Stay connected with Montclair State University through exciting alumni events! From networking receptions and career development workshops to reunions and campus celebrations, there are plenty of opportunities to engage with fellow Red Hawks. Whether you’re looking to reconnect with old friends, expand your professional network, or give back to your alma mater, our events offer something for everyone. Check back regularly for updates and upcoming gatherings. We can’t wait to see you!
Calendar of Events
December 2025
Thursday, December 18
7 – 8 p.m. | Virtual – Zoom
History at Home: Early History of Montclair State University
“A more beautiful or healthful site could not have been chosen” was a phrase used to describe the original 25 acres of land purchased in 1904 for the Montclair State Normal School. Opened in 1908, the Normal School was founded to educate elementary school teachers. It would grow to become our very own Montclair State University. In this Zoom event, hosted by the Montclair History Center, learn about the early history of the campus, including the original buildings and student life, with Paul Martinez, Archivist at the Harry A. Sprague Library.
Details
Thursday, December 18
7:30 p.m. | Alexander Kasser Theatre
Isaac Mizrahi: A Holiday Fruitcake
Actor, host, writer, designer, and producer Isaac Mizrahi “belongs to a brassy show business tradition running from Ethel Merman to Harvey Fierstein and including Liza Minnelli,” according to The New York Times.The creative multi-hyphenate’s one-of-a-kind holiday show features an eclectic mix of holiday classics, unexpected musical choices, and signature wit—blending humor, storytelling, and song. Accompanied by his six-piece jazz band,“Mizrahi is the real deal when it comes to cabaret: He’s charming, he sounds great, and he is seriously funny” (TheaterMania).
Details
Friday, December 19-20
7:30 p.m. | Richardson Auditorium in Princeton
Sunday, December 21
7:00 p.m. | Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark
Handel’s Messiah
Handel’s Messiah captures every emotion, from the first voice singing “Comfort ye,” inviting you to pause and step away from the season’s frenzy, to the powerful Amen Chorus that concludes the work. Between these moments are expressions of transcendence, loss, and profound awe—the qualities that make a classic endure.
New Jersey Symphony is offering a promo code MSU35 for this season. It is now active for Messiah (December 19–21). Offer: 35% off the regular ticket price. Tickets must be purchased through the New Jersey Symphony, not a venue box office.
Details
January 2026
Wednesday, January 28
2 – 3 p.m. | In Person – Leshowitz Recital Hall
Cali Midweek Series: Jazz Faculty Combos
Join us for the Cali Midweek Concerts at Montclair State University’s John J. Cali School of Music, where we bring a diverse array of musical performances and educational events every Wednesday in Leshowitz Recital Hall, Chapin Hall. Our concert series showcases the immense talent within our faculty, students and esteemed guest artists.
Details
Thursday, January 29
5 – 6 p.m. | Virtual – Zoom
AI & Ethics: Navigating Responsibility in the Age of Algorithms
This virtual workshop hosted by the ADP Center introduces core principles of AI ethics and their implications for education, policy and everyday use. Participants will examine case studies, identify risks and develop strategies for responsible, equitable and transparent AI integration.
Details
Saturday, January 31
8 – 10 p.m. | In Person – Alexander Kasser Theater 303, Auditorium
University Main Stage Opera – Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute)
A dragon to be vanquished. A magic flute that conquers hearts. A queen whose rage blazes among the stars. A secretive order holding the power of the sun. One of the most beloved operas of all time, Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) is a dazzling adventure where fairy tale, comedy, and timeless wisdom meet. With music that soars from the hilarious to the sublime, it enchants audiences of all ages.
Prince Tamino and Princess Pamina as they brave trials of fire, water and silence in their search for love and enlightenment. Laugh with the irrepressible bird-catcher Papageno, and be swept away by the Queen of the Night’s blazing vengeance and show-stopping arias. Beneath its fantastical surface lies a story of courage, compassion and the triumph of harmony over darkness.
Details
February 2026
Sunday, February 1
3 – 5 p.m. | In Person – Alexander Kasser Theater 303, Auditorium
University Main Stage Opera – Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute)
A dragon to be vanquished. A magic flute that conquers hearts. A queen whose rage blazes among the stars. A secretive order holding the power of the sun. One of the most beloved operas of all time, Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) is a dazzling adventure where fairy tale, comedy, and timeless wisdom meet. With music that soars from the hilarious to the sublime, it enchants audiences of all ages.
Prince Tamino and Princess Pamina as they brave trials of fire, water and silence in their search for love and enlightenment. Laugh with the irrepressible bird-catcher Papageno, and be swept away by the Queen of the Night’s blazing vengeance and show-stopping arias. Beneath its fantastical surface lies a story of courage, compassion and the triumph of harmony over darkness.
Details
Saturday, February 7
4 – 7 p.m. | In Person – Alexander Kasser Theater
Magnificent Bird / Book of Travelers
Experience two distinct works by acclaimed songwriter and performer Gabriel Kahane in one unforgettable day. In this duo of intimate solo musical plays, composer Gabriel Kahane blends songwriting and storytelling for a singular, poignant theatrical event. Book of Travelers recounts the strangers he met on a 9,000-mile train journey through a divided America, and Magnificent Bird chronicles a year he spent entirely off-line, and the unexpected turbulence of living quietly. These two concept albums offer a relentless self-inquiry — and a searing portrait of a world in flux.
Details
Thursday, February 12
7:30 – 8:30 p.m. | Alexander Kasser Theater 303, Auditorium
PEAK Performance: Camille A. Brown & Dancers: I AM
Five-time Tony-nominated choreographer and director Camille A. Brown deepens her explorations of Black joy in Camille A. Brown & Dancers’ I AM. With captivating live and original music, I AM launches new queries into the possibilities of imagination — and boldly investigates the future. Inspired by a narrative within HBO’s Lovecraft Country and the rhythms of the movie Drumline, Brown’s 2025 New York Times Critics’ Pick breaks boundaries and “takes her signature interweaving of African diasporic dance forms to new heights.”
Details
Wednesday, February 18
2 – 3 p.m. | In Person – Leshowitz Recital Hall
Cali Midweek Series: Strings Studio Recital
Join us for the Cali Midweek Concerts at Montclair State University’s John J. Cali School of Music, where we bring a diverse array of musical performances and educational events every Wednesday in Leshowitz Recital Hall, Chapin Hall. Our concert series showcases the immense talent within our faculty, students and esteemed guest artists.
Details
February 19-28
Department of Theater and Dance: Peter and the Starcatcher ’26
In Person – Life Hall Studio Theatre 1200
Based on the novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, Peter and the Starcatcher upends the century-old story of how a miserable orphan on a ship bound for Rundoon came to be “The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up.” In a wildly theatrical and action-packed prequel to Peter Pan, this imaginative adventure is filled with music, mermaids, marauding pirates and unlikely heroes. Peter and the Starcatcher playfully explores the depths of greed and despair as they test the bonds of friendship, duty and love.
Details
Sunday, February 22
3 – 5:30 p.m. | In Person – Alexander Kasser Theater
PEAK Performances: RENT live in concert
Experience the iconic music of RENT like never before. In this sweeping symphonic concert produced by AMP Worldwide, a powerhouse ensemble of vocalists and instrumentalists brings Jonathan Larson’s groundbreaking rock musical to life. Featuring the full score — including “Seasons of Love,” “La Vie Bohème” and “Take Me or Leave Me” — this electrifying performance celebrates the enduring spirit of love, loss and chosen family.
Details
Thursday, February 26
7:30 – 9:30 pm | In Person – L. Howard Fox Studio Theatre
Department of Theatre and Dance | Passage ’26
A fantasia inspired by E.M. Forster’s novel A Passage to India, PASSAGE is set in the fictional Country X, which is a neocolonial client of Country Y. A local doctor from Country X and a visiting teacher from Country Y begin to forge a friendship that is challenged after a fateful trip to a local attraction, exposing the complexities of cultural misunderstanding and power imbalances. A meditation on colonization, the mutability of political borders and the elusive nature of true understanding.
Details