(MAHWAH, NJ) -- Get ready for a season that sings, swings, and stuns! Arch Performances at the Berrie Center at Ramapo College of New Jersey in Mahwah is thrilled to unveil a 2025–2026 lineup filled with award-winners, legacies, family favorites, and once-in-a-lifetime moments.
Lisa Campbell, Berrie Center director, says, “This season hits all the right notes—side-splitting comedy, smooth jazz, show-stopping Broadway, unforgettable family fun, and so much more! We invite you to visit our intimate venue, where every seat feels close to the action—and yes, there’s free parking too!”
September 19 - The Second City Presents "Laugh Harder Not Smarter". Rooted in the groundbreaking improvisational games of Viola Spolin, The Second City opened its doors on a snowy Chicago night in December of 1959, and a comedy revolution began.
Laugh Harder, Not Smarter is a celebration of legendary American comedy 65 years in the making. Featuring a hilarious array of classic sketch comedy and songs from the company’s rich history, fresh new favorites, as well as the signature brand of irreverent improv that The Second City is famous for. With alumni such as Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, and Keegan-Michael Key, The Second City has an unmatched track record of launching the careers of comedy superstars.
For audiences 18 years and older. Contains adult content.
September 27, 2025 - The Cab Calloway Orchestra - Directed by Cab's Grandson- Christopher Calloway Brooks. Cab’s Grandson Christopher Brooks “CB” continues his grandfathers’ legacy, as his grandfather had wished, with The Cab Calloway Orchestra. With a sound that is timeless, the orchestra continues to inspire and delight music fans all over the world.
The Cab Calloway Orchestra is a living testament to the rich history and lasting legacy of jazz music. Their performances are a celebration of the swinging, soulful sounds that have captivated audiences for generations.
October 11 - Cat Kid Comic Club: The Musical. This TheaterWorksUSA Production is ideal for grades 1-5 and their families!
Cat Kid and Molly Pollywog have started an epic club to teach 21 rambunctious baby frogs how to make their own comics! Their fishy father Flippy is overjoyed that his kids will learn to unleash their creativity, but when the frogs’ constant bickering and outrageous imaginations send their comics comically off the rails, Flippy flips out! Will the club survive? Will the frogs ever get along? And will creativity finally save the day?
This hilarious musical adaptation of Dav Pilkey’s Dog Man spin-off series, Cat Kid Comic Club, is written by Kevin Del Aguila and Brad Alexander – the team that brought you DOG MAN: THE MUSICAL!
November 14-16, November 20-22 - RCNJ Theater Dept. presents: Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors by Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen; Directed by Lester Mayers. This is a comedy you can really sink your teeth into. Filled with clever wordplay and anything-goes pop culture references, it’s a 90-minute, gender-bending, quick-changing, laugh-out-loud reimagining of the gothic classic.
In the treacherous mountains of Transylvania, a meek English real estate agent takes a harrowing journey to meet a new and mysterious client, who just happens to be the most terrifying and ferocious monster the world has ever known. As famed female vampire hunter Jean Van Helsing and company chase Drac from Transylvania to the British countryside to London and back, their antics are guaranteed to increase your pulse and cause blood curdling screams of laughter.
December 13 - New York Voices with special guest CantaNOVA. As New York Voices begin to bid farewell after nearly four decades of music-making, this holiday concert is a chance to celebrate the memories, the magic, and the music. With their signature blend of rich harmonies and jazz sophistication, the quartet revisits timeless holiday favorites and more. Come share in the spirit of the season—and the legacy of a group that has touched hearts around the world.
February 7, 2026 - Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers. Bold, soulful, and genre-defying, Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers (KYL/D) is a Philadelphia-based contemporary dance company that brings ancient Eastern wisdom into dialogue with modern movement.
Under the direction of Kun-Yang Lin, the company’s work is known for its stunning visuals and spiritual depth —creating dances that The New York Times says “create and inhabit worlds of their own.” Drawing on Lin’s CHI Awareness Practice, KYL/D’s dance artistry is as physically daring as it is emotionally resonant. With a reputation for poetic, soul-stirring performance, KYL/D has captivated audiences across the globe, from Lincoln Center to Jacob’s Pillow, from Germany to Taiwan and beyond.
February 28 - An Evening with Lorna Luft Featuring the Songs of Judy Garland. Using her unique perspective born from a lifetime in entertainment, join Lorna Luft as she shares favorites from the Great American Songbook. Expect some songs made famous by her mother and film legend, Judy Garland, as well as stories from Hollywood, Broadway, and beyond as only she can tell them.
Born to the legendary Judy Garland and producer Sid Luft, Lorna began her career on her mother’s TV show at the age of eleven. She went on to perform on Broadway in Promises, Promises; Snoopy, the Musical; and Extremities. She has performed in domestic and international productions of They’re Playing Our Song; Guys and Dolls; Grease; The Wizard of Oz; Holiday Inn; and White Christmas.
March 14, 2026 - Mario the Maker Magician. It’s robots and magic and slapstick… oh my! Mario the Maker Magician is a smash-hit, all-ages family theater experience that will lead you through an hour-long journey of energy-driven interaction, belly laughs, and maker inspiration.
Mario has been featured on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Sesame Street, and live all over the world to sold out audiences and critical acclaim. No one leaves the show empty-handed OR empty-hearted.
Ideal for ages 4-10 and their families!
April 26 - Mack Brandon's Gospel Explosion. Over the past four decades, gospel music has witnessed popularity and captured hearts around the world with its electrifying energy, uplifting joy, and profound emotional resonance. This tradition of Christian worship has touched millions, spreading messages of love, hope, and unity that transcend borders.
Now, get ready for an unforgettable evening! Join us as the incomparable Mack Brandon returns to the Berrie Center with his phenomenal choir for an interactive experience that will leave you moved, inspired, and craving more.
May 2, 2026 - "The Lillias White Effect" featuring Broadway's Lillias White. In her show, Lillias pulls back the show curtain to tell humorous, poignant and inspiring stories from both her personal and show business life that she has never shared before, onstage or off.
In this brand-new concert, audiences can expect to hear the music of Frank Loesser, Stephen Sondheim, Ann Hampton Callaway, Jerry Herman, Cy Coleman and more.
Lillias White, a native New Yorker, made her Broadway debut in Barnum. She has also appeared on Broadway in Hadestown, Cats, Carrie, Dreamgirls, Once On This Island, How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, Chicago and Fela! (Tony Award nomination).
Tickets for all performances are available for purchase online. The Berrie Center for the Arts is located on the campus of Ramapo College of NJ at 505 Ramapo Valley Road in Mahwah, New Jersey.
The Berrie Center for Performing and Visual Arts houses The Sharp Theater, The Myron and Elaine Adler Theater, and The Kresge and Pascal Art Galleries. The Berrie Center has developed a rich series of public programming including Arch Performances, which produces a guest artist series including performances in dance, theater, and concerts. The Art Galleries house contemporary art exhibitions. In addition, the Berrie Center is home to the Ramapo College School of Contemporary Arts with specialized facilities for photography, dance, music and theater production.
