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Monday, November 29, 2010

NEW MOON READING SERIES @ LUNA STAGE DEC. 6

Playwright Rogelio Martinez<br />

Playwright Rogelio Martinez

New Moon Reading Series
First Monday of Every Month

Fizz
by Rogelio Martinez
directed by Nancy Robillard
WHEN: Monday, December 6, at 7:30 PM
WHERE:
Luna Stage, 555 Valley Road, West Orange
TICKETS: Suggested Donation $5

In the late seventies, a Cuban immigrant transformed the most American of products: Coca-Cola. As a chemist, Roberto Goizueta convinced his supervisors to approve diet Coke, and as CEO he tried convincing a whole new generation of soda drinkers that what was really missing from their lives was a whole new taste. Gun-toting Southern belles, cocaine-loving Rockettes, and insane soda execs all take part in FIZZ, this based-on-a-true-story comedy about one of history's biggest flops—the creation of New Coke.

HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS @ SOPAC

More holiday fun @ SOPAC in December for adults, kids and families:

WHERE: South Orange Performing Arts Center, One SOPAC Way, South Orange, NJ
For more details on the upcoming season, including a complete schedule and ticket information, visit SOPACnow.org, or contact the SOPAC Box Office at 973.313.2787 (ARTS)

A Great Big Miracle
By Ben H. Winters
Presented by SOPAC and Midtown Direct Rep
Sun, Dec 5 at 11 AM & 2 PM
TICKETS
: $20
A Great Big Miracle is Ben H. Winters' smart, joyful, and just a little bit irreverent take on the story of Hanukkah. It's got Judah Maccabee—the random shepherd who becomes a virtuous warrior, wicked King Antiochus and his really mean army. And yes, it's got the whole candle and the eight nights thing. Narrated by a pair of Borscht Belt sheep, it's the Hanukkah story like you've never seen it before!

RED HORSE Red Horse: Eliza Gilkyson, John Gorka & Lucy Kaplansky (Folk)
Sun, Dec 5 at 7 PM
TICKETS
: $45, $35
The New Folk Super Trio featuring: John Gorka, Eliza Gilkyson and Lucy Kaplansky. Eliza, John and Lucy come together to form Red Horse a new collaborative project. As three of folk music's most revered songwriters they've created an album that is awash in gorgeous harmonies & signature melodies. Covering each other's songs, performing new tunes and breathing life into old classics, Red Horse is a fresh album folk fans will fall in love with.

American Brass Quintet
Presented by Seton Hall Arts Council’s “Classical Concert Series.”
Tue, Dec 7 at 7:30 PM
TICKETS
: $25, $15 Seniors and Alumni, $8 Student and SHU Employees with ID
As part of Seton Hall Arts Celebrating over 50 years of performance, American Brass Quintet has historically been a leader in introducing original works for brass to chamber music audiences. They continue their crusade as the "high priests of brass" (Newsweek) in a special holiday performance.

James Braly: Life in a Marital Institution (Theater, Comedy)
Presented by Meredith Vieira Productions
Fri, Dec 10 at 8 PM
TICKETS
: $30, $20
“If Walt Whitman had been straight, married, and hilarious he would have been James Braly.” —The New Yorker
First comes love. Then comes marriage counseling. James Braly comes to SOPAC with his hilarious dissection of what thirteen couples counselors have called a passionate, bi-polar relationship. With one of New York City's sharpest wits, Braly dives head first into a tale of attraction, repulsion, reproduction, death, and the afterlife. 20 years of monogamy in one terrifying evening.

Juilliard @ SOPAC
Swingin’ Holidays with The Juilliard Jazz Ensemble
Sun, Dec 12 at 3 PM
TICKETS
: $15, $12 Senior, $10 SOPAC Members
Join the Juilliard Jazz Ensemble with featured guest vocalist Alicia Olatuja and saxophonist Ron Blake in performance to help usher in the holiday season. Classics such as Let it Snow, Jingle Bells, Little Drummer Boy and other selections will be performed with a Juilliard Jazz twist. The Juilliard Jazz Ensemble featuring guest vocalist Alicia Olatuja and Juilliard Jazz faculty member and saxophonist Ron Blake.

MCCOY TYNER McCoy Tyner Trio (Jazz, Piano)
Sat, Dec 18 at 8 PM
TICKETS
: $58, $48, $38
McCoy Tyner's blues-based piano style, replete with sophisticated chords and an explosively percussive left hand has transcended conventional styles to become one of the most identifiable sounds in improvised music. His harmonic contributions and dramatic rhythmic devices form the vocabulary of a majority of jazz pianists. Tyner has released nearly 80 albums under his name, earned four Grammys and was awarded Jazz Master from the National Endowment for the Arts in 2002.

POETRY IN JANUARY AT DREW UNIVERSITY!

Drew University Logo

Drew University
Home of the Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Archive

Presents

The Drew University MFA Program
Poetry Reading Series

All readings and events listed are open to the public and will take place in the Founder’s Room in Mead Hall, Drew University.

All take place at 7:30 PM unless otherwise noted.

Wednesday, January 5
Joan Larkin, Judith Vollmer, & Michael Waters

Thursday, January 6
Willis Barnstone & Gerald Stern

Friday, January 7
Alicia Ostriker & Jean Valentine

Sunday, January 9
Ross Gay, Ellen Doré Watson, & Peter Waldor

Monday, January 10
Nikky Finney & Aracelis Girmay

Tuesday, January 11
Anne Marie Macari, Mihaela Moscaliuc, & Patrick Rosal


EVENTS
Wednesday, January 5, 6:45-7:15 PM
The Word in Song & Movement with Gail Langstroth, performer, & Fred Johnson, vocalist & drummer

Thursday, January, 4:00-5:00 PM
Talk with Willis Barnstone, The Restoration of Original Biblical Names and Revelation of Identity Theft in the New Testament


CONTACT INFORMATION
All questions regarding the series should be directed to Drew University:
amacari@drew.edu or 973.408.3110

Click here for directions and Drew's campus map
Drew University, 36 Madison Avenue, Ma

Sunday, November 28, 2010

LIBERTY HALL MUSEUM SPREADS HOLIDAY CHEER

Liberty Hall Museum at Kean University celebrates the Yuletide season with a series of special events throughout the month of December. Designed for young children and their families, visitors to the museum will enjoy holiday activities in the historic Victorian mansion of New Jersey’s first elected governor, William Livingston.

christmas 2009 13 Gingerbread Workshop
WHEN: December 4 and 11, two sessions each day from 10:00 to 11:30 AM and from Noon to 1:30 PM.
WHERE:
1003 Morris Avenue in Union, New Jersey
TICKETS: $17 per child
Recommended for children ages 7 to 12. Children are provided with the materials and instruction to design and build their own edible houses of gingerbread, candy canes, gum drops and more. 

A Christmas Tree Ornament Workshop
WHEN: December 5 from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
WHERE: 1003 Morris Avenue in Union, New Jersey
TICKETS: $10 per person.
Participants will create old fashioned ornaments to adorn the Christmas tree in the museum’s Great Hall. Guests will bring two decorations with them and leave two for display on the Liberty Hall tree.

Breakfast with Santa
WHEN: December 12, two seatings are available at 8:00 to 10:00 AM and 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM 
WHERE: 1003 Morris Avenue in Union, New Jersey
TICKETS: $20 per child and $25 per adult
Santa Claus will be on hand for photo opportunities when he takes his sleigh to Liberty Hall. Naughty or nice, all are welcome to enjoy a visit with St. Nick and a delicious hot breakfast filled with cheer and tasty treats.

Whoville Feast
WHEN:
December 19th from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM and from 2:00 to 4:00 PM

WHERE: 1003 Morris Avenue in Union, New Jersey
TICKETS: Admission is $20 for children and $25 for their adults.
Inspired by the beloved Dr. Seuss classic, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” Liberty Hall prepares a on Guests will dine on Grinchy grub that includes “roastbeast on a bun, Suess spuds and Cindy Lou Who cider.”

christmas 2009 1 Afternoon Teas
WHEN: Every Wednesday of the month from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM (Dec 1, 8, 15, 22, 29).

WHERE: 1003 Morris Avenue in Union, New Jersey
The Christmas themed socials are perfect for sipping tea and lunching on finger sandwiches and desserts while relaxing in the glass-enclosed porch overlooking Liberty Hall’s formal English gardens. Reservations are required for all events for those wishing to eat, drink and be merry while discovering the living past!

Stitches in Time: Three Centuries of Hemlines, Necklines and Everything in Between
WHERE: 1003 Morris Avenue in Union, New Jersey
The ongoing exhibit at the museum features items from the museum’s vast collection of elegant gowns, glittering accessories and refined evening attire. The genuine historical artifacts represent styles and taste from three centuries of American life, showcasing a medium of art that is most revealing about past generations.

Also in the spirit of the season, Liberty Hall Museum and the Kean University Center for Leadership and Service will be collecting items for Toys for Tots this holiday season. Kean urges the community to help the needy young people in Union County by bringing an unwrapped gift for children ages 0-15 to Liberty Hall’s Blue House or to drop locations throughout the campus now until December 15th.

Liberty Hall Museum at Kean University, chronicling more than 200 years of American history is a treasure trove of significant riches. Along with forgotten letters from Thomas Jefferson, Liberty Hall also houses extensive collections of antique furniture, ceramics, textiles, toys and tools owned by seven generations of the Livingston and Kean families. The Firehouse is the latest addition to the Museum’s complex housing two antique fire engines and a collection of fire memorabilia.

General admission to the museum for regular visits is $10 for adults, $6 for students and free to children under three, Liberty Hall Museum members and Kean University students, faculty and staff. Liberty Hall is located at 1003 Morris Avenue in Union, New Jersey. It is open to the public Monday through Saturday 10 AM to 4 PM. For reservations and further information, call 908.527.0400, e-mail libertyhall@kean.edu or visit www.kean.edu/libertyhall.

SHIRAH COMMUNITY CHORUS PERFORMS HOLIDAY SELECTIONS AT JCC ON THE PALISADES IN TENAFLY

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ANNUAL HANUKKAH CONCERT
WHEN: Sunday, December 5, 7 PM
WHERE:
Eric Brown Theater at the JCC on the Palisades, 411 E. Clinton Avenue, Tenafly, NJ
TICKETS:
$18—general admission, nonmembers, and $15—general admission, JCC members. For tickets and information call 201.408.1465,
e-mail thurnauer@jccotp.org or visit www.jccotp.org/thurnauer

SHIRAH: Community Chorus on the Palisades is one of the largest and most respected non-synagogue-affiliated choral groups in the country. Based in Bergen County, the chorus draws its transdenominational membership from all over the metropolitan area. The chorus performs an exciting mix of folk tunes in Hebrew, English, Yiddish and Ladino, liturgical repertoire, and a classic mix of historical Jewish music.

Founding Director and Conductor Matthew Lazar says, "This concert will be an enjoyable and entertaining way of celebrating the culture and history of the Jewish People and Hanukkah."

This concert is made possible by founders Bernie & Ruth Weinflash and their Shirah Endowment Fund in Tribute to Matthew Lazar, the Ethel & Irving Plutzer Endowment Fund for the Shirah Choir and the Rhoda Toonkel Endowment for the Shirah Choir.

The Thurnauer School of Music (www.jccotp.org/thurnauer) is among 45 arts organizations in New Jersey designated as “Major Arts Institutions” by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State.  As New Jersey's leading community music school, it serves over 700 students in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area. It also serves as an area cultural resource by presenting over thirty concerts annually as well as master classes with world-renowned artists. The School is a member of the National Guild of Community Arts Education and an integral part of the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades. JCC membership is not a requirement for enrollment or financial aid at the Thurnauer School which is supported, in part, by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State.

Saturday, November 27, 2010

A LIVE B-DAY PARTY CONCERT FOR KIDS & FAMILIES

More musical programming for the kiddies at the bergenPAC in December:

LAURIE BERKNER BAND
WHEN:
Saturday, December 11, at 11 AM
WHERE: bergenPAC,
30 North Van Brunt Street, Englewood
TICKETS: $35, $25
For ticket information call the box office: 201.227.1030

Laurie-BerknerChildren’s music superstars and  Nick Jr. channel favorites Laurie Berkner, Susie Lampert (keyboards), Adam Bernstein (bass) and Bob Golden (drums/ percussion) will perform old and new hits, including songs from 2008’s critically acclaimed CD, Rocketship Run. 

The theme to this year’s concert is “A Live Birthday Party Concert!” Kids are encouraged to bring their favorite party hat, picture of a birthday cake from Laurie’s website and a stuffed animal for your head because animals have birthdays too!   

Widely recognized as one of the most popular indie children’s recording artists in the United States, Laurie Berkner was at the forefront of the current progressive children’s music movement. Her intelligent songwriting, captivating vocals and infectious melodies have won not only legions of little fans, but also parents, who enjoy the music as much as their kids.

The Laurie Berkner Band has received tremendous critical acclaim. Time Magazine lauded Laurie as “a kind of sippy-cup Sheryl Crow…Berkner inhabits a kid’s curious perspective in her lyrics and pens folk-pop melodies that bear repeated—very repeated—listenings.” The Wall Street Journal called Laurie “one of the most popular children’s performer’s in America … Her music is distinctive because it speaks to kids without talking down to them, charming youngsters without boring grown-ups.”

Friday, November 26, 2010

A VERY SPECIAL (Holiday) SPECIAL AT DREAMCATCHER

DRT Logo Gold Stars resized They just don't make holiday specials the way they used to….especially this one. If you enjoyed the corny fun of those old-fashioned holiday variety shows starring Andy Williams, Perry Como and The Mandrell Sisters, you’ll love

A VERY SPECIAL (Holiday) SPECIAL

WHEN:  Friday and Saturday, December 3 and 4, at 8:00 PM
WHERE: Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre in the intimate third-floor theatre at The Baird Center at 5 Mead Street in South Orange
TICKETS: $20.00, but audience members receive a $3 discount when purchasing online at www.dreamcatcherrep.org.
For information and tickets for any of Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre's programs, please contact Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre at 973.378.7754, ext. 2228, www.DreamcatcherRep.org.

Dreamcatcher takes a break from their main stage schedule to perform this affectionate spoof of traditional holiday entertainment with holiday songs, comic sketches and improv, and lots of good old-fashioned fun.

DreamcatcherHoliday2Each year’s show is original; last year’s performance included a Rockettes-style production number, take-offs on current reality shows and a post-holiday scene at the returns counter of a department store. This year’s show will include musical spoofs, television commercials for outlandish holiday products, and more.  Performing in the show are Dreamcatcher Company members Clark Carmichael, Harry Patrick Christian, Laura Ekstrand, Noreen Farley, Dave Maulbeck, Scott McGowan and Jessica O’Hara-Baker.

A MUSICAL HOLIDAY FEAST @ KEAN STAGE

Sharon Isbin—Multiple GRAMMY® Winner Classical Guitar
WHEN:
Sunday,
December 4,  at 7:30 PM
WHERE:
Enlow Hall, on the Nathan Weiss Graduate School campus at 250 North Avenue in Hillside

sharon isbin Ms. Isbin has over 25 recordings and has been acclaimed for expanding the guitar repertoire with some of the finest new works of the century. She is a two-time GRAMMY® Award winner for “Best Instrumental Soloist,” which made her the first classical guitarist in 28 years to win a GRAMMY®. Her world premiere recording of concerti written for her by Academy Award winner Tan Dun and Pulitzer Prize-winner Christopher Rouse also won a GRAMMY®.

Ms. Isbin also performs duos with Brazilian percussionist Thiago de Mello (and trios with saxophonist Paul Winter), duos with mezzo-soprano Gemma Coma-Alabert, and with violinist Mark O’Connor.

BEST OF BWAY The Best of Broadway—Holiday on Broadway
WHEN: Sunday, December 12, at 3 PM
WHERE: Enlow Hall, on the Nathan Weiss Graduate School campus at 250 North Avenue in Hillside
TICKETS: $25 and are available by calling 908.737.SHOW (7469), and online at www.keanstage.com.

Music from around the world in a celebration of Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, including hits from Broadway and film.

Baltimore Consort—Folk Music
baltimore consort WHEN: December 18, at 7:30 PM
WHERE: Enlow Hall, on the Nathan Weiss Graduate School campus at 250 North Avenue in Hillside
TICKETS: $25 and are available by calling 908.737.SHOW (7469), and online at www.keanstage.com.

Holiday carols and dance tunes from the British Isles, France and Appalachia sung and performed on lute, flute and viols. The Baltimore Consort features the talents of Mary Anne Ballard, viols & rebec; Mark Cudek, cittern, viols & Renaissance guitar; Larry Lipkis, viols & recorders; Ronn McFarlane, lutes; Mindy Rosenfeld, flute; and guest artists Jose Lemos, countertenor, and Danielle Svonavec, soprano.

STNJ CLOSES 2010 SEASON WITH AMERICAN REGIONAL PREMIERE OF BELOVED BRITISH CLASSIC

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey will close its 2010 Season with the American East Coast and regional premiere of British author Dodie Smith’s I Capture The Castle, a stage adaption of Smith’s 1948 popular coming-of-age novel. I Capture The Castle provides a perfect holiday outing opportunity for the whole family.


I capture castle STNJ I CAPTURE THE CASTLE
By Dodie Smith
Directed by Cameron Watson


WHEN: December 1, 2010, through January 2, 2011. There are no performances on December 25 or January 1.
WHERE: The F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre is located at 36 Madison Avenue (at Lancaster Road), in Madison
TICKETS: call the box office at 973.408.5600 or visit www.ShakespeareNJ.org.    

Born in Lancashire, England in 1896, playwright and author Dodie Smith is best known for her children’s book The Hundred And One Dalmatians. Her first novel, I Capture The Castle, was written while she was living in the United States writing screenplays for Paramount. Smith adapted I Capture The Castle into a stage play in 1952. She is the author of more than 20 plays, novels and screenplays. Several of her works were adapted into films, including Autumn Circus, Call It a Day, Dear Octopus, and The Hundred and One Dalmatians. I Capture The Castle was made into feature film starring Bill Nighy and released in 2003. Also in 2003, the British public voted I Capture The Castle one of the nation’s 100 best-loved novels as part of the BBC’s The Big Read

I Capture The Castle is the story of a seventeen-year-old budding writer, Cassandra and her eccentric family, who live in a crumbling 17th century English castle. This captivating romantic comedy is a perfect coming-of-age classic for family audiences and is full of colorful bohemian characters, wonderful wit and wry wisdom.

“We are thrilled to present the first major American production of this British classic on our stage,” said artistic director Bonnie J. Monte. “Director Cameron Watson brought this play to us after a very successful production in Los Angeles, and I knew it would be a beautiful, heartwarming story for the holidays and for our family audiences.”

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

A VISION OF CHRISTMAS @ McCARTER THEATRE

This is just one of a myriad of dramatizations of Charles Dickens’ great ghost story, A Christmas Carol.

WHEN: December 5–24; Tueday - Friday  7:30 PM; Saturday 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM;
Sunday 1:00 PM & 5:30 PM; Dec 24 12:00 PM & 4:00 PM
WHERE: McCarter Theatre Center, 91 University Place, Princeton
609.258.ARTS(2787)

Celebrate the season with McCarter's critically acclaimed production of Charles Dickens' classic holiday tale, A Christmas Carol. Join Ebenezer Scrooge on his magical journey through Christmas past, present and future, and experience the show that embodies the peace and goodwill of the season. Michael Unger directs McCarter's production of this cherished family tradition, with scenery by the legendary set designer Ming Cho Lee and costumes by Jess Goldstein. The perennial favorite The New York Times calls "A Must-See," has become a delightful holiday tradition for the whole family!

SPECIAL DATES:
12/9 Fezziwig Party
12/10
Opening Night
12/15 Fezziwig Party
12/18 ASL Interpreted Performance
12/18 Audio Described Performance
12/19 Open Captioned Performance

PLEASE NOTE: Christmas Carol seating starts with row “C"

“A CHRISTMAS CAROL” FOR KIDS 6 AND UP!

Another Christmas Carol! This one is out in Clinton for all you readers in Hunterdon and Somerset counties. Two performances especially for young audiences ages 6 and up:
A Christmas Carol at Clinton Township Middle School
A Christmas Carol captures both the humorous and touching moments of the classic story with witty dialogue and songs, conveying Dickens' original message that the holiday season should be a "kind, forgiving, charitable time," a sentiment which still rings true today.

CENTENARY YOUNG PERFORMERS WORKSHOP PRESENT “GYPSY” AND “CAMELOT” AT WINTER FESTIVAL OF SHOWS

Kids love to watch other kids perform. Centenary Stage company’s Young Performers’ Workshop turns out professional performances from talented young actors! This December, they are producing two classics of American Musical Theater: Gypsy and Camelot:

CSC Young Performers 2005 Production of Gypsy

Centenary Stage Company’s Young Performers Winter Festival of Shows

WHEN: December 3-12 
WHERE: Sitnik Theatre, Grand Avenue, Centenary College, Hackettstown

Based on the memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee, a famous burlesque stripper, Gypsy tells the story of Rose, an overbearing stage mother who is determined to break into the big time by pushing her children into vaudeville theatre. The score of Gypsy was written by Jule Styne with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Gypsy performs Saturday, December 4 @ 1 PM, Sunday, December 5 @ 5 PM, Saturday, December 11 @ 1PM, and Sunday, December 12 @ 7:30 PM.

The timeless story of love and courage in the time of King Arthur is the subject of Lerner and Lowe’s Camelot, which will be performed Saturday, December 4 @ 4 PM, Sunday, December 5 @ 7:30 PM, Saturday, December 11 @ 4 PM, and Sunday, December 12 @ 5 PM.

Both musicals are directed and choreographed by program director Michael Blevins, a Broadway veteran who appeared in several Broadway productions including Bring Back Birdie, Little Me and The Tap Dance Kid.

TICKETS: $10 for adults and $8.00 for children under 12, and they are available through the Centenary Stage Company Box office at 715 Grand Ave in the new David and Carol Lackland Center, by phone at 908.979.0900 and online at www.centenarystageco.org<http://www.centenarystageco.org/>

YPW CAST: Scott Abbondanzo (Califon), Kelly Abbondanzo (Califon), Christy Ackerman (Hackettstown), Cydney Black (Hackettstown), Jenna Black (Hackettstown), Elizabeth Browns (Hackettstown), Andy Calderone (Blairstown), Alana Claffey (Sparta), Jacob Crisafulli (Blairstown), Mia Crisafulli (Blairstown), McKenzie Custin (Bethlehem PA), Raegan Davies (Hackettstown), Jessica DeFort (Washington), Emily Devine (Hackettstown), Devony DeMattia (Byram), Zoe Durst (Long Valley), Gillian Eichler (Long Valley), Kori Engle (Washington), Kylie Engle (Washington), Alex Evans (Hackettstown), Dominique Francis (Glen Gardner), Erin Franson (Chester), Stella Funkhouser (Newton), Nicole Gramko (Newton), Karli Grant (Blairstown), Hunter Gross (Blairstown), Neil Ianniello (Lebanon), Skye Kenyon (Asbury), Sarah Lee (Flanders), Rachel Lee (Flanders), Daniel Marion (Newton), Montana Marsilio (Long Valley), Erin Martire (Hackettstown), Rachael Merola (Hackettstown), Nikki Miller (Hampton), Erica Murphy (Newton), Andrew Nussbaum( Califon), Suzanna Nussbaum (Califon), Katie Penarete (Hackettstown), Raphael Pelczmann (Morristown), Sydney Phythian (Oxford), Nicolette Policastro (Lebanon), Samantha Rizzuto (Long Valley), Alani Rose (Long Valley), Nicole Rowe (Long Valley), Alexis Rowe (Long Valley), Hannah Schroeder (Long Valley), Anthony Sica (Sparta), Nicholas Sica (Sparta), Imani Smith (Phillipsburg), Christina Stanton(Hackettstown), Ashley Terpak (Sparta), Sara Terpak (Sparta), Lillian Vaz (Califon), Brittany Weinstein (Long Valley), Joshua Wesson (Stanhope), Brandon Wiener (Flanders), Katie Yarussi (Hackettstown), Anthony Zas (Hackettstown), Dennis Zuravlev (Hackettstown)

Performances at the Centenary Stage Company are made possible through the generous support of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the NJ State Council on the Arts, Heath Village Retirement Community, Skylands Community Bank, Hackettstown Regional Hospital and CSC members and sponsors.

A TIP TO FIND WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR:

Headshot If you want to find posts about all the performances of The Nutcracker in Northern and Central Jersey, simply type Nutcracker in the SEARCH THIS BLOG box, hit ENTER and all the posts about this show will appear above the current posts. You can then open the ones you want.

You can do the same for Kids, Families and Holiday—whatever you might be looking for. Saves a lot of scrolling down through multiple posts until you find what you want.

Enjoy the holiday season, and don’t forget to EXPOSE YOUR KIDS TO ART AND CULTURE. You won’t be sorry when they grow up to be interesting young men and women who have more to talk about than Facebook or video games. Remember, they pick up cues from their parents. Often, if you like something, they’ll like it too—at least until they hit adolescence. Then all bets are off. But they do grow into young adults and reason returns!

Ruth

“RUDOLPH” LANDS AT WHAT EXIT? IN MAPLEWOOD

What Exit? is one of my favorite theater companies. They specialize in comedies and perform them very well, I might say! They are a professional acting troupe down in Maplewood, right off Maplewood Avenue (and the center of town) on Durand Road in the Burgdorff Center. Here is information about their holiday fare:

WHAT EXIT FLYER

Monday, November 22, 2010

CSC PRESENTS THE MUSICAL “OLIVER!” THIS HOLIDAY SEASON IN THE NEW LACKLAND CENTER

Centenary Stage Company is performing another tale by Charles Dickens—instead of the old chestnut A Christmas Carol—that will charm the whole family. The 50-member cast includes professional actors, students of Centenary College’s Theatre Department and kids from the Young Performers’ Workshop. And it will be performed in their spiffy new theater on the college campus.

Oliver!Music by Lionel Bart
Directed and choreographed by Michael Blevins
Featuring Carl Wallnau as Fagin
Oliver! The MusicalWHEN: November 26–December 12; Thursday evenings at 7:30 PM (Family Night with two-for-one tickets available at the door on the night of the performance), Friday and Saturday at 8 PM and Sundays at 2:30 PM,  with additional weekday  matinees on Friday, Nov. 26 (PREVIEW), Wednesday, Dec. 1 & 8, at 2:30 PM,  as well as a 10 AM school performance on Tuesday, Dec. 7, for regional students.
WHERE:
Sitnick Theatre of the David and Carol  Lackland Center, 715 Grand Ave, on the campus of Centenary College
TICKETS: $20-25, with discounts for seniors and students, and can be purchased through the Centenary Stage Company Box Office in the new David and Carol Lackland Center, by phone at 908.979.0900 and online at www.centenarystageco.org.   

A Buffet Matinee series is available for groups of 20 or more, priced at $37.50 for performance and luncheon. CSC also partners with Knight Riders Limousine Service to provide transportation options for patrons.

Called “the perfect Christmas matinee,” the musical Oliver! tells the tale of the orphan boy, Oliver Twist, who is swept into a band of pickpockets led by the wily Fagin in 19th century London. 
Hailed as a  masterpiece, the musical Oliver! displays the talents of composer  Lionel Bart at his best. Familiar show-stopping musical numbers such as “Consider Yourself,” “Who Will Buy,” “Where is Love?” and “As Long as He Needs Me,”  will have audiences “whistling the tunes of this heartwarming play as they exit the theater,” as one review stated.

Broadway veteran Michael Blevins will direct and choreograph the cast of over 50 as the Centenary Stage Company christens the 500-seat Sitnick theater with the sound of tap dancing and high kicks in the first-ever musical to be performed in the new space. 

CHRISTMAS CONCERT AT CENTENARY STAGE WITH POCONO CHORAL SOCIETY

Pocono Choral SocietyA special concert will ring in the Christmas season at Centenary College in December as the Centenary Stage Company presents the Pocono Choral Society  (PCS).
WHEN: Sunday, December 5, at 3 PM
WHERE:
Centenary’s acoustically resplendent Whitney Chapel in Hackettstown
TICKETS: $10 for adults, $8 seniors and students, are available through the Centenary Stage Company Box Office 908.979.0900 and at the door on the day of the performance. For additional information, visit the PCS website at http://www.poconochoralsociety.org or call 570.402.1179. 

Begun in 1981, PCS has grown from a handful of singers to over 50 musicians, many of whom bring a wealth of experience as past and present participants in other civic, religious and professional choirs and instrumental groups. PCS has performed throughout the region for years, with additional notable performances in New York City and Atlantic City. Recently, the PSC joined the New York Choral Society, Uncle Yao's Chorus and the Zhi Yin Chorus for a performance of the Yellow River Cantata at the Lincoln Center, Avery Fisher Hall.

clip_image002[7]“This is a great way to start your holidays with the glorious sounds of music,” said Pocono Choral friend Ellen Griffith. The PCS performance in December will be part of Centenary’s “’Tis the Season” celebration, featuring holiday activities throughout the day, beginning with the arrival of  “St. Nicholas” at 3  PM and culminating in the “Grand Illumination” of the college’s Christmas tree at day’s end. “’Tis the Season” is an almost magical day at Centenary and in Hackettstown, and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the holiday,” said CSC Manager, Catherine Rust.

A CROSS-CULTURAL MUSICAL CELEBRATION FOR FAMILIES: KIDS GO FREE!

Holiday Jubilee Show Poster

PREMIERE STAGES PRESENTS BROADWAY PRODUCERS SYMPOSIUM

Premiere Stages, the professional Equity theater at Kean University, is excited to kick off the 2010/2011 Premiere Artists Series with a panel featuring New York Commercial Producers Pat Addiss, Larry Hirschhorn and Carol Ostrow.
WHEN: Monday, November 29, at 3:15 PMWHERE: University Center Little Theatre, 1000 Morris Avenue, Union, NJ.
FREE
Premiere Stages invites the public to attend this candid conversation about producing as a profession, the state of commercial theater and the challenges of producing during a recession.
The panelists’ collective experience encompasses a wide range of projects. Pat Addiss is a Broadway producer whose credits include the current Promises, Promises revival, The 39 Steps and Chita Rivera: The Dancer’s Life among others. Larry Hirschhorn is the founding artistic director of Off-Broadway’s The Melting Pot Theatre Company and is a current producer on the Tony-Nominated Adams Family and the revival of Driving Miss Daisy starring James Earl Jones and Vanessa Redgrave. Carol Ostrow is an actress/dancer/ choreographer and producer of both theater and film. Her recent credits include 32 Degrees Latitude, The Israeli-American Variety Show on the New York Cable Network, I Am Anne Frank for the Anti-Defamation League starring Andrea Marcovicci at Town Hall, and Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill at the Triad Theatre.

The Premiere Artists Series is offered in collaboration with Kean University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts and brings world-class theatre professionals to the Kean campus to engage students and the community in uniquely tailored master classes, lectures, residency programs and Q & A sessions. These events provide excellent networking opportunities for students and often lead to internships, assistantships, and employment in the field.

THANKSGIVING FUN FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY

The Newark MuseumInstead of haunting those Black Friday “sales,” that jewel box of a museum, the Newark Museum, has some dynamite activities planned for the entire family to celebrate Thanksgiving—with the arts:

 Thanksgiving Family Festival: Design It!
WHEN: Friday, November 26, 12:30–4:30 PM
WHERE:
Newark Museum, 49 Washington Street, Newark
FREE with Suggested Museum Admission

Through hands-on activities explore the building blocks of design, find out how things are made and invent something new!  Enjoy Family Fun Tours of all the Museum's collections.

Explore four fields of design using four different design methods:

Furniture Design
Design Challenge: Design a new piece of furniture, such as a table, chair, or bed.
Design Method: Use-centered design—what will your piece of furniture be used for?

Architecture Design
Design Challenge: Draw an architectural plan for a new building of your choice: a house, a school, or even an airport.
Design Method: User-centered design—what will the people who live or work in your building need?

Industrial Design
Design Challenge: Invent a new object for people to use, such as a light, a fork, or a teacup.
Design Method: There is more than one way to use it design—how can your object be used in more than one way?

Graphic Design
Design Challenge: Design a new logo for the Newark Museum.
Design Method: Keep it simple—how can you make your logo simple and effective

Gallery Game: Exhibition Design
Using magnetic pictures of objects in the Gustav Stickley exhibition, design the gallery the way you wish to see it!

“CHARLOTTE’S WEB” ONSTAGE @ TWO RIVER THEATER COMPANY IN DECEMBER: A BLACK FRIDAY BARGAIN!

You grew up with it. Your kids love it. Now see it brought spectacularly and imaginatively to life onstage. With adults, kids and puppets, too! Celebrate the true meaning of friendship and family with Charlotte the spider, Wilbur the pig and all the humans and animals on the Zuckerman farm. From the director of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, this is perfect holiday experience to share with your whole family

CHARLOTTE'S WEB
Adapted from the book by E.B.White
By Joseph Robinette
Directed by Matt Pfeiffer

Performances begin December 7, 2010

BLACK FRIDAY SALE!  30% OFF
tickets to the following Charlotte's Web 7pm performances:
Friday, December 10
Friday, December 17
Saturday, December 18
USE COUPON CODE: BLACKFRIDAY

Sale begins at 12:01 AM on Friday, November 26, and ends at 11:59 PM on Sunday, November 28.
Subject to availability. Not to be used on prior purchases. Cannot be combined with other offers.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

A WORD TO MY READERS

Dear Readers,

I am thrilled that you have been reading and reacting to my reviews of local theaters. Please remember that a review is an opinion, one you might not agree with but one that is valid nevertheless.

I have been reviewing local theater—professional and community—for the last 15 years and have seen lots of hits and flops. I try to call them as I see them, offering constructive criticism in place of nastiness.

Recently, the Livingston Community Theater's production of A Chorus Line engendered several comments, positive and negative. I do not intend to get into a spitting contest over whose opinion is better. I stand by my original review. I was very impressed by the ability of a community theater (which, by definition, doesn't have professional actors coming out to audition) to put on such a difficult play. I think they did a very good job. If you don't like community theater, don't go, but there is no need to trash their efforts, as some of the comments did.

Anyway, please keep reading my reviews and don't hesitate to disagree with me; just keep it civil, puleeeze! And if you go to see a show or event on my recommendation, please tell the person on the telephone that you heard about them from the NJ Arts Maven!

Thanks,
Ruth Ross

REVIEW: SIX DANCE LESSONS IN SIX WEEKS @ CHESTER THEATRE GROUP

In an age when hip hop, break dancing, crumping and dance as sport are popular on television, it is lovely to watch couples twirl around the floor in the Viennese Waltz, the Jive/Swing, the Cha Cha and the Passe Doble. Ballroom dancing used to be a six-minute date, a brief encounter when two strangers could hold each other close, engage in an albeit shallow conversation or a flirtation and maybe strike up a romance. Certainly, it was a chance to be connected to a person of the opposite sex for however short a time.

Tango It is that impetus that leads lonely Florida retiree Lily Harrison to engage dance teacher Michael Minnetti for Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks, which is the name of a rather predictable comedy by Richard Alfieri now onstage in a production by the Chester Theatre Group at the Black River Playhouse in Chester through December 5.

That Lily (and Michael, for that matter) will learn more than just dance steps is a foregone conclusion from their near-disastrous very first meeting, for as these two mismatched individuals get to know each other more intimately over the six weeks, they both learn some important life lessons that will serve them well, no matter the differences in their ages. (Left: Eileen Waite as Lily and Matt Cotton as Michael dance the tango.)

What saves Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks from being humdrum are the two actors who play Lily and Michael and who get to speak some pretty funny dialogue, especially in the first act. Eileen Waite is the epitome of old lady moral rectitude; her primness fits her like a glove, and her reproving, tight mouth says, “Don’t try to put one over on me.” It’s great fun to watch this lonely character let her hair down lesson by lesson, shucking her preconceived notions as a Southern Baptist preacher’s wife and using language that would never have passed her lips before. It’s a lovely and bittersweet transformation that takes place before our eyes.

Waltz 3 Equally as fine is Matt Cotton as the angry, profane, middle-aged gay Michael Minnetti, late of the chorus line on Broadway and reduced to giving lessons to condo-dwelling ladies of a certain age for a living. He’s lonely too, having endured a spate of unfortunate and disastrous relationships and caring for his mother in the final stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Cotton is really quite light on his feet and just as nimble at teasing the truth out of Lily, whether or not she wants to give up her secrets. They make quite a couple, these two: she so buttoned up she can barely breathe, he so open that there’s almost nothing he won’t say. (Michael and Lily dance the Viennese Waltz.)

Saturday, November 20, 2010

KEAN STAGE PRESENTS THE NEW JERSEY DANCE THEATRE ENSEMBLE’S “NUTCRACKER”

See this holiday classic come to life for three performances only.

nutcracker KEAN 1 WHEN:  December 4, at 2 and 7 PM and December 5, at 2 PM
WHERE: Kean University’s Wilkins Theatre, Morris Avenue, Union
TICKETS: $30 and $20 and are available by calling 908.737.SHOW (7469), and online at www.keanstage.com. Groups rates are available by calling the Box Office.

Your holiday spirits will soar when you experience NJDTE’s family classic The Nutcracker. Artistic Director Nancy Turano gathers a cast of 50 ensemble dancers and a roster of renowned guest artists for this colorful and captivating production for all ages.

See why the Courier News calls NJDTE our state’s “best kept cultural secret.”

REVIEW: “[TITLE OF SHOW]” @ GEORGE STREET PLAYHOUSE

I’m a sucker for plays about the theater. As a fan, I love the references to other plays and productions, not to mention the inside jokes often included in the script. And if the self-referencing play is a musical comedy, so much the better! You’ve probably guessed that I really liked [title of show], now onstage in a charming production at George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick.

[Title Of Show]
Music and Lyrics by Jeff Bowen
Book by Hunter Bell
Directed by Matt Lenz
George Street Playhouse  11/16-12/12/10
Set Design by R. Michael Miller
Costume Design by Michael McDonald
Lighting Design by Philip Rosenberg
Projection Design by Michael Clark

© T Charles Erickson
photoshelter.com/c/tcharleserickson
tcepix@comcast.net [title of show] involves Jeffrey, a composer, and Hunter, a writer, who decide to write a “play about two guys writing a play about two guys writing a play” for submission to the New York Musical Theater Festival (a real, honest-to-God NYC festival held in September) only three weeks away. Four actors, four chairs and one accompanist is all that it takes to put on this show, but the play’s gestation lasts much longer and is quite difficult. Foremost is the duo’s decision to write an “original” musical, difficult to do because they do not have a film, play or novel upon which to base their efforts. And although the show runs just 100 minutes, the time covered from suggestion to Broadway production covers more than a year of writing, rewriting, facing the demons (here called “vampires”) that stand in the way of success, changing details to attract a wider audience—all the while remaining collaborators and friends.

To help write and perform in [title of show], Hunter and Jeffrey recruit two female friends/actors: Susan, a former actor turned “corporate whore” office manager to pay the rent, and Heidi, an actress whose auditions have only landed her roles in the chorus/ensemble or as second understudy to the understudy. The fact that Jeff and Hunter have never penned a show before doesn’t help matters much either.
[Title Of Show]
Music and Lyrics by Jeff Bowen
Book by Hunter Bell
Directed by Matt Lenz
George Street Playhouse  11/16-12/12/10
Set Design by R. Michael Miller
Costume Design by Michael McDonald
Lighting Design by Philip Rosenberg
Projection Design by Michael Clark

© T Charles Erickson
photoshelter.com/c/tcharleserickson
tcepix@comcast.net
With music and lyrics by Jeff Bowen and book by Hunter Bell (yes, the two guys portrayed onstage), [title of show] addresses the creative process: how to write with a pencil on a blank paper when your computer has died (right, Rudetsky and Maynard); the source of one’s inspiration; whether to include a dream sequence so popular in classic musicals; how to fight those thoughts or persons who sabotage your dreams; and how to make the resulting product more palatable for group sales or the little old ladies who come to matinees. All of it delivered with great humor and a bit of self-deprecation. And Matt Lenz’s direction is never fussy—or even evident—so smoothly does one scene flow into another. He’s come up  with some nifty and agile choreography too.

Friday, November 19, 2010

1-MAN MUSICAL IS LUNA’S 2nd PRODUCTION IN NEW SPACE

Logo

...AND THEN I WROTE A SONG ABOUT IT
By Eric H. Weinberger
Music by Daniel S. Acquisto
Lyrics by Sammy Buck
Directed by Igor Goldin

A one-man musical whirlwind, starring NIck Cearley. Original photo by Steven Lawler.<br />WHEN: Preview November 26, Opens November 27 – December 19, Thursdays at 7:30 PM, Fridays & Saturdays at 8:00 PM, Sundays at 2:00 PM;(Thanksgiving week: Weds 7:30 PM; Fri and Sat 8pm; Sun 2 PM).
TICKETS: Preview $20, Thursdays/Fridays/Sundays $25, Saturdays $30
WHERE:  Luna Stage, 555 Valley Road, West Orange
Call 973-395-5551 or visit www.lunastage.org for further information and reservations.
Luna Stage is wheelchair accessible.

Set to the rhythm of the disco era and beyond, this earnest yet uproarious musical breaks new ground with its tour-de-force cast of one. Follow the adventures of a perspiring actor-singer-songwriter-dancer-secretary as he searches for love and fame in the early 1980s. Starring Nick Cearley. (Original photo by Steven Lawler)

Set Design, Robert Monaco; Lighting Design, Jill Nagle; Costume Design,Hunter Kaczorowski; Production Manager, Liz Cesario; Stage Manager, Amy Francis Schott.

INTRODUCE YOUR KIDS TO THEATER @ THE KAPLEN JCC

An exciting introduction to live theater for children 3 years and older. Held in the Taub Auditorium or the Eric Brown Theater.

Pushcart Players Presents …

Happily Ever After

This brand-new musical is a delightful re-telling of the fairy tale that never grows old, Cinderella, a classic transformation story of goodness, courage and dreams coming true. Here justice triumphs over greedy bullies and we really do have Happily Ever After.

The delightful score is by Larry Hochman, winner of 4 Emmys as lead composer of Nickelodeons’s Wonderpets, and Tony nominations for Spamalot, Fiddler and A Class Act.

WHEN: Sunday, November 21, 2–3 PM
WHERE: Kaplen JCC on the Palisades, 411 East Clinton Avenue, Tenafly
TICKETS:
$10
For more information, or to register, please call 201.408.1493.

A GENERATION NEXT THEATER PARTY SLATED

Another Generation Next event for young professionals, this time at the George Street Playhouse:

George Street Logo

[title of show]

With Lauren Kennedy, Tyler Maynard, Susan Mosher and Seth Rudetsky

WHEN: December 3,  8 PM
WHERE:
George Street Playhouse, New Brunswick

Title of ShowA musical comedy for anyone who has followed a dream. When two struggling writers make a commitment to write something new in three weeks, they quickly find that writing a comedy about the process of writing was more interesting than anything else they could write! A show about four friends taking risks, creating art, killing Vampires (the dream-destroying kind, not the Dracula kind)—and how relationships change when life happens.

"Delectable Entertainment" —The New York Times

After the show, take part in George Street Playhouse's second annual GenNEXT Karaoke After-Party, featuring fabulous prizes, a Q&A with personalities from the production, and of course—a karaoke showdown.

  • Performance begins at 8 PM.
  • After-Party begins at approximately 9:30 PM.

1-HOUR NUTCRACKER JUST THE TICKET FOR THE KIDS

December brings The Nutcracker ballet to SOPAC:

WHERE: South Orange Performing Arts Center, One SOPAC Way, South Orange, NJ
For more details on the upcoming season, including a complete schedule and ticket information, visit SOPACnow.org, or contact the SOPAC Box Office at 973.313.2787 (ARTS)

The Nutcracker (Dance, Family)
New York Theatre Ballet
WHEN: Fri, Dec 3 at 7 PM; Sat, Dec 4 at 4 PM & 7 PM
TICKETS
: $42, $32
The New York Theatre Ballet company, founded by artistic director Diana Byer in 1978, has a long tradition of talent and excellence, presenting classical ballet to a wider audience outside of New York. At SOPAC, they return to present two performances of the holiday classic The Nutcracker, choreographed by Keith Michael and set to the famed original score by Tchaikovsky.

This version of The Nutcracker is the first of the New York Theatre Ballet’s one-hour performances, which began in the 1980s with the goal of bringing classical ballet to the family audience. This presentation is the only hour-long professional production of The Nutcracker in the New York metropolitan area, making it a must-see for fans of the work and classical ballet. The dancers bring warmth and sincerity to the performance of a holiday classic that is suitable for the entire family.

For the 7 PM performances of The Nutcracker, the New York Theatre Ballet will also perform two revivals following the holiday classic. Merce Cunningham’s Septet—a traditional ballet choreographed before Cunningham embarked upon more modern techniques—and Antony Tudor’s Soiree Musicale.

Called a “rarity” in the Cunningham canon, Septet is set to music (Trois Morceaux en Forme de Poire) by Erik Satie. The performance of Septet has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Arts as part of the American Masterpieces: Three Centuries of Artistic Genius.

AN AFFORDABLE, FAMILY-FRIENDLY NUTCRACKER

For the last 5 Christmas Seasons, Roseland Performing Arts Company’s annual production of The Nutcracker story has been a popular Christmastime event. The most affordable Nutcracker in the area, RPAC’s show is known for its colorful scenery, professional costuming, detailed choreography and riveting dancing. RPAC is a seasonal favorite for families and organizations. Grandparents are also repeat patrons, introducing their grandchildren to the arts in a child-suitable setting. This two-act classical ballet will feature students of Roseland Performing Arts Academy (West Caldwell) and two additional professional dancers, including world-renowned ballet dancer Tanner Schwartz (Milwaukee Ballet) as Cavalier and Jessica Lavorgna (Roseland PAC director) as Sugar Plum.

image
The Nutcracker WHEN: Saturday & Sunday, December 4 & 5,  2:00 PMWHERE: West Essex Regional High School, 65 West Greenbrook Road
North Caldwell
TICKETS: $15 in advance and $20 at the door.
Organization Group Discount Rates of $10 for groups of 10 or more.
Contact Jessica Lavorgna to reserve tickets at 201.444.6210 or e-mail jessica@roselandpac.com Tickets can also be purchased at Everything Dance 246 Bloomfield Ave., Caldwell, 973.618.9911
For more information about Roseland Performing Arts Company & Academy
please visit http://www.roselandperformingartsacademy.com/

Press Release Photo
In this photo from the 2009 production are Sophia Wenzke (North Caldwell), Junichi Fukuda (professional dancer), Rachel Hamburger (Roseland) and Lindsey Patterson (Caldwell).  Photo credit: Michele Luciano (West Caldwell)

A RUSSIAN NUTCRACKER FOR THE HOLIDAYS @ RVCC!

RUSSIAN NutcrackerRVCC

Great Russian Nutcracker
with the
Moscow Ballet
WHEN: Friday, December 10, at 4 & 8 PM
WHERE:
The Theatre at Raritan Valley Community College, 18 Lamington Road, Branchburg
Box Office: M-F, 11-4, 908.725.3420
TICKETS: $40 & $45

Nutcracker RVCC2 Stunning principal dancers, spectacular scenic design, sumptuous costumes, and the exquisite artistry of 40 top Russian artists have made the Great Russian Nutcracker an American holiday tradition not to be missed. Critically acclaimed for its unique setting of Act II in the Land of Peace and Harmony, the Great Russian Nutcracker entertains all with new characters and larger-than-life puppets that are set against a stunning backdrop of unicorns, exotic birds and  NutcrackerRVCC3animals. An ethereal Dove, a messenger of peace, leads Masha and her Nutcracker Prince to the peaceful kingdom. Beloved Russian fairytale characters, Father Christmas and his granddaughter the Snow Maiden, add to the whimsical and imaginative storytelling that sets this Nutcracker apart. Again this year, the children's roles will be taken by the students of Gotta Dance.

Expressive and a delight to watch...
WASHINGTON POST

Whimsical...charming...vibrant...classical style…
NEW YORK TIMES

The technical clarity, bravura and partnering were the ultimate examples of Russian mastery of the classical ballet art form... the most exquisite partnering work to be seen anytime, anywhere.
RAPID CITY JOURNAL

Thursday, November 18, 2010

DECEMBER DOINGS @ THE STATE THEATRE, FROM ROCK TO BALLET TO CLASSICAL MUSIC—A VERITABLE FEAST!

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The State Theatre in New Brunswick has scheduled a raft of shows for December, many of them holiday-themed and several featuring BIG NAMES.
WHERE: State Theatre, 11 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
TICKETS: call 732.246.SHOW or www.StateTheatreNJ.org

DSC_6743 ABBA MANIA
Thu, December 2, 2010, at 8 PM
ABBA’s timeless songs were written to be enjoyed live and ABBA MANIA gives you exactly that—2 hours of uplifting, dance inducing, and sometimes heart-breaking songs, fully live with fantastic staging, lighting, and effects.

Enjoy all of your favorites including: “Mamma Mia,” “Voulez Vous,” “Dancing Queen,” “Winner Takes It All,” “Super Trouper,” and many more. Dig out those platforms, dust off those flares and thank ABBA for the music.
Tickets: $22-57

Diablo Cirque Dreams Holidaze
Fri, December 3, 2010, at 8 PM
Sat, December 4, 2010, at 2 & 8 PM
Sun, December 5, 2010, at 2 & 7 PM
“A Jaw Dropping Winter Wonderland” —Atlantic City Weekly. This show has sold out across the nation—now’s your chance to experience it with your entire family.

Lyra Ornaments come to life when Cirque Dreams Holidaze costumed characters perform astonishing feats that celebrate the holiday season with spectacle, imagination and whimsical dreams. Marvel at gingerbread men flipping through the air, toy soldiers skillfully marching on thin wires, snowmen daringly balancing, icemen sculpting powerfully, penguins spinning, puppets caroling and reindeer soaring high above a landscape of holiday wonderment. An original musical score with some holiday favorites combined with dazzling costumes and a sparkling stage set makes Cirque Dreams Holidaze the perfect gift of entertainment for the entire family.  
Tickets: $32-57

Linda Eder Linda Eder – The Holiday Show
Fri, December 10, 2010, at 8 PM
Linda Eder returns to the State Theatre for an unforgettable concert of popular standards and holiday favorites!

From her appearances on TV’s Star Search to her portrayal of the leading role, Lucy, in Broadway’s Jekyll and Hyde, Eder has proven that she is one of the greatest contemporary solo voices of our time. She has captivated audiences across the country with a versatile style and repertoire that covers standards, Broadway, jazz, pop and country. With nine solo albums and five cast recordings to her credit, Eder continues to expand her range, currently finishing work on her 10th and most ambitious album to date.
Tickets: $32-57

Ivers1(c)LukeRatray Eileen Ivers: An Nollaig – An Irish Christmas
Sat, December 11, 2010, at 8 PM
Nine-time all-Ireland fiddle champion, best known as the fiery violinist in the original Riverdance, Ivers has established herself as the world’s pre-eminent artist of the Irish fiddle. Backed by her brilliantly versatile band (bass, percussion, harmonica, accordion), Ivers captures the spirit and magic of the season in a heartwarming holiday show with songs like “Oh Holy Night,” “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” “Deck the Halls,” “Do You Hear What I Hear” and more. Not to mention, it wouldn’t be Christmas without a few surprises! “[Ivers is] the Jimi Hendrix of the violin,” says The New York Times.
Tickets: $32-52

Mazowsze3 The Magnificent MAZOWSZE!
A Special Warsaw Christmas featuring festive Polish carols and dances
Sun, December 12, 2010, at 3 & 7 PM

This sell-out sensation is back by popular demand! Since 1948, MAZOWSZE has embodied the spirit and soul of Poland’s national dances, songs, and traditions. Featuring festive Polish carols and dances, MAZOWSZE is an early holiday season treat the whole family will enjoy. More than 100 MAZOWSZE dancers, singers, and musicians will fill your senses with a thrilling kaleidoscopic display of dazzling movement, vibrant color, and stunning beauty.
Tickets: $32-57

8482_Credit-George_Jones American Repertory Ballet’s The Nutcracker
Sat, December 18, 2010, at 1 & 4:30 PM
Sun, December 19, 2010, at 1 & 4:30 PM

American Repertory Ballet brings the perennial classic to the stage with Tchaikovsky’s magnificent score performed with a live orchestra, new and traditional choreography, and a cast of over 100 performers. Whether it’s your first time or part of an annual tradition, The Nutcracker is a perfect holiday treat for your entire family. Directed by Company Director Douglas Martin, ARB’s professional company will be joined by students from Princeton Ballet School to tell the story of a young girl and how a mysterious gift brings about enchanted dreams and fantastical scenes. Witness this show in its classic Victorian style—a celebration of ARB’s 47th annual presentation of The Nutcracker. (Photo: George Jones)
Tickets: $32-57

STV2010 New Image cropped Salute to Vienna
New Year’s Concert 2011

Fri, December 31, 2010, at 6 PM
Featuring The Strauss Symphony of America
Klaus Arp, conductor (Vienna); Katarzyna Dondalska, soprano (Warsaw); Dániel Vadász, tenor (Budapest); And dancers from Kiev-Aniko Ballet of Ukraine
Inspired by Vienna’s world-famous Neujahrskonzert (New Year’s Concert), this holiday tradition brings the same splendor, charm and beauty to the State Theatre once again. A brilliant new cast of over 75 musicians, European singers and dancers inspire and delight with popular Strauss waltzes, polkas and operetta excerpts. Music that goes down like a glass of champagne! Fall in love with the sounds of Vienna’s “Waltz King” in an unforgettable and uplifting New Year’s celebration!
Tickets: $47-97