Grunin Center for the Arts

Magic Rocks: Illusionist Leon Etienne
2025-11-06 19:00 (America/New_York)
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Main Stage
(Building 11A)
Orchestra $46, Mezzanine $42

About the Event
You’ve seen him on America’s Got Talent, Jimmy Fallon, Masters of Illusion, and Penn & Teller: Fool Us! Illusionist Leon Etienne’s jaw-dropping, critically acclaimed hit show Magic Rocks! is not to be missed. Witness this family-friendly spectacular featuring the world’s best illusions, award-winning sleight of hand, and hilarious comedy. This show is an immersive experience that brings joy, laughter, and wonder when the world needs it most!

About Leon Etienne
From Radio City Music Hall to Planet Hollywood Casino and from Studio City Casino in Macau to his very own theater on the beautiful island waters of Saipan, the unique performance style of Illusionist Leon Etienne attracts entertainment producers to book him all over the world. He’s rocked stages from coast to coast in the USA and in dozens of countries, including England, Ireland, France, China, and Australia. His performances frequently leave celebrities like Jimmy Fallon, Howard Stern, and Heidi Klum speechless.
Hailed by critics as “America’s Rock Illusionist,” Leon is a worldwide hit with audiences, critics, and producers. Etienne is recognized for his on stage charisma, a fast paced, high energy, rock n’ roll edge performance style, and his no nonsense approach to magic. He has appeared on the world’s biggest TV shows, trended worldwide on social media, and performs live at entertainment hotspots around the world.
Leon’s original creations, a passion for sleight-of-hand magic, and the best jaw-dropping grand illusions in the world explode on stage in his critically acclaimed hit show, “Magic Rocks!®“
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So Good! The Neil Diamond Experience starring Robert Neary
2025-11-08 19:00
This show is currently SOLD OUT. To join the Wait List for tickets, call the Box Office at 732-255-0500.
Main Stage
(Building 11A)
Orchestra $45, Mezzanine $40

About the Event
Broadway, television, and film star Robert Neary creates an unforgettable tribute to one of the greatest recording artists in history. Two hours packed with 24 classic hit songs, nostalgia, multimedia, stories, trivia, and a finale that is pure Broadway caliber, this is a true immersion into Neil Diamond’s life and career. Critical praise all across the internet and social media has called this show “the most authentic and professional tribute to Neil Diamond and delivers nothing short of a true Neil Diamond concert experience.”

With over 40 years in the entertainment business, Robert has 3 Broadway leads and over 60 major guest-starring television and film roles to his credit. He created this incredible show in 2019 and perfected it during the pandemic along with NY’s premier band, The Mystic. Now in its fifth year, “So Good! The Neil Diamond Experience” is selling out venues all over the US, and there is no end in sight!
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A Monster Calls
2025-11-14 19:00, 2025-11-15 14:00, 2025-11-15 19:00
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Main Stage
(Building 11A)
Tickets $24
Tickets go on sale Friday, October 3, 2025 at noon

Presented by the OCVTS Grunin Performing Arts Academy
Based on the novel by Patrick Ness and inspired by an original idea by Siobhan Dowd, devised by Sally Cookson, Adam Peck, and the Company.
‘Stories are wild creatures, the monster said. When you let them loose, who knows what havoc they might wreak?’
“Thirteen-year-old Conor and his mum have managed just fine since his dad moved to America. But now his mum’s very sick and she’s not getting any better. His grandmother won’t stop interfering, and the kids at school won’t look him in the eye.
Then, one night, at seven minutes past midnight, Conor is woken by something at his window. A monster has come walking. It’s come to tell Conor tales from when it walked before. And when it’s finished, Conor must tell his own story and face his deepest fears.
On publication, A Monster Calls became a bestseller with children and adults alike, with its dazzling insight into love, loss, and healing. It garnered huge critical acclaim, including an unprecedented double win of the Carnegie and Greenaway Medals for outstanding children’s literature and illustration.” – The Old Vic
A Monster Calls is a powerful story that explores difficult and emotional themes. The production includes depictions and discussions of:

Death and grief
Depression and anxiety
Cancer and terminal illness
Bullying and emotional abuse
Moments of violence

We encourage audiences to prepare for these themes and to step out at any time if they need a moment of care.
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Without Arrows Film Screening
2025-11-19 12:30
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Main Stage
(Building 11A)
Tickets $9

About the Event
After 13 years living in Philadelphia, Delwin Fiddler Jr., a champion grass dancer, embraces indigenous culture by returning to his ancestral home on the Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota. Leaving his big city life behind, Delwin aims to protect his centuries-old Lakota heritage and heal from family tragedy through his passion for dance.

Join us for a film screening with a post-show talk with Delwin Fiddler, Jr.
This film screening is made possible through generous funding from the Ocean County Cultural & Heritage Commission and the Mid-Atlantic Tours program of Mid-Atlantic Arts with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

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Radliff-Niessen, violin & piano
2025-11-21 14:00
Get Tickets
Due to popular demand, this event has moved to the Main Stage
(Building 11A)
Tickets $10
General Admission Seating

About the Event
Join Duo Radliff-Niessen, consisting of the renowned violinist Robert Radliff and Dutch pianist Sharon Niessen, for an extraordinary performance at the Grunin Center for the Arts, with masterpieces of Beethoven and Brahms. Radliff, a celebrated performer with orchestras such as the New Jersey Symphony, the New England Symphonic Ensemble at Carnegie Hall, and the Curtis Institute Orchestra, brings his extensive experience and passionate playing to the stage.
Radliff’s performances have captivated audiences across the United States and worldwide, and has collaborated with some of the most celebrated classical artists such as Yo Yo Ma, Jamie Laredo, and Itzhak Perlman.
Niessen, praised for her expressive playing and virtuosity, captivates audiences with her interpretations, having performed internationally with orchestras like the Philips Symphony Orchestra and Youth Orchestra of the Netherlands, and collaborated with renowned musicians such as world champion whistler Geert Chatrou and recording artist Dutch flutist Ilonka Kolthof.
As a duo, Radliff and Niesssen blend their dynamic artistry. With their international career spanning prestigious venues from Carnegie Hall to the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, this concert is sure to be one of the highlights of the season.
This event is funded by the Ocean County College Foundation.

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The World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra
2025-11-22 15:00
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Main Stage
(Building 11A)
Tickets $39

About the Event

The first Glenn Miller Orchestra did not make it at all. It was a total and absolute economic failure. But Glenn knew what he wanted, held to that dedication, and relentlessly worked to succeed. He launched his second band – the one that lives on today – in March of 1938. The Glenn Miller Orchestra has been a “hit” ever since.
The legendary Glenn Miller was one of the most successful of all dance bandleaders back in the Swing Era of the 1930s and ’40s. A matchless string of hit records, the constant impact of radio broadcasts, and the drawing power at theatres, hotels, and dance pavilion, built and sustained the momentum of popularity.
Glenn disbanded his musical organization in 1942 at the height of its popularity to volunteer for the Army. There, he organized and led the famous Glenn Miller Army Air Force Band. It went to Europe to entertain servicemen performing numerous live and radio shows. On December 15, 1944, Major Miller took off in a single-engine plane from Europe to precede his band to France, disappearing over the English Channel, never to be seen again. The army declared him officially dead a year later.

With the release of the major motion movie The Glenn Miller Story featuring Jimmy Stewart and June Allyson in 1954, interest and popular demand led the Miller Estate to authorize the formation of the present Glenn Miller Orchestra. On June 6, 1956, and under the direction of drummer Ray McKinley who had become the unofficial leader of the Army Air Force Band after Glenn’s disappearance, the reformed Glenn Miller Orchestra performed its first concert and has been on the road ever since. Other leaders have followed Ray including clarinetists Buddy DeFranco and Peanuts Hucko, trombonists Buddy Morrow, Jimmy Henderson, Larry O’Brien, and Gary Tole, and tenor saxophonist Dick Gerhart. Since January 2012, vocalist Nick Hilscher leads the band.
Today, the 18 member ensemble continues to play many of the original Miller arrangements both from the civilian band and the AAFB libraries. Additionally, it also plays some more modern selections arranged and performed in the Miller style and sound. Just as it was in Glenn’s day, the Glenn Miller Orchestra today is still the most sought-after big band in the world.

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Chris Botti
2025-12-03 19:00
Get Tickets
Main Stage
(Building 11A)
Orchestra $104, Mezzanine $84
Pre-Show OCC Foundation
Reception at B2Bistro $75
Post-show VIP Packages
available at chrisbotti.com.

About the OCC Foundation Concert Event

Since 1965, the OCC Foundation has proudly served the Ocean County College community, supporting thousands of deserving students. Over the past 60 years, we’ve awarded over $22 million in scholarships and special program funding. Your generosity continues to make a lasting impact, supporting initiatives like the Helping Hands Food Pantry, the Blauvelt Speaker Series, the Global Travel Experience, select programming at the Grunin Center for the Arts, the Robert J. Novins Planetarium, and the Veteran & Military Resource Center (VMRC), resources for Athletic programs, and support for many other college and student-led programs.
About Chris Botti
GRAMMY-winning trumpeter Chris Botti has been one of the most popular instrumentalists in the world for nearly three decades; he’s collaborated with some of the biggest superstars on the planet, including Sting, Paul Simon, Barbra Streisand, Lady Gaga, Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, Bette Midler, Joni Mitchell, Steven Tyler, Andrea Bocelli, Herbie Hancock, Yo-Yo Ma, and others; he’s topped the jazz charts with numerous albums, earned multiple Gold and Platinum records, performed with symphony orchestras and on prestigious stages from Carnegie Hall to the Hollywood Bowl to the Sydney Opera House.
In short, Chris Botti really needs no introduction. Yet with his Blue Note Records debut, he’s offering one anyway. Vol.1 is in many ways a fresh start for the trumpeter. Having successfully crossed over from jazz renown to pop stardom, Botti’s first album in more than a decade finds him crossing back, with a small group project focused on acoustic jazz and classic standards.
“I turned 60 in 2022, at a time that seemed like a restart for so many things in the world,” Botti says. “I wanted to strip away all the orchestral arrangements and special guests and focus more on my playing, the playing of my band, and these jazz classics that we always love playing on stage.”
While Botti could boast of the major names with whom he’s shared stages, this project allows him to share his enthusiasm for the jazz greats past and present that excite him – his conversation is peppered with references to everyone from Miles Davis to Keith Jarrett to Pat Metheny to Brad Mehldau. He points to landmark albums like Davis’ Kind of Blue, John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman, or Metheny’s duo outing with Charlie Haden, Beyond the Missouri Sky as models for the kind of “lifestyle” music he set out to make – music that is exquisite on its own but can also set the scene for a coffee shop or hotel lounge, instantly generating a sophisticated mood.
Of course, Botti couldn’t have found a more ideal home for this artistic rebirth. Blue Note has been a standard-bearer of jazz throughout its storied history, and the trumpeter found a receptive partner in label president Don Was. “Anyone that’s lucky enough to say they’re on Blue Note Records should be pinching themselves,” Botti says. “It’s a fantastic honor. I had great runs on Verve and Columbia, so it’s amazing to now arrive on the most famous traditional jazz record label.”
Sponsors
Silver Serenade Sponsor

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A Christmas Carol
2025-12-06 13:00
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Main Stage
(Building 11A)
Adults $19, Children $16

About A Christmas Carol
Yates Musical Theatre for Children returns for another year of tradition with A Christmas Carol.
This show is a musical adaptation of the tale of the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, who hated Christmas. On Christmas Eve, three ghosts take him on a journey. During his nighttime reflection into the past, the present, and the future, he witnesses the lives of his poor office clerk, Bob Cratchit, and the crippled Tiny Tim.
Yates Musical Theatre has brought these unforgettable characters from the page to the stage. They’ve added a melodious score and wrapped it all up in a beautiful holiday present of a production. Join us for this heartwarming theatre experience that will put everyone in a holiday spirit.
Please note that it is the Grunin Center Policy for all Family Shows that all attendees, regardless of age, require a ticket.

This performance is sponsored by RWJBarnabas Health Community Medical Center.

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OCC Concert Band: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
2025-12-06 19:00
Get Tickets

Main Stage
(Building 11A)
Adults $28, Seniors $24, Children $14

OCC Concert Band
About The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Come along for an unforgettable evening of music, cheer, and holiday spirit as the OCC Concert Band presents The Most Wonderful Time of the Year. This festive concert brings together a dazzling collection of your favorite seasonal tunes performed by the talented members of the OCC Concert Band. From classic carols to contemporary arrangements, plus a visit from Santa, the concert will fill the air with warmth, joy, and celebration.
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Broadway for the Holidays 5
2025-12-12 19:30, 2025-12-13 14:00, 2025-12-13 19:30, 2025-12-14 14:00, 2025-12-19 19:30, 2025-12-20 14:00, 2025-12-20 19:30, 2025-12-21 14:00
Get Tickets
Black Box Theater
(Building 11B)
Adults $26, Seniors $24
General Admission Seating

About the Show
It’s another year of the rousing review that celebrates the most wonderful time of the year: Broadway for the Holidays 5! Returning by popular demand, this festive extravaganza brings the magic of Broadway to the holiday season like never before. Join OCC students and community members for a journey through the beloved songs and timeless classics that capture the spirit of the holidays. From heartwarming ballads to toe-tapping showstoppers, Broadway for the Holidays 5 promises an unforgettable musical experience for the whole family.
Performances
Friday, December 12, 2025 7:30 PM
Saturday, December 13, 2025 2:00 PM
Saturday, December 13, 2025 7:30 PM
Sunday, December 14, 2025 2:00 PM
Friday, December 19, 2025 7:30 PM
Saturday, December 20, 2025 2:00 PM
Saturday, December 20, 2025 7:30 PM
Sunday, December 21, 2025 2:00 PM
Cast
Randy Alderson
Angel Berrios
Marleen Byrd
Isabella Italiano
Grey Kellerman
Kaitlin Kessler
Bridget Magnusson
Rebeca Morales-Cano
Ruth Murano
Nick Koval
Alejandro Oquendo
Teagan Ruiz
Production Crew
Check back soon
About the OCC Repertory Theater Company
Under the direction of Performing Arts Program Chair Paul Chalakani, the mission of the OCC/REP is to create opportunities for college and community participation in various rich and diverse theatrical experiences. The Company seeks to engage, entertain, inspire, and educate to enhance the cultural life of Ocean County College and the surrounding communities. The OCC/REP provides OCC students, faculty, staff, and residents of neighboring communities the opportunity to attend and/or participate in quality performances of theatrical works – musicals and plays, classical and modern, traditional and experimental, through a well-balanced theatrical season. Additionally, the OCC/REP provides an environment for students of our performing arts program to apply what they are learning in a collaborative and encouraging format. The OCC/REP celebrates the power of the theatre to illuminate and mirror the human experience.
The OCC Repertory Theatre Company is funded, in part, by the Ocean County College Foundation.
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Ballet for Young Audiences: The Nutcracker
2025-12-13 13:00, 2025-12-13 16:00
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Main Stage
(Building 11A)
Adults $19, Children $16

About The Nutcracker
Join Ballet for Young Audiences as they present another year of this Grunin Center holiday tradition. This child-friendly production of The Nutcracker tells the story of Clara, the favorite godchild of Herr Drosselmeyer, a mysterious clockmaker who helps to transport Clara and her Nutcracker Prince to a special realm. This condensed version of the ballet is narrated to help young ballet enthusiasts enjoy the performance.
Please note that it is the Grunin Center Policy for all Family Shows that all attendees, regardless of age, require a ticket.

This performance is sponsored by RWJBarnabas Health Community Medical Center.

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Cherish the Ladies
2025-12-14 19:00
Get Tickets
Main Stage
(Building 11A)
Orchestra $50, Mezzanine $44

About the Event
Cherish the Ladies: A Celtic Christmas Celebration
Celebrating an incredible milestone of 40 years, Cherish the Ladies have captured the hearts of audiences around the world with their exhilarating blend of traditional Irish music, breathtaking vocals, and propulsive step dancing. As The Boston Globe raves, “It is simply impossible to imagine an audience that wouldn’t enjoy what they do!”
This Emmy Award–winning and Grammy-nominated ensemble has blazed a trail as one of the most acclaimed groups in Irish music, leaving an indelible legacy with 18 critically acclaimed albums and thousands of performances across the globe—from the great concert halls of the world to the Olympics and the White House.

Led by the charismatic Joanie Madden—flute and whistle virtuoso and recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts’ National Heritage Fellowship—Cherish the Ladies deliver a spectacular showcase of virtuosic musicianship, stunning vocals, and world-class step dancing. Their enduring success stems from their unique ability to weave the very best of Irish culture—its music, song, and dance—into a vibrant, heartwarming, and joy-filled celebration.
This holiday season, Cherish the Ladies present their beloved Celtic Christmas program—a festive, family-friendly concert filled with holiday cheer and Irish spirit. The show features their signature Celtic sound on timeless carols including “Angels We Have Heard on High,” “The First Noel,” and “Silent Night,” all beautifully arranged to highlight the band’s lush harmonies, traditional instrumentation, and dazzling step dancing.

This cherished holiday tradition has inspired four acclaimed albums: On Christmas Night—chosen by The New York Times, Washington Post, Boston Globe, and USA Today as one of the top Christmas albums of the year—along with A Star in the East, Christmas in Ireland, and Christmas Live from County Clare.
The concert features an outstanding lineup of 14 world-class musicians: Joanie Madden (flute, whistles, vocals), Mirella Murray (accordion), Nollaig Casey (fiddle), Hannah Collins (piano), Mary Coogan (guitar), John Madden (percussion) and Max Morden (trumpet, brass). Joining them are the mesmerizing voices of Kate Purcell, Don Stiffe, and Bruce Foley, each bringing their own distinctive artistry to the group’s rich tapestry of sound.
Adding to the magic, the extraordinary step dancers bring the stage to life with breathtaking athleticism and artistry. This year’s lineup features World Champion James Greenan, Principal Lead Dancer of Riverdance; two-time World Champion Tyler Schwartz, Joe Harrison, alumnus of Riverdance and Lord of the Dance and Canadian Champion dancer and Chieftains alumni, Nathan Pilatzke,
Together, they create an unforgettable evening of music, song, and dance—a joyful celebration of the season that will lift your spirits, warm your heart, and have you singing along to your favorite Christmas classics.

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Celtic Christmas Celebration by Darrah Carr Dance
2025-12-20 19:00
Get Tickets
Main Stage
(Building 11A)
Orchestra $45, Mezzanine $40

About the Event
Baile: A Celtic Christmas Celebration by Darrah Carr Dance is a joyous and spirited performance that blends the traditions of Irish dance with contemporary flair. This festive show showcases the company’s signature style, ModERIN—a fusion of modern dance and traditional Irish step, cleverly combining “modern” with “Erin,” a poetic name for Ireland.
At the heart of the performance is a vibrant celebration of the season, where rhythmic footwork meets expressive movement. Set to live Irish music, the choreography captures the energy, warmth, and storytelling spirit of both Christmas and Celtic culture. Audiences are treated to a dynamic mix of percussive beats, elegant lines, and festive melodies that evoke both nostalgia and novelty.
Darrah Carr Dance, a Bessie Award–nominated company, brings technical excellence and emotional depth to each number, seamlessly weaving together the old and the new. The program includes solos, duets, and ensemble pieces, each designed to reflect the joy, togetherness, and cultural richness of the holidays.

Accessible to all ages and backgrounds, Baile: A Celtic Christmas Celebration is both a dazzling dance concert and a cultural experience. Whether you’re a fan of Irish dance, modern choreography, or simply looking for a unique and heartwarming way to celebrate the season, this performance offers something special.
Radiating festive cheer and artistic innovation, “Baile: A Celtic Christmas Celebration” is a true holiday gem that honors tradition while embracing the creative possibilities of the present. It’s an unforgettable experience for families, dance lovers, and holiday revelers alike.
About Darrah Carr Dance
Since 1998, the Bessie Award-nominated company Darrah Carr Dance has created a sensational and unique blend of traditional Irish step and contemporary dance. The company draws from Irish music, step dance footwork, and spatial patterns to create high-energy, rhythmically based work that is accessible to a broad audience.
Recent New York City performance highlights include: NBC’s “The Today Show,“ a guest performance with The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall, the company’s annual season at The Irish Arts Center, “The Yeats Project“ at the Irish Repertory Theatre, The Duke Theater on 42nd Street, Celebrate Brooklyn, Snug Harbor Cultural Center, the annual NYC Irish Dance Festival, “Stam-pede“ Percussive Dance Festival at Symphony Space and a guest appearance with Mick Moloney at the Skirball Center.
The company has performed at venues throughout the United States including MASS MoCA, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, The Yard at Martha’s Vineyard, Wesleyan University (Connecticut), The Center for Performing Arts and SUNY Orange (upstate New York), The Dance Complex, Summer Stages Dance, and the JFK Museum (Massachusetts), The Goose Route Dance Festival (West Virginia), The Valentine Theatre (Ohio), St. Mary’s University (Minnesota) and the San Jose Fleadh (California). They have also appeared at the Toronto Fringe Festival, the Hunter Mountain Celtic Festival, and at the Bank of Ireland Arts Center in Dublin. In addition, they frequently conduct national tours with The Andy Cooney Band.
Her Irish Extravaganza (Irish duets, and traditional Irish group dances) features live music and champion Irish step dancers who have garnered awards at numerous competitions on both the national and international circuit. Darrah Carr Dance also features a wide variety of outreach and educational programs.
Darrah Carr Dance has received funding from numerous sources, including commissions from Trinity Irish Dance’s Junior Company and the One World Foundation, a fellowship from Summer Stages Dance, and grants from the American Ireland Fund, the Fund for Creative Communities, the Manhattan Community Arts Fund, The Brooklyn Arts Council, the Davenport Fund, and the Outer/Space program administered by Dance Theater Workshop.
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The Jane Austen Playlist: Love and Music of Regency England
2026-02-14 14:00
Get Tickets
Main Stage
(Building 11A)
Tickets $28
Add -On Pre-Show Tea Service, details to follow

About the Event
Discover the music that Jane Austen played and loved. The Jane Austen Playlist, founded in 2019, is a historical music project featuring the music of the Austen family in digitized notations, companion recordings, and dramatically narrated performances. In addition to Jane’s passion for writing, she also loved music. All of Jane’s writing, including her letters and colorful characters, express music’s role in her life. Accomplishment in music by young ladies in Regency England is discussed in the backdrops of the Netherfield drawing room, displayed in the Cole’s music room, and delighted in at Sir John Middleton’s gatherings.

This event is funded, in part, by the Ocean County College Foundation.
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Alexander Timofeev
2026-02-20 14:00
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Bösendorfer Recital Room
(Building 11A)
Tickets $10
General Admission Seating

About the Event
Alexander Timofeev, Philadelphia-based composer and pianist, presents a program of piano works inspired by the music of P.I. Tchaikovsky. The recital will also feature a section of lesser-known piano works by Moldovan composers, sharing with the audience this largely unexplored Eastern European concert music frontier of the last half-century.
This event is funded by the Ocean County College Foundation.
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’Til Death Do Us Part: Late Nite Catechism 3
2026-02-21 15:00
Get Tickets
Main Stage
(Building 11A)
Orchestra $60 – $55, Mezzanine $45

The performance of Sister’s Back to School Catechism was postponed and changed to ’Til Death Do Us Part: Late Nite Catechism 3. All original ticket holders have been contacted about ticketing options.
About the show
Sister is back, and this time she’s tackling the Sacraments of Marriage and the Last Rites with her trademark blend of quick wit, sharp humor, and good-natured sass. From outrageous lessons on wedded bliss to her laugh-out-loud spin on the Newlywed Game, Sister proves once again she’s the feistiest couples counselor around. Get ready for an evening of side-splitting fun where classroom participation is not optional—it’s mandatory! Bring your sweetie, your friends, and your sense of humor for a night of interactive comedy that will have the whole audience in stitches.
‘Til Death Do Us Part: Late Nite Catechism 3 is the latest class to be unveiled in this sinfully funny series. After teaching countless students about the saints, venial sins, limbo and more, Sister is now offering up hilarious lessons on the Sacraments of Marriage and the Last Rites, including her own wacky version of the Newlywed Game. Classroom participation is a must, so bring along your sweetie and your sense of humor for a session with the country’s feistiest couples counselor!

Presented by Entertainment Events
Events marked as “Rental Presenter” are presented by a Rental Presenter – an individual and/or organization renting our theater. The presenter determines ticket prices, program content, and other event details.
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Bindlestiff Family Cirkus Trio
2026-02-28 13:00
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Main Stage
(Building 11A)
Adults $24, Children $22

About the show
Celebrating three decades of keeping American traditional circus alive, the legendary Bindlestiff Family Cirkus Trio brings its diverse roster of the world’s finest circus, sideshow, vaudeville, and variety talent to the Grunin Center!
Bindlestiff Family Cirkus harkens back to the heyday of the traditional American popular entertainment, offering its own contemporary twist. The show features jugglers, acrobats, contortionists, vaudevillian novelty, plate spinning, sword swallowing, and other risk-taking feats combines to create an interactive evening of fun for the entire family. It’s earthy, gritty and celebrates the roots of American popular entertainments like vaudeville, circus, and sideshow, with a mix of world-class skill and odd novelty acts in an engaging and participatory way that you don’t find in other types of circuses.
A post-show Juggling Workshop will take place! The workshop is free of charge, but space is limited, so advance registration is required. The workshop will begin at 2:30pm and lasts approximately 45 minutes. Register for more details!
Please note that it is the Grunin Center Policy for all Family Shows that all attendees, regardless of age, require a ticket.

This performance is sponsored by RWJBarnabas Health Community Medical Center.
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Socks in the Frying Pan
2026-03-07 19:00
Get Tickets

Main Stage
(Building 11A)
Orchestra $36, Mezzanine $32

About the Event
Socks in the Frying Pan, a multi-award-winning trio from Ennis, County Clare, Ireland—the mecca of Irish traditional music—was formed in 2014. Forged together by a fire of pure joy and passion for their art, the band comprises Aodan Coyne on guitar and lead vocals, Shane Hayes on accordion, and younger brother Fiachra Hayes on fiddle.

Their ‘Socks Sound’ combines virtuosic musicianship with a burning passion for the music and tradition, pitch-perfect harmonies, and a big splash of quick wit and banter. Their electrifying performances and on-stage charm have established them as the kingpins on the Irish Traditional Music scene today.
They have toured extensively, capturing hearts in 46 US states, dozens of countries, and every continent, showcasing at renowned festivals such as the Walnut Valley Festival in Kansas, Electric Picnic in Ireland, Tønder Festival in Denmark, and the world-famous New Orleans Jazz Festival.
To date, Socks in the Frying Pan have released three studio albums, each adding to their list of accolades including ‘Best New Band‘, ‘Best Live Band‘, ‘Album of the Year‘, and ‘Best Live Performance of the Year‘. Their latest release, Raw & Ríl, recorded live at Glór Theatre, was immediately awarded ‘Best Live Album‘.
This event is funded, in part, by the Ocean County College Foundation.
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Victoria Schwartzman
2026-03-13 14:00
Get Tickets

Bösendorfer Recital Room
(Building 11A)
Tickets $10
General Admission Seating

About the Event
Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, Victoria Schwartzman performs regularly as a soloist and chamber musician. Victoria has appeared with the Bavarian Radio Orchestra chamber players, at the Bard Music Festival, the Music Mountain Festival, in the New York Philharmonic Ensembles series at Merkin Hall, at Summit Music Festival, at Bargemusic, in the Gessner- Schocken concert series in Cambridge, WMP Concert Hall, and the Nicolas Roerich Museum concert series in New York City.
After graduating from Jerusalem Conservatory, Victoria continued her education at the Longy School of Music and New England Conservatory. While pursuing various degrees in solo and chamber music performance, she was selected to perform in masterclasses given by Dmitri Bashkirov, Menahem Pressler, and Richard Goode, among others. Her principal teachers include Irina Kivaiko, Issak Kossov, Victor Rosenbaum, Sally Pinkas, Eda Shlyam, and Eteri Andjaparidze.
As a soloist with orchestra, Victoria has performed with the Jerusalem Chamber Orchestra, the Longy School of Music Chamber Orchestra, the Riverside Orchestra, and the Greater Newburgh Symphony Orchestra. She has performed at the Quartet Program in Pennsylvania and participated in the Tel-Hai International Piano Festival in Israel and the Lyrica Chamber Music Festival in New Jersey.
She is on the coaching faculty in the Vocal Department at Montclair State University as well as on piano faculty at the Bard College Conservatory Preparatory Division.. Victoria is also the co-founder of the Newburgh Music Festival, a week long immersive classical music program devoted to both solo performance and chamber music, located on the shore of the Hudson river, in Newburgh, NY.
This event is funded by the Ocean County College Foundation.
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Dancing at Lughnasa
2026-03-13 19:30
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Black Box Theater
(Building 11B)
Adults $24, Seniors $22
General Admission Seating

About the Show
This extraordinary play is the story of five unmarried sisters eking out their lives in a small village in Ireland in 1936. We meet them at the time of the festival of Lughnasa, which celebrates the pagan god of the harvest with drunken revelry and dancing. Their spare existence is interrupted by brief, colorful bursts of music from the radio, their only link to the romance and hope of the world at large. The action of the play is told through the memory of the illegitimate son of one of the sisters as he remembers the five women who raised him: his mother and four maiden aunts. He is only seven in 1936, the year his elderly uncle, a priest, returns after serving for twenty-five years as a missionary in a Ugandan leper colony. For the young boy, two other disturbances occur that summer. The sisters acquire their first radio, whose music transforms them from correct Catholic women to shrieking, stomping banshees in their own kitchen. And he meets his father for the first time, a charming Welsh drifter who strolls up the lane and sweeps his mother away in an elegant dance across the fields. From these small events spring the cracks that destroy the foundation of the family forever. Widely regarded as Brian Friel’s masterpiece, this haunting play is Friel’s tribute to the spirit and valor of the past.
Performances
Friday, March 13 • 7:30pm
Saturday, March 14 • 2:00pm
Saturday, March 14 • 7:30pm
Sunday, March 15 • 2:00pm
Friday, March 20 • 7:30pm
Saturday, March 21 • 2:00pm
Saturday, March 21 • 7:30pm
Sunday, March 22 • 2:00pm
Cast
Check back soon for casting!

About the OCC Repertory Theater Company
Under the direction of Performing Arts Program Chair Paul Chalakani, the mission of the OCC/REP is to create opportunities for college and community participation in various rich and diverse theatrical experiences. The Company seeks to engage, entertain, inspire, and educate to enhance the cultural life of Ocean County College and the surrounding communities. The OCC/REP provides OCC students, faculty, staff, and residents of neighboring communities the opportunity to attend and/or participate in quality performances of theatrical works – musicals and plays, classical and modern, traditional and experimental, through a well-balanced theatrical season. Additionally, the OCC/REP provides an environment for students of our performing arts program to apply what they are learning in a collaborative and encouraging format. The OCC/REP celebrates the power of the theatre to illuminate and mirror the human experience.
The OCC Repertory Theatre Company is funded, in part, by the Ocean County College Foundation.
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