Kean Stage’s Must-See Spring Events I Published December 12

By: Caroline Pease 

As the semester winds down, Kean students can look forward to an exciting lineup of entertainment this spring. Kean Stage has curated a diverse selection of musical performances, captivating shows, and thought-provoking lectures to keep spirits high during the colder months ahead.

Distinguished Lecture Series: Giancarlo Esposito 

Best known for his iconic role as Gustavo “Gus” Fring in the critically acclaimed series Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, Giancarlo Esposito will be a guest speaker as a part of President Repollet’s Distinguished Lecture Series. 

Outside of his portrayal of a notorious drug kingpin, Esposito is celebrated for his television, film, and stage work, and as a director and producer. He is also recognized for his roles in The Mandalorian, The Maze Runner, and The Boys

Esposito will be sharing his insights and journey from transcending beyond a “working” actor into a quality thespian, his struggles breaking into the media industry as a person of color, and learning to accept his racial and acting identities as equal and important components of himself.

The Critics Choice honoree will be in Kean’s North Avenue Academic Building, February 4, at 4:30 pm. The lecture is open to Kean students for free. 

Alice by Heart

Direct from the Tony and Emmy acclaimed creators of Spring Awakening, Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik, co-authored by Jessie Nelson of Waitress, present their most recent production. 

Alice by Heart, is a heartfelt musical inspired by Alice’s adventures in Wonderland, but in the turmoil of World War II. 

During the turbulence of the London Blitz, Alice Spencer and friend Alfred must seek refuge in an underground tube station. With their sense of normalcy and teenage years in disarray, the two seek a means of escapism. 

While Alfred is quarantined from an ailment, Alice encourages him to journey with her in a literary classic, down the rabbit hole of Wonderland.

As the story progresses, the two face the testaments of grief and loss, and find the courage to move forward. The musical celebrates using the transformative power of imagination in the bleakest of times. 

Alice by Heart will run from February 21 to March 1 at Wilkins Theater. Tickets range from $10-15, Kean students and staff have discounts available. 

They Promised Her the Moon 

Lauren Ollstein brings to stage the untold extraordinary story of Jerrie Cobbs, an emerging woman astronaut in the 1960s. Despite outperforming her male peers, she was not allowed to experience orbit and fulfill her dream of flying to the moon. 

They Promised Her the Moon follows Cobbs’ early childhood, the opposition she faced each step of her career, social and political forces, and family issues that kept her on Earth. 

Through immersive storytelling, Ollstein’s work presents the early and current struggles that keep women astronauts grounded, and how an initial group of pioneers advocated for this change. 

Kean students can catch a showing of They Promised Her the Moon from April 4 to April 12, at Bauer Boucher Theater Center. Tickets range from $10-15, with discounts available for Kean students and staff. 

Voctave 

With an amassed over 160 social media views, the a cappella sensation Voctave will be visiting Kean this spring. The group has had recent albums like Goodnight, My Someone, which debuted in the top 10 on Billboard and iTunes charts. 

This holiday season, Voctave will release a new holiday album, It Feels Like Christmas. 

Formed in 2015 by producer and arranger Jamey Ray, the group showcases a remarkable blend of eleven unique voices, each bringing diverse backgrounds that harmonize seamlessly to bring life into their captivating arrangements. 

The group has performed across the globe and has had notable performances with GRAMMY, Pentatonix’s Kirstin Maldonado, and American Music Award recipient Sandi Patty.

Voctave will be performing in the Nathan Weiss Enlow Recital Hall at 7:30 pm on April 11. Tickets are available from $50-65, with discounts available for Kean students and staff.

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