UCPAC Main Stage

Grease Sing-A-Long is a UCPAC Third Thursdays 35mm Classic Film Series Presentation

Calling all T-Birds and Pink Ladies! Come see Grease Sing-A-Long, starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton John, in 35mm on our big screen. Sing along with the songs you know and love ("Summer Nights," "Hopelessly Devoted to You," "You're the One that I Want", and more), and then get ready to rock at our after-party, a 50's style sock hop on our stage after the movie! Prizes for best outfit and best dancers! Themed drinks, photo ops, and more. Free popcorn!

Grab your gang and come revisit your memories of this classic movie and make brand new ones you'll never forget!

Rated PG-13

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Tickets: $13 (includes After-Party)
Day of Show: $18 (includes After-Party)

After-Party Only Ticket: $6
Day of Show After-Party Only Ticket: $8

Tickets $25 until May 29; $30 afterwards. Please note: this show is General Admission.

Presented by The Wannabes Dance Troupe and The Hive Dance Studio, located on Cherry Street in Rahway, Open House Dance Showcase Volume 5 spotlights individuals from our New Jersey/New York dance community and showcases The Hive's youth dance program. We hope to bring together our community in celebration of dance!

Harmony Dance Center 10 Year Celebration: celebrating a decade of learning, laughs, and friendships through the art of dance! Harmony Dance Center’s 2024 dance production is one not to be missed.

The 2 PM show features dancers ages 7+ performing routines that showcase Ballet, Pointe, Modern/Contemporary, Acro, Tap, and Hip Hop. The full cast of Harmony Dance Ensemble will also be performing in this show, as well as many of your favorite instructors and HDC Alumnae!

Presented by New Jersey Opera Theater

Before there was The Lord of the Rings, there was The Ring Cycle, of which DIE WALKÜRE is a part. A series of four operas by Richard Wagner, The Ring Cycle is based loosely on Norse mythology.

The story revolves around a magic ring that grants the power to rule the world, forged by Alberich from the gold he stole from mermaids in the River Rhine. Crushed by his loss, Alberich lays a curse on the ring: until it returns to him, it will inspire restless jealousy in those who won it and murderous envy in those who don't, thus condemning all the possessors of the ring.

Several mythic figures struggle for possession of the ring, including Wotan (Odin), the chief of the gods. Wotan’s scheme spanning generations, to overcome his limitations, drives much of the action of the story. DIE WALKÜRE is where all of Wotan’s earthly and celestial children get caught up in his mess from the curse of the ring. During DIE WALKÜRE Act 1, we get to meet Wotan’s earthly love children and learn of their cursed past. Yes, Wotan had an affair with a mortal woman, which really upset his Goddess wife, Fricka, which we hear about in Act 2. Wotan’s other daughter, Brünnhilde, is forced by her father to do something to make Fricka happy, but she disobeys her father and stepmother. (BACKSTORY: Yes, Brünnhilde and her 8 sisters are the love children of Erde, not Fricka. Oh, that Wotan! So do you see where this family dynamic is going?!) Because of Brünnhilde’s betrayal, all hell breaks loose, which brings us to The Ride of the Valkyries in Act 3. To find out how Alberich’s curse has destroyed this celestial family, please come to the show!

Did you know? Wagner wrote both the libretto and the music over the course of approximately 26 years, from 1848-1874, and although the individual operas (DAS RHEINGOLD, DIE WALKÜRE, SIEGFRIED AND GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG) are performed as standalone shows, Wagner wanted them to be performed as a series.

COSPLAY INVITATION:
This production will take place during the 1920s to pay tribute to the history of Union County Performing Arts Center’s Main Stage, which was built in 1928 and is currently celebrating its 95th anniversary. To keep the 1920s atmosphere, we will use the theater’s original "Biggest Little Wurlitzer" organ with the New Jersey Opera Theater Orchestra. Please come dressed in your favorite 1920s (think The Great Gatsby and Boardwalk Empire) attire! A 1920s-style Jazz Band will play during two intermissions with cocktails and appetizers. Come celebrate our incredible evening of Wagner and Jazz!

New Jersey Opera Theater Cast:
Siegmund: Joseph Mayon, Sieglinde: Elisabeth Shoup, Hunding: Steven Fredericks, Wotan: Charles Schneider, Brünnhilde: Elizabeth Perryman, Fricka: Lorraine Helvick, Gerhilde: Tara Jamshidian, Ortlinde: Analía Corpas, Helmwige: Roseanne Ackerley, Waltraute: Anna Viemeister, Siegrune: Mary Hochgesang, Grimgerde: Chantelle Grant, Roßweise: Julianne Froehlich, Schwertleite: Brittany Walker, Stage Direction by Dennis Oliveira, and Conducted by Hugh Keelan.

To purchase accessible seating, please call UCPAC's Box Office at 732-499-8226.

Stephanie J. Block has established herself as one of the most relevant and versatile voices in contemporary American musical theater. Ms. Block has just returned to the states after her celebrated run as Lilli Vanessi/ Katharine in Kiss Me Kate in London. Block most recently starred on Broadway in last season’s wildly popular and acclaimed revival of Into the Woods as The Baker’s Wife. She continued on with that role in the US national tour. Last year also brought her reimagining the role of Norma Desmond for the Kennedy Center’s production of Sunset Boulevard. These two back-to-back powerhouse performances had critics touting her as “the current reigning queen of American musical theater” and both roles have earned her Helen Hayes Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Performer in a Musical.

Ms. Block won the 2019 Tony Award® for Best Leading Actress in a Musical, as well as winning The Drama Desk Award and Outer Critics Award for her STAR turn in The Cher Show. Stephanie was also recognized for her role of Trina in Lincoln Center Theatre's 2016 revival of Falsettos garnering her the Tony Award®, Drama Desk and Outer Critics nominations for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. In 2013, she was recognized with both the Drama Desk and Tony Award® nomination(s) for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Alice Nutting / Edwin Drood in The Roundabout Theater’s production of The Mystery of Edwin Drood. These three productions marked three TONY nominations in a six year span, a feat very few Broadway actors have attained. Other Broadway credits include Reno Sweeney in the 2011 Tony Award®–winning revival of Anything Goes, 9 to 5: The Musical playing the role of Judy Bernly for which she earned a Drama Desk nomination. She created the roles of Grace O'Malley in The Pirate Queen and Liza Minnelli in The Boy From Oz (opposite Hugh Jackman). Block is also well known for her portrayal as Elphaba in the Broadway company of Wicked as well as originating the role in the first national tour, for which she won numerous awards including the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Actress in Musical.

Some of her Off-Broadway and regional theatrical credits include Brigadoon (Encores! City Center), Little Miss Sunshine (Drama Desk nomination), By The Way, Meet Vera Stark (Drama Desk nomination), They're Playing Our Song (starring opposite Jason Alexander), Cats, Funny Girl, Crazy For You, Oliver, James Joyce's The Dead, Triumph of Love, The Grass Harp, South Pacific, The Will Rogers Follies and the World Premiere of Wicked.

Stephanie's solo album, This Place I Know has been received with great praise, lauded by critics, “6 out of 5 stars". And in 2023, she released her solo Christmas album, Merry Christmas Darling. Stephanie's voice can be heard on multiple OBCs including The Cher Show, Brigadoon, Falsettos, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, 9 to 5: The Musical (Grammy Nomination), Wicked's 5th Anniversary Album, The Pirate Queen, and The Boy From Oz.

Television credits include Bluff City Law (NBC), Rise (NBC), Madame Secretary (CBS), Orange is the New Black (Netflix), Homeland (Showtime), and It Could Be Worse (HULU). She currently hosts/produces a podcast with Marylee Fairbanks called Stages Podcast. You can listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Instagram: @stephaniejblock