Trevor Noah Comes to The Palace, July 10!

TREVOR. NOAH.

Don’t know the name? Well, come September, you will. His charm, wit, and lilting accent have already won the heart of Jon Stewart. Come July 10, he will win 1500 more hearts as he comes to The Palace Theatre for one final stand-up comedy show before his career (and his star power) changes for the rest of his life when he takes over The Daily Show on September 28. At 31 years old, he will be the youngest evening talk show host on air, and will start his late-night talk-show career at an earlier age than any other host currently on air.

Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, during Apartheid, Trevor’s Black and Jewish South African Mother and White Swiss Father got married and had him illegally. Eventually forced to split, Noah grew up with his mother and grandmother. His mother remarried and had two more children. This stepfather, a Black South African, abused Trevor’s mother and eventually threatened to kill Trevor himself. The stepfather was eventually arrested and convicted. Trevor often uses his story as a platform to raise awareness for domestic violence. 

Trevor with his mother. 

At the age of 18, Trevor’s career quickly blossomed, first starring in the South African Soap Opera Isidingo (while we couldn't find a clip of Noah in it, here is a taste of the show to get an idea), then going on to host radio shows, reality competitions, and various South African Award Shows. All the while, he practiced and developed his comedy routine, performing with many famous South African comedians and opening for Gabriel Iglesias, who has also performed at The Palace. 

He then brought his comedy act to the United States, being the first South African to perform on The Tonight Show and on The David Letterman Show, where he showed off his comedy and language skills (he is fluent in six languages, and is developing his German and Xhosa). This landed him the starring role in the documentary You Laugh But It’s True, which focused on the struggles of being a rising comedian. After this and being the Roastmaster of Comedy central’s Roast of Steve Hofmeyr, Trevor sealed his destiny and clinched a job as a correspondent on Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show.

As a correspondent, Trevor has appeared three times. In his debut, in a section titled “Spot the Africa,” where he asked Jon Stewart to compare photos, asking him which one was taken in African versus taken in the United States. Jon lost every round, showing that Africa is just as diverse in socioeconomic status, racial issues, and technological savvy as the US. His then came back, in a segment called “Boko Haram in Nigeria.” Noah then pointed out the countless tragedies that happen in Africa every day, and how they often go unrecognized. Finally, via a game of Chess, Noah and Stewart talk about how America often uses its monetary to buy their way to success in the segment "Chess News Roundup." Each appearance more exciting than the other, Noah’s unique point of view caught the attention of Jon Stewart and the rest of the country.

Trevor, during his first appearance on the Daily Show. 

Trevor’s life, already so riveting, is about to reach its most exciting chapter to date. Come see him as he does his last stand up work before his Daily Show tenure begins.

(Note: Daily Show tickets may be free, but are almost impossible to get. Just saying, it’s much easier to come to this show at The Palace, and it will be just as funny.)

Welcoming the 88th Year of Celebrating Art!

On June 2, 1927, The Palace Theater was erected in the heart of downtown Stamford.  For the next 88 years, it has continued to be the regional arts center for exciting entertainment that enhances and enriches the cultural, educational, economic, and social life of the community.

Check out this video made in honor of The Palace's birthday. Thank you to all of our patrons for your continued support in making The Palace a Stamford institution!

Summer Fun at The Palace!

We’re almost there, everyone;

Summer at The Palace is just around the corner!

There are so many things that The Palace has to offer for all ages this summer, from the stage to the streets! 

For the very first time, The Palace offers a circus summer camp, “Clowning Around.” From July 13-17, kids ages 7-12 will learn coordination, improved motor skills and teamwork! Students will take away real performing arts skills, including-- juggling, tightrope walking, acrobatics, and the basics of slapstick comedy.

 The camp will be led by Liz Bolick and Therese Schorn, both of whom have extensive experience with the circus. Bolick was a performer and coordinator for the BigApple Circus and Schorn designed and maintained props for the Big Apple as well. They have been teaching this camp across the country for years with much success, and are so excited to bring their week of fun to Stamford. This action-packed week will be one your children will never forget!  

The other camp is a Palace Theater signature; Triple Threat Intensive is back and better than ever! From July 20-24, performers from Broadway's biggest hits will be sharing their secrets to success. This intensive and highly revered session work with kids ages 10-16 to develop the three most important skills in the musical theatre world: singing, acting, and dancing.  

On July 28^th, we finish the kids’ activities with the Science of Magic with Mr. Fish, an incredibly fun and interactive show that uses magic to show kids how cool science really is. 

If you’re looking for even more, don’t worry, there’s more! The Palace is showing our support for local artists by being a location for the 2015 Art Walk. We have partnered with local favorite Loft Artists Association,  and we are excited to serve as their space for the amazing works they are soon to display!

And on top of all of that, keep an eye out for us at all your favorite Stamford summer events. We will be at the Farmer’s Market, Alive@5, and Jazz Up July meeting new friends and supporting our local talent!

 We can’t wait for the summer to start, and we hope you can join us!

Harry Connick, Jr. to perform at the Palace Theater, June 12 and June 13!

Stamford, CT-Dave Brubeck famously said, “Jazz stands for freedom. It's supposed to be the voice of freedom: Get out there and improvise, and take chances, and don't be a perfectionist - leave that to the classical musicians.” There is no one who embodies this more than the legendary Harry Connick, Jr. The Palace Theater is incredibly excited to have this three-time Grammy-award winner in concert on Friday, June 12, and Saturday, June 13 at 8pm.

His musical talent is multi-faceted; not only can he bring grade-A jazz vocals, but he is a gifted composer and lyricist. He initially rose to fame for performing the soundtrack to the hit movie When Harry Met Sally, bringing a fresh flair to classics like “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off” and “It had to be You.” This soundtrack won him his first Grammy. Soon after, he released his most popular song to date, “I Could Only Whisper Your Name,” for the classic Jim Carrey movie, The Mask, officially launching him to the acclaim we all know of him today.

Connick is also a talented actor; he was first featured in Independence Day, and most notably starred in Hope Floats with Sandra Bullock. He played Dr. Leo Markus on the hit TV series Will and Grace for four years. Beyond that, he has excelled on Broadway. He was nominated for Best Soundtrack for the musical Thou Shalt not, starred the 2008 revival of The Pajama Game and in the 2011 revival of On a Clear Day You Can See Forever. Most recently, Connick stepped into the critic’s circle, replacing Randy Jackson as a judge for the final few seasons of American Idol with Jennifer Lopez and Keith Urban. Critics often remarked how much Connick improved Idol by doing away with confusing criticisms and implementing technical musical terms to mentor the contestants.  

He is even a generous philanthropist. Immediately after Hurricane Katrina, Connick went to New Orleans to begin relief efforts. He organized and performed in the NBC special A Concert for Hurricane Relief. He highlighted struggling shelters and worked to restore a line of homes for musicians. 

Throughout his prolific career, Connick managed to keep with his music. He has released twenty-six studio albums, winning two more Grammys for the Albums “We are in Love” and “Songs I’ve Heard.” His music ranges from the jazz of his New Orleans background to pop-funk, to taking a classic twist on modern hits. The concert will feature original songs from his entire career, as well as classic jazz standards.  Connick often describes how he changes up the arrangements of his music before a concert, so that he can keep what he’s singing fresh and interesting. No two Connick performances are the same; every one is different and special.

He is so revered by all in Fairfield County, and the Palace is truly honored to host him. Please come see one of the most talented musicians in decades, you won’t want to miss it! 

Dr. Ruth Discussion to be Streamed Live at the Palace!

Stamford, CT- America’s most hilarious and beloved therapist, Dr. Ruth Westheimer, will be leading a discussion at the prestigious 92^nd St Y Talks, to be streamed live at The Palace Theatre, Monday, June 8^th, at 8:15pm.

In this discussion, titled “The Doctor Is In,” Dr. Ruth will be discussing what she’s discovered while in pursuit of living a full life, as shown in her new book, The Doctor Is In: Dr. Ruth on Love,Life, and Joie de Vivre.  After facing tragedy, fear, and ultimately triumph, Dr. Ruth will discuss how she faced it all, and how she has kept her iconic spark for eighty-seven years.

Born in Frankfurt, Germany, Ruth Westheimer was put on the kindertransport, a train for young Jewish children destined for Switzerland to escape the Holocaust. After spending her childhood in a Swiss orphanage, she moved to Palestine at age 17, eventually joining the Haganah, the Israel Defense Force, where she trained to be a sniper. Injured by a bomb blast on her twentieth birthday, she then moved to Paris, studying and teaching psychology at the University of Paris. She then moved to the United States, where she received her Masters in Sociology from Columbia University, Teachers College.

She rose to fame with the publications of her now-famous Sex for Dummies and Encyclopedia of Sex. She then was picked up by WYNC, NBC Radio, in 1980. Her show, “Sexually Speaking” sought to answer people’s questions about sex and sexuality. Her show became immensely popular, and she made several appearances on Late Night with David Letterman, among other talk shows. Sexually Speaking then added a 15-minute segment on Lifetime Cable, where Dr. Ruth continued to answer the public’s questions about sex and sexuality. Her segments are now on her highly-viewed YouTube Channel. She also appeared on the children’s series Between  the Lions, in which she played a therapist to helped characters overcome their fear of long words.

In 2009, after appearing as #13 on Playboy Magazine’s "55 Most important people in Sex for the Past 55 Years", Dr. Ruth’s life story was picked up by playwright Mark St. Germain, where it became the hit off-Broadway production Becoming Dr. Ruth, starring That 70’s Show actress Debra Jo Rupp.  

The Doctor Is In will be moderated by ProfessorAnnette Insdorf, a revered film professor at Columbia University. She has spent many years researching Dr. Ruth, and demonstrating how Ruth’s approaches to talking about psychology and sex have had an immense impact on film. She is also the author of numerous books, including Indelible Shadows: Film and the Holocaust.

For over 140 years, 92^nd St Y Talks have striven to promote conversations “…where tomorrow’s most important issues are revealed, and today’s most intriguing conversations begin” for the Jewish community and beyond. The talks have welcome esteemed guests such as Robert Gates and Neil Patrick Harris. The Palace is honored to be able to live-stream their lectures, and we so look forward to hearing the inspirational words of Dr. Ruth! 

Classic Cars on Display at The Palace Theatre's 2015 Spotlight Soirée!

Jay Leno's name has become synonymous with two things: comedy and cars.  After the massive success of The Tonight Show, Jay Leno followed his passion to the garage and has created one of the best collection of cars ever seen.  He started a popular YouTube show celebrating classic cars, Jay Leno's Garage, and has test driven some of the greatest cars ever crafted.

To celebrate Jay Leno's visit to Stamford, The Palace Theatre will display five classic cars and two vintage motorcycles.  Here's a sneak peek at the beauties that will be featured on what is sure to be an unforgettable night! 

The Cars





1935 Rolls Royce 2025 Sports Saloon MSTK

1936 Senior Packard Sedan JR

1939 Hotchkiss 686 Cabourg CR

1962 Aston Martin DB-4 AW

1983 Ferrari 308 GTS QV AS

The Motorcycles



1948 Indian Chief



1963 Triumph T120C

Proceeds benefit upcoming Palace arts education programs!

Buy your tickets to the Spotlight Soirée HERE!



A Visit With The Hit Men Live in NYC!

A Visit with The Hit Men!   

The 60’s, 70’s and 80’s were a golden era for songwriting and during that period acts like Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, Tommy James and The Shondells, and other big name chart-busting groups created beloved hits that have been heard for generations and are woven into America’s consciousness. 

The Palace Theatre had the pleasure of visiting with THE HIT MEN at the Metropolitan Room in New York City.  Seeing these titans of early pop music perform firsthand, we are thrilled to host them in Stamford’s premiere theatre May 15, 2015!

With natural chemistry, tight harmonies, and a rich falsetto that could only come from the 60s, you’ll find something new in every song you’ve heard before.  We think THE HIT MEN themselves said it best during the event, “We sell time travel and youth.”

Please check out this exclusive preview of THE HIT MEN!

 

Click here to buy your tickets!