Photo provided by Day After Day Productions
(UNION, NJ) -- Kean Stage presents Billy Ocean, the biggest black recording star Britain has ever produced, on Thursday, April 2, 2026 in the Wilkins Theatre. Showtime is 7:30pm.
Billy Ocean has achieved extraordinary success as both an artist and a songwriter. Born in Trinidad, Billy settled in London’s East End when just seven years old. The calypso crazy kid soon got turned on to soul singers like Otis Redding and Sam Cooke, as well as pop groups like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, leading him to spend much of his study time in the music room.
He got his first break with his second single, the Motown-ish Love Really Hurts Without You, which reached No. 2 in the UK charts and No. 12 in the US. Two top twenty singles followed; Love on Delivery and Stop Me, then Red Light Spells Danger became a smash in both the UK and the US.
Billy then had instant success with the million selling American number one single Caribbean Queen (for which Billy won a Grammy for Best R&B Vocal), followed by Loverboy, and Suddenly, which became the first of Billy’s killer ballads. The album from which these singles came from spent a year in the US Charts selling double platinum (triple in Canada). 1986 wasn’t bad either, opening with When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Gets Going, the theme song to the Michael Douglas/Kathleen Turner/Danny Devito movie Jewel of the Nile. Two more US Number 1 hits quickly followed, There’ll be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry) and the now classic Get Outta My Dreams; Get Into My Car.
Tickets for Billy Ocean range from $82 - $98 and are available for purchase online or by contacting the Box Office at (908) 737-7469. A limited number of VIP Merchandise Packages are available, which includes a premium ticket, exclusive T-shirt, VIP merchandise pack and commemorative ticket. The Kean Stage Box Office is located in Wilkins Theatre (1000 Morris Avenue, Union, NJ) and is open Monday - Friday, 10:00am - 3:00pm.
Kean Stage at Kean University educates, entertains and challenges audiences by presenting high-quality programs that reflect the diversity of the region and of the arts. These cultural offerings complement the intellectual life of the classroom for our students, increase opportunities for community engagement, and provide affordable access to the arts for New Jersey residents. Audiences of all ages are invited to enjoy a wide range of professional theatre, Broadway tours, dance performances, concerts, international films and family-friendly shows. In addition, Kean Stage encourages University students to attend events, and provides several opportunities to explore the performing arts through masterclasses, workshops, lectures, and employment opportunities as ushers, backstage technicians and box office staff.
Kean University, New Jersey’s urban research university, is a national institution of higher education recognized for its diversity, innovation and the social mobility of its graduates. Designated an R2 research university by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, Kean ranks among the top eight percent of U.S. universities for research and doctorate production. Founded in 1855 as a teachers college, Kean has evolved into a thriving research university that supports students as they persist to graduation, give back to their communities and launch successful careers. Kean’s six colleges offer more than 50 undergraduate programs, six doctoral degree programs and more than 70 options leading to master’s degrees, professional diplomas or certifications, across a full range of academic subjects. With campuses in Union, Toms River and Manahawkin, New Jersey, and Wenzhou, China, as well as Kean Online, the University provides students of all backgrounds an affordable and accessible world-class education.
