Kevin James to headline first Staller Center show

"The King of Queens" is about to come home for an audience with his fans at Stony Brook.

On Jan. 27, actor-comedian Kevin James will perform for the first time in the town where he grew up when he takes the stage at the Staller Center for the Arts on the Stony Brook University campus. “We’re thrilled to bring Kevin James to Staller Center,” says Alan Inkles, director of the Staller Center, in a statement. “I’ve been looking forward to hosting him here in his hometown for some time now, and I know this will be a really special show for our audience.”

Tickets for the show go on sale Thursday at 10 a.m. at stallercenter.com.

James, 57, is best known for the CBS sitcom "The King of Queens," which ran from 1998 to 2007, as well as films like "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" and "Hitch." In 1989, he got his start doing stand-up at the long-gone East Side Comedy Club in Huntington, which was also a training ground for such comics as Rosie O'Donnell, Eddie Murphy and Ray Romano. Since then, James has performed at other Long Island venues including The Paramount in Huntington and NYCB Theatre in Westbury.

In January, James appeared opposite his four children in a production of "Oliver!" at Cultural Arts Playhouse in Syosset. The musical based on Charles Dickens' novel "Oliver Twist" allowed James to show off his singing and dancing skills as Fagin, the mentor to a group of young thieves.