Inspired by Robbie Robertson’s 2017 bestselling memoir Testimony, Once Were Brothers is a confessional, cautionary, and sometimes humorous tale of Robertson’s young life and the creation of one of the most enduring groups in the history of popular music.
A breathtaking explosion of dance, music, and never-before-seen archival material, Cunningham is a timely tribute to one of the world’s greatest modern dance artists, Merce Cunningham.
Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am offers an artful and intimate meditation on the life and works of the legendary storyteller and Nobel prize-winner. From her childhood in the steel town of Lorain, Ohio to ‘70s-era book tours with Muhammad Ali, from the front lines with Angela Davis to her own riverfront writing room, Toni Morrison leads an assembly of her peers, critics and colleagues on an exploration of race, America, history and the human condition as seen through the prism of her own literature.
Ella Fitzgerald was a 15 year-old street kid when she won a talent contest in 1934 at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem. Within months she was a star. Ella Fitzgerald: Just One of Those Things follows her extraordinary journey over six decades as her sublime voice transforms the tragedies of her own life and the troubles of her times into joy.
Executive Producer Terence Blanchard and Director Michael Murphy, show how the culture of New Orleans is reflected in its music, how music impacts culture; and how even in the darkest of times, music lifts and unites in this vibrant feature length documentary film.
An intimate portrait of legendary Rolling Stones bandmate Ronnie Wood as an artist, musician and survivor by Oscar-nominated director Mike Figgis.
Enjoy a unique experience outside of the walls of the Herb + Milly Iris Gallery, any time of day, as this exhibition is presented in the windows of SOPAC.
Charlotte's Web is the loving story of the friendship between a pig named Wilbur and a little gray spider named Charlotte. Charlotte weaves a solution which not only makes Wilbur a prize pig but also ensures his place on the farm forever. This treasured tale, featuring madcap and endearing farm animals, explores bravery, selfless love and the true meaning of friendship.
Get ready & get set to test your knowledge with Gamemaster Alicia!
“Edges” by Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, is a song-cycle about young adults asking classic coming-of-age questions. This charming, witty, and honest examination of adulthood explores what happens when we are teetering on the edges of our lives. The songs cover such universal issues as love, commitment, identity, and meaning. Characters deal with confronting emotions, escaping expectations, and deciphering complicated relationships.
Carolyn Dorfman, choreographer and founding Artistic Director of Carolyn Dorfman Dance (CDD) is known as a creator of evocative dances that reflect her concerns about the human condition.
The sensational Lionel Hampton Big Band will be featured in concert again this season by Jazz ‘n the Hall in a return performance by popular demand. The spirit and the energy with which the band performs every selection is incredibly exciting and uplifting! Come and be transformed!
Capturing the Moment is a virtual two-part showcase of seven dance choreographers who have received the highest honor from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts - a Choreography Fellowship. Each evening's program includes performances as well as commentary by the artists and by dance critic Robert Johnson.
Join the SOPAC Scavenger Hunt on a quest to beat the clock! Complete missions, earn points, and take the lead to victory. Missions range from text, photo, or location-based instructions for you to complete at your own pace during the weekend of May 1-2. You don’t need to live in South Orange or Maplewood to play. While some missions will involve SOMA community locales, most will be completable right from your own home/neighborhood!
Join us online for a virtual conversation and Q&A with seasoned journalist, presidential debate moderator and host of FOX News Sunday, Chris Wallace. Described as an "equal opportunity inquisitor" by The Boston Globe, and "sharp edged" and "solid" by The Washington Post, Wallace delivers an unparalleled insider look into the current political environment, the White House and the future of America.
Singer-songwriter Dana Fuchs is known for her burnt-honey vocals and bruisingly honest musical mix of Southern Rock, Soul, Roots and Blues. Her dazzling career began in the early aughts when she ignited the New York club scene with a run of Soul-drenched albums and a voice acclaimed by Classic Rock magazine as “juke-joint dirty and illicit, evoking Joplin, Jagger and a cigarette bobbing in a glass of bourbon.”
Explore the origins of modern film when you become a Film Club Member. Gerard Amsellem hosts this Zoom-based virtual series to raise funds for New Wave Productions so that La Cinémathèque Film Club programming may continue in person at SOPAC next year.
Voted “Best Keyboardist of All Time” (Music Radar Magazine), virtuoso musician/composer Jordan Rudess embarks on a solo piano tour that will travel through his fascinating musical journey – how a young Juilliard piano prodigy destined for a Classical music career evolved into a keyboard Rock star phenomenon. The concert will feature the music of Dream Theater and other Rock classics reimagined for the piano.
Richie Furay performs his ONLY “Farewell” show at this rescheduled concert since his farewell tour had been cancelled due to the Covid-19 Virus. He’ll be playing songs from his catalog of classic POCO, Buffalo Springfield, Souther-Hillman-Furay and some new music from his 2021 studio album release of country classic songs by other artists. Come celebrate Richie’s retirement from headline touring at SOPAC.
Two celebrated singer-songwriters return together to the SOPAC stage. Lucy Kaplansky is a rare vocal talent, “a truly gifted performer…full of enchanting songs” (The New York Times). Richard Shindell is a writer whose songs paint pictures, tell stories, juxtapose ideas and images, inhabit characters, vividly evoking entire worlds along the way and expanding our sense of just what it is a song can be.
The Afro-Latin Experience, led by Dizzy Gillespie’s long time Bassist, and 2019 Grammy winner, John Lee, guides you through this musical journey, as the ensemble brings to life the driving rhythms, dynamic melodies, and flowing vocals of the Dizzy Gillespie vision of Afro–Latin music.
Since their inception, EagleMania has been thrilling audiences all over the country with their stunning five-part harmony and their uncanny ability to emulate the unmistakable sound of The Eagles. You’ll hear The Eagles’ greatest hits, as well as some of the solo work of Don Henley, Glenn Frey and Joe Walsh.
From the signature saxophone solo in "Brown Sugar" to the unforgettable backing vocals in "Gimme Shelter," every last detail has been accounted for by this eight piece band. Classic Stones Live™ performs all of the songs that are staples of any Rolling Stones show in original tunings.
Join us for Laughs in the Loft, a new SOPAC series featuring stand-up comics from our own backyard and beyond!
Broken Arrow performs the music of Neil Young, featuring both the rockin' electric Crazy Horse tunes and the more acoustic, pedal steel driven Country Rock material. The band delivers these classic songs faithfully while taking them out on some jamming excursions and tastefully tweaking some of the arrangements.
America’s most unique celebration of the music and muse of The Beatles, The Weeklings features former members of Styx, Dave Mason, the original Beatlemania on Broadway, Jon Bon Jovi & The Kings of Suburbia, Southside Johnny and The Asbury Jukes, Springsteen drummer Max Weinberg’s Jukebox and BeatleFest house band Liverpool. The band performs and records explosive renditions of The Beatles albums and Top 40 classics.
Grammy Award-winning artist Suzanne Vega celebrates her career-spanning live album, An Evening of New York Songs and Stories in an intimate concert from the SOPAC stage.
Melding Rock, Blues, Tex-Mex, Mexican Folk and more Los Lobos scored their first hit with Ritchie Valens' iconic “La Bamba.”
Israeli superstar David Broza is considered one of the world’s most dynamic and vibrant performers. He brings together audiences of all cultures, bridging barriers of language and genre through his music. He is joined by Cuban “Trio Havana” with Jorge Bringas, Manuel Alejandro Carro and Yuniel Jiminez as well as special guest and flute virtuoso Itai Kriss. Together they bring a unique interpretation to the full spectrum of Broza’s rich repertoire of hits.
Damien Escobar sits at the intersection of Hip-Hop and Classical music. His classic yet edgy style comes complete with an unstoppable swagger that has helped propel his career from playing the violin in NYC subways to performing for President Barack Obama, Former President George W. Bush, the royal family of Dubai, Oprah Winfrey and many more.
A multi-platinum selling recording artist and seven-time Grammy Award nominee, Joan Osborne is a soulful vocalist who has performed alongside many notable artists including Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, Luciano Pavarotti, Emmylou Harris and Mavis Staples, to name a few.
New Orleans-born Aaron Neville brings his unmistakable sound, heard in classic ballads like “Tell It Like It Is” and “Don’t Know Much” – his hit duo with Linda Ronstadt – to the intimate SOPAC stage in an evening of sublime artistry. Slipping easily from Funky to R&B and Soul, Aaron Neville is surely one of the most distinctive vocal stylists of all time.
KT Tunstall broke into the public eye in 2004 with "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree.” She's had much success since, picking up three nominations before winning a BRIT Award and a Grammy Award nomination. She is also the recipient of an Ivor Novello Award for her self-penned hit “Suddenly I See."
The Moth is dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling and has presented more than 35,000 stories, told live and without notes, by people from all walks of life to standing-room-only crowds worldwide.