Top of the World, a Tribute to The Carpenters, Presents Christmas Show on December 17 in Shea Center


Top of the World, the world’s premier tribute to The Carpenters, brings the authentic sound of the popular 1970s group to William Paterson University in Wayne for a Christmas show on Sunday, December 17, 2023. The performance, part of the WP Presents! series, begins at 7:00 p.m. in the Shea Center for Performing Arts on campus.

Fronted by singer Debbie Taylor, whose vocals resemble the warm tones and contralto range of Karen Carpenter, Top of the World features a seven-piece band consisting of professional industry musicians who have had amazing careers in their own right. The band members are all multi-instrumentalists and at times use three keyboards to recreate the incredibly complex arrangements created by Richard Carpenter.

The performance includes classic hits of The Carpenters, such as “Close to You,” “We’ve Only Just Begun,” “Rainy Days and Mondays,” “Please Mr. Postman,” and “Yesterday Once More,” among others. Top of the World provides a nostalgic journey through the Carpenters’ greatest hits, as well as holiday favorites like “Merry Christmas Darling,” while sharing some of the backstories behind the music.

Tickets are $55 for Gold Circle, $50 for orchestra and front loge, and $40 for loge. There is a 10 percent discount for William Paterson faculty, staff, students, and alumni, as well as senior citizens. All tickets are an additional $5 on the day of the show. To purchase tickets, or for additional information, call the Shea Center for Performing Arts Box Office at 973-720-2371 or visit wp-presents.org.

WP Presents! events are made possible, in part, by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.

12/01/23