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  • Meet the Beatles

    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 Meet the Beatles.

    This event is offered BOTH in person and via Zoom. Join us in person at the Great Hall Auditorium on the campus of Monmouth University or join us via zoom. When you register you will be provided the ZOOM meeting link to join the conversation.

    Free and open to the public, but registration is required.

  • The Immortals: The Wonder of The Museo Egizio

    This documentary is a journey among the most beautiful archaeological finds Egypt has left us.

    Kha, architect and builder of tombs for the pharaohs, must undertake the journey to the Underworld. Telling us the story of his voyage is Jeremy Irons, in the guise of a narrator. His words take us inside the secret world of Egyptian mythology, religion and funerary culture, interweaving the story with the history of the oldest museum in the world, the Museo Egizio in Turin, founded in 1824 and will soon be celebrating its 200th anniversary. In fact, the Kha’s own Tomb is to be found in Turin along with the most complete and most valuable private collection of grave goods outside of Egypt.

    A journey along the Nile , among the most beautiful archaeological finds Egypt has left us, the magnificent monuments of Giza, Luxor, Karnak, to the Valley of the Kings and the workers’ village of Deir el-Medina, the story told by Irons follows the tracks of Italian explorers and archaeologists – their itineraries also leading to the exhibition halls of the Cairo Museum, the Ägyptischen Museum in Berlin, the British Museum in London and the Louvre in Paris.

    From Ramesses II in Turin, to the treasure of Tutankhamun in Cairo, the bust of Nefertiti in Berlin, the Red Scribe in the Louvre, and the Rosetta Stone in London.

    Featuring: Jeremy Irons 
    Estimated runtime: 86 minutes

  • Jeff Koons: A Private Portrait

    This is not just a documentary but an amazing journey inside the mind of the most controversial artist of our time.

    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. It’s an intimate exploration of Jeff Koon’s consciousness aiming to discover what motivates him and shapes his incomparable vision. With exclusive access to the Koons family home in York, Pennsylvania, the documentary investigates Koons’ roots and everyday life, follows him to New York City to his vast studio where tens of painters, sculptors and graphic designers are based, and then on to Qatar and Europe, to the Greek island of Hydra during his 2021 five exhibitions tour.

    Among the other works, the documentary shows Play Doh, Puppy, Balloon dog, Banality, Michael Jackson and Bubbles, Tulips, Lobster, Pink Panther, Bracelet, Cracked Egg, New Hoover Convertible…

    Estimated runtime: 80 minutes

  • BORROMINI AND BERNINI: THE CHALLENGE FOR PERFECTION

    A journey into the great beauty of Baroque Rome, when the city was the centre of western art and where every ambitious painter, sculptor and architect had to be.

    This is the story of the most famous artistic rivalry of all time, the one between Borromini and Bernini, but also the story of Borromini’s rivalry with himself: a genius so absorbed by his art that he turns it into a demon that devours him from the inside forcing him to choose death to reach eternity.

    Borromini deprived himself of everything to pursue a dream: to conquer Rome. It is the story of the architectural revolution of a solitary maestro who changed the appearance of Rome forever, by pushing himself to his limit, but also by battling conventions and prejudices, with the humility to learn from the past to invent the future, with the courage to pursue an idea despite knowing he would pay the price in the end.

    Estimated runtime: 102 minutes

  • TITIAN: THE EMPIRE OF COLOR

    Winning over popes and emperors with his iconic, revolutionary works Titian succeeded in becoming one of the artists that symbolized the entire Renaissance.

    Titian was an extraordinary master of color and a brilliant entrepreneur, innovative both in a painting’s composition but also in how to sell it. In only a few years, Tiziano Vecellio became the official painter of Venice and the utmost artist sought after by the richest and most influential Courts in Europe.

    From Ferrara to Urbino, from Mantua to Rome, up to the Spain of Carlos V and his son Felipe II, Titian crossed his century illuminating it with his works of art, inspiring future generations of artists. Perfect interpreter of religion and mythology, portrayer of immediate expressive strength, he dominated his time outshining his contemporaries, always abiding by his motto: ‘Art is more powerful than Nature’.

    Special guest: Jeff Koons
    Estimated runtime: 88 minutes 

     

  • On A Winter’s Night

    Presenting the Reunion Tour of “On A Winter’s Night” from veteran singer-songwriters PATTY LARKIN, CLIFF EBERHARDT, JOHN GORKA  and LUCY KAPLANSKY, that remain among the brightest stars of the singer/songwriter movement for the past three decades. In 1994 Christine Lavin gathered them together, along with folk and Americana artists to showcase music of the Winter Season on the now-classic On A Winter’s Night CD, followed by several years of touring collaborations. These artists have released dozens of recordings and toured steadily through the decades, with fond memories of their touring days together. The winter season is again celebrated by these unique and popular performers, back together by popular demand.

    ***It is the artists’ preference that audience members be masked for this show for everyone’s health and safety.***

    PATTY LARKIN
    She redefines the boundaries of folk-urban pop music with her inventive guitar wizardry and uncompromising lyrics and vocals. Acoustic Guitar Magazine hails her, “soundscape experiments” while Rolling Stone praises her, “evocative and sonic shading.” She has been described as, “riveting” (Chicago Tribune), “hypnotic” (Entertainment Weekly), and a “drop-dead brilliant” performer (Performing Songwriter). Recently an Artist-in-Residence at Berklee College of Music – and now on the faculty at Fine Arts Work Center – Larkin reflects, “I have been energized by the poets, writers, and artists I have met while teaching, and find myself on a journey to break down some of the predictable pathways that songs can travel.” Bird in a Cage, her 14th CD now available, puts poems from ten notable poets to song, including US Poet Laureates William Carlos Williams, Stanley Kunitz, Kay Ryan, Robert Pinsky, and Billy Collins, for a new and haunting collection that pulses with the magic of lyricism. Poems are made to be shared aloud, and with Bird, Patty takes up that tradition and sets it aglow.

    CLIFF EBERHARDT
    One of the most original songsmiths currently on tour, Eberhardt is a highly intelligent, articulate artist whose penetrating and profound lyrics are sometimes overshadowed by his extraordinary guitar playing. Upon close listening, the Philadelphia-born singer’s gift for the English language is abundantly clear. The words that tumble from his mouth are framed by a raspy yet deeply elegant voice. Like John Hammond and Richie Havens, Eberhardt continues to carry the torch for traditional and contemporary folk music through his strong live shows. Whether he’s out on tour solo or with a small band, Eberhardt’s guitar playing, singing, and original folk songs and blues make for a compelling, thought-filled, emotional roller coaster of a concert.

    JOHN GORKA
    Hailed by Rolling Stone as “the leading singer/songwriter of the New Folk movement,” John Gorka is perhaps the quintessential singer-songwriter of the 90’s folk scene. Originally from New Jersey, John served an apprenticeship at Godfrey Daniels coffeehouse in Bethlehem, PA, then the Greenwich Village Fast Folk scene. Winning the prestigious New Folk award at the Kerrville Folk Festival, in 1984, he was then signed to Red House Records on which he released his landmark first of 17 recordings, I Know. Boston Globe penned Gorka “for the sophisticated intelligence and the provocative originality of his songs.” Recent accolades include 2016’s Indie Acoustic Project’s Best Singer/Songwriter CD of the Year for Before Beginning (Red House Records). 2018 brought his latest release, and 14th of his career, True In Time (Compass Records). True In Time (Compass Records).

    LUCY KAPLANSKY
    “A truly gifted performer…full of enchanting songs” (New York Times). Blending country, folk and pop styles, Lucy has the unique ability to make every song sound fresh, whether singing her own sweet originals, covering country classics by June Carter Cash and Gram Parsons, or singing pop favorites by Lennon/McCartney and Nick Lowe. Lucy’s iconic voice has been featured in film and on television, including commercials like Chevrolet’s iconic “Heartbeat of America” jingle. A Billboard-charting singer and one of the top-selling artists on Red House Records, she has topped the folk and Americana radio charts and has been featured on shows throughout the world from NPR’s Weekend and Morning Editions to BBC Radio to CBS Sunday Morning. One of the most in-demand harmony singers, Lucy has sung on countless records, performing with Suzanne Vega, Bryan Ferry, Nanci Griffith, and Shawn Colvin.

  • The Mind and Music of George Gershwin – Live Concert Lecture by Dr. Richard Kogan

    Listening to the deft integration of jazz rhythms and classical music in Rhapsody in Blue or the often-wrenching songs of Porgy and Bess, it’s jarring to think of their composer as a troubled youth, a juvenile delinquent, petty thief and high school dropout who, in a latter era, might have been prescribed a hefty dose of Ritalin or Adderall. But George Gershwin was saved by a school violin recital he’d tried to avoid attending – and it opened a door that allowed him to escape the predictable ignominy of a bad boy on the streets of Brooklyn. He was, then, a person reached – and made better – by music.

    Dr. Richard Kogan joins us to discuss the life, psyche and music of one of America’s greatest composers during an evening that integrates masterful piano playing, humor and insight into the close links between music, healing and genius. Trained in piano at Juilliard and in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Kogan is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Co-Director of the Human Sexuality Program at Weill Cornell Medical Center and Artistic Director of the Music and Medicine program. He also maintains a private practice in New York City.

  • Step Afrika

    Enjoy the company’s self-titled work Step Afrika! This show introduces audiences to stepping through both a traditional and contemporary lens. Step Afrika! blends percussive dance styles practiced by historically African American fraternities and sororities; traditional African dances; and an array of contemporary dance and art forms into a cohesive, compelling artistic experience. Performances are much more than dance shows; they integrate songs, storytelling, humor, and audience participation. The blend of technique, agility, and pure energy makes each performance unique and leaves the audience with their hearts pounding.(presented in partnership with Student Activities)

  • Bram Stoker’s Dracula: Was he actually Irish?

    Class Schedule: Tuesday Oct. 31 & Thursday November. 2 | 7:30 – 9:00 PM

    The Gothic horror novel Dracula has never been out of print since its publication in 1897; yet, the book’s Dublin-born author, Bram Stoker, is virtually unknown. This course unearths clues in the life and experiences of Stoker, as well as in Irish history, mythology, folklore and language, to answer the question in the course title. This two-session virtual course taught by Maureen D. Brady is a unique investigation of the novel focused on the Irish influences that inspired the classic tale and shaped its enduring legacy. Note: Reading the novel is not a prerequisite for the course.

    Zoom Link will be provided upon registration.

  • Bram Stoker’s Dracula: Was he actually Irish?

    Class Schedule: Tuesday Oct. 31 & Thursday November. 2 | 7:30 – 9:00 PM

    The Gothic horror novel Dracula has never been out of print since its publication in 1897; yet, the book’s Dublin-born author, Bram Stoker, is virtually unknown. This course unearths clues in the life and experiences of Stoker, as well as in Irish history, mythology, folklore and language, to answer the question in the course title. This two-session virtual course taught by Maureen D. Brady is a unique investigation of the novel focused on the Irish influences that inspired the classic tale and shaped its enduring legacy. Note: Reading the novel is not a prerequisite for the course.

    Zoom Link will be provided upon registration.