Kean Stage Fall 2026 Preview

Kean Stage is the professional presenting series at Kean University. Every semester, the organization puts on a variety of performances from around the world, ranging from big musicals starring well-known stars to family shows; there’s something for everybody. 

The fall semester at Kean University is quickly approaching, with classes starting on September 1. This article will preview all of the program’s performances for the rest of 2026. 

The Shows

Joshua Henry: Get Up, Stand Up

September 13 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Enlow Recital Hall: 215 North Avenue, Hillside

Tickets: $55.00 to $88.00
Get Up, Stand Up is a “soulful bop.” From Broadway classics to original pieces, Henry captures the musicography that has defined the Black community for decades. 

Music and Conversation with Paquito D’Rivera

September 18 at 7:30 p.m.

Enlow Recital Hall: 215 North Avenue, Hillside

Tickets: $23.00

D’Rivera is a saxophonist and clarinetist who blends jazz, classical, and Latin traditions into a vibrant musical voice. This is not only a traditional concert: audience members will enjoy an on-stage conversation with Kean historian Dr. Frank Argote-Freyre about D’Rivera’s life, journey, and influences, along with an open Q&A. 

The Stylistics

October 4 at 3:00 p.m.

Wilkins Theatre: 1000 Morris Avenue, Union

Tickets: $68.00 to $93.00

The Stylistics provide a night of R&B  that blends soulful harmonies with unbeatable on-stage chemistry and presence. Audiences will enjoy being transported through decades of love songs and soulful blues. 

References to Salvador Dalí Make Me Hot

October 9, 10, 14, 16, and 17 at 7:30 p.m., October 10, 11, and 17 at 2:00 p.m., October 15 at 5:30 p.m., and October 16 at 10:00 a.m. 

Bauer Boucher Theatre Center: 1000 Morris Avenue, Union 

Tickets: $15.00 to $18.00

This play follows Gabriela, a lonely housewife in California who is awaiting her soldier-husband Benito’s return from the Gulf War in 1991. This play features both real historical elements, such as the life of a housewife with her husband at war and its ramifications for mental health, and the absurdity of a fantasy world and a housecat’s romance with a coyote. This show is not appropriate for children, and features strong language and mature themes such as PTSD and infidelity. 

Presidents Distinguished Lecture Series: Isabel Klee

October 29 at 4:30 p.m

North Avenue Academic Building Auditorium: 1000 Morris Hall, Union

Tickets: $23.00

Isabel Klee is a writer, content creator, and one of the most prominent voices in the pet advocacy space. Klee has built an audience around her writing, her firsthand experience fostering dogs in New York City, and the visibility she brings to the urgent need for people willing to foster animals.

The Drowsy Chaperone

November 13, 14, 18, 20, and 21 at 7:30 p.m., November 14, 15, and 21 at 2:00 p.m., November 19 at 5:30 p.m., and November 20 at 10:00 a.m. 

Bauer Boucher Theatre Center: 1000 Morris Avenue, Union 

Tickets: $15.00 to $18.00

A man in a chair appears on stage and puts on his favorite record: the cast recording of a fictitious 1928 musical. The recording comes to life, and The Drowsy Chaperone begins as the man in the chair looks on. With two lovers on the eve of their wedding, a bumbling best man, a desperate theatre producer, a not-so-bright hostess, two gangsters posing as pastry chefs, a misguided Don Juan and an intoxicated chaperone, you have the ingredients for an evening of madcap delight.

Chloral Concert

November 21 at 7:30 p.m.

Enlow Recital Hall: 215 North Avenue, Hillside

No tickets, free admission

The Kean University Fall Choral Concert will feature the Kean University Choir and Concert Choir. The concert will include a diverse range of choral works and feature collaborative pianist Justine Langman, as well as other student conductors and performers.

Jamaican Jazz Legend Monty Alexander

November 22 at 3:00 p.m.

Enlow Recital Hall: 215 North Avenue, Hillside

Tickets: $48.00 to $68.00

At the intersection of Jazz and Jamaican music in the 1950s and 1960s stood two legendary figures, guitarist Ernest Ranglin and pianist Monty Alexander. Now in his 80s, the latter has discovered the genius of a 17-year-old guitar prodigy, Marel Hidalgo. Hidalgo is from New Jersey and takes inspiration from Ranglin. Hidalgo’s passion and appreciation of Ranglin’s material was cemented after Hidalgo had a recent guest appearance with Alexander at the Blue Note in New York.

A Christmas Carol

December 4 at 7:30 p.m.

Wilkins Theatre: 1000 Morris Avenue, Union

Tickets: $38.00 to $52.00

A Christmas Carol tells a classic tale of the redemption of a greedy man, Ebenezer Scrooge, guided by three ghosts that visit him on Christmas Eve. This show is recommended for families.

Clifford the Big Red Dog: The Musical

December 12 at 11:00 a.m.

Wilkins Theatre: 1000 Morris Avenue, Union

Tickets: $20.00 to $28.00

Clifford the Big Red Dog bounds onto the stage in a brand-new musical comedy adventure that celebrates friendship, imagination, and the magic of unconditional love. Emily Elizabeth adores her new puppy, but when her giant love makes Clifford literally giant, the family must trade their cramped city apartment for a home on Birdwell Island. This show is recommended for families.

The Klezmatics featuring La Manga

December 13 at 3:00 p.m.

Enlow Recital Hall: 215 North Avenue, Hillside

Tickets: $63.00 to $78.00

Celebrate Hanukkah with pioneers of modern klezmer, The Klezmatics. From beloved Hanukkah classics to original songs, this show blends Yiddish tradition with Black gospel, jazz, Latin rhythms, and other global influences.

Is There Life After High School?

December 17 at 7:30 p.m.

Enlow Recital Hall: 215 North Avenue, Hillside

Tickets: $15.00 to $18.00

A witty, heartfelt, and nostalgic musical, Is There Life After High School? takes audiences on a hilarious and touching journey through the awkward triumphs, painful memories, and enduring friendships of adolescence. Reuniting at their high school reunion, a group of former classmates relive the moments that shaped them. 

The Swingles

December 18 at 7:30 p.m.

Enlow Recital Hall: 215 North Avenue, Hillside

Tickets: $63.00 to $78.00

The Swingles’ signature, instantly recognizable sound showcases various ways to reimagine jazz, folk, pop, and classical music in both their past and current songs.