The Holiday Season at NJPAC - Cinderella, Handel's Messiah, The Hip Hop Nutcracker, Broadway Sings the Muppet Christmas Carol and much more!
By: BWW News Desk Nov. 11, 2016
Check out the holiday season lineup at NJPAC!
Broadway Sings The Muppet Christmas Carol
Judy Gold, two-time Emmy winner and Newark native, leads the cast as Scrooge
with Julia Murney, Ryann Redmond, Bret Shuford, Joshua Morgan, Kevin Zak, Phillip Taratula, Will Porter, Gretchen Wylder, Sara Gallo, and Amanda McDowall
"Thankful Heart," "Marley and Marley" and other beloved songs from the classic Muppets film, performed by Broadway talents Judy Gold, Julia Murney, Ryann Redmond, Bret Shuford and more!
A new holiday tradition is born when Broadway Sings The Muppet Christmas Carol takes to the stage. NJPAC is happy to present a concert version of the music, the magic and the holiday cheer of the Muppets' memorable rendition of the Dickens tale.
This new twist on the movie presents all of the Paul Williams score's festive and funny songs, including "Scrooge" and "It Feels Like Christmas." As a special holiday treat, we'll even throw in some numbers that didn't make it to the big screen. All this merry-making is wrapped up in a shiny bow by some of Broadway's biggest talents: two-time Emmy winner Judy Gold (25 Questions for a Jewish Mother), leads the cast as Scrooge, and will be joined by Julia Murney (Wicked, Lennon), Ryann Redmond (If/Then, Bring It On), Bret Shuford (Amazing Grace, Paramour), Joshua Morgan (Les Miserables), Kevin Zak (Clinton the Musical, Silence!), Phillip Taratula (The Outs, Empire Travel Agency), Will Porter (A Chorus Line, CATS), Gretchen Wylder (Clinton the Musical, Bedbugs!), Sara Gallo and Amanda McDowall.
Note: The Muppets characters do not appear in this performance.
For performance details, click here.
Cinderella - State Ballet Theatre of Russia
Set to the music of Prokofiev, Cinderella is one of the most magical and hopeful of the storybook ballets, the enchanting story of wishes that really do come true. The perfect start to the holiday season!
This full-scale production of Cinderella by the State Ballet Theatre of Russia is choreographed by Vladimir Vasiliev, former principal dancer with the Bolshoi Theater Ballet. The State Ballet Theatre of Russia was founded by Maya Plisetskaya, the legendary dancer and former prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Theater Ballet and is now under the direction of award-winning dancer and Moiseyev Dance Company soloist Nikolay Anokhin. The company has showcased the unparalleled art of Russian ballet to countries throughout the world, and now tours the U.S. with 55 of Russia's finest dancers in Cinderella.
For performance details, click here.
The Hip Hop Nutcracker with Special Guest MC Kurtis Blow
The Hip Hop Nutcracker, a contemporary dance spectacle set to Tchaikovsky's timeless music, is a holiday mash-up sure to please the entire family.
The Hip Hop Nutcracker is "a generous dose of contemporary spirit sure to heat up even the most restless and wintry of souls" according to The New York Times, while CBS News raved, "The Hip Hop Nutcracker turns Tchaikovsky on his head, in the coolest possible way." Directed and choreographed by Jennifer Weber and adapted by Mike Fitelson, The Hip Hop Nutcracker is a full-length production performed by a supercharged cast of a dozen all-star dancers, a DJ and a violinist. While Act I faithfully contemporizes the traditional Nutcracker narrative arc, Act II reimagines what happens when the mysterious Drosselmeyer casts a spell on Maria-Clara and her prince, allowing them to travel back in time to the moment when her parents first met. Digital scenery transforms E.T.A. Hoffmann's beloved story set to the streets of New York. The dance work celebrates love, community and the magic of New Year's Eve. Special guest MC Kurtis Blow, one of hip hop's founding fathers, will open the show in several cities with a short set before rapping the introduction to The Hip Hop Nutcracker.
For performance details, click here.
Forces of Nature Dance Company with Special Guest Les Nubians A Kwanzaa Celebration
Saturday, December 17 2pm and 8pm
Celebrating its 35th anniversary, the daringly theatrical Forces of Nature Dance Company leads Kwanzaa festivities with special guest Les Nubians, the Grammy-nominated Afro-French vocal duo.
Forces of Nature combines elements of modern dance, West African movement, ballet, hip-hop, and even martial arts. Visually inventive and creatively brilliant, these multi-ethnic dancers and drummers perform one-of-a-kind programs that are "sizzling ... nothing short of sensational," says The Washington Post.
Led by artistic director and choreographer Abdel R. Salaam, Forces of Nature spearheads a unique blend of performing arts. "Trained in modern dance, ballet, jazz and traditional African dancing, Mr. Salaam works with traditional ritual and dance forms, moving beyond reproduction or reanimation to dance that is not simply African or Afro-American, but a vibrant expression of a newer culture," writes The New York Times.
Grammy-nominated international recording artists Les Nubians have intrigued audiences with their inventive and glamorous Afropean style. This distinctive sound embodies the timeless vibrations of Miriam Makeba, Ella Fitzgerald, Doudou N'diaye Rose, Fela Kuti, Edith Piaf, The Fugees, and Soul II Soul.
As part of NJPAC's Kwanzaa festivities, the Arts Center will host its annual Tribute to the Elders to honor individuals in the community who are making a significant impact in the social, cultural and civic realms of society. This year we will induct three Elders into the Council of Elders: Foluso Mimy, Joan Whitlow and WilLiam Payne. This exciting and dynamic ceremony will take place at the beginning of the Forces of Nature 2pm performance.
The day will also include NJPAC's 18th annual Kwanzaa Children's Festival and Marketplace, a free event that includes music and dance activities.
For performance details, click here.
Handel's Messiah with Members of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra
Part of Bank of America Classical Series
One of the most magnificent achievements in music, Handel's Messiah is an annual holiday season must for music lovers everywhere.
This iconic, centuries-old oratorio has come to be known as Handel's masterpiece. Messiah has become a Christmas tradition, even though in 1742 it was introduced as a work commemorating Easter. A soaring showpiece for chorus, soloists and orchestra, considered one of the most majestic compositions in Western music, Messiah is a soul-stirring way to celebrate Advent.
Please note: seating for this performance will vary from seating for other concerts in the series.
Personnel: George Manahan, conductor Members of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Patricia Schuman, soprano Mary Phillips, mezzo-soprano Ryan MacPherson, tenor David Pittsinger, bass-baritone Montclair State University Singers (Heather J. Buchanan, director)
For performance details, click here.
Jose Feliciano: Feliz Navidad Show
Sunday, December 18 3pm and 7pm
Acclaimed by reviewers worldwide as "The Greatest Living Guitarist," nine-time Grammy winner Jose Feliciano welcomes the holiday season by performing "Feliz Navidad," "Light My Fire" and many more hits.
Jose Feliciano's name is synonymous with an international presence that has influenced popular music for more than two generations-a presence that has bridged musical styles in a way that has never been equaled. He is recognized as the first Latin artist to cross over into the English-language music market, opening the doors for other artists who now play an important role in the American music industry. He has been awarded over 45 gold and platinum records and nine Grammy Awards, including the "LARAS Award for Lifetime Achievement."
His milestone songs include his cover of the Doors' "Light My Fire," which topped the charts globally in 1968; "Che Sarà," a 1971 megasuccess throughout Europe, Asia and South America; and "Feliz Navidad," the Christmas song that has become a beloved holiday tradition worldwide, and was named by ASCAP as one of the 25 Greatest Holiday Songs of the Century.
For performance details, click here.
About NJPAC
New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in downtown Newark, New Jersey, is among the largest performing arts centers in the United States and is the artistic, cultural, educational and civic center of New Jersey - where Great Performances and events enhance and transform lives every day. NJPAC brings diverse communities together, providing access to all and showcasing the state's and the world's best artists while acting as a leading catalyst in the revitalization of its home city. Through its extensive Arts Education programs, NJPAC is shaping the next generation of artists and arts enthusiasts. NJPAC has attracted more than 10 million visitors (including over 1.5 million children) since opening its doors in 1997, and nurtures meaningful and lasting relationships with each of its constituents. NJPAC is a proud partner of Newark Celebration 350.
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