Kean Stage Reveals 2026-2027 Season Line-up

Kean Stage has announced its 2026-2027 season line-up featuring a mix of Broadway, jazz, reggae, soul, Latin music and family programming.

Opening the season is Tony Award winner Joshua Henry, performing his solo show Get Up! Stand Up! for two performances at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 13 at Enlow Recital Hall. Henry showcases his incredible range as he flows seamlessly from the classic soul of Nina Simone, Marvin Gaye, and Sam Cooke to Broadway gems by Stephen Sondheim, Rodgers & Hammerstein, and original selections from his solo album.

Spend an evening of music and conversation with legendary saxophonist and clarinetist Paquito D'Rivera, an internationally acclaimed artist known for blending jazz, classical, and Latin traditions into a vibrant and dynamic musical voice on Friday, September 18 at 7:30 p.m. at Enlow Recital Hall. Throughout the evening, Paquito D'Rivera's performances will be interwoven with an engaging conversation led by historian Dr. Frank Argote-Freyre, Director of CRECE, Kean University's Center for Raising Excellence and Cultural Empowerment.

Spend an unforgettable afternoon of soul with The Stylistics on Sunday, October 4 at 3:00 p.m. at Wilkins Theatre. The voices of legends Herb Murrell and Airrion Love, joined by the electrifying Jason Sharp, blend like silk, as they soar through classics like You Make Me Feel Brand New, Betcha by Golly, Wow, and I'm Stone in Love with You, each note dripping with the signature elegance and emotion that made The Stylistics icons.

The present and future of Jamaican Jazz intersect when legendary pianist Monty Alexander and 17-year-old guitar prodigy Marel Hidalgo take to the Enlow Recital Hall stage on Sunday, November 22 at 3:00 p.m.. The ingenious interweaving of jazz's complexities with the ancestral music of the Caribbean immediately influenced legends such as Bob Marley, Toots & the Maytalls and many other artists.

The true spirit of Christmas lives in this heartwarming production of Charles Dickens' holiday classic, A Christmas Carol on Friday, December 4 at 7:30 p.m. at Wilkins Theatre. Audiences, young and old, will leave the theater enchanted by this timeless tale of Ebenezer Scrooge's miraculous redemption. Guided by the ghosts of Jacob Marley and Christmas Past, Present and Future, the world's most famous miser undergoes a magical, stirring transformation into a marvelous man of overflowing love, kindness and generosity.

Everyone's favorite dog, Clifford the Big Red Dog – bounds onto the Wilkins Theatre stage at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 12, in a brand-new musical comedy adventure by TheaterWorks USA that celebrates friendship, imagination and the magic of unconditional love! Emily Elizabeth absolutely adores her new puppy – the tiny red runt of the litter. But when her GIANT love makes Clifford grow into a GIANT, the family must trade their cramped city apartment for a home on Birdwell Island – where folks aren't so sure about a house-sized, playful pup.

Celebrate Hanukkah with the Grammy-winning pioneers of modern klezmer, The Klezmatics featuring La Manga, as they mark their 40th anniversary with a festive concert celebrating light, resilience, and radical joy at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 13 at Enlow Recital Hall. Blending Yiddish tradition with Black gospel, jazz, Latin rhythms, and global influences, The Klezmatics create a joyful holiday celebration that honors the past while speaking powerfully to the present.

UK-based a cappella vocal group The Swingles are Together for the Holidays on Friday, December 18 at 7:30 p.m. at Enlow Recital Hall. The Swingles have been challenging the boundaries of vocal music for over 60 years, earning five Grammy Awards and establishing themselves as one of the world's most beloved and admired vocal groups. Throughout its various iterations, the group's signature, instantly recognizable sound has remained constant and timeless, and its intricate arrangements remain unparalleled.

Master illusionist Vitaly brings An Evening of Wonders to Wilkins Theatre on Sunday, January 24 at 4:00 p.m.. Combining breathtaking visuals with Vitaly's captivating style, An Evening of Wonders is an interactive theatrical experience that takes the audience on a magical journey. In this world, paintings spring to life, photographs become mini-movies, and audience members see their faces vanish from their own driver's licenses.

America's premier large brass ensemble, The Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass, comes to Enlow Recital Hall on Saturday, January 30 at 3:00 p.m.. The Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass began on the streets of New Orleans. On the advice of family patriarch Ellis Marsalis, the group created a concert format that breaks down the usual barriers between genres and strives to connect the audience with the performers.

Born and raised in Florida to a Jamaican father and Barbadian mother, brothers Malcolm and Umoja, now known as Sons of Mystro, blend reggae classics, American pop hits, and original compositions with their signature violin sound, backed by a DJ and drummer. Sons of Mystro will bring their electrifying performance to Enlow Recital Hall on Friday, February 5 at 7:30 p.m.

Take a ride on the Midnight Train to Georgia over River Deep, Mountain High while award-winning vocalist CeCe Teneal delivers you the R-E-S-P-E-C-T you deserve in Divas of Soul, a one-of-a-kind concert event on Saturday, March 6 at 7:30 p.m. at Enlow Recital Hall. This spectacular celebration of fifty years of chart-topping music from artists like Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, Chaka Khan, Tina Turner, Whitney Houston, and more has wowed audiences worldwide.

Need more New Jersey Theatre News in your life?
Sign up for all the news on the Summer season, discounts & more...