Grunin Center Fall 2021 Brochure by Ocean County College

FALL 2021 SEASON

Photo by Michael Patrick O’Leary

After a national executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG), The Grunin Center for the Arts and the Novins Planetarium are pleased to introduce our new Executive and Artistic Director, Shannon Mayers.

The Grunin Center Welcomes New Executive and Artistic Director Shannon Mayers

Shannon Mayers brings over 25 years of experience in the arts, with extensive management and curatorial experience in both professional and academic settings. Her passion is to entertain and engage audiences, to inspire and enlighten the next generation of arts enthusiasts, and to champion the arts as vital to the soul of every community. She is thrilled to join the Grunin Center as it triumphantly returns this season with an exciting roster of artists and guest speakers. Shannon has served in leadership positions at the Arts Brookfield in New York City, the Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College, and most recently the Redfern Arts Center at Keene State College. Throughout her career, Shannon has produced and presented over 1000 performances and worked with artists from six continents and 100 nations, ranging from celebrities like Bruce Springsteen to South African artists Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Shannon holds an MFA from the University of Texas at Austin and a BS from Northwestern University. She has guest lectured at Theatre for a New Audience, Actors Theater of Louisville, Connecticut College, Queens College, College of Staten Island and Georgia Southern University.

WELCOME

As you can see, Shannon’s wealth of experience will enhance the programmatic offerings of the Grunin Center for the Arts and the Novins Planetarium. The teams of both venues are excited to work under her leadership. She began her tenure in July.

Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts Staff Shannon Mayers Executive & Artistic Director Jessica Zawerczuk Assistant Director, Marketing & Sales Michelle Youngs Assistant Director, Operations & Production Jaclyn Wood Education & Community Engagement Coordinator Victoria Buczynski Marketing & Sales Specialist Bryn Farace Technical Production Manager Stephan Caldwell, James Lockhart and Sue Towery Technical Production Coordinators

Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts • Fall 2021

My late wife Linda and I have always had philanthropy in our hearts. We built our reputation as lawyers who worked hard, related to our clients’ needs and always sought to act with the highest integrity. In 2013, we established the Grunin Foundation, with our son Jeremy, to give back to the community that afforded us so many incredible opportunities. Our Foundation’s mission is to improve the quality of life for all members of our community by using philanthropy to drive economic excellence at the Central Jersey Shore. We envision a thriving community where everyone has equitable access to an abundance of exemplary arts, culture, education, healthcare and economic opportunities. Aligned with our mission and vision, the Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts is a key arts hub in our community, keeping our arts culture flourishing.

A Message from Jay Grunin

While the world is certainly different today, the importance of the arts has not changed. As we work towards recovering from the global health crisis, we must continue to show our support now more than ever. The creativity and determination to keep the arts alive, even when we could not physically be together, has been inspiring.

Jay Grunin

THE GRUNINS

The arts connect us all. They heal, offer hope and will bring an economic renewal to the Central Jersey Shore. While we stayed connected to the arts virtually, we are now ready to safely welcome back artists, musicians and entertainers to the stage. Our community will be there, united by the arts, with our spirits more grateful, our applause louder and our hearts fuller.

grunincenter.org • 732-255-0500

SCHEDULE

August 2021 19-22...The Fantasticks

September 2021 16.........Misty Copeland (Virtual Event) 20........Mike Veny (Virtual Event) 26........John Pizzarelli & Catherine Russell

October 2021 6..........Doris Kearns Goodwin 9..........Neil Berg’s 50 Years of Rock & Roll 16.........Assisted Living: The Musical 17.........Sentimental Journey Big Band 21.........Anna Deavere Smith 22........Trio Solace 23.........The World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra 29........The Honey Dewdrops

November 2021 5..........The Weeklings 7..........Harlem 100 9..........Eric O’Neill (Virtual Event) 21.........The Jazz Lobsters

Sponsors

The Grunin Center wishes to acknowledge the following organizations for their support.

Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts • Fall 2021

■M asks are required for guests aged 2 and up. If fully vaccinated against COVID-19, masks may be removed only when seated in the theater. ■T he lobby and theater will be open 45 minutes prior to the event start time to allow for relaxed entry. ■ I f you are not feeling well, please, stay home. Please contact the box office to discuss ticket options. ■D istanced, pick-your-own seating will be offered. Please keep some distance between your party and others in lobby spaces. ■ Hand sanitizer will be readily available throughout the venue. ■W e’ve upgraded our HVAC system to include UV-C disinfection. ■T he venue will be professionally cleaned between each performance. ■T he Grunin Center staff and OCC security will enforce rules, which will follow current CDC and state of New Jersey guidelines for indoor events.

SAFETY MEASURES

At the Grunin Center, our COVID-19 safety measures include:

Please note that the information in this brochure is accurate as of the time of printing. Event dates, times and capacities are subject to change in line with state of New Jersey guidelines for indoor performances.

grunincenter.org • 732-255-0500

John Pizzarelli & Catherine Russell Present:

Billie & Blue Eyes SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 26

Grammy Award-winning vocalist Catherine Russell teams up with jazz guitarist, vocalist and bandleader John Pizzarelli in a stunning tribute to Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra. Dubbed “the essential duo,” Russell and Pizzarelli transport audiences to the glory days of jazz with masterful ease, capturing Holiday’s effortless grace and Sinatra’s cool swagger. John Pizzarelli has been hailed by The Boston Globe for “reinvigorating the Great American Songbook and re-popularizing jazz,” while All Music Guide says, “Russell emerged as a retro old school vocalist for the ages.” 7:00pm  Main Stage  $55-$35 6

Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts • Fall 2021

Neil Berg’s 50 Years of Rock & Roll SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9

With a cast consisting of both stars from Broadway’s greatest rock musicals, as well as incredible rock & roll singers, Neil Berg shares the often unknown stories from the 54-year history of the music that changed the world forever! From the progenitors of Rock & Roll in the 1940s, through the glory years of the ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s, up until MTV in the early ‘80s, Neil Berg’s 50 Years of Rock & Roll uses fascinating stories and groundbreaking music, with tributes to such important and iconic rock stars/groups/genres as Little Richard, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Buddy Holly, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Frankie Valli, Carole King, Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, The Beatles, Beach Boys, The Who, Simon & Garfunkel, Led Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac, Motown, Disco, New Wave and others! 8:00pm  Main Stage  $49-$39 grunincenter.org • 732-255-0500

Assisted Living: The Musical SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16

Forget everything your granny told you about assisted living! Assisted Living: The Musical® is a 75-minute, one-act vaudevillian revue filled with original songs. It delivers laughs from the opening scene, when the show’s host couple enters heaven, suspecting their son pulled the plug to get his hands on Dad’s vintage Corvette. They don’t seem to mind. Instead, the couple fondly remembers Pelican Roost, an active, full-service retirement community, where 70-something is the new 20-something, and they party like it’s 1969! Two actors play 18 different characters who sing and dance, revel and kvetch, celebrate and bloviate their way through later life. You’ll laugh out loud to songs like “Help! I’ve Fallen (for You) and I Can’t Get Up” and “Golf Cart Seduction.” Assisted Living: The Musical® is for everyone who is aging or hopes to age. You’ll see your parents, your friends and maybe some of yourself. Don’t miss the show about which the Associated Press says, “Audiences are laughing so hard, they cry!” 2:00pm & 7:30pm  Main Stage  $27-$22

Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts • Fall 2021

The World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23

This 18-member ensemble plays many of the original Glenn Miller arrangements and includes some modern selections arranged and performed in the Miller style. Just as it was in Glenn’s day, today’s Glenn Miller Orchestra is still the most sought-after big band in the world. The first Glenn Miller Orchestra was a total and absolute economic failure. But Glenn knew what he wanted, held to that dedication and relentlessly worked to succeed. He launched his second band – the one that lives on today – in March of 1938. The Glenn Miller Orchestra has been a “hit” ever since. 5:00pm  Main Stage  $35 grunincenter.org • 732-255-0500

The Honey Dewdrops FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29 Laura Wortman and Kagey Parrish, The Honey Dewdrops, are celebrating their 9th year of touring full time, having played stages and festivals far and wide in North America and Europe. With tight harmonies and a musical ensemble that includes clawhammer banjo, mandolin and guitars, the effect is to leave listeners with only what matters: the heart of the song and clarity over ornamentation. After leaving their home base of Virginia and living on the road for two years, Laura and Kagey now call Baltimore, Maryland, home and it’s where they wrote and recorded their fourth full-length album, Tangled Country, released in May 2015. Acoustic Guitar magazine describes the set of songs as “a handcrafted sound centered on swarming harmonies and acoustic guitars that churn like a paddlewheel and shimmer like heat waves on the highway.” And like their stage performance, these songs rock and reel, and then they console you when you come back down. 7:00pm  Gia Maione Prima Studio Theater  $20-$17

This program is made possible through the support of the Gia Maione Prima Foundation. 10 Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts • Fall 2021

The Weeklings “BeatlesBash” with Horns & Strings Orchestra FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5

The Weeklings, with the 10-piece Horns & Strings Orchestra, present “The Music of The Beatles” and more! This rocking show features selections from The Beatles’ early years in set one and music from the groundbreaking albums Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, the White Album, the seminal Abbey Road and Let It Be in set two. “The Music of The Beatles” will be performed with a 10-piece orchestra, plus there will be a sprinkling of The Weeklings’ fans favorite original songs! 8:00pm  Main Stage  $45-$35

grunincenter.org • 732-255-0500

Harlem 100 Featuring Mwenso & The Shakes with special guests Brianna Thomas, Michela Marino Lerman & Vuyo Sotashe SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 7 Created in collaboration with the National Jazz Museum in Harlem and JMG Live, this multimedia show captures the sights and sounds of Harlem when legendary artists such as Fats Waller, Duke Ellington, Langston Hughes and Billie Holiday made Harlem the cultural center of the country. Hosted by Michael Mwenso, HARLEM 100 presents the most exiting Harlem musicians and dancers in a modern variety show and pays homage to the presentations made famous in the Apollo Theater, the Cotton Club and other celebrated venues of the Harlem Renaissance. Featuring the music of Fats Waller, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Bessie Smith and more, HARLEM 100 celebrates one of the most influential artistic movements of our country and gives insight into Harlem then and now. 7:00pm  Main Stage  $45-$35 12 Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts • Fall 2021

Misty Copeland THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 Born in Kansas City, Missouri, and raised in San Pedro, California, Misty Copeland began her ballet studies at the late age of 13. At 15, she won first place in the Music Center Spotlight Awards. She studied at the San Francisco Ballet School and American Ballet Theatre’s Summer Intensive on full scholarship and was declared ABT’s National Coca-Cola Scholar in 2000. Misty joined ABT’s Studio Company in September 2000, joined American Ballet Theatre as a member of the corps de ballet in April 2001, and in August 2007, became the company’s second African American female soloist — the first in two decades. In August 2015, Misty was promoted to principal dancer, making her the first African-American woman to be promoted to the position in the company’s 75-year history. She made her Broadway debut in the role of Ivy Smith/Miss Turnstiles with the critically acclaimed show On The Town. 11:00am  Virtual Event  FREE! Advance registration is required. BLAUVELT SPEAKER SERIES

presented by

This program is sponsored by the Blauvelt Speaker Series. The Blauvelt Speaker Series is funded in part by the generosity of the late Bradford Thomas & Eleanor G. Blauvelt and The Wintrode Family Foundation.

grunincenter.org • 732-255-0500

Mike Veny MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 Transforming Stigma® in College Students have to balance classes, professors, money, relationships, self-image and much more. Anxiety and depression are some top concerns for college students. The stigma surrounding the subject of mental health is the biggest barrier to students seeking treatment. Transforming Stigma® is a high-energy keynote presentation that performs double duty as an important educational experience and as entertainment. This event is co-sponsored by the OCC Office of Student Life, the OCC Counseling Center, the Grunin Center, and the OCC Arts and Humanities Department. 12:30 pm  Virtual  FREE! Advance registration is required. BLAUVELT SPEAKER SERIES

presented by

14 Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts • Fall 2021

Photo by Annie Leibovitz

Doris Kearns Goodwin WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6 Doris Kearns Goodwin is a world-renowned presidential historian and Pulitzer Prizewinning author. Goodwin is the author of seven critically acclaimed and New York Times best-selling books, including her most recent, Leadership in Turbulent Times, which incorporates her five decades of scholarship studying Presidents Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt and Lyndon Baines Johnson. Goodwin was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in history for No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II. 6:30pm  Main Stage  $35-$25

BLAUVELT SPEAKER SERIES

presented by

grunincenter.org • 732-255-0500

Anna Deavere Smith THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21 Playwright, actor and educator Anna Deavere Smith uses her singular brand of theater to explore issues of community, character and diversity in America. The MacArthur Foundation honored Smith with the Genius Fellowship for creating “a new form of theatre — a blend of theatrical art, social commentary, journalism and intimate reverie.” Smith draws her material from hundreds of interviews, turns these conversations into scripts and transforms herself onstage into an astonishing number of characters. Among the topics she addresses in her presentations are the vulnerability of youth, inequality, the criminal justice system and contemporary activism. 11:00am  Main Stage  FREE! Advance registration is required. This event is part of the OCC Social Justice Series. For more information on this initiative, visit ocean.edu/social-justice-series.

BLAUVELT SPEAKER SERIES

presented by

16 Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts • Fall 2021

A Conversation with Eric O’Neill TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9 Eric O’Neill is an author, attorney, security consultant and professional public speaker. In 2001, Eric helped capture the most notorious spy in United States history: Robert Hanssen, a 25-year veteran of the FBI. The remarkable true events of his life are the inspiration behind the critically acclaimed dramatic thriller, Breach, starring Ryan Philippe as O’Neill. The film is the story of the greatest security breach in U.S. history. 11:00am  Virtual  FREE! Advance registration is required.

BLAUVELT SPEAKER SERIES

presented by

grunincenter.org • 732-255-0500

Sentimental Journey Big Band featuring Altha Morton, Vocalist SUNDAY, OCTOBER 17 The Music of the Greatest Generation! Sentimental Journey Big Band follows the lives of the Greatest Generation through the music that gave them the joy, hope and faith to persevere when confronted by tremendous challenges. Watch this show live from the comfort of your home! We’ll be livestreaming this event as it happens! 3:00pm  Main Stage or Virtual  $24 Adult  $20 Senior  $12 Virtual

18 Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts • Fall 2021

The Jazz Lobsters SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21 Ocean County College favorite, the Jazz Lobsters Big Band, will demonstrate that swing is still king when they return to Jazz on a Sunday Afternoon. There’s nothing quite like the sound of a roaring big band, and the Jazz Lobsters will roar with performances of favorites associated with Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Quincy Jones and others. Acclaimed vocalist Tony Corrao will be on hand to perform some of Frank Sinatra’s best-loved songs, backed by the Jazz Lobsters playing the original arrangements. 3:00pm  Main Stage or Virtual  $24 Adult  $20 Senior  $12 Virtual

grunincenter.org • 732-255-0500

A F T ER N O O N R EC ITA L S ER I E S

Photo by William Oh

Trio Solace FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22 Trio Solace was formed at the height of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic by long-time school friends Yukiko Kuhara (violin), Mark Serkin (cello), and Jacob Savransky (piano) as a way to spread a modicum of comfort by way of music. The trio consists of three alumni from Mannes School of Music, The New School. The trio made its debut at the Mozaika Concert Series at Raritan Valley Community College in early 2021. Soon after, they were named recipients of Chamber Music America’s Ensemble Forward Grant, made possible by the New York Community Trust. Other season highlights include several upcoming online performances through A440, whose roster they joined. The Trio enjoys the opportunity to work with some of New York City’s leading pedagogues, including Vladimir Valjarevic, Jeffrey Zeigler and Vladimir Pantaleyev. When away from the concert stage, the trio is busy working on a variety of repertoire (much of it written by living composers), enjoying the company of dogs and cooking fine meals. Apart from their time spent together, each member is an avid soloist, music educator and chamber coach. 2:00pm  Main Stage  FREE! Advance registration is required 20 Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts • Fall 2021

OCC Repertory Theatre Company presents:

The Fantasticks

THURSDAY, AUGUST 19 ■ 7:00PM FRIDAY, AUGUST 20 ■ 7:00PM SATURDAY, AUGUST 21 ■ 7:00PM SUNDAY, AUGUST 22 ■ 2:00PM “Try To Remember” a time when this romantic charmer wasn’t enchanting audiences around the world. The Fantasticks is the longest-running musical in the world and with good reason: at the heart of its breathtaking poetry and subtle theatrical sophistication is a purity and simplicity that transcends cultural barriers. The result is a timeless fable of love that manages to be nostalgic and universal at the same time. The Fantasticks is a funny and romantic musical about a boy, a girl, and their two fathers who try to keep them apart. The narrator, El Gallo, asks audience members to use their imagination and follow him into a world of moonlight and magic. The boy and the girl fall in love, grow apart and finally find their way back to each other after realizing the truth in El Gallo’s words that, “without a hurt, the heart is hollow.” Main Stage  $26 Adult  $17 Seniors/Students grunincenter.org • 732-255-0500

________________ 2021-2022 SEASON ________________

Music lives on the Jersey Shore, where the Garden State Philharmonic opens its arms to existing and future generations of music lovers, forging a classical path between the metropolises of Philadelphia and New York City.

___________ SYMPHONIC ENCOUNTERS SERIES ___________ JAY & LINDA GRUNIN CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Strike up the Band

Women in Music

Enjoy music for brass ensemble from Civil War-era marches through ragtime, New Orleans Jazz, blues, swing, and jazz. This concert features music by composers George Gershwin, Scott Joplin, C.W. Handy, Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong, performed by the Garden State Philharmonic Brass Quintet and Percussion. 3:00pm  Main Stage

Be moved by the beautiful melodies of the string quartet in Eb Major by Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel, sister of Felix Mendelssohn, along with works by Florence Price, Grazyna Bacewicz and Gabriela Lena Frank. This concert will be performed by a string quartet comprised of all women from the Garden State Philharmonic. 3:00pm  Main Stage

Sunday, October 3

Sunday, October 31

______________ GENERAL INFORMATION ______________ Garden State Philharmonic Office  1 College Drive, PO Box 2001 Toms River, NJ 08754  732-255-0460

Visit us online for program information or to make donations to the nonprofit. Tickets may be purchased online or by calling the Garden State Philharmonic office.

www.gardenstatephilharmonic.org @gardenstatephilharmonic @thegardenstatephilharmonic @gsp_music

_____________________ TICKETS _____________________  Premiere Seating Adults $50  Seniors (60+) $45  General Seating Adults $37  Students (w/ID) $15

A per-order service and handling fee will be applied at the time of purchase. Groups of 12 or more receive special discounts. Save 10-15% off single tickets when you purchase a subscription package.

22 Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts • Fall 2021

Purchasing Tickets

Tickets are available online at grunincenter.org or by phone from the Grunin Center Ticket Office. Hours: Monday-Friday, Noon to 5:00pm., phone 732-255-0500. All information contained in this publication is accurate at the time of print. Prices, fees, dates, times, capacities, performers and performances are subject to change at any time. Such changes do not dictate a refund or exchange unless authorized by the producer, promoter or Grunin Center for the Arts. Ticket processing fees apply to all orders. Fees are subject to change. Fall 2021 tickets go on sale Monday, July 12, 2021 at noon.

Accessibility

The Grunin Center for the Arts strives to make every accommodation possible for patrons needing accessible seating. Seating is limited and we encourage guests to make arrangements in advance. Assisted listening devices are available at all performances and are sanitized after each use. For large print or Braille programs please make request four weeks in advance.

Discounts and Subscriptions

OCC faculty, staff, students and alumni: Various discounts available for eligible shows. Limit of two tickets per eligible performance. Call the ticket office for details. Discounts are taken off adult ticket prices unless otherwise noted.

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Address and Contact Info

Grunin Center for the Arts at Ocean County College College Drive Toms River, NJ 08754 Building #11 Free Parking Available

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732.255.0500  grunincenter@ocean.edu  grunincenter.org

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T I C K E T I N F O R M AT I O N

For a complete listing of Policies, Accessibility Information, and Discounts, please visit grunincenter.org

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Winter shows will be announced this fall! grunincenter.org • 732-255-0500

FALL 2021 SEASON

www.grunincenter.org

The Glenn Miller Orchestra (p. 9)

College Drive, PO Box 2001 Toms River, NJ 08754-2001

TOMS RIVER NJ 08754 PERMIT NO 27

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