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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

(UNION, NJ) -- American Theater Group (ATG) presents the East Coast premiere of Destroying David at the DMK Theater at Union Arts Center from October 9-18 and at the Sieminski Theater from October 23-25, 2026. Destroying David is a thrilling, witty and heartfelt solo show about the power of art to help us through our darkest hours. The play is written and performed by Emmy Award-nominee Jason Odell Williams. ATG's new Producing Artistic Director Charlotte Cohn will direct.



(NEWARK, NJ) -- New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) presents a night of comedy with acclaimed comedian Darren Fleet on Friday, October 23, 2026 at 8:00pm. Audiences are invited to experience the unique brand of humor that has made Fleet one of the most talked-about comedians on today's entertainment scene.



(ASBURY PARK, NJ) -- Monmouth Arts presents BRING ON THE FUNK: Where the Arts Get Down, an unforgettable celebration of music, creativity, culture, and community taking place on Thursday, October 29, 2026, at the iconic The Asbury Hotel and Asbury Lanes in Asbury Park. The evening will honor an extraordinary lineup of trailblazers and cultural leaders whose work has made a lasting impact across music, literature, community service, and the arts.



(MONTCLAIR, NJ) -- Outpost in the Burbs presents Suzanne Vega - Flying with Angels on October 30, 2026 at 8:00pm (doors at 7:00pm). The concert will take place at the First Congregational Church (40 South Fullerton Avenue) in Montclair.



State

State Theatre New Jersey presents Ballet Hispánico New York on November 1st

(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- Ballet Hispánico New York is the nation’s leading American Latino dance company and the largest cultural institution of its kind in the U.S. They will perform at State Theatre New Jersey on Sunday, November 1, 2026 at 3:00pm.












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