With a new album #LoveInEvolution released early this year, Grammy Award-winning female African-American a cappella group founded by Bernice Johnson Reagon in 1973, endlessly continues to evolve and cultivate the rich textures of African American musical traditions. Currently consisting of members Carol Maillard, Louise Robinson, Nitanju Bolade Casel, Aisha Kahlil, ASL interpreter Shirley Childress, and featured musician Romeir Mendez on upright acoustic bass and electric bass, the group possesses a stunning vocal prowess that captures the complex sounds of blues, spirituals, traditional gospel hymns, rap, reggae, African chants, hip hop, ancient lullabies, and jazz improvisation. The group’s collective voice, often accompanied by hand percussion instruments and bass, produces a sound filled with soulful harmonies and intricate rhythms. Sign Language Interpretation is provided for this event
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Sweet Honey in the Rock
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National Theatre Live: THE THREEPENNY OPERA
Mack the Knife is back in town. A darkly comic new take on Brecht and Weill’s raucous musical. The thieves are on the make, the whores on the pull, the police cutting deals to keep it all out of sight. Mr. and Mrs. Peachum are looking forward to a bumper day in the beggary business, but their daughter didn’t come home last night and it’s all about to kick off… With Olivier Award-winner Rory Kinnear (Hamlet, Othello, James Bond), as Macheath alongside Rosalie Craig (As You Like It, My Family and other Animals) as Polly Peachum and Haydn Gwynne (The Windsors, Drop the Dead Donkey) as Mrs. Peachum. This bold, anarchic production is brought to you by a creative powerhouse; adapted by Simon Stephens and directed by Rufus Norris. Contains scenes of a sexual
nature, violence and filthy language. -
National Theatre Live: THE DEEP BLUE SEA
Helen McCrory (Medea and The Last of the Haussmans at the National Theatre, Penny Dreadful, Peaky Blinders) returns to the National Theatre in Terence Rattigan’s devastating masterpiece, playing one of the greatest female roles in contemporary drama. Tom Burke (War and Peace, The Musketeers) also features in Carrie Cracknell’s critically acclaimed new production. When Hester Collyer is found by her neighbors in the aftermath of a failed suicide attempt, the story of her tempestuous affair with a former RAF pilot and the breakdown of her marriage to a High Court judge begins to emerge. With it comes a portrait of need, loneliness and long-repressed passion. Behind the fragile veneer of post-war civility burns a brutal sense of loss and longing.
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CANCELLED: SHENANDOAH
PLEASE NOTE THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED AND WILL NOW BE RESCHEDULED FOR A LATER DATE. When country music lovers talk about the greatest groups in the genre, Shenandoah is always at the forefront of any discussion. Fueled by Marty Raybon’s distinctive vocals and the band’s skilled musicianship, Shenandoah became well known for delivering such hits as “Two Dozen Roses”, “Church on Cumberland Road” and “Next to You, Next to Me” as well as such achingly beautiful classics as “I Want to be Loved Like That” and the Grammy winning “Somewhere in the Vicinity of the Heart” duet with Alison Krauss. Today that legacy continues as original members Raybon and Mike McGuire reunite to launch a new chapter in Shenandoah’s storied career. Shenandoah has recorded nine studio albums (3 certified gold) and placed 26 singles on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. The boys from Muscle Shoals have left a potent legacy at country radio with over a dozen hit records.
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SOUTHSIDE JOHNNY AND THE POOR FOOLS
Playing a wide range of music from Dylan, Mose Allison, Muddy Waters, NRBQ, Richard Thompson, Emmylou Harris, The Band, George Jones and more, The Poor Fools also dive into some of the Southside’s Asbury Jukes material–revisiting some classics as well as the underperformed deep tracks. “The Poor Fools tour is a chance for me to try out different material and some Jukes standards in an acoustic-ish form. In this incarnation, musicians such as Jeff Kazee, John Conte, John Putnam, Neal “The Dude” Pawley and I will all be singing, playing, and having some fun on stage. It will be a loose mix of songs, stories and banter between the musicians and–hopefully–the audience. With Lyon shaking up each night’s setlist for himself and his gang of multi-instrumentalist band members, these troubadours ride the rails of the runaway train known as Southside Johnny and The Poor Fools.
There will be a meet and greet for Gold Circle ticketholders at 6:30 PM.
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Art Walk and Michael Malpass Film Screening
This event will include a tour of the sculpture on campus including the new J. Seward Johnson pieces and the Michael Malpass Retrospective in Pollak Gallery. There will also be a screening of the new documentary about Michael Malpass titled “Michael Malpass – A Great Circle” created by Monmouth University Communication Students under the direction of Erin Fleming, Director of Production Services.
Free and open to the public but RSVP required. To RSVP please call 732.263.5715
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CANCELLED: NEXT STOP HARLEM! WITH THE MIMI JONES SEXTET
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED
Featuring the Mimi Jones Sextet, this mini musical theater piece blends arranged music based on the Harlem Renaissance and Jazz from the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s with poetry and dialogue. Bassist/vocalist/ producer/label owner and now filmmaker Mimi Jones has reigned supreme, as a side woman to an impressive coterie of musicians and as a leader with her own Hot Tone Music record label. Mimi has toured extensively throughout the world and is recognized as a U.S. Jazz Ambassador. She has played with Kenny Barron, Frank Ocean, Dianne Reeves, Tia Fuller, Ingrid Jensen, Marc Cary, Toshi Reagon, Rachel Z, Terri Lyne Carrington’s Grammy Award winning Mosaic Project and more.
This event will include:
Mimi Jones on Bass/ Voice/ Director
ArcoIris Sandoval on piano
Russell Carter on bass
Tim Vaughn on trombone
Gabriel Murphy on alto sax
Nadje Nordhuis on trumpet
Joseph Wiggins Dancer/Choreographer -
WOMEN IN THE WORLD… A VISUAL PERSPECTIVE
The Women In the World…A Visual Perspective, art exhibit ties into the theme for Women In Media – Newark’s 8th annual Women’s History Month Film Festival, and takes a broad look at the struggles and triumphs experienced by women globally. This exhibition, exquisitely curated by the renowned Gladys B. Grauer, uses the work of a socially and culturally diverse group of New Jersey based women artists to explore this seemingly simple topic. The images in this exhibit are not necessarily intended to be a literal interpretation of the theme, rather they often offer a metaphorical relationship to the theme. This inspiring exhibit is not to be missed!
Exhibiting Artists include: Sybil Archibald, Anonda Bell, Cathleen McCoy Bristol, Eleta Caldwell, Caren King Choi, Dominique Duroseau, Anne Dushanko Dobek, Adebunmi Gbadebo, Evelyn Graves, Donna Conklin King, Yolande Skeete-Laessig, Grace Graupe Pillard, Patricia Arias-Reynolds, Melissa Saenz, Danielle Scott, Armisey Smith, Nette Thomas, Toni Thomas, Shoshanna Weinberger, and Adrienne Wheeler.
Opening Reception: Feb. 10, 6:30-8:30 PM -
ART+AUTISM
Presented in partnership with Autism Speaks New Jersey, this juried exhibition opening at the beginning of Autism Awareness Month will showcase the talents and abilities of artists living with Autism Spectrum Disorder and initiate a conversation about the unique power of art in the autism community. Each piece of work will be for sale and a portion of the proceeds will benefit Autism Speaks.
Opening Reception: April 2, 5-7 PM
The opening reception will be presented in conjunction with the Bravo Amici benefit concert for Autism Speaks on April 2 at 8 PM.