(WAYNE, NJ) -- Shea Center for Performing Arts presents An Evening with Judy Collins on Saturday, December 6, 2025 at 8:00pm. Collins has long inspired audiences with sublime vocals, boldly vulnerable songwriting, personal life triumphs, and a firm commitment to social activism.
In the 1960s, she evoked both the idealism and steely determination of a generation united against social and environmental injustices. Five decades later, her luminescent presence shines brightly as new generations bask in the glow of her iconic 55-album body of work, and heed inspiration from her spiritual discipline to thrive in the music industry for half a century.
The award-winning singer-songwriter is esteemed for her imaginative interpretations of traditional and contemporary folk standards and her own poetically poignant original compositions. Her stunning rendition of Joni Mitchell's “Both Sides Now” from her landmark 1967 album, Wildflowers, has been entered into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Judy’s dreamy and sweetly intimate version of “Send in the Clowns,” a ballad written by Stephen Sondheim for the Broadway musical A Little Night Music, won "Song of the Year” at the 1975 Grammy Awards. She’s garnered several top-ten hits gold- and platinum-selling albums. Recently, contemporary and classic artists such as Rufus Wainwright, Shawn Colvin, Dolly Parton, Joan Baez, and Leonard Cohen honored her legacy with the album Born to the Breed: A Tribute to Judy Collins.
Tickets range from $53-$72 and are available for purchase online. Shea Center for Performing Arts is located at 300 Pompton Road in Wayne , New Jersey.
The cultural treasure’s 55th album, Spellbound, released in February 2022, found Judy enjoying an artistic renaissance. The 13 song album is a special entry in her oeuvre. It marked the first time ever she wrote all the songs on one of her albums. It featured 12 new recently-written modern folk songs, and a bonus track of her evergreen, “The Blizzard.” Spellbound was nominated in the Best Folk Album category at the 65th Recording Academy Grammy Awards in 2023.
While maintaining her rigorous touring schedule, Judy released her first book of poetry in March of 2025 with Andrews McMeel Publishing. Written with the bold vulnerability that Judy Collins is best known for, Sometimes It’s Heaven is a timeless collection of poetry that captures the ethereal and inspiring nature of her artistry in an all-new way. Biographical and relatable, Sometimes It’s Heaven is a must-read for fans of poetry, fans of Judy, and fans of truth.
The Shea Center for Performing Arts is an intimate 922-seat theater built in 1965. The theater boasts a customized, state-of-the-art sound system, computerized lighting system and a unique seating/stage configuration that ensures a close performer/audience connection. Shea Center is air-conditioned and handicapped accessible.
A wide variety of University events and visiting artists have appeared at the Center from legendary rock icon David Crosby, to the jazz great, Wynton Marsalis, from Margaret Thatcher to Stephen Sondheim. Each season the University Performing Arts produced WP Presents! hosts dozens of professional artists including musicians, theatre troupes and family artists representing a wide variety of genres. The Jazz Room Series features renowned and emerging jazz performers, as well as students from the University’s highly acclaimed jazz program. The Distinguished Lecturer Series presents an exciting line-up of speakers on topical issues ranging from the arts and culture to sports and politics in distinctive formats that enhance the link between the speakers and the audience.
