Premier Drag Queen Entertainer Vivian Valentine performs live on The Z’s Main Stage Theater.

TasteBreakers, the music scene’s happy hour. Pop over to The Z after work to hear our favorite music trendsetters. In May, we welcomed Jonah Ross!

Jonah Ross is a singer-songwriter based in Norfolk, Va. Raised in equal parts by the folk music of the 60s and 70s and the rock sensibilities of the British invasion, he weaves together sincere narratives within tightly crafted pop songs. After spending 5 years as the other half of the songwriting duo in the band Court Street Company, Jonah’s solo work is focused on more lyrical storytelling. These new recordings will debut in Spring 2022.

This concert was filmed on May 22, 2022 at The Z. The virtual viewing link expires Saturday, June 25th at 11:59 PM. Contact our box office at boxoffice@thez.org or 757-499-0317 with any technical difficulties or concerns.

The TasteBreakers music festival is a celebration of our exceptionally talented local and regional original artists and music-loving community! The weekend includes a diverse line-up of performances that will delight your musical palate and professional development workshops with industry experts for those looking to broaden their horizons. Come for the music you know, stay for something new, and leave inspired to keep expanding your musical boundaries!

Schedule of Events:

Friday- June 24, 2022

5:30pm Open Mic

• Main Lobby
• Free and Open to the Public
• Calling all singer/songwriters! This is your opportunity to take the mic. Test out a new original song or share your favorite cover. It’s up to you. The most important thing is to share a song for all to hear in this welcoming, supportive, and creative environment.

6:30pm-Songwriting Party

• Studio Theater
• Hosted by Hannah Shaleen and Eric Saab
• Friday Performance Pass or All-Access Pass Required
• Ever want to write your own song, but don’t know where to start? This is your chance to learn how in a fun & accessible way! Grab a friend and join the “songwriting” party! (Ability to read music or play an instrument is NOT required).

8:00pm- Songwriter Swap

• Main Stage
• Friday Performance Pass or All-Access Pass Required
• Featuring: Koren Grace, Hannah Shaleen, Rob Oliver, K’bana Blaq, Otis Brooks and Eric Staab
• Each songwriter brings their indelible creative fingerprint to their original songs. But what happens when another songwriter layers their creative fingerprint on top? That is what you will hear at this Songwriters Swap featuring 6 Hampton Roads songwriters performing their original music as well as each other’s!

Saturday- June 25, 2022

2:00pm- Violet Bell Workshop: Where Do Songs Come From

• Main Stage
• All Access Pass Required
• “Where Do Songs Come From?” Is an interactive workshop that explores creativity, self-acceptance, and empowerment through the lens of songwriting. Anyone can write a song, including YOU. This workshop will help you connect with your own creative power to find inspiration anywhere, and empower you to hone raw source materials into finished work. Learn mindsets, tools and practices to cultivate a rich inner creative landscape and sustainable creative process.

3:30pm- Creative Office Hours Workshop – Liz and Sibel

• Studio
• All Access Pass Required
• Join Elizabeth Terrell (Series & Concert Producer) and Sibel Galindez (Community Engagement Director) to find out just how CREATIVITY meets OPPORTUNITY at The Z through our various programs to include our Heart of Art Workshop and The Z Unplugged and Proteus.

5:30pm Open Mic

• Main Lobby
• Free and Open to the Public
• Calling all singer/songwriters! This is your opportunity to take the mic. Test out a new original song or share your favorite cover. It’s up to you. The most important thing is to share a song for all to hear in this welcoming, supportive, and creative environment.

6:30pm Z Unplugged Showcase

• Studio
• Saturday Performance Pass or All Access Pass
• Featuring the fabulous talents of the 757: Jim Bulleit, Jena Lawlor, Akeylah Simone and Roy Ira Moats. Join us as each featured singer/songwriter shares their work in what we call a song-circle–accompanying each other and sharing stories about their songs & creative process.

8:00pm- Violet Bell Performance

• Main Stage
• Saturday Performance Pass or All Access Pass Required

COVID-19 Protocols will be followed based on the CDC’s defined transmission level.

If you like to laugh, don’t miss these shows!  Our resident comedy company is back for another season of quick witted and hilarious offerings.  Improv, Sketch, Video and Stand Up: This company does it all!  Performing in both the Main stage and the Studio Theatres, Plan B Comedy has something for everyone, get your tickets now and we’ll see you at The Z.

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

If you like to laugh, don’t miss these shows!  Our resident comedy company is back for another season of quick witted and hilarious offerings.  Improv, Sketch, Video and Stand Up: This company does it all!  Performing in both the Main stage and the Studio Theatres, Plan B Comedy has something for everyone, get your tickets now and we’ll see you at The Z.

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

VIRTUAL ON DEMAND

TasteBreakers, the music scene’s happy hour. Pop over to The Z after work to hear our favorite music trendsetters. In April, we welcomed John Toomey Quartet.

Professor John Toomey has been recognized for excellence in teaching several times, including his designation as University Professor for Excellence in Teaching, an honorary title awarded to less then 2 percent of the faculty at the university. Other honors include TELETECHNET Professor of the Year, and winner of the prestigious SCHEV Award for Excellence in Teaching. In 1991, Professor Toomey was designated a cultural specialist in Jazz by the United States Information Agency, and was sent to Botswana, Africa in this capacity to both teach and perform.

In the area of research, Professor Toomey serves as both director and performer for the Attucks Jazz Series under the umbrella of the Virginia Arts Festival, performs often on the Diehn Concert Series with various jazz artists, and served as performer and Music Director for Havana Nights, a state of the art jazz club in the Tidewater region. In all of these venues, he has performed in concert with nationally and internationally acclaimed jazz artists, such as Randy Brecker, John Fedchock, John Abercrombie, Terrell Stafford, and others. Professor Toomey has toured with jazz vocalist Rene Marie, including appearances at the JVC Festival in France and the Monterey Festival in California, and is featured on the recording Live at the Jazz Standard. The original score he composed for The Boys of H Company was recently aired in Singapore and Japan, and was featured on national television dozens of times during the past few years. Professor Toomey is currently featured on two recordings that were released in early 2015, Timely, with Glenn Wilson and John Dearth, and Fluidity, with trombone great John Fedchock. Before his tenure at Old Dominion University, Professor Toomey performed and toured the world with jazz trumpet legend Maynard Ferguson with whom he recorded two cds, High Voltage 2, and Big Bop Noveau. His most recent release is a live quartet recording with jazz trombone legend John Fedchock entitled Reminiscence, released on the Summit label.

Presented by Children’s Theatre of Hampton Roads

Written Jessica Brooke Pinsky

In a house, there lives a Dog. The dog is happy. Life is peaceful. Then the humans bring home a surprise. A yarn chasing, mouse hunting, meowing surprise. Dog does not like surprises. Will this odd pair learn to coexist, or will it be mass hysteria? Whatever the case, hysterical antics are coming to a theatre near you! This hilarious show will have you wagging your tail and howling with delight. Don’t miss this odd couple story, enjoyable for the whole family. Whether you’re a dog lover, a cat lover, or just someone who loves to laugh, you’re sure to love “Like Cats & Dogs”!

(Appropriate for all ages, best enjoyed by those four and up)

If you like to laugh, don’t miss these shows!  Our resident comedy company is back for another season of quick witted and hilarious offerings.  Improv, Sketch, Video and Stand Up: This company does it all!  Performing in both the Main stage and the Studio Theatres, Plan B Comedy has something for everyone, get your tickets now and we’ll see you at The Z.

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

If you like to laugh, don’t miss these shows!  Our resident comedy company is back for another season of quick witted and hilarious offerings.  Improv, Sketch, Video and Stand Up: This company does it all!  Performing in both the Main stage and the Studio Theatres, Plan B Comedy has something for everyone, get your tickets now and we’ll see you at The Z.

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

After months of practice and creative growth, Hampton Roads teens will put their talents on display during the Teens With a Purpose (TWP) ImmortALL Poetry & Performance Season Finale!

This program, now in its second season, is the result of a partnership between the Virginia Beach Cultural Affairs Department, Virginia Beach History Museums (VBHM), Princess Anne Country Training School/Union Kempsville High School Alumni and Friends Association (PACTS/UKHS) and Teens With a Purpose (TWP), inviting Hampton Roads teens to learn about local African American history while learning the lively art of performance poetry.

In ImmortALL, performance poetry and modern social change meet oral history and the civil rights movement in this unique program. Virginia Beach teens connected with alumni from PACTS/UKHS, as well as professional poets from TWP. In monthly sessions leading up to the finale, teens engaged with PACTS/UKHS alumni from the classes of 1943-1969, learned more about VBHM’s Princess Anne County Training School/Union Kempsville High School Museum and attended TWP performance poetry workshops. During the final performance, teens will display their re-interpretations of local oral history through the lens of their own experiences with current events.

During the April 24 program, TWP will also announce the 2022 Hampton Roads Youth Poet Laureate. TWP accepted submissions from young poets, rappers, leaders, and activists ages 14-19 from across Hampton Roads who were interested in representing the region as the Hampton Roads Youth Poet Laureate and are making a difference in their community. The Hampton Roads Youth Poet Laureate is part of the National Youth Poet Laureate Network.

The program is free to attend, but advanced registration is required. Visit the TWP ImmortALL Finale page to register. All attendees must also adhere to the Zeiders American Dream Theater’s COVID-19 policies.

The TWP ImmortALL Finale registration will also include free admission to the Princess Anne County Training School/Union Kempsville High School Museum from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 23 for a special engagement with alumni from the school, which was the first high school for African Americans in Virginia Beach. The museum is located inside of the Virginia Beach City Public Schools’ Renaissance Academy (5100 Cleveland St., Virginia Beach, VA 23462).

The ImmortALL Poetry & Performance Season Finale will also be livestreamed for free on the TWP YouTube and Facebook accounts, as well as the Virginia Beach Arts Facebook page, starting at 5 p.m. on April 24.

TWP workshops are supported in part by funding from the Virginia Beach Arts & Humanities Commission.

If you like to laugh, don’t miss these shows!  Our resident comedy company is back for another season of quick witted and hilarious offerings.  Improv, Sketch, Video and Stand Up: This company does it all!  Performing in both the Main stage and the Studio Theatres, Plan B Comedy has something for everyone, get your tickets now and we’ll see you at The Z.

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

Founders Reggie Pace and Lance Koehler have cast this 11-piece band in which nearly every member has had conservatory training, holding various degrees in music. In putting together the compositions and arrangements, the “b.s.” has been stripped to give the audience something solid, unique, organic, real, and powerful. They have the look of New Orleans with the raw sound all their own — music is a true definition of the “Richmond sound.”

Based in Richmond, Virginia, No BS! Brass Band has quickly earned a reputation as a premiere band to see for heart-pounding energy and uncontrollable dancing. They take their music into uncharted territory, embracing the spirit of New Orleans into its original East Coast modern funk and fearlessly combining elements of James Brown, John Coltrane, Michael Jackson, and Led Zeppelin into their fiercely original sound.

LISTEN ON SPOTIFY

TROMBONE

Reggie Pace

Bryan Hooten

John Hulley

Reggie Chapman

Dillard Watt

TRUMPET

Sam Koff

Taylor Barnett

Charlie Frise

SAXOPHONE

David Hood

VOX

Sam Reed

TUBA

Stefan Demetriadis

DRUMS

Lance Koehler

THIS PERFORMANCE HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES. CURRENT TICKET HOLDERS WILL BE CONTACTED BY THE BOX OFFICE.

Looking for family friendly shows? Check out Like Cats and Dogs presented by Children’s Theatre of Hampton Roads performing May 28 at The Z!

Click here for tickets!

HEADLINER: KURT ELLING

The Vocal Jazz Summit brings together emerging and established artists, industry leaders, and vocal jazz fans for a unique, intensive weekend dedicated to performance, connection, and education. Leading jazz vocalist Alexis Cole and the team at jazzvoice.com lead the festival events, with workshops and masterclasses scheduled alongside non-stop performances. Multiple Grammy®-winner Kurt Elling headlines the festival with a special performance SuperBlue: Kurt Elling featuring Charlie Hunter

Check out the full schedule and artists here!

If you like to laugh, don’t miss these shows!  Our resident comedy company is back for another season of quick witted and hilarious offerings.  Improv, Sketch, Video and Stand Up: This company does it all!  Performing in both the Main stage and the Studio Theatres, Plan B Comedy has something for everyone, get your tickets now and we’ll see you at The Z.

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

VIRTUAL ON DEMAND STREAMING NOW THROUGH APRIL 1.

TasteBreakers, the music scene’s happy hour. Pop over to The Z after work to hear our favorite music trendsetters. In March, we welcome Koren Grace.  Koren Grace is performing all of her music she has out for the first time with a full band!

LISTEN ON BANDCAMP

Evan Hannah & The Light Shift will open for Koren Grace making for a full evening of music!

Koren Grace is a singer, songwriter from Norfolk, VA who released her second and most recent project “All My Friends” in the fall of 2020. An E.P. about her relationship with making and maintaining friends during, what she describes as, much needed therapy. This EP is a follow up to her more popular “The I.D. and The Ego”, which birthed the song “Ego” that gained her virality on TikTok. Koren Grace say that creating music is the most important part of the process in the journey she is in as she gears to release new music at the top of 2022. As for now she is enjoying catching up on the time lost to perform these songs live. Koren Grace describes her performance as a “one man show” with the stripped down acoustics of just her vocals and her keyboard so she says she is excited at the idea of hearing what its like to have her songs played with a full band for this special performance with The Z.

Celebrate Women’s History Month with a full month of free performing arts offerings and panel discussions amplifying art and stories by women and about women. 

Join us for the Unveiling of our She’s a BrickHouse Scroll! The Premiere of the Documentary: A Muse. A Moment. A Movement ! An in depth Virtual Discussion on Mental Health and Female Body Image! Readings of new works centered on the stories of Virginia Beach’s Healer Grace Sherwood and the United States’ first female Cabinet member Frances Perkins! And, of course, our Blow it Out Concert featuring some of the best female musical artists in the 757! And more…

For a full list of events and to register, please click here.

Written by Anton Five

Presentd by Children’s Theatre of Hampton Roads

An evil, terrible queen is threatening to take over the kingdom! Can no one in this entire Hill of Beans stop her from carrying out her dastardly plot? It’s up to Princess Leguma and, with a lot of determination (and a little help from a frog), she just may be able to save Garbanzo Gardens from the wicked Queen Lima. Everyone the kingdom over will enjoy this fanciful take on the classic fairy tale!

(Appropriate for all ages, best enjoyed by those four and up)

If you like to laugh, don’t miss these shows!  Our resident comedy company is back for another season of quick witted and hilarious offerings.  Improv, Sketch, Video and Stand Up: This company does it all!  Performing in both the Main stage and the Studio Theatres, Plan B Comedy has something for everyone, get your tickets now and we’ll see you at The Z.

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

Preview date is March 18 at 7:30pm.

Flex Passes can only be used for the $45 ticket price for Preview & Performance Shows.

Fountain of You runtime is 90 minutes with no intermission.

SEATING CHART

BOOK AND LYRICS BY TASHA GORDON-SOLMON

MUSIC BY FAYE CHIAO

DIRECTED & CHOREOGRAPHED BY CHLOE TREAT

FOUNTAIN OF YOU is an irreverent, feminist musical satirizing society’s preoccupation with youth and beauty, and the patriarchal system underlying it all. When a thirty-something actress is suddenly aged out of the industry, she undergoes an unconventional spa procedure in the hopes of getting her old life back. But it sets her on a whole new path to achieve true power and equality… at a cost.

The cast includes Kate Rockwell (Broadway’s Mean Girls and Bring It On) as Kristen and Maya Days (Broadway’s Aida and Jesus Christ Superstar) as Angelica. Rounding out the cast are Chris Collins-Pisano as Man, Caitlin Ort (Esthette), Maria Sylvia Norris (Esthette), Allie Re (Esthette) and Taylor Drumwright (Swing).

Read about Fountain of You by clicking the BroadwayWorld logo below.

If you like to laugh, don’t miss these shows!  Our resident comedy company is back for another season of quick witted and hilarious offerings.  Improv, Sketch, Video and Stand Up: This company does it all!  Performing in both the Main stage and the Studio Theatres, Plan B Comedy has something for everyone, get your tickets now and we’ll see you at The Z.

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

How did the world get the gift of stories and songs?  ?  How did the world get the moon?  What can happen when people lose their temper?  Ride the current of the savannah winds as you visit cultures of Ghana through Anansi the Spider stories from the griots (storytellers) of West Africa.  Dance and sing along with traditional West African music and songs as you are whisked away to animal land to see the good and not so good things that Anansi brought to the world by way of his misbehaving.

PRESENTED BY

Join jazz vocalist Liz Terrell as she celebrates her newest release “It’s All Right With Me”. Be the first audience ever to hear this amazing compilation of music featuring songs exclusively from the album with the original band featured on the recording.
This is a once in a lifetime concert that you don’t want to miss!

Liz Terrell- vocals
Daniel Clarke-piano
Alan Parker-guitar
Chris Brydge-bass
Emre Kartari-drums
Eddie Williams-saxophone

Hardcopies of the CD will be available for a special price (only available in-person)

LIZ TERRELL WEBSITE

Album Description

It’s All Right With Me signals the introduction of powerhouse vocalist Liz Terrell. Her soulful, swinging vocal style offers a wide range of beautiful dulcet tones filled with rich and sultry beauty. With this thoughtfully crafted collection of timeless songs, Terrell captures a profoundly intuitive and accessible sound with a subtle and instinctive sense of swing – keeping the listener’s attention from start to finish. Liz Terrell’s rich and melodic vocals soar over the music as she deftly navigates the energetic arrangements and swings through the standards with precision. The band is equally as spirited as each note feels perfectly placed yet somehow completely fresh and spontaneous. Terrell explains, “It was important to me to capture the whole band together in the studio, and I think you can hear that in the energy and the movement of each take. Everyone builds together, plays off of each other, and picks up lines and solos where the other left off. Each take is exactly what you would hear if this group were live on the stage.”

It’s All Right With Me solidifies Liz Terrell as an artist to keep your eyes and ears on. Furthermore, vocalist Jane Monheit says, “I’ve known Liz for some time now and can honestly say she is one of the most promising new singers on the scene; her instrument is an absolutely gorgeous, lush alto, and her musicianship is top-notch. A true beauty of a vocalist and a person.”

Bio

The room is illuminated with misty candlelight. You sip something cool in a frosted glass. A rich, sultry voice begins to fill the room: Liz Terrell has taken the stage. Known for her powerhouse vocals and captivating yet subtle stage presence, Terrell swings intuitively and sings with incredible vocal dexterity.

Over the past decade, Terrell’s musical career has navigated through the performance spectrum, ranging from musical theater and cabaret to touring Europe in a gospel ensemble. After many years of exploration, she found herself firmly planted in jazz. It’s All Right With Me is Terrell’s debut album as a leader and is filled with highlights of the last five years of her study as a jazz vocalist. Respected broadcaster, drummer, and co-producer on the album Jae Sinnett illustrates, “Liz Terrell’s new record reflects her amazing vocal versatility, range, tone, and variation. Her intonation is impeccable. She sings with beautiful articulation, a swinging pulse, and smart interval spacing, which creates on-point melodic movement. The choice of material is a perfect match for her style, voice, and the conceptual approaches of the musicians. The songs present interesting and unique challenges for a vocalist and are played superbly by her very capable sidemen. Liz maneuvers through these complex harmonic and rhythmic structures effortlessly. This record will introduce her to a larger audience, and they will welcome her. A masterful vocal and instrumental work.”

Liz Terrell performs regularly as a part of bass/voice jazz duo Liz & Brydge and with members of the incredible band featured on the album.

VIRTUAL ON DEMAND STREAMING WILL BEGIN FEBRUARY 26 THROUGH MARCH 12

Written by Buddy White

Directed by Sarah Norris

Local playwright Buddy White wondered what would happen if the love-struck Ophelia, ill-fated lover of Hamlet, had had some notion of her own agency, and zagged instead of zigged; the result is this new piece, developed in The Z’s own American Dreamwright’s Workshop. Ophelia encounters a modern-day woman and comes face-to-face with her creator as she makes surprising discoveries about herself, and her own power. Ophelia Chooses was presented in a limited run as part of our annual Shakespeare festival, No Holds Bard, from February 16th through the 19th.

A HIGHLIGHT OF

SPONSORED BY

You know them from America’s Got Talent, fair and festival favorite Cirque Zuma Zuma wows audiences world-wide. Audiences and critics agree Cirque Zuma Zuma is unlike anything they have ever seen before. Many describe it as an African-style Cirque du Soleil; such is the standard of the performers and the quality of the show’s musical score.

2021 TasteBreakers Music Contest Winner!

In my show, I’ll be displaying a wide variety of original music, many of which will be released in the weeks following the performance. It will also be one of the first live (that is, in-person) performances of Times New Roman, a band I co-created with my cousin, Vivi. I’ll be promoting the releases of such songs as “21st Century” and “Grace,” as well as the debut of the Times New Roman EP, “Calibri.” The majority of the songs will have a coffeeshop vibe, but additionally, I’ll also be incorporating more pop, rock, and live concert aspects into the show than I’ve done in previous performances.

https://anngraymusic.com/

LISTEN ON SPOTIFY

Ann Gray is a 15-year-old singer-songwriter from Norfolk, Virginia, who has been humming and singing since birth. Ann Gray had just begun performing at local open mics when the pandemic closed all live music venues in 2020. Like a lot of other musicians, she turned to social media to share her music virtually- posting videos to Instagram and Facebook, doing livestreams, even performing at online music festivals and open mics.
In the summer of 2020 Ann Gray started work on her debut EP, produced by Skye Zentz, but work on that too was slowed by the pandemic. Released on July 30, 2021, and featuring 6 uniquely original songs, “Foolish” highlights the versatility of Ann Gray’s eclectic style and her impressive range as both a pop vocalist and a folk lyricist.

Since then, Ann Gray has started performing in front of in-person audiences again in Norfolk and Virginia Beach. She has appeared on the radio for live acoustic sessions and, on October 9, 2021, she won the Zeiders American Dream Theater TasteBreakers contest for emerging musical artists. Her young musical career will be profiled on the public television program, Curate, in January 2022.

Ann Gray’s song, The Space Between was included on the Hunter at Sunrise Sunrise Sessions, Volume Two: The Pandemic Recordings. Her newest single, Sirens, was released on November 19, 2021. The following week, she was back in the studio recording two of the songs that she performed at the TasteBreakers contest, as well as several others. She is also finishing production on an EP with her cousin Vivi, to be released in early 2022.

If you like to laugh, don’t miss these shows!  Our resident comedy company is back for another season of quick witted and hilarious offerings.  Improv, Sketch, Video and Stand Up: This company does it all!  Performing in both the Main stage and the Studio Theatres, Plan B Comedy has something for everyone, get your tickets now and we’ll see you at The Z.

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

Elements of both beauty and truth are central to dance and will be explored from various perspectives in Ballet Virginia’s winter repertoire performances. The signature piece of these performances is a new work by Lydia Roberts Coco, Ballet Virginia’s Company Artistic Director. “FIVE” will bring the story of the Central Park Five alive with hard truths of injustice and the true beauty of integrity and redemption. Two guest artists will be added to the company’s roster to enhance the story. The production will also feature Roberts Coco’s signature pieces “A Seed of Faith” and “Last Breath”.

In addition, Ballet Virginia Co-Artistic Director, Suzanne Lownsbury, will set the pas de deux from Dennis Nahat’s version of “Romeo and Juliet” with the music of Prokofiev. Mr. Nahat is a former American Ballet Theatre dancer as well as the former artistic director of the Cleveland/San José Ballet.

Rounding out the program, BVII (our second company), will perform both classical and contemporary ballet with choreography by Suzanne Lownsbury and Janina Michalski.

We invite you to join us on this dance journey for wonders of beauty and the search for truths.

Presented by

Virtual On Demand Streaming to begin February 1

BY MICHAEL AGUIRRE

DIRECTED BY SARAH NORRIS

Jackson C. Frank was a tender-hearted folk singer whose single album was produced by Paul Simon. Playwright Michael Aguirre has created a special occasion, a throwback listening party that takes us through Jackson’s album while exploring the complications and meanings of family relationships. A must-see for both music and theater lovers in its first presentation outside of New York City.

If you like to laugh, don’t miss these shows!  Our resident comedy company is back for another season of quick witted and hilarious offerings.  Improv, Sketch, Video and Stand Up: This company does it all!  Performing in both the Main stage and the Studio Theatres, Plan B Comedy has something for everyone, get your tickets now and we’ll see you at The Z.

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

Watch A Soulful Christmas from the coziness of your home with unlimited views through December 31!

A Soulful Christmas: A Groovy Musical Revue is the new, 70’s Holiday Musical Show for lovers of Gospel, R&B and Soul. Be transported back to the disco era into of our “GROOVY WONDERLAND” inspired by the hit TV show “SOUL TRAIN”. At this show, YOU are the star in our exclusive studio audience. You’ll be able to dance to the holiday sounds and sing along with some of your favorite groups. If you love The Temptations, The Supremes and The Jackson 5, THIS is the show for you! With soul stirring traditional songs sung with a twist, you will see exciting acts sing their hearts out and you’ll be able to bust a move with your neighbor with our WONDERLAND DANCERS! It’s time to get down!!

Watch Holidivas from the coziness of your home with unlimited views through December 31!

A true fan favorite, Holidivas is one of The Z’s most popular cabarets, always different and delightful! Featuring musical theatre composers from near and far with original holiday music and you’ll love these new classics! Heart-warming and sprinkled with comedy, you won’t want to miss this unique holiday experience.

If you like to laugh, don’t miss these shows!  Our resident comedy company is back for another season of quick witted and hilarious offerings.  Improv, Sketch, Video and Stand Up: This company does it all!  Performing in both the Main stage and the Studio Theatres, Plan B Comedy has something for everyone, get your tickets now and we’ll see you at The Z.

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

Set the Kwanzaa table and light the kinara!  It’s time to celebrate Kwanzaa.  Atumpan Dance Theatre brings folklore to life through a story about two different birds.  Discover what happens to a Guinea Fowl who has a wise owl friend to save her from the tricks and shenanigans of that trickster,Anansi the Spider.

A Kwanzaa Marketplace will take place in The Z lobby from 10am-4pm on December 4th featuring many handmade crafts!

PRESENTED BY

Plan B Comedy is coming over for holiday leftovers. Watch Plan B perform some improv comedy that’ll cure that holiday food coma and leave you asking for seconds! Come check out their unique brand of quick, smart, fun comedy. Seventh year running!

If you like to laugh, don’t miss these shows!  Our resident comedy company is back for another season of quick witted and hilarious offerings.  Improv, Sketch, Video and Stand Up: This company does it all!  Performing in both the Main stage and the Studio Theatres, Plan B Comedy has something for everyone, get your tickets now and we’ll see you at The Z.

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

Written Scott Quirk

Presented by Children’s Theatre of Hampton Roads

“King of the Wild Frontier” is a name befitting a Tennessee hero with a coonskin cap… but what if there are not one, not two, but three such heroes competing for the title? There’s only one way to tell the real from the imposter: A Tall Tale Telling Tournament!

Join Davy Crockett, Davy Crockett, and Davy Crockett on a trip through the folklore and tall tales of the American frontier. Enjoy familiar characters such as Paul Bunyan, Babe the Blue Ox and Johnny Appleseed, and also some not so familiar characters… like hoop-snakes and hide-behinds! Interactive and hilarious; a wonderful adventure for kids and adults alike.

(Appropriate for all ages, best enjoyed by those four and up)

Watch the concert that was filmed live at The Z on October 22. Please note that you will have one week to watch the concert with unlimited views for one week after you receive your link.

Don’t let his larger-than-life presence fool you. Jake Hoot may stand 6’6”, but the Season 17 Champion of NBC’s The Voice is just as genuine and sweet natured as ever. Celebrating the release of his debut project Love Out Of Time, the 5-song EP features an all-star lineup of musicians and songwriters including Dean Sams, Danny Myrick, Jenne Fleenor, Dave Pahanish, Jamie Floyd and more. The new project also features a duet with international superstar Kelly Clarkson entitled “I Would’ve Loved You.” Upon its release, Love Out Of Time reached No. 2 on both the iTunes All-Genre Albums and Country Albums chart while “I Would’ve Loved You” reached No. 3 on the iTunes Country Singles Chart. Hoot and Clarkson also unveiled a music video for the ‘majestic’ (Rolling Stone Country) “I Would’ve Loved You” duet which has accumulated more than 8 million views, been featured on TODAY with Hoda & Jenna and is in broadcast rotation on CMT. The former contestant and coach recently reunited to perform “I Would’ve Loved You” on The Kelly Clarkson Show and The Voice semi-finals.

Following his record-breaking win on NBC’s The Voice, Hoot has gone on to release several tracks including “Tennessee Strong,” which reached Top 10 in the iTunes Country Singles chart, debut single “Dangerous Thing,” special Father’s Day song, “The Best Job I Ever Had” and heartwarming love song, “Nadine.” Drawing inspiration from his childhood in the Dominican Republic, Hoot released a cover of “La Bamba” from his debut EP which landed in the Top 10 on the iTunes Latin charts. Hoot is gearing up to release a new upbeat single this summer entitled “Night Left.”

Much of Hoot’s sincere humility could be attributed to his unique and adventurous life growing up as the 2^nd of 9 siblings to Missionary parents. Born in Texas, Hoot led quite the gypsy childhood having lived in Oklahoma, Haiti, and an 11-year stint in the Dominican Republic where he first learned to play guitar. Fluent in Spanish, Hoot credits his diverse musical influence to his time on the island. The singer/songwriter relocated to Tennessee at 20-years-old where he began gigging and attended Tennessee Tech University as a walk-on football player. 

There is no denying that Hoot is a natural philanthropist and gives back as much as possible. During his stint on The Voice, Hoot created a charitable merchandise line and was able to donate more than $15,000 to local organizations in his hometown of Cookeville, TN. Following the deadly tornadoes that hit Middle, Tennessee on March 3^rd, Hoot released an uplifting song entitled “Tennessee Strong” which benefitted the Tornado survivors. Hoot is now proving to be a road warrior, performing dates across the US every weekend including opening slots for Alabama, Darius Rucker, Jordan Davis, Big & Rich and Rodney Atkins.

Currently amassing over 6 million streams, nearly 90K downloads and celebrating his fourth Grand Ole Opry performance, the future proves promising for this mega-talent with a heart of gold.

by Jean-Paul Sartre

Two women and one man are locked up together for eternity. The windows are bricked up, there are no mirrors, the electric lights can never be turned off, and there is no exit. The irony of this hell is that its torture is not of the rack and fire but of the burning humiliation of each soul as it is stripped of its pretenses by the cruel curiosity of the damned. Here the soul is shorn of secrecy and even the blackest deeds are mercilessly exposed to the fierce light of hell. It is an eternal torment. Hell truly is other people…

Panel discussion to follow the Saturday evening performance. More information to follow.

More on CORE Theatre Ensemble

HEADLINER: JOEY GAY

The VB Comedy Fest is back for its third year and it’s better than ever. This November 4th-6th, join us at The Z for three kinds of comedy: Stand Up, Improv, and Sketch. We’ll feature the best local comedy acts alongside some of our favorite national talent, and throw in workshops and networking events for good measure.

• • Thursday, November 4, 2021
    • 7:00 PM- Plan B Comedy Improv Jam (Main Stage Theater)
      • Plan B Comedy hosts an improv jam!  Think of it as an open rehearsal/workshop.  It’s a great opportunity to work with new people, ask questions and laugh.  Everyone is invited to participate or watch or both, you do you but come do it with us.
    • 8:30 PM- Showcase Standup (Studio Theater)
      • Featuring: Rome Davis, Parker Clay, Jounte Ferguson, Ryan Valentine, John Rademacher
  • Friday, November 5, 2021
    • 8:00 PM- Improv and Sketch Showcase (Studio Theater)
      • Featuring: Valerie Paschall, Ray Kirby, Tim Macklin, Lionel Harris, David Griffin, Brendan Kennedy
    • 9:00 PM- Plan B Comedy Show (Main Stage Theater)
      • Plan B Comedy performs a fast paced, fun and emotionally provocative improv show. You’ll leave with a sense of empowerment and self worth, or you’ll just have a great time laughing, you decide!!!
    • 10:00 PM- Late Night Variety Show, R rated (Studio Theater)
      • Featuring: Liz Barlow, Mindy Ess, Big Vino, ComicKaze Sketch Comedy, John Gilbreath
  • Saturday, November 6, 2021
    • 2:00 PM- Workshop with Elizabeth Byland (Main Stage Theater)
      • Stand Up Workshop:
        • The Performer’s Playground
          • You step out to center stage… and there you stay, because it’s comfortable, right?  But what about the world that you’ve yet to explore downstage right? Or what happens if…dare I say it… you step off the stage and initiate a scene from the audience?  Whaaaaaat!? Whether you’re a new improviser, stand-up, or experienced at both, this workshop will give you the confidence to step outside of your center stage comfort zone and discover the magical possibilities that await all around you!  The theatre is your playground!  Now, let’s explore the hell out of it!
          • Things to know:  This is a physical workshop, so we’ll be getting out of our heads and into our bodies and exploring the space.  Be sure to dress comfortably, bring water, and wear shoes that you can move in, like sneaky sneaks… that’s what I call sneakers,  but it’s more fun to call em’ sneaky sneaks.
  • • 4:00 PM-Workshop with Elizabeth Byland (Main Stage Theater)
      • Improv comedy Character workshop:
        • Harnessing Your Truth (aka Cut the Bullsh*t)
          • This workshop will focus on enriching our comedy by releasing the armor, digging past the surface level bullsh*t choices, and harnessing the truth within, i.e. the real YOU!  We are digging deep in this workshop and bringing our most authentic beautiful selves to the comedy.  Leave the excuses and the bullsh*t at the door.  Just bring YOU.
  • • 7:00 PM- StandUp Comedy Showcase (Main Stage Theater)
      • Featuring: Sean Lewis, Kim Villamera, Nick Deez, Robert Taylor,  Lamont Frerguson
    • 8:00 PM- Improv and Sketch Comedy Showcase (Studio Theater)
      • Featuring: Lemon Pepper & Sazón, The Andy Narwhals, Babe
    • 9:30 PM- Headliner-JOEY GAY (Main Stage Theater)

The day before Halloween is the perfect time to let Atumpan take you on a journey into the deepest, darkest parts of the fairytale land forest for the fractured fairytales of “Little Red Riding in the Hood” and “Oink Yeah! The Three Little Pigs Remixed”. Move, groove, and have a Hip-Hoppin’ good time with live music as Atumpan Dance Theatre shows you how Little Red Riding Hood and the Three Little Pigs stood up, stood out, and stood together to stop the big bad wolves in their magical worlds.

PRESENTED BY

Join us to celebrate Holly Kirsten as her time in Norfolk comes to a close. She will be officially releasing two albums, “Starlings” (2020) and “Love Letter” (2021). Joined by an All-Star band– Zach Moats, Jason Cale, Ed Williams, Valentina Sorbera, and Christopher Brydge, and special guests.

BIO
I have been singing, creating new songs, and playing stringed instruments for as long as I can remember. I love sharing music with others and have played with several local bands in the Hampton Roads region. I also produce my own music. All the songs that you hear are, with the exception of a few special appearances, my own creation. I help little people breathe as a Respiratory Therapist at a local children’s hospital. I love knowing that daily I am committed to saving lives. I love telling stories, painting pictures, listening to the hearts of others. I love teaching and offering fresh perspective.

NOTE: In an effort to be as safe as possible for this event, Zeiders American Dream Theater is requiring attendees to provide verification of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test 72 hours prior to entry. Thank you for your investment in everyone’s safety.
COVID POLICIES

FREE FAMILY EVENT!

Please reserve your FREE tickets by clicking the Get Tickets button.

Music by Frances Pollock
Libretto by Jessica Murphy Moo
Co-commissioned by Seattle Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago

Kenzie is a normal girl in a challenging world; sometimes so challenging that she finds solace in another world – that of video games.  This touching work addresses real modern-day problems of poverty, homelessness and self-worth.

Presented by

BY M. PAYTON-DOWNEY

DIRECTED BY MATT BURCHFIELD

This raucous, comedic drama, by local playwright Matthew Payton-Downey, is about the unlikeliest of roommates: Xandria, a bold, colorful drag queen and Al, the straightest, by the book, humble guy; think The Odd Couple meets RuPaul’s Drag Race. Personalities collide as people come and go from the apartment, secrets & tea spill, and both roommates learn the power of being unashamedly YOU! Don’t miss this rollicking 21st Century drawing room escapade: Xandria’s Wylde’s Hot Mess eXpress: All Aboard!

Directed by Matt Burchfield
Casting by Emel Ertugrul

Cast (in order of appearance):
Xandria – Matthew Payton-Downey
Al – George Plank
Autumn – Krystal Tuzon Gonzalez
Kevin – Mike Burnette
Geneva – Ann Heywood
Rick – Phillip Martin

Scenic Design by Lizbeth Ramirez
Costume Design by Katelyn Jackson
Lighting Design by Akin Ritchie
Sound Design by Steven Allegretto
Production Stage Manager: Kim Fuller
Assistant Stage Manager: Leya Quiñones
Properties Manager: Tiara Dimond
Dresser and Wardrobe Assistant: Finneas Finnerty
Costume Shop Manager and Wardrobe Supervisor: Katelyn Jackson
Production Manager and Head Carpenter: Kurtis Wiley

Proteus Festival ’21 promises to be the best ever! Our annual celebration of creativity begins with Proteus Film Festival, with juried exhibitions of films selected from worldwide submissions alongside in-person panel discussions supporting local filmmakers and enthusiasts.

Other events begin spinning up soon after the projectors flicker. Creative Teams, groups of local folks looking to make something new and the true heart of Proteus Festival, get their prompt and begin making new works on Friday, October 1st. We are presenting two “Creative Office Hours” as part of the Creative Teams programming this year, featuring interviews and audience Q&A with selected artists; among those artists this year is award winning playwright, screenwriter, and producer Jonathan Tolins (Buyer & Cellar, Broadway’s The Twilight of the Golds, CBS’s Brain Dead, The Good Fight). The final weekend is jam-packed with stuff—Xandria Wylde’s Hot Mess eXpress begins its run on October 7th, the inaugural Proteus Party happens in the Main Stage on October 8th featuring a slew of local performers debuting a new album from Hunter Hughes, the annual TasteBreakers Contest takes place on October 9th, and the Creative Teams present new works on October 10th.

SILENT AUCTION – BID NOW!

LEARN MORE HERE!

Plan B Comedy is excited to announce Improv Comedy 101 at the Zeiders Americna Dream Theater. This introduction to improv class will teach you the basics of Improv through specifically designed exercises and games. At the end of the class, you will have the tools you need in order to confidently take the stage and connect with your scene partners.

Classes run from September 8-October 27, 2021

• 8 Classes
• 1 Graduation Performance

Open to all ages. Please indicate your age when signing up for the classes.

SIGN UP FOR CLASSES

This theater presentation was filmed as a teleplay at Zeiders American Dream Theater

Conceived, written, and performed by James T. Lane

Directed and Choreographed by Kenny Ingram

Triple Threat is a play that moves and sings. It’s one man sharing a story of big dreams in the arts and the course of events that occur after a life changing injury.

Each character we meet is brought to life by one actor on the stage, in projection, video and voiceover. People show up and leave as quickly as they come. Events occur and roll into one another  as they would in conversation, in thought and imagination.

Music, expressly sung and all throughout the atmosphere, take you right to where your emotions live.

The blood and heartbeat of the play is dance. Choreographic moments, transitions from here to there, all types of styles are called upon to share this story.

It’s a tour-de-force performance in the style of John Leguizamo, Lily Tomlin, Billy Crystal and the great Whoopi Goldberg.

“Triple Threat” is the ride of a lifetime.

DIGITAL PLAYBILL

Additional support and funding comes from
David R Goode Charitable Lead Annuity Trust

VIRTUAL ON DEMAND PERFORMANCE AVAILABLE THROUGH AUGUST 31

Introducing TasteBreakers, the music scene’s happy hour. Pop over to The Z after work to hear our favorite music trendsetters. Let TasteBreakers be your low cost, high entertainment happy hour. You just might find your new favorite band.

In June, we welcome Jon Bibbs. He could be called a triple threat: he writes, sings and produces music that is respected and loved around the world.

THIS VIRTUAL PERFORMANCE WAS FILMED June 4, 2021

THIS VIRTUAL PERFORMANCE IS STREAMING NOW THROUGH AUGUST 31, 2021

This virtual performance was filmed on April 23, 2021

Introducing TasteBreakers, the music scene’s happy hour. Pop over to The Z after work to hear our favorite music trendsetters. Let TasteBreakers be your low cost, high entertainment happy hour. You just might find your new favorite band.

In April, we welcome Chris Brydge Quartet. With Daniel Clarke on Piano, Eddie Williams on Saxes and Emre Kartari on Drums. This performance will feature original compositions from Chris Brydge and other band members of the quartet.

Please read our COVID-19 Policies for in person events here

Chris Brydge
A freelance jazz bassists, educator and composer who has been performing in and around the greater Tidewater area since 1994. Chris is a member of the Virginia Symphony Jazz Orchestra, Roy Muth Big Band, Woody Becker Group, Eddie Williams Trio. You can also find him performing with his own ensembles, Left of Center, the Chris Brydge duo, trio, and quartet. He has performed with John Abercrombie, Frank Foster, Debbie Boone, Shirley Jones, Bernadette Peters, Steve Wilson and many other international jazz and pop artists.

Daniel Clarke
Daniel is a multi-instrumentalist/songwriter/producer/teacher born and raised in Richmond, VA.  A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Jazz Studies program, Daniel has gone on to perform and record all over the world.  His playing has been heard everywhere from The White House to the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics.  Daniel’s eclectic and prodigious musicianship can’t be contained by one specific genre.  His ear for quality has made him a sought after collaborator by artists such as k.d. lang, Ryan Adams, The War on Drugs, and countless others spanning all genres.  He released the 7” single “Diamonds” on Ryan Adams’ Pax Am label in 2015.  Daniel also serves as the Music Director for SPARC’s Live Art, a program at the leading edge of arts education, integrating performing arts curriculum with special education to create a unique and powerful program for students of all abilities. This program means a great deal to Daniel on a personal level; it is for him a representation of just what the Richmond arts community is capable of when it’s creative visionaries come together with a shared purpose.

Eddie Williams
Eddie Was born in Newport New , Virginia. At age 7 moved to York County near Yorktown Va. He started playing Tenor Saxophone at around 12 years old and music continued to be the focus of his education until graduating from York High School. The York High School Jazz Ensemble placed second in the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. The early musical influences were primarily rock and R&B. Blood Seat & Tears, Chicago, Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix while the high school band experience provided a taste of big band and ensemble playing. Eddie attended Berklee School of Music in the 70’s. The musical influences from Berklee were from Jazz and Jazz Fusion. “If I had to list a couple of saxophone players I listened to a lot in those days, if would have to be Michael Brecker and David Sanborn”.

Emre Kartari
Born into a family of musicians and artists in Ankara, Turkey, Emre moved to the United States when he was ten years old. Soon after, he began to study drums, which led to studying jazz percussion with T. Howard Curtis at Virginia Commonwealth University. He holds an M.A. in jazz performance and composition from New York University, and D.M.A. from Yasar University. he has performed with David Liebman, Houston Person, John Dearth, Darius Jones and Howard Curtis, among others.

FREE COMMUNITY EVENT

Join us at The Z and see our resident comedy company deliver their very own unique, fast paced and always funny Comedy Show.

About Plan B Comedy:

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

Head to Town Center on August 14 for an afternoon of FREE outdoor music! Virginia Beach Chorale kicks things off with a #VBArts On Tour performance outside the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts at 12:30pm, follow by Tidewater Arts Outreach, featuring accordionist Miles Hoyle, at 1:30pm at the Zeiders American Dream Theater balcony!

In case of inclement weather, the rain date for the performances is Sunday, August 15 at the same times and locations. All #VBArts On Tour performances are FREE and open to the public. No advanced registration is required.

If you have questions, please call 844-214-7469

Remember all the wonderful Variety shows we all grew up on in the 70’s & 80’s? Now is your chance to see them live and re-created by Las Vegas’ number one impersonators of all time. Anthony & Eddie Edwards use state of the art make-up to look and sound like the superstars of today and yesterday. All your favorite legendary Superstars come alive in An Evening with The Stars. The NBC Today show says “it’s one of the most extraordinary shows we have ever seen.” Sonny & Cher, Billy Joel, Elton John, Neil Diamond, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Lady Gaga, Celine Dion, Rod Stewart, Bette Midler, Olivia Newton John, Barbra Streisand, Andrea Bocelli, Frankie Valli, Tom Jones, and many many more hosted by THE EDWARDS TWINS FROM LAS VEGAS. All live vocal. USA TODAY and THE BOSTON GLOBE raves “A Must see show”

“Extraordinary”-The NBC Today Show

AS SEEN ON NETFLIX The Kominsky Method

STREAM PERFORMANCES AND WORKSHOPS NOW THROUGH JULY 30, 2021

The TasteBreakers music festival is a celebration of our exceptionally talented local and regional original artists and music-loving community! The weekend includes a diverse line-up of concerts that will delight your musical palate and professional development workshops with industry experts for those looking to broaden their horizons.There are in-person and virtual opportunities this year, so come for the music you know, stay for something new, and leave with a festival experience that extends far beyond the stage.

SEE THE FULL LINEUP AND SCHEDULE HERE!

Join us at The Z and see our resident comedy company deliver their very own unique, fast paced and always funny Comedy Show.

About Plan B Comedy:

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

Critically acclaimed soulful crooner Allan Harris will be bringing his hit album Kate’s Soulfood on the road this summer! A collection of vignettes from his Sundays spent traveling from Brooklyn to Harlem as a child, Kate’s Soulfood is an expressive showcasing of Allan Harris’ proficiency in songwriting and love for a strong and lively community. Joining Harris is his long-standing, tight knit ensemble of contemporary musical greats including Arcoiris Sandoval on piano and keys, Marty Kenney on bass, Norman Edwards on drums and saxophonist Irwin Hall.

Virtual on Demand will stream July 30 – August 13.

This performance is made possible with the support of Jazz Road, a national initiative of South Arts, which is funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation with additional support from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

BY MATT COX

The play contains adult language and situations, which may be inappropriate for younger audiences.

Presented by A Hair Out of Square Productions and Zeiders American Dream Theater

Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic, is a hilarious re-imagining of what life might have been like for the non-celebrity students at a famous magical school in an alternate universe.

This production is 90 minutes with no intermission.

An original play written and directed by Bethany Paulsen and produced by Jackie Adonis and Matt Burchfield

The Flight of Katherine Fletcher is a romantic drama set during the gilded age. When suspected of a crime, Katherine Fletcher flees from New York to begin a new life in Philadelphia. She establishes a dinner theater with her new found family. Her world is thrown into upheaval when unsolicited affection, a handsome stranger and old connections enter the fray. With the past threatening her future, Kate struggles to keep her new life from being torn apart.

VIRTUAL ON DEMAND PERFORMANCE AVAILABLE THROUGH JUNE 30

Rolling Stone named 15-year-old EmiSunshine among “10 New Country Artists You Need to Know,” but she is more than country. With music described as “old-timey,” the East Tennessee native adds her own unique contemporary blend of roots music that is equal parts Americana, Bluegrass, Gospel, Blues, and Jazz. Critics have compared her to a young Janis Joplin, Iris Dement, and Dolly Parton.

EmiSunshine has been attracting national attention since she was nine years old, with appearances on “The Today Show,” NBC’s “Little Big Shots,” “Pickler & Ben,” the Grand Ole Opry (14 times) and elsewhere. In 2018, she was featured in the Grammy-nominated motion picture “The King,” for which she wrote and performed two original songs—“Johnny, June and Jesus” and “Danny Ray,” both of which are on her most recent album, “Ragged Dreams.” With adoring fans numbered in the millions, EmiSunshine has been praised by the likes of Loretta Lynn, Emmylou Harris, Tim McGraw, Ricky Skaggs, Marty Stuart, and The Grateful Dead, to name just a few.

Lately, EmiSunshine has been spending time in Nashville, collaborating with a host of top singer/songwriters like Jeffrey Steele, Leslie Satcher, Jim Lauderdale, Kyle Jacobs, and others. She is also working with legendary producer Tony Brown on her upcoming new album, to be released this summer.

NOW STREAMING THROUGH JUNE 30, 2021

Brianna, the charming and curious girl who explored the magic of winter in Snowkus Pocus, hops into a new ‘adventure-through-the-seasons’ in Spring-A-Ding-DING! A fresh cast of characters create the vivid enchantment of springtime. Jump-roping frogs, twirling flowers, dancing birds, glittering rain showers and even an contortionist earthworm bring the budding season to life!

Portrayed through dazzling circus, dance, and can’t-believe-your-eyes specialty acts, audiences of all ages will delight as the glory of the new season unfolds. Imagine Brianna’s surprise as she meets comical creatures and even befriends a skunk! Our young heroine has lessons to learn and teach the woodland creatures as she eagerly searches for the butterfly that will usher in the next season, summer.This delightful new show thrills young and old while warming hearts in the way only Cirque-tacular can!

Family fun; Recommended for ages 3+

LENGTH: 60 minutes

Super easy One-click checkout and then the digital tickets are delivered instantly to your inbox. After the livestream, you can revisit the original link to watch the video on demand again and again. We will be continuing to add livestreams to the Stellar Tickets site throughout the summer and fall, in all we have 9 touring productions.

Join us at The Z and see our resident comedy company deliver their very own unique, fast paced and always funny Comedy Show.

PLEASE SEE OUR COVID 19 POLICIES HERE

About Plan B Comedy:

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

Join us at The Z and see our resident comedy company deliver their very own unique, fast paced and always funny Comedy Show.

PLEASE SEE OUR COVID 19 POLICIES HERE

About Plan B Comedy:

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

Presented by

Virtual Performances: May 21 – June 7

This new production from Ballet Virginia, will feature both classical and contemporary works performed by the company’s professional dancers.  The performances will focus on the journey of moving forward with compassion and gratitude while acknowledging the strife and conflicts of life. Lydia Roberts Coco, Ballet Virginia’s Resident Choreographer, will be highlighted along with creations by Artistic Directors, Suzanne Lownsbury and Janina Michalski. Each choreographer will interpret the theme through dance from their own perspectives and diverse experiences.

We invite you to join us for this important journey of moving forward and rising to the occasion.

“America has a patchwork culture made of the dreams and songs of all its people.” – Alan Lomax

Grammy-winning guitarist/vocalist Clay Ross, 3x Grammy-winning drummer Clarence Penn, Grammy-nominated vocalist Falu Shah, and highly acclaimed bassist Yasushi Nakamura showcase the dynamic diversity of contemporary culture by reimagining timeless songs from America’s past.

APQ draws on a repertoire of centuries-old American folk songs that highlight America’s immigrant roots. They showcase America’s dynamic present by combining the diverse talents of four U.S. citizens, each with a unique cultural background. In this group, old songs are made new through creative arrangements that highlight the exceptional and well-honed skills of each member.

APQ performances strive to counter pervasive prejudices around the issues of race and immigration. In order to help strengthen our country’s social fabric, APQ desires that its audiences reflect on the notion that as Americans we must acknowledge our differences to discover our commonalities. We must recognize the realities of racism and prejudice in order to build authentic and lasting bonds across cultures and color lines. While we are not responsible for our country’s past, we are accountable for its future.

This engagement of American Patchwork Quartet is made possible through the ArtsCONNECT program
of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

JOIN US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

We are creating a digital quilt and map that will travel with APQ on tour and online, growing and telling the story of our American Patchwork. Every American can find and trace their cultural and family roots through the prism of immigration and we, as Americans, have far more in common than we have differences.  We want to add YOUR stories of immigration, cultural connection, and family origins to our quilt, to celebrate our differences and discover our commonalities.

Join us at The Z and see our resident comedy company deliver their very own unique, fast paced and always funny Comedy Show.

Masks Recommended for Unvaccinated Individuals

PLEASE SEE OUR COVID 19 POLICIES HERE

About Plan B Comedy:

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

Virtual viewing extended until May 16, 2021 at 11:59pm EST

The Vocal Jazz Summit was held on March 27 & 28, 2021. All the recordings are from those two dates.

The Vocal Jazz Summit is an annual conference designed to bring together vocal jazz enthusiasts, emerging and established artists, industry leaders, and the greater vocal jazz community to connect and engage one another in celebration of the art form, present unique educational experiences, and provide an environment to nurture and grow the vocal jazz community. The weekend will engage festival-goers with live performance, interactive workshops and masterclasses, and networking opportunities.

Check out the full schedule and artists here!

Join us at The Z and see our resident comedy company deliver their very own unique, fast paced and always funny Comedy Show.

PLEASE SEE OUR COVID 19 POLICIES HERE

About Plan B Comedy:

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

Join us at The Z and see our resident comedy company deliver their very own unique, fast paced and always funny Comedy Show.

PLEASE SEE OUR COVID 19 POLICIES HERE

About Plan B Comedy:

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

NOW STREAMING THROUGH APRIL 8, 2021

Young Brianna is whisked away to an enchanted winter wonderland where she encounters the colorful characters that inhabit the magical world of Snowkus Pocus. Enjoy dazzling cirque, breathtaking acrobatic dance, and incredible specialty circus acts performed by Jack Frost, the North Wind, the Snow Queen and the ever-changing Azura of the Sky. This snow show for the young and the young at heart will amaze, inspire and enchant your imagination… and quite possibly… melt your heart!

All ages will delight in this narrated, winter-themed circus that travels through the seasons from fall to spring. The show is primarily visual with a simple story that most children can easily follow and circus tricks that will impress even the adults!

LENGTH: 60 minutes

Super easy One-click checkout and then the digital tickets are delivered instantly to your inbox. After the livestream, you can revisit the original link to watch the video on demand again and again. We will be continuing to add livestreams to the Stellar Tickets site throughout the summer and fall, in all we have 9 touring productions.

Join us at The Z and see our resident comedy company deliver their very own unique, fast paced and always funny Comedy Show.

PLEASE SEE OUR COVID 19 POLICIES HERE

About Plan B Comedy:

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

All events offer virtual and in-person screenings, free of charge. Registration is required for virtual and in-person screenings. Suggested donations are appreciated!

No Holds Bard : Shakespeare Remade  for 2021 is modified from its regular format due to public health concerns. We are taking cues from Shakespeare’s own time, when the theaters were often closed due to plague; however, we are able to do things undreamt of in all his philosophies.

In both 1603 and 1606 the London theaters were closed due to plague. In both seasons, Shakespeare and the King’s Men took to touring through the countryside in order to keep performing. Of course, this also enabled the non-London-living population to see theater they would otherwise be unable to see. We have different ways of both performing and reaching audiences in our own time, and this year’s festival fully harnesses those means.

In keeping with the indomitable spirit of the Upstart Crow and his various bands of players, this year’s No Holds Bard fully embraces the time we live in. Theaters may be constrained, but imagination and its patrons never are!

For full list of events during No Holds Bard, click here.

Join us at The Z and see our resident comedy company deliver their very own unique, fast paced and always funny Comedy Show.

PLEASE SEE OUR COVID 19 POLICIES HERE

About Plan B Comedy:

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

Music by Brad Ross
Lyrics by Michael Cooper

In timeless songs ranging from the hysterical to the heartbreaking, a kaleidoscope of characters navigate right turns, wrong turns, and U-turns on their journey through love – yearning to connect.

“Pack your bags and hold the mail and hail a cab,” it’s time to run away to Love & Other Destinations: a fresh, funny, and contemporary collection of intimate musical travelogues that can be performed with two actors or expanded to accommodate any cast size, with open casting that embraces diversity and inclusion.

From first encounters to final goodbyes, Love & Other Destinations is a map of the human heart, exploring the blush of burgeoning romance, the sting of broken promises, and traveling through those vulnerable, emotional destinations and detours we take along the road to love.

Love & Other Destinations will be on sale now through February 20. You will have the opportunity to view the show as many times as you would like through February 21. After that date, the viewing link will expire.

DATE NIGHT PACKAGE! (Offered February 12-14)

Grab your go-to quarantine buddy because we are teaming up with our neighbors at Bravo! Italian Kitchen in Town Center for a Valentine’s Day treat.

For $60 (plus any applicable taxes), you will get take-away dinner for two from Bravo! and a virtual pass to our show Love & Other Destinations so that you and your Valentine may enjoy a cozy, delicious night in.

Date Night Packages for this event will take place from February 12th through the 14th. You must place your ticket order before the actual day you’d like to have your date. For example, if you’re planning date night on the 12th, your package must be purchased on or before the 11th of February so that our friends at Bravo! can prepare for your lovely evening accordingly.

Love & Other Destinations Date Night is only available February 12-February 14 but your online viewing access to the show will expire on February 21.

Make sure to review the lover’s day menu below so that you can indicate which meals you and your date would like to reserve for your evening in. When you place your order, you will need to indicate which meals you would like in the “Comments” section of checkout.*

DATE NIGHT MENU

*The “Comments” section is located on the checkout page where you fill out your contact information; This is before the payment page. Make sure you fill out this box before you click next! If you forget, you can still click the “Back” button without losing your information.*

So now you’ve placed your order…Bravo! (pun intended) On the night of your special day, you may pick up your meals from Bravo! between 5 and 6pm. You won’t have to worry about traffic and being late to the show, because once you purchase your virtual pass, you can stream Love & Other Destinations any time from February 12th – February 21! You’ll have plenty of time to rendezvous through Town Center, waltz into Bravo!, and even get comfy at home before starting the show.

Please note: All meals must be picked up at Bravo! Italian Kitchen – there will be no meals at Zeiders American Dream Theater. Additionally, this event package is for pick-up only, so please plan to bring your dinner back home to enjoy while you stream our show. Bravo! Italian Kitchen is located right in the middle of Town Center, behind the fountain in the plaza on Central Park Avenue. There is free street parking on every block, and free garage parking throughout Town Center, so you won’t have to worry about paying to park just for a quick run.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Join us at The Z Thursday, February 11 at 8pm, for an evening of laughter. Plan B Comedy presents a Stand Up Comedy Showcase with David Griffin, Ray Kirby, Heidi Joy Delacruz, Mike Polityka , David Catash, and Jason Kypros. Tickets are $10 in advance or at the door!

Check out our COVID policies here.

Join us at The Z Thursday, January 28th at 8pm, for an evening of laughter. Plan B Comedy presents a Stand Up Comedy Showcase with Darius Nelson, Jounte Ferguson, Nick Deez, Ryan Valentine and special musical guest Gremlin Butterfly, hosted by Jason Kypros. Tickets are $10 in advance or at the door!

Introducing TasteBreakers, the music scene’s happy hour. Pop over to The Z after work to hear our favorite music trendsetters. Let TasteBreakers be your low cost, high entertainment happy hour. You just might find your new favorite band.

In January we welcomed Proteus Festival Music Showcase Winner, Eric Staab. “Music has always been a driving force for me. No matter where i am in life, it always comes back to writing songs and singing. Being able to share what I’ve written with others, is one of the best feelings, and am looking forward to continue doing so.”

See a virtual performance of his concert at The Z!

Join us at The Z and see our resident comedy company deliver their very own unique, fast paced and always funny Comedy Show.

PLEASE SEE OUR COVID 19 POLICIES HERE

About Plan B Comedy:

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

Join us at The Z and see our resident comedy company deliver their very own unique, fast paced and always funny Comedy Show.

PLEASE SEE OUR COVID 19 POLICIES HERE

About Plan B Comedy:

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

Plan B Comedy is coming over for holiday leftovers. Watch Plan B perform some improv comedy that’ll cure that holiday food coma and leave you asking for seconds! Come check out their unique brand of quick, smart, fun comedy. SIXTH YEAR!

Please read our COVID-19 policies here

Introducing TasteBreakers, the music scene’s happy hour. Pop over to The Z after work to hear our favorite music trendsetters. Let TasteBreakers be your low cost, high entertainment happy hour. You just might find your new favorite band.

In November we welcome Janice Chandler of Runnin’ Shine!

Please read our COVID-19 Policies for in person events here

VB Comedy Fest highlights early-career stand-up and improv comics, with a strong emphasis on both growing the regional comedy base and showcasing nationally emerging comics. This year’s festival will expand a bit in duration to be as inclusive as possible while ensuring appropriate distancing practices. Who wants to play to a full room anyway? 

Kidding aside, VB Comedy Fest is a great antidote (or inoculation, maybe) to quarantine blues. Unique to this year is a Pandemic Panic prize for the comic with the best (or worst, depending on your viewpoint) COVID riff.

VB Comedy Fest runs from the 6th and 7th of November, with both live and virtual offerings.

Tickets and more information coming soon!

Join us at The Z and see our resident comedy company deliver their very own unique, fast paced and always funny Comedy Show.

PLEASE SEE OUR COVID 19 POLICIES HERE

About Plan B Comedy:

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

Proteus Festival is The Z’s annual celebration of creativity. In keeping with the festival’s namesake, Proteus, the festival’s form shifts slightly each year. This year we are soliciting submissions in music, theater and film for featured performers. Each category features production, performance, and/or exhibition during the festival for selected submissions, along with juried awards and audience favorite prizes.

Day by Day Schedule

The heart of Proteus Festival remains the creative teams, ad hoc groups of artists who form to create a new artistic work during the festival. These works derive from a prompt revealed on the first day of Proteus Festival (hint: this year’s prompt will come from Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes). Proteus Festival concludes with the creative team’s performances on the final day. Throughout the festival, the creative teams receive support from both The Z’s team and Lead Artists in the creative fields of theater, music, and film. 

This year’s Proteus Festival will be extended in scope to ensure patron and performer safety. Proteus kicks off on September 26th and concludes on October 11th. Throughout, you’ll have the chance to catch world-premiere theater, brand-new indie films, and original music— both in-person and virtually.

Original Score by: Salim / Sulaiman
Written, Choreographed & Directed by: Rajeev Goswami
Lyrics by: Irfan Siddiqui

A magical journey depicting India and its myriad of dance forms – the expressive Bharatanatyam from the south to the vibrant and energetic Bhangra from the north. Witness the spectacle depicting the different states of India through their gorgeous authentic folk dance. A celebration of India’s tradition and culture.

The Virginia Sports Hall of Fame will officially welcome the Class of 2020, as 7 new members will be inducted, Saturday April 25 at 7 p.m. at Zeiders American Dream Theater. Join the Hall of Fame and past inductees as we celebrate these deserving honorees;

• Dennis Carter, 37 years at WSET-TV in Lynchburg, VA
• Mike Cubbage, 48 years as a player, coach, scout, and executive in Major League Baseball
• Lawrence Johnson, NCAA Champion and Olympic silver medalist pole-vaulter
• Bruce Rader, 40+ years as Sports Director at WAVY-TV/FOX43
• Tracy Saunders, All-American and Honda Award winner for Norfolk State Women’s Basketball
• Al Toon, 3-time NFL Pro-Bowl selection with the New York Jets
• David Wright, 7-time Major League Baseball All-Star

The Hall of Fame will also present the 2020 Distinguished Virginian Award to Dennis Ellmer in recognition for his work with the Priority Toyota Charity Bowl.

Tickets are $50.00 each for this celebratory event.  More information regarding Induction weekend festivities, VIP ticket packages, and sponsorship/advertising opportunities can be found at the Hall of Fame’s website, www.VaSportsHOF.com

 Please join us as we celebrate athletic excellence in the Commonwealth! (doors open at 6 p.m.)

Thank you to our sponsors for 2019 Induction Weekend; presenting sponsor, Priority Automotive Group, Virginia Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau, Virginia Beach Department of Economic Development, Optima Health, Davis Business Appraisers, Whiteclaw Hard Seltzer, ESPN Radio 94.1 WVSP-FM, AdImpact Marketing, WAVY TV 10 and FOX 43, and the Virginia Beach Hotel Association.

The Opulent 80’s features three performers exploring the materialism, nuclear threats, and angst of the 1980’s. They do so through the lens of the Bourbon Court a la 1789 on the cusp of the French Revolution- in other words, Marie Antoinette expressing herself through the music of (who else?) Queen. This cabaret features a full string quartet and fabulous costumes as we spin a new take on classic 80’s (1980’s!) music.

Written Scott Quirk

One of CTHR’s most beloved productions is back! “King of the Wild Frontier” is a name befitting a Tennessee hero with a coonskin cap… but what if there are not one, not two, but three such heroes competing for the title? There’s only one way to tell the real from the imposter: A Tall Tale Telling Tournament! Join Davy Crockett, Davy Crockett, and Davy Crockett on a trip through the folklore and tall tales of the American frontier.

Enjoy familiar characters such as Paul Bunyan, Babe the Blue Ox and Johnny Appleseed, and also some not so familiar characters… like hoop-snakes and hide-behinds! Interactive and hilarious; a wonderful adventure for kids and adults alike.

(Appropriate for all ages, best enjoyed by those four and up)

Introducing TasteBreakers, the music scene’s happy hour. Pop over to The Z after work to hear our favorite music trendsetters and have a drink on us with your ticket purchase! Let TasteBreakers be your low cost, high entertainment happy hour. You just might find your new favorite band.

Bass and voice jazz duo “Liz & Brydge” have been performing all over the Coastal Virginia region since December 2018. They’ve cultivated a distinct sound that exclusively features Chris Brydge on the upright bass and Liz Terrell on vocals, and are sure to captivate as Brydge lays down swingin’ bass lines and passionate grooves while Liz soars over top with sensuous tones and expressive power.

Join us for a full-day workshop with award winning playwright Jonathan Tolins.

Our Community Liaison, Sibel Galindez, has invited her friend and fellow Harvard alum, Jon Tolins, to The Z for a one-time, one-day playwrighting workshop.

Join Sibel as she interviews Jon in our Studio Theater about his journey as a writer. He will share what it takes to navigate a life as an artist and make a sustaining career out of doing what you love.  After the interview is opened up for questions, everyone will break for lunch. Upon return, Jon will conduct a Master Class in which four excerpts from The Z’s American Dreamwrights Group will be read for Jon’s critique.

If you are writer this is an opportunity you don’t want to miss!

But this workshop is not just for writers.  Understanding the artist’s journey and the creative process no matter your field of choice is always of value.

The Z is dedicated to making these kinds of educational programs accessible to all regardless of means.  Attendance is FREE but seating is limited.  Please email sibel.galindez@thez.org to reserve your spot.

Our guest mentor’s full bio:

JONATHAN TOLINS is best known as the author of Buyer & Cellar, for which he won a Lucille Lortel Award, and which was named “Best Unique Theatrical Experience” by the Off-Broadway Alliance when it premiered at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater before moving on to a long, successful run at the Barrow Street Theatre, a national tour, and a London engagement at the Menier Chocolate Factory.  It has since had over a hundred productions and was shown on the WNET series, Theater Close-Up.  Other plays include The Twilight of the Golds (Broadway, Booth Theatre), If Memory Serves (Promenade), The Last Sunday in June (Rattlestick, Century Center), Secrets of the Trade (Primary Stages), and The Forgotten Woman (Bay Street Theater).  A collection of his plays has been published by Grove/Atlantic.  He was also represented on Broadway by additional material written with his husband, Robert Cary, for the revival of On the Town.  His film work includes The Twilight of the Golds starring Brendan Fraser and Faye Dunaway, and Martian Child starring John Cusack and Amanda Peet, both co-written with Seth E. Bass.  For television, he was a writer for Queer as Folk (Showtime, first season, co-producer), the 2000 and 2002 Academy Awards, the 2003 Tony Awards, Partners (CBS, consulting producer), BrainDead (CBS, consulting producer) and is currently an executive producer of The Good Fight for CBS All Access.  In addition, he and Robert Cary wrote the script for Grease Live!, the Emmy award-winning live broadcast based on the classic musical, and A Christmas Story Live!, both for Fox TV.  Jon was the author of Pushkin 200: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall, acted as script consultant on Walking with Dinosaurs: The Arena Spectacular, and co-wrote The Divine Millennium Tour and The Showgirl Must Go On for Bette Midler.  He has written articles for Opera News, Opera Monthly, TheaterWeek, Time Magazine, and The Huffington Post, and is a regular panelist on the Metropolitan Opera Radio Quiz.  Jon lives in Fairfield, Connecticut with his husband and their children, Selina and Henry.  He is a member of the Dramatists Guild and the Writers Guild of America.

GreenWolf combines Magic, theatrical storytelling, quick-witted comedy, and a few death-defying feats with the beauty of Irish culture to create a unique theatrical experience that proves Magic isn’t just for children.

His full evening illusion show, Celtic Magic, which combines his passions for Theatre, Music, Magic, and Irish Culture, has been presented to sold out crowds in theatres across the country. He spends years creating illusions themed to the show and writing presentations unlike any others in Magic and after two decades and numerous awards and accolades, Daniel Green Wolf is only just getting started.

Pre-show performance in The Z’s Main Stage Lobby by Community Partner: Rhythm of Ireland School of Irish Dance, Celebrating 24 years as the premiere Irish Dance School in Hampton Roads.

Book and Lyrics by Anton Dudley
Music by Michael Cooper

We have recently partnered with the Association for Research and Enlightenment in commissioning a new musical about Edgar Cayce from the writing team of Anton Dudley and Michael Cooper, the creators of Second to Nun. The A.R.E. has granted Michael and Anton unparalleled research access to Edgar Cayce’s personal archives, and we cannot wait to present three public readings of this new piece from March 12th through March 14th.

This will be a Staged Reading; the actors will have script in hand, there will be some scenic elements and projections, minimal costumes, and theatrical lighting.

Join us in the Studio Theater for a Stand Up Comedy show, featuring talented local comedians and hosted by Plan B Comedy.

About Plan B Comedy:

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

Introducing TasteBreakers, the music scene’s happy hour. Pop over to The Z after work to hear our favorite music trendsetters and have a drink on us with your ticket purchase! Let TasteBreakers be your low cost, high entertainment happy hour. You just might find your new favorite band.

Ultimate creative is the best way to describe K’Bana Blaq. He realized his purpose in life is to be a creative two years ago after starting “Love
Over Hate”. He has been singing most of his life and travel the world to sing alongside names like Jill Scott, Common, and Alicia Keys, just to name a few. It was not until lost came at his door in a very unexpected way that helped Blaq realize his true purpose. After the suicide of a former bandmate, Blaq began to search for the answer to that one question “Why”. One night the words “Love” and “Hate” came to him helping him create the “Love Over Hate” project. Blaq has decided to take all his talents, from singing, modeling, writing, photography, and motivational speaking, and use them to empowers people to love themselves through art and being creative.

Join us in a world where magic is real, adventure is epic, and love is harmonious. Sit on the edge of your seats as professional champion ice skaters, Broadway level singers, and cirque performers captivate you. Welcome to The Spinning Tales Of Peter Pan & Cinderella On Ice!- Where fairy tales and ice collide!

Our story spins through the world famous tales of Peter Pan and Cinderella. Cinderella defeats the odds by jumping through obstacles to find her true love a new twist on your average love story. Following the long-awaited true love’s kiss, pirates interrupt and Peter Pan is called for a nonstop adventure through Neverland.

SHAKESPEARE SCENE SLAM HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL SATURDAY FEBRUARY 22 AT 6PM.

Shakespeare’s Early Modern English is often impenetrable at first listen. We are inviting theater enthusiasts of all ages to take a few classic scenes and re-fashion them for the modern ear. Not only that, we are presenting these scenes slam-style, in a manner we imagine the Bard’s friends likely first read his lines in some darkened pub. Shakespeare Scene Slam is at The Z on Thursday, February 20. Admission is suggested donation at the door.

See the full No Holds Bard Schedule here.

The finale of No Holds Bard is a bootleg-style production of Romeo and Juliet. Bootleg Shakespeare is a true community-sourced production. Our randomly-cast actors have six weeks to learn their lines, create their costumes, and fashion their props– all on their own, without the collaboration of any other actors. On Saturday morning, we will all come together at The Z and create a new production in one day, to run one time only that evening. Admission is suggested donation at the door.

See the full No Holds Bard Schedule here.

The Main Stage at The Z is showcased to its full capabilities as we bring Shakespeare’s songs to rich and vivid life in concert. Will left us dozens of lyrics throughout his plays, but unfortunately only a few melodies have survived the ages. Fortunately, we can draw on musical traditions unimagined in Elizabethan England to remake these songs anew. Shake’s Songs appears one night only at The Z on Friday, February 21. Admission is suggested donation at the door.

See the full No Holds Bard Schedule here.

Before there was The Globe, before there were the King’s Men, before Bankside and Cheapside and Bear-Baiting, there was a community that came together to create those things. Several hundred years later, we are re-creating that spirit.

No Holds Bard is a community-driven Shakespeare festival. From a newly-imagined Macbeth set in post-earthquake Haiti circa 2010 through our centerpiece bootleg-style presentation of Romeo and Juliet, we are calling on the support and participation of not only our local artists, but of anyone who has ever felt the glow of the limelight and the call of the boards.

There is a little something for everyone in The Z’s Shakespeare festival. In addition to the afore-mentioned plays, we are presenting a concert of some of Shakespeare’s dozens of lyrics set to original music by local composers and songwriters and an evening of re-contextualized and newly-paraphrased classic scenes. Imagine Tybalt and Mercutio dueling it out in high-stakes poker, or young Henry exhorting his band of brothers to make one final pizza delivery.

No Holds Bard is both a delightful treat for the seasoned Shakespeare fan and the perfect entry point for the newcomer to Billy Shakes. Whether you can recite Shakespeare chapter and verse or the citation “Macbeth 5.5.17” reads as Greek, No Holds Bard is for you.

~ ~ ~

Running throughout the festival is the psychological drama Voodoo Macbeth, Orson Welles’ update to the Bard’s masterpiece of treachery, betrayal, and slaughter. Voodoo Macbeth, in this new modern arrangement created and directed by Matt Burchfield, is set along the thinning boundary of spiritual and temporal in post-cataclysm Haiti. Witches and porters and murderers support the most perfect married couple in all of theater as they relentlessly pursue power. Macbeth runs from the evening of Wednesday, 19 February, through the afternoon of Saturday, 22 February.

BUY MACBETH TICKETS

Shakespeare’s Early Modern English is often impenetrable at first listen. We are inviting theater enthusiasts of all ages to take a few classic scenes and re-fashion them for the modern ear. Not only that, we are presenting these scenes slam-style, in a manner we imagine the Bard’s friends likely first read his lines in some darkened pub. Shakespeare Scene Slam is at The Z on Thursday, 20 February.

The Main Stage at The Z is showcased to its full capabilities as we bring Shakespeare’s songs to rich and vivid life in concert. Wil left us dozens of lyrics throughout his plays, but unfortunately only a few melodies have survived the ages. Fortunately, we can draw on musical traditions unimagined in Elizabethan England to remake these songs anew. Shake’s Songs appears one night only at The Z on Friday, 21 February.

Submit for Shakes Songs here.
SIGN UP

The finale of No Holds Bard is a bootleg-style production of Romeo and Juliet. Bootleg Shakespeare is a true community-sourced production. Our randomly-cast actors have six weeks to learn their lines, create their costumes, and fashion their props– all on their own, without the collaboration of any other actors. On Saturday morning, we will all come together at The Z and create a new production in one day, to run one time only that evening. This show is randomly cast– no audition needed! Sign up online by Monday, 6 January, and we will draw the cast lottery-style the following day. This is the perfect opportunity for the amateur and enthusiast alike!

Save the dates, and we will see you at the Z for No Holds Bard: Shakespeare Remade February 19-22. Tickets ON SALE NOW!

No Holds Bard is a community-driven Shakespeare festival. Running throughout the festival is the psychological drama Macbeth, the Bard’s masterpiece of treachery, betrayal, and slaughter. Macbeth, in this new production created and directed by Matt Burchfield, is set along the thinning boundary of spiritual and temporal in post-cataclysm Haiti. Witches and porters and murderers support the most perfect married couple in all of theater as they relentlessly pursue power. Macbeth runs from the evening of Wednesday, 19 February, through the afternoon of Saturday, 22 February.

This production uses strobe lights and sounds of warfare, including explosions and gunshots. Please be aware that the lighting and sound effects will have brief periods of high intensity. This production may not be suitable for our more sensitive patrons.

See the full No Holds Bard Schedule here.

Topic: Innovative Ways of Solving Environmental Problems. Young people are leading the way. 

Short — Back Bay — an award winning locally produced movie by Cory Routh

One act play,  The Owl, the Bull and the Forest,  performed by the thespians at First Colonial High School will also be performed during the afternoon.

Feature — Look and See, A Portrait of Wendell Berry

Look & See is a cinematic portrait of the changing landscapes and shifting values of rural America in the era of industrial agriculture, as seen through the mind’s eye of the beloved writer and poet Wendell Berry.

Presented by

Join us at The Z and see our resident comedy company deliver their very own unique, fast paced and always funny Comedy Show.

About Plan B Comedy:

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

Conceived and Directed by Lindsay Eure

Back again for romp number FIVE! The title says it all. Sexy Broadway tunes, heartfelt ballads and just the right dose of hilarity make for the perfect Valentine (or anti-valentine) celebration.

Photo: Sherry Boylan

Durand Jones & the Indications aren’t looking backwards. Helmed by foil vocalists in Durand Jones and drummer Aaron Frazer, the Indications conjure the dynamism of Jackie Wilson, Curtis Mayfield, and The Impressions. Though their aesthetic is steeped in the golden dreaminess of early ‘70s soul, the Indications are planted firmly in the present, with the urgency of this moment in time.

Their most recent album, American Love Call, is a sprawling and limitless equation. Fleshed out by the elegance of strings, a chorus of backing vocals, and an ambition to prove and push themselves, the split leads between Jones’ husky howl and Frazer’s dulcet falsetto lend a dynamic punch to the group’s timeless sound.

VIP Packages available! VIP package includes:

• One (1) Event Ticket

• Meet & Greet and Photo with Durand Jones & The Indications

• Invitation to One Song Pre-show Private Performance

• One (1) Tote Bag

• One (1) Signed 8×10 Glossy Photo

• One (1) Enamel Pin

Topic: Innovative Ways of Solving Environmental Problems. Young people are leading the way. 

Short: The Environmental Impact of Valentines Day – 1 m All of those flowers and chocolates add up. There are alternatives. 

Short: All the Way to the Ocean by Joel Harper (His book will also be available for purchase in the lobby)

Feature: Inventing Tomorrow – 1h 45m Passionate teenage innovators from around the world create cutting-edge solutions to confront environmental threats. 

Meet passionate teenage innovators from around the globe who are creating cutting-edge solutions to confront the world’s environmental threats – found right in their own backyards – while navigating the doubts and insecurities that mark adolescence. Take a journey with these inspiring teens as they 

prepare their projects for the largest convening of high school scientists in the world, the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), a program of the Society for Science and the Public. 

Release date: August 31, 2018 (USA) Director: Laura Nix Producers: Laura Nix,

Presented by

Written by Anton Five
Directed by Mike Burnette

One of CTHR’s most beloved productions is back! Travel over the rainbow and down the yellow brick road to the Emerald City once more! Only this time, you’ll meet a character you may not remember: Nikko, the Commander of the Flying Monkeys, who has (a tail and) a tale to tell, and it might not be what you’d expect! Hear the enchanting story of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” from Nikko in a fresh retelling of the cherished classic.

(Appropriate for all ages, best enjoyed by those four and up)

Book by Allan Harris and Pat Harris, composed by Allan Harris, directed by Regge Life.

The Virginia African American Cultural Center and The Z present a concert performance of Cross That River, featuring an extraordinary score that mixes jazz, blues, country, and R&B. Award Winning Jazz artist Alan Harris’s new musical tells the untold story of the Black West and aims to empower Americans with an inspiring story of freedom.

Join us in the Studio Theater for a Stand Up Comedy show, featuring talented local comedians and hosted by Plan B Comedy.

About Plan B Comedy:

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

On April 30, 2014, Dontre Hamilton, a black, unarmed man diagnosed with schizophrenia, was shot 14 times and killed by a Milwaukee police officer responding to a non-emergency wellness check in a popular downtown park. Filmed over the course of three years in the direct aftermath of Dontre’s death, this intimate verite documentary follows his family as they struggle to find answers and challenge a criminal justice system stacked against them. Offering a painfully realistic glimpse inside a movement born out of tragedy, this explosive documentary takes a behind the scenes look at one of America’s most pressing social issues. Director Erik Ljung has meticulously crafted a piece of essential viewing, one that has much to contribute to our understanding of the ongoing epidemic of police violence. We get to know Dontre, and watch as his family transforms into activists. We see the complex layers of engagement when a mourning family’s desires diverge from those of fellow activists, and feel their frustration and anger with institutional responses.

More on The Blood is at the Doorstep, click here

On Screen/In Person tours independent American filmmakers to communities across the mid-Atlantic region to screen their recent work and increase accessibility and appreciation for film through direct audience engagement.

Presented with support from:

Topic: Protecting our Natural Resources, Forests and Oceans 

Two Short Features: Feature: Takayna – 37 m takayna / Tarkine in northwestern Tasmania is home to one of the last undisturbed tracts of Gondwanan rainforest in the world, and one of the highest concentrations of Aboriginal archaeology in the hemisphere. Yet this place, which remains largely as it was when dinosaurs roamed the planet, is currently at the mercy of destructive extraction industries, including logging and mining. Weaving together the conflicting narratives of activists, locals and Aboriginal communities, and told through the experiences of a trail running doctor and a relentless environmentalist, this documentary, presented by Patagonia Films, unpacks the complexities of modern conservation and challenges us to consider the importance of our last truly wild places. 

Feature: Fishpeople – 48 m To some, the ocean is a fearsome place. But to others, it’s a limitless world of fun, freedom and opportunity where life can be lived to the full. A new documentary presented by Patagonia and directed by Keith Malloy, Fishpeople tells the stories of a unique cast of characters who have dedicated their lives to the sea. From surfers and spearfishers to a long distance swimmer, a former coal miner and a group of at-risk skis, it’s a film about the transformative effects of time spent in the ocean – and how we can leave our limitations behind to find deeper meaning in the saltwater wilderness that lies just beyond the shore.

Presented by

Known for their harmony-laced take on alt-folk, The Hunts are a Chesapeake, Virginia-based band of seven siblings who’ve been playing music together almost their entire lives. Twin sisters Jessi and Jenni and five brothers Josh, Jonathan, Jordan, Justin, and Jamison, now ranging in age from 28 down to 19, learned to sing and play violin as young kids and spent much of their childhood performing in their community. After widening their following and playing at theaters, festivals and universities around the country—and teaching themselves to play instruments like mandolin, piano, ukulele, banjo, and drums—The Hunts started experimenting with songwriting and have quickly honed their sound, crafting positive songs that move audiences. Their songs are full of joy, and powerful uplifting themes, and great to sing along to whether you’re seeing them live or road trippin’ with the music blaring and the windows rolled down.

Over 18 million streams on Spotify
Two National Tours with O.A.R.
Opened for The Fray, Judah & The Lion, X Ambassadors and more
Major festival appearances include: Austin City Limits Music Festival (twice), Summerfest, Landmark & Firefly

Topic: Climate Change Short: Greta Thunberg’s TED talk – 11m The voice of young people may lead the way for the world’s people. 

Feature: Paris to Pittsburgh – 1h 17m

Paris to Pittsburgh brings to life the impassioned efforts of individuals who are battling the most severe threats of climate change in their own backyards. Set against the national debate over the United States’ energy future – and the Trump administration’s explosive decision to exit the Paris Climate Agreement – the film captures what’s at stake for communities around the country and the inspiring ways Americans are responding. 

Paris to Pittsburgh is a 2018 documentary film about climate change directed by National Geographic filmmaker Sidney Beaumont and documentarian Michael Bonfiglio and produced by Bloomberg Philanthropies, National Geographic and RadicalMedia. The film is narrated by Rachel Brosnahan.

Initial release: 2018 

Directors: Michael Bonfiglio, Sidney Beaumont Producer: Sidney Beaumont

Presented by

The once-proud Greek Orthodox parish of Saint Irene’s has fallen on hard times. As conflict, strife, and blame overtake the church council, a long-banished parishioner appears with the promise of financial salvation. But his arrival pitches the parish into another crisis, as the congregants find themselves fighting not just for their church but for their souls.

Topic: Local Foods Short: The Lynnhaven — 13m A locally made short film about the controversies around oyster farming in the Lynnhaven River. 

Feature: The Biggest Little Farm – 1h 32m

A couple are followed through their successes and failures as they work to develop a sustainable farm on 200 acres outside of Los Angeles. Over the years, the desolate land they purchase begins to thrive and is transformed.

A testament to the immense complexity of nature, The Biggest Little Farm follows two dreamers and a dog on an odyssey to bring harmony to both their lives and the land.

Rating: PG (for mild thematic elements) Genre: Documentary Directed By: John Chester Written By: Mark Monroe, John Chester

Presented by

In an exceptional melding of man and machine, Dan Tepfer uses the Yamaha Disklavier piano to bring together his world-class pianism with his background in physics and programming. As he improvises, the piano responds in real time with notes of its own, the keys of the keyboard depressing themselves as if by magic, guided by algorithms that he has programmed into his computer.

Different pieces arise not from different choices of notes, but from different processes which naturally leave their own distinct sonic signature on the music. As the music is being created, another set of custom-made coding turns the data into animated visual art, creating a mesmerizing visual universe that reveals the underlying musical structure.

Dan will play a Yamaha DCFX, a CFX concert grand piano with the Disklavier™ PRO reproducing system, provided courtesy of Yamaha Corporation of America”.

Join us in the Studio Theater for a Stand Up Comedy show, featuring talented local comedians and hosted by Plan B Comedy.

About Plan B Comedy:

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

Introducing TasteBreakers, the music scene’s happy hour. Pop over to The Z after work to hear our favorite music trendsetters and have a drink on us with your ticket purchase! Let TasteBreakers be your low cost, high entertainment happy hour. You just might find your new favorite band.

Jacob found himself coming into his own as a songwriter in his 20’s. Migrating from Pennsylvania to land in Southeast Virginia, his life experiences to this point painted a curious picture of the world. Social observations, the ugliness of inner struggle, searching and questioning brought an intense quality to his writing. The early seeds of traditional blues, folk, country and bluegrass have collided with the bold sounds of grunge and rock influences forging a poetic, americana songwriter with a furious live stage presence.

Written by Anton Five
Directed by Mike Burnette

One of CTHR’s most beloved productions is back! An evil, terrible queen is threatening to take over the kingdom! Can no one in this entire Hill of Beans stop her from carrying out her dastardly plot? It’s up to Princess Leguma and, with a lot of determination (and a little help from a frog), she just may be able to save Garbanzo Gardens from the wicked Queen Lima. Everyone the kingdom over will enjoy this fanciful take on the classic fairy tale!

(Appropriate for all ages, best enjoyed by those four and up)

Join us at The Z and see our resident comedy company deliver their very own unique, fast paced and always funny Comedy Show.

About Plan B Comedy:

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

What happens when you mix festive holiday brass music with beer from Hampton Roads best local breweries? The first-ever Holiday Brass and Brews! Start your holidays with something different this year, and join us for a holly-jolly evening filled with holiday music and the best in local brews!  Your ticket includes six beer tastings, as members of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra blow your mind with toe-tapping brass and percussion music for the season. Bring your friends for a unique and fun holiday event! Groups welcome with advance purchase.

Join us at The Z and see our resident comedy company deliver their very own unique, fast paced and always funny Comedy Show.

About Plan B Comedy:

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

An introspective look at the artist T.Cooke during the making of his debut “7 Cities” album. Interviews from family, friends, and influencers from the Hampton Roads area, allow the viewer to get an intimate never-before-seen look at who he is not only as an artist, but as a person as well. Follow along as T.Cooke uses the umbrella of the 757, to tell a greater much-needed story of his childhood upbringing and how it has shaped his artistry today.

7 Cities Documentary (Trailer) | T.Cooke from 7 Cities Documentary on Vimeo.

Introducing TasteBreakers, the music scene’s happy hour. Pop over to The Z after work to hear our favorite music trendsetters and have a drink on us with your ticket purchase! Let TasteBreakers be your low cost, high entertainment happy hour. You just might find your new favorite band.

In December we welcome, Kristi k. — Virginia Beach’s new Pop Queen is releasing her first 3 song EP entitled Kings+Queens. She is the winner of the 2nd Season of the Jesse Chong Audition, an ODU graduate and 8 year Navy Veteran. Facebook Instagram and Twitter handle @kristikmusic

Written by Anton Five
Directed by Jessica Brooke Pinsky

Join CTHR this December for a brand-new holiday production! Help Wanted: ‘The United Nicks’ is looking for a creative, hardworking, and fun-loving individual to be a part of their Holiday Team!

Due to a clerical error, The United Nicks headquarters at the North Pole is in disarray. Santas from all over the world (and their counter parts) are scrambling to make sense of the mix up and try to save Christmas! We need your help! Four years’ experience helping others preferred but not required. No previous toy delivery experience required.

What to Bring: At least forty-five minutes’ worth of laughter, smiles ready and, of course, a desire to help save Christmas! Only silly applicants will be considered. A fun Holiday treat for the whole family.

(Appropriate for all ages, best enjoyed by those four and up)

The musicians joining Jae for this session are saxophonist Ralph Bowen, bassist Terry Burrell and pianist Allen Farnham. All are tremendously respected by their contemporaries. They are the perfect complement to Jae’s swinging, musically soulful, rhythmically hip-shifting drumming.

The music on Zero to 60 presents each musician with unique harmonic, melodic and rhythmic challenges. What makes this music stand out though is that within this complexity, you can walk away remembering what you’ve heard. Melodies you can hum and remember. Then there is the swing beat. Wow! Zero to 60 swings as hard as any swinging jazz you’ve heard for more than 30 years! There is incredible passion in this music and it’s balanced with beautiful melodic continuity over advanced layers of harmonic and rhythmic textures. The music invites you in to join it – like a warm friend you enjoy spending time and getting to know.

This event will feature Jae’s original music as well as original arrangements of beloved holiday classics.

This will be the fifth annual HOLIDIVAS cabaret at The Z. This show is tailored to the performers and features a diverse selection of holiday music for a heartwarming yet hilarious evening with plenty of nostalgia.

Photo: Sherry Boylan

The Voices of Virginia form the Governor’s School for the Arts recently toured Japan with their show BELIEVE and will be presenting a live concert at the Z December 6-8. The show is a celebration of the Norfolk-Kitakyushu Sister City Relationship and celebrates 60 years of popular music including Classic rock, pop, soul, Motown and more.

Presented by

Plan B Comedy is coming over for holiday leftovers. Watch Plan B perform some scripted sketch comedy that’ll cure that holiday food coma and leave you asking for seconds! Come check out their unique brand of quick, smart, fun comedy. Fifth year!

In DETROIT 48202 we take a journey with Wendell along his route and listen in on his conversations with his customers – the resilient Detroiters who share stories of resistance: pushing back against racial segregation in housing; challenging industrial and political disinvestment; and living on reduced pensions as a result of the 2014 municipal bankruptcy. Our characters also share stories of hope and propose creative ways to re-imagine an inclusive, productive, equitable and re-invigorated city.

We also meet legendary labor organizer, General Baker, Historian Thomas Sugrue, and Urban Planner June Manning Thomas, who provide a thread of analysis and historical context.

DETROIT 48202: CONVERSATIONS ALONG A POSTAL ROUTE is urgent. It asks: will the resurgence of Detroit center on a high tech, and increasingly white downtown or, will it focus on the vast stretches of neglected neighborhoods that continue to deal with a 40% poverty rate, water shutoffs, tax foreclosures, poor transportation, and a school system in crisis?

More on DETROIT 48202, click here

On Screen/In Person tours independent American filmmakers to communities across the mid-Atlantic region to screen their recent work and increase accessibility and appreciation for film through direct audience engagement.

Presented with support from:

Sidney Kovach has been the Assistant Principal Double Bassist in the Philharmonic for over 40 years. He’s done everything during his illustrious career, he’s played Bernstein with Bernstein, Stravinsky with Boulez and has premiered major concertos with the world’s best musicians. When his stand partner (the legendary Max Finkelstein) passes away, a young upstart, Lindsay Bonner-Cox III, is appointed as the new Principal by the Music Director. Lindsay is not the choice of the members of the bass section and the appointment immediately causes friction amongst the players. Basses are Loaded is a hilarious psychological study of three generations of musicians trying to find a way to make music together in challenging circumstances.

This will be a Staged Reading; the actors will have script in hand, there will be some scenic elements and projections, minimal costumes, and theatrical lighting

The Doo Wop Project begins at the beginning, tracing the evolution of Doo Wop from the classic sound of five guys singing tight harmonies on a street corner to the biggest hits on the radio today. In their epic shows DWP takes audiences on a journey from foundational tunes of groups like the Crests, Belmonts and Flamingos through their influences on the sounds of Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, and The Four Seasons all the way to DooWopified versions of modern musicians like Michael Jackson, Jason Mraz and Maroon 5.

Featuring stars of Broadway’s hits Jersey Boys, Motown: The Musical, Chazz Palminteri’s A Bronx Tale, and more the Doo Wop Project brings unparalleled authenticity of sound and vocal excellence to recreate — and in some cases entirely reimagine — some of the greatest music in American pop and rock history.

PLEASE RESERVE YOUR SEATS FOR THIS FREE EVENT.

Healing takes time. Over 150 days after the tragic shooting at our City’s Municipal Center, Zeiders American Dream Theater invites the community to come together for this FREE Community Event to draw strength and healing through the power of The Arts.  Interactive arts activities as well as community arts & therapy resources will be offered in The Z’s Main Stage Lobby. The event will then culminate in a performance in The Z’s Main Stage of dance, music and spoken word by local contributing artists. Arts Partners to offer activities include Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, The Muse Writers Center and The Vibe. WHRO, as media partner, is promoting the event. And Angela Phillips Yoga Studio will be offering guided breath work.

Resources about Arts & Healing will also be available with breath work offered by Angela Phillips Yoga Studio.  Also housed in the Main Stage Lobby will be a sampling of items left at the site of the shooting that were collected and are making their way into a memorial museum coordinated by the City of Virginia Beach.

From 3PM-4PM, tables will be set up in The Z’s Main Stage Lobby with interactive arts projects from The Muse, Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art & The Vibe.  Arts organizations, to include dance, music, and pottery studios, comedy improv troupes & theaters, will be invited to table so they may share their information and folks can find some form of art they enjoy. From 4PM-5PM everyone is invited into the Main Stage for a performance to include dance, film, spoken word, music.

Partnering with:

Written and Directed by Jessica Brooke Pinsky

When your chicken runs away, your magical harp gets stolen, your cow is sold at market, and your mom is always on your case, don’t you wish you could just climb a beanstalk to get away from it all? Climb up the beanstalk with Jack to the land of the giants, this November at CTHR!

(Appropriate for all ages, best enjoyed by those four and up)

Join us at The Z and see our resident comedy company deliver their very own unique, fast paced and always funny Comedy Show.

About Plan B Comedy:

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

TACA members get a discount- 20% Discount on festival passes. This discount can only be purchased at the box office with proof of TACA membership.

Afrobeats is the hottest and latest genre of music AND dance that is taking the world by storm. We got a taste of it last November, as TACA, the Tidewater African Cultural Alliance presented the Afrobeat Friday: College Division Dance Off! on the main stage last year, featuring dance teams from ODU (winner), VCU, and Hampton University. We also had students from VA Beach’s Kellam and Tallwood High School treat us to special performances.

The Zeiders American Dream Theater is excited to partner with TACA this November to bring you Afrobeats FEST 757, the first of its kind featuring DANCE, MUSIC, and FILM! This time, the Dance Off! will be open to high school, college, AND the community – with cash prizes, too! We kick off the FEST with an Afrobeats Burnout class by the amazing Hurricane Ghana of NYC on Friday night Nov. 8; have the preliminaries of the Dance Off!, along with films being shown and a concert featuring some incredible talent from NYC, Boston, and the 757, including local student musicians: all on Saturday, Nov. 9! Then, we end with the finals on Sunday, Nov. 10. Come have an AMAZING time and get your Afrobeats on!

Let’s kick off the Afrobeats FEST 757 with an Afrobeat Burnout class by Hurricane Ghana, NYC based Ghanaian fitness pro: You will have so much fun dancing to Afrobeats hits, that you won’t even realize the calories you’ll be burning out! Hurricane Ghana class on Friday is FREE and open to the public. There are limited number of spots. Space is limited. Register ONLINE or OVER THE PHONE (757-499-0317) to get your spot. Doors will open Friday at 5:30pm. The class will begin at 6:30pm.

Doors open noon Saturday and Sunday at 1pm.

BECOME A VENDOR

PRESENTED IN PART WITH

Influences like Bobby McFerrin, Haitus Kyote, Chaka Khan and countless others help shape the sounds that you hear throughout her music. Chantae’s music blends the exploratory sounds of Jazz with the feel good vibes of Soul, which makes for a mixture that is quite enticing. It is her heart’s desire to simply inspire, uplift and encourage the lives of others through music.

Chantae Cann is the charismatic influence with a voice that transcends through time. With the release of her debut album “Journey to Golden” in March 2016 at #1 on the iTunes Jazz Charts and #7 on the Jazz Billboard Charts. Chantae Cann’s second studio album (Sol Empowered) released on October 13, 2017 earned the #8 spot on the Jazz Billboard Charts.

Music and Lyrics by James Rubio
Book by James Rubio and Chris Hanna

When the carnival comes to Youngstown in the summer of 1976, aspiring magician Frank gets drawn into the enchanted world behind the curtains. His skills in the shooting galleries makes him a hero to the barkers, carnies, and townspeople as it simultaneously makes him a marked man in the eyes of the wizard behind the carnival’s trickery. With a catchy score influenced by ’70s music and art song in equal measure, Grotesquerie Lake is a fantastical story that reminds us to never lose focus- despite the distractions- while always remaining true to your vision.

This will be a Workshop Production; the actors may refer to scripts, there will be fairly complete costumes, and theatrical lighting.

Active Duty, Senior and Student Discount tickets are available ONLY at the box office with a valid ID.

This entertaining Halloween-themed production will be the debut of Ballet Virginia’s professional company. Masquerade will showcase a pas de deux choreographed by Jaquelyn Long, which was originally performed by the Houston Ballet as well as original works from our artistic directors, resident choreographer and company members. People of all ages will enjoy this eclectic program.

Presented by

Join us in the Studio Theater for a Stand Up Comedy show, featuring talented local comedians and hosted by Plan B Comedy.

About Plan B Comedy:

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

The Thick Dark Fog:

Walter Littlemoon attended a federal Indian boarding school in South Dakota sixty years ago. The mission of many of these schools in 1950, was still to “kill the Indian and save the man.” The children were not allowed to be Indians – to speak their language or express their culture or native identity in any way at the risk of being severely beaten, humiliated or abused. What effects did these actions cause? Many Native people, like Walter, lived with this unresolved trauma into adulthood, acting it out through alcoholism and domestic violence. At age 58, Walter decided to write and publish his memoirs as a way to explain his past abusive behaviors to his estranged children. But dealing with the memories of his boarding school days nearly put an end to the project. The Thick Dark Fog tells the story of how Walter confronted the “thick dark fog” of his past so that he could heal himself and his community.

Badger Creek:

Badger Creek is a half-hour documentary portrait of a Blackfeet (Pikuni) family, the Mombergs, who live on the lower Blackfeet Reservation in Montana near the banks of Badger Creek. In addition to running a prosperous ranching business, they practice a traditional Blackfeet cultural lifestyle that sustains and nourishes them, including sending their children to a Blackfeet language immersion school, participating in Blackfeet spiritual ceremonies and maintaining a Blackfeet worldview. The film takes us through a year in the life of the family, and through four seasons of the magnificent and traditional territory of the Pikuni Nation.

More on Badger Creek, click here

On Screen/In Person tours independent American filmmakers to communities across the mid-Atlantic region to screen their recent work and increase accessibility and appreciation for film through direct audience engagement.

Presented with support from:

Written by Anton Five

Directed by Mike Burnette

Nothing very exciting ever happens to Danny; certainly nothing out of the ordinary. Visiting the grandparents’ house doesn’t seem like it would be very exciting, and adventure is the last thing on Danny’s mind- but then finding an old diary and a mysterious toy box in the attic certainly is curious. A diary that describes odd things happening around the house- like raining indoors and talking toys! None of this could be real, could it? Join CTHR this October for an exciting new play full of silly, colorful characters, on a family vacation that gets even weirder than expected! What’s the worst that can happen when the imagination literally runs wild? Find out when you open the Toy Box!… but let’s open it together, okay? “Toybox” offers enough tomfoolery and terrific fun for any tot! Just in time for Halloween.

(Appropriate for all ages, best enjoyed by those four and up)

Introducing TasteBreakers, the music scene’s happy hour. Pop over to The Z after work to hear our favorite music trendsetters and have a drink on us with your ticket purchase! Let TasteBreakers be your low cost, high entertainment happy hour. You just might find your new favorite band.

On October 18, we welcome, The Fuzz Band! The Fuzz Band, whose sound is a fusion of Urban & Rock music, met and formed while attending Hampton University. The nine-piece band is comprised of 3 vocalists, drums, percussion, keys, guitar, horn and bass, was originally created as the house band for Fuzzy Wednesday. Spanning over 20 years, it is Virginia’s longest running open mic. The band soon began collaborating on original music and developing their own sound. Performing first at local venues and colleges, the band soon released Without Boundaries, followed by Collision, Change, a Change of the Guards and a self-titled EP. Several years, multiple albums, and three USO world tours later, the band continues to shine.

Locally, the band has won multiple awards as Best R&B, Best Live Performer, and Best Song & Album recipients.  Nationally, The Fuzz Band was featured in the Hollywood Issue of Black Enterprise Magazine, and has received nods in Rolling Stone and in Spin Magazine for their Chrysler Jeep Campaign.

For over five decades, Bryan Bowers has been to the autoharp what Earl Scruggs was to the five-string banjo. He presents instrumental virtuosity combined with warmth, eloquence, expression and professionalism.

Bower’s creativity and talent have won him inductions into Frets Magazine’s First Gallery of the Greats, as well as being the first living member inducted into the Autoharp Hall of Fame after Maybelle Carter, Kilby Snow, and Sara Carter. Master of the Autoharp, singer/songwriter, and riveting storyteller, Bryan has teamed up with two multi-talented musicians, Danny Knicely (world class Virginian mandolinist, guitarist, and mandocellist) and Geoff Goodhue (New England based singer and multi-instrumentalist) to create American folk and mountain music at its finest.

Danny Knicely is a multi-talented musician and music producer from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. He is constantly active, performing and recording his own music and working with other musicians and dancers. As a multi-instrumentalist, Danny has won many awards for his mandolin, guitar, and fiddle expertise, including first place in the mandolin contest at the prestigious Telluride Bluegrass Festival. Danny has the chameleon-like ability to blend into almost any musical situation and has appeared with many top performers of Bluegrass, Old-time, Swing, Jazz, Blues, Rock, Folk, Latin, Country, Irish, Americana, and World Music

Geoff Goodhue took up violin at age 5 and went on to graduate from Ohio University in 2004 with a B.F.A. in Percussion Performance. Now living in New Hampshire, Geoff sings and plays mandolin with Beg, Steal or Borrow who performed at the 2017 Grey Fox Festival. He also serves as drummer for the Vermont Vaudeville house band. Geoff’s family outfit, The Goodhues Band, was featured at the 2016 Mountain Laurel Autoharp Gathering. As a member of Athens Ohio’s Realbilly Jive, Geoff recorded drums on J.D. Hutchison’s You and the World Outside, released on Howdy Skies Records last September with Tim O’Brien. The band performed on Mountain Stage last January.

Presented by Tidewater Friends of Acoustic Music

SEE THE FULL SCHEDULE!

The Z’s annual Proteus Festival is a multi-day celebration of creative experiences. The Proteus artists present over forty performances in six days and foster the creation of a dozen new works. The Z becomes a continual hub of new experiences. The unique, the unknown, and the unforgettable take the stage in an explosion of Protean spirit in Neptune’s city.

Proteus Festival serves all creative arts, but highlights three in particular: music, theater, and film. 

Proteus Festival:Theater begins in the Studio Theater the evening of Tuesday, 8 October, with the debut of a new work from one of The Z’s American Dreamwrights Workshop playwrights. Each evening following sees another debut as four new stage works see their first presentation. On Saturday the four works are presented serially, one after the other, in a true festival-style day. Proteus Festival’s lead theater artist, CORE Theatre Ensemble, caps off the festival with a performance of their 45-minute one-act play, The Yellow Wallpaper, at 7:30 that evening.

Proteus Festival:Film kicks off on Wednesday, 9 October at our partner venue, Regal Cinemas Columbus. The film festival highlights local and regional filmmakers, presenting a mix of feature-length and short films in a number of screenings through Saturday. Proteus Festival:Film closes Saturday evening, with the presentation of both an Audience and a Jury award for “Best of Proteus,” and an encore screening of the audience favorite.

Proteus Festival:Music has its downbeat at 7:30 on Friday, 11 October in the Main Stage. The music festival features the new & unusual in music, performing one after the other in a true festival atmosphere. Eight performances on the Main Stage from Friday through Saturday are complemented by other musicians throughout The Z and elsewhere.

At the heart of Proteus Festival are the Creative Teams. The Creative Teams come together at The Z the evening of Thursday, 10 October. Over the next three days, they create new works in their chosen discipline– music, theater, or film– and debut their new creations on Sunday afternoon on the Main Stage. On Saturday afternoon, last year’s winners will be featured in the same space.

VIP TICKETS INCLUDE PREFERRED SEATING AND A MEET AND GREET WITH JAE AND ELLIS!

The Jae Sinnett Trio featuring jazz icon Ellis Marsalis will bring a swingin’ good time to The Z! Ellis Marsalis, the patriarch of the esteemed Marsalis family, is a soulful and esteemed pianist, and one of the great jazz educators of our time. Mr Marsalis, now 86 years old and semi-retired, taught at VCU for several years and is reuniting with Sinnett for this very special performance. This once in a lifetime musical experience will feature a variety of well-loved standards and will highlight original compositions by Ellis himself. Get your tickets today as this is an evening you don’t want to miss!

Join us at The Z and see our resident comedy company deliver their very own unique, fast paced and always funny Comedy Show.

About Plan B Comedy:

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

Come join the award winning mentalist Guy Bavli on his journey into the mysteries of the human mind.  You will enjoy an evening of telekinesis, humor, ESP, and interactive audience participation that’ll have you buzzing long after the final curtain call. Everyone who participates will be mesmerized as Guy demonstrates how the mind can overcome all.  You will see how Guy can read your mind, predict your actions, and move objects without touching. Incredible mathematical abilities and even making a couple Telepathically connected in a way never seen before.  You will laugh, be inspired and you will be amazed.

For over 30 years the GUY Bavli has been featured in over 400 television shows, performed in 50 countries and has headlined at some of the most prestigious venues around the world, including 1200 shows at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Bavli consistently delivers an interactive entertainment experience that will knock you off your socks with his belly-laughing humor, and amazing feats of the mind.  Come and join us for a night of Psychic fun!
Leave your logic at the door… and take a walk on the Mind Side!   Guy Bavli – Master of the Mind®

Testimonials:

“Blew my mind…” – Miami New Times

“Guy is a Master in Mind over Matter control…” – Uri Geller

“A Great night of Fun and Mystery…” – Examiner.com Entertainment.

Join us in the Studio Theater for a Stand Up Comedy show, featuring talented local comedians and hosted by Plan B Comedy.

About Plan B Comedy:

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

Co-Directors: Andrés Caballero and Sofian Khan

Iraqi and Afghan interpreters were key to the U.S. war effort, but now many face danger in their countries because of their work. The Interpreters follows the lives of a chain-smoking Iraqi codenamed “Phillip Morris” who was able to make it to the U.S. with the help of an American soldier, an Afghan called Malik who is still working as an active interpreter at the U.S. base in Kabul despite threats to his life, and an Afghan named Mujtaba who fled with his family as refugees to Turkey, as they work to rebuild their lives.]

www.interpreterdoc.com

On Screen/In Person tours independent American filmmakers to communities across the mid-Atlantic region to screen their recent work and increase accessibility and appreciation for film through direct audience engagement.

Presented with support from:

Written by Scott Quirk

One of CTHR’s most beloved productions is back! You think you know the story. Pigs. Houses. Red Cloaks. Taking baskets to Grandma’s house. But you’ve never heard the real story – until now! Boss Beulah Bell (a proper Southern pig) is in charge of a little patch of countryside in the Fairytale Woods. But for Beulah, being the star of The Three Little Pigs isn’t enough. With the help of her dimwitted daughter Petaline and a well-intentioned want-ad Wolf, she plans to alter all the fairytales beyond repair.

With the help of the audience, Petaline Prunella Pig and Wyoming Wolf (a.k.a. The Big Bad) vie to stop Beulah in her quest to change the fairytales as we know them into new works, such as “The Little Pig-maid”, “Pig-nocchio”, and “Snow Pig and the Seven Dwarves”. An engaging and interactive production that will entertain the youngest audience members, the seasoned theatre-goers, and everyone in between!

(Appropriate for all ages, best enjoyed by those four and up)

Join us at The Z and see our resident comedy company deliver their very own unique, fast paced and always funny Comedy Show.

About Plan B Comedy:

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

Close to 2 million residents currently stay in the Hampton Roads area, yet countless amounts of Business and Arts ideas are lost to lack of opportunity and representation. Hampton Roads is calling for our attention. Our mission is to create opportunities to put these ideas on center stage. August 31st, at the Zeiders American Dream Theater, we put a stand to these issues with our joint music and fashion show, titled “Daze of Summer”.Together we can help craft these ideas into reality, and increase cultural currency in our respective markets! You are invited to be a part of a local initiative to enhance the Cultural Creativity & Business Awareness of Hampton Roads!

ALL ages Welcome!

Cocktail & Vendor Hour 7:00 – 8:30p.m
D.O.S Show 8:30- 10:30
Post Show Networking 10:30-11:00

For more information, please visit: dazeofsummer.com

This Summer Creative Office Hours will take the form of a Networking Night! This is a chance for you to do some industry peer-to-peer networking as well as talk with our Community Liaison and Marketing Director. We will have some fun ways to get the conversations going for you to share your creative ideas and find ways to expand on them and collaborate with other creative folks in our community.

Our bar will be open with beer & wine, as well as a specialty summer cocktail!

Come and join us.  Did we mention it’s FREE!

Ever dream of taking the stand-up mic yourself? Or impersonating a meatball as your friend becomes a plate of spaghetti?  How about laughing your socks off at a comedy sketch outside of the confines of a dark, seedy bar with a two-drink minimum?  Or hearing from an ol’comedy pro and how they got started in the business?  If any of this appeals to you then The Z’s VB Comedy Fest is for you!

VB Comedy Fest is a festival that celebrates comedy in all its forms.  Stand Up, Improv, and Sketch… you name it, we wanna laugh at it.  A festival that provides participants the opportunity to see what our local performers have to offer as well as our friends from outside the Hampton Roads area.  With workshops and performances, a festival that welcomes uniqueness and collaboration among its performers and festival goers.

Witness the power of expression at VIBES Open Mic!

Spend an evening in the Lyrical Lounge – a unique listening room experience enhanced by sincere stories and candid connection. Sit back and enjoy as locally celebrated songwriters draw back the curtain on the meaning behind their most personal songs. With a diverse mixture of genres and styles each time, Jonah Grinkewitz and Skye Zentz have created a series to spark organic discussion, discovery and a presentation of accomplished Songwriters in a laid back but focused environment.

Plan B Comedy is ready for the Summer. So join us at The Z and see our resident comedy company deliver their very own unique, fast-paced and always funny Comedy Show.

About Plan B Comedy:

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

The Bagels & Fraylox Klezmer Band is a favorite of klezmer fans throughout southeastern Virginia and of countless music lovers who never heard (or heard of) klezmer before encountering this “band with the strange name.” Two simple ingredients make Bagels & Fraylox irresistible: A repertoire of exciting party music from a Jewish tradition that has wide influences and universal appeal, and an infectious performance style full of energy and zest.

Klezmer is a lively mixture of wedding and party music of 19th century Eastern Europe with strains of Yiddish theater and American dance band music of the early 1900s. But it borrows freely from gypsy tunes, Middle Eastern music and other sources as diverse as American folk music and rock ‘n roll. All of those influences come out in Bagels & Fraylox concerts. A traditional wedding march from one hundred years ago in Russia or a schmaltzy tune from Yiddish theater – even Broadway’s “Fiddler on the Roof” – may lead into a rock-flavored Middle Eastern rave-up that has audience members dancing in the aisles.

The Williamsburg-based band performs often at community cultural events and coffeehouses as well as weddings, bar mitzvahs and other parties. The ensemble features two clarinets, tenor saxophone, accordion, bass, drums and other percussion.

The name “Bagels & Fraylox” is a play on bagels and lox, the bread-and-smoked-salmon delicacy that has a place of honor in Jewish cuisine. The name also plays with the Yiddish word “frailach,” which is a merry tune for a happy time, or the happy time itself.

Presented by Tidewater Friends of Acoustic Music

NO DISCOUNTS OR COUPONS ARE VALID FOR THIS SHOW

Get some Summer laughs with Stand Up Comedy at The Z.  Join us in the Main Stage Theater for a Stand Up Comedy show, featuring talented local comedians and hosted by Plan B Comedy.

$15 Tickets in Advance

$20 Tickets one hour prior to show

About Plan B Comedy:

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

Presented by Inspire Collaborative

Plan B Comedy is ready for the Summer. So join us at The Z and see our resident comedy company deliver their very own unique, fast paced and always funny Comedy Show.

$15 Tickets in Advance

$18 Tickets one hour prior to show

About Plan B Comedy:

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

This Summer Creative Office Hours will take the form of a Networking Night! This is a chance for you to do some industry peer-to-peer networking as well as talk with our Community Liaison and Marketing Director. We will have some fun ways to get the conversations going for you to share your creative ideas and find ways to expand on them and collaborate with other creative folks in our community.

Our bar will be open with beer & wine, as well as a specialty summer cocktail!  And we will raffle off 2 tickets to our VB ComedyFest coming this August!

Come and join us.  Did we mention it’s FREE!

Get some Summer laughs with Stand Up Comedy at The Z. Join us in the Studio Theatre for a Stand Up Comedy show, featuring talented local comedians and hosted by Plan B Comedy.

$10 Tickets in Advance

$15 Tickets one hour prior to show

About Plan B Comedy:

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

PLEASE NOTE:
This show will take place at
Joint Use Library
1700 College Crescent
Virginia Beach, VA 23453

WHRO and Zeiders American Dream Theatre partner with the City of Virginia Beach Department of Cultural Affairs’ VBGIGs series to present the next

Race Let’s Talk About It…

Join us for music and great conversation, with an expert panel, as we take a musical journey from America to the Caribbean and other African-influenced countries as we examine songs that we sing.

Songs, music, and musical instruments with little thought to the true meaning of the lyrics and history behind them…and answer the question, “Are certain songs yet another way to keep us divided?”

Hosted by Lisa Godley, producer of WHRO’s Another View

Performed by Teddy Holmes and Sibel Galindez

With Special Guests Dr. Anthony Hailey of Mosaic Steel Orchestra and Joe Harmon Music Director at I.C. Norcom High School, Portsmouth

In partnership with

Seating is limited so registration is strongly encouraged.  Click this link to register.

Plan B Comedy is ready for the Summer. So join us at The Z and see our resident comedy company deliver their very own unique, fast paced and always funny Comedy Show.

$15 Tickets in Advance

$18 Tickets one hour prior to show

About Plan B Comedy:

Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high energy, fast paced and exciting experience to audiences of all ages. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

The inaugural season of Virginia Beach Cultural Affairs Department’s  Globally Inspired Gatherings (VB GIGs) kicks off at The Z with a Destination Date Night featuring Radio Jarocho. This acclaimed band recreates the communal and spirited atmosphere of the traditional Fandango celebrations of Veracruz, Mexico. Fandango festivities fuse music, dance, poetry, and social engagement in lively community gatherings. The program is presented in collaboration with the Celebrate Mexico Now! Festival.

Radio Jarocho has been enchanting audiences all over the U.S. since their debut in 2005. Formed in New York with members from Mexico City, California and even Columbia, their band is a representation of the global spread of Son Jarocho music and the art of Fandango. Acclaimed for reviving the Son Jarocho musical style in the US for a new generation (Son Jarocho was popularized by Ritchie Valens and Los Lobos), Radio Jarocho has been featured in New York City’s famed Winter JazzFest and Celebrate Mexico Now! Festival. As the foremost presenters of Son Jarocho and Fandango gatherings on the East Coast, Radio Jarocho recently completed an extended artistic partnership with Zenen Zeferino of Jaltipán, Veracruz resulting in a critically acclaimed new album: Rios De Norte Y Sur.  Hailed by Paste Magazine, NPR, and AM New York, Radio Jarocho appearances include The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Le Poisson Rouge, Celebrate Mexico Now Festival, and many more.

Ticket price includes tasting stations of Veracruz-inspired culinary delights by Yummy Goodness, cash bar and general admission to the performance. This is a participatory performance with audience space primarily for dancing, limited open seating will be available around the perimeter of the studio theater for periodic breaks. 

Doors open 6:00pm, Tastings 6:30pm-7:30pm, Showtime 6:30pm-8:15pm with brief set break.

Spend an evening with award-winning actor and author Kate Mulgrew at Zeiders American Dream Theater in Virginia Beach Town Center on June 27th! This is a unique and exclusive experience to meet Kate Mulgrew, best known for her roles of Captain Kathryn Janeway on Star Trek: Voyager and Galina “Red” Reznikov on Netflix’s Orange Is the New Black.

This will be an intimate evening where Kate will speak and read passages from her new book How to Forget:  A Daughter’s Memoir, followed by a Q&A session and book signing.

**All attendees will receive a signed copy of the book, enjoy lite appetizers and drinks **

General Admission – $60.00
Entry for one (1)
One (1) “How to Forget:  A Daughter’s Memoir” Book & Signing

★VIP – $100.00★
Entry for one (1)
One (1) “How to Forget:  A Daughter’s Memoir” Book & Signing
Pre-event Meet & Greet and picture

Sponsored By

41 seasons as a NCAA Division-I head coach, 786 wins, and a lifetime of memories. Join the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame and Sports Inside and Out, as we celebrate the illustrious career of Virginia’s own Lefty Driesell, with Hall of Fame Hoops.

Wednesday June 26, the Hall invites you to Zeiders American Dream Theater in Town Center of Virginia Beach, for an evening with the Hall of Fame coach and other legends of the game including, Charlie Scott, Tom McMillen, Keith Gatlin and more!

Coach Driesell is a 1995 Virginia Sports Hall of Fame inductee, and a 2018 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee. He has always taken an unfiltered approach when talking about life and basketball, and Hall of Fame Hoops promises to be no different.

Tickets are $20.00 plus 10% Admission Tax fee 

Hall of Fame Hoops is part of the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame’s 2019 Program and Events Series, presented by Priority Automotive Group, The Priority Toyota Charity Bowl, and Priorities for Change. Additional partners include Virginia Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau, Virginia Beach Department of Economic Development,  Optima Health, White Claw Hard Seltzer, Riesbeck Contracting, W.F. Magann Corporation, AdImpact Marketing, and the Ping Pong for Charity Foundation.

PLEASE NOTE: FLEX PASSES AND OTHER DISCOUNTS CANNOT BE USED FOR THIS PRODUCTION

Come see our very own resident comedy company deliver their unique brand of funny.  Plan B Comedy will be ready to rock the house with sketches, videos, improv games and who knows what else in their one of a kind Comedy Variety show!

$15 online

$18 at the door

*Door Price goes into effect 1 hour before show starts. 

Nationally Known Singer and Songwriter.

In His Own Words…

Vibration

Presented by Tidewater Friends of Acoustic Music

NO DISCOUNTS OR COUPONS ARE VALID FOR THIS SHOW

The Z is excited to present our newest program in “The Hatchery” series, Works in Progress. Three of our resident playwrights are teaming with local actors and directors in presenting complete scenes from new pieces. The works in development range from comic to dramatic, and each scene is completely staged- not a script in hand! There are two chances to support these new works as we develop them into full-length theater pieces, 13 & 14 June at The Z’s Studio Theater.

The Fun: The evening will feature a Jazz Lounge (in our Studio Theater) with live music, opportunities to help create a piece of visual art with local artist Christopher Revels of “Walking Houses”, the chance to help choose the musical lineup so you can dance to your favorite song while sipping a signature Speakeasy Cocktail, and the chance to flex your creative muscles by choosing what hijinks Plan B, our resident comedy troupe, will do on the Main Stage after dinner.

The Food: We want to welcome our soon to be new neighbors, TASTE,to the neighborhood, so we partnered to put together a fantastic dinner menu which will be served on King’s Tables family style in the Main Stage Lobby. With food this good, a fantastic June evening overlooking Town Center, and delightful company – it will be an evening to remember!

The Show: After Dinner our Artistic Team has put together a showcase on the Main Stage of local talent and Live Auction items that put Creativity and Community front and center, just like they are in our mission. This also includes a sneak peak of what will be going on at The Z next season!

After: Don’t worry, we will have an Afterparty in the Main Lobby with desserts and more cocktails, so everyone can hang out and keep the community flowing.

Tickets: $100
Party of 6 Sponsorship: $900
Party of 8 Sponsorship: $1,200
Main Stage Sponsor (includes 16 tickets): $5,000
Jazz Lounge Sponsor (includes 8 tickets): $ 3,000
Dinner Sponsor (includes 8 tickets:) $3,000

*Check-in at front lobby starting at 6pm.

The Z is a non-profit organization and the price of your ticket or sponsorships is a tax deductible donation minus the cost of food and beverages.

PLEASE NOTE: FLEX PASSES, VOUCHERS AND OTHER DISCOUNTS CANNOT BE USED FOR THIS PRODUCTION

Creativity comes in all forms at this community infused variety show!

Please join us for our Preview to Proteus! The Z opened its doors last October celebrating Creativity & Community with our inaugural Proteus Festival! We want to give everyone a chance to see the new works that were created right here in our own community from that festival. Please join us and enjoy a NEW PLAY, NEW FILMS and NEW SONGS all from the participants in last year’s Proteus Festival at The Z!

See what Proteus Festival is about!

We are asking everyone to bring granola bars & Gatorade for the Virginia Beach Police Department. We will be sharing their Lip Sync Video and hearing from them on making that video.

Hosted by Sibel Galindez

For more information email sibel.galindez@thez.org

Suggested donation of $5.

Ranky Tanky released their eponymous debut on Oct. 20th, 2017.  By December of that year, the group had been been profiled on NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross and their album soared to the #1 position on the Billboard, I-Tunes, and Amazon Jazz Charts.    

“Gullah” comes from West African language and means “a people blessed by God.” “Ranky Tanky” translates loosely as “Work It,” or “Get Funky!” In this spirit this Charleston, SC based quintet performs timeless music of Gullah culture born in the southeastern Sea Island region of the United States. From playful game songs to ecstatic shouts, from heartbreaking spirituals to delicate lullabies, the musical roots of Charleston, SC are “rank” and fertile ground from which these contemporary artists are grateful to have grown. 

South Carolina natives Quentin Baxter, Kevin Hamilton, Charlton Singleton, and Clay Ross first came together in 1998, fresh out of University, to form a seminal Charleston jazz quartet. Now, united by years apart and a deeper understanding of home, these accomplished artists have come together again, joined by one of the low-country’s most celebrated vocalists Quiana Parler, to revive a “Heartland of American Music” born in their own backyards.

Come see our very own resident comedy company deliver their unique brand of funny.  Plan B Comedy will be ready to rock the house with sketches, videos, improv games and who knows what else in their one of a kind Comedy Variety show!

$15 online

$18 at the door

*Door Price goes into effect 1 hour before show starts. 

Join us for TAKE ONE – The Z’s Screenwriters Workshop! Four local screenwriters are selected to have excerpts from their most recent work performed by actors for the first time! With the guidance of Diane Fine, screenwriting instructor at The Muse and ODU, & Sibel Galindez, The Z’s Community Liaison, this workshop is an opportunity for writers in the developmental stages of their work to hear and see their pages come to life. Talk Back following each screenplay excerpt.  It is sure to be a night of fun, entertainment, & extraordinary creative exchange!

Suggested Donation $5

PLEASE NOTE: FLEX PASSES AND OTHER DISCOUNTS CANNOT BE USED FOR THIS PRODUCTION

757Pitch is Hampton Roads, Virginia’s premier bi-monthly open competition for new, high-growth business ideas. 7 minutes of pitch time is given to each of 5 teams. The winner is awarded $757 and access to the resources of the Old Dominion University’s Institute for Innovation & Entrepreneurship to help develop their idea into a marketable solution, and turn that solution into a sustainable business. Do you qualify? Check out our general rules. If you are up to the challenge – apply, it is completely free, no hidden charges.

SUGGESTED DONATION $5

Written by Jessica Brooke Pinsky, Directed by Scott Quirk

The venerable poet Mother Goose currently presides over a library that houses every piece of literature in existence. Day and night she does her best to keep order and ensure peace among the shelves. But even under her no-nonsense watch, the books have a tendency to get out of hand. On a seemingly quiet night, the mad Hatter from Wonderland shows up, and when a copy of Moby Dick is returned with pages missing, Captain Ahab also arrives – to wreak vengeance on the creature that took his leg!

Mother Goose and the Hatter have no choice but to comb the other books for Ahab’s missing pages and put him back together before the library opens in the morning, all the while fleeing the amnesic Ahab on his misguided mission! This hilariously creative play, rich with audience interaction, literary celebrities, and touching moments, will delight audiences of all ages.

This play is appropriate for audiences of all ages, best enjoyed by those four years and up

Presented by Children’s Theatre of Hampton Roads

A Cajun Creole Honkytonk Party!

Creole Stomp has captured the ears and the feet of Louisiana music fans across North America. Led by French-speaking Creole fiddler and accordionist Dennis Stroughmatt, Creole Stomp keeps listeners enthralled and dancers moving on the floor with a rollicking mix of contemporary blues, swamp pop, and traditional Cajun and zydeco dance tunes.

Creole Stomp shows have become legendary for the heart and passion conveyed from the stage—music with emotion and energy that literally jumps from the band. In fact, over the years the band has become informally known as “The Grateful Dead of Creole Music,” for their well-oiled, dancer-driven, crowd-pleasing marathon jams and improvisation. Traditional Louisiana Cajun two-steps, reels, and waltzes sizzle in the stew along with Creole blues and mazurkas.

A favorite on the Cajun-zydeco dance circuit, the band has also become a celebrated fixture at venues around the United States, ranging from park concerts and theaters to folk and blues festivals. No matter the venue, wherever they come from, and wherever they go, Creole Stomp is a band that knows how to throw a Louisiana party!

Presented by Tidewater Friends of Acoustic Music

NO DISCOUNTS OR COUPONS ARE VALID FOR THIS SHOW

See the Mai Tai, Martini, Manhattan and more spring off the menu and onto the stage in this electrifying production from New York City. Cocktail Hour: The Show reinvents the glamour and excitement of classic entertainment with a 21st-century flair, capturing the timeless American spirit in a series of dazzling vignettes. This sparkling mix of original choreography, music and design is high-style fun for all ages to enjoy.

“Blasting the boundaries between high art and entertainment.” — The Huffington Post

“Inventive.” — ​The Wall Street Journal

“Sexy, brainy, and elegant.” — Dance Informa

The Virginia Sports Hall of Fame, and the Coastal Virginia chapter of NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) invite you to attend Changing the Game; a discussion on Mental Health and Sports.

Mental illness knows no boundaries, and those in the sporting world are not immune. Many high profile athletes have publicly discussed their personal struggles with mental health. The Hall of Fame and NAMI want to continue to decrease the stigma associated with mental illness.

As part of Mental Health Awareness Month, Changing the Game will provide first hand stories of struggle and strength, clinical perspective on how sports organizations are addressing the issue, and what is being done on the legislative front to improve awareness and education. Attendees will hear from former athletes, current clinical professionals, and local and state legislators.

Much has been done in recent years to break down barriers, however the stigma still remains. Changing the Game is another step in the process of fostering a conversation on mental health, and providing an educational resource to the public to better understand this complex issue.

Changing the Game is part of the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame’s 2019 Program and Events Series, presented by Priority Automotive Group, The Priority Toyota Charity Bowl, and Priorities for Change. Additional partners include Virginia Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau, Virginia Beach Department of Economic Development,  Optima Health, White Claw Hard Seltzer, Riesbeck Contracting, W.F. Magann Corporation, AdImpact Marketing, and the Ping Pong for Charity Foundation.

About the Speakers

Eugene Holloman – Author of, The Athlete-Student, and former James Madison University running back

Aaron Rouse – Current Virginia Beach City Councilman, former Virginia Tech and NFL defensive back

Delegate Cheryl Turpin – Representing the 85^th District from Virginia Beach in the Virginia General Assembly, and advocate for state mental health initiatives

Dr. Gary Bennett – Assistant Athletic Director and Licensed Clinical and Sports Psychologist, Virginia Tech Athletics. Virginia Tech was one of the first NCAA programs to support a position devoted specifically to sports psychology.

Dr. Scott Sautter – Board Certified Neuropsychologist. Norfolk Admirals Team Doctor. Concussion consultant for the College of William and Mary and Virginia Wesleyan University Athletics Departments. Chairman of the Board, Ping Pong for Charity Foundation, which supports brain health and mental fitness.

Dr. Melissa Tamburo – Director of Employee Assistance Program for Optima Health. Dr. Tamburo has a broad range of expertise including conducting quality analyses, demonstrating outcomes, network development, and providing clinical services to individuals and groups.

Dr. Claire LeBlanc – Principal, Ocean Lakes High School. Former athletic trainer and coach in Virginia Beach Public Schools.

C. Douglas Finney – LCSW, Finney Zimmerman Psychiatric Associates. Peak Performance Coach, has worked with ODU Football.

Tickets:  $10 for adults. $5 for 18 and under

PLEASE NOTE: FLEX PASSES AND OTHER DISCOUNTS CANNOT BE USED FOR THIS PRODUCTION

Plan B Comedy brings their unique energy and fun to The Z for an improv show! It’s all made up on the spot based on suggestions from you, the audience. We literally can’t do it without you!

$15 online

$18 at the door

*Door Price goes into effect 1 hour before show starts. 

“Croker boasts a beautiful legato tone, and his ability to make many phrases sound as one fluid thought is the sign of a truly masterful musician. The variety of timbres that Croker coaxed from his instrument was kaleidoscopic: rounded, flutter low notes; otherworldly cries in the upper register; muted drones with strange, deep overtones; searing, non-tonal sounds. All required a rare mix of control and innovation … that one only achieves through serious study and countless hours of exploration.”
-Rochester City Newspaper

This young trumpeter, singer, and bandleader has deep roots in jazz and the vision to see beyond the art form. The grandson of jazz trumpet legend Doc Cheatham, Croker has earned the attention of top musicians including Wynton Marsalis, Roy Hargrove and many more; and legendary vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater produced his most recent recording, Escape Velocity, a sprawling, genre-bending journey through bop, soul, funk, R&B, and beyond. In addition to his love for jazz, he writes and produces hip-hop, rap, film scores, and contemporary classical, among other forms. Hear this groundbreaking artist in his Virginia Arts Festival debut!

Co-presented with Virginia Arts Festival

PLEASE NOTE: FLEX PASSES AND OTHER DISCOUNTS CANNOT BE USED FOR THIS PRODUCTION

The “bad boys of abridgement” return! Longtime Festival favorites, Reduced Shakespeare Company is a three-man comedy troupe that takes long, serious subjects and reduces them to short, sharp comedies. In this 2019 engagement, these madmen in tights bring back their original hit, an irreverent, fast-paced romp through all 37 of Shakespeare’s plays in 97 maniacal minutes. “A madcap condensation that features non-stop laughs. Done at a whirlwind pace and with great delight, they are sure to win over even the most skeptical. And there is no doubt that William Shakespeare himself…would approve” (Variety).

“Rollicking, fast-moving and hilarious!”
-The Guardian, London

“If you like Shakespeare, you’ll like this show. If you hate Shakespeare, you’ll love this show!”
-The Today Show

Wednesday, May 8 will be Sign Language interpreted for the hearing impaired

Co-presented with Virginia Arts Festival

PLEASE NOTE: FLEX PASSES AND OTHER DISCOUNTS CANNOT BE USED FOR THIS PRODUCTION

Sammy Miller and The Congregation are on a mission to put the generosity back into jazz and bring art back to the people.

We play joyful jazz — music that feels good. It is a style that entertains, enriches, but most of all uplifts.

A native of Los Angeles, Grammy®-nominated drummer Sammy Miller has become known for his unique maturity and relentless focus on making music that feels good as a drummer, singer and bandleader. Upon completing his Master’s at The Juilliard School, Sammy formed his ensemble, The Congregation. As a band, they are focused on sharing the power of community through their music — joyful jazz.

Ars Nova selected The Congregation for the ‘Makers Lab’ in 2017 to produce their original theater jazz show, “Great Awakening.” While independently the band members have performed and recorded with notable artists including Wynton Marsalis, Iron and Wine, and Jason Mraz at venues including the White House, Lincoln Center and the Hollywood Bowl, they have opted to stick together to spread joy throughout the world.

Experience Moth Radio style stories, spoken word and timeless tales to celebrate the diversity that defines the American spirit from 1619 – 2019.

Co-conceived by Sheila Arnold & Sibel Galindez

Sufian Zhemukhov has performed his stories for Story District, Better Said Than Done, The Moth, Perfect Liars Club, at such venues as Lincoln Theater, Black Cat, and Miracle Theater. He won the third prize at the Story Slam at the 2018 National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, TN. Sufian tells about his personal experience, as a first generation immigrant in the U.S. and a university professor, which might be much funnier than you would expect.

Sibel Galindez is the Community Liaison at Zeiders American Dream Theater. After graduating Harvard College with honors in English & American Literature, she lived and worked in Los Angeles as a professional actress & singer for 10 years, sharing the stage & screen with the likes of Doris Roberts, Mark Ruffalo, and Tony Shaloub, and developing her own cabaret. Her most notable role, Skates, a recurring character on the CBS TV drama JAG, led her to meet & marry a real life Navy JAG, who through his naval career brought her to Virginia Beach where she happily found The Z, her new creative home.  She was last seen at The Z in Aborophilia, a new work in The Z Hatchery series, as the host of Coffee at Our House- The Z Variety Hour and in her collaboration with WHRO Race Let’s Talk About It- Through Song. 

Sheila Arnold has been gifted by God with performance skills and has been using this talent since she was eight years old.  Since 2003 she has been a full-time Storyteller traveling through the United States and sharing a variety of stories – “whatever fits in her mouth”, as well as doing Historic Character Presentations and Christian Monologues.  At her core, Ms. Sheila, as she is commonly called, is a Professional Imaginator with a passion, vision and ministry of healing hearts, unifying communities and reminding people to share their stories.

Kween Yakini, author of WOKE A Poetic Journey came to writing poetry late in life, yet as soon as she unleashed her inner voice in this powerful compilation of poetry, she struck a chord and has been sharing it far & wide throughout Hampton Roads. She was among a chosen few to recite her poems at NSU’s Poetry & Jazz evening in celebration of Black History Month and was also just featured in the Poet Fest at The Venue on 35th this April.

Mendel Denise Service has been storytelling since 1972 where she began a storytelling based theater company in Seattle, Washington. Since then she has performed in numerous venues across the U.S., most notably the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, the Kennedy Center and the National Theater. Her work focuses on bringing stories from people with different cultures from around the world.

King Khosi hails from Zimbabwe and is blessed to have survived many tragedies to make his way here to the U.S. where he graduated Denbigh HS and ODU and now teaches at Huntington Middle School.  A participant and supporter of Teens with a Purpose, Khosi had the honor and opportunity to take his spoken word to the Kennedy Center of Performing Arts.

Perhaps Richmond’s liveliest octogenarian, Les Schaffer listens to, teaches and tells stories in a variety of settings. For the past six years, Les has been leading and coaching the Richmond Story Warriors, an inner-city youth storytelling group based at Richmond’s Church Hill Library. Loving the Story-Slam format, Les tells at Slams all around the state and hosts a monthly senior-slam at the LifeLong Learning Center in Midlothian. A co-founder of The Tell Tale Hearts Storyteller’s Theater and TwoTellersTelling Tandem Storytellers, someone once described his telling as, “…like scenes from a screenplay starring Christopher Walken.”

To find out more about the American Evolution click here

Suggested donation $15

To make an advanced $15 suggested donation please call our Box Office at 757 499 0317 or stop by our Box Office during posted hours. This donation will reserve a seat for you at the American Evolution StoryHour. Suggested donations will also be taken at the door the day of the event by credit card or cash one hour before the performance begins.

In partnership with

PLEASE NOTE: FLEX PASSES AND OTHER DISCOUNTS CANNOT BE USED FOR THIS PRODUCTION

Young writers, poets, rappers! Tell your truth through spoken word poetry.

Slam Fest has become a much anticipated experience, a festival that blends competitive performance poetry written tradition with lyricism, positive music and stage acumen in a way that profoundly affects and entertains youth and audiences of all kinds.  Here young poets fearlessly tell their stories, in their own words to be shared with their generation and the community at-large. They meet students from different cities and with different background who come together to share their mutual love for the art form – spoken word POETRY.

Presented by Teens With A Purpose and Hampton Roads Youth Poets

Register to Attend or Compete below

PLEASE NOTE: FLEX PASSES AND OTHER DISCOUNTS CANNOT BE USED FOR THIS PRODUCTION

Written and Directed by Jessica Brooke Pinsky

Many years ago, in the not-too-distant past, in a world almost exactly like our own, something else roams the land. Something rough. Something tough. Something rootin’ tootin’, cattle drivin’, yee-hawin’, and ready to bust some bucking broncos. Something… kind of smelly.

Greetings, fellow science fanatics! Welcome to SciTech Industries. Step into our lab and join us for an experiment or two! Worried about explosions? Don’t be! We’ve taken every precaution to ensure our students have a safe and educational experience. In case of emergencies that say, teleport one of us back to the Old West, we’ll just rebuild our time machine and get them back to the present lickety-split! A little bit of frontier frolicking never hurt a fly… we think! Of course, the last time our scientists traveled through time there were a few- minor- glitches… but, nothing to worry about! After all, surely they’ve worked out all the kinks by now. How many times can time travel go wrong?

Come along, little doggies, and join your favorite scientists for another unforgettable adventure through time and space: “Wild West!”, the final installment in CTHR’s Trilogy! series. For buckaroos of all ages (best enjoyed by cowpokes 4 and up).

Presented by Children’s Theatre of Hampton Roads

The exceptional talents of critically-acclaimed teen music prodigy, EMISUNSHINE have captured the nation’s attention. The singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist has been hailed by outlets such as No Depression, Billboard and Rolling Stone: “Sounds like the spunky, intense little sister to artists Iris DeMent, Natalie Maines, Nanci Griffith and Janis Joplin.”  

EmiSunshine has already graced some of the most-prestigious stages–from the “Today Show,” to the Grand Ole Opry (over a dozen times) and most recently, “Little Big Shots starring Steve Harvey” last April.  Additionally, EmiSunshine stars in and performs three songs in her latest film appearance on “The King,” alongside such celebrities as Roseanne Cash, Emmylou Harris, Ethan Hawke, Alec Baldwin and more. The film featured at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and premiered at Cannes Film Festival, where Emi performed.    

A well-crafted storyteller, Emi’s music has been described as an “old-timey,” unique blend of roots music that is equal parts Americana, Bluegrass, Gospel, and Country, with a sprinkle of Blues. 

 “A very talented young lady, …EmiSunshine is taking the nation by storm, and if you ever get the chance to see them, by all means…you must.”—No Depression

VIP Premium Seating- $75 includes show ticket, CD, autographed laminate and photo with EmiSunshine!

Only 35 VIP Premium Seats available. 

Plan B Comedy brings their unique energy and fun to The Z for an improv show! It’s all made up on the spot based on suggestions from you, the audience. We literally can’t do it without you!

$15 online

$18 at the door

*Door Price goes into effect 1 hour before show starts. 

A night of high school drama — full of stories, selfie confessionals, viral gratitude, and multi-media adventures that celebrate the everyday heroes transforming America’s high schools.

All proceeds from ticket sales benefit local non-profit organizations. Tickets are non-refundable for this event.

PLEASE NOTE: FLEX PASSES AND OTHER DISCOUNTS CANNOT BE USED FOR THIS PRODUCTION

You could be forgiven for asking yourself: “Now where have I seen that face before?” Truth is, if you have been floating around Europe for the past 15 years or so, you might well have seen Maurice Dickson, if it was Monday, it must have been Germany …or was it Spain, Portugal, Holland, Belgium, France, North Africa …or the Canary Islands. As they say in Scotland, a stone’s throw from Maurice’s native Northern Ireland, he has “earned his spurs.” The long journey began in 1975 when he started playing, singing and writing. A year later, aged 16 he put together his first band, which belted out his own material and cover versions of the day until 1979 when he traded his engineer’s overalls for the insecurity of a life on the road. Setting off with a guitar, a sleeping bag and £75, he spent four-and-a-half years slogging it round Europe and North Africa, learning the tricks that only that kind of experience can give an artist – how to judge an audience, how to hook it, how to play it, how to reel it in and put it in the bag.

Presented by Tidewater Friends of Acoustic Music

NO DISCOUNTS OR COUPONS ARE VALID FOR THIS SHOW

Soul Street concerts consist of high-energy movement that will keep you at the edge of your seat. The music is an eclectic mix ranging from hip-hop to classical. It’s a show that will make you laugh and keep audiences of all ages entertained.

Houston based Soul Street Dance is one of the most dynamic premier dance companies in existence. Their technical and artistic skills, stage presence and wit allow them to push the performance envelope to an amazing standard of excellence.

Plan B Comedy returns to the Z with their monthly sketch comedy show. We love these guys and you will too. Come check out their unique brand of quick, smart, fun comedy.

VIP tickets -$50 includes all Rotary activities, auction, food, 2 drinks, and a Plan B Comedy Show ticket

Plan B Comedy Show only-$20 Advance (online or at the box office) and $25 at the door (goes into effect 1 hr. before the event starts at 3:45pm)

Rotary Club activities begin at 3:45pm and include catered heavy hors d’oeuvres, two drink tickets, bidding on exciting silent, live and jewelry auctions, novelty games and a photo booth!

Plan B Comedy show starts at 6pm in the Main Stage for all ticket holders. 

Presented in partnership with 

Since 1999, Ladies of Laughter has established itself as THE SOURCE for funny women and has jump-started the careers of countless women in comedy, including Tammy Pescatelli, Melissa Rauch (Big Bang Theory) and Amy Schumer.  The Ladies of Laughter Funny & Fabulous Tour includes past winners and the best talent  from its national competition.  Past events have been produced at major theaters, casinos and even Madison Square Garden.

Featuring:

Leighann Lord Smart, sexy, savvy, and funny, Leighann Lord’s “heads up humor” is stand-up comedy at it’s finest. Inspired by the brilliance of George Carlin, the smooth jazz style of Franklyn Ajaye, and the elegance of Rita Rudner, Leighann has crafted her own unique brand of Thinking Cap Comedy. It’s no wonder she received the NYC Black Comedy Award for “The Most Thought Provoking Black Female Comic.” And for two consecutive years, Leighann was Harlem Week’s official comedian. (The only other comedian in Harlem Week’s history to earn that distinction was Richard Pryor.)

Missy Grynkiewicz Hall is the Queen of Happy Things! She loves to laugh, believes pants are optional and thinks the world would be better place if dogs were in charge. She is the 2013 winner of the Laugh Out Loud Competition, has worked as a warm-up comic for Harry Connick, Jr and her freshman comedy CD, “Miss Representation” was a first round Grammy nominee in 2012 for funniest comedy album. A seasoned actress/singer, Missy was recently featured in “Road Spill” on TruTV and in the feature film “Days of Power” with Eric Roberts released in 2018. Missy was also a finalist in the professional category of the 2018 Ladies Out Loud competition and a finalist at the 2018 Big Sky Comedy Festival.

Erin Maguire is a broad, a dame, a good time gal. In addition to being a stand-out in the 2018 Ladies of Laughter competition, she’s an emcee, an actor, a writer and a ginger with basic bitch tendencies. A Boston babe originally, she now calls NYC her home base, appearing at clubs in the city and beyond. She sees the world through a warped kaleidoscope and wants to take you along for the ride.

Co-conceived by Bart Kuebler (Musical Director) and Lindsay Eure (Director)

Performances are April 12 -13 & April 18-19 at 7:30pm

This deliciously dark production is back for a second incarnation at The Z. Set in a 19th century lunatic asylum, a cast of “mentally deranged” characters lend new interpretation to the music and lyrics of Sting as depicted through the foggy lens of psychotropic drugs, “therapies” and imprisonment.

Sponsored in part by

Ted Yoder’s hammered dulcimer cover of Tears for Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” became one of the most-watched Facebook Live posts in 2016 when the song received more than 101 million views from music fans around the world. It’s no wonder the video went viral; when a barefooted Yoder performed the hit on his hammered dulcimer in his Indiana family’s backyard with his wife, kids, and a pet raccoon named Gidget in the audience, he immediately became an internet sensation known as the lovable “Dulcimer Dad.”

What’s most remarkable about Yoder (besides the magic he brings to the mallets) is how his career has flourished at a time when the traditional corporate music industry is in decline. With his wife Donna, Yoder has created a family culture of creativity and teamwork that puts his music making at the center of its activities. From website and social media to music distribution and touring, Yoder’s family has helped him build an authentic life as a working musician and a blueprint for the lives of young musicians who want to learn what it means to play an instrument for a living in the second millennium.

Presented by Tidewater Friends of Acoustic Music

NO DISCOUNTS OR COUPONS ARE VALID FOR THIS SHOW

The Virginia Sports Hall of Fame will officially welcome the Class of 2019, as 8 new members will be inducted, Saturday April 6 at 7 p.m. at Zeiders American Dream Theater. Join the Hall of Fame and past inductees as we celebrate these deserving honorees;

• Ruben Brown, 3-time All-American, and 9-time NFL Pro Bowler
• Jeff Burton, 22-time winner in NASCAR
• Wendy Larry, Old Dominion University Women’s Basketball record setting head coach
• Mark Lenzi, Olympic diving gold-medalist
• Heath Miller, All-American at UVA, and 2-time Super Bowl Champion with the Pittsburgh Steelers
• William “Buster” O’Brien, University of Richmond record setting quarterback
• Debbie White, first female sportswriter in Virginia, ODU Athletics Administrator
• Tom Yeager, served 31 years as the Commissioner of the Colonial Athletic Conference

Tickets are $50.00 each for this celebratory event.  More information regarding Induction weekend festivities, VIP ticket packages, and sponsorship/advertising opportunities can be found at the Hall of Fame’s website, www.VaSportsHOF.com

Please join us as we celebrate athletic excellence in the Commonwealth! (doors open at 6 p.m.)

Thank you to our sponsors for 2019 Induction Weekend; presenting sponsor, Priority Automotive Group, Virginia Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau, Virginia Beach Department of Economic Development, Optima Health, Whiteclaw Hard Seltzer, Riesbeck Contracting, WF Magann Corp, AdImpact Marketing, WAVY TV 10 and FOX 43, Jpixx Photography, and the Virginia Beach Hotel Association.

The Queen’s Cartoonists are a group of musicians from New York City that play music from cartoons. Their concerts include virtuosic performances, projections of cartoons with note-for-note live score recreation, multi-instrumental mayhem, and comedy.

TQC’s concert repertoire features music from the Golden Age of animation, cult cartoon classics, modern animation, and other unusual sources that will leave audiences surprised! Featured composers include Raymond Scott, Carl Stalling, John Kirby, Danny Elfman, Alf Clausen, John Williams, and adaptations from the classical repertoire.

Tying this diverse and challenging concert together are stories and anecdotes involving the cartoons and their composers. The band is on a musical mission of equal parts education, preservation, and performance.

Since their inception in 2015, The Queen’s Cartoonists have brought their unique sound to performing arts centers in over 20 states, and have even opened for the New York Philharmonic. The 6 members, all currently living in Queens, New York, are world-class professional musicians. The band has been featured in over 20 publications, including The Wall Street Journal, The Chicago Tribune, and on NPR.

As we commemorate 400 years when the first Africans were brought to North America in 1619, this living history reenactment, continues to connect Douglass’ remarkable legacy with the history of the African diaspora and future aspirations of African Americans in the USA.

Poet and Author, Nathan Richardson, captures completely the physical and spiritual essence of writer, orator, and abolitionist Frederick Douglass.

LEARN MORE ABOUT AACC BY CLICKING THE LOGO

By Michael Allen Aguirre

Set in the Athletic Director’s office of a prestigious Division One athletic department, truths are revealed when a scandal emerges involving the University’s football Coach and a player.  However, as accusations fly, the characters learn that the scandal is not the typical sex scandal they initially guessed it would be, but rather a ruthless and violent fight for survival in the modern world.

This production contains graphic language and explicit content.

This will be a Studio Reading; the actors will have script in hand, there will be some scenic elements and projections, minimal costumes, and theatrical lighting.

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

Tret Fure began her career at the age of 16, singing in coffeehouses and campuses in the Midwest.  At 19, she moved to LA in hopes of obtaining a record deal.  Within a year she was performing as guitarist and vocalist for Spencer Davis, touring with him and penning the single for his album “Mousetrap”.  She went on to record her own album in 1973 on MCA/UNI Records, with the late Lowell George of Little Feat as her producer.  With the success of that release, she opened for such bands as Yes, Poco, and the J Geils Band.

A prolific artists in the contemporary singer-songwriter arena, Tret Fure has released 16 albums and CDs over the course of her 48 year career. In addition to being a gifted songwriter, Fure has engineered and produced countless recordings by a variety of artists, including her own work.

Presented by Tidewater Friends of Acoustic Music

NO DISCOUNTS OR COUPONS ARE VALID FOR THIS SHOW

Monologuist and humorist James Judd, headliner of NPR‘s Snap Judgment, has often been compared to David Sedaris and Oscar Wilde. Judd connects with audiences as he shares stories classified as “spectacular public embarrassments and utter failures.” However humiliating, they affirm that part of being human is telling the stories that have happened to us, emphasizing that even in the face of failure, it’s getting up and moving forward that matters.

The Washington Post says, “Judd’s conversation style is loud, lightning fast and nonstop — he doesn’t seem to need to breathe as much as a typical human — and the result is a constantly engaging pileup of quips. It can take a few moments for a joke to register, but by then Judd has unfurled a few more laugh-worthy lines. One of Judd’s biggest assets is his delivery, which rarely feels rehearsed, as if he’s simply recounting these absorbing personal anecdotes over dinner. And his talents extend to physical humor, whether he’s imitating a shark or mimicking an oafish boat captain.”

Dust off your sheet music, warm up those vocal chords, and step into the spotlight! Join your fellow musical theater enthusiasts for a night of songs from The Great White Way. Come and see the finest of Hampton Roads’ Broadway-worthy talent. Those looking to sing may sign up at the door. Limited spots!

Suggested door donation $5

Written by Anton Five, Directed by Mike Burnette

Princess Nelldora doesn’t want to be a princess- at least, not the kind that you’re thinking of.  Some day she wants to be an Evil Queen, just like her mom.  Surely enrolling in Antagonist Academy will show her what it takes.  The school has all types:  witches, mad scientists, misunderstood creatures.  You would think that Nelldora would feel right at home; except her classmates keep calling her ‘Nell’, and, even worse, ‘Princess’.  No matter!  Nelldora knows that she has what it takes to become an Evil Queen…or does she?  Students from rival school Protagonist Prep are coming to visit to take part in the final exam: The Princess Pitfalls!  She will have to study with Princess Aetheria (the kind that you are thinking of) to pass the test. 

Can Aetheria and Nell work together?  Will Nell pass?  Open your textbooks (‘How To Be A Proper Villain’- page one) to find out. 

This play is appropriate for audiences of all ages, best enjoyed by those four years and up

Presented by Children’s Theatre of Hampton Roads

Come see our very own resident comedy company deliver their unique brand of funny.  Plan B Comedy will be ready to rock the house with sketches, videos, improv games and who knows what else in their one of a kind Comedy Variety show!

$15 online

$18 at the door

*Door Price goes into effect 1 hour before show starts. 

The Word is in collaboration with The Muse Writers Center, Hampton Roads Writers, and Tidewater Writers.

The Word welcomes diverse voices and fans of poetry, spoken word, and all forms of creative writing. We encourage all ages and backgrounds to come together and share in the mutual adoration of words. The Z provides a platform for writers to share their work while fostering a comfortable, laid-back, and encouraging atmosphere. This is your chance to take the mic! Read your own work or share a favorite.

Admission is a suggested $5 donation.

Those looking to speak/perform may sign up at the door. Limited spots!

A four-decade veteran of the Irish/Celtic festival circuit, Seamus Kennedy was first influenced by the legendary Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem. From them he learned the importance of not only being a solid musician, but also of being an all-round entertainer.

With a thorough knowledge of the traditional and contemporary songs of Ireland and Scotland, he is equally proficient with American music, be it folk, country, bluegrass or a little Western Swing.

Originally from Belfast, but now based in Annapolis, MD, he has been entertaining audiences all over the United States from Alaska to Florida, from Maryland to California for more than four decades. At home in venues ranging from intimate house-concerts and folk-clubs to large concert halls and festivals, Seamus has been bringing tour groups to Ireland for 30 years to experience the music and culture of his homeland “up close and personal”.

Presented by Tidewater Friends of Acoustic Music

NO DISCOUNTS OR COUPONS ARE VALID FOR THIS SHOW

Valerie David, Writer/Performer of The Pink Hulk: One Woman’s Journey to Find The Superhero Within, Directed by Padraic Lillis

A 1986 First Colonial graduate, Ms. David details her battle with cancer in The Pink Hulk and how she beat the odds by finding her inner super powers.

Award-winning actor, playwright and two-time cancer survivor Valerie David is thrilled to be coming home to Virginia Beach to perform her critically acclaimed, comical one-woman show The Pink Hulk: One Woman’s Journey to Find the Superhero Within at The Z. A 1986 First Colonial graduate Ms. David’s details her battle with cancer in The Pink Hulk and how she beat the odds by finding her inner super powers. Ms. David has been touring the U.S. and Europe with The Pink Hulk for the past two years, garnering many awards and rave reviews along the way, and has been accepted into 25 play festivals in 2 years’ time.

Ms. David, who was First Colonial senior class president and voted Most School Spirited, wrote The Pink Hulk after being diagnosed with cancer not once, but twice! “My show is not just about fighting cancer; it has a universal message of hope and empowerment,” Ms. David said.

Synopsis: Now battling breast cancer after fighting off lymphoma, Valerie does something most people facing cancer for the second time in their life probably wouldn’t think of doing. With a fear that she might lose “the girls”, she takes them out for one last hurrah. And does Valerie succeed? Is there a “happy ending”? Come see the show to find out! This sexy, adventurous solo show follows Valerie’s journey to seek her own “hulk-like” strength to find her superhero within. An empowering and true story of inspiration! With plenty of humor—guaranteed!

This is a 60-minute show with mature content and a talkback to follow each performance.

For more info, visit pinkhulkplay.com
Art Credit: Rebecca Kalant

REVIEW EXCERPTS
“Valerie David, who has the talent of a Broadway star, decided to write this show to share her experiences and empower those facing adversity in life. The Pink Hulk began touring the country in 2016 and Valerie David began accumulating awards for this extraordinarily moving, candid, and insightful show. The Pink Hulk is a 60-minute experience you will not soon forget.” – Applause! Applause! New York City

“The joy of this performance is in the honesty and the openness and the wonderfully warm and inclusive woman that is Valerie David…Ms. David has the kind of infectious spirit and deeply inspiring story that needs more than a one- woman show…how about a series?” – Los Angeles Review, Noho Arts District

“[Valerie] David’s story, by turns comical and heartbreaking, demonstrates that obstacles can be overcome and that we each have a superhero inside us. I recommend this show to anyone who enjoys authentic, well-performed theater and to anyone needing a reminder of the strength and resilience of the human spirit.” – DC Metro Theater Arts 2016

Sponsored in part by

As a Montreal born Grenadian-Canadian, Kaia Kater grew up between two worlds: one her family’s deep ties to folk music; the other the years she spent learning and studying Appalachian music in the USA. Her old-time banjo-picking skills, deft arrangements, and songwriting abilities have landed her in the spotlight in North America and the UK, garnering critical acclaim from outlets such as NPR, CBC Radio, Rolling Stone, BBC Music, and No Depression.

“…plaintive, mesmerizing…writes and performs with the skill of a folk-circuit veteran…” – Rolling Stone

This engagement of Kaia Kater is funded through the Mid Atlantic Tours program of Mid Atlantic Arts
Foundation with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

With Barbara Hamm Lee, host of Another View, leading & moderating the conversation, join us as we embark on one of the most challenging conversations of our time: Race in America. The twist is we will do it through song! What happens when a black man and white woman sing songs like Ol’ Man River, Change is Gonna Come and You’ve Got to be Taught? What songs bring us together, what songs apart? Are there lyrics of songs woven into America’s history & culture that continue to divide us?

Performed by Teddy Holmes and Sibel Galindez

In partnership with

Seating is limited so registration is strongly encouraged.  Click this link to register.

Come see our very own resident comedy company deliver their unique brand of funny on our main stage.  Plan B Comedy will be ready to rock the house with sketches, videos, improv games and who knows what else in their one of a kind Comedy Variety show!  

Occidental Gypsy plays an exhilarating blend of gypsy swing, jazz and world music that enraptures the listener with a complex acoustic sound, burnished by smooth vocals reminiscent of the first era of swing. Their second CD, 44070, presents compositions inspired by social justice, and lyrical songs both catchy and radio-ready. Can a band play timeless music that speaks to your soul and makes you tap your feet? The answer is “yes” and it is Occidental Gypsy’s latest CD, 44070.

Hailing from New England, Occidental Gypsy plays a dynamic, multi-genre mix of original vocal and instrumental pieces. They are a nationally touring acoustic act championed by critics and fans. “OG” has played to packed houses at the legendary Nighttown in Cleveland, Green Mill in Chicago, Jazz Kitchen in Indianapolis, World Cafe Live, Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago, Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, The Ark in Ann Arbor, the Blue Wisp in Cincinnati and many others.

Presented by Tidewater Friends of Acoustic Music

NO DISCOUNTS OR COUPONS ARE VALID FOR THIS SHOW

Have you ever heard a song that moved you to the point where you wanted to tell all of your friends about it? Do the names Thomas Dorsey, James Cleveland, Walter Hawkins, and Albertina Walker ring a bell? Do you enjoy hand-clapping, foot-stomping, soul-stirring music? If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, you won’t want to miss an evening filled with song & dance to honor the rich legacy of Gospel Music. Bring your family, friends, and loved ones to experience The Sound of Black History.

Written and Directed by Scott Quirk

Puppets! Adventure! The wildest tales of derring-do ever told in just one hour! Only the boldest puppet adventurers get to become members of the Puppet Adventure Club, and they are here to share their stories with you! Forgotten lands! Lost treasures! Evil villains that must be stopped! And a chance for you – the world’s most adventurous audience – to become members of the Puppet Adventurers Club! Are you brave enough? Are you daring enough? Then come and be part of the stories of the Puppet Adventure Hour!

Presented by Children’s Theatre of Hampton Roads

Plan B Comedy brings their unique energy and fun to The Z for an improv show! It’s all made up on the spot based on suggestions from you, the audience. We literally can’t do it without you!

$15 online

$18 at the door

*Door Price goes into effect 1 hour before show starts. 

Come enjoy an evening of musical artistry by Norfolk native, Christopher Kypros, as he performs music across the spectrum, from the serene and sublime, to the sparkling and passionate.  His program of solo piano works by Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, and Ginastera will bring you solace as well as fire up your senses. 

Kypros completed undergraduate studies in piano performance at ODU and graduate studies at The Juilliard School.  He’s created a name for himself as a very successful music teacher from the elementary level to the college level, is an award-winning composer, choral conductor, and musical director, is celebrated for his many years of providing original piano accompaniments to silent films at Norfolk’s Naro Cinema, and rounds it all out as a stage and TV actor in Hampton Roads.

Some notable appearances or accomplishments include a concert at the National Gallery of Art, soloist with the Virginia and Jacksonville Symphonies, and composer of Liturgy of Peace, Liturgy of Hope, and Liturgy of Light for the Greek Orthodox Church. He also has a children’s book coming out, Lullaby for Alana, that includes original music of the same name.

Conceived and directed by Lindsay Eure

Back again for romp number four! The title says it all. Sexy Broadway tunes, heartfelt ballads and just the right dose of hilarity make for the perfect Valentine (or anti-valentine) celebration.

Sponsored by 

One reviewer recently wrote – ‘Daniel Champagne exudes a natural ease on stage, as he sings poignant lyrics and beautifully crafted melodies that invariably whisk the heart up with grand romanticism. Coupled with an exhilarating guitar talent that transcends mere acoustic playing to replicate a whole band, Champagne is just magical’ (themusic.com.au)

The story goes that the young Australian singer, songwriter and one-of-a-kind guitar virtuoso first picked up his instrument of choice as a five-year-old following in the footsteps of a musical father. He began writing songs at 12, training classically throughout his teens and performing solo wherever he could, honing his craft and developing what would become the dynamite live show that he is renowned for today. At 18 he left school, turned professional and hit the road.

The next several years saw him traversing North America, the United Kingdom, Europe, New Zealand and of course, his homeland Australia playing such festivals as California WorldFest, Winnipeg Folk Fest, Vancouver and Mariposa Folk (Canada), Belgium’s Labadoux Festival and Australia’s Woodford, Falls Festival, Port Fairy Folk Festival and the legendary Byron Bay Bluesfest. He has toured and shared stages with Jake Shimabukuro, Jesse Cook, Roderigo Y Gabriela, Richard Shindell, The Ragbirds, The Waifs, Lucinda Williams, Judy Collins, INXS, John Butler, KT Tunstall and Ani DiFranco.

Presented by Tidewater Friends of Acoustic Music

NO DISCOUNTS OR COUPONS ARE VALID FOR THIS SHOW

“Lesson Plans to Late Night” is a one-man comedy show about Lucas’ transition from elementary school teacher to national touring comedian.  “Lesson Plans to Late Night” is truly a one of a kind comedy experience combining live stand up comedy and visual images.  This show has been compared to “Defending the Caveman” and was called “A Comedic Multimedia Masterpiece” and “Hysterical” by Parade Magazine.  “Lesson Plans to Late Night” is one of the highest rated main stage shows on Norwegian Cruise Lines and was called “Truly Innovative” and “A total crowd pleaser” by cruise directors and entertainment coordinators.  If you’ve ever worked with children or have kids or grandkids, you don’t want to miss this hilarious show.

One of the most admired, genre-bending artists to breakthrough in the last decade, June’s music blends southern sounds, African rhythms and ambient atmospherics into something altogether futuristic and new. Her 2017 release The Order of Time appeared on numerous ‘best of’ lists and received near universal acclaim from a broad array of international media including: Rolling Stone, New York Times, NPR, The Guardian, Vice Noisey, New Yorker, ELLE, Nylon, Garden & Gun, Okayplayer, MOJO, UNCUT, Entertainment Weekly, GQ, Exclaim!, Newsday, Afropunk, CLASH, Glide, Financial Times, American Songwriter, MTV News and many more.

June’s rapturous, one-of-a-kind live shows have also helped her achieve a loyal, world-wide audience and are not to be missed. The solo tour will feature both brand-new songs and fan favorites. She is currently working on her highly anticipated new album.

Opening this evenings concert is American singer-songwriter Thad Cockrell. Cockrell, lead singer of LEAGUES, inspires his audience to dream outside their means through thoughtful interpretation of relatable circumstance. Cockrell NATURALLY displays himself within each of his musical masterpieces, connecting listeners and providing an outlet for self-understanding.

PHOTO: Coen Rees

The acoustic jazz ensemble, Rhythm Future Quartet has a straightforward agenda: to keep the spirit of Gypsy jazz alive and expanding in today’s musical universe. The virtuosic foursome, named for a Django Reinhardt tune, offers up a newly minted sound, influenced by the classic Hot Club of France, yet wholly contemporary.

Led by violinist Jason Anick and guitarist Olli Soikkeli, Rhythm Future Quartet performs dynamic and lyrical arrangements of both Gypsy jazz standards and original compositions that draw upon diverse international rhythms and musical idioms. With Max O’Rourke on second guitar and Greg Loughman on bass, Rhythm Future is dedicated to expanding the boundaries of a vital musical genre.

“Rhythm Future Quartet breaks new ground for Gypsy jazz”
–The Boston Globe

“[Rhythm Future Quartet] have rocketed the music into the future by incorporating multiple influences…teaming it with their own virtuosity and playing it all with a joyful abandon that is downright infectious”
– Huffington Post

The Word is in collaboration with The Muse Writers Center, Hampton Roads Writers, and Tidewater Writers.

The Word welcomes diverse voices and fans of poetry, spoken word, and all forms of creative writing. We encourage all ages and backgrounds to come together and share in the mutual adoration of words. The Z provides a platform for writers to share their work while fostering a comfortable, laid-back, and encouraging atmosphere. This is your chance to take the mic! Read your own work or share a favorite.

Admission is a suggested $5 donation.

Those looking to speak/perform may sign up at the door. Limited spots!

American Idol Michael Lynche is a new breed of soul singer with completely classic influences. Traces of Donny Hathaway, Al Green, Luther Vandross, Sam Cooke and James Brown all seem to flash in this uniquely talented performer. Undeniable charisma, well­ crafted song arrangements, and a voice soaked in soul give the big man class all his own. “Big Mike”—as he was known while winning over the hearts of a nation during his stint on American Idol—has talent so versatile, he’s played intimate jazz & blues clubs, 20,000 seat arenas and opera halls with 100 piece orchestras backing him. Through it all “Big Mike” has always had one singular goal to spread a message of love wherever he goes.

A New York City resident for the last 10 years, this Florida native rose from obscurity as a finalist on season 9 of the hit phenomenon ­­ American Idol. After wowing millions of fans on American Idol with his comforting and powerful voice and performing throughout the United States as part of the American Idol LIVE! Tour, Big Mike has released 2 studio albums, toured as an opening act for Boyz II Men, Lalah Hathaway, Faith Evans, and Lyfe Jennings and recently took his show overseas for the first time to headline a tour of the Mediterranean.

“Big Mike” comes with an inspirational story and a searing, soulful, one­ of­ a ­kind voice. He leaves you breathless and wanting more when the night is over. This extraordinary vocal talent seamlessly fuses classic R&B, thoroughly modern urban grooves, and swoon­worthy vintage soul into a fresh, unique sound. Big, yes—and beautiful, too; Michael Lynche makes music that’s unforgettable.

ADAPTED FOR THE STAGE AND DIRECTED BY JUNE PRAGER

Never Forget!  Never Again!

In this one-hour poetic drama, a man, an American of German descent, looks back on his ancestral past and tries to make sense of it. He encounters embodiments of the Holocaust: a Nazi soldier, an elderly caretaker, a Jewish survivor, among others.  A visitor into the collective unconscious, he takes us to places most of us would like to forget. This play about survival and cruelty is particularly relevant today when quests for power and the ease of prevarication and justification are rampant.

We are experiencing the polarization of America, along with the rise of anti-Semitism across the globe, resulting in an increase of attacks, verbal and physical, against Jews, Muslims, and immigrants. The testimonials for Distant Survivors speak to the power of theatre to deepen our understanding of “the Other” and create a spark towards dialogue and communion.

Presented with permission by Blue Moon Plays LLC

Written by Anton Five, Directed by Mike Burnette

It’s not easy being Charlotte.  Her two smarty pants siblings (the Brothers Grimm to be precise) tease her just because she loves stories.  As much as her brothers love words; they don’t love stories- not the way Charlotte does.  Charlotte loves stories because anything can happen in a story.

But on top of that…she gets lost in the woods…and can’t find her way home!  The woods are dark, and mysterious, but Charlotte is determined to get back.  Along the way she meets all sorts of friends (some you may have heard of):  a brother and sister who are looking for their bread crumbs, a beautiful young maiden with really, really long hair; and a magical fish that grants wishes (that one you may not have heard of).  Everything is going smoothly until they meet a certain old woman who lives in a house made of candy…
So join us Once Upon A Time for a fantastic adventure where anything can happen, because anything can happen in a story.  Magical for all ages.

Presented by Children’s Theatre of Hampton Roads

The mid-twentieth century was a great era for the popular song. The golden age of movie musicals brought us classics like “Over the Rainbow” and “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off.” At the same time, the sophisticated jazzy tunes of Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, and many more captivated listeners. A few years later, great artists like Etta James, Dionne Warwick, and Stevie Wonder brought us one gem of a song after another, each one woven into the fabric of the lives of all who lived through those dynamic times.

Little Doors is a musical group that wanders through this seemingly endless canon of great songs, gathering tunes like shells on the beach and taking them home to enjoy again and again. Simply presented with vocals, guitar and upright bass, these songs take the listener to a place in their past; a place of nostalgia evoking forgotten joys or heartaches, sometimes with a fresh appreciation that comes from having been away from an old friend for too long.

Presented by Tidewater Friends of Acoustic Music

NO DISCOUNTS OR COUPONS ARE VALID FOR THIS SHOW

Unmatched in artistry, grace and refinement of movement, the internationally acclaimed Cashore Marionettes redefine the art of puppetry. The moving and humorous performance has astounded audiences in Europe, the Far East and across North America including stops at the Kennedy Center, Annenberg Center, Kravis Center, and many others. In the performance Life in Motion, Joseph Cashore presents his collection of marionette masterworks. Characters of depth, integrity, and humanity are portrayed in a full evening unlike anything else in theater today.

The performance is a series of scenes taken from everyday life and set to beautiful music by composers such as Beethoven, Vivaldi, Strauss, and Copland. Through a combination of virtuoso manipulation, humor, pathos, classic music, and poetic insight, The Cashore Marionettes take the audience on a journey that celebrates the richness of life. Life in Motion is a powerful, entertaining, surprising, theatrically satisfying, one-of-a-kind evening for adults and young adults. Joseph Cashore has received numerous awards for his artistry including a Pew Fellowship for Performance Art, based upon his artistic accomplishment; a Henson Foundation Grant, an award intended to help promote puppetry to adult audiences; and a Citation of Excellence from the UNIMAUSA, the highest honor an American puppeteer can receive. The Cashore Marionettes are so well conceived and projected, the movement so convincing, the illusion so powerful, that the result is a compelling, unforgettable, theatrical experience.

The Cashore Marionettes – Life In Motion Promo Video from Baylin Artists Management on Vimeo.

Plan B Comedy returns to the Z with their monthly sketch comedy show. We love these guys and you will too. Come check out their unique brand of quick, smart, fun comedy.

$15 online

$18 at the door

*Door Price goes into effect 1 hour before show starts. 

Come out in style for a good cause for a night of Art, Entertainment, & Dance.

Break out your favorite fur coat and bring an extra coat to donate to charities that provide coats to the homeless. The night will entail the RBLE Art Jam in collaboration with Utopia Feni & Chrysler Museum. Featuring many artist from Hampton Roads, the art show will also feature an art market that will also have vendors of food, clothes, and jewelry.

The Friday Night Live aspect of the show will feature a live band headed by Gary Donna and will have opportunities for many local musicians and artist to hop in and collaborate on live improvisation open mic style. Hosted by Artel Carter & Gabe Niles

Also many of your favorite local DJs have donated their time for DJ sets for the simulated bar and dance floor in the back.

Doors open at 7:00pm

$10 Tickets

The Virginia Sports Hall of Fame is proud to welcome two local baseball legends to Zeiders American Dream Theater in Virginia Beach.

Join us on Wednesday, January 9^th, 2019 for 757^th Inning Stretch, featuring Michael Cuddyer and David Wright.

Cuddyer and Wright will share their experiences in baseball, from the little league fields in Chesapeake to the best stadiums in Major League Baseball.  Don’t miss your chance to participate in this great baseball event.

All ages are welcome to attend. Tickets to the event are just $15!

About the panel

Michael Cuddyer – a native of Chesapeake, and a graduate of Great Bridge High School, Cuddyer would play fifteen seasons in the major leagues for Minnesota, Colorado and the NY Mets, winning a batting title for Colorado in 2013, was twice named to the All Star team and is a member of the Twins’ Hall of Fame.

David Wright – a native of Chesapeake, and graduate of Hickory High School, Wright would spend his entire career with the team that drafted him, the New York Mets. Wright, a 7-time All-Star retired from the Mets following the 2018 season, as the organization’s all-time leader in hits, runs scored, rbi, total bases, and doubles.

Hailing from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, The Steel Wheels are familiar with the traditions of folk music and how a string band is supposed to sound. In fact, they’ve been drawing on those steadfast traditions for more than a decade. Yet their name also evokes a sense of forward motion, which is clearly reflected in their latest album, Wild As We Came Here.

“I think we’ve always been able to write new songs with different landscapes. However it was really enjoyable for us, creatively and artistically, to depart from the straight-up acoustic sound that we’ve been known for,” says Trent Wagler, who plays guitar and banjo in the band and writes most of the material. “I’m excited to see what happens. There are fans out there who are ready for this and who have been waiting for us to do this.”

While on tour supporting Josh Ritter, the band forged a friendship with Sam Kassirer, who plays keyboards for Ritter on tour and has produced a number of his albums. While The Steel Wheels had been considering other producers and maybe recording in Nashville, they chose to follow their instincts all the way to rural Maine, where Kassirer owns a recording studio inside a renovated farmhouse from the 18th century. All four band members – Wagler, Eric Brubaker (fiddle), Brian Dickel (upright bass), and Jay Lapp (mandolin) – hunkered down for a week and a half to create Wild As We Came Here.

Presented by Tidewater Friends of Acoustic Music

NO DISCOUNTS OR COUPONS ARE VALID FOR THIS SHOW

Plan B Comedy brings their unique energy and fun to The Z for an improv show! It’s all made up on the spot based on suggestions from you, the audience. We literally can’t do it without you!

$15 online

$18 at the door

*Door Price goes into effect 1 hour before show starts. 

Since 2012, reVoiced has gained a reputation for captivating audiences, creating their own sound by “revoicing” familiar classics. These five charismatic entertainers bring their distinct personalities together to create an unforgettable vocal experience. Its members have received countless vocal accolades, performing on Broadway and television shows like American Idol and The Sing-Off.  What holiday classics can you expect? Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Holly Jolly Xmas, Carol of the Bells, and Run Run Rudolph, just to name a few.

Tickets:
$35 Adult
$15 Student

Written and Directed by Jessica Brooke Pinsky

You’re invited to the Woods for a holiday tea at Uncle Wiggily’s house… only Uncle Wiggily is the last to know! In order to keep you entertained, the old rabbit gentleman will have to get everyone’s help to put on the biggest production the forest has ever seen: Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”!

You’ll meet Nurse Jane Fuzzy Wuzzy the muskrat housekeeper, Jumpo Kinkytail the monkey, Doctor Possum (the possum), and a slew of madcap characters as they portray the quintessential Christmas tale… with just a few minor changes!    

With enduring themes of love, generosity, and second chances, there’s no better way to celebrate the season than with Uncle Wiggily and his forest friends in CTHR’s beloved adaptation. A charming and original spin on the classic, and great holiday fun for the entire family.

This play is appropriate for audiences of all ages, best enjoyed by those four years and up

Presented by Children’s Theatre of Hampton Roads

Plan B Comedy returns to the Z with their monthly sketch comedy show. We love these guys and you will too. Come check out their unique brand of quick, smart, fun comedy.

$15 online

$18 at the door

*Door Price goes into effect 1 hour before show starts. 

Conceived and directed by Lindsay Eure
Musical direction by Bart Kuebler

This will be the fourth annual HOLIDIVAS cabaret at The Z. This show is tailored to the performers and features a diverse selection of holiday music for a heartwarming yet hilarious evening with plenty of nostalgia.

Raw, soulful, and with plenty of swagger, Town Mountain has earned raves for their hard-driving sound, their in-house songwriting and the honky-tonk edge that permeates their exhilarating live performances, whether in a packed club or at a sold-out festival. The hearty base of Town Mountain’s music is the first and second generation of bluegrass spiced with country, old school rock ‘n’ roll, and boogie-woogie. It’s what else goes into the mix that brings it all to life both on stage and on record and reflects the group’s wide-ranging influences – from the Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia and the ethereal lyrics of Robert Hunter, to the honest, vintage country of Willie, Waylon, and Merle.

The Bend Bulletin’s Brian McElhiney says Town Mountain, “has serious country and rock ’n’ roll DNA.” Town Mountain features guitarist and vocalist Robert Greer, banjoist Jesse Langlais, mandolinist Phil Barker, fiddler Bobby Britt, and Zach Smith on bass.

Town Mountain is working on their 6th studio album and was recently recording in Echo Mountain Studios with Producer Caleb Klauder. The forthcoming album will be full of new original material and released later in the year. They are also excited to be the host of the 2018 MerleFest Midnight Jam and will be performing at Joe Val Bluegrass Festival and John Hartford Memorial Festival among others in 2018.

Their 5th studio album, Southern Crescent, came out April 1, 2016 on LoHi Records. Produced and engineered by GRAMMY winner Dirk Powell, Southern Crescent was recorded in Powell’s studio The Cypress House in south-central Louisiana town of Breaux Bridge. Since it’s release the band debuted on the Grand Ole Opry and the Ryman Auditorium stages in 2016 bringing their sound to new audiences. The critically acclaimed album debuted at #4 on the Billboard Bluegrass Chart while staying for ten weeks on the Americana Music Association’s radio chart Top 40.

Presented by Tidewater Friends of Acoustic Music

NO DISCOUNTS OR COUPONS ARE VALID FOR THIS SHOW

For Upstate, the last few years have been a time of profound exploration and self-discovery. As the band knocked off milestone after milestone on the road, their sound, their lineup, and even their name all underwent dramatic metamorphoses. Challenging and thrilling all at once, those changes have finally culminated in the septet’s dazzling new album, a collection that showcases both their remarkable growth and their adventurous blend of folk, R&B, jazz, gospel, and rock and roll.

Opener: Skye Zentz – Skye Zentz is a professional songwriter and ukulele player from Norfolk, VA. A hometown gal, Skye’s love for her city inspired a grassroots music video for her original song “The Tide”, which won the 2016 Veer Music Award for Music Video of the Year. Her eclectic, soulful music is singable and warm, once described as a “cozy home with many wildly decorated rooms”. Skye composed the original music for the new play “Alice”, which made its debut in April, 2017 at Old Dominion University, where Skye also served as Music Director. Several of her educational children’s songs, including the Telly Award winner “Cut the Sugar”, are featured regularly on PBS Kids. Skye teaches Songwriting and Ukulele at the Muse Writers Center in Norfolk, where she has taught since 2012.

Plan B Comedy brings their unique energy and fun to The Z for an improv show! It’s all made up on the spot based on suggestions from you, the audience. We literally can’t do it without you!

$15 online

$18 at the door

*Door Price goes into effect 1 hour before show starts. 

Plan B Comedy is coming over for holiday leftovers. Watch Plan B perform some scripted sketch comedy that’ll cure that holiday food coma and leave you asking for seconds! Come check out their unique brand of quick, smart, fun comedy. Fourth year running strong!

Creativity comes in all forms and flows through all ages at this community infused variety show!

Our creative spirit doesn’t stop when the gray hairs appear and it doesn’t begin when we reach double digits. Come enjoy an afternoon of song, comedy & dance shared by fellow community members of all ages. Sing alongs will part of the fun too!

We are asking everyone to bring primary color acrylic paints and/or glue sticks for Tidewater Arts Outreach, a local non-profit bringing joy & well-being to older adults through creative engagement with the arts.

Hosted by Sibel Galindez

For more information email sibel.galindez@thez.org

Suggested donation of $5.

In partnership with

Written and Directed by Jessica Brooke Pinsky
In a house, there lives a Dog. The dog is happy. Life is peaceful. Then the humans bring home a surprise. A yarn chasing, mouse hunting, meowing surprise. Dog does not like surprises.

Will this odd pair learn to coexist, or will it be mass hysteria? Whatever the case, hysterical antics are coming to CTHR this November! Whether you’re a dog lover, a cat lover, or just someone who loves to laugh, you’re sure to love “Like Cats and Dogs”. 

This play is appropriate for audiences of all ages, best enjoyed by those four years and up

Presented by Children’s Theatre of Hampton Roads

After Jack is a musical celebration of togetherness. Named 2014 Americana Vocal Group of the Year by the Appalachian Cultural Music Association, the trio couples a modern sensibility with distinctly old-time energy to blend bluegrass, gospel and folk elements. Combine your most beloved musical memories with a foot-stomping string band and top it off with harmonies that spring straight from the soul of the mountains, and you’ve got After Jack.

Emily, Mary and Rachel met while working as performers in a professional theatre company. In forming the band, they realized they were merging three unique musical perspectives. Though often labeled “Americana,” their sound, ability to reach the heart of an audience, and the incredible joy that they bring to the stage cannot be adequately captured by one word.

After Jack’s first full-length album, released on Travianna Records, was produced by Aaron Ramsey of Mountain Heart, and is already receiving international airplay. The album’s title, Echo, is a notion that describes the band’s songwriting – a collection of stories to be shared and experiences that can only be lived. It’s also an invitation, to all who encounter it, to share those moments. With an ambitious touring schedule, the trio can be heard at major festivals and venues all along the East Coast.

Presented by Tidewater Friends of Acoustic Music

NO DISCOUNTS OR COUPONS ARE VALID FOR THIS SHOW

Physical comedian Reid Belstock and innovative juggling ace Warren Hammond have teamed up to bring you their hilarious and incredible new show, Smirk!

Reid plays a maniacal goofball to Warren’s straight man garnering comparisons to Abbott and Costello. Described as “A nicely matched pair of performers with a deep bag of tricks,” by Juggle Magazine, their juggling and slapstick antics explode off the stage to fill the largest auditorium. Their work has earned them multiple awards, including the 2009, and more recently the 2011 IJA Silver Medal in the Team competitions.

FREE COMMUNITY EVENT!

Please join staff of the Virginia War Memorial and Virginia War Memorial Foundation as we proudly present our newest release in our documentary film series, “A New Century, A New War.”

This film, the 23rd produced by the Virginia War Memorial, is our response to years of Virginia educators asking for material they could use to introduce their students to the events of 9/11 and the reasons for going to war in Afghanistan and Iraq. We were able to gather some incredible personal stories from Virginians across the state to paint the picture of one of the most tragic, but also inspirational, times in our nation’s history. We have turned these interviews into a moving, informative film. Before we release “A New Century, A New War” to teachers and visitors to the Virginia War Memorial, we are hosting premiere showings around the Commonwealth.

This event will include a reception, short discussion, and a first-look showing of the complete 30-minute documentary. Attire is Business Casual.

Kindly RSVP to kbelleman@vawarmemorial.org or (804) 786-2176 by November 7.

Cost:
FREE, R.S.V.P. Required

The world awoke one morning in August of 1914 to find itself at war. The conflict, which no one expected would last very long, dragged on for four horrible years and when the guns finally fell silent, the flower of European youth was gone.

To End All Wars, a Commemorative Concert marking the centennial of the end of World War I, is a retrospective focused on the human involvement and cost told through story and song.
Featuring members of the Virginia Beach Chorale.

This is a Z Community Event, free & open to the public. Seating is limited so please reserve your tickets.

African high school and college kids, the largest demographic group of the Continent, created the Afrobeats dance craze. The music, the moves, the energy – there’s nothing like it, and It’s taken the dance world by storm. The Tidewater African Cultural Alliance (TACA) and The Zeiders American Dream Theater are excited to bring you the inaugural Afrobeat Friday: College Edition Dance Off, introducing you to our area college African student organizations in this FREE event! Come cheer on and groove with your alma mater’s/favorite area college dance team!

Plan B Comedy brings their unique energy and fun to The Z for an improv show! It’s all made up on the spot based on suggestions from you, the audience. We literally can’t do it without you!

$15 online

$18 at the door

*Door Price goes into effect 1 hour before show starts. 

Blessed with “a voice of phenomenal beauty” (Stephen Holden, New York Times), Jane Monheit has had plenty of milestone moments in establishing herself as one of today’s best and most important vocalist-musicians.

With her new album, The Songbook Sessions: Ella Fitzgerald—the first to be released on her own Emerald City Records—the Long Island native has surprised even herself with her artistic leap. Jane had thought about recording an Ella tribute for a long time. Fitzgerald’s beloved songbook albums held “Biblical” importance for her when she was growing up and have never lost their hold on her.

On this new offering, Monheit pays joyous tribute to Ella while sharing a definitive portrait of herself, guided by her producer, arranger, and trumpet great, Nicholas Payton. Once she decided to make the dream project a reality, she had no trouble choosing titles. She jotted down a list of 25 titles “almost immediately.” She and Payton each narrowed the choices to a dozen and settled on the final list together.

Tickets are $40

Dust off your sheet music, warm up those vocal chords, and step into the spotlight! Join your fellow musical theater enthusiasts for a night of songs from The Great White Way. Come and see the finest of Hampton Roads’ Broadway-worthy talent. Those looking to sing may sign up at the door. Limited spots!

Suggested door donation $5

Get ready for the start of the 2018-19 College Basketball Season at the NEW Zeiders American Dream Theater at Town Center in Virginia Beach!

JOIN OUR TEAM

The Madness Begins, will feature coaches, and award winning writers, helping to preview all things college basketball, with a particular focus on the ACC, CAA, MEAC and Conference USA;

• Seth Davis – National college basketball analyst for CBS Sports. Managing Editor of The Athletic College Basketball, and 2-time New York Times best-selling author for books on college basketball. Davis will be appearing via satellite.
• Jeff Jones – Head Coach, Old Dominion University Men’s Basketball. Entering his 27^th season as a Division I head coach. 471 wins and 12 postseason appearances in his career as head coach at Virginia, American, and Old Dominion.
• Robert Jones – Head Coach, Norfolk State University Men’s Basketball. Entering his 6^th season as a Division I head coach. Has led Norfolk State to the postseason in 4 of his 5 seasons.
• David Teel – Sports columnist for The Daily Press, and VSHF Media Inductee. 11-time Virginia Sportswriter of the Year, Teel covers the ACC for The Daily Press
• Doug Doughty – Sports columnist for The Roanoke Times and VSHF Media Inductee. 3-time Virginia Sportswriter of the Year. Doughty covers the University of Virginia and the ACC for The Roanoke Times.
• Ed Miller – Sportswriter for the Virginian Pilot. Miller covers Old Dominion University Athletics for the Pilot.

The event will be hosted by WTKR News Channel 3’s Sports Director, Adam Winkler. Winkler will moderate a panel discussion and Q&A sessions with the audience. Come ready to hear how far your favorite team can make it in March, and bring your questions!

All ages are welcome to attend.  Tickets are just $15.00 each

Thanks to our sponsors for this event, Optima Health, Ripley-Heatwole Company, Tidewater Home Funding, and Sales Systems Ltd.

presented by Virginia Sports Hall of Fame

WWI & WWII Profiles of Honor Mobile Museum Tour

History is on the move as the World War I and World War II Profiles of Honor Mobile Museum travels to Zeiders American Dream Theater. The museum, free and open to the public, features stories and artifacts from dozens of Virginians who served in the wars. The tour is part of a statewide commemoration marking the 100th anniversary of World War I and the 75th anniversary of World War II. Not only can people come into the unit and learn about Virginians’ roles in both world conflicts, they can also bring personal artifacts related to the wars (photographs, letters, official documents) that can be scanned and made part of the Virginia Archives.

PLEASE NOTE: The mobile museum IS handicap accessible.

For more information contact The Z’s Community Liaison at sibel.galindez@thez.org

The Z is excited to announce Jimmy Pardo in a double-header on 27 October! Join us at 2pm for a live taping of Jimmy’s ground-breaking podcast “Never Not Funny,” and come back at 8pm for Jimmy doing standing-up comedy. Don’t miss the best detective in the room in a rare east coast appearance!

Jimmy Pardo has been seen on countless television shows, including “Conan,” “The Tonight Show,” “The Late Late Show,” “@midnight,” and most recently he hosted the critically acclaimed “Race To Escape” on Science Channel.

Never Not Funny is an award-winning weekly podcast hosted by comedian and TV personality Jimmy Pardo. Broadcasting since 2006, the show features freeform conversations between Pardo, his producer Matt Belknap and his sometimes famous, always funny friends. Now part of the Earwolf Network, the show gets half a million downloads a month and has appeared on Entertainment Weekly’s Must List, in Esquire, GQ and Billboard Magazine, and was named a top comedy podcast by iTunes, Mashable, and The AV Club.Notable past guests include: Conan O’Brien, Jon Hamm, Amy Poehler, Zach Galifianakis, Jon Cryer, Paul Reiser, Sarah Silverman, Richard Lewis, Bob Odenkirk, David Steinberg, Tom Bergeron, Tommy Shaw, Lisa Loeb, Anthony Rapp, Billy Eichner and Weird Al Yankovic.

Conceived and directed by Lindsay Eure
Musical direction by Miguel Davis

A new revue style show to spook, provoke and thrill! This tongue in cheek cabaret will feature pop-rock radio tunes and songs from our favorite Halloween soundtracks performed by a small “creature cast” of the usual Halloween suspects.

$18 online

$20 at the door

*Door Price goes into effect 1 hour before show starts.

Written by Anton Five

Directed by Mike Burnette

The ghosts that haunt the House of Halloweenie are hosting a party, and you are invited!  It’s time, once again, to throw the biggest bash for all the spirits across the land and celebrate the anniversary of Halloweenie – a happy place where monsters and spooks can do as they please.  But someone, or something doesn’t want to play by the rules.

Come watch three lovable ghosts try to fix the party and prevent a renegade revenant from wreaking havoc.  Don’t be tricked; this new play is a theatrical treat for all ages!

This play is appropriate for audiences of all ages, best enjoyed by those four years and up

The intrepid actors of WVL Radio Theatre are back, this time with a series of classic American horror stories, including one by Edgar Allen Poe, a creative retelling of the Lizzie Borden axe murders, and of course a re-imagining of Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Four actors, live sounds effects, and original music transport you back to 1946 when the imagination created horrors far more vivid than any that might actually be lurking in your living room… or your radio station….!

Buy one ticket and get half off another ticket!
For the 2pm show use code: HH2PM For the 8pm show use code: HH8PM

Plan B Comedy returns to the Z with their monthly sketch comedy show. We love these guys and you will too. Come check out their unique brand of quick, smart, fun comedy, and this time it’s Halloween inspired!

$15 online

$18 at the door

*Door Price goes into effect 1 hour before show starts. 

Kelly Macfarland

In addition to being the 2016 Ladies of Laughter Professional winner at Turning Stone Resort Casino, Kelly has an extensive and well-rounded resume including comedy clubs, theaters, colleges and several television appearances.

Lulo Reinhardt & Daniel Stelter are famed solo guitarists throughout Europe who have gone on to even greater success as a duo. Whether playing a scorching lead or a cool rhythm, they bring new life to classics from Lulo’s great uncle, Django Reinhardt, to Duke Ellington. Each is a riveting soloist with a wide variety of styles and influences that extend from Argentina to Cuba and back to their German Gypsy roots.   After an appearance at the famed Ellnora Guitar Festival in Champaign IL in 2017, they will return to the United States in 2018 at The Z. 

LULO REINHARDT

Django Reinhardt left behind an indelible musical legacy, introducing and defining a passionate style of Gypsy Jazz guitar that was astonishing in the 1930’s and is still revered and emulated today. Born to a Gypsy family in Belgium, Django’s playing inspired his extended family in Germany and France, and successive generations of Reinhardts have reinforced his powerful musical vision and added their own ideas.  LULO REINHARDT, Django’s grand nephew, is a third generation master from Germany.  He has retained  the incredible Reinhardt soul, speed and dexterity  and updated the repertoire.

DANIEL STELTER

Daniel’s Stelter’s unique guitar style has made him a landmark musician in Germany’s Jazz scene. His sound encompasses jazz, pop and classical music. Since 2003 Stelter has been enhancing his own signature sound. Today he is a guitarist in demand, well-known on German jazz stages.

The concert will take place in the Main Stage Theater

The 2018 Proteus Film Festival concludes at 1 PM on Sunday, 7 October at the Z. Saturday night’s music headliner, Kishi Bashi, will preview clips from his upcoming song film “Omoiyari” in a moderated discussion led by Jeff Fine, filmmaker and producer at WHRO-TV.

Omoiyari is a Japanese word that means to have sympathy and compassion towards another person; a universal concept in human interaction that is required for a sustainable society. It is the bedrock of the film.

Kishi Bashi explores how empathy and the lack of it has played key roles in our modern quest for social equality.

Find out more information about the film and view the trailer HERE!

This special preview and discussion of the film in progress will be in the Studio Theater at the Z and is open to all badge holders and Sunday wrist bands.

Violinist, singer and composer, Kishi Bashi, released his sophomore album titled Lighght, in May 2014. Taking its title from the one-word poem by minimalist poet Aram Saroyan, Lighght (pronounced “Light”) continues and expands the sound of his critically acclaimed debut, 151a, which earned Kishi Bashi the title of “Best New Artist” for 2012 by NPR.

Though violin remains his primary instrument and songwriting muse, Kishi Bashi has expanded his palette to include more diverse and nuanced instrumentation on Lighght. Bright and soaring avant-pop songs are prevalent, as are Eastern-tinged arrangements, gentle ballads, Philip Glass inspired improvisations, and more than a few moments that flirt with ‘70s prog (in the tradition of ELO or Yes). If this sounds jarringly kaleidoscopic, that’s because it is. But it works.

Kishi Bashi will also be here leading a discussion on his work, Omoiyari, a film about positive social change through art, music, and empathy. This film will also be shown at Proteus Festival! You can read more about Omoiyari HERE!

SEE MORE PROTEUS

Proteus Festival presents a series of unique performances, presentations, and original works in three creative disciplines: music, theater, and film. A festival badge allows admission to all events on a first-come, first-served basis for the entire festival. Coupled with performances and film screenings, there are panel discussions with artists, producers, directors, and other creative professionals; participatory public art installations; afterparties and networking meet ups; and pop-up artistic and culinary surprises.

BADGES ON SALE NOW!

Get more Proteus here!

Festival Sponsor: 

The Hunts are an indie-alternative-folk band comprised of seven brothers and sisters. Born and raised in the south lands of Chesapeake, Virginia, the siblings grew up in a musical home and fell in love with composing their own music. Josh (guitar, lead vocals), Jenni (violin, lead vocals), Jonathan (keys, vocals), Jordan (drums, vocals), Justin (bass, vocals), Jamison (mandolin, vocals) and Jessi (viola, banjo, vocals) pour their blood, sweat and tears into every song and strive to write music that moves hearts with beauty, power and joy.

With over 10 million listens on Spotify and tours with X Ambassadors and The Fray, The Hunts will headline the Friday Night Studio Theater Premier Performance on October 5, during Proteus Festival!

Studio Headliner Sponsored by 

You can see The Hunts by grabbing a Proteus Festival pass when they go on sale in late July!

SEE MORE PROTEUS

The Word is in collaboration with The Muse Writers Center, Hampton Roads Writers, and Tidewater Writers.

The Word welcomes diverse voices and fans of poetry, spoken word, and all forms of creative writing. We encourage all ages and backgrounds to come together and share in the mutual adoration of words. The Z provides a platform for writers to share their work while fostering a comfortable, laid-back, and encouraging atmosphere. This is your chance to take the mic! Read your own work or share a favorite.

PLEASE NOTE THIS EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE AT COLD PRESSED IN TOWN CENTER

Cold Pressed has been kind enough to be a good neighbor and host us while we await the completion of our new home!

Admission is a suggested $5 donation.

Those looking to speak/perform may sign up at the door. Limited spots!

Plan B Comedy brings their unique energy and fun to The Z for an improv show! This is the final show at The Z before we move!!! Absolute last! It’s all made up on the spot based on suggestions from you, the audience. We literally can’t do it without you!

$10 online

$15 at the door

Award winning singer, songwriter and storyteller Mitch Barrett draws from his Appalachian heritage in celebrating the joys and struggles of everyday life. This 2009 Telluride Troubadour and 2 time Merlefest winner brings the philosophy of the mountains to the contemporary stage in story & song.

AppalachianFunkyFolksyRastaBluesman Mitch Barrett is one of Kentucky’s most sought-after and talented singer, songwriter and storytellers. Mitch’s music draws from his Appalachian heritage and the values it instilled: agrarian work ethic, simple living, the importance of family and celebrating the joys and the struggles of everyday life through music and song.

Presented by Tidewater Friends of Acoustic Music

Sponsored by 

NO DISCOUNTS OR COUPONS ARE VALID FOR THIS SHOW

We are really excited to offer a special workshop with award-winning songwriter & storyteller Mitch Barrett on Saturday, June 23rd from 1-3 PM. Mitch will be performing later that evening as part of our partnership with Tidewater Friends of Acoustic Music, and we’ve asked him to come in earlier to share his unique skill with all interested comers. Mitch’s workshop is a great way for performers of all kinds, from actors to songwriters to storytellers, to add new skills to their repertoire and discover fresh approaches for connecting with an audience. An example of Mitch’s style can be found on YouTube here:

The workshop is only $30, and is limited to 15 participants.

Presented by Tidewater Friends of Acoustic Music

PLEASE NOTE: THIS LINK IS NOT FOR TICKETS TO THE EVENING CONCERT.

NO DISCOUNTS OR COUPONS ARE VALID FOR THIS SHOW

The Word is in collaboration with The Muse Writers Center, Hampton Roads Writers, and Tidewater Writers.

The Word welcomes diverse voices and fans of poetry, spoken word, and all forms of creative writing. We encourage all ages and backgrounds to come together and share in the mutual adoration of words. The Z provides a platform for writers to share their work while fostering a comfortable, laid-back, and encouraging atmosphere. This is your chance to take the mic! Read your own work or share a favorite.

Admission is a suggested $5 donation.

Those looking to speak/perform may sign up at the door. Limited spots!

It’s no good sitting alone in your room- come hear the music play! The evening of Saturday, 16 June is your one chance to catch a handful of performers from the last two-and-a-half years of cabaret at the Z before we go dark over the summer and move into our new theater. Stick around afterwards and enjoy Plan B’s final performance at our original location immediately afterwards!”

Grab your plutonium for your flux capacitor and join us as Plan B Comedy returns to the Z with their monthly and FINAL sketch comedy show before we move to our new home.  We love these guys and you will too. Come check out their unique brand of quick, smart, fun comedy.

$10 online
$15 at the door

You could be forgiven for asking yourself: “Now where have I seen that face before? “Truth is, if you have been floating around Europe for the past 15 years or so, you might well have seen Maurice Dickson, if it was Monday, it must have been Germany …or was it Spain, Portugal, Holland, Belgium, France, North Africa …or the Canary Islands. As they say in Scotland, a stone’s throw from Maurice’s native Northern Ireland, he has `earned his spurs’. The long journey began in 1975 when he started playing, singing and writing. A year later, aged 16 he put together his first band, which belted out his own material and cover versions of the day until 1979 when he traded his engineer’s overalls for the insecurity of a life on the road. Setting off with a guitar, a sleeping bag and £75, he spent four-and-a-half years slogging it round Europe and North Africa, learning the tricks that only that kind of experience can give an artist – how to judge an audience, how to hook it, how to play it, how to reel it in and put it in the bag.

Presented by Tidewater Friends of Acoustic Music

Sponsored by 

NO DISCOUNTS OR COUPONS ARE VALID FOR THIS SHOW

Creativity comes in all forms at this community infused variety show! See a VB School Board member belt out a showtune! Hear a lawyer play a tune on his sax! We will even hear from one of Armada Hoffler’s construction project managers about the creativity that is going into the building of our new theater! Sing alongs will be part of the fun too!

We are asking everyone to bring some small water bottles and/or juice boxes for From One Hand to Another, a local non-profit providing summer camp programs to at-risk and low income students. We are partnering with them this summer, offering entrepreneurship & dream mapping workshops, and would love to add this kind of support from our community-minded organization to theirs.

For more information email sibelgalindez@americandreamtheater.org

Suggested donation of $5.

A partnership with   

Plan B Comedy brings their unique energy and fun to The Z for an improv show! It’s all made up on the spot based on suggestions from you, the audience. We literally can’t do it without you!

$10 online

$15 at the door

Conceived and Written by Connor Norton, Haley Sullivan, and Colin Asercion

Co-Directed by Connor Norton & AJ Palacio

The following are the true accounts of those affected by the Pulse Nightclub tragedy that occurred on June 12th, 2016 in Orlando, Florida. Some names are subject to be changed to protect identities. When tragedy affects the Orlando community, how do we respond? how do we treat ourselves and others? and how do those actions affect the world beyond a tragedy that’s already shaken a generation of this nation’s people to it’s core? These are just some of the loaded questions 80 people, over 350 hours of recorded stories and news articles, and more than a year of work hope to bring to a stage in front of you and lead us to the challenging conversations America needs to have.

This will be a Workshop Production; the actors may refer to scripts, there will be fairly complete costumes, and theatrical lighting.

“King of the Wild Frontier” is a name befitting a Tennessee hero with a coonskin cap… but what if there are not one, not two, but three such heroes competing for the title? There’s only one way to tell the real from the imposter: A Tall Tale Telling Tournament! 
Join Davy Crockett, Davy Crockett, and Davy Crockett on a trip through the folklore and tall tales of the American frontier. Enjoy familiar characters such as Paul Bunyan, Babe the Blue Ox and Johnny Appleseed, and also some not so familiar characters… like hoop-snakes and hide-behinds! Interactive and hilarious; a wonderful adventure for every age.

Presented by Children’s Theatre of Hampton Roads

Plan B Comedy returns to the Z with their monthly sketch comedy show. Mysterious and mystical comedy from the those meddling Plan B Comedy members. We love these guys and you will too. Come check out their unique brand of quick, smart, fun comedy.

$10 online

$15 at the door

The bi-weekly Improv JAM at the Z continues with Plan B Comedy!! It’s FREE and anyone can perform as long as they throw their names in the hat! The “wheel of improv” will be in charge of picking the games and fate will take care of the rest. We love artists of all ages, but this event for the 18+ crowd.

Our cabaret showcase returns with this Mother’s Day matinee. Up-and-coming performers join together to take turns on the small stage in tribute to mothers the world over. This jewel of a show is the perfect centerpiece of your Mother’s Day plans!

Conceived and Directed by Lindsay Eure

Roy Book Binder has been rambling around the world for the past 45 years! He gave up his Greenwich Village “pad” in the early 1970’s and lived in his “Tour Bus” for the next 15 years criss crossing the US and appearing at festivals throughout Canada & Europe.

Presented by Tidewater Friends of Acoustic Music

Sponsored by 

NO DISCOUNTS OR COUPONS ARE VALID FOR THIS SHOW

Plan B Comedy brings their unique energy and fun to The Z for an improv show! It’s all made up on the spot based on suggestions from you, the audience. We literally can’t do it without you!

$10 online

$15 at the door

Chris Van Cleave, the multi-talented singer songwriter returns to The Z with a brand new show! A one night cabaret that combines songs from shows Chris himself has starred in (including HAIR, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, LES MISERABLES, CHESS, MAN OF LA MANCHA) and selections of his own songs written in various genres with Bart Kuebler on piano.

$18 online

$20 at the door

Sponsored by 

Dust off your sheet music, warm up those vocal chords, and step into the spotlight! Join your fellow musical theater enthusiasts for a night of songs from The Great White Way. Come and see the finest of Hampton Roads’ Broadway-worthy talent. Those looking to sing may sign up at the door. Limited spots!

Suggested door donation $5

The bi-weekly Improv JAM at the Z continues with Plan B Comedy!! It’s FREE and anyone can perform as long as they throw their names in the hat! The “wheel of improv” will be in charge of picking the games and fate will take care of the rest. We love artists of all ages, but this event for the 18+ crowd.

Travis Bowman is an acoustic guitarist/harp guitarist from Little Rock, AR. Travis placed 2nd in the 2017 Winfield International Finger-Style Competition. Travis won Ernie Ball’s Acoustic Prodigy Contest in 2014, and released his debut album “Warmth and Green Paper” that same year. First heavily influenced by blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan,Travis turned to fingerstyle after a high school teacher suggested he learn “Little Martha” by Duane Allman. From there he found the music of Leo Kottke, Michael Hedges, Andy McKee, Antoine Dufour, Stephen Bennett, and Masa Sumide.

Matt Thomas was already credited in the world of fingerstyle guitar and now he’s just placed 3rd at the 2017 Windfield International Finger-Style Competition. He haswon 1st place in both contemporary thumbpicking and open style at the “Home of The Legends International Thumbpicking Competition”. The following year, he returned to be inducted into the Thumbpickers Hall-of-Fame and was asked to compete again which resulted in another 1st place win in contemporary fingerstyle, and 2nd in traditional thumbpicking.

Presented by Tidewater Friends of Acoustic Music

Sponsored by 

NO DISCOUNTS OR COUPONS ARE VALID FOR THIS SHOW

Blast off this April with Starship Shenanigans! A fun and interactive, interstellar experience.
The Universe need a laugh. And so do we. The brave crew of the Starship Shenanigan is on a quest to find the perfect joke. Join the space team, travelling to distant planets, in their search to tickle the galactic funny bone. During your journey, you’ll meet a robot named A. Bot, his mechanic, Lou, the starship Captain Zongo, and a cast of zany, intergalactic characters who know a good joke when they hear one. There are billions and billions of jokes, but in the far reaches of space, no one can hear the punchline.

Presented by Children’s Theatre of Hampton Roads

The unexpected is the norm with unique takes on songs ancient and modern. Chanteuse and raconteuse chimerically meld as Shea spins yarns and weaves tapestries of tales and tones.

$18 online

$20 at the door

Sponsored by 

Plan B Comedy returns to the Z with their monthly sketch comedy show.  We love these guys and you will too. Come check out their unique brand of quick, smart, fun comedy.

$10 online

$15 at the door

The Word is in collaboration with The Muse Writers Center, Hampton Roads Writers, and Tidewater Writers.

The Word welcomes diverse voices and fans of poetry, spoken word, and all forms of creative writing. We encourage all ages and backgrounds to come together and share in the mutual adoration of words. The Z provides a platform for writers to share their work while fostering a comfortable, laid-back, and encouraging atmosphere. This is your chance to take the mic! Read your own work or share a favorite.

Admission is a suggested $5 donation.

Those looking to speak/perform may sign up at the door. Limited spots!

The bi-weekly Improv JAM at the Z continues with Plan B Comedy!! It’s FREE and anyone can perform as long as they throw their names in the hat! The “wheel of improv” will be in charge of picking the games and fate will take care of the rest. We love artists of all ages, but this event for the 18+ crowd.

Christie Lenée’s unique guitar work is often compared to visionaries like Michael Hedges, Joni Mitchell and Dave Matthews, delivering profound instrumental compositions with heartfelt, consciously uplifting songs. Christie’s pieces have been showcased at the NAMM Show in Anaheim and Nashville, live on National Television and Radio, on stage with artists such as Tim Reynolds (guitarist for Dave Matthews Band), Andy McKee, Tommy Emmanuel, Amy Ray from the Indigo Girls and Stanley Jordan to name a few. Her most recent album “STAY” was one of three finalists for “Best CD of 2016” (Indie Acoustic Project Awards), in addition to the song “Love Who You Are” nominated for a 2016 Posi Award in the category “Songs for Personal Transformation.”

Presented by Tidewater Friends of Acoustic Music

Sponsored by 

NO DISCOUNTS OR COUPONS ARE VALID FOR THIS SHOW

The bi-weekly Improv JAM at the Z continues with Plan B Comedy!! It’s FREE and anyone can perform as long as they throw their names in the hat! The “wheel of improv” will be in charge of picking the games and fate will take care of the rest. We love artists of all ages, but this event for the 18+ crowd.

Plan B Comedy brings their unique energy and fun to The Z for an improv show! It’s all made up on the spot based on suggestions from you, the audience. We literally can’t do it without you!

$10 online

$15 at the door

A group of womanist theory students find literature and reality intersecting in the classroom as they wait for their professor to arrive. They begin analyzing text without their instructor present but quickly turn their focus on each other as they wrestle with questions of place, space, and authenticity. Full of comedy, introspection, wit, sarcasm, and self-examination, this one-act dramedy takes the gloves off and pulls no punches.

Dust off your sheet music, warm up those vocal chords, and step into the spotlight! Join your fellow musical theater enthusiasts for a night of songs from The Great White Way. Come and see the finest of Hampton Roads’ Broadway-worthy talent. Those looking to sing may sign up at the door. Limited spots!

Suggested door donation $5

Few voices have the power to cut to the bone like Pam Rose’s. Layer that over her profound songwriting gift and her consummate musicianship on an assortment of instruments, and you begin to get a glimpse of a real artist.

With longtime writing partner Mary Ann Kennedy, Rose has been nominated for two Grammy Awards, and has won praise for her powerful alliance with Mary Ann as the acclaimed duo Kennedy Rose. The twosome won the ear of rock star Sting and recorded two CDs for his private label Pangaea Records. As an added treat, they were asked to open for him on one of his World Tours. As special guests of Emmylou Harris, Kennedy Rose also performed twice for President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton, and later at the Nobel Peace Prize Presentation in Oslo, Norway. As a solo artist, she has been touring with guitar virtuosos John Jorgenson and Tommy Emmanuel, and has recently rejoined Mary Ann Kennedy and Emmylou Harris to do an acoustic tour of Europe and North America in 2006 and 2007.

Presented by Tidewater Friends of Acoustic Music 

Sponsored by 

NO DISCOUNTS OR COUPONS ARE VALID FOR THIS SHOW

This March, take two explorers: add equal parts grand adventure, geography, and suspense. Dash of silliness to taste. 
It’s the turn of the century and the world as we know it is only now being defined. Borders are expanding; horizons are broadening. Despite the new era, do you think you could travel the world in Eighty Days? Well, I say: “Challenge Accepted”! The explorers need YOUR help to make this the trip of a lifetime! Based on the classic novel by Jules Verne, This interactive play will delight children of all ages. Will our explorers make it across the globe on schedule? Only time will tell…

Presented by Children’s Theatre of Hampton Roads

The bi-weekly Improv JAM at the Z continues with Plan B Comedy!! It’s FREE and anyone can perform as long as they throw their names in the hat! The “wheel of improv” will be in charge of picking the games and fate will take care of the rest. We love artists of all ages, but this event for the 18+ crowd.

Plan B Comedy returns to the Z with their monthly sketch comedy show. We love these guys and you will too. Come check out their unique brand of quick, smart, fun comedy.

$10 online

$15 at the door

A new, specially-written revue-style cabaret re-telling the story of an Irish immigrant couple and their journey from Cork to New York. The ship docks at the Z just in time for St. Patrick’s day!

Performances Run:

March 16 & 17

March 22 & 23

Easterling’s career has been full of chart-topping songs including cuts with Dierks Bentley, Joe Diffie, Billy Joe Royal, Paul Thorn, Neal McCoy, Sons of the Desert, Robbie Hecht and others but these days, Easterling is embracing the life of a troubadour, focusing his energy on bringing his music and his stories directly to his audience. His new CD, Divining Rod, was produced by Chris Rosser. This refreshingly intimate, Folk/Americana album is a bit of a departure from Wyatt’s previous Nashville recordings and highlights, even further, the strength of his songwriting.

Presented by Tidewater Friends of Acoustic Music

Sponsored by 

NO DISCOUNTS OR COUPONS ARE VALID FOR THIS SHOW

The bi-weekly Improv JAM at the Z continues with Plan B Comedy!! It’s FREE and anyone can perform as long as they throw their names in the hat! The “wheel of improv” will be in charge of picking the games and fate will take care of the rest. We love artists of all ages, but this event for the 18+ crowd.

Plan B Comedy brings their unique energy and fun to The Z for an improv show! It’s all made up on the spot based on suggestions from you, the audience. We literally can’t do it without you!

$10 online

$15 at the door

Far, far into the future, in a world almost exactly like our own, something else rules the earth. Something metal. Something with lots of buttons. Something… robotic. 
Greetings, fellow science fanatics! Welcome to SciTech Industries. Step into our time machine as we set the clock forward a few hundred years, and visit an age where humans share the landscape with chrome counterparts capable of causing countless calamities. Never travelled through time and space? No problem! We have taken every precaution to ensure a safe futuristic experience. Of course, the last time our scientists travelled through time there were a few- minor- glitches… but, nothing to worry about! After all, surely they’ve worked out all the kinks by now. How many times can time travel go wrong?
Take a little trip this February for our most exciting, most high-tech, most futurey adventure yet: “Robots!” Great for all ages.

Presented by Children’s Theatre of Hampton Roads

Now regarded as a leading light in acoustic music, with a firm reputation for making festivals buzz, holding crowds in his palm, dropping jaws and breaking guitars wherever he goes. Daniel Champagne has relocated to North America where he continues his exciting career as an international touring and recording artist.

Presented by Tidewater Friends of Acoustic Music

Sponsored by 

NO DISCOUNTS OR COUPONS ARE VALID FOR THIS SHOW

Shea Seger lets her inner chanteuse out for an unusual evening of covers and classics in an intimate cabaret format. Accompanied only by piano and the occasional guitar, Shea spellbinds with her dreamlike songcraft and glimmering presence.

Sponsored by 

The Word is in collaboration with The Muse Writers Center, Hampton Roads Writers, and Tidewater Writers.

The Word welcomes diverse voices and fans of poetry, spoken word, and all forms of creative writing. We encourage all ages and backgrounds to come together and share in the mutual adoration of words. The Z provides a platform for writers to share their work while fostering a comfortable, laid-back, and encouraging atmosphere. This is your chance to take the mic! Read your own work or share a favorite.

Admission is a suggested $5 donation.

Those looking to speak/perform may sign up at the door. Limited spots!

The bi-weekly Improv JAM at the Z continues with Plan B Comedy!! It’s FREE and anyone can perform as long as they throw their names in the hat! The “wheel of improv” will be in charge of picking the games and fate will take care of the rest. We love artists of all ages, but this event for the 18+ crowd.

Plan B Comedy returns to the Z with their monthly sketch comedy show. Mysterious and mystical comedy from the those meddling Plan B Comedy members.  We love these guys and you will too. Come check out their unique brand of quick, smart, fun comedy

Tickets online $10

Tickets at the door $15

Chilean native Melissa Aldana is the 2013 Winner of the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition, one of the most compelling and prodigious tenor saxophonists of her time. Melissa brings her quartet of bassist Pablo Menares, pianist Mike King, and drummer Tommy Crane to the Z for two sets on the 15th. More info at www.melissaaldana.com

5 Reasons t0 see Melissa Aldana!

Sponsored by 

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! The Broadway stage is no stranger to drama, comedy, or sex- and often all three at once! Celebrate Valentine’s Day with the Z with an evening of torch songs, romance, and ribaldry. Our funny, touching, and sexy Valentine card arrives again at the Z for Valentine’s day and the following weekend.

Sex on Broadway is sponsored in part by:

On his appropriately titled American Landscape, Dave Murphy is both a lonesome-voiced Troubadour who sings like a heart newly bruised by distance and longing and an astute observer and chronicler of the American condition. He narrates his tales with wit and brevity. On “Fading Taillights,” Murphy plays the role of the lover choosing to jilt rather than be jilted. Murphy evokes the time and distance of the lost American highway and the poignant role it plays in every American songwriter’s imagination. Half a lifetime of the travel, stories and portraits he has experienced finally has distilled into this lush and resonant collection titled American Landscape.

Presented by Tidewater Friends of Acoustic Music

Sponsored by 

NO DISCOUNTS OR COUPONS ARE VALID FOR THIS SHOW

Classical Open Mic comes to Virginia Beach! Join us for a fun, relaxed evening celebrating the vibrancy of our local classical music community, with host Wayla J. Chambo, Flutist

– Classical musicians of all ages are invited to perform a solo or chamber work (under 10 minutes, please).
– You can sign up to play by commenting here or sending a Facebook message, emailing wayla.chambo@whro.org, or calling 757-889-9474.
– Please tell us your name, instrument, and the title, composer, and length of the piece you want to play (10 minutes max).
– We will provide three music stands; if you need additional stands, please bring your own.

For more information visit the Facebook Event page below.

The bi-weekly Improv JAM at the Z continues with Plan B Comedy!! It’s FREE and anyone can perform as long as they throw their names in the hat! The “wheel of improv” will be in charge of picking the games and fate will take care of the rest. We love artists of all ages, but this event for the 18+ crowd.

Plan B Comedy brings their unique energy and fun to The Z for an improv show! It’s all made up on the spot based on suggestions from you, the audience. We literally can’t do it without you!

$10 online

$15 at the door

Back by popular demand! Dust off your sheet music, warm up those vocal chords, and step into the spotlight! Join your fellow musical theater enthusiasts for a night of songs from The Great White Way. Come and see the finest of Hampton Roads’ Broadway-worthy talent. Those looking to sing may sign up at the door. Limited spots!

Suggested door donation $5

The bi-weekly Improv JAM at the Z continues with Plan B Comedy!! It’s FREE and anyone can perform as long as they throw their names in the hat! The “wheel of improv” will be in charge of picking the games and fate will take care of the rest. We love artists of all ages, but this event for the 18+ crowd.