(SOUTH ORANGE, NJ) -- Now in its 21st season, the South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) continues a partnership that has been part of its story from the very beginning. Seton Hall University (SHU) returns to the SOPAC mainstage throughout Season 21 with a full lineup of programming presented by the Seton Hall University Arts Council, from student theatre to big band jazz and grand opera. Fall performances kick off this week with the Lionel Hampton Big Band.
SOPAC opened its doors in 2006, born from a shared vision of the South Orange Village Trustees and Seton Hall University. Twenty years later, that partnership is a true win-win. Community audiences enjoy accessible, high-quality performances close to home, and Seton Hall students and faculty share their work on a professional stage in SOPAC’s Jennifer & Tony Leitner Performance Hall. Students, faculty, and neighbors sit side by side in the same seats, experiencing the arts together.
The partnership extends to the box office, too: Seton Hall students attend SHU Arts Council performances at SOPAC free of charge, and SHU students and faculty save up to 50% on SOPAC mainstage shows through the SHU Discount. And with the Shufly shuttle running right to SOPAC, the trip from campus to the theatre is an easy one.
"Seton Hall has been part of SOPAC since before the lights first came on. When SHU students step onto our mainstage, they're performing in a professional theatre for a real community audience, and our neighbors get to see the next generation of artists up close. That's what this partnership has always been about, and we're proud to celebrate 21 seasons of it." — Miriam Vales, SOPAC Interim Executive Director
"SOPAC gives our students and faculty something no classroom can – a professional stage and an audience that extends beyond campus. We're grateful for 20 years of partnership and excited to share another full season with the South Orange community." — Chris Aurilio, Director, Production/Facilities, College of Human Development, Culture, and Media, Seton Hall University
Seton Hall at SOPAC: Fall 2026
SHU Jazz 'n the Hall Concert Series: Lionel Hampton Big Band featuring Jason Marsalis
Tuesday, October 13 at 7:30pm. The Seton Hall Arts Council's Jazz 'n the Hall series welcomes the GRAMMY Award-winning Lionel Hampton Big Band, featuring Jason Marsalis.
SHU Theatre: William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night - Thursday, October 29 at 8:00pm | Friday, October 30 at 8:00pm | Saturday, October 31 at 8:00pm | Sunday, November 1 at 2:00pm. Seton Hall University Theatre stages Shakespeare's classic romantic comedy of shipwrecked twins, mistaken identity, and a tangled love triangle, performed by a cast and crew of SHU students and directed by Stephanie ila Silver-Silberstein.
SHU Classical Concert Series: Vincenzo Bellini's Norma - Wednesday, November 11 at 6:00pm. The Seton Hall Classical Concert Series and the Alberto Italian Studies Institute present MidAtlantic Artistic Productions in Bellini's operatic masterpiece, starring Amy Shoremount-Obra (Norma), Laura Zahn (Adalgisa), Nathan Schafer (Pollione), and Henry Kim (Oroveso).
SHU Jazz 'n the Hall Concert Series: The Analog Jazz Orchestra - Wednesday, November 18 at 7:30pm. Led by saxophonist Geoff Vidal, The Analog Jazz Orchestra brings together veterans of the United States Army Jazz Band for an evening honoring U.S. veterans through music.
More Seton Hall programming will be announced for winter and spring. For the full lineup, visit SOPACnow.org. For details on the SHU Discount, visit sopacnow.org/box-office/.
The South Orange Performing Arts Center curates a distinctive lineup of exhilarating and expansive performances, bringing exceptional artists and unforgettable experiences to audiences in the greater South Orange/Maplewood region and contributing to the economic and social vibrancy of its highly diverse community.
SOPAC is an accessible cultural destination that presents world-class artists in an intimate and welcoming setting. The Jennifer & Tony Leitner Performance Hall is a 439-seat mainstage theatre with superb acoustics, sight lines, and seating. SOPAC offers a rare connection between artists and audiences—where every seat feels close to the stage and every performance feels personal. Guests experience the excitement of seeing world-class performers in a space that creates the feeling of exclusive access, where artists share their work, stories, and passion in a way that larger venues simply cannot replicate. Artists acknowledge that the atmosphere encourages conversations with audiences. The Loft at SOPAC is a 2,185 square-foot multi-purpose space used for performances, rehearsals, classes, and special events.
The unique architecture of SOPAC’s building, which includes a stunning 3-story glass-enclosed atrium, is also home to the Herb + Milly Iris Gallery, where exhibitions showcase the work of local, regional, and nationally recognized visual artists, providing free access to the visual arts for residents and visitors throughout the year. Beyond the building, SOPAC co-produces local events such as South Orange Summer Nights and serves students and schools through its arts education residencies.
SOPAC is invested in arts education and creating meaningful opportunities for students of all ages to experience, participate in, and connect with the arts. SOPAC serves students and schools in our region through a School Performance Series, performing Arts Residencies, and an annual juried art exhibit entitled INSPIRED MINDS: Young Artist Exhibition. SOPAC also collaborates with the New Jersey State Council on the Arts each year to host the Region 5 Poetry Out Loud competitions. With its artistic partnership with SOPAC, the Seton Hall University Arts Council presents a diverse range of events at SOPAC with seasoned professionals, students, and faculty. Through these collaborations, SOPAC continues to expand access to the arts and create opportunities for learning, connection, and discovery across generations.
SOPAC opened its doors in 2006, born from a shared vision of the South Orange Village Trustees and Seton Hall University to create the artistic destination of the community and the centerpiece of an ambitious redevelopment plan. More than 2 decades later, SOPAC continues to serve as a cultural cornerstone for the region, an economic driver for the community, and a catalyst for artistic opportunity.
The Seton Hall University Arts Council supports the integral role of the arts in higher education. The Arts Council, housed within the College of Human Development, Culture, and Media, strengthens the cultural vitality of the visual, literary and performing arts for the University campus and the surrounding community.
Monday, October 12, 2026
@ 7:00pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center
Morristown, NJ
Monday, October 12, 2026
@ 10:00am
Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC) - Main Stage
Rahway, NJ
Tuesday, October 13, 2026
@ 7:30pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center
Morristown, NJ
There are multiple performances including:
Tuesday, October 13, 2026
@ 7:30pm
New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC)
New Brunswick, NJ
There are multiple performances including:
Wednesday, October 14, 2026
@ 7:30pm
McCarter Theatre Center (Matthews Theatre)
Princeton, NJ
