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The Shining Stars- Broadway and Beyond!

Friday, May 09, 2025 @ 7:00pm



Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC) - Main Stage
1601 Irving Street, Rahway, NJ 07065

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The Shining Stars celebrate Broadway as this talented group of performers with special needs takes the UCPAC Main Stage for another exciting show! They have been lighting up the UCPAC stage since 2019 and no doubt, this show will be another memorable night of song and dance featuring legendary Broadway music you know and love, performed with the excitement and passion that these stars bring to every show. This show is presented by Shining Stars Network, a non profit 501(c)3 organization which shines the light on the special needs community by creating opportunities in the performing arts. Over 1,000 audience members attended our first “Broadway” show back in 2019 at UCPAC so you won’t want to miss this one!

Shining Stars Network is an expansion of the incredibly successful Shining Stars Talent Show – which was created by Sally Curci in 2012 to showcase the various talents of special needs students in Cranford, New Jersey.

Sally Curci and Shining Stars were awarded the prestigious Betty McGhee Award for her service to the special needs community by the Arc of Union County. Sally was also honored by the Cranford Board of Education for her service to the community.

Special needs and neurotypical performers come together in a dazzling display of choreography and teamwork – a culmination of four months of rehearsals and amazing dedication from the students, parents and volunteer buddies from local high schools.




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EVENT PREVIEWS

(PRINCETON, NJ) -- Princeton Summer Theater has unveiled its 2026 subscription season which will run from June 11th to August 1st, featuring an exciting lineup of three mainstage pieces and a family-friendly musical. Productions include Barefoot in the Park, The 39 Steps, True West, and You're a Good Man Charlie Brown.



"Slanted

"Slanted Floors" returns to its Greenpoint Apartment

(NEW YORK, NY) -- Following critical acclaim and sold-out performances, Slanted Floors — hailed by the Daily Beast as "one of New York's most unique and exclusive pieces of theatre" — returns for a strictly limited five-week engagement in its original Greenpoint apartment setting. Performances will run May 26 through June 26, 2026, with 150 seats available.



Arden

Arden Theatre Company presents "Dear Evan Hansen"

(PHILADELPHIA, PA) -- Arden Theatre Company brings the Tony Award-winning musical, Dear Evan Hansen, to the F. Otto Haas Stage this spring. Featuring a book by Steven Levenson and music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the production is directed by Terrence J. Nolen and co-conceived by Jorge Cousineau and Nolen. Performances begin May 21, the show opens May 27, and runs through July 5, 2026.



Paper

Paper Mill Playhouse presents "West Side Story"

(MILLBURN, NJ) -- Paper Mill Playhouse presents West Side Story, the final production of Paper Mill's 2025-2026 season, from May 28 through June 28, 2026. An enduring masterpiece based on a conception of Jerome Robbins, West Side Story reimagines Romeo and Juliet in 1950s New York, where young lovers Tony and Maria dare to dream of a future together as rival gangs the Jets and the Sharks clash for control of the streets.



MPAC

MPAC Announces Free Summer Concert Lineup for 2026

(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Mayo Performing Arts Center's Arts in the Community free summer concert schedule for 2026 has been announced. MPAC will present six free concerts between June and August. The lineup includes the return of three of their most popular events – Bollywood Dance Party, Country Line Dancing and Salsa at Sunset, as well as singer-songwriters, and more.












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