Center for the Arts

Live Theatre Broadcasts in HD

National Theatre: Broadcast in HD

The Motive and the Cue

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. 

Tuesday Night Record Club

Jefferson Airplane’s Surrealistic Pillow

It’s just like book club but with albums! With new advances in technology, the way we consume music through our devices, apps and on demand streaming services like Pandora, Spotify and iTunes is making the idea of the “album” as an art form extinct. Get together with other music enthusiasts on Tuesday nights to discuss some of the greatest records of all-time! Listen to the album beforehand and then come prepared to discuss. This event will feature Jefferson Airplane’s Surrealistic Pillow.

Tuesday Night Book Club

R.F. Kuang’s Yellowface

Join us for Tuesday Night Book Club! Hosted by Monmouth University’s Ken Womack. This month’s novel is R.F. Kuang’s Yellowface. White lies. Dark humor. Deadly consequences… Bestselling sensation Juniper Song is not who she says she is, she didn’t write the book she claims she wrote, and she is most certainly not Asian American–in this chilling and hilariously cutting novel from R.F. Kuang, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Babel.

Adult Education Series

PleinAir ChiaroScuro Drawing Course

Gina Torello, a professor in the Art and Design Department at Monmouth University for 20 years, will guide you in this NEW one-of-a-kind workshop. She will be teaching a step-by-step guided Academic Drawing Course in the neo-classical Erlanger Gardens on the campus of Monmouth University. 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 like the Impressionists.” New Wave Pochade Easels will be provided to all participants for use during your exclusive lesson, along with a comfortable pleinair chair to relax and draw during the class. All levels of experience in Drawing are welcome. A detailed supply list will be provided prior to the course.

Adult Education Series

PleinAir Oil Painting Course

Gina Torello, a professor in the Art and Design Department at Monmouth University for 20 years, will guide you in this NEW one-of-a-kind workshop. She will be teaching a step-by-step guided oil painting course the neo-classical in Erlanger Gardens on the campus of Monmouth University. The class will cover compositional structure perspective, color theory, diverse application of materials and most of all the process of “capturing the LIGHT in the open air like the Impressionists.” New Wave Pochade Easels will be provided to all participants for use during your exclusive lesson, along with a comfortable pleinair chair to relax and paint at during the class. All levels of experience in oil painting are welcome. A detailed supply list will be provided prior to the course.

Tuesday Night Record Club

Paul and Linda McCartney’s Ram

It’s just like book club but with albums! With new advances in technology, the way we consume music through our devices, apps and on demand streaming services like Pandora, Spotify and iTunes is making the idea of the “album” as an art form extinct. Get together with other music enthusiasts on Tuesday nights to discuss some of the greatest records of all-time! Listen to the album beforehand and then come prepared to discuss. This event will feature Paul and Linda McCartney’s Ram.

Tuesday Night Book Club

Erik Larson’s The Devil in the White City

Join us for Tuesday Night Book Club! Hosted by Monmouth University’s Ken Womack and special guests each month we’ll explore a different novel. All you have to do is Zoom in and join the discussion! This month’s novel is Erik Larson’s The Devil in the White City. #1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER • NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST • From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Splendid and the Vile comes the true tale of the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago and the cunning serial killer who used the magic and majesty of the fair to lure his victims to their death.

Live Theatre Broadcasts in HD

National Theatre: Broadcast in HD

Nye

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.

Tuesday Night Record Club

Elvis Costello’s Imperial Bedroom

It’s just like book club but with albums! With new advances in technology, the way we consume music through our devices, apps and on demand streaming services like Pandora, Spotify and iTunes is making the idea of the “album” as an art form extinct. Get together with other music enthusiasts on Tuesday nights to discuss some of the greatest records of all-time! Listen to the album beforehand and then come prepared to discuss. This event will feature Elvis Costello’s Imperial Bedroom

Tuesday Night Book Club

Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar

Join us for Tuesday Night Book Club! Hosted by Monmouth University’s Ken Womack and special guests each month we’ll explore a different novel. All you have to do is Zoom in and join the discussion! This month’s novel is Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar. In the hauntingly beautiful pages of The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath takes us on a gripping journey into the fragile psyche of Esther Greenwood. Set against the backdrop of 1950s America, this semiautobiographical novel explores the stifling expectations placed upon women and the suffocating grasp of societal norms.

The Metropolitan Opera: Live in HD

Les Contes d’Hoffmann

On October 5, an ensemble of leading lights take the stage for Offenbach’s fantastical final work, headlined by tenor Benjamin Bernheim in the title role of the tormented poet. Hoffmann’s trio of lovers are sung by soprano Erin Morley as the mechanical doll Olympia, soprano Pretty Yende as the plagued diva Antonia, and mezzo-soprano Clémentine Margaine as the Venetian seductress Giulietta. Marco Armiliato conducts Bartlett Sher’s evocative production, which also features bass-baritone Christian Van Horn as the Four Villains and mezzo-soprano Vasilisa Berzhanskaya in an important company debut as Hoffmann’s friend Nicklausse. This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.

Tickets on sale July 22 to Center for the Arts members and July 24 to general public.

Performing Arts Series

Billy Bob Thornton & The Boxmasters

The Boxmasters make a triumphant return to Pollak Theatre, bringing their latest album, “Love & Hate In Desperate Places,” and their electrifying North American tour to the stage. With J.D. Andrew and Bud Thornton leading the charge, the album introduces Kirk McKim and Raymond Hardy to the lineup, adding new dimensions to their sound. Kirk, a seasoned guitarist, and Raymond, a powerhouse on bass, bring fresh energy to the band’s recordings.

Performing Arts Series

An Evening with Rickie Lee Jones

Rickie Lee Jones is an American musician, storyteller and two-time Grammy winner who has been inspiring pop culture for decades, beginning with her star-making self-titled debut, followed by the seminal Pirates.  Named the “premiere song-stylist and songwriter of her generation” by The New Yorker, and “The Duchess of Coolsville” by Time magazine, Jones released her Grammy-nominated album Pieces of Treasure in 2023, a reunion with Russ Titelman, who produced her first two records.  Jones’ celebrated memoir Last Chance Texaco was named Book of the Year by MOJO and a Best Book of the Year at Pitchfork and NPR.  The Independent writes, “There has always been something defiant about Rickie Lee Jones . . . a voice from a dream, elusive yet familiar, transcendent, a messenger from another place.” 

The Metropolitan Opera: Live in HD

Grounded

Two-time Tony Award–winning composer Jeanine Tesori’s powerful new opera Grounded, commissioned by the Met and based on librettist George Brant’s acclaimed play, wrestles with the ethical quandaries and psychological toll of 21st-century warfare. Mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo, one of opera’s most compelling young stars, portrays Jess, a hot-shot fighter pilot whose unplanned pregnancy takes her out of the cockpit and lands her in Las Vegas, operating a Reaper drone halfway around the world. As she struggles to adjust to this new way of doing battle, she fights to maintain her sanity, and her soul, as she is called to rain down death by remote control. Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin oversees the Met premiere of Tesori’s kaleidoscopic score and a cast that also features tenor Ben Bliss as the Wyoming rancher who becomes Jess’s husband. Michael Mayer’s high-tech staging, using a vast array of LED screens, presents a variety of perspectives on the action, including the drone’s predatory view from high above. This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.

Tickets on sale July 22 to Center for the Arts members and July 24 to general public.

The Metropolitan Opera: Live in HD

Tosca

Extraordinary soprano Lise Davidsen stars as the volatile diva Floria Tosca for her first time at the Met. David McVicar’s thrilling production also features tenor Freddie De Tommaso in his eagerly anticipated company debut as Tosca’s revolutionary lover, Cavaradossi, and powerhouse baritone Quinn Kelsey as the sadistic chief of police Scarpia. Maestro Xian Zhang conducts the electrifying score, which features some of Puccini’s most memorable melodies. This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.

Tickets on sale July 22 to Center for the Arts members and July 24 to general public.

Performing Arts Series

The Wailin’ Jennys

Join us for a night of unforgettable folk music as The Wailin’ Jennys grace the stage at Pollak Theatre. From their humble beginnings in a tiny guitar shop to becoming one of today’s most beloved international folk acts, The Wailin’ Jennys have captured hearts around the world. Founding members Moody, Mehta, and Masse continue to impress with each critically acclaimed recording, elevating their music to new heights while thrilling audiences with their renowned live performances.

The Metropolitan Opera: Live in HD

Aida

Soprano Angel Blue makes her long-awaited Met role debut as the Ethiopian princess torn between love and country, one of opera’s defining roles. Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin takes the podium for Michael Mayer’s spectacular new staging, which brings audiences inside the towering pyramids and gilded tombs of ancient Egypt with intricate projections and dazzling animations. Mezzo-soprano Judit Kutasi, following her 2024 debut in Verdi’s La Forza del Destino, is Aida’s Egyptian rival Amneris, and tenor Piotr Beczała is the soldier Radamès—completing opera’s greatest love triangle. The all-star cast also features baritone Quinn Kelsey as Amonasro and bass Dmitry Belosselskiy as Ramfis. This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.

Tickets on sale July 22 to Center for the Arts members and July 24 to general public.

The Metropolitan Opera: Live in HD

Fidelio

Following a string of awe-inspiring Met performances, soprano Lise Davidsen stars as Leonore, who risks everything to save her husband from the clutches of tyranny. Tenor David Butt Philip is the political prisoner Florestan, sharing the stage with bass-baritone Tomasz Konieczny as the villainous Don Pizarro, veteran bass René Pape as the jailer Rocco, and soprano Ying Fang and tenor Magnus Dietrich, in his company debut, as the young Marzelline and Jaquino. Bass Stephen Milling sings the principled Don Fernando, and Susanna Mälkki conducts the Met’s striking production, which finds modern-day parallels in Beethoven’s stirring paean to freedom. This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.

Tickets on sale July 22 to Center for the Arts members and July 24 to general public.

The Metropolitan Opera: Live in HD

Le Nozze di Figaro

Conductor Joana Mallwitz makes her Met debut leading an extraordinary cast in Mozart’s comic masterpiece. Bass-baritone Michael Sumuel stars as the clever valet Figaro, opposite soprano Olga Kulchynska as his betrothed, the wily maid Susanna. Baritone Joshua Hopkins is the skirt-chasing Count, with soprano Federica Lombardi as his anguished wife and mezzo-soprano Marianne Crebassa as the adolescent page Cherubino. This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.

Tickets on sale July 22 to Center for the Arts members and July 24 to general public.

The Metropolitan Opera: Live in HD

Salome

Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts his first Met performances of Strauss’s white-hot one-act tragedy, which receives its first new production at the company in 20 years. Claus Guth, one of Europe’s leading opera directors, gives the biblical story—already filtered through the beautiful and strange imagination of Oscar Wilde’s play—a psychologically perceptive, Victorian-era setting rich in symbolism and subtle shades of darkness and light. Headlining the new staging is soprano Elza van den Heever as the abused and unhinged antiheroine, who demands the head of Jochanaan, sung by celebrated baritone Peter Mattei. Tenor Gerhard Siegel is Salome’s lecherous stepfather, King Herod, with mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung as his wife, Herodias, and tenor Piotr Buszewski as Narraboth. This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.

Tickets on sale July 22 to Center for the Arts members and July 24 to general public.