Boheme Opera of New Jersey
2025-04-25 14:00 (America/New_York)
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 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, 2025-07-19 14:00, 2025-07-19 19:30, 2025-07-20 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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DJ Willy Wow!
2025-08-07 10:00
Register for Tickets
Gateway Lecture Hall
(Building 101)
Tickets Free,
Advance Registration Required

About the Event
Join GRAMMY®-nominated children’s songwriter, music producer, voice-over artist, and radio personality, DJ Willy Wow! for an interactive musical journey and dance party. DJ Willy Wow! uses his music to share about working together, being kind, and having fun. Whether you’re 1 or 101, get ready for DJ Willy Wow! to spin some epic tunes and, most importantly, get you off your feet!
This general admission show is presented for summer camp groups. A limited number of tickets are available to the public for free with advance registration.
This event is made possible through the support of the Wintrode Family Foundation.

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Alexa Stier, piano
2025-09-12 14:00
Get Tickets
Bösendorfer Recital Room
(Building 11A)
Tickets $10
General Admission Seating

About the Event
This program explores the connection between bird calls, nature, and the supernatural. Rameau’s Tendres Plaintes evokes sighing, melancholic gestures, while Le Rappel des Oiseaux explores birdsong through elaborate ornamentations, idiosyncratic to the French baroque keyboard style. In Olivier Messiaen’s Petites Esquisses d’Oiseaux, robins, blackbirds, thrushes, and skylarks emerge in vivid, crystalline textures.
Schumann’s Waldszenen transports the listener to a forest, where nature is imbued with both beauty and mystery. Among these poetic vignettes, Vogel als Prophet stands out as an enigmatic prophecy delivered through the voice of a bird. The program concludes with Prokofiev’s Piano Sonata No. 2, a work that embodies what the pianist and scholar Boris Berman refers to as polypersonalia —a paradoxical blend of soaring lyricism, aggressive brutality, cabaret-like parody, and mechanical precision. The third movement draws upon the rich tradition of skazki, or Russian mystical fairy tales, reminiscent of the music of Prokofiev’s older Russian contemporaries, such as Rimsky-Korsakov and Medtner. Through these selections of works, the program traverses a vast landscape of nature’s wonders, supernatural whispers, and human imagination.
This event is funded by the Ocean County College Foundation.

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CeCe Teneal's Divas of Soul
2025-09-13 19:00
Get Tickets
Main Stage
(Building 11A)
Tickets $42 – $36

About the show
Take a ride on the “Midnight Train to Georgia” over “River Deep, Mountain High” while award-winning vocalist CeCe Teneal delivers you the “R-E-S-P-E-C-T” you deserve in DIVAS OF SOUL, a one-of-a-kind concert event! This spectacular celebration of thirty years of chart-topping music from artists like Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, Chaka Khan, Tina Turner, Whitney Houston, and more has wowed audiences worldwide, featuring hits from the Disco Era (“Ring My Bell,” “Best of My Love”) to Broadway (“And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going”) and Pop (“What’s Love Got to Do with It,” “I’m Every Woman”).

An award-winning songstress in her own right, Ms. Teneal has been nominated for four Independent Music Awards and claimed the title for 2011 Best Gospel Song (“I Heard You Prayin’”) and 2011 Best R&B Album (Train from Osteen), as well as 2018 Best Soul/Funk/Fusion Song (“Danger”). She was chosen as the halftime headliner for the 2019 Citrus Bowl, and in 2022, Mayor Buddy Dyer and Mayor Jerry Demmings proclaimed September 17th as Annual Cece Teneal Day in Orlando and Orange County, respectively, to celebrate her twenty years of arts and entertainment contributions. “[CeCe Teneal] forces you to feel and connect with emotions you didn’t know you had.” – Presenter, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Orlando FL
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Maureen Dowd
2025-09-16 18:00
Get Tickets

Main Stage (Building 11A)
In-person tickets $20
Livestream Free, Advanced Registration Required

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 Maureen Dowd
Maureen Dowd is a columnist for The New York Times Opinion Pages and a feature writer for The Times’s Styles and Arts & Leisure sections. Ms. Dowd won the Pulitzer Prize in 1999, in the commentary category, for her “unsparing columns on the hypocrisies involved in the Lewinsky affair and the effort to impeach President Clinton.” Ms. Dowd was appointed a columnist for the Op-Ed page of The New York Times in January 1995 and has covered ten presidential campaigns. She served as White House correspondent during the first Bush and the Clinton administrations, gaining a wide following of admirers and imitators for her witty, incisive, and acerbic portraits of the powerful.
Ms. Dowd joined The Times as a metropolitan reporter in October 1983. She began her career in 1974 as an editorial assistant for The Washington Star, later becoming a sports columnist, metropolitan reporter, and feature writer. When The Star closed in 1981, she went to Time magazine.
A 1992 Pulitzer Prize finalist in national reporting for her coverage of the Clarence Thomas-Anita Hill hearings, Ms. Dowd received the Breakthrough Award from Women, Men and Media at Columbia University in 1991 and a Matrix Award from New York Women in Communications in 1994. She was named one of Glamour’s Women of the Year for 1996 and won the Damon Runyon Award in 2000 for outstanding contributions to journalism. In 2017, she received the Ernie Pyle Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. In 2024, she received the Excellence in Journalism Award from the American News Women’s Club. She has written three best-selling books — Bushworld, Are Men Necessary? and most recently The Year of Voting Dangerously — plus Good Cop, a short story about her dad, a police officer in the U.S. Senate. Her latest book, Notorious, a captivating collection of her most compelling celebrity profiles, was released in March 2025.
Born in Washington, D.C., she received a B.A. degree in English literature from Catholic University in Washington, D.C. in 1973 and honorary doctorates from Manhattanville College in Purchase, N.Y., and the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan. In 2012, she received an honorary doctorate from National University of Ireland, Galway. She received her master’s degree in English literature from Columbia University in 2023.
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 2025-2026 additional sponsors include Carluccio, Leone, Dimon, Doyle, Gutman & Petro, LLC, Arlene and Frank Dupignac, Jr., and Novins, York, Jacobus & Dooley, P.A.

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Garrison Keillor Tonight
2025-09-20 19:00
Get Tickets
Main Stage
(Building 11A)
Orchestra $58, Mezzanine $48

About the show
Garrison Keillor Tonight is an evening of stand-up, storytelling, audience song, and poetry. One man, one microphone. There are sung sonnets, limericks and musical jokes, and the thread that runs through it is the beauty of growing old. Despite the inconvenience, old age brings the contentment of LESS IS MORE. Your mistakes and big ambitions are behind you, nothing left to prove, and small things give you great pleasure because that’s what’s left.
“I was unhappy in college because it was a requirement for an intellectual, but then I went into show business and discovered that people won’t pay to be made unhappy, their kids will do it for free.”
There is the News from Lake Wobegon, a town booming with new entrepreneurs, makers of artisanal firewood and gourmet meatloaf, breeders of composting worms, and dogs trained to do childcare. But some things endure, such as the formation of the Living Flag on Main Street, citizens in tight formation wearing red, white or blue caps, and Mr. Keillor among them, standing close to old neighbors, Myrtle Krebsbach (“Truckstop”) and Julie Christensen (“Bruno, The Fishing Dog”) and Clint Bunsen. And an a cappella sing-along with the audience singing from memory an odd medley of patriotic songs, pop standards, hymns, and ending with the national anthem.
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Swingadelic
2025-09-21 15:00
Get Tickets

Main Stage
(Building 11A)
Adult $28, Senior $24

About Swingadelic: The Three Louies
Opera fans might remember “The Three Tenors,” but in the jazz world, there are “The Three Louies”—Armstrong, Jordan, and Prima! On September 21, longtime Jazz on a Sunday Afternoon favorites Swingadelic will return to pay tribute to these three legendary artists with a program guaranteed to put attendees in a good mood. The afternoon will also feature the sensational vocals of Vanessa Perea, who will inhabit the role of Louis Prima’s wives, Keely Smith and Gia Maione.
Swingadelic is a jazz/blues ensemble founded in 1998 by bandleader and bassist Dave Post in Hoboken, NJ. Initially, the band played jump blues in the style of Louis Jordan, Big Joe Turner, and Louis Prima to ride the neo-swing craze, but by 2002, the band was maintaining a residency as an eleven-piece “little big band” at Maxwell’s in Hoboken. As the dance craze waned, the band kept busy with concerts, corporate and casual engagements, and recording. The band now holds down Monday nights at Swing 46 on New York City’s Restaurant Row in the theatre district and has performed at festivals from Maine to Atlanta, including Bele Chere in Asheville, MusikFest in Bethlehem, and Lincoln Center’s Mid-Summer Night Swing.
A few words from the bandleader: “Some years ago, Frank Mulvaney, ex-officio president of the New Jersey Jazz Society, called and asked if we could do a tribute to Louis Prima for the 2012 JazzFest. Since Louis Armstrong and Louis Jordan were major influences on Prima, we gave it a bit of thought and got back to Frank saying why not include Armstrong and Jordan, and call it A Tribute to the Three Louie’s due to the current popularity of The Three Tenors. Popular is a key word here. Unlike many of today’s jazz artists, these three great performers produced much of the popular music of their day, and their hits were routinely charted in Billboard. We had a great time learning some of these tunes that were not in our repertoire, and we are sure that for those of a certain age, there will be an enjoyable nostalgia factor.”
Jazz on a Sunday Afternoon is made possible through funding from the Wintrode Family Foundation, the Ocean County College Foundation, and support from the New Jersey Jazz Society.

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The Bronx Wanderers
2025-09-28 15:00, 2025-09-28 19:00
Get Tickets
Main Stage
(Building 11A)
Orchestra $52, Mezzanine $49

Back by popular demand!
What comes to mind when a father, his two sons, and their two high school classmates get together and create a show? For starters, you can say a diverse recipe of hilarious personal stories, a vast repertoire of songs through multiple decades and genres, and one family’s journey together through life and music. The Bronx Wanderers pride themselves on being one of the only shows able to entertain grandparents, their children, and the grandchildren all in one sweeping musical tour de force. How do they accomplish this? Well, the generation gap between the band members (30+ years) forces them to satisfy themselves musically, which satisfies every audience they’ve encountered. The chemistry and energy they exert show after show proves they are still having the best time together on stage, and you can tell they perform each show like it’s their first or last.

The show’s founder and patriarch, Yo’ Vinny, takes you on a musical journey through his illustrious career in the record business while working for Lifesong and Columbia Records since he was 17 years old. He’s worked with too many artists to mention, but in the show, “each song you hear tonight is someone I’ve either had the pleasure to produce, sing backup for, or worked with in the record industry during my 30-year career.” For instance, you’ll hear songs by Dion and The Belmonts, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Billy Joel, The Animals, Queen, and even an artist or two from today’s generation. As they say in the band and in countless reviews, regardless of how old you are, coming to the show, everyone leaves feeling like they’re 20 years old.
The Bronx Wanderers have been going strong for over 16 years and have amassed many accolades such as touring the entire country headlining festivals, PACs, and casinos, securing a permanent residency in Las Vegas from 2016 to the present, filling in for Frankie Valli in Dubai, being the first and only act to have opened for Tony Orlando and Danny Aiello, backing Dean Martin’s daughter, Deana, for multiple shows, performing the national anthem for the NY Rangers at Madison Square Garden and the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, and still managing to have time to volunteer and do charity benefits for the Win-Win Charity Organization, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, and multiple Veteran’s and Armed Forces charities and galas.
His two sons are no strangers to their levels of success. His younger son, Nick, had the opportunity to drum and perform for Frankie Valli with the Chicago Jersey Boys cast and was even offered a role in Blue Man Group (but his father and brother just couldn’t let him go.) The older son, Vin A., the music director and producer for the group, is an accomplished songwriter and arranger who recently got to open for Bon Jovi at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in front of 18,000 people with his original music.
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