(SOUTH ORANGE, NJ) -- The South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) continues its historic partnership with local gem Seton Hall University (SHU) and the Seton Hall University Arts Council, presenting live events for audiences of all ages. Throughout the 2024-25 season, Seton Hall University produces performances on SOPAC's Mainstage that feature acclaimed Jazz, Classical, and Theatre artists in mentor-driven collaboration with university students.
“Each season, we look forward to the variety of programming our partnership with Seton Hall provides,” says SOPAC Executive Director Lana Rogachevskaya. “We really value the mentoring that takes place right on stage when professional artists perform with so many talented students. It’s a source of pride for the whole community.”
“The Seton Hall Arts Council looks forward to another dynamic season at SOPAC,” says SOPAC Board Seton Hall University Liaison Chris Aurilio, who works as the director of production and facilities with the College of Human, Development, Culture & Media. “I am so proud to be serving in this role. When we’re able to offer this programming that showcases our students’ work, in some cases alongside professional artists, we’re advancing the legacy of the arts across the SOMA community and throughout North Jersey.”
This season, SOPAC continues its legacy of Jazz, Classical, and Theatre performances as major touch points in its SHU events roster. In addition to welcoming new and returning artists through the Jazz ’n the Hall Concert Series and the Classical Concert Series, the 2024-25 calendar features A Midsummer Night’s Dream on Thursday-Saturday, October 24-26, 2024 at 8:00pm and Sunday, October 27, 2024 at 2:00pm and Peter and the Starcatcher on Thursday-Saturday, May 1-3, 2025 at 8:00pm and Sunday, May 4, 2025 at 2:00pm.
“We’re excited to welcome these theatrical productions to our Mainstage,” says Rogachevskaya. “I invite the entire community to browse our SHU events calendar for all our music and theatre program selections.”
Jazz ’n the Hall connects renowned artists and ensembles to the Seton Hall community and surrounding areas, providing talented student musicians the opportunity to perform alongside world-class vocalists and instrumentalists. This year’s Jazz ’n the Hall performances include the return of the Grammy Award-winning Lionel Hampton Big Band on Tuesday, October 1, 2024 at 7:30pm, the United States Military Veterans All-Stars on Tuesday, November 12, 2024 at 7:30pm, and The Seton Hall Faculty Ensemble on Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at 7:30pm.
The Classical Concert Series on Thursday, November 7, 2024 at 6:30pm presents internationally recognized soloists and ensembles. Bonding arts and education, the series regularly includes preconcert lectures and workshops, free to SHU students and the public, with a $5 service fee for advance tickets. Past seasons have featured artists and acts from around the world, including the Musicians from Marlboro, a concert performance of Mozart’s enduring opera Don Giovanni, and acclaimed pianist Michelle Cann, who presented a multi-modal exploration of women composers who emerged during Chicago’s Black Renaissance.
All SHU-partnered programming aligns with the Seton Hall University Arts Council’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion cultural programming theme of “Voices & Visibility” and features work from and about groups that have been otherwise historically underrepresented. SHU also produces performances spotlighting its students exclusively, including the SOPAC Mainstage productions of its Annual Winter Concert on Thursday, December 5, 2024 at 7:30pm and its Annual Spring Concert on Sunday, May 25, 2025 at 7:30pm.
“I am so glad SHU students get this chance to perform, produce, and enjoy their work, while receiving guidance from SOPAC’s staff through our important partnership” says Aurilio. “With the help and support of SOPAC’s tireless team, we continue to expand access to our programming and strengthen these invaluable connections among local arts, global talent, and higher education.”
About the Partnership
Each season, SOPAC and Seton Hall renew their commitment to accessibility for arts programming in the SOMA community. Tickets to all SHU performances are free and open to the public: advance tickets include a $5 processing fee per ticket; day-of-show tickets have no processing fee and depend on availability. The box office opens 2 hours before curtain. As certain shows tend to sell out quickly, SOPAC encourages patrons to reserve tickets in advance.
Explore SHU’s Upcoming Performances at SOPAC
Jazz ’n the Hall Concert Series
The Lionel Hampton Big Band - Tuesday, October 1, 2024 at 7:30pm. Winner of the 2021 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, the Lionel Hampton Big Band returns to SOPAC as part of this season’s Jazz ’n the Hall Concert Series presented by Seton Hall University’s Arts Council. For this anticipated event, high-level student Jazz musicians perform alongside the Grammy Award-winning members of the Lionel Hampton Big Band. Don’t miss this ground-shaking, hard-swinging hit!
A Midsummer Night’s Dream - Thu-Sat, October 24-26, 2024 at 8:00pm & Sun, October 27, 2024 at 2:00pm. Join them at SOPAC for the first of the 2024-25 season’s SHU Theatre productions! Presenting Shakespeare’s universal tale of love and reverie A Midsummer Night's Dream, the students of Seton Hall interpret timeless poetry & prose. Don't miss this brilliant rendering of an ethereal classic that spotlights the whimsical, at times, downright silly side of romance.
Thursday, November 7, 2024 at 6:30pm - Seton Hall University Arts Council presents its annual Classical Concert Series at SOPAC! Experience a delightful evening of romantic comedy as the MidAtlantic Symphony Orchestra, Soloists, and Seton Hall University Choir under the direction of Jason Tramm perform a fully-staged production of Gaetano Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore.
Jazz ’n the Hall Concert Series
United States Military Veterans All-Stars - Tuesday, November 12, 2024 at 7:30pm. The United States Military Veterans All-Stars presents a lively program of beloved standards and patriotic tunes in tribute to U.S. veterans of every generation. The level of talent among these service-driven artists delights — and often surprises — audiences of all ages. Expect an evening of energizing arrangements and blistering solos. Join the celebration and share in the honor, joy, and gratitude!
Annual Winter Concert - Thursday, December 5, 2024 at 7:30pm. The Seton Hall University Chorus, Concert Band & Chamber Choir present their annual winter concert, a favorite of SOPAC’s holiday season. Don't miss this spirited event that features the university’s brightest stars performing selections of the season, spotlighting artistic range and spreading boundless joy!
Jazz ’n the Hall Concert Series
Seton Hall Faculty Ensemble - Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at 7:30pm. The acclaimed artists and committed educators of the Seton Hall Faculty Ensemble return to SOPAC for an evening of thrilling repertoire and tight arrangements. When these hard-swinging musicians take center stage — and plenty of high-octane solos — they engage audiences of all ages with their virtuosity and spirit. Don’t miss this special performance that spotlights local talent of global resonance.
Peter and the Starcatcher - Thu-Sat, May 1-3, 2025 at 8:00pm & Sun, May 4, 2025 at 2:00pm. Embrace your inner child! Join the students of SHU as they present Rick Elice’s Tony Award-winning play Peter and the Starcatcher. Based on Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson’s best-selling novel of a similar title, this uplifting production follows the upended story of a young orphan who would become The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up. Don’t miss the lively delivery of this celestial tale!
Annual Spring Concert - Monday, May 5, 2025 at 7:30pm. The Seton Hall University Chorus, Concert Band & Chamber Choir present their Annual Spring Concert, celebrating rebirth and awakening. Don’t miss this spirited event that features the university’s brightest stars performing selections of the season, spotlighting artistic range and spreading joy and hope!
The South Orange Performing Arts Center offers audiences exhilarating and diverse arts entertainment in its intimate venue, serving as the cultural heartbeat of 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 environment. The Jennifer & Tony Leitner Performance Hall is a 439-seat mainstage theatre with superb acoustics, sight lines and seating. Audiences remark that performances in this space are like having their favorite artists right in their own living room. 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. Beyond the building, SOPAC co-produces local events such as South Orange Summer Nights and serves students and schools through its arts education residencies.
To Lauren Neuman, SOPAC is invested in arts education. SOPAC serves students and schools in our region through a School Performance Series, performing Arts Residencies and annual juried art exhibits entitled INSPIRED MINDS: Young Artist Exhibition and INSPIRING MINDS. SOPAC also collaborates with the New Jersey State Council on the Arts each year to host the Region 5 Poetry Out Loud competitions. The Seton Hall University Arts Council presents a diverse range of events at SOPAC with seasoned professionals, students, and faculty.
Nearly ten years in the making, SOPAC first opened its doors in 2006. South Orange Village Trustees, in partnership with Seton Hall University, envisioned SOPAC as the center of an ambitious redevelopment plan. Through visionary leadership and an unwavering commitment, SOPAC has become a cultural centerpiece for the region, an economic driver for the community, and a catalyst for artistic opportunity.
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