Leslie Odom, Jr., Patti LuPone And More Announced for Staller Center Spring 2024 Season

This spring, it's your chance to experience an incredible array of performances at the Staller Center for the Arts. The new season contains a vast lineup from high-profile musical artists and world-renowned dance troupes to fun-filled family shows and side-splitting comedians! The Staller Center's Spring 2024 Season goes on sale on November 10 at 12 Noon at  stallercenter.com.

Kicking off the spring season with a triumphant return to the Staller Center on January 27 is the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. A beacon of excellence in jazz, the iconic big band consists of 15 of the finest jazz soloists and ensemble players in the industry today. They'll be led by Managing and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center Wynton Marsalis—the jazz world's most gifted trumpeter and esteemed composer/bandleader, boasting nine Grammy Awards as well as the first jazz composition to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music. Marsalis has performed at the Staller Center in solo and collaborative shows numerous times. For this exclusive engagement, he joins us with the exceptionally versatile JLCO with a vast repertoire, ranging from original compositions and commissioned works to rare, historic arrangements and masterworks by celebrated jazz legends, including Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Thelonious Monk, and Dizzy Gillespie, to name a few. The orchestra's mission—to entertain, enrich, and expand a global community for jazz through performance, education, and advocacy—is displayed through its commitment to proving that jazz is a universal language that doesn't discriminate. Jazz is for us all!

Whether you're a fan of drumming or not, you'll enjoy the exhilarating performance by Japan's Number 1 Sensation, Drum Tao, on February 3. Combining highly physical, large-scale drumming with contemporary costumes, precise choreography, and innovative visuals, the performers of Drum Tao promise an energetic and unforgettable production. Drum Tao has garnered international acclaim through notable appearances, including The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, sold-out productions on the off-Broadway stages of New York City, and a performance in the 2020 Olympics. Through sharing the art of Japanese drumming with a global audience, Drum Tao promises a sensory experience like nothing you've seen before in this special 30th-anniversary tour.

Next up in February is the first program of the newly announced Emerson Legacy Series, featuring former Emerson artists Eugene Drucker, violin, and Lawrence Dutton, viola. The pair captivated audiences for 47 years as members of the Emerson String Quartet before finally saying goodbye in a sold-out farewell concert at the Staller Center. On February 15, Drucker and Dutton will return to the Staller stage with members of their Emerson Institute at Stony Brook, continuing their legacy as world-leading classical musicians, promising an evening of virtuosity, precision, and unmatched skill.

Classical enthusiasts will continue to be delighted throughout February as the Stony Brook Symphony Orchestra performs on February 17 and again on March 23. The beloved orchestra is composed of superb musicians from all over the globe pursuing their advanced studies in the graduate school of the Department of Music at Stony Brook—program to be announced.

Closing out the month of February is a man you know and love—Vic DiBitetto as he returns to the Staller Center! On February 24, get ready for the self-proclaimed "Donkey of Comedy" to take over the Main Stage with a working-class brand of comedy that will make you feel like you're sitting down to dinner with your favorite cousin. Vic DiBitetto sold out the Main Stage in 2021 and left the audience clamoring for more. Vic delivers a custom show every single time and easily brings audiences into his world, turning his everyday experiences into belly laughs that continue even after he's left the stage.

Starting the month of March is the versatile jazz phenom Veronica Swift, bringing to Staller her "miraculous voice, musical ability technique, as well as innate gift for entertaining a crowd" (Wall Street Journal). With broad and artistic vocals that remain unwavering regardless of genre, Swift was easily named JazzTimes' 2019 "Best New Artist," touring as a featured vocalist with industry icons such as Chris Botti, Wynton Marsalis, and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Michael Feinstein and Benny Green. The young up-and-comer scats like nobody's business, showcasing her mastery of improvisation that truly sets her apart in her craft.

A performance by the illustrious Leslie Odom, Jr. on March 9 at 8 p.m. will headline the Staller Center's 2024 Gala event. An Evening with Leslie Odom, Jr. will celebrate the Staller Center with a performance of the star's favorite tunes from Broadway and beyond. The Tony and Grammy Award-winning, three-time Emmy and two-time Academy Award-nominated vocalist, songwriter, author, and actor is best known for his role as "Aaron Burr" in the original Broadway production of Hamilton. Odom, Jr. made his Broadway debut in RENT at the young age of 17. Tickets are available for the performance only, and Gala Supporter Tickets include a reception following the performance and VIP seating. For regular tickets, click here. To learn more about becoming a gala supporter, visit stallercenter.com/gala.

Get ready to celebrate all things St. Patty's Day as the Rhythm of the Dance takes its 25th anniversary tour to our Main Stage on March 16. As the National Dance Company of Ireland, Rhythm of the Dance has gained global acclaim for its exceptional talent, stunning choreography, and the infectious enthusiasm it brings to the stage. The production has toured fifty countries worldwide with a thrilling Irish step-dancing show featuring dancers clad in gorgeous costumes. These synchronized routines will transport spectators right into the heart of the Emerald Isle.

The following weekend, Long Island's very own Adam Pascal rocks our Recital Hall on March 22. A luminary across the realms of theater, television, film, and music, Pascal etched his name into theatrical history by originating the role of Roger Davis in the hit production RENT, garnering a Tony nomination, an Obie, and a Drama League Award. Additional Broadway credits include Pretty Woman, Disaster!, Memphis, Chicago, Aida, Cabaret, and Something Rotten!. Wanting to return to his rock and roll roots, Pascal now performs sold-out solo shows nationwide, the latest at Staller. His vocals exude the raw power and energy essential of any true rocker, resonating with a blend of raspy tones that pierce through whatever song he's jamming to.

Don't forget to bring the kids by for a brand-new performance—Pops! produced by the Staller Center Outreach Ensemble, promises fun for the whole family on March 24. What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than by introducing classical music to the kids in a relatable and entertaining way? Mozart and Vivaldi go head-to-head with Lennon and McCartney in this one-of-a-kind family show!

Cellist and Artistic Director Colin Carr is back in Starry Nights on March 27. The evening will also feature former Emerson violinist Phil Setzer, clarinetist Alan Kay, and bassoonist Gina Cuffari, presenting classical music from its beginnings to the contemporary era. Included in the program is Shostakovich's Seven Romances on Poems of Alexander Blok and Schubert's Octet in F major D803.

April brings in an icon of both stage and screen: Patti LuPone! A three-time Tony Award winner and 2006 American Theater Hall of Fame inductee, Patti LuPone debuts her A Life in Notes, which weaves together a tapestry of tunes from her prestigious Broadway journey, as well as selections from the realms of folk and American popular music. Often hailed as a true embodiment of the 'Golden Age' of Broadway, LuPone can make every individual in a crowd of thousands feel like she's speaking and singing directly to them. Join LuPone and her longtime musical director, Joseph Thalken, to celebrate, through the storytelling magic of song, a legendary career almost six decades in the making.

And, later in the month, FLIP Fabrique takes the stage by storm–pun intended–in a brand new show, BLIZZARD, on April 13. Hailing from Québec City, Canada, the Cirque group's shared dream is to create shows inspired by the human experience. BLIZZARD presents the story of a group of friends just like snowflakes, each unique from the other, exploring the awe of a winter storm. Cirque FLIP Fabrique continues to fascinate audiences worldwide, having performed internationally for more than a million spectators. With outstanding visual poetry and gravity-defying fun, BLIZZARD promises to blow away everything in its path.

Wrapping up the month is a Staller fan-favorite: Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo on April 20. Colloquially known as "The Trocks," this pioneering all-male ballet ensemble stands not only at the pinnacle of their craft but also as one of the most uproariously entertaining acts in the industry today. The troupe went from performing in Off-Off Broadway lofts to becoming a national dance phenomenon, renowned for its blend of cheeky humor with stunning virtuosity and talent. They are committed to bringing the pleasure of dance to as many people as possible while simultaneously sending those audiences into stitches by exaggerating the foibles, accidents, and underlying incongruities of serious dance. Enjoy spoofs of some of your all-time favorite classical works in this special 50th-anniversary season!

Closing out our spring season is the famed classical musician and reigning virtuoso of the violin, Itzhak Perlman. Widely regarded as one of the greatest violinists of both the 20th and 21st centuries, Itzhak Perlman's remarkable ability to convey profound emotion, humanity, and sheer delight in the art of making music deeply resonates with anyone fortunate enough to witness him on stage. He has performed several times at the White House and received plenty of high accolades, including 16 Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Kennedy Center Honor, and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award–not to mention a National Medal of Arts, a Medal of Liberty, and a Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Nation's highest civilian honor.

For tickets and information and to see all of the programs at Staller Center, including the highly acclaimed Live From The Met in HD Opera series, our full season of art exhibits in our Paul W. Zuccaire Gallery, and more, visit stallercenter.com. Click here and join our mailing list for more information. Plus, Friends of Staller members receive complimentary tickets, discounts, presale access, and more perks. To learn more, visit stallercenter.com/membership.  

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