Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center

Views Navigation

Event Views Navigation

Today

Oscar Nominated Short Films: Animated

For the 18th consecutive year, WHBPAC, Shorts HD and Magnolia Pictures present the Oscar-Nominated Short Films. With all three categories offered again this year – Animated, Live Action and Documentary – this is your annual chance to predict the winners (and have the edge in your Oscar pool)! Screen all three categories or choose to view just one. A perennial hit with audiences around the country and the world, don’t miss this year’s selection of shorts before the Academy Awards on Sunday, March 12th.

Animated Films include: An Ostich Told Me The World Is Fake And I Think I Believe It, Ice Merchants, My Year of Dicks, The Boy, The Mole, The Fox And The Horse, and The Flying Sailor.

Oscar Nominated Short Films: Documentary

For the 18th consecutive year, WHBPAC, Shorts HD and Magnolia Pictures present the Oscar-Nominated Short Films. With all three categories offered again this year – Animated, Live Action and Documentary – this is your annual chance to predict the winners (and have the edge in your Oscar pool)! Screen all three categories or choose to view just one. A perennial hit with audiences around the country and the world, don’t miss this year’s selection of shorts before the Academy Awards on Sunday, March 12th.

Documentary Films include: Haulout, How Do You Measure A Year?, Stranger at the Gate, The Elephant Whisperers, and The Martha Mitchell Effect.

Oscar Nominated Short Films: Live Action

For the 18th consecutive year, WHBPAC, Shorts HD and Magnolia Pictures present the Oscar-Nominated Short Films. With all three categories offered again this year – Animated, Live Action and Documentary – this is your annual chance to predict the winners (and have the edge in your Oscar pool)! Screen all three categories or choose to view just one. A perennial hit with audiences around the country and the world, don’t miss this year’s selection of shorts before the Academy Awards on Sunday, March 12th.

Live Action Films include: An Irish Goodbye, Ivalu, Le Pupille, Night Ride (Nattrikken), and The Red Suitcase.

Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad

This stirring drama with music is a classic tribute to the great American who freed herself and hundreds of others from the bonds of slavery. Her courage helped to change the world. Share her adventurous life with your students in this accurate and deeply moving musical history lesson.

Grades 3 - 8

Close

Leo and Remi are two thirteen-year-old best friends, whose seemingly unbreakable bond is suddenly, tragically torn apart. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, Lukas Dhont's second film is an emotionally transformative and unforgettable portrait of the intersection of friendship and love, identity and independence, and heartbreak and healing. Nominated for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film

The Ugly Duckling

Of the five eggs in Mother Duck’s nest, one is the largest and last to hatch. Bigger and paler than the others, this last hatchling is treated as an outsider by Mother Duck and her ducklings. He may be the best swimmer of the brood, but this alone is not enough to ensure his acceptance. Knowing only rejection, this Ugly Duckling goes out into the wild alone. Reflecting upon his plight under the glow of a remote willow tree, he sees a wily cat creeping in the direction of Mother Duck’s nest. The Ugly Duckling follows and watches as one lagging duckling is captured and taken back to the cat’s lair. In true heroic fashion, this Ugly Duckling succeeds in vanquishing the cat and rescuing the captured duckling. Celebrated by Mother Duck and her ducklings for his uniqueness, all realize that he may have been an ugly duckling, but he has grown into a beautiful and powerful swan.

Grades PreK – 5

The Quiet Girl

Rural Ireland. 1981. Nine-year-old Cait is sent away from her overcrowded, dysfunctional family to live with foster parents for the summer. Quietly struggling at school and at home, she has learned to hide in plain sight from those around her. She blossoms in their care, but in this house where there are meant to be no secrets, she discovers one painful truth. Nominated for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film

Nella

Merging the folklore roots of home country Venezuela, modern production, and Andalusian inspirations, Nella's sound resounds in every corner of the globe. Skyrocketing to international renown, her success has been fueled by her powerhouse voice and undeniable presence. Her full-length debut album, Voy (I Go) received acclaim from NPR and yielded the hit “Me Llaman Nella” ("They Call Me Nella") which surpassed 1.4 million Spotify streams and 1.4 million views on YouTube. In addition, the title track was named the 14th best song of 2019, in any genre, by The New York Times.

Not only has she packed venues throughout the United States, Venezuela, Mexico, Spain, and the UK, but she has also accompanied Alejandro Sanz, Jennifer López, Carlos Vives, Luis Enrique, Susana Baca, Los Amigos Invisibles, Monsieur Periné, Caramelos de Cianuro and Guaco as a soloist. This savvy singer is not to be missed!

Presented in partnership with OLA of Eastern Long Island

Chess Story

Vienna, 1938: Austria is occupied by the Nazis. Dr. Josef Bartok (Oliver Masucci) is preparing to flee to America with his wife Anna when he is arrested by the Gestapo. As a former notary to the deposed Austrian aristocracy, he is told to help the local Gestapo leader gain access to their private bank accounts in order to fund the Nazi regime. Refusing to cooperate, Bartok is locked in solitary confinement. Just as his mind is beginning to crack, Bartok happens upon a book of famous chess games. To withstand the torture of isolation, Bartok disappears into the world of chess, maintaining his sanity only by memorizing every move. As the action flashes forward to a transatlantic crossing on which he is a passenger, it seems as though Bartok has finally found freedom. But recounting his story to his fellow travelers, it's clear that his encounters with both the Gestapo and with the royal game itself have not stopped haunting him. Adapted with opulent attention to period detail by filmmaker and opera director Philipp Stölzl, CHESS STORY brings Stefan Zweig's stirring final novella to life.

Saint Omer

Saint-Omer court of law. Young novelist Rama attends the trial of Laurence Coly, a young woman accused of killing her 15-month-old daughter by abandoning her to the rising tide on a beach in northern France. But as the trial continues, the words of the accused and witness testimonies will shake Rama's convictions and call into question our own judgement.

The Lost King

In 2012, having been lost for over 500 years, the remains of King Richard III were discovered beneath a carpark in Leicester. The search had been orchestrated by an amateur historian, Philippa Langley, whose unrelenting research had been met with incomprehension by her friends and family and with scepticism by experts and academics. THE LOST KING is the life-affirming true story of a woman who refused to be ignored and who took on the country's most eminent historians, forcing them to think again about one of the most controversial kings in England's history.

Arts Academy Spring Music Festival

Join us for an exciting concert of our Spring Music Semester students. Featuring performances by UpBeat, private vocal students, Tappy Hour Dancers, Singer Songwriters Circle, and our teen Rock Band 101, this show will have you humming along and dancing in your seat!

Regardless of age, everybody entering the theatre must have a ticket.

Slam Poetry

“Let’s go see a poetry show.” That is a sentence rarely proclaimed and usually responded to with cringes and excuses. The Mayhem Poets are on a mission to change that. Having been dubbed “an amazing ride” by the New York Times, this mind-boggling performance has been described as “The Simpsons meets Malcolm X at a Notorious B.I.G. concert”. These theatre trained, comedically gifted, lyrical virtuosos seamlessly blend raw elements of hip hop, theatre, improv and stand up comedy to tell gut wrenching truths that leave audiences forever changed.

Grades 6 - 12

Mayhem Poets’ SLAM POETRY

“Let’s go see a poetry show.”

That is a sentence rarely proclaimed and usually responded to with cringes and excuses. The Mayhem Poets are on a mission to change that. Having been dubbed “an amazing ride” by the New York Times, this mind-boggling performance has been described as “The Simpsons meets Malcolm X at a Notorious B.I.G. concert”. These theatre trained, comedically gifted, lyrical virtuosos seamlessly blend raw elements of hip hop, theatre, improv and stand up comedy to tell gut wrenching truths that leave audiences forever changed.

Lucinda Williams

After more than forty years of music making, the pioneering, Louisiana-born artist has returned to the gritty blues foundation that first inspired her as a young singer-songwriter in the late 1970s. Williams has traveled a long road since her 1979 debut, Ramblin’ on My Mind, followed by Happy Woman Blues, her first album of originals released forty years ago in 1980. Over the course of fourteen remarkable albums, three Grammy awards, and countless accolades, including Time’s Songwriter of the Year of 2001, Williams is beloved for her singular vocals and extraordinary songs. Her recent double albums, Down Where the Spirit Meets the Bone (2014) and Ghosts of Highway 20 (2016), released on her own label, received some of the best reviews of her career. Don’t miss this WHBPAC favorite when she returns to our stage this April!

An Afternoon for Arias

Opera's Greatest Hits!

From Verdi to Wagner, Puccini to Bizet, and many more, this opera event will bring the best arias and duets to WHBPAC's stage!

Delight in the soaring talents of Sopranos Amanda Levy and Mélissa Danis and Mezzo-soprano Alexandra Fee as they sing the most memorable and beloved operatic tunes!

Translations will be provided and a Q & A with the artists will follow the performance.

Side By Sondheim

Legendary Musical Theatre Composer, Stephen Sondheim has created musicals that have soared to fame since his very first musical on Broadway, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum in 1954 after writing the lyrics for West Side Story. Since then, he has written over 16 musicals with many that continue to wow Broadway’s stages today.

Join us in celebrating this legend with our Middle and Elementary School Theatre Troupes featuring our Little Players through scenes of Sondheim’s iconic musicals!

It’s Okay to be Different

With his signature blend of playfulness and sensitivity, Todd Parr explores important and timely subjects. It’s Okay to Be Different cleverly delivers the important messages of acceptance, understanding, and self-confidence. Equally whimsical and heartfelt, The Earth Book, is a sweet homage to our beautiful planet inspiring readers of all ages to do their part to keep the Earth happy and healthy. This is My Hair is a funny exploration of how silly hair can be and that no matter how your hair looks, always feel good about yourself.

Grades PreK – 3

The Lightning Thief

Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school.  Again. And that’s the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy’s Greek mythology textbook and into his life.  Worse, he’s angered a few of them. Zeus’s master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect. Now Percy has ten days to find and return Zeus’s stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus.  But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief. He must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.

Grades 2 - 6

Richard Thompson

Powered by evocative songcraft, jaw-dropping guitar playing, and indefinable spirit, this venerable icon holds a coveted spot on Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time” and counts a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Americana Music Association in Nashville, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the BBC Awards among his many accolades. 2011 saw Thompson garner an OBE (Order of the British Empire) personally bestowed upon him by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. Moreover, Time touted his anthem, “1952 Vincent Black Lightning,” on its “100 Greatest Songs Since 1923” list.

Thompson’s influence can’t be overstated. Everybody from Robert Plant, Don Henley, and Elvis Costello to REM, Sleater-Kinney and David Byrne has covered his music. Don't miss your chance to see the original in such an intimate venue!

Kevin James: The Irregardless Tour

Kevin James is a multi-talented comedian, actor, and producer who has achieved remarkable success in the entertainment industry. He started his journey as a stand-up comic on Long Island and quickly rose to fame after being discovered at the 1996 Montreal Comedy Festival. With his own sitcom, The King of Queens, he became a household name, earning him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. James has produced and starred in numerous hit TV shows, films, and comedy specials, showcasing his unique brand of humor and impeccable timing. From Paul Blart: Mall Cop to Pixels, his work has captivated audiences around the world, earning him critical acclaim and a loyal fan following. With multiple ongoing projects on Netflix, Kevin James continues to cement his position as one of the most talented and versatile entertainers in the industry today.

An Evening With Jacopo and Maddalena Giacopuzzi

Born to a family of pianists, sibling duo Jacopo and Maddalena Giacopuzzi are the critically acclaimed pianists sweeping the classical music scene by storm! As soloists and chamber musicians, Jacopo and Maddalena have performed recitals at major festivals, venues, and concert halls throughout the United States, Europe and Japan. Jacopo has performed under the direction of world-renowned conductors such as Dian Tchobanov, Robert Wills, and others, while Maddalena distinguished herself by winning awards at some of the most prestigious musical competitions in the world. An evening of incomparable piano awaits with Jacopo & Maddalena.

Generously Sponsored by Marcus Stinchi

Pride Anthems

Join us as we celebrate Pride Month with a journey through the past 50 years of Pride Anthems.  From Donna Summer and Queen to George Michael, Erasure, Madonna, Lady Gaga and much more, these essential songs take us from disco to the present day.  The story of the fight for LGBTQ+ equality is linked to this music, which evokes the struggles, heartache, and liberation of queer lives then and now.

PRIDE ANTHEMS creates a vibrant musical experience that celebrates, inspires and commemorates the legacy and power of the Stonewall Riots, and takes you on a musical and cultural journey through the past 50 years to today.  Starring, Natalie Joy Johnson, Kevin Smith Kirkwood, and Jon-Michael Reese, with Musical Director, Brian J. Nash, PRIDE ANTHEMS is a show for all ages to come together in song and celebration of where the LGBTQ+ community has come from and how far it has come since Stonewall!

PRIDE ANTHEMS is produced in partnership with Pride Live.  A portion of the proceeds benefit Pride Live and the Stonewall National Monument Visitors Center (SNMVC) which will open in June 2024.  To learn more about Pride Live, please visit, https://pridelive.org/

The Fast Lane

THE FAST LANE has gained the reputation of being the truest sounding Eagles Tribute Band in the World. Their renditions of Eagles classics have been recognized by many in the industry. They are receiving praise throughout North America and Europe. The Fast Lane has also been heralded by the International Press Association's Pat Ryder who wrote, "If you didn't know better, you'd swear you were really at an Eagles concert!". The band has quickly risen through the ranks of the tribute scene, and gone from opening act to headliner almost overnight. One listen to The Fast Lane is all it will take to make even the most Die-Hard Eagles lover a fan for life!

Gary Gulman: Born on 3rd Base

Over 25 years in comedy, Gary Gulman has established himself as an eminent performer and peerless writer. His most recent standup special for HBO, “The Great Depresh,” is a universally acclaimed, tour de force look at mental illness, equal parts hilarious and inspiring.

A product of Boston, Gulman has been a scholarship college football player, an accountant, and a high school teacher. He has made countless television appearances as both a comedian and an actor.

He is currently writing a memoir for Flatiron Books, tentatively titled “K Through 12.”

Jefferson Starship

Jefferson Starship rose from the ashes of one of the quintessential Haight/Ashbury acts, Jefferson Airplane. The music that defined a generation and spanned decades is alive and well and more relevant than ever in pop culture. Songs such as "Volunteers," "White Rabbit," and "Somebody to Love," continue to reverberate throughout the collective consciousness today.

Ilana Glazer

llana Glazer is a creator and comedian who co-created and co-starred in the critically acclaimed series BROAD CITY. Her debut stand-up comedy special, THE PLANET IS BURNING is on Amazon Prime, and her film FALSE POSITIVE which she co-wrote and starred in, was produced by A24 and available on Hulu. Most recently, you can see her in THE AFTERPARTY for Apple TV+. Ilana is also the co-founder of the non-profit Generator Collective, which was founded in 2016. Generator Collective defines minimal civic engagement and aims to humanize policy through people-powered stories on social media.

Brian Stokes Mitchell

Dubbed “the last leading man” by The New York Times, two-time Tony Award winner Brian Stokes Mitchell has enjoyed a career that spans Broadway, television, film, and concert appearances with the country’s finest conductors and orchestras.
He received Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle awards for his star turn in Kiss Me, Kate. He also gave Tony-nominated performances in Man of La Mancha, August Wilson’s King Hedley II, and Ragtime. Other notable Broadway shows include Kiss of the Spider Woman, Jelly’s Last Jam, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and Shuffle Along.

Generously Sponsored by Mary & Frank Skillern

Sponsored in Part by Shelley & Paul Lindenauer

Jessie’s Girl

Back to The Eighties Show with Jessie’s Girl is the World’s Greatest Tribute to the music of the 80s! JESSIE’S GIRL’s primary line-up includes a team of NYC's top rock and pop vocalists: Jenna O’Gara, Chris Hall, Mark Rinzel. They are backed by one of the tightest bands in the city comprised of 20+ year veterans of the NYC music scene: Eric Presti on guitar, Drew Mortali on bass, Michael Maenza on drums, and Karlee Bloom on Keys and the Keytar. Each with dozens of credits performing with authentic 80’s icons who made the music famous to begin with!

There is no decade like the Eighties and no party like THE BACK TO THE EIGHTIES SHOW with JESSIE’S GIRL. So, throw on your best neon, use extra hair spray on that hair, and head to WHBPAC - because it's time to party like it’s 1989!

The Lovin’ Spoonful

Revisit the spirit of the '60s and enjoy the good-time music of the era's premier hitmakers, led by co-founding member Steve Boone. The Lovin' Spoonful were often referred to as the American Beatles, challenging the British Invasion with an astonishing and unrivaled string of hits, placing their first 7 singles on Billboard's Top-10 chart! With hits like "Do You Believe in Magic?" "Summer In The City", "Daydream (What A Day For A Daydream)", and many more, you'll want to sing along to every song!

Craig Morgan

Get ready to be swept away by the dynamic and multi-talented Craig Morgan! As a chart-topping country music star, TV personality, celebrated outdoorsman, and patriotic Army veteran, he has captivated audiences with 25 charted songs on Billboard, such as “Bonfire,” “Almost Home,” “Redneck Yacht Club,” and “That's What I Love About Sunday”. One of country music’s best-loved artists, Morgan received one of the highest honors when he was inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Don't miss your chance to experience the magic of Craig Morgan live in concert!

Generously Sponsored by The Louis Auer Foundation

Wayne Newton: Up Close & Personal

Legend. Icon. American Patriot. World renowned, record-setting performer. The Midnight Idol. Mr. Entertainment.

No other name or person is so defining, representative or synonymous with Las Vegas and the entertainment capital of the world than Mr. Las Vegas himself--


Wayne Newton.

Recognized and revered around the world, entertainment superstar Wayne Newton is known for his iconic signature song, “Danke Schoen” in addition to countless other top hit singles including, “Daddy, Don't You Walk So Fast,” “Red Roses for a Blue Lady,” “At This Moment,” “The Letter,” “Summer Wind” and “Years.” Don’t miss his debut on the intimate WHBPAC stage!


Generously Sponsored by Patricia and Stuart Salenger

Millie Lies Low

Millie, an architecture student from Wellington, New Zealand, has landed a competitive internship with a prestigious firm in New York. After telling everyone she knows about the opportunity, she suddenly suffers a panic attack as her plane is about to take off, and misses her flight. In a desperate pivot, Millie decides to save face by hiding in plain sight around Wellington, suitcase in tow, using Instagram and the power of denial to depict a trip to New York City that never happened. Trapped in a spiral of hilariously uncomfortable self-inflected scenarios, Millie will have to dig deep to restore her mental health and her dignity. Praised for capturing "the chaotic self-destruction of Fleabag and the anxious missteps of Eighth Grade," (FilmDaze), Millie Lies Low is a poignant cringe comedy for our time.


English | 1 hour 40 minutes | NR

Millie Lies Low

Millie, an architecture student from Wellington, New Zealand, has landed a competitive internship with a prestigious firm in New York. After telling everyone she knows about the opportunity, she suddenly suffers a panic attack as her plane is about to take off, and misses her flight. In a desperate pivot, Millie decides to save face by hiding in plain sight around Wellington, suitcase in tow, using Instagram and the power of denial to depict a trip to New York City that never happened. Trapped in a spiral of hilariously uncomfortable self-inflected scenarios, Millie will have to dig deep to restore her mental health and her dignity. Praised for capturing "the chaotic self-destruction of Fleabag and the anxious missteps of Eighth Grade," (FilmDaze), Millie Lies Low is a poignant cringe comedy for our time.


English | 1 hour 40 minutes | NR

Cinderella

CINDERELLA, an original adaptation of the classic fairy tale. A pumpkin coach, Prince Charming, a glass slipper and a dream come true are woven together by the magic of a Fairy Godmother in this enchanting musical. When Cinderella’s stepsisters try to keep Cinderella from attending the ball, the Fairy Godmother enlists the help of the Mice and the Pumpkins and is able to transform Cinderella just in time for the big event. Also featured in the production are Cleo the Cat, Fido the Dog, the Lords and Ladies, the Town Criers, the King and the Beggars. Support our campers aged 6 - 14 in their performance of the week!

Hunter Hayes

Country star Hunter Hayes makes his WHBPAC debut! Hayes gained prominence in the country music scene with the release of his self-titled debut album in 2011, which spawned the hit single "Wanted," a heartfelt ballad that topped the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. As a multi-instrumentalist, Hunter Hayes is known for his prodigal skills on the guitar, piano, bass, and drums. He has released several successful albums, including "Storyline" (2014) and "Wild Blue" (2019), showcasing his versatile musical style that blends country, pop, and rock elements. Some of his other notable songs include "I Want Crazy," "Invisible," and "Somebody's Heartbreak." With his charismatic stage presence and undeniable talent, Hunter Hayes continues to captivate audiences and establish himself as a prominent figure in contemporary country music.

Reggae Vibrations

Feel the warm Caribbean breeze and smell the sea air. Everything is irie mon!

The REGGAE VIBRATIONS TOUR features two of reggae’s most influential bands on one stage! THIRD WORLD and THE SKATALITES will have your audiences feeling irie with hit after hit including, “NOW THAT WE FOUND LOVE, “96 DEGREES IN THE SHADE”, “GUNS OF NAVARONE” and many more!

Biosphere

In the not-too-distant future, the last two men on earth must adapt and evolve to save humanity.


English | 1 hr 47 mins | NR


"'Biosphere' is weird and unconventional and literally nothing like you’ve seen before. Its exploration of masculinity is authentic and hilarious and horrifying." Black Girl Nerds


Special Guest Billy Collins, Poet Laureate of the United States (2001-2003)

Biosphere

In the not-too-distant future, the last two men on earth must adapt and evolve to save humanity.


English | 1 hr 47 mins | NR


"'Biosphere' is weird and unconventional and literally nothing like you’ve seen before. Its exploration of masculinity is authentic and hilarious and horrifying." Black Girl Nerds