March
WHO: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
WHAT: Legends
WHEN: WED • 3/9 • 7:00 PM
THU • 3/10 • 10:30 AM & 7:00 PM
FRI • 3/11 • 7:00 PM
SAT • 3/12 • 11:00 AM, 3:00 & 7:00 PM
SUN • 3/13 • 11:00 AM, 3:00 & 7:00 PM
WHERE: NJPAC/Prudential Center
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey presents Legends, featuring impossible circus feats and unbelievable spectacles of strength. Majestic animals, exotic performers and fearless daredevils occupy the iconic three rings for an adventure that will dazzle the senses of young and old alike.
Courtesy of NJPAC
WHO: Gilbert Gottfried
WHAT: Live On Stage
WHEN: Fri • 3/11 • 8:00 PM
WHERE: Victoria Theater/NJPAC
Known in the business as a “comedian’s comedian,” Gilbert Gottfried is a force of nature on stage. His squinty, bellowing, outrageous stand-up act is a far cry from the animated characters he portrays—this show is definitely not for the kids. Gottfried’s irreverent humor tests the boundaries of good taste, and his rendition of The Aristocrats is considered the filthiest (and funniest) version of the world’s dirtiest joke.
WHO: Wofabe
WHAT: African Drum & Dance Festival
WHEN: Sat • 3/12 • 7:30 PM
WHERE: Victoria Theater/NJPAC
Wofabe celebrates 10 years of presenting African dance, drumming and culture in Newark with a day of classes and a spectacular evening concert. Asase Yaa African American Dance Theater, Oyo Oro Afro Cuban Experimental Dance Ensemble, Umoja Dance Company and Usaama Dance Company are among the big names scheduled to grace the Victoria Theater stage.
WHO: Linda Forgosh
WHAT: Newark’s Jewish Frontier
WHEN: Mon • 3/14 • 6:00 PM
WHERE: The Chase Room/NJPAC
The second of four free presentations celebrating Newark’s 350th anniversary is entitled “Newark’s Jewish Frontier: Weequahic and Its High School.” Historian Linda Forgosh journeys to the city’s old Weequahic neighborhood, which was home to 35,000 Jewish residents in the years before and after World War II.
Weequahic High School remains at the heart of the community, drawing generations of alumni for annual reunions and events.
Courtesy of NJPAC
WHO: Frank Abagnale
WHAT: New Jersey Speakers Series
WHEN: THU • 3/17 • 8:00 PM
WHERE: NJPAC
Tom Hanks, who portrayed the legendary con man’s pursuer in the film Catch Me If You Can, said that Frank Abagnale’s lecture “may be the best one-man show you will ever see.” Forty years ago, Abagnale was one of the world’s most famous frauds, having mastered the art of counterfeiting and assuming at least eight different identities.
WHO: Newark Voices
WHAT: Dodge Poetry at NJPAC
WHEN: FRI • 3/18 • 8:00 PM
WHERE: The Chase Room/NJPAC
Courtesy of NJPAC
Newark’s emerging poets are back for a second season, presenting their works in this curated reading and performance, which is an extension of NJPAC’s participation in the Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival. NJPAC Poet-in-Residence Patricia Smith introduces a variety of the Brick City’s most dynamic voices, including some very young and talented poets from Newark schools.
WHO: Childsplay
WHAT: Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat
WHEN: SAT • 3/19 • 2:00 PM
WHERE: Victoria Theater/NJPAC
Childsplay’s Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat, a family production based on Dr. Seuss’s beloved book, is full of non-stop antics from the moment Sally and her brother open the door to the most mischievous cat they will ever meet. Will their house ever be the same? Can the kids clean up before Mom comes home? With some tricks (and a fish) and Thing Two and Thing One, with the Cat in the Hat, the fun’s never done!
April
talaamacey.com
WHO: Taalam Acey
WHAT: Euphoria Heat: Spoken Word History
WHEN: FRI • 4/8 • 7:30 PM
WHERE: Symphony Hall
Part of the Arts on Stage Series, Euphoria Heat features Taalam Acey whose work has been featured frequently on TV One and BET. The Newark native’s poetry has appeared in a number of publications, including Essence magazine.
Courtesy of NJPAC
WHO: Carolyn Dorfman
WHAT: Traces
WHEN: FRI • 4/8 • 8:00 PM
WHERE: Victoria Theater/NJPAC
From the intimacy of the duet to powerful, driving ensembles, the work of choreographer Carolyn Dorfman conjures rich worlds for audiences to enter through a program that features the world premiere of Traces. Dorfman is known as a creator of evocative dances that reflect her concerns about the human condition. Traces, which explores the forces that create and change us across time, distance and circumstance, is set to a commissioned score by award-winning Svjetlana Bukvich and video design by Kate Freer—both collaborators on Dorfman’s visually stunning Interior Designs. Presented as part of the Jersey Moves! Festival of Dance.
Courtesy of NJPAC
WHO: Lea DeLaria
WHAT: Live On Stage
WHEN: SAT • 4/9 • 6:00 & 8:30 PM
WHERE: The Chase Room/NJPAC
Comedian, actor and jazz singer Lea DeLaria—acclaimed for her role as Big Boo in Orange Is the New Black, performs material from her many award-winning appearances on and off Broadway. DeLaria has made memorable guest appearances on hit TV series that include Californication, Will and Grace and Friends, while her stage credits include award-winning appearances on Broadway in On the Town, The Boys from Syracuse, and a double role as Eddie and Dr. Scott in The Rocky Horror Show. A jazz musician, DeLaria has released five albums and is the author of Lea’s Book of Rules for the World.
Photo by Cristiano Sant’Anna
WHO: Michio Kaku
WHAT: New Jersey Speakers Series
WHEN: THU • 4/14 • 8:00 PM
WHERE: NJPAC
Theoretical physicist and futurist Michio Kaku has written numerous books about physics and makes regular appearances on radio, television and film. He is a frequent host of TV specials for the BBC, Discovery Channel, History Channel and Science Channel, and also hosts Explorations, a weekly, syndicated, one-hour radio program.
WHO: Newark History Society
WHAT: Puritans, Protesters and Patriots
WHEN: MON • 4/18 • 6:00 PM
WHERE: The Chase Room/NJPAC
The third of four free presentations celebrating the history of Newark, Puritans, Protesters and Patriots: Newark in the Colonial Period, discusses the running conflicts in government, property ownership and education during the time of the Puritans’ settlement in Newark in 1666, as well as the American Revolution. Timothy Crist, President of the Newark History Society, moderates the panel.
Courtesy of NJPAC
WHO: Robert Pinsky & Laurence Hobgood
WHAT: PoemJazz
WHEN: FRI • 4/22 • 8:00 PM
WHERE: The Chase Room/NJPAC
Three-time U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky is joined by Grammy-winning pianist, composer and arranger Laurence Hobgood for an evening of jazz and spoken word. PoemJazz is neither poetry set to music nor poems recited to musical accompaniment. In this unique collaboration, a voice speaking poetry has a role like that of a horn: Speech, with its own poetic melody and rhythm, is in conversation with the melody and rhythm of the music.
Courtesy of NJPAC
WHO: Riverdance
WHAT: 20th Anniversary Tour
WHEN: FRI • 4/22 • 8:00 PM
SAT • 4/23 • 2:00 & 8:00 PM
SUN • 4/24 • 2:00 & 7:00 PM
WHERE: Prudential Hall/NJPAC
Riverdance, an innovative and exciting blend of dance, music and song, draws on Irish traditions, has captured the imagination of American audiences since first coming here in the 1990s. Riverdance 20 Years: The Anniversary Tour is composed by Bill Whelan, produced by Moya Doherty and directed by John McColgan.
WHO: Shen Yun
WHAT: Live On Stage
WHEN: FRI • 4/29 • 7:00 PM
SAT • 4/30 • 2:00 PM
SUN • 5/1 • 2:00 PM
WHERE: Prudential Hall/NJPAC
Embark on an extraordinary journey across 5,000 years of Chinese civilization. Shen Yun brings this mysterious world to life with unrivaled mastery, as every movement and musical note blend with cutting-edge, interactive stage effects to create a stunning visual and emotional experience.
May
Courtesy of NJPAC
WHO: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
WHAT: Live On Stage
WHEN: FRI • 5/6 • 8:00 PM
SAT • 5/7 • 8:00 PM
SUN • 5/8 • 1:00 PM
WHERE: Prudential Hall/NJPAC
The always dazzling company returns with programs that include some of its newest works, as well as company classics such as Revelations, set to African-American spirituals, song-sermons, gospel songs and holy blues.
Courtesy of NJPAC
WHO: Brian Regan
WHAT: Live On Stage
WHEN: SUN • 5/8 • 8:00 PM
WHERE: NJPAC
“No comedian in the world says, ‘Yeah, I want to follow Brian Regan,’” Chris Rock said recently. A stand-up veteran who visits close to 100 cities a year, Regan is a master of his craft and the first comic to have a concert broadcast live by Comedy Central. Well known to fans of Late Night, he made 28 appearances on David Letterman’s program—more than any other comedian.