(WAYNE, NJ) -- WP Presents The Drifters on Saturday, February 21, 2026 at Shea Center for the Performing Arts. Up on the Roof. Under the Boardwalk. This Magic Moment. There Goes My Baby. Dance with Me. Spanish Harlem. Stand by Me. The list of hits goes on and on.
The Drifters…one of Rock & Roll’s founding vocal groups is once again touring the U.S. under the auspices of their original management team.
From their inception in the early 1950's and up until recently, The Drifters has a symbiotic relationship with Rock & Roll legend George Treadwell, who has discovered and managed such famous artists as Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughn and Nina Simone. The Treadwell Family was there when the original Drifters formed and was responsible for guiding their career through 20 years of uninterrupted hits that has made them the second most successful recording artist of all time, according to Billboard Magazine.
Tickets range from $43-$63 and are available for purchase online - NOTE: only a limited number of tickets remain. Shea Center for Performing Arts is located at 300 Pompton Road in Wayne, New Jersey.
Through an historical journey, which included no less than 5 legendary lead singers, including Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Clyde McPhatter and Ben E. King, the group's ongoing story has covered the entire spectrum of Rock & Roll. They were the first musical group to include string instruments into Rhythm & Blues music with their hauntingly beautiful song, "There Goes My Baby".
They were the first musical group to sell 2 million records with their pop classic, "Up On The Roof". Along with fellow inductees the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, Bob Dylan and the Supremes, the Drifters were in the first class of Rock & Roll legends to be initiated into the Hall of Fame and the first African American group to be inducted. Their classic tune "Under The Boardwalk" is the most played R & B record of all time. 20 other million sellers followed. Their songs have been penned by such historic songwriters as Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller, Carole King, Jerry Goffen and Phil Spector.
They have played at the White House on 3 different occasions, gave a benefit concert in Berlin the day the wall fell, performed for the Pope, the Queen of England, Nelson Mandela and toured the world for the USO in 3 different war zones from Korea to Iraq. And behind it all was George Treadwell and his family, guiding the career of this historic group. Once again the Treadwell family has put THE DRIFTERS back on tour in the United States – a monumental reunion celebrating their 50-year catalogue of memorable hits.
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. Other events held in Shea Center can be found here.
