It’s one thing to go catch a show at your local performing arts center. It’s another to have a performing arts center that features a playhouse, theatre company, ballet school, and school of the arts all under one roof! If this cultural mishmash sounds like your style, then you should set your sights on New Brunswick Performing Arts Center. The building is state-of-the-art with a $173 million design, making it a hotspot for top performers to take the stage.
Opening Night
September marked the most-anticipated premier in performing arts – the Grand Opening of the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC). This center is the new home for four of New Jersey’s premier performing arts companies:
- George Street Playhouse
- Crossroads Theatre Company
- Princeton’s American Repertory Ballet School
- Rutgers Mason Gross School of the Arts
This new fusion of music, dance, theatre, and performance elevates New Brunswick even further as New Jersey’s cultural capital. One theatre specializes in opera, theatre, and dance; while the second theatre is dedicated to smaller plays and dance performances. Collaborative workspaces and three rehearsal rooms are available for performers to practice or for the center to put on workshops and classes. There are even modern apartments available for rent so that performers can be fully immersed in their craft.
Upcoming Shows
The 2019 performing arts schedule at NBPAC is chock-full of class acts. Celebrate 40 years of dance with New Heights, an electrifying show featuring four different choreographers. Experience perfection in the form of melody with the CN Philharmonic, an act that promises to “bring classical music back to life.” Catch a case of the giggles during My Life on a Diet, a play that the New York Times dubs as “Fascinating. Lighthearted. Spicy.” With multiple artforms showcased each season, you can find the perfect performance to satisfy your artistic appetite.
Your Cultural Hub
Located right across the street from the New Brunswick Performing Art Center is The Heldrich, a hotel known for its convenient downtown location and friendly staff. The Heldrich is smack dab in the middle of New Brunswick’s cultural center. Wake up and head to a ballet at Princeton’s American Repertory Ballet School, walk back for lunch at the hotel’s sophisticated restaurant, Christophers, and then hop over for a matinee play at Crossroads Theatre Company. Not only do you have easy access to the best in dance and theatre, but you also have access to the hotel’s permanent art collection, which features three galleries and rotating exhibitions.
Right now The Heldrich is offering a “Dinner, Show & Stay Package,” ideal for those who are visiting and want to check out one of the latest shows at New Brunswick Performing Art Center. The promotion includes a three-course dinner, overnight accommodations, and a late checkout, so you can enjoy a night on the town and sleep in the next day.
