From the South Orange Performing Arts Center:
Season 21 at the South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) is in full swing, and the stretch from November through January brings some of the most anticipated nights of the year. To mark it, SOPAC has released Season 21: Be Here – Holiday & Winter Preview, a new video giving audiences a first look at GRAMMY winners, blues royalty, holiday favorites, and rock ‘n’ roll headed to South Orange.
Watch the Holiday & Winter Preview:
“Season 21 has had incredible energy so far, and November through January is where it really takes off. From GRAMMY winners like Take 6 and John Pizzarelli to blues royalty with Shemekia Copeland and our Noon Year’s Eve party for the youngest fans, there’s something here for everyone. Watch the video, pick your night, and be here with us.” — Miriam Vales, SOPAC Interim Executive Director
Featured in the Holiday & Winter Preview
back to BACK TO BLACK: The Amy Winehouse Celebration featuring Remember Jones FRI, NOV 20 | 7:30PM
Remember Jones returns to SOPAC to mark 20 years of Amy Winehouse’s GRAMMY-winning Back to Black, performing the complete album plus more Amy favorites with a 12-piece band and five vocalists in a Rolling Stone–recognized tribute.
Blues Royalty with Shemekia Copeland & Jontavious Willis SAT, NOV 21 | 7:30PM
Shemekia Copeland, ‘the greatest blues singer of her generation’ (Washington Post), shares a rare co-headline bill with GRAMMY-nominated Georgia phenom Jontavious Willis
John Pizzarelli: Swingin’ Into the Holidays and More THU, DEC 3 | 7:30PM
GRAMMY-winning guitarist and vocalist John Pizzarelli and his trio swing into the season with holiday favorites and songs from Tony Bennett’s seven-decade career.
Nate Smith with support from Fonville x Fribush FRI, DEC 4 | 7:30PM
Two-time GRAMMY-winning drummer, composer, and bandleader Nate Smith, one of the most in-demand musicians of his generation, leads a powerhouse trio with Kiefer on keys and synth and CARRTOONS on bass for a night of groove-driven jazz and roots music. Organist and keyboardist Sam Fribush opens the evening with his band, Fonville x Fribush.
Take 6: Spread Love for Christmas FRI, DEC 18 | 7:30PM
The six-time GRAMMY-winning a cappella sextet, longtime collaborators of Quincy Jones and Stevie Wonder, brings its holiday show to South Orange
Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams THU, JAN 14 | 7:30PM
Husband-and-wife duo Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams have been making music together since 1986, bringing warmth, depth, and real chemistry to American roots music.
Classic Stones Live FRI, JAN 15 | 7:30PM
The world’s premier Rolling Stones tribute, led by an uncannily convincing “Glimmer Twins” and an eight-piece band, delivers every classic hit in original tunings with the swagger of the Stones in their prime.
More November – January Highlights
- The Last Waltz Celebration featuring The THE BAND Band | SUN, NOV 15 | 7:30PM
- Ladies of Laughter with Carmen Lynch, Monique Latise, Sheba Mason, and Ellen Feeney | THU, NOV 19 | 7:30PM
- Giants of Jazz Honoring Cyrus Chestnut, curated by GRAMMY winner John Lee | SAT, NOV 28 | 7:30PM
- Cherry Poppin’ Daddies: WWII Tiki Xmas Canteen | THU, DEC 10 | 7:30PM
- Martin Sexton: Live Wide Open 25th Anniversary Tour | FRI, DEC 11 | 7:30PM
- SO Jewish Comedy Night with Eli Lebowicz, Antonia Lassar, Natan Badalov, and Mikey Greenblatt | SUN, DEC 13 | 7:30PM
- Rockin’ Around the Loft: A Ho Ho Holiday Happy Hour with Eli Bolin & Allison Posner | WED, DEC 16 | 6:30PM
- Bill Charlap Trio | SAT, DEC 19 | 7:30PM
- The Big Cheese documentary screening, Q&A, and cheese party with Wheelhouse Cheese | SAT, JAN 9 | 6:30PM
Folk favorite Dar Williams (SUN, DEC 6) is already sold out.
Kids + Family
- PANTO’s Cinderella | SAT, NOV 14 | 1PM
- Frosty: A Musical Adventure | SAT, DEC 12 | 1PM
- Noon Year’s Eve Party: The Rock and Roll Playhouse Plays the Music of Harry Styles | THU, DEC 31 | 12PM. New this year: a free pre-show story time with the South Orange Public Library at 11AM in the SOPAC Loft.
- The Adventures of Harold and the Purple Crayon | SAT, JAN 30 | 1PM
Be Here With SOPAC
Tickets are on sale now at SOPACnow.org or by calling the box office at (973) 313-2787. More Season 21 announcements are coming all year.
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About SOPAC
The South Orange Performing Arts Center curates a distinctive lineup of exhilarating and expansive performances, bringing exceptional artists and unforgettable experiences to audiences in the greater South Orange/Maplewood region and contributing to the economic and social vibrancy of its highly diverse community.
SOPAC is an accessible cultural destination that presents world-class artists in an intimate and welcoming setting. The Jennifer & Tony Leitner Performance Hall is a 439-seat mainstage theatre with superb acoustics, sight lines, and seating. SOPAC offers a rare connection between artists and audiences—where every seat feels close to the stage and every performance feels personal. Guests experience the excitement of seeing world-class performers in a space that creates the feeling of exclusive access, where artists share their work, stories, and passion in a way that larger venues simply cannot replicate. Artists acknowledge that the atmosphere encourages conversations with audiences. The Loft at SOPAC is a 2,185 square-foot multi-purpose space used for performances, rehearsals, classes, and special events.
The unique architecture of SOPAC’s building, which includes a stunning 3-story glass-enclosed atrium, is also home to the Herb + Milly Iris Gallery, where exhibitions showcase the work of local, regional, and nationally recognized visual artists, providing free access to the visual arts for residents and visitors throughout the year. Beyond the building, SOPAC co-produces local events such as South Orange Summer Nights and serves students and schools through its arts education residencies.
SOPAC is invested in arts education and creating meaningful opportunities for students of all ages to experience, participate in, and connect with the arts. SOPAC serves students and schools in our region through a School Performance Series, performing Arts Residencies, and an annual juried art exhibit entitled INSPIRED MINDS: Young Artist Exhibition. SOPAC also collaborates with the New Jersey State Council on the Arts each year to host the Region 5 Poetry Out Loud competitions. With its artistic partnership with SOPAC, the Seton Hall University Arts Council presents a diverse range of events at SOPAC with seasoned professionals, students, and faculty. Through these collaborations, SOPAC continues to expand access to the arts and create opportunities for learning, connection, and discovery across generations.
SOPAC opened its doors in 2006, born from a shared vision of the South Orange Village Trustees and Seton Hall University to create the artistic destination of the community and the centerpiece of an ambitious redevelopment plan. More than 2 decades later, SOPAC continues to serve as a cultural cornerstone for the region, an economic driver for the community, and a catalyst for artistic opportunity.
About Seton Hall University Arts Council
The Seton Hall University Arts Council supports the integral role of the arts in higher education. The Arts Council, housed within the College of Human Development, Culture, and Media, strengthens the cultural vitality of the visual, literary and performing arts for the University campus and the surrounding community.
