(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey presents Naruto: The Symphony Experience on Tuesday, May 6, 2025 at 7:00pm. For the first time ever, audiences will see a live orchestra perform the most iconic songs and themes from the Naruto animated series, live-to-picture.

For the first time, audiences will get their chance to see an original, unforgettable two-hour feature film (shown with subtitles) meticulously created by Julien Vallespi and Quentin Benayoun from the first 220 original episodes of the beloved Naruto animated series that is currently celebrating the 20th anniversary of its original TV anime adaptation. The orchestra will perform the most iconic songs and themes from the series, live-to-picture, as scenes are projected on a full-size, HD cinema screen.

“We invite Naruto fans to celebrate Naruto with this unique, live-to-picture experience. We created a two-hour film enhanced with a live, symphonic orchestra because the soundtrack plays such a huge role in the anime’s success and is praised by the legions of fans time-and-time again,” says producer Julien Vallespi. “The original score, composed by Toshio Masuda is a perfect blend between pop and rock arrangements as well as traditional Japanese instruments like the Shakuhachi and Shamisen.”

With worldwide popularity and over 250 million copies sold, Naruto, by Masashi Kishimoto, is a shonen manga that started in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1999 and concluded in 2014 after 700 chapters. The story revolves around Naruto Uzumaki, a ninja who overcomes his past and battles countless rivals to eventually become the Hokage, the leader of the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

The anime began airing on the TV Tokyo network in 2002, followed by Naruto Shippuden (2007–2017). The 20th anniversary of the TV broadcast was commemorated in October 2022. Being distributed worldwide immediately after broadcast in Japan has made Naruto an internationally celebrated series beloved by people all over the world. Eleven animated feature films have also been released, as well as apps, games, and merchandise, art exhibitions, 2.5D musicals, music festivals, and Kabuki performances.

Vallespi spent months selecting the best and most iconic moments from more than 70 hours of the first 220 episodes, identifying and choosing appropriate narrative arcs, and combining the best dialogue, scenes, and musical sequences. Significant synchronization work had to be done to match the score to the film, and to make everything as smooth as possible for the conductor and the musicians. “This symphonic-rock show is a tribute to Kishimoto’s anime and Masuda’s music,” says Vallespi.

Tickets range from $39-$99 and are available for purchase online or by calling State Theatre Guest Services at 732-246-SHOW (7469). State Theatre Guest Services, located at 15 Livingston Ave, New Brunswick NJ, is open by phone and email only, Tuesday through Friday from 11:00am to 5:00pm. For in-person purchases, Guest Services is open Tuesday through Friday from 12:00pm to 4:30pm. Additional ticket and transaction fees may apply.

After major renovations, State Theatre New Jersey celebrated its 100th Anniversary in December 2021 in a fully renovated theater. Originally built as a silent film and vaudeville palace, State Theatre’s historic significance was honored by PBS by featuring it in its documentary series, Treasures of New Jersey, in the fall of 2018. “Treasures of New Jersey: State Theatre New Jersey” can be streamed online.

Today, State Theatre is the largest performing arts center in Central New Jersey and has welcomed more than six million people through its doors since reopening as a nonprofit performing arts center in 1988. State Theatre New Jersey is a cornerstone of the cultural vitality of Middlesex County and averages a total economic impact on New Brunswick and the surrounding area of more than $18 million a year. The mainstage programs have featured high-caliber artists such as Diana Ross, Tom Jones, Kevin Hart, Ringo Starr, Melissa Etheridge, John Leguizamo, Harry Connick, Jr., Diana Krall, and Crosby, Stills & Nash. Program offerings include Broadway, orchestra, family, dance, comedy, rock/pop, jazz, Performances for Schools, and Sensory-Friendly Performances.

State Theatre New Jersey’s programs are made possible by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Grant funding has been provided by the Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners through a grant award from the Middlesex County Cultural and Arts Trust Fund. For information on events, go to MiddlesexCountyCulture.com.