Amadeus
2025-03-16 14:00, 2025-03-21 19:30, 2025-03-22 14:00, 2025-03-22 19:30, 2025-03-23 14:00 (America/New_York)
Get Tickets
Black Box Theater
(Building 11B)
Adults $21, Seniors $19
General Admission Seating

About Amadeus
In the court of the Austrian Emperor Joseph II, Antonio Salieri is the established composer. Enter the greatest musical genius of all time: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Salieri has given himself to God so that he might realize his sole ambition, to be a great composer. Mozart is a foul-mouthed, graceless oaf who has that which is beyond Salieri’s envious grasp: Genius.
Performances
FRIDAY, MARCH 14, 2025 – 7:30 PM
SATURDAY, MARCH 15, 2025 – 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM
SUNDAY, MARCH 16, 2025 – 2:00 PM
FRIDAY, MARCH 21, 2025 – 7:30 PM
SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 2025 – 2:00 AND 7:30 PM
SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2025 – 2:00 PM
Cast
Antonio Salieri – Jeff Bodnar
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Brendan Keffner
Constanze Weber – Taylor Bongarzone
Joseph II – Bill King
Count Johann Kilian von Strack – Kyle Bodie
Count Franz Orsini-Rosenberg – Brian Lodato
Barron Gottfried Van Swieten – Angel Berrios
Venticello – Johnny Friedman
Venticello – Grey Kellerman
Theresa Salieri/Ensemble – Bridget Magnusson
Katherina Cavelieri/Ensemble – Kyra Griggs
Cook/Ensemble – Rosa Spalliero
Valet/Major Domo/Ensemble – Zach Zabarsky
Production Crew
Production Stage Manager – Jamie Kasprovitz
Scenic design – George Allison
Lighting Design – Douglas Cox
Costume Design – Jacquie Revier, Playtime Costumes
Sound Design – Ben Robinson
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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David Hogg
2025-03-27 11:00
Get Tickets
Gateway Lecture Hall (Building 101)
and Livestream
Tickets Free,
Advanced Registration Required

About David Hogg
Thrust into the world of activism by the largest school shooting in American history, Parkland survivor David Hogg has become one of the most compelling voices of his generation. His call to “get over politics and get something done” challenges Americans to stand up, speak out and work to elect morally just leaders, regardless of party affiliation. Passionate in his advocacy to end gun violence, David’s mission of increasing voter participation, civic engagement and activism embraces a range of issues.
On February 14, 2018, David’s life changed forever. As a senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, he lost friends, classmates and teachers. A total of 17 people were killed when a lone teen gunman sprayed bullets from a high-powered military assault rifle. David’s eloquent responses to America’s largest school shooting immediately placed him in the national and international media spotlight.
Committed to becoming an agent for change, he resolved that no other young person should have to experience the tragic impact of gun violence. He joined with friends from high school to co-found March For Our Lives, now one of the world’s largest youth-led movements. Five weeks after the shooting, March For Our Lives mobilized one of the biggest demonstrations in the nation’s history. Speaking before an estimated 800,000 protestors in Washington, D.C., David declared, “The sun shines on a new day—and it is ours!” Since then, David’s activism has taken him around the country, meeting with impacted families and diverse communities to deepen his knowledge of gun safety and the politics of ending gun violence. With his younger sister, Lauren, also a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, he co-wrote #NeverAgain, a New York Times bestseller. David and Lauren also contributed to the best-selling book, Glimmer of Hope: How Tragedy Sparked a Movement, a compilation of writing from the founders of March For Our Lives.
In 2019, David headed to Harvard University and graduated in the spring of 2023. He recently co-founded Leaders We Deserve, a grassroots political organization dedicated to electing young progressives to Congress and State Legislatures across the country. “We will help defeat the far-right agenda and advance a progressive vision for our collective future,” David says.
A prolific voice on social media with more than a million followers, David uses his platform to promote civic engagement, activism and voting. As a speaker, he informs, challenges and energizes, empowering his generation to resist apathy and become catalysts for positive social change. “People call us snowflakes,” he once tweeted. “What happens when snowflakes vote? That’s called an avalanche.”

The sponsors of the Blauvelt Speaker Series have generously underwritten the cost of tickets for this program.
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, Gutman & Petro, LLC, Arlene and Frank Dupignac, Jr., Georgian Court University, Kean Ocean, Stella and Marshall Kern, Kiwanis of Greater Toms River, Leone & Daughters, and New Jersey Natural Gas.
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Las Guaracheras
2025-03-28 19:00
Get Tickets
Gia Maione Prima Foundation Studio Theatre
(Building 12)
Tickets $24

Photo Credit: Juan Fernández
About the show
Las Guaracheras is a powerful Latin Music sextet from Cali, Colombia that performs Afro-Caribbean rhythms such as salsa, as well as music from the Pacific region of Colombia. Their compositions and lyrics revolve around the revindication and recognition of the role of women in the music industry – especially in the Latin Music scene in Colombia – and seek to express the power and strength of women as sources of love, hope, resilience and creativity.
Selected to form part of the 2025/26 Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation Performing Arts Exchange (PAGE), Las Guaracheras have been featured at U.S. venues such as: Lotus Festival (IN), Freight & Salvage (CA), etc. and in 2025 will be at LACMA Latin Sounds (CA), Twin Cities Jazz Festival (MN) and others. They have performed in Europe and the Americas at venues such as: Sunfest (Canada), Cubadisco (Cuba), BIME (Spain), Portamérica Latitudes/FIMpro, and El Zócalo (Mexico).

This engagement of Las Guaracheras is made possible, in part, through the Performing Arts Global Exchange program of Mid-Atlantic Arts with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.
This event is made possible through the generous support of the Ocean County College Foundation.

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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Stoned Soul Picnic: Joni, Carole, Laura
2025-04-05 19:00
Get Tickets
Gia Maione Prima Foundation Studio Theatre
(Building 12)
Tickets $39

About the show
Celebrating three of the most influential and groundbreaking singer/songwriters of the late ‘60s and ‘70s, Stoned Soul Picnic: Joni, Carole, Laura is a feast of great music by Rock-and-Roll Hall of Fame legends Joni Mitchell, Carole King, and Laura Nyro. Lead singer Diane Garisto has shared the mic with such musical icons as Paul Simon, Steely Dan, and Billy Joel, and was a member of Laura Nyro’s well-known backing trio, the Harmony Group. Along with her illustrious band, Diane and company have created an exuberant live show.

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Vance Gilbert
2025-04-12 19:00
Get Tickets
Gia Maione Prima Foundation Studio Theatre
(Building 12)
Tickets $34

About the show
“If Joni Mitchell and Richie Havens had a love child, with Rodney Dangerfield as the midwife, the results might be something close to the great Vance Gilbert”, says Richmond Magazine.
Vance’s new album, “The Mother Of Trouble”, features Grammy winner Lori McKenna on background vocals, Juno award recipient and Bonnie Raitt Grammy hit song co-writer Joey Landreth on guitars, and Americana-Roots master mandolinist Joe K. Walsh. With 4 bullies, 4 deaths (3 of them murders), 3 moms, 2 accidents, 2 Black people, 2 dogs, 1 dog ball, 1 gay kid, and 1 missed flight thanks to gas station sushi, this album benefits from the gifts of time and experience honing songwriting skills that put this most vital of acoustic storytellers at the top of the game.

Oh, and Management wants to make sure to tell you that this is the 14th release for this acoustic stalwart.
30 years into his career, the songwriter’s influence can be felt all over the contemporary Folk and Americana realm as he has helped pave the way for many of the BIPOC artists who have followed.
Vance was born and raised in the Philadelphia area. Starting out hoping to be an R&B and jazz singer once at college, there he discovered his affinity for the storytelling sensibilities of the acoustic singer-songwriter thing. Word spread like wildfire about Gilbert’s stage-owning singing and playing, and Shawn Colvin invited him to be special guest on her 1992 Fat City tour where he took much of America by storm and by surprise. “With the voice of an angel, the wit of a devil, and the guitar playing of a god..” wrote the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Noted not only for being the ever consummate performer, Gilbert has recorded 13 albums, including 5 for Philo/Rounder Records. Along with being opener of choice for artists as varied as Arlo Guthrie, Anita Baker, The Milk Carton Kids, and Southside Johnny, the mid 2000’s found Gilbert opening 150+ shows for comedian George Carlin.
Gilbert has also been a prominent presence at some of the world’s most prestigious gatherings and halls, among them the Newport, Winnipeg, Rocky Mountain, Calgary, Ottawa, and Falcon Ridge Folk festivals, the Kate Wolf Music Festival, and Australia’s Woodford Folk and Mullum Music Festivals, Mountain Stage, Boston’s Symphony Hall, Nashville’s Lyman Auditorium, The Barns at Wolftrap, and a private party for his veterinarian where there was terrific lo-mein.
Most recently he’s been the opener of choice for Mad About You/Stranger Things star Paul Reiser’s stand-up shows (50 +) for the last 7 years, along with his own busy acoustic music touring and coaching schedule. That current schedule includes Vance’sMondayNightAcousticPajamaParty on YouTube. Having started the first week of the pandemic in 2020, Vance has played a live, themed, weekly 90 minute mixed bag of originals and cover tunes to a rotating following of about 200 folks. 10 to 20% of his weekly tip jar is donated to a local 501(c)3 of his choice. At the time of this writing, having done 155 of these shows has become newsworthy in itself.
Gilbert has been a songwriting, performance, and voice coach all around the world, kinda, from Australia to Winnipeg, at all the festivals above plus The Kerrville and Rocky Mountain Song Schools, he is currently on staff as Instructor/Professor at the University Of Colorado Denver and has a decade worth of summer programs at the Berklee College Of Music under his belt. What? Private coaching? Yes, 6-10 students weekly too.
Considered by many to be an integral part of the national folk scene, his previous record “Good Good Man” features an eclectic roster of musical types including rocker Mike Posner, world renown Celtic harpist Aine Minough, bluesman Chris Smither, and Al Green’s organist Stacey Wade.
Gilbert runs 3 to 4 miles ever so slowly 5 days a week to stay sharp for the road and does historical aviation research and model building just for great nerdy fun.
He even has a tune on a Grammy Nominated children’s album. How rounded is that?
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Tracy K. Smith
2025-04-14 18:30
Register Now
Virtual Event on Zoom
Tickets Free; Advance Registration Required
Please note: this event was rescheduled after our brochure went to print. The new date is Monday, April 14, 2025.

About the event
Tracy K. Smith received the 2012 Pulitzer Prize in poetry for her third book of poems, Life on Mars. The collection draws upon the genre of science fiction in considering who we humans are and what the vast universe holds for us. In poems of political urgency, tenderness, elegy and wit, Smith conjures version upon version of the future, imagines the afterlife, and contemplates life here on earth in our institutions, cities, houses and hearts. Life on Mars was a New York Times Notable Book, a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice, and a New Yorker, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year.
Smith’s debut collection, The Body’s Question, was selected by Kevin Young as winner of the Cave Canem Prize for the best first book by an African American poet. Straddling languages, speakers, and geographies, the poems bear witness to love, loss, and belonging while laying claim to a large and nimble sense of identity. In his introduction, Young writes, “Smith…seems perfectly at home speaking of grief and loss, of lust and hunger, of joy and desire—which here often means the desire for desire, and a desire for language itself.”
Duende, Smith’s second book, received the James Laughlin Award from the Academy of American Poets. The collection takes its title from a term Federico Garcia Lorca brought into broad parlance. The duende is the wild, unpredictable and oftentimes dangerous energy an artist might seek to conjure up and contend with. Unlike the muse, which exists beyond or above the artist, the duende sleeps deep within—as pure urge, fury, chaos, and passion—waiting to be awakened and wrestled, often at great cost. In Smith’s hands, this sense of artistic struggle and daring meets up with forms of social and political struggle, resistance and survival. It also illuminates the private upheaval of divorce and its aftermath.
In her memoir, Ordinary Light, Smith explores her own experience of race, religion, and the death of her mother shortly after Smith graduated from Harvard. The book was a finalist for the National Book Award, and named a Notable Book by both the New York Times and Washington Post.
Smith served two terms as Poet Laureate of the United States, during which time she traveled across America, hosting poetry readings and conversations in rural communities. She edited the anthology American Journal: Fifty Poems for Our Time during her laureateship, and launched the American Public Media podcast The Slowdown. In March 2021 she was voted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
This event is presented in collaboration with the Zoellner Arts Center at Lehigh University and is made possible by the Ocean County College Foundation.

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Boheme Opera of New Jersey
2025-04-25 14:00
Get Tickets
Gia Maione Prima Foundation Studio Theatre
(Building 12)
All Tickets $10

About the Event
Boheme Opera of New Jersey will present an operatic concert featuring silvery-voiced Soprano Sungji Kim and versatile Bass Hyong Sik Jo, accompanied by pianist Sandra Pucciatti.
About Sungji Kim
“A silvery-voiced” singer (Opera Magazine), Soprano Dr. Sungji Kim has brought various acclaim from critics with her exquisite musicality and attractive presence with “her incisive and bright voice” (New York Times). With numerous performances in Asia, Canada, Europe, Russia, and throughout the United States in the venues of Carnegie Hall as well as Lincoln Center, Dr. Kim has also appeared in interviews and live on-air performances on WWFM, WRTI, and Jersey Arts.
She earned her Doctoral Degree in Musical Arts at Rutgers University, her Professional Studies Diploma at the Manhattan School of Music as the recipient of the President’s Scholarship, her master’s degree at the Curtis Institute of Music, and her bachelor’s degree cum laude at Seoul National University honored with a full scholarship.
About Hyong Sik Jo
The versatile Bass Hyong Sik Jo is already gaining the attention of critics, being hailed as a “..delightful comic, with beauty and depth” and able to“..switch seamlessly from jovial to Jovian at the stroke of a baton”. This is because, at a young age, he already has encompassed a variety of roles from the title roles in Don Giovanni, Gianni Schicchi, and Falstaff, Doctor Dulcamara in L’Elisir d’amore, Don Alfonso in Cosi fan Tutte, Leporello and Masetto in Don Giovanni, Count Almaviva and Don Bartolo in Le Nozze di Figaro, Sprecher in Die Zauberflöte, Grandpa Moss in The Tender Land, Judge Turpin in Sweeney Todd, Bartolo and Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola, Colline in La Bohème to the dramatic characters of Lo Zio Bonzo in Madame Butterfly, Ferrando in Il Trovatore, Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor, among others. He has appeared with the Connecticut Opera, Bulgaria’s Plovdiv Opera, Aspen Opera Theater Center, Opera North, Long Island Opera, New Rochelle Opera, Opera at Florham, Verismo Opera, Regina Opera, Eastern Opera of New Jersey, New York Lyric Opera, Kaliope Opera, OSH Opera, Palisades Opera, and as a guest artist with Boston University Opera Institute and Queens College Opera.
Mr. Jo also has vast experience on the concert stage, recently appearing as Elijah from Elijah by Mendelssohn. The Bass soloist in Handel’s Messiah, Haydn’s Die Schöpfung, Gounod’s Messe Solennelle, Mozart’s Requiem and Vesperae Solennes and Beethoven’s Mass in C with such orchestras as the New England Symphonic Ensemble at Isaac Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, the New Jersey Philharmonic Orchestra, Hartford Symphony Orchestra, the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony Orchestra, the Baroque Orchestra of New Jersey and the Aspen Music Festival Orchestra.
Mr. Jo received his bachelor’s degree in Voice from the University of Chung-Ang (Korea), graduating with honors, a master of Music degree in Voice Performance from the Manhattan School of Music, and Artist Diploma in Voice Performance from the University of Northern Iowa, and studied Artist Diploma in Opera Performance from the University of Hartford.
This event is funded by the Ocean County College Foundation.

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Deathtrap
2025-04-25 19:30, 2025-04-26 19:30, 2025-04-27 14:00, 2025-05-02 19:30, 2025-05-03 14:00, 2025-05-03 19:30, 2025-05-04 14:00
Get Tickets
Black Box Theater
(Building 11B)
Adults $21, Seniors $19
General Admission Seating

About Deathtrap
Comfortably ensconced in his charming Connecticut home, Sidney Bruhl, a successful writer of Broadway thrillers, struggles to overcome a dry spell, resulting in a string of failures and a shortage of funds. A possible break in his fortunes occurs when he receives a script from a student in the seminar he has been conducting at a nearby college—a thriller that Sidney recognizes immediately as a potential Broadway smash. Sidney’s plan, devised with his wife’s help, is to offer collaboration to the student for co-credit. Or is it? DEATHTRAP provides twists and turns of devilish cleverness and offers hilariously sudden shocks so abundant that audiences will be spellbound until the very last moment.
Performances
FRIDAY, APRIL 25, 2025 – 7:30 PM
SATURDAY, APRIL 26, 2025 – 7:30 PM
SUNDAY, APRIL 27, 2025 – 2:00 PM
FRIDAY, MAY 2, 2025 – 7:30 PM
SATURDAY, MAY 3, 2025 – 2:00 AND 7:30 PM
SUNDAY, MAY 4, 2025 – 2:00 PM
Cast
Brendan Keffner – Sidney Bruhl
Keith Miller – Clifford Anderson
Dana Russack – Myra Bruhl
Annette Curran – Helga Ten Dorp
James Fogerty – Porter Milgrim
Samantha Acquaviva
Kyle Bodie
Angel Berrios
Production Crew
Cat Parker
George Allison
Doug Cox
Jamie Kasprovitz
Bridget Magnusson
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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Nat Adderley, Jr. - POSTPONED
2025-04-27 15:00
Due to unforeseen circumstances, Nat Adderley, Jr., is unable to perform on Sunday, April 27, 2025. We plan to reschedule with Mr. Adderley, Jr.; however, he is presently unable to confirm a future date.
Ticket holders have been emailed with refund details, and once we can confirm a new date, we will post the event here.

About Nat Adderley, Jr.
As Luther Vandross’ long-time musical director, Nat’s compositions include “Stop to Love”, “Wait for Love”, “Make Me a Believer”, “Other Side of The World”, and the Grammy-nominated “Give Me the Reason”. His many arrangements for Luther include “Superstar”, “Here and Now”, “So Amazing”, “If Only for One Night”, “If This World Were Mine”, “There’s Nothing Better Than Love”, “Anyone Who Had a Heart”, and “Never Too Much”. Also for Luther, Nat produced “My Favorite Things”, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, “Going Out of My Head” and “The Closer I Get To You” (the Grammy-winning duet with Beyonce). Nat also of course produced Luther’s very last project, “Live at Radio City Music Hall”.

Nat wrote “The Wave” for Kirk Whalum, arranged Natalie Cole’s 1987 recording of “When I Fall In Love”, produced “Just Another Lonely Night” for Johnny Gill, arranged Aretha Franklin’s album Jump To It, produced Gloria Lynne’s album No Detour Ahead, and produced “That’s How Heartaches are Made” for the Temptations. And In 2016 and 2017, Nat produced the CD “Invitation” for Nicolas Bearde, and appeared as pianist on Jay Hoggard’s beautiful CD “Harlem Heiroglyphs”.
After a decades-long absence from theater, Nat has recently done three important shows for the Tony-winning Crossroads Theater Company in New Brunswick, NJ. In September of ’17 he served as arranger and musical director for “Sarah Sings a Love Story” . In April of ’19 he did the same for “Sophisticated Ladies” directed by Tony winner Andre DeShields . And in September of ’19 Nat was MD and appeared as the character “Larry” (Paul Robeson’s accompanist) in “Robeson”.
In recent years, the Nat Adderley Jr Quartet (or Trio) performed in Beijing (the Blue Note), Singapore (the Kool Kats Club), in New York City (Minton’s , Grant’s Tomb, the Sugar Bar), New Jersey (Shanghai Jazz in Madison), and many other venues. In September ’19 the band headlined Sheila Anderson’s (WBGO) “Somerville (NJ) Jazz Festival”. And as a “sideman” in 2019 Nat played with Regina Carter (The Jazz Standard NYC on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day) and with Vincent Herring (Smoke Jazz Club NYC later in the year).
In 2020 and 2021 the Nat Adderley Jr Quartet performed for sold-out houses at Parker’s Jazz Club in Austin Tx, Breezy’s Jazz Club Jacksonville Fl, Takoma Station in Washington DC, and a few nights back at Minton’s in Harlem. Also in NYC there were a few “packed” performances for “Jazzmobile” at Marcus Garvey Park and at Grant’s Tomb. Nat also streamed various widely-viewed concerts from his living room for the Queens Public Library, the New Jersey Jazz Society. And from “Birdland” streamed the “Tribute to Phyllis Hyman” duo with Alyson Williams. Finally, in July ’21, Nat was featured (with Paulette McWilliams) in Austria at “ Porgy and Bess” in Vienna, and at the Inntone Jazz Festival in Diersbach.
Nat Adderley Jr received his BA from Yale University.
Jazz on a Sunday Afternoon is made possible through funding from the Wintrode Family Foundation, the Ocean County College Foundation, and through support from the New Jersey Jazz Society.

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OCC Concert Band: The Music of Broadway, Movies, and TV
2025-05-03 19:00
Get Tickets
Toms River Intermediate East Auditorium
(directions)
General Admission
Adults $24, Children $14
About the Show
Join the OCC Concert Band for a nostalgic journey through memorable music from Broadway, movies, and TV shows. Enjoy Broadway hits, John Williams scores, and favorites from Looney Tunes and Bullwinkle—music that will bring back fond memories!
Anthony Tafrow, Conductor
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OCC Jazz Band - Sold Out
2025-05-07 18:00
Get Tickets
Black Box Theater
(Building 11B)
This event is currently Sold Out
About The Ocean County College Jazz Band
Join us for an unforgettable evening of live music with Ocean County College Jazz Band under the direction of Kate Warren! Experience a dynamic mix of classic bebop, smooth ballads, lively swing, and exciting Latin jazz – all brought to life by talented student musicians. Don’t miss out on this vibrant showcase of rhythm, improvisation, and musical creativity!
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OCC Faculty and Guest String Quartet
2025-05-09 14:00
Get Tickets
Gateway Lecture Hall (Building 101)
All Tickets $10

About the Event
Composed within a decade of each other, Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel’s string quartets constitute the two most important impressionistic works in the genre. Please join OCC faculty members Jee Sun Lee (violin) and DoYeon Kim (cello), along with guest artists Hyun-Joon Shin (violin) and Mitsuru Kubo (viola), in celebrating these wonderful pieces.
This event is funded by the Ocean County College Foundation.

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Behn Gillece & Brian Betz
2025-06-01 15:00
Get Tickets
Gia Maione Prima Foundation Studio Theatre
(Building 12)
Adult $28, Senior $24

About Behn Gillece
Having spent many years deeply embedded in the vibrant jazz scenes of New York and Philadelphia, Behn Gillece has carved out a distinguished reputation as both a virtuosic vibraphonist and a prolific composer. Drawing inspiration from luminaries like Milt Jackson, Gary Burton and Bobby Hutcherson, Gillece has dedicated himself to pushing the boundaries of vibraphone artistry while leaving an indelible mark on the jazz landscape as a composer. Hailing from New Jersey, Gillece honed his craft through numerous performance opportunities in his home state and Philadelphia before making the leap to New York City in 2006. Since then, he has solidified his status as a soughtafter sideman, as well as a formidable bandleader and recording artist.
His latest album, “Stick Together” (2024, Posi-Tone), is a testament to the power of collaboration and synergy. Teaming up with esteemed musicians such as pianist Art Hirahara, bassist Boris Kozlov, and drummer Rudy Royston, Gillece crafts musical creations imbued with an undeniable sense of joy and ease.
From 2009 to 2013, Gillece co-led four transformative recordings on Posi-Tone with tenor saxophonist Ken Fowser, garnering international acclaim and extensive streaming and radio play. His albums as a leader— including “Mindset” (2015), “Dare To Be” (2016), “Walk Of Fire” (2017), “Parallel Universe” (2018), “Still Doing Our Thing” (2021), and “Between The Bars” (2023)— propelled him into the spotlight, earning him a 2018 Downbeat Rising Star award. Additionally, Gillece has lent his talents as a sideman to various acclaimed recordings, collaborating with artists such as Patrick Cornelius, Michael Dease, New Faces, Walt Weiskopf, Melody Gardot, Idle Hands, Out To Dinner, and Ensemble Novo.
Gillece’s performances have reached prestigious venues worldwide, including the Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, Kimmel Center, Smalls Jazz Club, Mezzrow, Jazz Standard, Side Door, Smoke Jazz Club, Fat Cat, Yoshi’s, Chris’ Jazz Cafe, as well as renowned festivals such as North Sea, Montreux, Nice, Molde, Ghent, Montreal, and Toronto festivals.
In addition to his robust performance life, Gillece also has a burgeoning career as a music educator. Gillece is a member of the faculty at Rowan University, where he teaches vibraphone, jazz ensemble, music theory, and online courses. In addition to the various workshops he has been asked to give at colleges and universities across the world, he has prepared over 700 lessons for online instruction on vibesworkshop.com, which benefits percussion students internationally.
A recipient of numerous accolades, including the 2018 Downbeat Rising Star Vibraphonist award, Gillece holds a master’s degree from SUNY Purchase and is endorsed by Malletech Instruments. Other honors include the 2009 Betty Carter Jazz Ahead residency, winning the Generations competition in 2009, and winning the 2008 Jazz Improvisation competition at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention. For more information on Behn Gillece, to purchase albums, or to view his upcoming performance schedule, visit his website at https://www.behngillece.com.
About Brian Betz
Brian Betz is a guitarist, composer, and educator who resides in the Philadelphia Metro Area performing throughout the United States with a vast array of musical artists. Brian currently has 6 CD releases available on the Dreambox Media Label: Up and Running(2001), Without A Doubt(2003), Dichotomy (2005), Muted Bebop(2006), The Denis DiBlasio/Brian Betz Project(2007), The Denis DiBlasio/Brian Betz Project-Flute Guitar(2010).
Brian holds two degrees from Rowan University (BM, MM) and is endorsed by GHS guitar strings. He is a two-time winner of the Betty Carter International Jazz Competition (2004, 2007) and a runner-up for the 2006 Henry Mancini Jazz Competition. Brian is currently on the faculty at Rowan University where he teaches jazz guitar and improvisation. In addition to his collegial teaching, Brian also teaches for Paulsboro Public Schools. In 2018, he was awarded by the NJEA and FOX 29 as one of the five “Top Teachers” of New Jersey.
Brian gives concerts, clinics, and masterclasses throughout the United States. They include appearances at The Exit O International Jazz Festival, Berks Jazz Festival, Cape May Jazz Festival, Rowan University Jazz Festival, Villanova Jazz Festival, Clifford Brown Jazz Festival, and Gettysburg Jazz Festival.
Jazz on a Sunday Afternoon is made possible through funding from the Wintrode Family Foundation, the Ocean County College Foundation, and through support from the New Jersey Jazz Society.

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Tiki Barber
2025-06-05 18:00
Get Tickets
Gateway Lecture Hall (Building 101)
In-person tickets $19
Livestream Free
Advanced Registration Required

Update as of May 16
This event has moved to the Gateway Lecture Hall and will remain General Admission (no assigned seats). Ticket holders have been emailed updated tickets. The in-person engagement is sold out.
If livestream viewing is interrupted due to technical difficulties, a recording of the event will be emailed to Livestream registrants within two business days following the event, and will be viewable for 48 hours once received.
About Tiki Barber
Tiki Barber is a national media personality, serving as a color analyst for the NFL on CBS. He is also the afternoon drive co-host of Evan and Tiki on WFAN in New York. Barber co-hosted Tiki and Tierney for over ten years at both CBS Sports Radio and WFAN. He was a correspondent for NBC’s The Today Show, as well as an analyst on NBC’s Football Night in America. During Barber’s NBC tenure, he contributed at the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2010 Winter Olympics. Over the years, Tiki has appeared on a variety of entertainment-related shows.
During his 10-year NFL career with the New York Giants, Barber was a three-time Pro Bowler and a First-Team All-Pro. His 10,449 yards leaves him as the team’s all-time leading rusher and a member of the organization’s Ring of Honor.
Barber’s 2005 season with 2,390 yards from scrimmage ranks fourth all-time in NFL history, as does his five career 200-yard rushing games.
Tiki ranks 6th all-time in receptions by a running back with 586 and is one of three players in NFL history to accumulate 10,000 rushing yards and 5,000 receiving yards.
The sponsors of the Blauvelt Speaker Series have generously underwritten the cost of tickets for this program.
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, Gutman & Petro, 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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New Jersey Symphony
2025-06-24 20:00
This event has moved to the
Health and Human Performance Center (Gym)
(Building 29)
Park in Parking Lot 2
Free Event, bring your own seat
About the Event
Enjoy the sounds of the New Jersey Symphony under the stars! This free program features a medley of timeless classics, Broadway themes, and patriotic favorites the whole family will love.
Attendees are encouraged to bring their chairs or blankets for seating.
This concert is sponsored by the Ocean County College Foundation and Vision Financial Services, with support from the Ocean County Cultural and Heritage Commission and Ocean County Board of Commissioners.
Gregory D. McDaniel conductor
New Jersey Symphony
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Overture to The Magic Flute
Florence Price “Silk Hat and a Walking Cane” from Dances in the Canebrakes
Béla Bartók Romanian Folk Dances
Gioachino Rossini Overture to William Tell
Richard Rodgers Carousel Waltz
Duke Ellington / arr. Custer Duke Ellington!
Various Composers / arr. Ricketts Satchmo!
Stephen Schwartz / arr. Ricketts Highlights from Wicked
Various Composers / arr. Lowden Armed Forces Salute
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A Broadway Tour of America
2025-07-10 19:30, 2025-07-11 19:30, 2025-07-12 14:00, 2025-07-12 19:30, 2025-07-13 14:00
Get Tickets
Black Box Theater
(Building 11B)
Adults $26, Seniors $24, Students $22
General Admission Seating

About the Show
Join us this summer on an unforgettable cross-country adventure through the heart of Broadway’s finest hits in this dazzling musical revue! Featuring iconic songs from Broadway’s most beloved musicals, this energetic and dynamic production showcases a variety of styles, from big show-stopping numbers to intimate ballads.
A Broadway Tour of America celebrates America’s cultural landmarks through the magic of musical theater. Don’t miss your chance to experience Broadway’s greatest hits as they take you on a coast-to-coast musical journey like no other!
Performances
THURSDAY, JULY 10, 2025 – 7:30 PM
FRIDAY, JULY 11, 2025 – 7:30 PM
SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2025 – 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM
SUNDAY, JULY 13, 2025 – 2:00 PM
SATURDAY, JULY 19, 2025 – 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM
SUNDAY, JULY 20, 2025 – 2:00 PM
Cast
Angel Berrios
Eric Bras
Marleen Byrd
Taylor Conner
Glen Cory
Alejandro Oquendo
Aidan Panno
Ava Papageorgiou
Brielle Roche
Michelina Roche
Teagan Ruiz
Rosa Spalliero
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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