Vanessa Williams to Headline Bergen Performing Arts Center's 100th Anniversary
The historic Englewood theater opens its "One Century, One Stage" celebration with the international recording star.
Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergenPAC) will launch “One Century, One Stage,” its celebration of the historic theater's 100th anniversary, with An Evening with Vanessa Williams on Friday, November 13, 2026, at 8 p.m. The performance will bring music, elegance and star power to bergenPAC, located at 30 North Van Brunt Street in Englewood, N.J.
A multi-platinum recording artist, Tony-nominated Broadway performer and award-winning actress, Williams will help usher in a milestone celebration honoring the artists, audiences and community champions who have shaped the theater's enduring legacy. With a repertoire spanning pop, R&B and musical theater, she brings the versatility and stage presence that have made her a favorite across generations.
Williams' recording career includes the celebrated albums The Right Stuff, The Comfort Zone and The Sweetest Days, with signature songs including “Save the Best for Last,” “Dreamin',” “Love Is” and “Colors of the Wind” from Disney's Pocahontas. Her music has earned 11 GRAMMY Award nominations, establishing her as a distinctive voice in contemporary pop and R&B.
Her accomplishments extend well beyond the recording studio. Williams made her Broadway debut in Kiss of the Spider Woman and earned a Tony Award nomination for her portrayal of the Witch in the 2002 revival of Into the Woods. Additional stage credits include Sondheim on Sondheim and The Trip to Bountiful, in which she starred alongside Cicely Tyson. Television audiences know her for her Emmy-nominated portrayal of Wilhelmina Slater on Ugly Betty and her role as Renee Perry on Desperate Housewives. Her film credits include Soul Food, Eraser and Dance with Me.
Join bergenPAC in celebration of a Century of History on North Van Brunt Street by seeing superstar Vanessa Willams. The building's story began on November 22, 1926, when it opened as the Englewood Plaza movie theater. United Artists purchased the property in 1967.Then venue began at John Harms which opened on October 10, 1976.
Following the John Harms Center's closure in 2003, a dedicated group of founding trustees led by Founder, Frank Huttle III worked to preserve the theater and restore its role in the community. It reopened in fall 2004 as the Bergen Performing Arts Center, with Tony Bennett performing at its inauguration gala. A major restoration completed in 2022 renewed the historic Main Hall, preserving its 1926 architectural character while upgrading seating, lighting and sound.
“One Century, One Stage” celebrates that remarkable journey—from neighborhood movie palace to a destination for live entertainment—and the generations who have gathered beneath its roof. Williams' November 13 performance will open the celebration with an evening honoring the theater's past and looking ahead to its next century.
For tickets and additional information, visit www.bergenpac.org or call the box office at 201-227-1030.
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