PRINCETON, NJ — Mark Your Calendars for June 5, 2025
This summer, Princeton won’t just be about bikes on Nassau Street, iced coffee at Small World, or weekend strolls through the university gardens. No — on Thursday, June 5, the McCarter Theatre Center is hosting an evening that’s straight out of a black-and-white film reel and lit with golden-age glamour.
Stella Cole, one of the most captivating rising stars in American jazz and cabaret, is bringing her voice, her vintage soul, and her utterly magnetic presence to the Berlind Theatre — and if you’ve ever wanted to time-travel through sound, this is your night.
Who Is Stella Cole — And Why Should You Be Paying Attention?
If you haven’t heard her name yet, don’t worry. You will.
Stella Cole has become one of the most buzzed-about voices in modern jazz, known for her effortless command of classics from Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Nat King Cole, and all the torchbearers of the Great American Songbook. But don’t mistake her for a retro novelty — Cole’s gift isn’t just imitation. It’s interpretation. It’s soul. It’s storytelling.
She doesn’t just sing the old songs.
She lives in them.
She wraps them around the room like velvet, making something old feel daringly new.
She’s already amassed a loyal online following, graced iconic venues across the country, and shared stages with modern giants in the jazz world. But in June, she’s all ours.
A Perfect Venue for a Perfect Voice
The Berlind Theatre is a jewel box of a space — intimate, acoustically rich, and built to spotlight performances that connect. It’s exactly where you’d want to hear Cole’s voice stretch, swoop, and smolder through standards like:
🎶 “The Man I Love”
🎶 “Someone to Watch Over Me”
🎶 “Misty”
🎶 “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered”
The room will glow. Time will slow. You’ll forget it’s 2025 and swear you’ve wandered into a smoky supper club circa 1947.
For the Jazz Lovers, the Old Souls, and the Newcomers
Whether you grew up on Billie and Basie, or you’re just starting to discover jazz through TikTok and Spotify deep dives, Stella Cole makes the music feel alive again. This isn’t museum-piece jazz. This is jazz with a pulse. With drama. With heartbreak and heat and that delicious sense that anything can happen in the next note.
She’s got that rare quality — like Cecile McLorin Salvant, or even early Diana Krall — where every word feels earned, and every phrase takes its time. And her shows are never just concerts. They’re moments.
Make a Whole Night of It in Princeton
The show starts at 7:30pm, which gives you the perfect excuse to turn this into a full-blown summer night out.
Here’s the move:
- 🍽️ Dinner first: Hit Mistral for small plates and seasonal cocktails or try La Mezzaluna for classic Italian right across the street.
- ☕ Post-show digestif: Stop by The Alchemist & Barrister for a nightcap on the patio, or Chez Alice for something sweet.
- 🌙 Stroll through town: The trees will be lit, the campus paths open. Let the final notes of Stella’s encore drift with you into the night.
Don’t Sleep on This One
Stella Cole’s star is rising — and fast. If her career continues the way it’s going (and all signs say it will), the next time you see her, it might be on a much bigger stage. This Princeton show is a chance to catch an artist at that perfect moment — confident, inspired, and deeply connected to her material.
And in a town like Princeton, in a room like Berlind, on a warm early June night?
Yeah. Magic is pretty much guaranteed.
Event Details
📍 Venue: Berlind Theatre at McCarter Theatre Center
📆 Date: Thursday, June 5, 2025
⏰ Time: 7:30 PM
🎟️ Tickets: Available now at McCarter.org — and moving fast.
TL;DR — Here’s the Vibe:
- What: Stella Cole Live — jazz, cabaret, and vintage magic in Princeton
- Where: Berlind Theatre, McCarter Theatre Center
- When: June 5, 2025 at 7:30 PM
- Why: Because nights like this don’t come around often — and when they do, you go.