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WP Presents Series

Watch Highlights from the 2022-23 Performance Season

About WP Presents

WP Presents! strives to bring to campus high caliber touring artists across a range of disciplines including acoustic and world music, contemporary folk music, theatre, dance, family programming and other eclectic fare. The series is built on a foundation of excellence and continuously seeks innovative programming to serve the campus, and the community.

A multitude of artists including The 5th Dimension, Arlo Guthrie, Carl Palmer of Emerson Lake & Palmer, David Crosby, Darlene Love, DMC of Run DMC, Graham Nash, Johnny Ventura, Judy Collins, John Sebastian, Jim Messina, Los Lonely Boys, Pete Davidson, Roy Haynes, Robert Cray, Southside Johnny, and Wanda Sykes, have graced our stage.  We have presented works from national theatre tours of The Second City, Moscow Ballet, Aquila Theatre Company, Literature to Life, TheaterWorks USA, Vital Theatre, and the National Theatre of the Deaf. All Family Performances are sensory friendly productions presented by a variety of artists and theater companies. Many of our visiting artists conduct educational outreach programs, for both the community at large and the University.

The WP Presents! events are made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.


  • Colin Hay Live!
    Apr 03, 2024 @ 8:00 PM
    Location: Shea Center for Performing Arts

    Colin Hay first came to international fame with seminal ’80s hitmakers Men At Work. While the band would reach the heights of stardom—they took home a GRAMMY Award for Best New Artist and sold more than 30 million records worldwide on the strength of #1 singles like “Who Can It Be Now?” and “Down Under”—by 1985, they’d called it quits and gone their separate ways. Hay released his solo debut the following year and, over the course of the next three-and-a-half decades, went on to record twelve more critically acclaimed studio albums that would help establish him as one of his generation’s most hardworking and reliable craftsmen. Rolling Stone praised his “witty, hooky pop” tunes, while NPR’s World Café lauded his “distinctive voice.”.

    Hay’s performances are likewise buoyant and full of life, drawing on vintage pop charm, pub rock muscle, and folk sincerity to forge a sound that’s at once playful and profound, clever and compassionate, whimsical and earnest. Over the course of his remarkable solo career, Hay developed a reputation as a gifted raconteur with serious comedy chops, and his frequent appearances at LA’s Largo club helped garner him a legion of fans in the entertainment world. Among them was actor/director Zach Braff, who called Hay’s mix of heartfelt songwriting and hilarious storytelling “one of the most amazing things I had ever seen.” Braff would go on to feature Hay’s music prominently in the GRAMMY-winning soundtrack for Garden State and invite him to appear as himself on the hit series Scrubs, which helped introduce his music to a whole new generation of listeners.

    On top of his rigorous schedule as a solo artist, Hay has also managed to tour the world several times over with Ringo Starr & His All–Star Band, release an audiobook of Aesop’s Fables, star in the award-winning documentary Waiting For My Real Life, and even provide the voice for Fergus Flamingo in Disney’s The Wild.

    His latest project born out of the pandemic, Now And The Evermore, was released in 2022. This extraordinary solo album faces down struggle, lose, and mortality with grit and wit. Who knows what happens when we die? Perhaps our consciousness lingers on long after we leave our bodies. Perhaps the curtains simply close and the show ends for good. Regardless, Now And The Evermore reminds us that we’re all alive right here, right now. For Colin Hay, that’s plenty to smile about.

    Admission: Gold Circle $85, Orchestra/Front Loge $65, Rear Loge $50


     

  • Keiko Matsui
    Apr 06, 2024 @ 8:00 PM
    Location: Shea Center for Performing Arts

    The internationally acclaimed pianist, composer and humanitarian, Keiko Matsui, has worked with everyone from Miles Davis, Stevie Wonder, Bob James, and Hugh Masekela. There is a reason why the stunning, soft-spoken, and petite powerhouse with such a commanding presence at the piano has amassed a devout following through the years. “When I tour around the world and witness how my music cuts through our differences and connects everyone, it makes me feel euphoric!” exclaims Keiko. Keiko harnesses this joy on her anticipated new and 30th recording Euphoria(Shanachie Entertainment). She enlists an all-star contingency of special guests including vocalist, and daughter of Donny Hathaway, Lalah Hathaway, trumpeter Randy Brecker, guitarist Mike Stern, saxophonist Kirk Whalum, vibist Joel Ross, harmonica player Grégoire Maret and pianist/arranger John Beasley. Keiko is also joined by her touring band, bassist Rico Belled, guitarist JP Mourao and drummer Jimmy Branly, who she credits for making the rigors of touring bearable. Euphoria promises to be a watershed moment for Keiko as she has poured her heart and soul into this project and the result is an utterly inspiring and epic statement.  Keiko declares, “At the core of this album is beauty, strength, energy, love, and hope. These are all the things in life that we need to move forward on a new path.  This music is dedicated to a new era.”

     She recalls, “I unconsciously receive inspiration from the things around me, like people I meet while traveling, events happening in the world, the news or the movies,” explains the pianist. A master storyteller, Keiko Matsui crafts passionate, emotive, and timeless anthems colored with rich harmonies and global rhythms. From tender love songs to reggae-tinged and soul-stirring tracks to stunning melodies and cascading piano, Keiko Matsui’s draws from many influences and appeals to fans from all backgrounds.

     Her music was prominently featured in Say It, Fight It, Cure It, a Lifetime special profiling several courageous women battling breast cancer. Her 1998 album release Full Moon And The Shrine was accompanied by the acclaimed PBS-TV special Keiko Matsui: Light Above The Trees.
    Keiko Matsui’s CD Deep Blue (2001) topped Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz charts for three consecutive weeks. She is the first Japanese artist to achieve this honor. 

     Keiko who masters the delicate balance between career and motherhood (she has two daughters) feels an urgency to leave the world a better place for future generations. “I want to make a positive impact for children in this generation and the future.  Keiko succeeds in conjuring a harmonious affair on Euphoria. As a humanitarian, Keiko strongly supports causes that resonate with her. She dedicates her music to show gratitude and give back. In 2004 the title track of Keiko’s Wildflower was used to support the United Nations World Food Programme’s efforts in Africa. Keiko has also collaborated with Asians for Miracle Marrow Matches (A3M) in numerous charity concerts. In addition, proceeds from her 2001 mini-CD, A Gift of Life, went to The National Donor Program and Marrow Foundation in support of A3M. 

     The highly sought-after pianist continues to solidify her place as one of the most significant and thrilling pianists in contemporary jazz. Keiko concludes, “During the past few years, I have witnessed the loss of life and seen people's sadness and it has been really painful, but it has helped to remind me of the precious gift of time and the importance of gratitude for what I have now,” confides Keiko.” “Euphoria is my gift to my fans around the world.”

    Admission: Gold Circle $60, Orchestra/Front Loge $53, Rear Loge $47 


     

  • Golden Oldies Extravaganza
    Apr 19, 2024 @ 8:00 PM
    Location: Shea Center for Performing Arts

    A Golden Oldies Extravaganza featuring Bobby Wilson, The Duprees, The Vogues, The Drifters, Dennis Tufano of the Buckinghams, Bob Miranda and The Happenings, The 1910 Fruit Gum Company, and The Chiclettes 

    Hosted by Vinnie Medugno of Music Radio 77 WABC 

    Come see your favorite acts as they perform their greatest hits backed by the famous Coda Band. 

    Tickets: Orchestra $79, Loge $69 


     

  • Coreyah
    Apr 23, 2024 @ 12:30 PM
    Location: Shea Auditorium

    Coreyah is a psychedelic Korean folk music group whose six members integrate traditional Korean instruments, vocals, guitar, and percussion. Since their 2010 debut, Coreyah has pioneered a new style of Korean music that blends genres of contemporary ethnic and popular sounds while still maintaining the distinctive characteristics of traditional Korean instruments. The group’s unique freewheeling, polystylistic vision combines a variety of influences, including Anglo-American rock, Balkan gypsy, and genres from South America and Africa. 

    Coreyah has captivated audiences worldwide, touring over 50 cities in 34 countries, while continuing to enchant listeners both domestically and internationally. Their latest milestone, the 4th album titled 'Clap & Applause,' commemorates their 10th anniversary with a dance-inducing, innovative approach to Korean world music.

    This album harmoniously weaves Korean traditional rhythms with toe-tapping and hand-clapping dance beats, showcasing the soulful melodies of the daegeum flute, the electrifying tones of the geomungo zither, and the dynamic pulse of the janggu hourglass drum. It represents their ongoing dedication to infuse pop elements into traditional music, characterized by a bold, youthful style, heartfelt lyrics, and a captivatingly psychedelic sound.

    The name Coreyah is a Sino-Korean homonym that embodies the concept of inheriting the past. In Korean, it also signifies 'whale,' serving as the group’s totem animal and a symbol of good luck.

    Band Members: Kim Dongkun (daegeum, sogeum, tungso), Ham Boyoung (vocal), Jeong Jun Kyu (percussion, Chulhyungeum), Kyungyi (percussion), Kim Yerim (geomungo), and Choi Jong Min (guitar). 

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    This event is supported by the Mid Atlantic Arts, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), Performing Arts Global Exchange (PAGE) grant program.

    FREE ADMISSION AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC


     

  • Yellow Brick Road. A Tribute to Elton John
    May 11, 2024 @ 8:00 PM
    Location: Shea Center for Performing Arts

    There is no other performer who looks and sounds so much like Elton John, nor any tribute act that provides the experience of being at an Elton John concert the way Gerald Brann and Yellow Brick Road do. Brann not only bears an uncanny resemblance to the international superstar - complete with gap-toothed smile and many of his mannerisms - but he recreates Elton John’s vocals and playing to a tee. Brann captures the essence of the piano man donning replica costumes and Elton’s trademark sunglasses. A trained jazz pianist, Brann has been a lifelong Elton John fan, and his admiration and love for the music comes shining through as he performs one hit after another with remarkable likeness to the pop icon. The band evokes audience participation throughout the show - whether singing along to “Rocket Man” and “Your Song,” swaying to “Candle in the Wind,” or hopping and bopping to “Crocodile Rock.” This is more than a tribute; this is a recreation of one of the most loved formers of any generation, Elton John.

    Admission: Gold Circle $45, Orc/Front loge $40, Rear Loge $35. Senior citizens, WP student/employee and group discounts are available by calling or visiting the box office.


     

  • Daniela Darcourt - Atrevida Y Teatral
    May 18, 2024 @ 8:00 PM
    Location: Shea Center for Performing Arts

    Emerging Superstar and Latin Grammy Award nominee Daniela Darcourt comes to Wayne, NJ for her Shea Center Debut.

    Reserved Seating: Gold Circle $99 . Rear Orchestra $89 . Front Loge $89. Rear Loge $79

    Advance ticket purchase is strongly recommended. There is an additional $5 charge PER TICKET if purchased at the box office on the evening of the show.

    This performance is being sold to full capacity. Please take your personal comfort level into consideration prior to purchasing tickets.