SOMA AileyDance Kids Residency Finale

WED, FEB 12, 2025 at 7PM

The AileyDance Kids Finale Performance highlights the achievements of South Orange Middle School’s 7th and 8th graders and Columbia High School’s Special Dance Company. As part of the AileyDance Kids program, these students work with Ailey Teaching Artists to learn choreography inspired by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s signature style, bonding Ailey’s cultural dance traditions with artistic expression. This performance marks the culmination of their residency, honoring their growth and providing an opportunity for family, friends, and the community to celebrate their progress and creativity. Through a unique partnership with the South Orange-Maplewood School District and SOPAC, the students embody Ailey’s vision of encouraging youth to take bold chances in the arts. Don't miss this vibrant showcase of dance and talent!

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Ms. Lisa Fischer & Grand Baton

SAT, FEB 15, 2025 at 8PM

SOPAC welcomes the return of an icon: two-time Grammy Award-winning singer and master song interpreter Lisa Fischer brings her critically acclaimed trio Grand Baton back to the Mainstage! Praised by The New York Times as “a singer of truly prodigious range and delicacy,” and featured in the Academy Award-winning documentary 20 Feet from Stardom, Fischer transcends genre and captivates listeners of every generation with her range of repertoire, from Prog Rock and Psychedelic Soul to African, Middle Eastern & Caribbean rhythms to European Classical influences.

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Columbia High School Jazz Ensemble Finale

THU, FEB 20, 2025 at 7PM

Join us for an evening of live jazz featuring the Columbia High School Jazz Ensemble. Students have been honing their skills alongside some of jazz’s most celebrated artists. This performance highlights the hard work of the students and their director, Peter Bauer, emphasizing the vital role of arts education in nurturing young musicians. Thanks to the generous support of the CHS Cougar Boosters and SOPA’s Arts in Education programs which provide valuable opportunities for local youth.  We look forward to seeing you at SOPAC for a night of exceptional music and celebration!

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Jazz in the Loft Ted Chubb Band featuring Bruce Williams

This event is eligible for the new
SOPAC Loft Multibuy Package.

SUN, FEB 23, 2025 at 7PM

Curated by Grammy Award-winning producer John Lee, Jazz in the Loft features award-winning artists from the greater SOMA area and beyond who are master improvisers and consummate band leaders. Blues, Bebop, Bossa — as long as it’s swinging, you’ll hear it at SOPAC! This performance presents the Ted Chubb Band featuring Bruce Williams.

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South Orange Middle School presents My Black is Beautiful! 3rd Annual Black History Celebration

Saturday, March 1st, 2025

South Orange Middle School presents 

3rd Annual My Black is Beautiful! A Celebration of Black History through the Arts 

A celebration of Black History through the Arts is a vibrant and multifaceted event that pays homage to the rich and diverse heritage of Black culture, achievements, and contributions. This celebration will serve as a powerful platform to showcase our students’ various artistic expressions, including music, dance, visual arts, literature, and more. 

Guest appearances by The Tia Holt Experience, The Violin Diva, and Dr. Scott O. Cumberbatch.

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Hey! I Heard You’re Black A New Play from Alicia Whavers

WED, MAR 5, 2025 at 7PM

A new reading from rising star playwright Alicia Whavers hits the stage in the SOPAC Loft! Through a series of vignettes, Hey! I Heard You’re Black presents black couples, strangers, neighbors, and co-workers discussing the intricate realities of their everyday lives while Nella, the “Holla Hotline” specialist, is just trying to do her job. What began as a monologue titled “Busted Tailight,” accepted to the Columbus Black Theatre Festival in Ohio, has expanded into a full-length play featuring an anthology of interconnected monologues and scenes that explore the day-to-day aspect of being black in America.

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Lee Rocker of The Stray Cats

THU, MAR 6, 2025 at 7:30PM

Grammy-nominated artist, Stray Cats founder, and Bass Player Hall of Famer Lee Rocker brings his brilliant artistry to SOPAC! Rocker has spent his career preserving and evolving the legacy of Rockabilly music – singing, playing, spinning, and jamming on his giant upright bass. Expect the unexpected when this legendary artist performs live at SOPAC!

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Cherish the Ladies

FRI, MAR 7, 2025 at 7:30PM

SOPAC welcomes the return of Cherish the Ladies, one of the most influential Celtic ensembles on the modern music scene. Led by Joanie Madden, comprising interdisciplinary artists Mirella Murray, Nollaig Casey, and Kathleen Boyle, and featuring Mary Coogan and Kate Purcell, the Grammy-nominated outfit shares a storied Irish tradition through lyrical virtuosity, step dance, and creative storytelling. Don’t miss this lively event on the SOPAC Mainstage!

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Cabaret in the Loft Dominic Scaglione, Jr.

This event is eligible for the new
SOPAC Loft Multibuy Package.

SUN, MAR 9, 2025 at 7:30PM

Entering its third year, Cabaret in the Loft is quickly becoming a SOPAC audience favorite! Drawing on the wealth of talent from the greater SOMA area, “where Broadway comes home to sleep” (The New York Times), Curator Matthew Luminello assembles a series of intimate storytelling and unforgettable performances perfect for any Broadway lover. Get your family and friends together for this 54-Below experience west of the Hudson River, right here in South Orange! This Cabaret in the Loft performance features Belleville native Dominic Scaglione Jr., renowned for headlining the Broadway production of Tony Award-winning musical Jersey Boys. His SOPAC set features classics from The Four Seasons, Frank Sinatra, and more!

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Andy McKee Co-presented with NJPAC Productions

FRI, MAR 14, 2025 at 7:30PM

SOPAC welcomes the Mainstage debut of internationally acclaimed guitarist and composer Andy McKee. A master of melody and phrasing, McKee transforms the steel string guitar into a full orchestra, using altered tunings, tapping, partial capos, percussive hits, and his signature two-handed technique. Don’t miss an intimate solo performance from this acoustic hero live at SOPAC, co-presented with NJPAC Productions.

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Taylor • Simon • King Three American Troubadours

FRI, MAR 21, 2025 at 7:30PM

SOPAC welcomes Three American Troubadours, a production that celebrates iconic artists James Taylor, Carly Simon, and Carole King, featuring performances of their greatest hits and reflections on their lives alongside video projection and a 9-piece band. Delighting audiences across the country with hits like “How Sweet It Is,” “Country Road,” “Shower The People,” “Anticipation,” “You’re So Vain,” “Mockingbird,” “I Feel the Earth Move,” “It’s Too Late,” “You’ve Got A Friend,” and more beloved tunes, Three American Troubadours immortalizes the legacy of these singers and songwriters whose personal lives and careers have intertwined throughout the years, and whose memorable songs provide enduring inspiration.

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SOMA Sings Taylor Swift

SAT, MAR 22, 2025 at 7PM

Calling all SOMA Swifties: Your friendly neighborhood stars are bringing Taylor Swift’s iconic repertoire to SOPAC! Join your local Broadway performers and sing along to TayTay’s greatest hits! What song will kick off the set? “Cruel Summer” ... “Bejeweled” ... “Karma” ...? It’s anybody’s guess! Shake off the winter and welcome the spring with this anticipated event for Swifties of all ages! Following last season’s densely packed SOMA Sings Disney event, SOMA Sings Taylor Swift is brought to you in partnership with our friends at SOMA Stage. Stay tuned for the artist lineup! 

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Ladies of Laughter

THU, MAR 27, 2025 at 7:30PM

Now known as “The Careerbuilder for Women in Comedy,” Ladies of Laughter boasts a roster of former competition participants that includes Amy Schumer, Tammy Pescatelli, and Big Bang Theory star Melissa Rauch, among many others. This performance features acclaimed comics Liz Glazer, GL Douglas, Nancy O’Connor & Becky Veduccio!

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George Porter, Jr. & Runnin’ Pardners

SAT, MAR 29, 2025 at 7:30PM

SOPAC welcomes one of the greatest there ever was, George Porter, Jr., to the Mainstage! A master architect of Funk and syncopation, Porter is a founding member of legendary New Orleans outfit The Meters. With the deepest pocket and bass lines to bite into and chew on, the instrumentalist, songwriter, and acclaimed vocalist brings down the house wherever he performs. Don’t miss this decorated Lifetime Achievement Award winner and true hero of the bass alongside his incredible band live at SOPAC! 

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Laughs in the Loft April Fools

This event is eligible for the new
SOPAC Loft Multibuy Package.

WED, APR 2, 2025 at 7:30PM

It’s “a comedy cure for the midweek blues!” (Baristanet)  Hosted by comedian Joe Larson, Laughs in the Loft features stand-up comics from SOPAC’s own South Orange-Maplewood community, Brooklyn & beyond. Each Laughs in the Loft event features a variety of comics in a New York City-style showcase. SOPAC announces talent approximately two weeks prior to each show. You never know who might drop in! Intended for mature audiences. Recommended for ages 18 and up. No drink minimum.  

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Kurt Elling Celebrates Weather Report

THU, APR 3, 2025 at 7PM

Kurt Elling brings his vocal mastery and sublime song interpretation to SOPAC in tribute to Weather Report’s musical impact and cultural legacy. From Wayne Shorter’s imaginative harmony to the enduring hookup between Jaco Pastorius and Joe Zawinul, Elling celebrates the sounds, concepts & breakthroughs that render Weather Report among the most influential outfits of the 20th century. Don’t miss the Grammy Award-winning singer and band leader interpret hits like “Mysterious Traveller,” “Teen Town” & “Birdland,” plus lesser known gems.

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The Machine Performs Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here & Animals

SAT, APR 5, 2025 at 7:30PM

Welcome, SOPAC patrons, welcome to The Machine. Acclaimed Pink Floyd tribute band The Machine returns to the Mainstage for an evening of searing guitars, chambered compositions & penetrating lyrics. Performing era-defining songs from Animals & Wish You Were Here — the latter celebrating its 50th anniversary this year — plus music from seminal albums like The Wall & Dark Side of the Moon and deep cuts from gems like Meddle & Ummagumma, these dedicated artists illuminate the evening with expanded theatrical elements and elaborate stage displays. The moments are ticking away...get your tickets now!

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SHU Theatre at SOPAC Peter and the Starcatcher

Presented by the Seton Hall University Arts Council

May 1 – 4

Embrace your inner child! Join the students of SHU as they present Rick Elice’s Tony Award-winning play Peter and the Starcatcher. Directed by Ken Magos, Peter and the Starcatcher upends the century-old story of how a miserable orphan comes to be The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up (a.k.a. Peter Pan). From marauding pirates and jungle tyrants to unwilling comrades and unlikely heroes, Peter and the Starcatcher playfully explores the depths of greed and despair...and the bonds of friendship, duty & love.

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Seton Hall University Annual Spring Concert

Presented by the Seton Hall University Arts Council

MON, MAY 5, 2025 at 7:30PM

The Seton Hall University Chorus, Concert Band & Chamber Choir present their Annual Spring Concert, “A Celebration of Spring,” welcoming rebirth and awakening. Experience Seton Hall’s talented student musicians, under the direction of Dr. Jason Tramm, perform works of Gabriel Faure, William Byrd, Stacey Gibbs & many more. Piano soloist Dr. Dena Levine joins the University Chorus and Orchestra for a special performance of Beethoven’s “Choral Fantasy,” Op. 80. Don’t miss this spirited event that features the university’s brightest stars sharing sounds of the season and spreading joy & hope!

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Laughs in the Loft Mommy Issues

This event is eligible for the new
SOPAC Loft Multibuy Package.

WED, MAY 14, 2025 at 7:30PM

It’s “a comedy cure for the midweek blues!” (Baristanet)  Hosted by comedian Joe Larson, Laughs in the Loft features stand-up comics from SOPAC’s own South Orange-Maplewood community, Brooklyn & beyond. Each Laughs in the Loft event features a variety of comics in a New York City-style showcase. SOPAC announces talent approximately two weeks prior to each show. You never know who might drop in! Intended for mature audiences. Recommended for ages 18 and up. No drink minimum.  

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The Glenn Miller Orchestra

THU, MAY 15, 2025 at 7:30PM

Don’t miss the Glenn Miller Orchestra swinging at SOPAC! Experience the live energy of the big band era upheld by an 18-piece ensemble of today’s leading soloists and arrangers. Performing hits like “Chattanooga Choo-Choo” and “Moonlight Serenade,” hidden gems like “The White Cliffs of Dover,” “Rainbow Rhapsody,” “Everybody Loves My Baby,” and “That’s Sabotage,” and many more Miller-style tunes, this high-octane outfit shares lush, engaging renditions of timeless music. Experience a hard-swinging performance that will keep you snapping and tapping through the evening. 

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Dead on Live Grateful Dead ’71 - ’72

SAT, MAY 31, 2025 AT 7:30PM

The sound, style & synchrony of the Grateful Dead lives on at SOPAC! The deadicated artists of Dead on Live return to the Mainstage to recreate, note for note, instrumental nuances, lush harmonies & signature phrasing of America’s lyrical vagabonds, leaving plenty of room for jamming. This event presents music from beloved live era releases of 1971-1972, featuring favorites from Skull and Roses, Jerry’s first solo release Garcia, classic album Europe 72, and more. The artists perform “Wharf Rat,” “The Wheel,” “China Cat Sunflower/I Know You Rider” (in its entirety!), “Mexicali Blues,” and “One More Saturday Night” as they were recorded. Ain’t no time to hate — barely time to wait — get your tickets today! 

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Laughs in the Loft Stand Up for Pride!

This event is eligible for the new
SOPAC Loft Multibuy Package.

WED, JUN 4, 2025 at 7:30PM

It’s “a comedy cure for the midweek blues!” (Baristanet)  Hosted by comedian Joe Larson, Laughs in the Loft features stand-up comics from SOPAC’s own South Orange-Maplewood community, Brooklyn & beyond. Each Laughs in the Loft event features a variety of comics in a New York City-style showcase. SOPAC announces talent approximately two weeks prior to each show. You never know who might drop in! Intended for mature audiences. Recommended for ages 18 and up. No drink minimum.

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Joe DeRosa

SAT, JUN 7, 2025 at 7:30 PM

SOPAC welcomes the Mainstage debut of award-winning comic Joe DeRosa! Many know Joe from his recurring appearance as Dr. Caldera on Better Call Saul, and his six top-ten charting stand-up albums, as well as his regular performances on TV, film & radio. But to experience his live comedy is to experience the artist at his rawest, realest, and most acerbic. Don’t miss this brilliant comic live at SOPAC!

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Skerryvore

SAT, JUN 21, 2025 at 8PM

SOPAC welcomes the Mainstage debut of Skerryvore! Bonding traditional Scottish sounds, contemporary influences, and global appeal, Skerryvore delivers thrilling live performances throughout the world. Three-time winners of Scotland’s Live Act of the Year award, this explosive ensemble has reinvented the traditional Scottish scene for a modern, multicultural audience. Vocals, bagpipes, fiddles, accordions, and whistles create dazzling melody lines and harmonic pads alongside a driving rhythm section. Seven albums into a thriving and prolific career, Skerryvore shares music informed by wide ranging influences, creating a live experience at once thoroughly traditional and entirely contemporary. 

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