Folkloric Music & Dance, Musical Theater, & Social Topics @ WPU

 

NEW CULTURAL EVENTS JUST ADDED     RETUMBA: A CARIBBEAN JOURNEY SEPTEMBER 27, 5:00 PM   Retumba is a multi-ethnic, all-female Afro-Caribbean dance and percussion ensemble whose electrifying presentations have been heard throughout the United States for almost 30 years. Retumba interweaves the dynamic power of Caribbean polyrhythms with the drama and excitement of African dance. Dressed in festive, traditional garb, this seasoned ensemble celebrates traditional Caribbean culture through engaging, staged performances of folkloric music such as guaguancó from Cuba, bomba and plena from Puerto Rico, and merengue from Dominican Republic.   Complimentary refreshments will be served at the event.   Location: Shea Center Plaza (Weather permitting. Performance will be moved inside the Shea Auditorium in the event of inclement weather.) Admission: Free       SEPTEMBER 30, 1:00 PM   Radical Reversal is an experimental poetry band that explores how art can play a pivotal role in social justice while providing pathways for artists to give back. A collaboration between poet Randall Horton and composer Devin B Waldman, the artists perform original music and poetry that addresses social concerns with a focus on the criminal justice system, inspired by past experience of co-founder Randall Horton who is the only person in the United States with seven felony convictions and now has academic tenure at the University of New Haven. Their sound is undefinable and crosses many boundaries of music and spoken word. Other members of the band include Melanie Dyer, Taru Alexander, and Brendan Regan.    Location: Shea Center for Performing Arts Admission: Public $10 • WP employees & students admitted free  10% discount for WP alumni and senior citizens.   Buy Tickets       THUNDERBIRD AMERICAN INDIAN DANCERS OCTOBER 10, 12:30 PM   Wide in appeal, Thunderbird American Indian Dancers have made an enormous contribution to the effort of preserving and perpetuating American Indian culture. For over twenty-five years, Thunderbird Dancers have enchanted a diverse array of audiences through performance with the varied traditions of the American Indian peoples. Specializing in the songs and dances of the tribes of the Northwest Coast, Woodlands (Iroquois and Winnebago), Plains (Sioux) and the Southwest (Hopi and Santo Domingo), their repertoire includes the traditional “Fancy Dance” and “Hoop Dance,” as well as a variety of other distinct regional tribal dances. Wonderfully presented with descriptive narration, Thunderbird Dancers’ programs are among the most compelling anywhere.   Location: Shea Center Plaza (Weather permitting. Performance will be moved inside the Shea Auditorium in the event of inclement weather.) Admission: Free       DR. MICHAEL ERIC DYSON UNEQUAL: A STORY OF AMERICA OCTOBER 27, 12:30 PM   Based on his latest book Unequal: A Story of America, bestselling author, renowned professor, and riveting media personality Dr. Michael Eric Dyson examines how racial inequality permeates every facet of American society, through the lens of those pushing for meaningful change. Unequal presents a gripping account of the struggles that shaped America and the insidiousness of racism, and demonstrates how inequality persists today. The program highlights African American people who dared to fight for a more equal future and hopes to provide audience members with a framework for addressing racial injustice in their own lives.   Location: Shea Center for Performing Arts Admission: Public $25 • WP employees $5 • WP students get (1) free ticket with show of ID at the box office on the day of show.   10% discount for WP alumni and senior citizens. All tickets are an additional $5 on show day.   Buy Tickets       PRESENTED BY WP MUSIC DEPARTMENT Book by Hugh Wheeler Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Based on an adaptation by Christopher Bond   Stage direction by Edward Matthews Musical direction by Charity Wicks Choral direction by Lauren Fowler-Calisto   NOVEMBER 3 AND 5, 7:00 PM NOVEMBER 4, 5:00 PM NOVEMBER 6, 3:00 PM   Sweeney Todd has become a bloody, worldwide success since being awarded eight Tony's, (including Best Musical), for its Broadway premiere. Stephen Sondheim's and Hugh Wheeler's tasty, thrilling, theatrical treat has simultaneously shocked, awed and delighted audiences across the world. An infamous tale, Sweeney Todd, an unjustly exiled barber, returns to nineteenth century London, seeking vengeance against the lecherous judge who framed him and ravaged his young wife. The road to revenge leads Todd to Mrs. Lovett, a resourceful proprietress of a failing pie shop, above which, he opens a new barber practice. Mrs. Lovett's luck sharply shifts when Todd's thirst for blood inspires the integration of an ingredient into her meat pies that has the people of London lining up... and the carnage has only just begun!   Featuring some of the most chilling music ever written for the stage, this masterpiece is sure both to thrill and delight audiences.   Location: Shea Center for Performing Arts Admission: Public $15 • WP alumni, employees, students, and senior citizens $10   Tickets are an additional $5 on show day.   Buy Tickets       Shea Center for Performing Arts | 973.720.2371 | wp-presents.org Email: boxoffice@wpunj.edu   Shea Center Box Office Summer Hours of Operation Monday: 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Tuesday: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Wednesday: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Thursday: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Friday: 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.   No refunds or exchanges. All sales are final. All programs, artists, dates, policies, prices, and times are subject to change.          WP Presents! programs are made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.       William Paterson University 300 Pompton Road Wayne, New Jersey 07470 Connect With Us