International Voices Festival Returns to Jersey City in 2026

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Jersey City Theater Center will present Romeo Castellucci, Kevin Powell, and Malik Work under the theme Beyond the Frame.

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Jersey City Theater Center (JCTC) has announced the return of its signature Voices International Theatre and Arts Festival, running June 4 - 26, 2026 across multiple venues in Jersey City, and the Professional Voices Festival Conference on June 11 at White Eagle Hall, Jersey City.

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Ticket prices range from free public events to $50 a ticket. Full festival passes are also available. To purchase and reserve tickets, and for more information visit https://jctcenter.org .

Produced by Jersey City Theater Center , the Voices International Theatre and Arts Festival is a vibrant celebration of diverse global voices. Under this year's theme, Beyond the Frame, the festival brings together internationally renowned artists and local visionaries for an extraordinary lineup of multidisciplinary performances, conversations, music, dance, immersive installations, and family programming and networking events that invite audiences to experience stories from around the world and from our own communities here in Jersey City.

From acclaimed International Artists such as Romeo Castellucci with the world premiere of Cantos to beloved local creators like Giselle Bellas, the festival creates space for everyone to participate, network, and share their story. From Jersey City native and Grammy-nominated poet Kevin Powell to the fearless truth-telling performances of Malik Work, Voices highlights artists who challenge, inspire, and connect audiences. The festival also features immersive installations and exhibitions at Mana Contemporary by award-winning innovators like Laia Cabrera and Isabelle Duverger , creating transformative visual experiences that push artistic boundaries.

International voices from across the globe bring compelling new perspectives to Jersey City, including writer Palesa Mazamisa and many other inspiring artists presenting works that illuminate identity, resilience, and the state of the world today.

Voices seeks to spark imagination, inspire creativity, and foster dialogue among diverse communities through bold artistic exploration. A special all-day Professional Voices Festival Conference on June 11 will bring together artists, presenters, producers, and cultural leaders for panels, conversations, and networking opportunities.

Voices invites audiences to explore Jersey City's thriving arts scene just a few PATH train stops from New York City. Festival events take place at White Eagle Hall (337 Newark Ave), Mana Contemporary (888 Newark Ave), Nimbus Arts Center (329 Warren St), Grace Church Van Vorst (39 Erie St), Barrow Mansion (83 Wayne St), the Newark Avenue Pedestrian Plaza (134-158 Newark Ave) and other venues throughout Jersey City.

JCTC Executive Producer Olga Levina says, "One City. Many Voices. One Global Conversation. As an immigrant born in Ukraine, shaped by a diverse family and a childhood marked by uncertainty, I learned early that safety and peace come from recognizing our shared humanity. In today's world, where the loudest voices often dominate, we must ask: what does that truly mean, and whose stories are being heard now? The Voices International Theatre and Arts Festival creates space here in Jersey City for cultural exchange. Through the arts, we build bridges across communities and cultures by elevating voices too often overlooked and transforming our differences into a powerful global dialogue."

Beyond the Frame explores going beyond the borders we create, not only between countries, but also between communities, cultures, and people questioning what separates us at a time of growing division. For the Voices International Theatre and Arts Festival, the theme also means moving beyond the traditional confines of theatre itself, creating spaces where artists and audiences from around the world come together through stories, dialogue, and shared experiences that challenge perspectives, on Newark Avenue Pedestrian Plaza, at a church and beyond.

The festival is supported by funding through the NJEDA's A.R.T. Phase II Grant Program and the New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism (VisitNJ).

Thursday, June 4 at 7pm at White Eagle Hall (337 Newark Ave). All ages welcome.

Opening night celebration featuring music artists from India (Surati), Indonesia (Riau Rhythm), and Slovenia and Puerto Rico (Slavo Rican Assembly) - a global kickoff to the 2026 Voices International Theatre and Arts Festival that sets the international scope of the Beyond the Frame season.

Performers include Surati: Pritha Majumder, Rajesh Roy, Sumit Roy; Slavo Rican Assembly: Jan Kus - saxophone, Gabriel Vicéns - guitar, Ahmed Alom - piano/keys, Dan Martínez - el. bass, Victor Pablo - percussion, Žan Tetičkovič aka Jean John - drums; Riau Rhythm: Rino Deza Pati, Hendri Faizal, Violano Rupiyanto, Refi Lesta Hakim and Viogy Rupiyanto.

Ongoing Showings June 6 - 26 at Mana Contemporary (888 Newark Ave). Opening June 6 from 1-4pm and June 7 from 5-8pm. Ages 12 and up.

An ongoing immersive installation and live performance work by Laia Cabrera (Spain/Catalonia) and Isabelle Duverger (France) presented across two galleries at Mana Contemporary. Qualia and Perennial Land / The Data Forest transform space through projection mapping, light, and data-driven storytelling, inviting audiences into a sensory exploration of perception, memory, and the relationship between nature and technology.

Artist Talks on June 12 at 11am (Conference Talk) and June 13 at 3pm (Public Talk).

New Jersey Premiere on Saturday, June 6 at 3pm at Mana Contemporary (888 Newark Ave).

A solo performance by celebrated mime and physical theater artist Bill Bowers , known for work that explores identity and the LGBTQ+ experience through movement and storytelling. IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING is a uniquely crafted autobiographical tour-de-force in which Bill shares funny, heartbreaking, and unbelievable true stories from his career as an actor and mime, and his life-long exploration of the role silence plays in all our lives.

Run time is 75 minutes. Ages 16 and up.

https://www.bill-bowers.com

Sunday, June 7 at 7pm at White Eagle Hall (337 Newark Ave).

A Latin-infused reimagining of the classic Giselle, blending world music with the timeless romantic ballet narrative.

Ages 8 and up.

New Jersey Premiere on Sunday, June 7 at 4pm at Mana Contemporary (888 Newark Ave).

Directed by Ghana-based artist Kobina Hagan, Waafrica 123 is a bold theatrical work examining queerness and identity through an African lens. Community partner is National Queer Theater.

Performed by Tẹmídayọ Amay, Amari Flynn, Bernadette Mira Hagen, Le'Asha Julius, Shiro Kihagi and Christopher Tucker .

Run time is 1:45. Ages 18 and up.

New Jersey Premiere on Sunday, June 7 at 7pm at Mana Contemporary (888 Newark Ave).

Written by E. Zaalan, original direction by Natasha Mercado, and performed by Edib Farhan.

Award-winning standup and clown Edib Farhan presents Syrian Soap, a 60-minute absurd ancestral intervention inspired by Syrian soap operas and set in an intergalactic bathhouse. Community partner is National Queer Theater.

Run time is 60 minutes. Ages 18 and up.

New Jersey Premiere on Tuesday, June 9 at 7pm and Thursday, June 11 at 7pm at White Eagle Hall (337 Newark Ave).

Tiziano Cruz is an artist from the periphery of Argentina. From a selection of autobiographical marks, he composes scenic narratives, invoking the memory of the body and the power of his Andean ancestors, in a desperate attempt, not only to silence the mourning of his dead sister, but also, as a possibility to reconcile with the world. This conference is the result of six years of unbridled research and writing about grief, loss, social, economic and cultural injustice in some lost villages in the periphery of Argentina.

Run time is 50 minutes. Ages 16 and up.

https://www.rosastudio.art/associated-artists/tiziano-cruz

Wednesday, June 10 at 3pm at White Eagle Hall (337 Newark Ave).

Written by Palesa Mazamisa (South Africa).

When a silent, profit-driven apocalypse begins, the last summit on earth is not at the UN, but in a cigar factory. Five women who have spent their lives fighting over how to run the world are locked in a room with one mission: save it. They must negotiate a single plan using only their wits, their histories, and a shared urgency. An audience discussion follows the reading.

Thursday, June 11 from 11am - 5:30pm at White Eagle Hall (337 Newark Ave). Ages 16 and up.

The centerpiece conference day of the 2026 Voices International Theatre and Arts Festival, bringing together artists, presenters, producers, curators, and cultural leaders for a full day of panels, conversations, and networking opportunities, followed by an evening of back-to-back headline performances.

Performers include María del Mar Suárez, La Chachi (Spain) at 4pm, Tiziano Cruz (Argentina) at 7pm, and Malik Work (USA) at 8pm.

MARÍA DEL MAR SUÁREZ, LA CHACHI - Taranto Aleatorio (Spain)

U.S. Premiere on Friday, June 12 at 7pm (main performance) at the Newark Avenue Pedestrian Plaza (134-158 Newark Ave), and Thursday, June 11 at 4pm (conference showcase) at White Eagle Hall (337 Newark Ave).

Spain's La Chachi brings an electrifying blend of contemporary flamenco and physical theater to Voices Fest, pushing the boundaries of traditional form through raw, explosive movement.

Performers include María del Mar Suárez and Lola Dolores.

Run time is 60 minutes. Ages 12 and up.

https://lachachi.net/taranto-aleatorio

World Premiere at Grace Church Van Vorst (39 Erie St) on Friday, June 12 at 4pm, 4:30pm, 5pm, 5:30pm, 6pm, 6:30pm, 7pm, 7:30pm and 8pm, and Saturday, June 13 at 1pm, 1:30pm, 2pm, 2:30pm, 3pm and 5pm.

Company: Societas Raffaello Sanzio (Italy). By Romeo Castellucci and Scott Gibbons. Movement care by Gloria Dorliguzzo. Sound Technician is Nicola Ratti.

A profound and visually striking new work by one of Europe's most visionary theater directors, Romeo Castellucci, presented across intimate performances over two days at Grace Church Van Vorst.

Run time is 30 minutes. Ages 16 and up.

https://www.societas.es

East Coast Premiere on Saturday, June 13 at 7pm at Nimbus Arts Center (329 Warren St).

Play by Witkacy. Directed by Zeljko Djukic . Sound Design by Danny Rockett . Original Music by Natasha Bogojevic.

Trap Door Theatre, Chicago's celebrated home of European avant-garde drama, presents The Pragmatists - a sharp, politically charged work directed by Zeljko Djukic .

Performers include Venice Averyheart, Caleb Lee Jenkins , David Lovejoy , Manuela Rentea, Hannah Silverman, Keith Surney and Kevin Webb .

"If you like Theater of the Absurd, then this show is for you!" - Around the Town Chicago

Run time is 75 minutes. Ages 16 and up.

https://trapdoortheatre.com

Saturday, June 13 at 8pm and Sunday, June 14 at 4pm at Grace Church Van Vorst (39 Erie St). Ages 16 and up.

Award-winning author, activist and poet Kevin Powell delivers a powerful performance-lecture blending spoken word, memoir and social commentary that spans race, masculinity and American identity.

SANDGLASS THEATER - OMA (PUPPET THEATER)

Sunday, June 14 at 2:30pm at Barrow Mansion (83 Wayne St). Ages 5 and up.

Sandglass Theater is a renowned theater company specializing in combining puppets with music, actors, and visual imagery. Since 1982, the company's productions have toured internationally in over 30 countries, performing in the

_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwdance/article/VOICES-INTERNATIONAL-THEATRE-AND-ARTS-FESTIVAL-Returns-to-Jersey-City-in-2026-20260513)._