(UNION, NJ) -- Kean Stage and Premiere Stages continue outdoor programming this summer with an evening concert series and a daytime family series on the Lawn at Enlow Hall on Kean University’s East Campus in Hillside, New Jersey. Both series will kick off on Saturday, July 17, 2021 and take place on three consecutive weekends.

Kean Stage kicks off its evening concert series with three unique musical artists, featuring: The John Scofield Trio featuring Vicente Archer & Bill Stewart will perform on Saturday, July 17 at 6:30pm (rain date: Sunday, July 18 at 6:30pm). Aside from being one of the principal innovators of modern jazz guitar, John Scofield is a triple Grammy award-winning artist with more than 40 recordings to his credit. Scofield has expressed himself in the vernacular of bebop, blues, jazz-funk, organ jazz, acoustic chamber jazz, electronically tinged groove music, jam-band style and orchestral ensembles with ease and enthusiasm.

Michael Mayo will perform on Saturday, July 24 at 6:30pm (rain date: Sunday, July 25 at 6:30pm). An up-and-coming jazz vocalist, composer, and arranger, Michael Mayo’s voice is an elegant balance of charisma, confidence and an approachable vulnerability that draws audiences in. Mayo’s talents can draw the jazz purist and the curious novice to the same venue.  

Judith Hill will perform on Saturday, July 31 at 6:30pm (rain date: Sunday, August 1 at 6:30pm). Judith Hill is a Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist praised by Rolling Stone for her "stellar powerhouse vocals." Her new studio album Baby, I'm Hollywood! is a vibrant, defiant personal statement, a thorough excursion into the annals of Black music: past, present and future.

Premiere Stages, in partnership with Kean Stage, will present three days of family fun that includes: Sleeping Beauty, from Yates’ Musical Theatre, to be performed on Saturday, July 17 at 11:00am (rain date: Sunday, July 18, 2021 at 1:00pm). Sleeping Beauty is the captivating tale of a Princess put under the spell of a slightly scary witch. See the adventures of the court Jester, the King, Queen and the Pages in this sparkling musical fantasy of Sleeping Beauty.

Yates Musical Theatre’s production of Pinocchio will be performed on Saturday, July 24 at 11:00am (rain date: Sunday, July 25, 2021 at 1:00pm). Who could resist the beloved story of the little wooden puppet whose dearest wish is to become a real boy? Lovingly told, this timeless tale is woven with spirited music and comic fun.

Galumpha will perform on Saturday, July 31 at 11:00am (rain date: Sunday, August 1 at 1:00pm). Combining stunning acrobatics, striking visual effects, physical comedy and inventive choreography, Galumpha brings to life a world of imagination, beauty, muscle and merriment.

Kean Stage and Premiere Stages are closely monitoring Kean University guidelines pertaining to holding outdoor events. Chairs will be provided and seating will be arranged in pods with distance between groups.

Tickets for the evening concert series range from $30-$45. All tickets for the family series are $15. Tickets can be purchased online at www.keanstage.com and www.premierestagesatkean.com.

Kean Stage at Kean University educates, entertains and challenges audiences by presenting high-quality programs that reflect the diversity of the region and of the arts. These cultural offerings complement the intellectual life of the classroom for our students, increase opportunities for community engagement, and provide affordable access to the arts for New Jersey residents. Audiences of all ages are invited to enjoy a wide range of professional theatre, Broadway tours, dance performances, concerts, international films and family-friendly shows. In addition, Kean Stage encourages University students to attend events, and provides several opportunities to explore the performing arts through master classes, workshops, lectures, and employment opportunities as ushers, backstage technicians and box office staff.  

Created in 2004, Premiere Stages is the professional Equity theatre in residence at Kean University. Through its unique partnership with Kean, Premiere’s play development programs, educational initiatives, and professional development opportunities actively embrace the university's academic curriculum while expanding the scope, accessibility, and prestige of the professional programming on campus.  

Founded in 1855, Kean University is one of the largest metropolitan institutions of higher education in the region, with a richly diverse student, faculty and staff population. Kean continues to play a key role in the training of teachers and is a hub of educational, technological and cultural enrichment serving more than 16,000 students. The University’s six undergraduate colleges offer more than 50 undergraduate degrees over a full range of academic subjects. The Nathan Weiss Graduate College offers six doctoral degree programs and more than 80 options for graduate study leading to master’s degrees, professional diplomas or certifications. With campuses in Union, Toms River, Jefferson and Manahawkin, New Jersey, and Wenzhou, China, Kean University furthers its mission by providing an affordable and accessible world-class education.