New Jersey Performing Arts Center

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center is Newark's flagship arts venue and one of the largest performing arts centers in the country — a nonprofit anchor institution at 1 Center Street that has welcomed more than 13 million people since it opened in 1997. Its two main stages are Prudential Hall (the Betty Wold Johnson Stage), a 2,868-seat room known for its iconic glass chandelier and crystal-clear acoustics, and the more intimate 511-seat Victoria Theater (the Lizzie & Jonathan Tisch Stage); the smaller Chase Room hosts close-up performances with glittering views of the city. Comedy is one of NJPAC's headline genres alongside music, dance and spoken-word poetry — upcoming and recent bills include Chris Tucker, Martin Lawrence, Robby Hoffman, Matt McCusker, Nurse John, Jared Freid, Jamie Lissow, Nataly Aukar and a Thanksgiving Comedy Fest headlined by Bill Bellamy, Luenell, Mark Curry and Tacarra Williams. Alongside its ticketed season the center programs hundreds of free community and arts-education events each year across Greater Newark.