Grunin Center for the Arts

Mariachi Herencia de México
2024-09-19 19:00 (America/New_York)
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Comprar Entradas
Main Stage
Orchestra $42, Mezzanine $34
inclusive of ticket fee

La Nueva Generación Tour
A New Generation of Mariachi Takes the Stage for an Electrifying Night of Mexican Music!
¡Viva el mariachi! Una nueva generación lleva al mariachi a alturas completamente nuevas: Mariachi Herencia de México, dos veces nominado al Latin GRAMMY® empuja los límites de Música tradicional de mariachi. Al mismo tiempo honrar el pasado, celebrar el presente y creando el futuro de la música de mariachi, Mariachi Herencia de México presenta un escenario electrizante e inolvidable noche de música y cultura mexicana.
¡Viva el mariachi! A new generation takes mariachi to whole new heights—2x Latin GRAMMY®-nominee Mariachi Herencia de México pushes the boundaries of traditional mariachi music. Simultaneously honoring the past, celebrating the present, and creating the future of mariachi music, Mariachi Herencia de México presents an electrifying and unforgettable night of Mexican music and culture.

Mariachi Herencia de México
The historic tradition of mariachi music has its roots of origin in cities such as Guadalajara and Mexico City. As the ever-evolving genre’s influence spread, it reached Chicago and birthed Mariachi Herencia de México. The 2x Latin GRAMMY®-nominated band has issued five chart-topping albums and has performed all across the North American continent paving the way for a new generation of mariachi musicians. Nuestra Herencia, their 2017 debut album, topped the Latin streaming charts and earned the band their first Latin GRAMMY®-nomination for Best Ranchero/Mariachi Album. 2018’s Herencia de la Tierra Mía and the two-volume series, Esencia and Esencia, Vol. 2 issued in 2019 and 2020, respectively, charted atop all major streaming platforms and industry charts. In 2022, Herederos appeared as the band were performing a wildly successful North American tour. Herederos received a 2023 Latin GRAMMY® nomination for Best Ranchero/Mariachi Album. The young, virtuosic band is composed of 14 musicians, ages 18-32, representing a new bicultural generation in the U.S.

This event is made possible through the generous support of the Latino Institute, Inc.
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Abraham Alinea
2024-09-20 14:00
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Main Stage
All Tickets $10
inclusive of ticket fee

About Abraham Alinea
Venture with pianist Abraham Alinea on a musical stroll into the fall season! A recent alumnus of the RCM’s Glenn Gould School, Alinea is a passionate storyteller praised for his thoughtful and sincere musicianship. Join us as he shares his impressions of the autumn season in a recital featuring the works of Debussy, Still, Scriabin, Schubert, and Beethoven.
The Afternoon Recital Series is funded by the Ocean County College Foundation.

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Tupelo Honey
2024-09-21 19:00
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Main Stage
Orchestra $39, Mezzanine $29
inclusive of ticket fee

About Tupelo Honey
The Tupelo Honey Band is a celebration to the music of legendary Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. Formed in 2014, the band seeks to honor Morrison’s music and legacy by performing his classic and timeless songs with reverence and admiration. The Tupelo Honey Band is well-known for their faithful renditions of Van Morrison’s songs and
their unique interpretations of his musical style. From “Brown Eyed Girl” to “Moondance”, the band has been consistently praised by fans and critics alike for their ability to capture the essence of Morrison’s music. The band puts on captivating live performances that will entertain audiences of all ages.
The band’s current lineup consists of seven members:
Jim DeRosa – Lead Vocals
Cyriese Lambert – Lead & Backing Vocals
Ralph Vargas – Drums & Percussion
“Boots” Anderson – Guitar
Robbie Wingler – Bass
Robin Corley – Saxophone & Flute
Each member of the band is an experienced and professional musician with a deep understanding of Morrison’s works, as well as their own rich musical backgrounds. Their passion for music shines through in each of their performances, making them one of the most sought-after Tribute Bands for concerts and performance halls on the East Coast and across the United States.

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The Soul of Song with Joni Miller
2024-09-22 19:00
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Main Stage
Tickets $364 – $39
Proceeds from VIP tickets will be donated to Unite.
Presented by Joni Miller – Rental Presenter
About The Event
The main performer is Joni Miller – Celebrated singer/songwriter/pianist. Joni studied classical piano at the Juilliard School as a child and attended Berklee College of Music in Boston where she studied musical composition and arranging. Joni worked professionally in the music and movie industry in Los Angeles, including being signed to a publishing contract with Chrysallis Music. In recent years Joni studied classical piano in Philadelphia with Eleanor Sokoloff and Susan Starr. She now resides in Lakewood, New Jersey where she teaches piano. Joni has teamed up with producer Danny Flam to resume her songwriting and performing career. Come spend the evening with her and be inspired for the upcoming “Days of Awe”.
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A Conversation with Stephanie Ramos
2024-09-25 18:00
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Main Stage
Tickets Free,
Advanced Registration Required

Schedule
The 6:00 pm event is open to the public. The 6:00 pm event will also be livestreamed. Registration for the free livestream is open online until 4:00pm the day of the event. For Livestream details and support, please visit our Virtual Events Information Page.
About Stephanie Ramos
Stephanie Ramos is a correspondent for ABC News based in NYC. She has been front and center on every major news story and has covered everything from the White House, the COVID pandemic, the contentious Alabama Senate race, the tragic Parkland shooting, Hurricane Irma, the 2016 election, and the Charlottesville protests. She reports across all ABC News platforms, including GMA, World News Tonight, ABC News Live, Nightline, and 20/20. She also regularly fills in as an anchor for Weekend GMA, ABC News Live, and Nightline. Ramos started with ABC as a multi-platform reporter based in Washington, D.C., and served as a Pentagon reporter as well.
Prior to ABC, Ramos reported for local stations in Kansas City, MO; Topeka, KS; and Columbia, SC where she established herself as a tenacious reporter covering important issues such as immigration, politics, and crime.
Ramos is a U.S. Army Reserve Major with years of service experience that has been valuable to ABC’s reporting and understanding of conflicts around the world. In 2008 she was a 1st Lieutenant in Iraq, receiving multiple medals for her honorable service including the Meritorious Service Medal. When she returned, she and her husband produced the award-winning special, To Baghdad & Back, using footage she captured on a small handheld camcorder throughout her tour.
The cost of tickets for this program has been generously underwritten by the sponsors of the Blauvelt Speaker Series.
The Blauvelt Speaker Series is funded in part by the generosity of the late Bradford Thomas & Eleanor G. Blauvelt and the Wintrode Family Foundation. This year’s 2024-2025 additional sponsors include Carluccio, Leone, Dimon, Doyle & Sacks, LLC, Arlene and Frank Dupignac, Jr., Georgian Court University, Kean Ocean, Stella and Marshall Kern, Kiwanis of Greater Toms River, Leone & Daughters, New Jersey Natural Gas, and OCVTS.
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Skye Consort & Emma Björling
2024-09-27 19:00
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Main Stage
All Tickets: $29
inclusive of ticket fee

About Skye Consort & Emma Björling
Skye Consort & Emma Björling perform trans-Atlantic arrangements of songs and tunes from Sweden, Norway, Ireland, Scotland, England, Québec, Acadia, the USA, as well as original compositions. Each musician brings their own individual interpretation to these traditions to create this extraordinary collaboration, consisting of voices, fiddle, nyckelharpa, cello, bouzouki, banjo, and percussion. Collectively, the band present an assortment of whirling polskas, groovy reels, passionate love songs, breathtaking hymns, and original compositions.

Emma Björling (lead voice, shruti box, percussion) is an award-winning Swedish singer, composer, arranger, active in the renowned Scandinavian bands Kongero and Lyy. Both bands have toured the world, and are busy in the European folk-trad scene. Emma regularly teaches and conducts workshops all over the world.
Alex Kehler (fiddle, nyckelharpa, vocals) In addition to his work with Skye Consort, he is a member of La Nef, Soulwood, Kehler Williams duo, Les Siffleurs de Nuits, and Triton.
Amanda Keesmaat (cello, vocals) Principal cellist of Arion Baroque orchestra, Amanda Keesmaat (cello & vocals), has also performed with Les Charbonniers de L’Enfer, OktoEcho, Jean-François Bélanger and Projet ClaireObscur.
Seán Dagher (cittern/bouzouki, banjo & vocals) is the artistic director of La Nef and an active performer, arranger, and composer of music from various folk and classical music traditions. He won the OPUS “Creation of the Year” award in 2014 for Sea Songs and has been nominated for numerous Adisq awards.

This event is made possible with support from the Québec Delegation General – New York.
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Garden State Philharmonic - From Center Stage
2024-09-28 19:30
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Main Stage
Adults: $54, Seniors: $48
inclusive of ticket fee
Rental Presenter
About From Center Stage
Join us for a night of symphonic sensations from the American tradition, featuring Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” with piano soloist and GSP favorite Christopher Johnson, plus great American Broadway hits by Leonard Bernstein with dynamic vocal duo Tami Swartz and Adam Klein, Dvorak’s New World Symphony and Copland’s Lincoln Portrait all from a full symphonic orchestra conducted by Metropolitan Opera veteran Steven Crawford.
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Sixtiesmania
2024-10-05 15:00, 2024-10-05 20:00
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Main Stage
Orchestra $44, Mezzanine $39
inclusive of ticket fee

About Sixtiesmania – A Journey Through the Sixties
Sixtiesmania’s “A Journey Through The Sixties” celebrates the musical sixties. Covering all the great groups and songs that became an iconic backdrop to that turbulent decade, Sixtiesmania takes the audience on a musical roller coaster from the Beatles to The Beach Boys and everything in between, including the British Invasion, the California sounds, Carnaby Street, the Vietnam tour of duty, Flower Power, Woodstock and so much more. Every song is lovingly performed with complete accuracy and detail to sound exactly like those amazing recordings people know and love. With authentic tailored suits from England, a full multi-media backdrop ( where available), multiple costume changes, vintage instruments, a song pool of over 250 songs, incredible musicianship and vocals… plus an absolute killer set list of songs… Sixtiesmania is the most authentic sixties show on the world circuit today. “The look… the Sounds.. the Songs.”

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Danny Aiello's The Italian Chicks
2024-10-06 15:00
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Main Stage
All Tickets $54 – $34
Presented by Gene DiNapoli Presents – Rental Presenter
About The Event
Get ready for an unforgettable showcase of talent with “The Italian Chicks,” a casino-style extravaganza that seamlessly blends music, comedy, storytelling, and dance into an extraordinary experience. Maryann “Boom Boom” Maisano, Michele Traina, and Candi Feola are poised to take you on a hilarious journey that will leave you in awe of their multifaceted abilities. Clear your schedule for this not-to-be-missed event!
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Emiliana Simon-Thomas
2024-10-09 11:00
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Main Stage
Tickets Free,
Advanced Registration Required

Schedule
The 11:00 am event is open to the public. The 11:00 am event will also be livestreamed.
At 12:30 pm, an informal Q&A will be held for OCC Students, Faculty, and staff. Registration with an OCC email address is required for this session.
About Emiliana Simon-Thomas
Emiliana Simon-Thomas, PhD is the Science Director at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center (GGSC). She runs the GGSC’s campus research fellowship programs and directs key initiatives like Expanding the Science and Practice of Gratitude and Person-Activity Fit for Online Happiness Practices. She also co-teaches both the Science of Happiness and the Science of Happiness at Work Professional Certificate Series courses.
Alongside her academic and popular publications Emiliana co-edited the transdisciplinary Oxford Handbook of Compassion Science, and serves as the executive director of the UC Berkeley-UCSF-Harvard branch of the NIH funded Science of Emotional Well-being Network. Emiliana also advises organizations – from a climate, product, and policy perspective – on why and how to promote well-being. Sharing practical strategies that can be implemented across multiple contexts and settings, Emiliana offers actionable insights that can measurably improve three key drivers of happiness: social connection, positive emotion, and resilience to stress.
An international expert voice on the foundations and advantages of prosocial states and behaviors and research-backed approaches to strengthening emotional well-being, Emiliana’s work leverages scientific insights to help people live better lives individually, in relationships with others, within organizations and communities, and society-wide.
The cost of tickets for this program has been generously underwritten by the sponsors of the Blauvelt Speaker Series.
The Blauvelt Speaker Series is funded in part by the generosity of the late Bradford Thomas & Eleanor G. Blauvelt and the Wintrode Family Foundation. This year’s 2024-2025 additional sponsors include Carluccio, Leone, Dimon, Doyle & Sacks, LLC, Arlene and Frank Dupignac, Jr., Georgian Court University, Kean Ocean, Stella and Marshall Kern, Kiwanis of Greater Toms River, Leone & Daughters, New Jersey Natural Gas, and OCVTS.
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Junwen Liang
2024-10-11 14:00
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Main Stage
All Tickets $10
inclusive of ticket fee

About the Performance
Experience the captivating artistry of pianist Junwen Liang in an enchanting recital program at the Grunin Center’s Afternoon Recital Series. Delve into the depths of Franz Schubert’s Sonata in C minor, D. 958, as Liang brings forth its emotional richness and virtuosic brilliance. Journey through the dreamlike landscapes of Claude Debussy’s Images, Book 2, where ethereal melodies and captivating harmonies abound. Explore the elegance and grace of Frederic Chopin’s Three Mazurkas, Op. 56, before being swept away by the fiery passion and technical brilliance of Franz Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12 in C-sharp minor. Join Junwen Liang on this musical odyssey, where each note resonates with profound expression and exquisite beauty.
About Junwen Liang
Chinese Pianist Junwen Liang stands as a preeminent classical pianist, lauded for his “captivating” (Stroll Magazine) performances and recognized as “an extremely gifted and promising young artist” by the New York Concert Review. Originally from Nanning, China, Junwen embarked on his piano journey at the age of 9, unveiling his prodigious talent with a solo debut at 13.
In recent years, Junwen has graced distinguished venues across the United States, leaving an indelible mark on the classical music landscape. His performances have resonated in renowned venues such as Cohen Family Studio Theater, Robert J. Werner Recital Hall in Cincinnati, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, and the Academy of Music at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia. Notably, he has collaborated as a soloist with orchestras including the Central Texas Philharmonic, Penn State Philharmonic Orchestra, and Ithaca College Symphonic Orchestra. Junwen’s interpretation of Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 3 with the Ithaca College Symphony Orchestra received acclaim, reaching the public through broadcast on WSKG radio in New York State. His artistry was further acknowledged with an invitation to present a solo performance on WRTI Classical Radio in Philadelphia in August 2022.
In the 2023/24 Season, Junwen’s exceptional artistry shone through in performances at Lake Barcroft Concerts (Falls Church, VA), the Tuesday Concert Series, WIYAMS @ Georgetown University, Arts Club of Washington (Washington, DC), the Sunday Recital Series at Saint Thomas (Manhattan, New York), Trinity Concert Series (Watertown, NY) Concerts at Valley Cottage (Valley Cottage, NY). In the summer of 2024, Junwen is set to make his debut across North America, featuring in prestigious concert series including the Sevenars Music Festival, Fripp Island Friends of Music, The Aiden Chamber Music Series at McLean Center, and Saugerties Pro Musica. As anticipation mounts for Junwen’s burgeoning career, additional concerts for the 2024/25 season will soon be unveiled.
Junwen’s commitment to musical excellence is also exemplified by his participation in prestigious music festivals, including Texas State International Piano Festival, Lunigiana International Music Festival, The Leon Fleshier Academy, Art of the Piano at CCM, Atlantic Music Festival, Aspen Music Festival, Orford Musique, and Philadelphia Young Pianists’ Academy. He has worked with famous pedagogues and concert pianists including Piotr Paleczny, Stanislav Ioudenitch, Gary Graffman, Jerome Lowenthal, Ching-Yun Hu, Andre Laplante, Yoheved Kaplinsky, Vladimir Feltsman, Robert McDonald, Ursula Oppens, Jeremy Denk, and more.
A recipient of numerous awards, Junwen’s trajectory began with victories in esteemed competitions in China at the age of 12. This journey continued globally with triumphs in the New York International Piano Competition, Naftzger Young Artist Competition, Chopin International Piano Competition in Hartford, Juliusz Zarębski International Music Competition (Poland), and WPTA Spain. Notably, he secured first prizes in the Crescendo International Music Competition, Nouvelles Etoiles International Music Competition (France), The Princeton Festival International Piano Competition, YMIC International Music Competition, Philadelphia International Piano Competition, and The American Prize. In Spring 2019, Junwen’s achievements were crowned with the exclusive Spencer Merit Award at the National Society of Arts & Letters in Bloomington, an honor given to only one pianist that year.
In addition to his solo career, Junwen extends his musical talents engaging as a collaborative pianist with professional instrumentalists and singers in the thriving music scenes of Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore County, Maryland. Recognized for his exceptional collaborative skills, he was honored with the Clara Ascherfeld Award in Accompanying, and the title of “Outstanding Collaborative Pianist” at the Peabody Institute, which he was featured in their esteemed Noon:30 Concert Series. In February 2024, at the invitation of concert pianist Chantal Balestri, Artistic Director of the Lunigiana International Music Festival, Junwen participated in the Puccini Concert Project held at NYU Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimo. This special event, in collaboration with the Festival Puccini Torre del Lago, commemorated the composer’s 100th Anniversary. Junwen showcased his talent through solo arrangements and engaging vocal duets alongside guest soprano Marina Medici.
Furthermore, Junwen’s collaborative ventures led to his participation in a piano quintet, coached by Michael Kannen, director of Peabody’s Chamber Music Program. The quintet’s outstanding artistry earned them the distinction of being the only chamber group from Peabody selected to perform at Carnegie Hall’s Master Class Series, offering a unique opportunity to collaborate with Ludwig Quandt, principal cellist of the Berliner Philharmoniker.
Most recently, Junwen graduated with a Graduate Performance Diploma from the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, under the tutelage of Richard Goode. His past mentors include Christopher Guzman (Penn State), Roberto Plano, Edward Auer (Indiana University), and Charis Dimaras (Ithaca College).
Junwen is represented worldwide by Price Attractions.
The Afternoon Recital Series is funded by the Ocean County College Foundation.

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The Jazz Lobsters
2024-10-13 15:00
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Main Stage
Adult $28, Senior $24
inclusive of ticket fee

About the Jazz Lobsters
It’s always a hot ticket when the ever-popular Jazz Lobsters Big Band returns to the Grunin Center! Led by pianist James Lafferty, the 18-piece orchestra will perform exciting arrangements of music associated with legends such as Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, Benny Goodman, Quincy Jones, and many more.
Leading the Lobster sax section on alto and clarinet is “Mrs. Lobster”, Audrey Welber-Lafferty, who can really tear up Benny Goodman’s “Sing Sing Sing”. Featured soloists include Matt Janiszewski- tenor; James Stewart- baritone sax and flute; Adam Machaskee- trombone; and Steve Varner- bass.

Jazz on a Sunday Afternoon is made possible through funding from the Wintrode Family Foundation and the Ocean County College Foundation.

Jazz on a Sunday Afternoon is supported by the New Jersey Jazz Society.

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Inspiring Change: Voices in Our Community
2024-10-14 12:30
Ocean County College
Gateway Lecture Hall
Building 101
Free

About This Event
In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, join us for an uplifting panel discussion featuring Hispanic and Latinx leaders positively impacting their communities and on our campus. This event highlights dedicated campus and community members who embody and spread joy through their work, activism, and creativity.
Our panelists will share their journeys, revealing the challenges they’ve faced and their triumphs. These changemakers will share inspiring stories of perseverance, dedication, and love of community.
Panelists: Dr. Tara Chalakani, CEO of Preferred Behavioral Health Group,
Laura Garzon, OCC Community Ambassadors Club,
Mary Guarin, Community Ambassadors
Moderator: Veronica Guevara-Lovgren, Executive Director, Student Services
Hosted By: The OCC Cultural Diversity/ Heritage Committee & The Grunin Center for the Arts
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Nobuntu
2024-10-16 19:00
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Main Stage
Orchestra $42, Mezzanine $36
inclusive of ticket fee

About Nobuntu
Nobuntu, the female a cappella quartet from Zimbabwe, has drawn international acclaim for its inventive performances that range from traditional Zimbabwean songs to Afro Jazz to Gospel. The ensemble’s concerts are performed with pure voices, augmented by minimalistic percussion, traditional instruments such as the Mbira (thumb piano) and organic, authentic dance movements.
Nobuntu was nominated for Best Musician of the Year at the Zimbabwe International Women Awards in London in 2015 and are currently a two-time winner for the Best Imbube Group at the Bulawayo Arts Awards 2017 and 2019. In the last few seasons, the quintet has performed at festivals and concert halls in Italy, Austria, Germany, Belgium, the Czech Republic and throughout the African continent. The ensemble was a huge critical success at “Trans-Vocal” in Frankfurt and “Voice Mania” in Vienna. Their first tour to Canada, in 2016, included performances in Toronto, Winnipeg, Vancouver, and Victoria.

The word Nobuntu is an African concept that values humbleness, love, unity and family from a woman’s perspective. The ensemble represents a new generation of young African women singers who celebrate and preserve their culture, beauty, and heritage through art. The ensemble’s mission is the belief that music can be an important vehicle for change, one that transcends racial, tribal, religious, gender, and economic boundaries.
Back at home, Nobuntu holds a number of community initiatives, one of which is The Nobuntu Pad Bank where they gather sanitary pads for young women in the arts in underprivileged communities.
Nobuntu has released three recordings – Thina in 2013, Ekhaya in 2016 and Obabes beMbube in 2018. The group has made dozens of television and radio appearances throughout Africa and Europe, promoting these recordings and the culture of their homeland.
This program is made possible by a grant from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, a state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities or the New Jersey Council for the Humanities.

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Madness, Murder, and Mayhem
2024-10-18 19:30, 2024-10-19 19:30, 2024-10-20 14:00, 2024-10-25 19:30, 2024-10-26 14:00, 2024-10-26 19:30, 2024-10-27 14:00
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Black Box Theater
Adults $21, Seniors $19
inclusive of ticket fee

About Madness, Murder, and Mayhem”
In this gripping production of moments from William Shakespeare’s greatest works, the stage comes alive with the echoes of Macbeth’s maniacal ambitions, the chilling whispers of Hamlet’s ghostly revenge, and the venomous schemes of Iago from Othello. Through a seamless blend of drama, suspense, and the supernatural, audiences are transported to a world where madness lurks around every corner, and murder hangs like a foul stench.
But amidst the darkness, flashes of humanity emerge as characters grapple with their inner demons and moral dilemmas. From the tortured souls of Lady Macbeth and King Lear to the tragic descent of Ophelia into madness, each performance is a haunting exploration of the human psyche. “Madness, Murder and Mayhem” invites audiences to confront the darkest aspects of human nature and the timeless allure of Shakespeare’s most twisted tales.
Performances
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2024 – 7:30 PM
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2024 – 7:30 PM
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2024 – 2:00 PM
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2024 – 7:30 PM
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2024 – 2:00 AND 7:30 PM
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2024 – 2:00 PM
Cast
Samantha Acquaviva
Angel Berrios
Kyle Bodie
Katie Bromborsky
Annette Curran
Shea Gaughan
Brendan Keffner
Nick Koval
Bridget Magnusson
Alfred Parchment
Dave Robbins
Zach Zabarsky
Production Crew
Alex Garcia (Props, Lead Production Assistant)
Jacob Mastroly (Crew)
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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Captain Nemo Adventure Academy
2024-10-19 13:00
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Main Stage
Adults: $24, Children: $19
inclusive of ticket fee

About Captain Nemo Adventure Academy
Dive into this madcap homage to Jules Verne’s’ famous maritime hero! Captain Nemo himself will entertain, inspire, and challenge your little guppies’ brains while quenching their thirst for knowledge of the Wonders of the Deep. The cantankerous and ever-curious Captain Nemo lives to excite kids about our watery-blue planet with tales of the Giant Squid, the elusive Angler fish, and even how whale poop is part of the Cycle of Life!
This engaging theatrical experience features beautiful sound effects, hilarious slapstick hijinks, magic, bubble-play, and full-audience participation.
It was created and performed by David Engel, who tours his shows to arts centers, festivals, schools, and museums nationwide and internationally.
Please note that it is the Grunin Center Policy for all Family Shows that all attendees, regardless of age, require a ticket.

More info at: www.davidengelshows.com

This performance is sponsored by RWJBarnabas Health Community Medical Center.
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One Night In Memphis
2024-10-26 20:00
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Main Stage
Orchestra $49, Mezzanine $44
inclusive of ticket fee

About One Night in Memphis
One Night in Memphis is a rocking concert tribute to legendary Sun Records recording artists Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley. Over 90 minutes of rockabilly, country, gospel, and pure 1950s rock and roll music performed live and backed by an authentic and energetic rockabilly backup band. Created and directed by John Mueller from the highly acclaimed show, “Winter Dance Party,” this show has met with the same accolades, sell-out shows, and audience standing ovations.
Be a witness to a rock and roll royalty jam session with the music and talent that has stood the test of time. Enjoy true American music featuring the hits “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” “Great Balls of Fire,” “Whole lotta Shaking Going On,” “Shake, Rattle and Roll,” “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Hound Dog,” and many, many more with acclaimed national talent, all performed live without tracks and guaranteed to get any audience rocking and rolling!

History
On December 4th, 1956, music history was made. This date found Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis Presley together at Sun Record’s studio in Memphis, TN. A jam session ensued, which seemed to have happened by chance. Perkins, who by this time had already met success with “Blue Suede Shoes”, had come into the studio that day, accompanied by his brothers Clayton and Jay and by drummer W.S. Holland, to cut some new material, including a revamped version of an old blues song, “Matchbox”. Sam Phillips, the owner of Sun Records, who wished to try to fatten this sparse rockabilly instrumentation, had brought in his latest acquisition, singer, and piano man extraordinaire Jerry Lee Lewis, still unknown outside Memphis, to play piano on the Perkins session.
Sometime in the early afternoon, Elvis Presley, a former Sun artist himself but now at RCA, dropped in to pay a casual visit. At the time, he was the biggest name in show business, having hit the top of the singles charts five times and topped the album charts twice in the preceding 12-month period. Less than four months earlier, he appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, pulling an unheard-of 83% of the television audience, estimated at 55 million, the largest in history up to that time.
After chatting with Philips in the control room, Presley listened to the playback of Perkins’ session, which he pronounced to be good. Then he went out into the studio, and the jam session began sometime later. Sun artist Johnny Cash, who had recently enjoyed a few hits on the country charts, popped in at some point during the session. Cowboy Jack Clement was engineering that day and remembers saying to himself, “I think I’d be remiss not to record this,” So he did, and the night became rock and roll music history. Many famous artists, such as Bob Dylan, recall listening to and being tremendously inspired by these recordings.
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Tracy Nelson featuring Steve Conn
2024-11-01 19:00
Buy Tickets
Gia Maione Prima Foundation Studio Theatre
Tickets $24
inclusive of ticket fee

About the show
For this intimate acoustic performance, Tracy Nelson will be accompanied by Steve Conn, one of the two pianists on the recent Grammy-nominated album “Life Don’t Miss Nobody.” Conn will also bring his small accordion to accompany Tracy when she switches to a 12-string acoustic guitar.
About Tracy Nelson
Tracy Nelson, one of the most powerful voices in American music, has emerged from a lengthy recording hiatus with the album of a lifetime, a musical self-portrait spanning her entire career. Life Don’t Miss Nobody (BMG; release date June 9th) is a 13 track collection that stretches back to her start as a guitar-picking Wisconsin teen playing coffeehouses through an unparalleled career, now in it’s sixth decade, singing blues, country, New Orleans R&B and gospel, and performing in such storied music meccas as 1960s San Francisco and 1970s Austin in her epic, genre-busting musical journey.
But this is no nostalgia trip. The title song is a brand-new composition from the woman whose “Down So Low” has become a modern standard. She’s kept busy performing and recording with long-time musical friends in projects like Corky Siegel’s Chamber Blues and with the freewheeling all-star Blues Broads – Angela Strehli, Annie Sampson and Dorothy Morrison. Even so, roots lovers have waited a long time for a new Tracy Nelson album, and no one’s more excited than Tracy.

“I haven’t made a record in over 10 years,” she says. “I’ve been wanting to do every one of these songs for a really long time. I wanted to get a little bit of everything, all the kinds of music that I love.”
Life Don’t Miss Nobody is Tracy Nelson’s own Great American Songbook, featuring iconic composers like Hank Williams, Ma Rainey, Willie Dixon, Allen Toussaint, Chuck Berry, Doc Pomus, Sister Rosetta Tharpe and the Founding Father of American Song, Stephen Foster. Foster’s “Hard Times” in here in two settings, both featuring Tracy on 12 string, the first time she’s recorded on guitar since her 1964 debut, Deep Are The Roots.
Tracy’s labor of love includes the album’s personnel. Produced by Roger Alan Nichols (Steven Tyler, Larkin Poe) and tracked at Nashville’s Sound Emporium in just three days, Life Don’t Miss Nobody features the state-of-the-art roots rhythm section of piano masters Kevin McKendree (Delbert McClinton, Brian Setzer) and Steve Conn (Bonnie Raitt, Sonny Landreth), upright and electric bassist Byron House (Robert Plant’s Band of Joy, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band), Nashville A-list drummer John Gardner (Dixie Chicks, Taylor Swift), Larry Chaney (Edwin McCain) and Mike Henderson (SteelDrivers, Chris Stapleton) on guitars.
About Steve Conn
Steve Conn has played piano, organ, or accordion with Bonnie Raitt, Shemekia Copeland, Kris Kristofferson, Dion, Kenny Loggins and a multitude of others. As a session keyboardist he has played on 12 Grammy-nominated albums, including Tracy Nelson’s Life Don’t Miss Nobody in 2024 and Sonny Landreth’s 2017 live album, Recorded Live in Lafayette, on which he plays accordion, piano and organ, and is featured singing his song “The One and Only Truth.”
He was a New Folk Finalist at the prestigious Kerrville Folk Festival, he’s had his music played onOprah and CSI, and for two years he was the musical director for eTown on National Public Radio.
He’s a master songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who’s toured Europe with legendary bluesman Albert King, played on “The Tonight Show” with acclaimed vocalist Shelby Lynne, and joined rock ’n’ roll icon Levon Helm onstage at the famed Ryman Auditorium.
Steve’s music reflects the depth and diversity of his Louisiana roots. Part funky bluesman, part soulful popster, he draws on his love of Southern literature to craft “tunes that infuse intriguing stories and characters with a depth of melody and musicianship that makes clear why Conn is in such demand.” (Dirty Linen)
His first national release was the critically acclaimed River of Madness, a unique hybrid of
Louisiana-influenced, pop-inspired deep grooves and high ideals. He released Steve Conn in 2003, featuring the classic “I’ve Got Your Dog” and the heartbreaking “Beautiful,” later recorded by soul icon Bonnie Bramlett.
In 2011 he came out with Beautiful Dream, 12 exquisitely crafted songs full of questions and observations about loss and innocence, hope and regret, cynicism and optimism.
He continues weaving those lyrical threads on 2019’s Flesh and Bone, which is full of rootsy grooves, incisive lyrics, imaginative production and unforgettable songs.

This event is made possible through the generous support of the Gia Maione Prima Foundation
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Girls Night: The Musical
2024-11-02 19:30
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Main Stage
Tickets $59 – $49
Presented by Entertainment Events
Rental Presenter
About The Event
GIRLS NIGHT! is a touching and hilarious ‘tell-it-like-it-is’ musical that takes audiences on a journey into the lives of a group of female friends. Audience members can’t help but laugh, cry, and even find themselves singing and dancing in the aisles as some of the most popular hit songs of the 80s and 90s make this musical a fan favorite! Follow five friends as they visit their past, celebrate their present, and look to the future on a wild and hilarious night out … and you’ll recognize a bit of yourself in every one of them! It is described as “Desperate Housewives meets Mamma Mia” (Applause Magazine), “A boisterous, bust-out, bawdy musical revue” (Wisconsin State Journal), “An infectious, exhilarating sense of intoxication” (Hollywood Reporter), and “As funny and outrageous as Sex and the City!” (The Advocate).

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Late Nite Catechism
2024-11-03 15:00
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Main Stage
Tickets $59 – $49
Presented by Entertainment Events
Rental Presenter
About The Event
Late Nite Catechism is an uproariously funny play that takes the audience back to their youth. The irrepressible Sister teaches class to a roomful of “students.” The benevolent instructor rewards the “students” for correct answers throughout the class with glow-in-the-dark rosaries and other nifty prizes. Naughty students may well find themselves on stage, sitting in a corner, reflecting on their actions. However, even the most reluctant “students” will be clamoring to get into this Sister’s class. The New York Times calls Late Nite Catechism “interactive theater at its best and full of laughs!”

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Viet Thanh Nguyen
2024-11-06 11:00
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Main Stage
Tickets Free,
Advanced Registration Required

Schedule
The 11:00 am event is open to the public. The 11:00 am event will also be livestreamed.
At 12:30 pm, an informal Q&A will be held for OCC Students, Faculty, and staff. Registration with an OCC email address is required for this session.
About Viet Thanh Nguyen
Viet Thanh Nguyen’s writing is bold, elegant, and fiercely honest. His remarkable debut novel, The Sympathizer, won the Pulitzer Prize, was a Dayton Literary Peace Prize winner, and made the finalist list for the PEN/Faulkner award.
Viet and his family came to the United States as refugees during the Vietnam War in 1975. As he grew up in America, he began to notice that most movies and books about the war focused on Americans while the Vietnamese were silenced and erased. He was inspired by this lack of representation to write about the war from a Vietnamese perspective, globally reimagining what we thought we knew about the conflict. The New York Times says that his novel, The Sympathizer, “fills a void…giving voice to the previously voiceless while it compels the rest of us to look at the events of forty years ago in a new light.” His voice is refreshing and powerful as he urges readers to examine the legacy of that tumultuous time and its aftermath from a new perspective. The audacious novel has also been described by The Guardian as having a “Whitman- like multiplicity” as it “reads like the absolute opposite of Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried.” The Committed, the long-awaited follow-up to The Sympathizer, was published in 2021 and has been called “a masterwork” and “revelatory.”
Viet’s book Nothing Ever Dies: Vietnam and the Memory of War was a finalist for the National Book Award. Author Ari Kelman praises Nothing Ever Dies saying it, “provides the fullest and best explanation of how the Vietnam War has become so deeply inscribed into national memory.” His collection of short stories, The Refugees, explores questions of immigration, identity, love, and family. In 2018, Viet called on 17 fellow refugee writers from across the globe to shed light on their experiences, and the result is The Displaced, a powerful dispatch from the individual lives behind current headlines, with proceeds to support the International Rescue Committee.
Viet was the recipient of a MacArthur “Genius” Grant. The MacArthur foundation noted that Viet’s work “not only offers insight into the experiences of refugees past and present, but also poses profound questions about how we might more accurately and conscientiously portray victims and adversaries of other wars.” Along with teaching at the University of Southern California, he works as a cultural critic-at-large for The Los Angeles Times. Viet lives in LA with his wife and two children.
This event is in collaboration with the Visiting Writers Reading Series.
The cost of tickets for this program has been generously underwritten by the sponsors of the Blauvelt Speaker Series.
The Blauvelt Speaker Series is funded in part by the generosity of the late Bradford Thomas & Eleanor G. Blauvelt and the Wintrode Family Foundation. This year’s 2024-2025 additional sponsors include Carluccio, Leone, Dimon, Doyle & Sacks, LLC, Arlene and Frank Dupignac, Jr., Georgian Court University, Kean Ocean, Stella and Marshall Kern, Kiwanis of Greater Toms River, Leone & Daughters, New Jersey Natural Gas, and OCVTS.
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Ching-Yi Lin
2024-11-08 14:00
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Main Stage
All Tickets $10
inclusive of ticket fee

About Ching-Yi Lin
Embark on a mesmerizing musical journey with Ching-Yi Lin, a pianist whose virtuosity knows no bounds. Born in Taiwan, Lin’s ascent to musical prominence was swift, marked by numerous accolades including top prizes at prestigious competitions like the Marb ella International Piano Competition and the Texas State International Piano Competition. His talent has graced stages worldwide, from collaborating with esteemed artists like Hye Jin Kim and Yehuda Hanani to captivating audiences with solo performances ac ross renowned venues.
As a Rising Star Awardee by the Howard County Arts Council, Lin’s recital tours have enraptured listeners, and his dedication to music education shines through his roles at institutions like the Peabody Institute and Levine Music. Now, prepare to be enthralled as Lin unveils a spellbinding recital program featuring Schumann’s Op. 18 Arabesque, Brahm’s 7 Fantasien Op. 116, and Schumann’s Symphonic Etudes. This program showcases the most compelling compositional techniques celebrated in the Romantic period, characteristic pieces, and program music.
The Afternoon Recital Series is funded by the Ocean County College Foundation.

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Martha Redbone Roots Project
2024-11-09 19:00
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Main Stage
Orchestra $49, Mezzanine $39
inclusive of ticket fee

About Martha Redbone Roots Project
The Martha Redbone Roots Project is “a brilliant collision of cultures…” The New Yorker Magazine; Ms. Redbone and her ensemble of masterful musicians take their audiences on an American music journey through times past and present, weaving the sounds of her childhood and her ancestral homelands in coal country, Harlan County, KY, celebrating the music of her multi-cultural Southeastern heritage. Music that conjures up stories from the early days of the mountain, embodying the folk, blues and gospel sounds from the ancestors of the Black migration mixed with Indigenous foundation of the region. Martha Redbone and her band invite you through sound and story to her HOME.
The Martha Redbone Roots Project are:
Martha Redbone: Vocals, percussion
Aaron Whitby- Piano
Charlie Burnham- Violin
Fred Cash, Jr. – Bass

Martha Redbone Bio
Martha Redbone is a vocalist, songwriter, composer, music educator, and 2021 United States Artist Fellow celebrated for her tasty gumbo of roots music embodying the folk and mountain blues sounds of her childhood in the Appalachian hills of Kentucky, mixed with the eclectic grit of her teenage years in pre-gentrified Brooklyn. Inheriting both her nickname and powerful voice from gospel-singing African American father and the resilient spirit of her mother’s Southeastern multiracial Indigenous heritage, Ms. Redbone broadens the boundaries of American Roots music with songs and storytelling that share her life experience as an Afro-Indigenous woman and mother in the 21st century. Redbone also works in partnership with longtime collaborator/husband Aaron Whitby. Together, their music gives voice to issues of social justice, connecting cultures and celebrating the human spirit.
Redbone’s album The Garden of Love: Songs of William Blake (produced by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band founder and Grammy-winner John McEuen), is “a brilliant collision of cultures…”(New Yorker). Redbone and Whitby are the composers, arrangers, and orchestrators of original music and score for the 2022 Broadway revival of For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuff, the 1976 classic choreopoem by the late Ntozake Shange, premiering at the Booth Theater, garnering seven Tony Award nominations and critical acclaim. Redbone and Whitby are the 2020 Drama Desk Award recipients for Outstanding Music in a Play and the 2020 Audelco Award recipient for Outstanding Composer of Original Music and Score for the Off-Broadway revival.
For more info: www.martharedbone.com
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