Special Event: Juneteenth Arts Celebration Kickoff Concert

This 90 minute performance will illustrate the spirit and message of Juneteenth.

African American communities have used music and art, sometimes in place of written communication, to discuss life, death, spiritual philosophies, and emotions to cope with the traumas that came with being enslaved.  This interactive and engaging performance will feature popular freedom songs listed below that demonstrate the joy, sorrow, pain, inspiration, discontent, and hope experienced by African Americans on their continued journey towards healing and emotional emancipation.

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Lynette Sheard is a sought-after singer, actor, and producer whose performances have been lauded in numerous publications including The Star-Ledger, which proclaimed that “Her voice reaches deep into one’s soul and finds a soft spot”. She performs Jazz, Blues, R&B, Gospel, Soul, and Pop music. Theater credits include principal roles in DreamGirls, Smokey Joe’s Café, Ragtime, Swing, Aida, For Colored Girls, A Raisin in the Sun, and Avenue Q. In 2017 she was inducted into the “Encyclopedia of Newark Jazz.  Lynette is also Director of the national award-winning NJ Mental Health Players and a Community Education Coordinator at the Mental Health Association in New Jersey.

Gregory Burrus Productions: Gregory is a passionate Live Music Events Producer known for creating unforgettable musical experiences at public and private events. With a focus on local talent, he has curated an impressive lineup of festivals and music series in Northern New Jersey and New York. Gregory also produces events for the Rutgers Institute of Jazz Studies which is home to the largest jazz library in the world. He curates and produces numerous community and live music events for the largest performing arts center in New Jersey, the. New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), connecting communities through the power of music. Gregory Burrus’ dedication to enriching souls through live music shines through in every event he produces, sharing his love for the art form with audiences and musicians alike.