ArtsEmerson, But Make It Free (for Emersonians)

There are many perks to being an Emerson student, faculty or staff member, or alum. One of them is the opportunity to attend a one-woman karaoke musical about America’s emergency food system, entirely free of charge.

Kristina Wong, #FoodBankInfluencer, the first show in ArtsEmerson’s 2025-2026 season, will open to general audiences on Sept. 19. But on Thursday, Sept. 18, at 7:30 pm, the Emerson community is invited to watch Wong’s dress rehearsal in the Paramount Center’s Robert J. Orchard Stage.

This season, ArtsEmerson is presenting Emerson Nights, opening up selected dress rehearsals to community members free of charge. Thursday night’s rehearsal will be followed by an ice cream social in the Jackie Liebergott Black Box Theater. To reserve tickets (community , create an account at ArtsEmerson, then click the link on the Emerson Nights page.

Wong is a performance artist, comedian, and writer who tackles issues including mental health, racism, gender equality, and poverty through her performances, which blend “avant-garde performance, comedy, and cultural criticism,” according to ArtsEmerson’s blog.

Read more about her work, the history of one-person shows, and the Greater Boston Food Bank, the linchpin of Boston’s emergency food system, at artsemerson.org/about/blog.

Members of the public can visit ArtsEmerson to learn about all of this season’s shows and purchase tickets.