arena rock.

Featuring hits from Boston to Bon Jovi, Frampton to Poison, and McCartney to Mötley Crüe! Take a ride in The Great Rock N Roll Time Machine and enjoy the biggest hits in stadium rock!

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THURSDAY NOVEMBER 3, 2022 7:00pm  $30 Gia Maione Prima Foundation Studio Theatre Former guitarist for Bon Jovi, NY/NJ Blues Hall of Fame inductee, and crowned King of the Blues by BB King himself, Matt O’Ree has been a driving force in the blues/rock music scene for many years.

Lex Lehman’s smooth soulful bass, John Hummel’s Bonham-esque drums, and Eryn and Layonne’s angelic and gutsy vocals, combined with Matt’s blistering guitar make the band’s live show reminiscent of a Zeppelin concert at the Garden.

SATURDAY MAY 20, 2023 8:00pm  $30 Gia Maione Prima Foundation Studio Theatre Over the past decade, vocalist/writer/musician/ producer Dayna Kurtz has been bestowed with many awards, including being named the Female Songwriter of the Year by the National Academy of Songwriters. She’s toured with the likes of Elvis Costello, Mavis Staples, Rufus Wainwright, B.B. King, and Dr. John. grunincenter.org • 732-255-0500

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S E R I E S FA M I LY

FAMILY SHOW Families can laugh, sing, DISCOUNT and explore the arts withSave on multiple RWJBarnabas Health Family Series Events! programs designed to put Buy 2-4 family events smiles on the facesusing discount code FAM1523 to save 15%. of children of all ages!

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Buy 5-6 family events using discount code FAM2023 to save 20%.

FA M I LY

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 5, 2022 1:00pm Main Stage $15 Adult $12 Child

S E R I E S

See the newest zany spectacular from worldfamous, Guinness Book of World Recordsholding, master bubble wrangler Jeff Boyer, as he takes bubbles to the max!

YATES MUSICAL THEATRE PRESENTS

A CHRISTMAS CAROL SATURDAY DECEMBER 3, 2022 1:00pm  Main Stage $15 Adult  $12 Child

A musical adaptation of the tale of the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge. The Yates Musical Theatre has brought these unforgettable characters alive, added a melodious score, and wrapped it all up in a beautiful production.

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S E R I E S FA M I LY

Ballet for Young Audiences presents

The Nutcracker SATURDAY DECEMBER 10, 2022 1:00pm & 4:00pm  Main Stage $15 Adult  $12 Child The story of Clara, the favorite godchild of a mysterious clockmaker, who helps transport Clara and her Nutcracker Prince to a special realm.

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 11, 2023 1:00pm  Main Stage $20 Adult ■ $15 Child Doktor Kaboom has built a great big spinning wheel and labeled it with everything from optical illusions to chemical reactions to a homemade hovercraft and more!

At least a dozen fantastic demonstrations are ready to go.

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FA M I LY S E R I E S

SATURDAY  FEBRUARY 25, 2023 1:00pm  Main Stage  $20 Adult ■ $15 Child

ConSoul is an award-winning, New York City based, multi-genre ensemble that performs live renditions of music from video games such as Mario Bros., Sonic the Hedgehog, and more! Their style spans funk, jazz, and full size big band.

SATURDAY  APRIL 29, 2023 1:00pm & 4:00pm  Main Stage $20 Adult  $15 Child Imagine nine of the world’s most talented 4-legged performers in an uproariously funny, comedy dog spectacular that is leaving audiences everywhere howling for more! The all-star lineup includes the highest jumping dog in the universe, two Guinness World Record Champions, a hilarious six-pound Pomeranian Pikachu mix, and a host of previously discarded dogs that will dance, prance, flip, and skip their way right into your heart. Deemed “A must see!” by The Washington Post!

The 4:00pm performance will be a Relaxed Performance.

Visit grunincenter.org for details about our Relaxed Performance policies.

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BLAUVELT SPEAKER SERIES presented by

The Blauvelt Speaker Series enables OCC's Foundation to bring world-renowned speakers to the campus for our students, faculty, and the community to enjoy.

Past speakers have included Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Erin Brockovich, Thomas Friedman, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Dr. Temple Grandin, Jeh Johnson, John Meacham, Chrissy Metz, and Anna Deavere Smith.

The Blauvelt Speaker Series is funded in part by the generosity of the late Bradford Thomas & Eleanor G. Blauvelt and The Wintrode Family Foundation.

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BLAUVELT SPEAKER SERIES presented by

Ice Cold Facts with Ice-T TUESDAY  SEPTEMBER 20, 2022 6:30pm  Main Stage  $15

Ice-T not only invented gangster rap, he has lived it. Ice-T is the original embodiment of LA Hip-Hop and a cultural icon. Through his music, his multiple books and his lecture tours of America’s prisons, high schools, libraries, and colleges, Ice-T has become a cultural icon and an influential spokesman for America’s youth, regardless of color.

He currently stars in NBC’s Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, the longest running TV drama in television history and is currently filming its 23rd season.

Ice-T has acted in every season of this recordbreaking run.

The cost of this ticket has been generously underwritten by sponsors of the Blauvelt Speaker Series.

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BLAUVELT SPEAKER SERIES presented by

Junot Díaz

MONDAY OCTOBER 24, 2022 11:00am Main Stage Free Junot Díaz holds the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, a success he adds to an already long list of accolades that have been awarded to his novel The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. A true literary triumph, this heartbreaking, at times hilarious, always dazzling story of the endless human capacity to persevere in the name of love confirms Díaz as one of the best and most exciting literary voices of our time.

The cost of this ticket has been generously underwritten by sponsors of the Blauvelt Speaker Series.

This event is a collaboration with the Visiting Writers’ Reading Series.

Photo by Nina Subin

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BLAUVELT SPEAKER SERIES presented by

Michael Beschloss

TUESDAY  APRIL 25, 2023 6:30pm  Main Stage  $15 Michael Beschloss is an award-winning historian, scholar of leadership, and bestselling author of ten books - most recently the acclaimed New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller Presidents of War. Beschloss appears regularly on television as the NBC News Presidential Historian and contributor to PBS NewsHour. He has also been a contributing columnist to the New York Times. He has won an Emmy for his television work and received six honorary degrees and numerous other awards.

The cost of this ticket has been generously underwritten by sponsors of the Blauvelt Speaker Series.

grunincenter.org • 732-255-0500

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Jazz on a Sunday Afternoon is made possible, in part, through the support of the Wintrode Family Foundation.

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Buy all 5 Jazz on Sunday Afternoon events and receive 30% off a ticket to: Jazz at Lincoln Center presents Songs We Love on Friday, March 10, 2023 at 8:00pm!

Mariel Bildsten started playing the trombone in fifth grade. After high school, she moved to New York City to pursue jazz studies at The New School and has been performing in the greater New York/New Jersey area ever since. Bildsten will lead a septet paying tribute to the music of Duke Ellington and Count Basie.

Called “the Groucho of the violin” by Tony Bennett and “a perfect musician” by jazz guitar legend, Bucky Pizzarelli, Aaron Weinstein “is rapidly establishing himself as one of his instrument’s rare jazz masters.” (Don Heckman, International Review of Music).

John Colianni's Jazz Orchestra May 21, 2023 • 3:00pm • Main Stage

Since its debut in 2017, the 17-piece orchestra has been creating a sensation amongst NYC area jazz fans with its fresh perspective on big band jazz. With a robust book of exciting original arrangements from leader and pianist John Colianni (and a lineup of top-caliber NYC area jazz musicians), John Colianni's Jazz Orchestra is creating a unique brand of big band jazz!

A F T E R N O O N

Aaron Weinstein April 16, 2023 • 3:00pm • Prima Studio Theatre

S U N DAY

Mariel Bildsten Septet November 20, 2022 • 3:00pm • Main Stage

A

With 14 albums to her credit, Champian is considered one of the most gifted pure jazz musicians of her generation. From North America to Europe, Champian’s swinging style and charismatic performances have made her a guardian of the legacy of jazz.

O N

Champian Fulton October 9, 2022 • 3:00pm • Main Stage

JA Z Z

Jazz Club Subscription

Brian Betz/Jon Barnes Duo June 4, 2023 • 3:00pm • Prima Studio Theatre

Brian Betz is a guitarist, composer, and educator that resides in the Philadelphia Metro Area performing throughout the United States with a vast array of musical artists. Jon Barnes, a native of the Baltimore area, currently performs as a jazz trumpet soloist with the United States Navy Band Commodores. His numerous original compositions and arrangements have become a regular part of the band’s repertoire, including arrangements for Miguel Zenon and Steve Wilson.

All events: $24 Adult  $20 Senior

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Afternoon

Recital Series Rh" ythm and harmony find their yaw into the inward places of the soul" . lP ta o

FALL EVENTS The Friday Afternoon Recital Series is celebrating the 200th anniversary of César Franck with a series of recitals devoted to his music. Living a fundamentally unassuming life as an organist and professor at the Paris Conservatory, in his later years Franck produced a string of profound works ripe with inspiration, passion, intellectual rigor, and lyricism. Please join us for this set of four performances exploring the masterworks of one of the undersung heroes of the late-Romantic period.

Fridays at 2:00pm • Free (Advance registration required) September 23 • October 14 • October 28 • December 23 36 Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts • 2022-2023 Season

All events are on Fridays at 2:00 pm on the Main Stage Free  Advance registration required

January 27  Sungji Kim, Soprano “A silvery-voiced” singer (Opera Magazine), Soprano and OCC faculty member Sungji Kim has brought various acclaim from critics with her exquisite musicality and attractive presence with “her incisive and bright voice” (New York Times).

Philadelphia-based composer and pianist Alexander Timofeev presents a recital of piano music inspired by Eastern European and American perspectives.

Pianists Mi-Won Kim and Bari Mort make up this New York metropolitan area piano duo whose name, Sonnet, means four hands in Korean. Originally from Korea and New York respectively, Mi-Won Kim and Bari Mort have successfully merged their inherently different personalities into a musical meeting of the minds.

S E R I E S

March 17  Sonnet, Four Hands Piano

R EC I TA L

February 17  Alexandar Timofeev, Piano

A F T E R N O O N

Spring Events

April 7  Christopher Shin, Piano Christopher Shin is an award-winning, 16-year-old pianist from Cherry Hill, NJ. He began studying the piano at the age of six and is currently studying with Professor Veda Zuponcic of Rowan University.

May 19  Anna Keiserman, Piano Russian-born and New York-based pianist Anna Keiserman is known for her creative programming, expressive freedom, and singular vision. With her debut album, Russian Mosaic, Anna offers rarely heard gems by Rachmaninoff, Shchedrin, Smirnov, and Medtner.

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S TAG E

TUESDAY  NOVEMBER 29, 2022 10:00am & 12:00pm Main Stage  Free

S C H O O L S

' N

TREKKING MEXICO

A multi-cultural ensemble of professional musicians, actors, dancers, and teaching artists whose love of Mexican traditions shines bright in every performance. Their philosophy is that art and culture are an integral part of the development of every individual’s outlook on life.

For more information about booking your school group, contact Jaclyn Wood at jwood@ocean.edu.

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 10, 2023 10:00am & 12:00pm Main Stage  $5

Combining high-energy interactive comedy with the wonders of scientific exploration, It’s Just Rocket Science focuses on the scientific challenges encountered in space travel.

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S C H O O L S

LET FREEDOM SWING

' N Let Freedom Swing brings outstanding jazz artists and performances to community audiences. Inspired by conversations between former U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Sandra Day O'Connor, and jazz musician Wynton Marsalis, Let Freedom Swing has reached nearly half a million students in over 3,000 concerts around the world.

S TAG E

FRIDAY  MARCH 10, 2023 11:00am  Main Stage  $5

For more information about booking your school group, contact Jaclyn Wood at jwood@ocean.edu.

WEDNESDAY  APRIL 5, 2023 10:00am & 12:00pm  Main Stage  Free

BELLA GAIA is an unprecedented NASA-powered immersive experience. Illuminating the BEAUTY of the planet (BELLA) and the INTERCONNECTEDNESS of all things on Earth (GAIA), this live concert blends music, dance, technology, and NASA satellite imagery to turn the stage planetary.

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The story of Joseph and his coat of many colors. Based on the Bible’s book of Genesis and originating from a cantata written for a school choir, Joseph is a muchloved family classic. Written in 1968, it features iconic pop and musical theatre classics such as Any Dream will Do and Go Go Joseph.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of The Really Useful Group. www.concordtheatricals.com

Fridays, July 15 & 22 • 7:30pm  Saturdays, July 16 & 23 • 2:00pm & 7:30pm Sundays, July 17 & 24 • 2:00pm

O C C

R E P E RTO RY

T H E AT R E

C O M PA N Y

Main Stage $25 Adult  $22 Senior  $18 Student

Black Box Theater  $15 Adult  $12 Senior

Becca and Howie Corbett have everything a family could want, until a lifeshattering accident turns their world upside down.

Winner of the 2007 Pulitzer Prize, “David Lindsay-Abaire has crafted a drama that’s not just a departure but a revelation—an intensely emotional examination of grief, laced with wit, insightfulness, compassion, and searing honesty.” —Variety.

Friday, October 14 • 7:30pm Saturday, October 15 • 7:30pm Sunday, October 16 • 2:00pm

Friday, October 21 • 7:30pm Saturday, October 22 • 2:00pm & 7:30pm Sunday, October 23 • 2:00pm

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Travel to the darkest corners inside Edgar Allen Poe’s mind, as some of his favorite tales and poems are blended together to create a chilling excursion.

Fall under the spell of these familiar stories and poems brought to life in a theatrical adaptation that is suspenseful, sinister, and sensual.

Black Box Theater $17 Adult  $14 Senior

C O M PA N Y

E HOLIDAYS H T R O F

T H E AT R E

Friday, November 11 • 7:00pm Friday, November 17 • 7:30pm Saturday, November 12 • 7:30pm Saturday, November 18 • 2:00pm & 7:30pm Sunday, November 13 • 2:00pm Sunday, November 19 • 2:00pm

R E P E RTO RY

Black Box Theater $15 Adult  $12 Senior

O C C

'TIS THE WIND AND NOTHING MORE

Celebrate the holidays Broadway-style when the OCC Repertory Theatre Company presents this rousing revue of over 20 of your favorite holiday tunes from the Great White Way. This all-encompassing collection of seasonal favorites will be sure to put even the biggest Grinch into the holiday spirit!

Fridays, December 9 & 16 • 7:30pm Saturdays, December 10 & 17 • 2:00pm & 7:30pm Sundays, December 11 & 18 • 2:00pm

grunincenter.org • 732-255-0500

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C O M PA N Y T H E AT R E

Artie Shaugnessy is a songwriter with visions of glory.

Toiling by day as a zookeeper, he suffers in seedy lounges by night, plying his wares at piano bars in Queens, New York. This play is stuffed with stunning moments that run the emotional gambit.

Friday, March 3 • 7:30pm Saturday, March 4 • 7:30pm Sunday, March 5 • 2:00pm Friday, March 10 • 7:30pm Saturday, March 11 • 2:00pm Saturday, March 11 • 7:30pm Sunday, March 12 • 2:00pm

THE HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES by John Guare

Black Box Theater $15 Adult  $12 Senior Katharina and Bianca, the daughters of a rich man of Padua, are ready to marry.

The game is simple: the youngest can be won only if the eldest finds her equal. But Katharina is strong-willed and not afraid to challenge the rules. Who will be able to rival her? The hunt is on.

O C C

R E P E RTO RY

Black Box Theater $15 Adult  $12 Senior

Friday, April 21 • 7:30pm Saturday, April 22 • 7:30pm Sunday, April 23 • 2:00pm

The Taming of the

Shrew

Friday, April 28 • 7:30pm Saturday, April 29 • 2:00pm Saturday, April 29 • 7:30pm Sunday, April 30 • 2:00pm

by William Shakespeare

42 Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts • 2022-2023 Season

O C C

OCC Concert Band presents: A Children's Holiday Saturday  December 3, 2022 • 7:00pm

C O N C E RT

This performance is for the young and the young at heart. If you grew up with memories of Charlie Brown, The Grinch, The Dreidel Song, or The Night Before Christmas, you'll want to make sure you come and relive your childhood with these wonderful pieces!

B A N D

OCC Concert Band presents: The AllAmerican Music Festival Saturday  May 6, 2023 • 7:00pm

From Let Freedom Ring to The Battle Hymn of the Republic to Seventy-Six Trombones to Barry Manilow, you won't want to miss this celebration of American Music with a special performance by the OCC Dixieland Band!

Both shows are on the Grunin Center Main Stage $20 Adult  $18 Senior  $10 Child

grunincenter.org • 732-255-0500

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CAMP Summer Programs All shows are on the Grunin Center Main Stage

Friday July 8, 2022 10:00am & 12:00pm

Wednesday July 27, 2022 10:00am & 12:00pm

Wednesday August 3, 2022 10:00am & 12:00pm

Thursday August 11, 2022 10:00am & 12:00pm A limited number of free public tickets are available. Advance registration required.

Camp groups: please email Jaclyn Wood at jwood@ocean.edu to reserve your group.

CAMP is made possible through the generous support of the Wintrode Family Foundation.

44 Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts • 2022-2023 Season

S P EC I A L

P L A N E TA R I U M

E V E N T

SATURDAY  NOVEMBER 19, 2022 4:00pm & 8:00pm  Planetarium  $25 Under the aurora borealis of the Northwest Territories, Roman Zavada translates in music the feeling of Northern spirit. Acclaimed by critics and audiences alike, Résonances Boréales is an outstanding 360° dome show that brings the audience above the 60th parallel into the depths of the Canadian taiga and takes you on a journey with the astonishing northern lights.

Tickets for this event are available through the Novins Planetarium Box Office.

Call 732-255-0343 or visit tickets.ocean.edu for a monthly schedule and to buy tickets for events at the Robert J. Novins Planetarium!

FREE FACULTY LECTURE SERIES Great Ideas: How Philosophy Shapes Our World

Presented by Dr. Christopher Ruth and Dr. Mark William Westmoreland Thursdays 6:00-7:30pm • October 6-November 3, 2022 Ideas have consequences. This series explores many creative ideas, arguments, and reflections about the human condition. Discover how philosophy shapes our perspective on a variety of topics and helps us think more clearly about fundamental problems.

October 6: Pre-Socratics and Sophists: Reason and Persuasion October 13: Plato and Aristotle: Metaphysics and the Good Life October 20: Modern Philosophy: The Rise of the New Science October 27: Empiricism and Kant: Reason and the Senses November 3: Political Philosophy: Learning to Live Together Email mwestmoreland@ocean.edu for more details

grunincenter.org • 732-255-0500

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Sponsors

The Grunin Center wishes to acknowledge the following organizations for their support.

These programs are funded in part by the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders and a grant from the NJ State Council on the Arts administered by The Ocean County Cultural & Heritage Commission.

Located on the Ocean County College Campus

SPONSORS & DIRECTIONS

West College Drive  (to N. Bay Ave)

South College Driv

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11b 12

11a 11b 12

Main Stage Black Box Gia Maione Prima Foundaton

Studio Theatre

Parking Lot 2

ge

College Drive

Dr iv

e

11a

rt No to Lot 2

H . Ge orge

46 Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts • 2022-2023 Season

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Buckw

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Purchasing Tickets

Tickets are available online at grunincenter.org or by phone from the Grunin Center Box Office.

Hours: Monday-Friday, Noon to 5:00pm, phone 732-255-0500.

All information contained in this publication is accurate at the time of print. Prices, fees, dates, times, capacities, performers, and performances are subject to change at any time. Such changes do not dictate a refund or exchange unless authorized by the producer, promoter, or Grunin Center for the Arts. Ticket processing fees apply to all orders. Fees are subject to change. 2022-2023 Subscriptions go on sale on Tuesday, July 5, 2022 at noon. All tickets go on sale on Monday, July 11, 2022 at noon.

Accessibility

The Grunin Center for the Arts strives to make every accommodation possible for patrons needing accessible seating. Seating is limited and we encourage guests to make arrangements in advance. Assisted listening devices are available at all performances and are sanitized after each use. For large print or Braille programs please make request four weeks in advance.

Discounts and Subscriptions

T I C K E T I N F O R M AT I O N

For a complete listing of Policies, Accessibility Information, and Discounts, please visit grunincenter.org

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Address and Contact Info

Grunin Center for the Arts at Ocean County College College Drive Toms River, NJ 08754 Building #11 Free parking



732-255-0500  grunincenter@ocean.edu  grunincenter.org

Stay Connected Join our mailing list and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube to stay connected to all the latest news and events at the Grunin Center for the Arts!

OCC faculty, staff, students, and alumni: various discounts available for eligible shows. Limit of two tickets per eligible performance.

Call the ticket office for details.

Discounts are taken off adult ticket prices unless otherwise noted. grunincenter.org • 732-255-0500

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Piano Battle page 22

SEASON

www.grunincenter.org

College Drive, PO Box 2001 Toms River, NJ 08754-2001