originally published: 06/10/2021
(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey presents An Evening of Dueling Pianos featuring Nate Hopkins and Debbie Tjong on Thursday, June 17, 2021 at 7:00pm. This virtual Pride Month event will be hosted on Zoom by drag queen performer, Victoria Lace. A minimum donation of $15 allows patrons to participate in the event. Proceeds raised support State Theatre’s Community Engagement programs. To sign up for this event, click here.
The Pride Month event is presented by State Theatre New Jersey's LGBTQ Community Engagement Committee. Launched in 2016, State Theatre’s LGBTQ Community Engagement Committee is comprised of dedicated community leaders with a wide range of backgrounds that champion diversity, increase engagement, and build relationships with members of New Jersey’s diverse community.
The STNJ Pride event will feature an audience interactive dueling pianos performance which will allow audience members to request songs. The event will also include giveaways and special guest appearances. Those who sign up for the event will automatically be entered to win a variety of prizes, including gift certificates to Fiddleheads Restaurant in Jamesburg or Robert’s Florals in Highland Park; the Pride 2021 Everyone is Awesome LEGOÒ set; a $50 Visa gift card, courtesy of Argentino Fiore Law & Advocacy, LLC; State Theatre swag; or State Theatre show tickets.
Debbie Christine Tjong is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, and actress. An alumna of Berklee College of Music, she has been working professionally as a singer and dueling piano player for 10 years. In addition to piano and voice, she plays the bass, guitar, and drums. She has appeared in numerous Off-Broadway productions, most recently being in the ensemble and understudying the female lead in The Wrong Man, helmed by the team of Hamilton.
Nate Hopkins is a singer, pianist, entertainer, and actor. An alumnus of Berklee College of Music and the Upright Citizen’s Brigade Theater, he has been seen in dueling piano venues across the country, notably as the entertainment director of Howl at the Moon NYC. He has appeared onstage as an actor and musician in Broadway’s Bandstand, as well as off-Broadway’s What’s It All About: Bacharach Reimagined. He has also served as music director for Imperial Cities, as well as the theatrical productions of Eastbound and When Change Comes.
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Victoria Lace is an entertainer and New York native with 34 years of artistic experience. She began her drag career as a background dancer for other well-known queens, and eventually branched out on her own. Her career took off after winning pageants all across the country. Aside from dancing, Victoria developed her skills impersonating artists such as Gladys Knight, Donna Summer, and Tina Turner. She has appeared in films such as To Wong Foo, Stonewall, and American Gangsters.
State Theatre was built in 1921 as a silent film and vaudeville palace. Recognizing the historic significance of the theater, PBS honored State Theatre New Jersey 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 at STNJ.org/History. Today, State Theatre is the largest performing arts center in Central New Jersey and has welcomed six million people through its doors since reopening as a non-profit 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, Tony Bennett, 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.
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