South Orange Performing Arts Center has four shows between tonight and Saturday in its theater in the center of South Orange Village. Here is what is on, night by night.

Sunday, November 15: The Last Waltz Celebration

Tonight at 7:30 p.m., The THE BAND Band, a group that has been playing The Band's catalog since 2007, marks the 50th anniversary of The Last Waltz. That was The Band's farewell concert at San Francisco's Winterland Ballroom on Thanksgiving 1976. Special guests join the band for a set built from the farewell show and the group's records going back to Music From Big Pink.

Thursday, November 19: Ladies of Laughter

Ladies of Laughter began as a competition and showcase to help women break into stand-up, and its past competitors include Amy Schumer, Tammy Pescatelli and Melissa Rauch. Thursday's 7:30 p.m. lineup:

  • Carmen Lynch, whose late-night credits include The Tonight Show, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Conan.
  • Monique Latise, a Paterson native who recently won the Funny Over 50 competition on Sherri Shepherd's talk show.
  • Sheba Mason, the daughter of comedian Jackie Mason and playwright Ginger Reiter, who works the Manhattan club circuit nightly.
  • Ellen Feeney, a standout in the 2024 Ladies of Laughter national competition and the 2025 winner of New York's Laughing Buddha competition.

Friday, November 20: Back to Black

Amy Winehouse released Back to Black twenty years ago, and on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Remember Jones presents and hosts a celebration that plays the entire Grammy-winning album start to finish, followed by more of her songs. The production carries a 12-piece band and five vocalists. SOPAC lists tickets as limited for this one and asks buyers to call the box office at 973-313-2787.

Saturday, November 21: Shemekia Copeland and Jontavious Willis

Saturday at 7:30 p.m. is a co-headline blues bill. Shemekia Copeland is a multiple Grammy nominee who has spent three decades recording blues, R&B, gospel and Americana. Jontavious Willis, a Grammy-nominated guitarist and singer from Georgia, was discovered by Taj Mahal. SOPAC bills the night as a rare co-headline evening for the pair.

Tickets and getting there

SOPAC is at One SOPAC Way in South Orange Village, a short walk from the South Orange station on NJ Transit's Morris and Essex Lines, with Midtown Direct trains to Penn Station New York. The box office, at 973-313-2787, is open Tuesday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. and two hours before each performance, and tickets for every show are on SOPAC's website. Members get advance ticket offers and discounts.

The theater is surrounded by the village's restaurants and shops, and SOPAC's website keeps a parking and dining guide for show nights.

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