Sinbad to Bring Standup Act to SOPAC Next Month

Ranked by Comedy Central as one of the "100 Greatest Standups of All Time," actor and comedian Sinbad has had audiences laughing for over three decades. He will bring his comedic talents to the South Orange Performing Arts Center on Thursday, November 9 at 7:30PM.

Born David Adkins, Sinbad is one of six children and grew up in a religious household. At six feet five inches tall, Adkins made an impressive figure on the basketball court, and his first career ambition was to play professionally.

In the early 1980s, he caught his first big break as a contestant on Star Search, winning 10 times on the show. Before long, he was an in-demand performer and landed a role on the The Redd Foxx Show, playing Foxx's son on the short-lived series. He then landed a recurring role on The Cosby Show spinoff, A Different World, which ran 1987-1991. In addition to acting, he continued to perform his stand-up comedy. He became known for his offbeat yet clean approach to humor.

Sinbad went on to star his own sitcom, The Sinbad Show, in 1993. On the series, he played a single foster father to two children. Over the years, he also made a number of film appearances, costarring with Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1996 holiday comedy Jingle All the Way and with Phil Hartman in Houseguest (1995). He has appeared in classic comedy films such as Good Burger and on the hit FX comedy series It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. He also wrote Sinbad's Guide to Life: Because I Know Everything.

Sinbad remains a popular live performer, landing a number of stand-up gigs each year. He also continues to appear on television and in films and lent his voice to the animated series Slacker Cats. He was a competitor on Celebrity Apprentice in 2010. In 2011, he had his own reality show with Sinbad: It's Just Family, focused on his domestic life with his wife, Meredith, daughter Paige and son Royce.

Sinbad will bring down the house at the South Orange Performing Arts Center on Thursday, November 9 at 7:30PM. Tickets are $48 and can be purchased online at www.sopacnow.org/sinbad or by calling the box office at (973) 313-2787.

Since 2006, SOPAC has been serving as a premier performing arts center in the region. SOPAC offers innovative artistic and cultural experiences for diverse audiences in an intimate, inviting environment. The premier arts center hosts a variety of live performances, community events and education programs for all ages. To further expand its offerings, SOPAC has a partnership with the Juilliard School of Music to present Juilliard @ SOPAC-a series featuring upcoming musicians from the acclaimed conservatory. SOPAC is home for Seton Hall University Arts Council's performances, including Classical Concert Series, Jazz 'N the Hall performances and Seton Hall University Theatre productions. SOPAC also presents performances by its theater company in-residence, American Theater Group. For more information, visit SOPACnow.org.