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NEW JERSEY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER CELEBRATES 20 TH ANNIVERSARY WITH THE ROLLOUT OF ITS BOLD

NEW BRAND IDENTITY AND A SEASONDESIGNED TO MATCH

Historic occasion is launched by more than 150 spectacular performances and events, featuring an incredible diversity of

entertainment from around the globe.

Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble, Perlman and Zukerman in tandem, former President Bill Clinton, Audra McDonald, Jill Scott, Ringo Starr, two very different Nutcrackers, and more

world-class artistry to thrill audiences.

TICKETS GO ON SALE FRIDAY, MAY 19 AT 10 A.M.

NEWARK, N.J. (May 15, 2017) – The New Jersey Performing Arts Center announces its 20th anniversary 2017-18 season with the initial launch of more than 150 performances and special events, all wrapped into a festive new reimagining of the NJPAC brand identity.

The refreshed brand lends a festival-like ambiance to an ambitious season announced today, highlighted by the sixth annual TD James Moody Jazz Festival; an appearance by cellist Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road

Ensemble; a four-day engagement of the hit Broadway musical “Ain’t Misbehavin’”; spark-igniting duets from classical violinists Itzhak Perlman and Pinchas Zukerman, sharing the Prudential Hall stage; and a conversation with former President Bill Clinton.

The Arts Center’s launch of a dramatic and celebratory visual identity commemorates two decades of live performance and heralds an exciting anniversary season of internationally renowned artists. Through bold design reflected in every aspect of the Arts Center’s communications, led by a distinctive new logo, NJPAC’s rebranding is emblematic of artistic excellence, authentic community engagement, best-in-class arts education, and just plain fun.

“The country’s most vibrant urban performing arts center now has a custom-designed, institutional identity, unveiled as part of the 20th anniversary season,” says NJPAC President and CEO John Schreiber. “The new brand will seamlessly unite all of NJPAC’s performances and activities, whether they occur in our theaters or off-campus. Audiences will instantly recognize NJPAC as a place of celebration, where everyone goes home feeling enriched, energetic and ready for more.”

Paula Scher, partner at Pentagram, the international design consultancy that directed NJPAC’s rebranding, believes the Arts Center “deserves to be seen and recognized” for the scope of its programming.

“I was impressed that such a powerhouse of programming came from just one institution,” she says. “This new identity will remind everyone where they saw that performer they loved, and they will begin to recognize that NJPAC offers a multitude of great performances in many genres, in addition to the headliners. The identity makes it easier for everyone to find what they like and be inspired to come see it all.”

20 Years of Programming Excellence

On Oct. 18, 1997, the attention of arts world was drawn to downtown Newark, where a rare occurrence – the opening of a major performing arts center – was heralded with riverside fireworks and a black-tie gala held under an enormous tent. Among the performers in Prudential Hall that night were tap virtuoso Savion Glover, who returns this season to stage a new production, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, NJPAC’s principal resident dance company, whose annual Mother’s Day weekend engagement continues to be welcomed enthusiastically by audiences.

“We’re honoring the founding of NJPAC and its continuing trendline of excellence as the Arts Center grows consistently in diversity, audience size and activity,” says David Rodriguez, Executive Vice President and Executive Producer. “Yo-Yo Ma performed in our inaugural season and we’re celebrating his return, this time with the Silk Road Ensemble. Since the beginning, Itzhak Perlman and Pinchas Zukerman have individually been favorites here, but now their fans can see them together in one unbelievable concert.”

Family audiences will discover modern twists and old favorites, Rodriguez adds. As an example, “The Hip Hop Nutcracker” (Dec. 15), commissioned by NJPAC and featuring special guest MC Kurtis Blow, is back

at its original NJPAC home this winter, following a second successful nationwide tour. For those who prefer pointe shoes and the stylized elegance of classical Russian ballet, “The Nutcracker” presented by the State Ballet Theatre of Russia (Dec. 16) shimmers with snowflakes and sugarplums, as it was originally produced at Moscow’s Mariinsky Theatre. Tchaikovsky’s beloved score serves these works in very diverse and entertaining ways – and both presentations take place on the same weekend.

NJPAC’s mission to serve the community as a forum for open discourse will generate events announced throughout the season, most offered at no cost to the public. Meaningful partnerships will continue with organizations and institutions throughout Greater Newark, such as the Newark History Society, which returns with a free, three-part lecture series on Monday evenings (Sept. 25; March 5 and April 16, 2018) in the Chase Room.

Additional 2017-18 Season Highlights

The Bank of America Classical Series encompasses eight concerts beginning this October to May 2018. A longtime favorite with NJPAC audiences, violinist Joshua Bell performs and conducts the Academy of St Martin in the Fields (March 18, 2018). A highly anticipated appearance by the National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba (March 23, 2018) features Enrique Pérez-Mesa on the podium. Sir Simon Rattle, on his inaugural tour with the London Symphony Orchestra, leads his players in Mahler’s sweeping Symphony No. 9 (May 5, 2018).

Among the many concerts of the TD James Moody Jazz Festival (Nov. 4-12) are a pair of intriguing double-bills that challenge the perceptions of jazz. “Crosscurrents”: Zakir Hussain & Dave Holland (Nov. 5) melds the music of India with the energy of jazz. The farewell tour of guitar virtuosos John McLaughlin and Widespread Panic’s Jimmy Herring promises selections from McLaughlin’s 1970s electric band, the Mahavishnu Orchestra (Nov. 10).

The best of the Great American Songbook, sung by Broadway’s brightest contemporary stars, is a key element of NJPAC’s lineup. One-of-a-kind evenings in the intimate setting of the Chase Room include “The Wizard and I: The Stephen Schwartz Songbook” (Oct. 28), a stellar salute to the famed composer of “Wicked,” “Pippin” and “Children of Eden.” “Ella and Dizzy: The Centennial Celebration” (Nov. 12), part of the TD James Moody Jazz Festival, commemorates the 100th birthdays of Ella Fitzgerald and Dizzy Gillespie with an exclusive concert by such artists as Gregory Porter, Regina Carter and Valerie Simpson, backed by bassist and NJPAC Jazz Advisor Christian McBride and his big band in Prudential Hall. Six-time Tony winner Audra McDonald returns to the Arts Center (June 3, 2018) with an eclectic repertoire that spans musical theater, opera, pop and standards.

Some of the most in-demand artists are lending their voices to the season, and here are just a few: Three-time Grammy Award recipient and R&B superstar Jill Scott (July 15); Rock and Roll Hall of Famers YES, with Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin and Rick Wakeman (Sept. 27); and Fab Four member and classic rocker Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band (Nov. 16).

The New Jersey Speakers Series, presented by Fairleigh Dickinson University, brings an all-new, seven-lecture series to NJPAC from October to April. Among the distinguished thought-leaders on the schedule are former U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron (Oct. 12), journalist and author Cokie Roberts (Nov. 2) and Bill Clinton, 42nd President of the U.S. (April 12, 2018).

“Ain’t Misbehavin’,” a co-production of NJPAC and Crossroads Theatre Company of New Brunswick, turns the Victoria Theater into a rollicking nightclub of the 1920s Harlem Renaissance. The six-performance engagement (Feb. 1-4, 2018) of this Broadway hit is directed and choreographed by Tony nominee André De Shields.

Two popular children’s TV shows cartwheel onto the mainstage, beginning on Oct. 14 with two performances of PBS KIDS’ “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood LIVE!,” a live-action adventure starring the “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” character Daniel Tiger. Nickelodeon’s “PAW Patrol Live!” follows on Dec. 9 and 10, with five performances of this first-ever live tour about a pack of heroic canines on a rescue mission.

How to Buy Tickets

Tickets for NJPAC’s 2017-18 season go on sale FRIDAY, MAY 19.

NJPAC.ORG is the only official ticket source for performances. The box office is at One Center St., Newark, N.J. Visit njpac.org for hours of operation. To order single tickets, click to njpac.org or call 1.888.GO.NJPAC (466-5722). For groups of nine or more, call (973) 297-5804.

Celebrate NJPAC’s 20 th Anniversary Season with $20 Tickets to 20 Events!

A “20 for 20” box office promotion allows customers to purchase $20 tickets in specified seating areas from among 20 pre-selected shows. Performances include The Temptations and the Four Tops, Itzhak Perlman and Pinchas Zukerman, “The Hip Hop Nutcracker,” Popovich Comedy Pet Theater, and many more! This offer is only available at the NJPAC box office. Restrictions apply. Limit two performances per customer and two tickets per performance. Click to njpac.org/20for20 for details and a list of eligible shows.

Attached is a schedule of NJPAC’s 20th anniversary season for 2017-18. High-resolution photos are available by clicking here. (http://pranamarketing.zenfolio.com/p132449491) View the full season brochure here. (njpac.org/brochure)

NJPAC is grateful to its 2017-18 season series’ sponsors:

Bank of America Classical Series, with support from Smart Family Foundation/David S. Stone, Esq., Stone & Magnanini; Horizon Foundation Concert Series and Horizon Foundation Sounds of the City; World Music Series sponsored by American Express; TD Bank Jazz Series and the TD James Moody Jazz Festival; Headliner Series, sponsored by Bank of America, American Song series at NJPAC, supported by the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation and David S. Steiner and Sylvia Steiner Charitable Trust

NJPAC is also grateful to:

Prudential Foundation, PSEG Foundation, Merck Foundation, ADP Foundation, Victoria Foundation, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, and WBGO Jazz 88.3FM (TD James Moody Jazz Festival). Programs are made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council of the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.

NJPAC is a wheelchair accessible facility and provides assistance for patrons with disabilities.

NJPACOne Center StreetNewark, New Jersey 07102njpac.org or 888.GO.NJPAC (888.466.5722 )

New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in downtown Newark, N.J., is among the largest performing arts centers in the United States and is the artistic, cultural, educational and civic center of New Jersey – where great performances and events enhance and transform lives every day. NJPAC brings diverse communities together, providing access to all and showcasing the state’s and the world’s best artists while acting as a leading catalyst in the revitalization of its home city. Through its extensive Arts Education programs, NJPAC is shaping the next generation of artists and arts enthusiasts. NJPAC has attracted nearly 10 million visitors (including mover 1.5 million children) since opening its doors in 1997, and nurtures meaningful and lasting relationships with each of its constituents.

Get Social! Follow NJPAC Online:

Website: http://www.njpac.org/Twitter: @NJPACHashtag: #NJPACFacebook: facebook.com/NJPACYouTube: NJPACtv

Location and Directions:

NJPAC is at 1 Center St., Newark, N.J.; a short walk from the Newark Penn Station stop by Newark-bound PATH Train or Amtrak.

Detailed instructions on approaching the venue by car, by bus, by foot or by rail:

http://www.njpac.org/plan-your-visit/directionshttp://www.njpac.org/plan-your-visit/public-transportation http://www.njpac.org/plan-your-visit/buy-parking

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