Bernadette Peters: Before Hello Dolly on Broadway, she was Bernadette Peters in Concert at QPAC!

Published: March 15, 2018

Just about one year ago, hundreds of theatre goers packed the house at Queensborough’s Performing Arts Center (QPAC), in anticipation of seeing iconic star Bernadette Peters showcase selections from her glittering career songbook. She stood under a spotlight in a sequined lavender gown and proceeded to charm the audience with her magical voice, in Bernadette Peters in Concert.

Ms. Peters, now starring on Broadway as Dolly Levi in Hello Dolly, is among scores of distinguished Broadway stars, many of whom have won multiple Tony’s, whose names have been in lights at QPAC. They include Patti Lupone (Evita); Rita Moreno and Chita Rivera (both for West Side Story); Vanessa Williams (Into the Woods);  Chazz Palminteri (A Bronx Tale); Joel Grey (Cabaret); Ben Vereen, (Pippin); Mandy Patinkin (Fiddler on the Roof); Norm Lewis (Porgy and Bess); Billy Porter (Kinky Boots); and Lainie Kazan (My Favorite Year).

“We bring the very best in performance by elevating the live theatre experience. While the Broadway theatres in Manhattan and the regional theatres in Queens are usually thought of as separate worlds, if you look at the artists who have appeared here, and those scheduled this season, you’ll agree that QPAC has bridged that gap.”  Susan Agin, Executive and Artistic Director, QPAC.

Broadway royalty scheduled to perform this spring include Tony Award-winner Brian Stokes Mitchell who received a Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle award for Kiss Me Kate. Tony-nominated performances include Man of La Mancha, August Wilson's King Hedley II, and Ragtime. Most recently, he stared with Audra McDonald in Shuffle Along. Sunday, April 15, 2018, 3:00 p.m.

Tony Orlando will bring his exhilarating energy, warmth and humor to QPAC with Tony Orlando: All the Hits! A top selling recording artist, songwriter, concert headliner, network television star, Motion Picture actor, Broadway performer and author, very few entertainers have excelled in so many realms. Sunday, April 22, 2018 at 3:00 p.m.

Broadways biggest singing and dancing stars will bring  Dancin' Broadway, a multi-media spectacular celebrating Broadway's biggest dance numbers from Broadway's biggest blockbusters, performed by Broadways biggest singing and dancing stars, accompanied by a live band. Sunday, April 29, 2018 at 3:00 p.m.

Clint Holmes is one of those rare performers who can legitimately be called one of the greatest contemporary entertainers of our time. While the concert stage remains the mainstay of Holmes' career, he moves effortlessly between the worlds of music, television and theatre. Voted Best Male Singer by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, and Best Singer by Broadway. Sunday, May 6, 2018, 3:00 p.m.

Rounding out the spring season is America's greatest big band music revue celebrating their 23rd Anniversary. Much more than a concert, In the Mood presents a retro 1940's musical singers and dancers, and the sensational String of Pearls big band orchestra. March 18, 2018, 3:00 p.m.

Back by popular demand, The New Shanghai Circus spends a swift 2 hours in a range of demanding performances that are a refreshing alternative to the Western tradition. Following a six-week run on Broadway, these fearless performers bring us a new spellbinding show with astonishing athletes that defy gravity and execute breathtaking feats. Friday, March 23, 2018, 8:00 p.m.

Celebrating two giants of Pop music! Piano Men treats you to all of the excitement that only Billy Joel and Elton John together in concert together can create. All of their hits come alive when performed by Broadway veterans Craig A. Meyer and Donnie Kehr, accompanied by amazingly talented backup singers and The Rocket Band of all-star musicians Sunday, March 24, 2018, 8:00 p.m.

Since its premiere in 1841, Giselle has captured the imagination and torn at the heart. A village girl falls in love with a man who is not all he seems. When she finds out his deception, she dies of a broken heart. Transformed into a spirit, she battles to save her lover in the woods haunted by the ghosts of jilted women. For the ballerina, it offers a career-making opportunity to show off not just technique but emotional range. Moscow Festival Ballet, Sunday, March 25, 2018, 3:00 p.m.

The Broadway Dolls! For the first time you can experience a "Best of Manhattan" award-winning concert featuring a roster of the most dynamic women on Broadway. A celebration of Broadway music, rock n' roll and 60's girl groups, this all-singing, all dancing, super glamourous show, is a truly unique live theatrical experience. In this fast-paced, high-voltage musical revue, the women take classic Broadway hits and music from the radio, and re-invent them as never heard before! Cutting edge and utterly original, no stone is unturned in this diverse and all-encompassing musical catalog, spanning 7 decades of music. This first-rate company of leading ladies hails directly from the Broadway casts of Mamma Mia, Chicago, Memphis, Jersey Boys, Sunday, April 8, 2018, 3 p.m.

For more information, please contact the QPAC Box Office at 718.631.6311. Tickets are available online at http://www.visitQPAC.org and don’t forget to visit us on Facebook!  Don’t let the high cost of shows in Manhattan plus the added expense of parking your car stop you from seeing quality entertainment. QPAC’s excellent location, diverse schedule of events, reasonable ticket prices, free parking, beautiful theatre, infrared listening devices and exceptional service make it an excellent choice for a memorable outing.

###

Campus Cultural Centers

Kupferberg Holocaust Center exterior lit up at nightOpens in a new window
Kupferberg Holocaust Center Opens in a new window

The KHC uses the lessons of the Holocaust to educate current and future generations about the ramifications of unbridled prejudice, racism and stereotyping.

Russian Ballet performing at the Queensborough Performing Arts CenterOpens in a new window
QPAC: Performing Arts CenterOpens in a new window

QPAC is an invaluable entertainment company in this region with a growing national reputation. The arts at QPAC continues to play a vital role in transforming lives and building stronger communities.

Queensborough Art Gallery exterior in the afternoonOpens in a new window
QCC Art Gallery

The QCC Art Gallery of the City University of New York is a vital educational and cultural resource for Queensborough Community College, the Borough of Queens and the surrounding communities.