INFORMATION FOR
The Ridgewood Symphony Orchestra (RSO) is a regionally based, auditioned orchestra located in Ridgewood, New Jersey. For over 80 years, the RSO has served northern New Jersey with high quality performances, internationally renowned guest soloists and unique education opportunities for young musicians. This newly formed partnership between RSO and WP will bring a high-quality orchestral concert series to the WP campus and engage WP music students in live performance with professional musicians.
The inaugural concert will feature Academic Festival Overture by Johannes Brahms and The Planets by Gustav Holst.
Prices: General Admission $25 • Senior Citizens $15 Non-WP students $5 • WP students admitted free.
This is a show unlike any tribute you have ever seen or heard before. As a Broadway, television, and motion picture actor for over 35 years, Robert Neary creates a one of a kind, cut above the rest, production. He talks about the songs and tells stories behind them, from Neil's interviews, quotes, and autobiographical books. You will swear you are watching the master himself, as he and the band perform 20 of Neil Diamond’s greatest hits. Songs like “Cherry Cherry”, “I Am, I Said”, “I’m a Believer”, “Solitary Man”, “Holly Holy”, “Coming to America”, “Sweet Caroline” and so many more. So Good! The Neil Diamond Experience is guaranteed to leave you speechless!
Born and raised in East Meadow, Long Island, NY, Robert Neary gained immediate success as an actor, when he was 20 years old, with a guest star role in the Television series "Fame", and then opposite Jason Bateman in the film, "Teen Wolf Too". He has since gone on to guest star in over 50 television shows, including "Criminal Minds", "Sons of Anarchy", "The Closer", "Grey's Anatomy", " Blue Bloods", "Justified", "The Fosters", "FBI: Most Wanted", "Weeds", "Medium" "NCIS" and "NCIS New Orleans". He landed his first Broadway show in 1996, starring in “Smokey Joe’s Café”, and then toured as the evil Zoser in Elton John’s Broadway hit “Aida”. He understudied the lead role of Sonny in the Broadway smash, “A Bronx Tale, The Musical”. It has been a deep passion for Robert to one day perform and put together a tribute show to Neil Diamond. And here it is!
This event is sponsored by https://novelli-restaurant.com/
OMNIUM CIRCUS is a world renowned comprehensively inclusive and accessible circus company bringing excitement, thrills, and joy to people of all ages as only a circus can! Living up to the name “Omnium” which means of all and belonging to all, the show is hands down America’s most Extraordinary, Inclusive, Diverse, Multi-Sensory, and Accessible Family Circus Experience.
“I’m Possible” follows young Johnny on his journey to courage, strength and perseverance through a death defying, awe inspiring, madcap circus adventure with no limits, no boundaries, and no barriers. Step into a world of all things possible where we discover the power, the passion, and the perseverance of the human spirit within each one of us! Enjoy a jaw dropping, awe inspiring, joyful entertainment experience for the entire family!
Omnium Circus is spectacular entertainment celebrating diversity, creating joy, and enriching empathy. They are leading the way towards an active, inclusive culture as a force of change, pioneering an accessible circus experience for all while ensuring representation of disabled and BIPOC artists on a world class stage. ASL is fully integrated into every show. Relaxed seating option at every performance- express your joy the way you feel best! Extra space, movement, and vocalization are welcome. Audio description is also available at every performance.
Tickets: Orchestra $25; Loge $20
Tickets: $10
(Tickets for your school or organization for the Monday, 10/21 show can be requested by filling out the online form at: https://tinyurl.com/sheacenter1)
TBA
Come to the first act of our rehearsal of The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
From the Academy Award-winning team comes a lushly scored retelling of Victor Hugo’s epic story of love, acceptance and what it means to be a hero.
Based on the Victor Hugo novel and songs from the Disney animated feature, The Hunchback of Notre Dame showcases the film’s Academy Award-nominated score, as well as new songs by Menken and Schwartz. Peter Parnell’s new book embraces story theatre and features verbatim passages from Hugo’s gothic novel.
The musical begins as the bells of Notre Dame sound through the famed cathedral in fifteenth-century Paris. Quasimodo, the deformed bell-ringer who longs to be "Out There," observes all of Paris reveling in the Feast of Fools. Held captive by his devious caretaker, the archdeacon Dom Claude Frollo, he escapes for the day and joins the boisterous crowd, only to be treated cruelly by all but the beautiful Romani woman, Esmeralda. Quasimodo isn’t the only one captivated by her free spirit, though – the handsome Captain Phoebus and Frollo are equally enthralled. As the three vie for her attention, Frollo embarks on a mission to destroy the Roma – and it’s up to Quasimodo to save them all.
A sweeping score and powerful story make The Hunchback of Notre Dame an instant classic. Audiences will be swept away by the magic of this truly unforgettable musical.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.comTickets: $25 general admission; $10 for students
The students of the WP Flute studio presents an evening of solo flute ensemble repertoire. Under the direction of Teresa Purcell-Giles.
The students of the WP Brass studios present solo and ensemble music for brass in varying combinations.
The Doo Wop Project begins at the beginning: tracing the evolution of Doo Wop from the classic sound of five guys singing harmonies on a street corner to the biggest hits on the radio today. In their epic shows The Doo Wop Project takes audiences on a journey featuring foundational tunes from the Crests, Belmonts and Flamingos through the vocal artistry of Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, and The Four Seasons all the way to DooWopified versions of modern hits from Michael Jackson, Jason Mraz, Maroon 5, and Sam Smith.
Featuring stars from the Broadway hits Jersey Boys, Motown: The Musical, and A Bronx Tale, The Doo Wop Project brings unparalleled authenticity of sound and vocal excellence to recreate—and in some cases entirely reimagine—the greatest music in American pop and rock history.
Tickets: Gold Circle $65; Orchestra/Front Loge $55; Rear Loge $45
Discounts are available for WP employees, students, senior citizens, and groups of 10 or more by calling or visiting the Shea Center Box Office.
New York Voices are one of the world’s premiere vocal jazz quartets, ranging in style from great American song standards by Cole Porter and Al Jolson and bebop and big band jazz classics to Stevie Wonder, Latin jazz and pop, and world music. As they approach their historic retirement as an ensemble in 2026, they have appeared and collaborated with The Count Basie Orchestra, Paquito D’Rivera, and the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band. This performance will feature the NYV long-standing foursome (Kim Nazarian, Darmon Meader, Lauren Kinhan and Peter Eldridge) together with the powerful WP Jazz Orchestra performing musical director Darmon Meader’s wonderful arrangements, exactly as they have been featured on the New York Voices’ many hit CDs.
Ticket Prices: $20 General Public • $18 WP community & senior citizens • $10 Non-WP students • WP Students admitted free with ID
Included with your ticket purchase, each Jazz Room concert is preceded by Sittin' In Meet-the-Artist, which takes place one hour prior to performances and gives audience members a unique opportunity to interact with the artist of the day.
WP music students perform art songs by Canadian composers.Pianists: Matthieu Cognet, Hannah Comia, June Marano-Murray
WP popular music students showcase their songs, voices, and musicianship in this concert starring, hosted, and produced by students.
StevieMac faithfully recreates Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks’ solo recordings with striking accuracy. Diane Lutz gives a stunning performance as Stevie Nicks with spot-on vocals and visuals that magically capture Nicks’ stage presence. Andie Baldwin recreates Christine McVie with the look, sound and note-for-note piano playing that Christine was known for. Steve Ronson captures every essence of Lindsay Buckingham from his commanding vocals to his iconic guitar sound, style, and spirit.
StevieMac performs the greatest hits from Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks, including: Stand Back, Rhiannon, Gold Dust Woman, Don’t Stop, Stop Dragging My Heart Around, Silver Springs and so many more!
Your audience will be on their feet, singing along to all the hits!
Tickets: Gold Circle $45; Orchestra/Front Loge $40; Rear Loge $35
Vibraphonist Warren Wolf is one of the exciting new voices on his instrument, appearing regularly at such venues as Dizzy’s Club Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Village Vanguard, Keystone Korner in Baltimore, and on many European tours. He has made ten albums, many for Mack Avenue Records, featuring such musicians Mulgrew Miller, Kendrick Scott, and Jeff “Tain” Watts; his most recent CD is a tribute to the legendary percussionist Chano Pozo. He is a regular touring member of SF Jazz Collective and Christian McBride’s Inside Straight band. He is also gaining wide recognition for his teaching and is a faculty member at the Peabody Conservatory.
WP music faculty, students, alumni and friends perform the music of the 20th and 21st Century, including original compositions of the WP community and works of leading contemporary composers.
WP Pianists present an around-the-world sonic spectacle inspired by 500 years of dances from Ballet Russe, Basque, Buenos Aries, Havana, Mazovia, Memphis, Panama City, Rome, Tamil Nadu, Versailles, and more! Includes music of J.S. Bach, Byrd, Chopin, Debussy, Esmail, Ginastera, La Guerre, Piazzolla, and Schubert.
WP Percussion Ensemble performs new and classic works.
Directed by Payton MacDonald
Shea Auditorium
Presenting the music of Composer-In-Residence, Aakash Mittal, with guests, the Pequannock Township High School Band.
Starring Leighann Lord, Julia Scotti, and Carole Montgomery
What began as a fun way to work with her friends has exploded into a comedy brand of its own. When Carole Montgomery (a stand-up comedy veteran of over 40 years) started in the business, you would never see two female comics on the same show. Fast forward to today’s comedy scene and nothing has changed, even though there are way more women in comedy.
Funny Women of a Certain Age (FWOACA) was created to give older women comics a chance to be seen and be heard. Frustrated by how women are portrayed in show business once they hit the age of 50, Carole decided to do something about it. It was only a few years ago that she had the idea to create a show that would travel to different cities and showcase a rotating cast of older female comedians. In no time at all, Carole’s idea become a Showtime special that made history and broke ratings records. It was Showtime’s highest rated premiere of a stand-up show in 2019! Two more specials followed and now they’re touring the show nationally.
The women who appear in FWOACA are all brilliant, funny, and vibrant – and it just so happens that they are all a certain age. These are the women who paved the way – blazed the trail - for the female comedians you see performing today.
“These comedians don’t hold back!” – New York Times
“It’s a hit!” – Today Show
Tickets: Golden Circle $45, Orchestra Aisle Seats $39, Orchestra/Front Loge $35, Rear Loge $29
Pianist, arranger, and producer Oscar Hernandez is the founder of the Harlem Jazz Orchestra, winner of Grammy awards in 2002 and 2005. He also serves as musical director to Ruben Blades and is a legendary performer in his own right who is involved in so many aspects of the music industry. Paul Simon asked Hernandez to arrange and produce the Broadway musical The Capeman where he was also music director and conductor. He has been involved in other projects, including TV projects like Sex in the City and music for numerous commercials. Alma Libra’s recent CD is The Art of Latin Jazz, containing ten original compositions by Hernandez and featuring some of the biggest names in Latin jazz. Don’t miss this exciting showcase of Hernandez’s musicianship and vision!
WP Choirs perform a variety of holiday repertoire under the direction of new Director of Choral Activities Dr. Hannah Carr.
Through the years, Darlene Love continues to captivate audiences worldwide with her warm, gracious stage presence and superb performances. Her film Twenty Feet from Stardom was not only awarded an Oscar, but it was also soon followed by a Grammy Award for the soundtrack. Her Billboard hits include He’s A Rebel, The Boy I’m Gonna Marry, Wait ‘Til Bobby Gets Home, He’s Sure the Boy I Love, and the legendary #1 holiday classic Christmas Baby Please Come Home. Darlene Love received her industry’s highest award when she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Industry icons Bette Midler and Bruce Springsteen are on record as Darlene’s biggest fans. Rolling Stone has proclaimed Darlene Love to be “one of the greatest singers of all time” and that certainly rings true, but perhaps Paul Shaffer says it even more concisely: “Darlene Love is Rock N’ Roll!”
Tickets: Gold Circle $85; Orchestra/Front Loge $75; Rear Loge $60
The Wizards of Winter - featuring members who have performed with Classic Rock Giants – The Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Rainbow, Def Leppard, Alice Cooper, Blue Oyster Cult and Trixter, along with Broadway and Theater veterans, perform a Christmas Holiday rock opera titled “The Christmas Dream”. Weaving a story based on their latest album The Christmas Dream, along with music from their self-titled CD and their album The Magic of Winter, The Wizards take their audience on a musical journey in search of the meaning of Christmas. This 11-member ensemble boasts soaring vocal harmonies, precision string instrumentation, powerful percussion, and stunning keyboard work, layered around a rich storyboard that evokes memories and emotions of December’s past! From rock and pop to ballads, and even a visit from Mrs. Claus – there is something for everyone. Celebrate the Season with Wizards of Winter!Tickets: Gold Circle $59; Orchestra/Front Loge $49; Rear Loge $39
The Great American Soul Book delivers a journey through the decades of Motown, R&B and other iconic Soulful music that inspired generations. This is no oldies show. It is a high energy tribute that highlights the music that made us groove, made us move and filled dance floors and concert halls in the 60’s, 70’s 80’ 90’s and beyond.
The show is performed by the American Soul Band, featuring four lead choreographed male lead singers who will remind you of the Temptations with their smooth harmonies and moves, while covering many of the biggest hitmakers from the decades that followed. Deanna Carroll, who for years toured as Dianna Ross in Lady Supreme, is joined by incredible background singers, bringing the songs of the most iconic Ladies of Soul to life. Their show, The Great American SoulBook will wow audiences with the music of The Temptations, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Whitney Houston, Boyz II Men, The Four Tops, The Isley Brothers, Aretha Franklin, The Supremes, Luther Vandross, Sam and Dave, James Brown, Anita Baker, Babyface, Peobo Bryson, R. Kelly and so many more.
This is feel good music, that will have you singing along and on your feet, dancing to hits that will appeal to many generations of music lovers. This is a band that will never forget its roots in Motown and classic R&B, but continues the audience’s journey forward, as they pay homage to the most recent decades of soulful hits made famous by the next generations of superstars. American Soul brings the party to a concert near you…don’t miss it.
Admission: Gold Circle $45; Orchestra/Front Loge $40; Rear Loge/Accessible Seating $35
For close to four decades, the members of Big Head Todd and The Monsters—Todd Park Mohr [vocals, guitar, keys, sax, harmonica], Brian Nevin [drums], Rob Squires [bass, vocals], and Jeremy Lawton [keyboards, lap pedal/steel guitar, vocals]—have continued to both throw down in the studio and light up stages worldwide. Rallying around a core vision, the platinum-selling Colorado quartet kick out the kind of blues-drenched rock ‘n’ roll bangers that make you want to rev the engine a little louder, sing along like no one’s looking, and live a little freer. This holds true on their 12th full-length offering, Her Way Out.
As the story goes, Todd, Brian, and Rob unlocked their musical partnership during high school when they started jamming in the early eighties. Fast forward to 1986, they adopted the moniker Big Head Todd and The Monsters. BHTM released 2 successful independent records on their own BIG Records, Another Mayberry (1989) and Midnight Radio (1990) before drawing the attention of music industry titans and signing with Irving Azoff, Chuck Morris, and Frank Barsalona in 1992. They broke nationally with the platinum-certified staple Sister Sweetly (1993) which yielded four top 10 rock radio hits. They continued to progress with Strategem [1994] and Beautiful World [1997] which yielded several more rock radio hits including Boom Boom featuring John Lee Hooker. The band is continually touring and recording and has continued to put out albums that have received critical acclaim from both fans and press.
Among other milestones, their music literally reached the heavens when they played “Blue Sky” live at NASA Mission Control, delivering a celestial wakeup for astronauts aboard the International Space Station. They’ve toured and recorded with many rock and blues legends including B.B. King, Neil Young, The Allman Brothers, Hubert Sumlin, David “Honeyboy” Edwards, Dave Matthews Band, The Eagles and their personal favorite Robert Plant. Not to mention, they attained hometown hero status by headlining Red Rocks Amphitheatre 35 times in addition to earning induction into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame in 2023.
Her Way Out came to life organically. For two years, they hosted “Monster’s Music Monthly,” serving up either a new song or a new version of a classic online. Working out of Jeremy’s home studio, they parlayed this momentum into their latest LP. In the end, the future looks as bright as ever for these longtime friends.
Prices: Gold Circle $75; Orchestra/Front Loge $60; Rear Loge $50
Combine an intelligent interviewer with a roster of guests that, according to the Chicago Tribune, would be prized by any talk-show host, and you’re bound to get an interesting conversation. Fresh Air interviews, though, are in a category by themselves, distinguished by the unique approach of host and executive producer Terry Gross. “A remarkable blend of empathy and warmth, genuine curiosity and sharp intelligence,” says the San Francisco Chronicle. Gross, who has been host of Fresh Air since 1975, when it was broadcast only in Greater Philadelphia, isn’t afraid to ask tough questions. Fresh Air not only covers popular culture, it’s become part of it. The program and Gross have been name-checked on Saturday Night Live, Girls, HBO’s Eastbound and Down, and How I Met Your Mother. Gross played herself on an episode of The Simpsons and has been a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Gross began her radio career in 1973 at public radio station WBFO in Buffalo, New York, where she hosted and produced several arts, women’s and public affairs programs, including This Is Radio, a live, three-hour magazine program that aired daily. Two years later, she joined the staff of WHYY-FM in Philadelphia as producer and host of Fresh Air, then a local, daily interview and music program. In 1985, WHYY-FM launched a weekly half-hour edition of Fresh Air with Terry Gross, which was distributed nationally by NPR. Since 1987, a daily, one- hour national edition of Fresh Air has been produced by WHYY-FM. The program is broadcast on nearly 600 stations and became the first non-drivetime show in public radio history to reach more than 5 million listeners a week.
Fresh Air with Terry Gross received the Peabody Award in 1993 for its “probing questions, revelatory interviews and unusual insight.” In 2022 the show was awarded the Peabody Institutional Award “for their enduring body of work and their iconic impact on both the media landscape and the public imagination.” Terry Gross has received a Gracie Award in the category of Outstanding Radio Personality from American Women in Radio and Television; the Edward R. Murrow Award for her “outstanding contributions to public radio;” the National Book Foundation’s Literarian Award for outstanding service to the American literary community; the 2008 Columbia Journalism Award given in recognition of exceptional journalistic performance; the Modern Language Association’s Phyllis Franklin Award for Public Advocacy of the Humanities; the Authors Guild Award for Distinguished Service to the Literary Community; the National Humanities Medal from the National Endowment for the Humanities; and the Audio Vanguard Award. In 2015, Gross was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 2023 she was named the PEN/Faulkner Literary Champion, an award presented by the PEN/Faulkner Foundation; this commendation is presented in recognition of devoted literary advocacy and a commitment to inspiring new generations of readers and writers. Gross is the author of All I Did Was Ask: Conversations with Writers, Actors, Musicians and Artists, published by Hyperion in 2004.
Tickets: Gold Circle $55; Orchestra/Front Loge $50; Rear Loge/Accessible Seating $40
