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Monday, January 31, 2011

ACOUSTICAL MUSIC ONSTAGE @ SOPAC

clip_image001DUO: Richard Marx & Matt Scannell

WHEN: Friday, February 11, at 8 PM
WHERE: 
South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC), One SOPAC Way, South Orange
TICKETS: $65, $55, $40. Call 973.313.ARTS or visit http://www.SOPACnow.org

Grammy Award-winner Richard Marx and Vertical Horizon’s front man Matt Scannell perform an acoustic evening of classic hits. Richard Marx sold over 30 million albums and had thirteen #1 songs, including "Endless Summer Nights," “Right Here Waiting" and “Now and Forever.”

Aside from his own hit songs, Marx wrote "This I Promise You" by NSYNC and co-wrote "Dance with My Father" by Luther Vandross. Marx will be joined on stage by Matt Scannell of Vertical Horizon (“Everything You Want,” “Best I Ever Had”).

KEAN UNIVERSITY SUMMER CAMPS 2011

Still looking for something for your kid to do over the summer that will be related to the arts? Well, Kean University (Union, NJ) announces the Summer Camps 2011 program, which has something for everyone ages 6 through 18. University departments and community organizations are offering a variety of camp sessions during July and August. Camp sessions are one or two weeks in duration and campus housing is offered for some areas of study.

  • premiere 3Premiere Stages provides workshops in acting, play development, movement and speech for middle and high school students. Premiere is the professional theatre company in its seventh year in residence at Kean, with original pro-ductions that have included perform-ances by Emmy Award winner Kim Zimmer and film / television actor Lorenzo Lamas.
  • Liberty Hall Museum at Kean University is home of New Jersey’s first elected governor and signer of the Constitution, William Livingston. Built in 1772, on the eve of the American Revolution, Liberty Hall has been a silent witness to more than 200 years of American history. The museum’s summer camp takes 7-to-13 year olds on a time travelling experience, learning history through activities, crafts and exhibitions.
  • The College of Visual and Performing Arts / Robert Busch School of Design hosts the Thinking Creatively Design Camp, in which aspiring artists in high school experience the cross-discipline categories of advertising, promotional, industrial, interactive and interior design. The design school provides students the best possible career-oriented education, including the development of a high quality portfolio that is competitive with the finest schools of art and design nationwide.
  • The Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company’s camp explores modern dance for teens and adults – beginners through advanced. Now in its 28th season, the company has been hailed for its elegance and power, its technical ability, versatility, and inner fire. The company presents new and repertory works by Ms. Dorfman and nationally known choreographers, regularly commissions original scores, and forges artistic collaborations.
  • The American String Teachers Association, founded more than 60 years ago, is a membership organization for string and orchestra teachers and players, helping them to develop and refine their careers. Their summer camp at Kean University provides student chamber music players from eighth grade to college freshman the opportunity to develop performance skills with top performers and instructors in one week residential sessions. Room and board are included as part of the camp.
  • Eldridge Overton School of Excellence offers a selection of camps for 6-to-12 year olds in science, communications, literature and mathematics. Eldridge provides comprehensive, outcome based programs that foster the development of academic and social skills in young children to equip them in achieving their full potential.  They provide individualized programs that address unique learning styles, cultivate independent thought, promote the realization of age-appropriate milestones and build self-esteem and character.

Further information on the Kean University Summer Camps 2011, including individual enrollment procedures for each camp, can be found by visiting the university website at www.kean.edu/summercamps.

LOVE IS IN THE AIR @ LIBERTY HALL MUSEUM IN UNION

CELEBRATE VALENTINE’S DAY

Liberty Hall Museum at Kean University celebrates Valentine’s Day with a series of special events throughout the month of February. Visitors can enjoy seasonal activities and take in the museum’s impressive collection of artifacts in the historic Victorian mansion of New Jersey’s first elected governor, William Livingston.

Valentines Tea 2010 007On Wednesday, February 9 from 2–4 PM, Liberty Hall hosts its Sweetheart-Valentine’s Afternoon Tea. The afternoon teas are a monthly tradition at the museum, and each is offered with a different timely theme.

“It’s the perfect place to sip tea, lunch on finger sandwiches and enjoy desserts while gazing at the formal English garden—beautiful even in the snow—from the comfort of our glass-enclosed porch,” says William Schroh, director of museum operations. A tour of Liberty Hall will follow the tasty repast, and is included in the program fee of $35 per person.

Will You Be Mine? is a crafts workshop especially designed for children and their families on Saturday, February 12 from 10 AM to 1 PM. Recommended for 7 to 12 year olds, participants are guided in designing and constructing their own old-fashioned Valentine’s craft.

“That special someone will love the hand-made gift the children make at our ‘Hearts and Crafts’ workshop,” added Schroh. The fee for the workshop is $10 per child, and all workshop materials are included.

A special Valentine’s Day menu, a historic couples fashion show and a presentation about the history and traditions of Valentine’s Day are the highlights of Liberty Hall’s Annual Valentine’s Day Afternoon Tea. The event takes place on Sunday, February 13, from noon to 3 PM; the cost is $55.00 per couple.

Reservations are required for all these programs, and can be made by calling Liberty Hall Museum at 908.527.0400.

NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC MUSIC DIRECTOR ALAN GILBERT LEADS THURNAUER SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AT bergenPAC

kaplen jcc logo

clip_image002[12]GIFT OF MUSIC BENEFIT GALA
WHEN:
Wednesday, February 9, at 7:30 PM
WHERE:
Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergenPAC), 30 N. Van Brunt Street Englewood
TICKETS: General admission tickets are available at the BergenPAC box office (Monday to Saturday, 11AM to 6 PM), online at www.bergenpac.org, or by telephone at 1.888.PACSHOW. Event sponsorships, also available, include patron seating, a meet-the-artist reception and additional benefits. Sponsor inquiries should be made through the Thurnauer School, at 201.408.1462 or thurnauer@jccotp.org .

NYP20070208-148 GilbertWhen Alan Gilbert, music director of the New York Philharmonic, mounts the podium, he will not be leading his acclaimed orchestra. Instead, Mr. Gilbert will lend his time and talent to provide a remarkable opportunity for the young musicians of the JCC Thurnauer School of Music.

Mr. Gilbert will be joined by Philharmonic concertmaster Glenn Dicterow, who will be guest soloist with the Orchestra. Rounding out the evening, additional musicians from the New York Philharmonic, including Mr. Gilbert on viola, will perform chamber music by Beethoven, Andres and Mendelssohn.

PROGRAM

Chamber Music

  • Beethoven Piano Trio No. 4, Op. 11
  • Andres Chants d'arriere-saison for Bassoon and Harp
  • Mendelssohn Octet (Allegro moderato ma con fuoco)

Orchestral Selections

  • Mozart Divertimento, K. 137, in Bb
  • Williams Theme from Schindler's List (Mr. Dicterow may be heard on the film’s soundtrack.)

Sunday, January 30, 2011

AN EPISTOLARY DRAMA @ CHESTER THEATRE GROUP

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LOVE LETTERS
By A. R. Gurney

WHEN: Friday and Saturday, February 11 and 12, at 8 PM (2 performances ONLY)
WHERE:
Chester Theatre Group, Black River Playhouse, corner of Maple and Grove Streets, Chester
TICKETS: $10; Reservations recommended.
908.879.7304
More info at www.chestertheatregroup.org.

The Pulitzer Prize-nominated play,  follows the "near misses" of a relationship through a lifetime of letters between a man and a woman, will feature Pat Sheffield (Montague) and Robert Sackstein (Chester), both CTG veterans. Their friendship unfolds from what is written—and what is left unwritten—in 50 years of letters, from summer camps and boarding schools through college, war, career and relationships.

The review in TIME of the Broadway production called the play "an exquisite jewel of a play....one of the four or five best American plays of the 80's."

Love Letters was first produced at the Long Wharf Theatre in 1988. It has over the years starred such luminaries as John Rubenstein, Stockard Channing, Kathleen Turner, Christopher Walken, Swoosie Kurtz, Richard Thomas, Elaine Stritch, Cliff Robertson, Colleen Dewhurst, Jason Robards, Robert Wagner and many others.

“STOMP” STOMPS INTO THE STATE THEATRE WITH NEW SURPRISES!

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STOMP
Directed and created by Luke Cresswell &
Steve McNicholas

Bring canned food in support of Elijah’s Promise and STOMP OUT HUNGER

WHEN: Friday, February 11, 8 PM; Saturday, February 12,  3 PM &  8 PM
WHERE: State Theatre, 15 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick
TICKETS: $67, $57, $52, $42, $32
Ticket Office: 732.246.SHOW (7469)
Online www.StateTheatreNJ.org

State Theatre presents STOMP, the international percussion sensationFrom its beginnings as a street performance in the UK, STOMP has grown into an international sensation over the past 13 years, having performed in over 350 cities in 36 countries worldwide. STOMP is part of the State Theatre’s winter festival, Hub City Carnivale, three weeks of performances, activities, and attractions for all ages. Prior to each STOMP performance there will be a FREE chocolate tasting in the State Theatre lobbies, courtesy of Thomas Sweet in New Brunswick (with purchase of STOMP ticket).

WATCH STOMP HERE!

“We’re making STOMP very affordable for all audiences this February. So share this exhilarating show with your whole family!” states Daniel Grossman, Vice President of Marketing at the State Theatre. “Just mention STOMP7 when you call for tickets and you’ll save $7 per ticket. That means Broadway quality close to home for as little as $25 per ticket, or $60 for the best seat in the hall. What a deal!”

STOMP OUT HUNGER! State Theatre in partnership with Elijah's Promise will hold a food drive during the performances of STOMP to benefit the Elijah's Promise Food Pantry in New Brunswick. People can help by bringing in non-perishable food items such as: canned fruits and vegetables, tuna, pastas, rice, and beans when they come to see STOMP. Those who cannot make the show can still drop off food items at the Ticket Office from February 11-13 during office hours.

AUDITIONS: 3 ACTORS NEEDED FOR CSC APRIL PRODUCTION

More auditions out in Hackettstown at Centenary Stage Company:csc logoCentenary Stage Company is holding open auditions for Equity and Non- Equity performers for 

HOW TO PRAY 
By Michelle Carter
Directed by Margo Whitcomb

WHEN: Tuesday,  February 15, from 11 AM–7 PM
WHERE:
The CSC Theatre in Hackettstown

In How to Pray,  which won  the 2010 CSC Susan Glaspell Award for best new play, Faith agrees to be a surrogate for her brother and his wife, then finds herself facing more complications than she bargained for. With only a boyfriend she met on “casual-encounters.com” and a surly cat, she finds herself turning to her relentlessly optimistic dog for advice on how to view the world.       

Carter is a PEN USA Award winning writer whose work has been seen at NY’s Abingdon Theatre, San Francisco’s Magic Theatre and the Mark Taper Forum’s New Work Festival. 

Rehearsals will begin in early March  & the production runs April 1–17, 2011.

CAST:

  • ONE FEMALE ACTOR, 33 to 40, plays FAITH.
  • 1st MALE ACTOR, a bit older than FAITH, plays: FAITH'S LOVER, FRANK, FAITH'S BROTHER,  MAN AT DOG PARK, CLERGYMAN
  • 2nd MALE ACTOR plays:  JUDI (Faith's big-hearted transgender friend), ALEXIS, & voice of CAT, KID, DOG. Should be able to SING.

Additional information may be found at www.centenarystageco.org.  Resumes may also  be sent to the theatre or faxed 908.979.4297.  For more information, contact  908.979.0900.

Friday, January 28, 2011

NEXT WEEKEND ONLY: ORIGINAL SHOW @ BARN THEATRE

Ghost Light
Conceived & Directed by Jay Mills
Musical Direction by Regan Ryzuk

3 SHOWS ONLY!

  • Friday, Feb. 4, at 8 PM
  • Saturday, Feb. 5, at 8 PM
  • Sunday, Feb. 6, at 2 PM

WHERE: The Barn Theatre is located at 32 Skyline Drive in Montville, NJ, just minutes off Route 287, Exit 47.  Click here for map/directions

The spirit of Vaudeville is alive at The Barn for this tribute to the stage legends of yesteryear. Featuring music by The Regan Ryzuk Trio, and a bevy of bawdy beauties, Ghost Light brings to life singing, dancing, and comedy from a place where great entertainers never die!

See performances by Jimmy Durante (Grover Kemble), Fanny Brice (Lauren M. Grof-Tisza), Bill “Bojangles” Robinson (Jeff Foote), Ethel Merman (Mary Ryzuk), George M. Cohan (Brian James Grace), Sophie Tucker (Grayce Coviello), Ray Bolger (Mark Dacey), Isadora Duncan (Desirée Caro), Bobby Darin (Matt Cotton) Lena Horne (Carmen Hammel), Enrico Caruso (John Hammel), Charlie Dale (Hank Gundersen), Vesta Victoria (Ruth Morley) and The Great Blackstone (Michael Healy).

Buy your Tickets in Advance and Pay Only $8.00!

This offer is only valid for tickets purchased in person at our Concession Counter during the run of 'Art', Jan. 14 to 29, 2011. After Jan. 29, regular $10.00 tickets can be purchased at the box office on performance dates.

LAST CHANCE TO SEE ‘ART’ AT THE BARN THEATRE

FINAL WEEKEND

‘Art’ Makes an Indelible Impression

Only three performances remain of The Barn's gripping production of 'Art', written by Yasmina Reza, and directed by Lauren M. Grof-Tisza.

Winner of the 1998 Tony Award for Best Play, 'Art' centers on the relationships of Serge (Tom Morrissey), Marc (Chris Ricci), and Yvan (Michael Reddin) as they confront Serge’s latest art purchase, a “white” painting. As the longtime friends debate the merits of the piece, their differences in opinion provoke a critique that goes beyond the canvas. As their arguments become more personal, they border on destroying their friendships. The aftermath challenges the strength of those bonds and reveals the true cost of art.

'Art' closes January 29.
TICKETS: $15, ($14 for seniors/students on matinees only are still available for the three remaining performances. 'Art' contains language which may not be suitable for all audiences. For reservations call 973.334.9320, or e-mail boxoffice@barntheatre.org.

Above, from left: Chris Ricci and Tom Morrissey in 'Art'.
Inset: Michael Reddin (front) and Chris Ricci. (Photos: Joe Gigli)

WHERE: The Barn Theatre is located at 32 Skyline Drive in Montville, NJ, just minutes off Route 287, Exit 47.

Click here for map/directions

ONE-MAN SHOW OPENS @ THE KAPLEN JCC ON THE PALISADES IN FEBRUARY

After a long renovation, the Kaplen JCC has reopened its gallery space to feature talented local artists. Here’s what is scheduled for February:
Reality Enhanced: Paintings by David Zomick

RainOnFifthWHEN: February 1–24, 2011; An artist’s reception will take place on Sunday, February 4, 1–3 PM.  
WHERE: Kaplen JCC on the Palisades, 411 East Clinton Avenue, Tenafly201.408.1409

Reality Enhanced, an exhibit of acrylic paintings by award-winning artist David Zomick, will be on display at the Waltuch Gallery of the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades.

The title Reality Enhanced describes Zomick’s creative process. “My objective is to portray reality in a way that will make the painting more interesting than the reference reality. I may try to make a painting more beautiful by varying color or form, more mysterious by exaggerating the lights and darks, or more interesting optically by creating a balanced (or disconcerting) composition,” Zomick said.

Zomick, who had a long career with Honeywell International and holds a Ph.D. in theoretical physics and Master’s degrees in both Physics and Business Administration, feels that his education and career experience battle with his more creative side. This battle adds a special dimension to his work.

“My education as a physicist and my long career as an aerospace technologist would have me portray precisely what I see, with no embellishment or personal commentary. I need to constantly remind myself that my digital camera can do that more effectively than I can. When I look at a finished painting and conclude that ‘my camera could never do that,’ I am happy.”

Zomick’s work has received numerous awards in open juried competitions including New Jersey’s Annual Senior Juried Art Contest and Exhibition, Focus New Jersey, Celebrating Bergen County Diversity, etc. In 2008, Fairleigh Dickenson University invited him to present a month-long, one-man exhibit of his work in the university’s Wiener Library Gallery. David Zomick is a resident of Teaneck.

AUDITIONS: “BEYOND THERAPY” @ CHATHAM COMMUNITY PLAYERS

The Chatham Community Players will hold open auditions for
BEYOND THERAPY
By Christopher Durang
Directed by Lauren Moran Mills
The production runs May 6–21, 2011, at the Chatham Playhouse.

WHEN: Tuesday, February 15, at 7 PM at The Chatham Public Library, 214 Main Street, Chatham, and on Wednesday, February 16, at 7 PM at The Chatham Playhouse, 23 North Passaic Ave., Chatham.

The Director asks that actors be familiar with the script. Sides will be provided at the audition.

SYNOPSIS
The farcical comedy focuses on Prudence and Bruce, two Manhattanites who are seeking stable romantic relationships with the help of their psychiatrists, each of whom suggests the patient place a personal ad. Bruce is a highly emotional bisexual who tends to cry easily, a trait homophobic Prudence sees as a weakness. Their first meeting proves to be disastrous and the two report back to their respective therapists—libidinous Stuart, who once seduced Prudence, and eccentric Charlotte, who stumbles over the simplest of words, references the play Equus as a good source of advice and interacts with Bruce and all her patients with the help of a stuffed Snoopy. Clearly, the two are more troubled than their patients. Charlotte suggests a revised ad, which once again attracts Prudence, but this time she and Bruce manage to get past their initial loathing and discover they actually like each other. Complications ensue when Bruce's jealous live-in lover Bob decides to assert himself and do everything possible to maintain his status quo.

CHARACTER BREAKDOWN: (2 Women, 4 Men)

  • Bruce: Early–mid 30s. Freelance writer. Fairly pleasant-looking. Bisexual; living with his lover Bob, but also dating Prudence. Confused about what he wants from a relationship, but searching for someone who can bring stability to his life. Not afraid to cry, and is often rather emotional. Can be irrational and too impulsive for his own good. Lovable neurotic.
  • Prudence: Late 20s–early 30s. Writer for People magazine. Had an affair with her therapist Stuart, and is now dating Bruce. She is attractive, though might not know it. Lonely. Constantly seeking perfection out of life, especially in relationships, but never seems to find it. Game and optimistic, even if unlucky in love. Has a dry sense of humor.
  • Dr. Stuart Framingham: Late 30s–early 50s. Prudence’s therapist. Self-styled, lounge lizard-y, would-be womanizer. Very (perhaps hyper?) masculine, but also insecure and defensive about his sexual dysfunctions. Often a bully.
  • Bob: Early–mid 30s. Bruce’s lover. Pharmacist. Petulant and prone to drama. Comically skeptical of Bruce’s bisexuality, and confused and heartbroken by Bruce’s relationship with Prudence.
  • Andrew: 20s. Young, earnest waiter; eager to do a good job. Easily excitable.
  • Charlotte: Late 30s–early 50s. Bruce’s therapist. Bohemian attitude. Very forgetful. Strange relationship with her stuffed animals. Logical and to-the-point.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

AUDITIONS: 2-ACT MUSICAL REVUE LOOKING FOR SINGING ACTORS

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AUDITION NOTICE:

Maltby & Shire's Closer Than Ever
By David Maltby & Richard Shire
Directed by Susan Speidel
Musical Director Bill Houpt

WHEN: Friday, February 11, @ 7 PM & Saturday, February 12, @ 2 PM
Callbacks: Sunday, February 13 @ 2 PM
WHERE:
United Methodist Church of Summit, 17 Kent Place Blvd at DeForest Avenue, Summit

Performances: April 22 – May 7, 2011

This two-act musical revue features self-contained songs which deal with such diverse topics as security, aging, mid-life crisis, second marriages, working couples and unrequited love. Maltby and Shire based many of the songs on the real-life experiences of their friends!

WHO: 6 to 8 singing actors, ages 25 to 45. 
Prepare a musical theater song that demonstrates personality and presence, as well as vocal range and ability. An accompanist will be provided. Please bring legible sheet music in the appropriate key.

Auditions are open to all; no appointment is needed.

This show is being produced with permission of Musical Theater International.

For more information, visit http://www.summitplayhouse.org/ or call 908.273.2192. 

MADCAP COMEDY ABOUT THE THEATER OPENS IN CRANFORD

Moon Over Buffalo
By Ken Ludwig
Directed by John Menter
Produced by Elizabeth Howard

WHEN: February 4–19, Fridays and Saturdays @ 8 PM; Sunday, February 13 @ 2 PM
WHERE:
78 Winans Avenue, Cranford
TICKETS: $20; $18 seniors, students (with ID), children 18 and under

Moon Over Buffalo is a madcap comedy centering on two fading stage stars and their zany antics behind (and in front of!) the curtain.

It’s 1953. Husband and wife team George and Charlotte Hay are starring opposite each other in Private Lives and Cyrano De Bergerac in rep in—where else?—Buffalo, New York.

The original Broadway production of Moon Over Buffalo opened in 1995 and starred comic legends Philip Bosco and Carol Burnett. Ken Ludwig—who also penned the recent Broadway hit, Lend Me A Tenor—has gifted us with this valentine to the Golden Age touring theater troupes of yesteryear.

CAST:

  • George Hay Jonathan Fishman
  • Charlotte Hay Lynn Langone
  • Paul Matt Burns
  • Rosalind Mandy Feiler
  • Ethel Arlene Britt
  • Howard Juan Haro
  • Eileen Allison Acquafredda
  • Richard Richard Colonna

FREE SHAKESPEARE PRODUCTION IN JERSEY CITY

Actors’ Shakespeare Company has a production perfect for Shakespeare lovers…and it’s FREE:

WOMEN IN POWER AND WHAT THEY SAY: THE ACTORS SHAKESPEARE COMPANY AT NEW JERSEY CITY UNIVERSITY OFFERS SHAKESPEARE’S QUEENS

Feminine speeches from Shakespeare and Queen Elizabeth
strike the theme of women heard but not often heeded

WHEN: Friday, February 4, at 7:30 PM and February 5 at 3:00 PM
WHERE: New Jersey City
University’s West Side Theater, 285 West Side Avenue in Jersey City, conveniently located near Culver Avenue (on the NJCU campus), just minutes from Routes 440 and 1-9, exit 15E of the N.J. Turnpike, and exit 14B of the N.J. Turnpike extension I-78. There is ample parking in the University’s parking lot on West Side and Audubon Avenues.
TICKETS: free!

As part of its “ASC in the Community” series, ASC at NJCU will travel on Sunday, February 6, for a 1:30 PM presentation at Congregation B’nai Jacob, 176 West Side Avenue, Jersey City.

In Shakespeare’s Queens, the women of ASC at NJCU will present a performance and lecture examining feminine authority during the reign of Elizabeth I and beyond. Calling on both Elizabeth’s own words and Shakespeare’s depictions of queens and other women of power, Shakespeare’s Queens is a celebration of feminine strength and a tribute to the struggles of women who fail to conform to society’s expectations. 

Shakespeare’s Queens has an underlying theme of women being underestimated even when in power.  “Often as not, Shakespeare's queens are the ones who speak the most sense in a situation, or cut directly to the heart of a problem.  They are not always listened to or believed, which is generally a failure of imagination or foresight on the part of the men around them, from Margaret in Henry VI expertly summarizing the dangers of the factionalism around Henry VI to even Cordelia's choice to be plain and truthful and not flowery and deceptive.  And, in Elizabeth's speeches, she herself had to deal with a lot of second guessing on the part of her councilors,” Ms. Hurd added.

The enormous influence of Queen Elizabeth on Shakespeare is further explored by delving into some of her political writings and speeches. “She was a canny propagandist herself and often published speeches for public consumption to help craft her image,” Ms. Hurd says.

The cast of Shakespeare’s Queens includes ASC veteran actress Elizabeth Belonzi, ASC founding member Cindy Boyle, an ASC newcomer Erica Knight, and Ms. Hurd.

For information, or to make reservations call the ASC at NJCU box office at 201.200.2390 or visit www.ascnj.org.

The West Side Theatre is wheelchair accessible. Large print programs and assisted listening devices are available. Some performances are audio described. Call 201.200.2390 for more information and requests.

Actors Shakespeare Company at NJCU is a professional, classical theater-in- residence on the campus of New Jersey City University. The Company engages the community in clear, vibrant and affordable productions of Shakespeare and other classic works to entertain, educate, and inspire audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

LET “LES BON TEMPS ROULER” WITH THE ZYDECO CHACHAS @ CENTENARY STAGE MARDI GRAS CONCERT!

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Zydeco à Go-Go: Nathan and the Cha-Chas
WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 5,  at 8 PM
WHERE: David and Carol Lackland Center on the Centenary College campus in Hackettstown
TICKETS: $22.50 in advance, and $25 the day of performance. Seniors and students are $20 in advance and $22.50 the day of performance. Tickets may  be purchased through the CSC Box Office at 908.979.0900, online at
www.centenarystageco.org, or in person at the David and Carol Lackland Center (box office hours 1-5 PM, Monday through Friday, and 2 hours prior to each performance).

Nathan Williams plays zydeco,  the fast and furious accordion-driven dance music of the Creole people of South Louisiana, a relatively modern style that emerged after the Second World War. With its trademark rubboard percussion, electric guitars and  R&B influences, zydeco is distinct from the fiddle-driven music of neighboring Cajuns.

The core of zydeco is the sound of the accordion and the “chankety-chank” of the rubboard, or “frattoir.”  Zydeco is known as one of the most expressive sounds in roots music.  In the “Cha Chas”  band, William’s down-home parables are delivered  with musical turns and a distinctive Caribbean lilt that reaches back to the very beginnings of Creole culture in Louisiana.
Zydeco is heralded as an uplifting  music that remains connected to its place in history; a down-the-bayou, creative combination of instrumentation which combines to create the irresistible, pulsating energy of pure Louisiana dance music.

AUDITIONS FOR ROMANTIC COMEDY IN EDISON

Another round of auditions for those of you who like to get up onstage:

Beau Jest Auditions

Edison Valley Playhouse is pleased to announce auditions for

Beau Jest
By James Sherman,
Directed by Amy Levine

WHEN: Monday January 31, 7:30 PM; Tuesday February 1, 7:30 PM
WHERE:
Edison Valley Playhouse, 2196 Oak Tree Road, Edison
Any questions regarding auditions? Please send Amy Levine an e-mail at sweetaim2003@yahoo.com   

Synopsis: Sarah is a nice Jewish girl with a problem: her parents want her married to a nice Jewish boy. They have never met her boyfriend, a WASP executive named Chris Kringle. When she tells them she is dating a Jewish doctor they insist on meeting him. She plans a dinner party and, over the heated protests of Chris, employs an escort service to send her a Jewish date to be Dr. Steinberg. Instead, they send Bob Schroeder, an aspiring actor who agrees to perform the impersonation. Happily, he is extremely convincing in the role and Sarah's parents are enraptured. Soon, even Sarah falls for Bob.

Roles Available:

  • Sarah Goldman: Female, age: 20's
  • Chris Cringle: Male, age: mid 20's to early 30's
  • Bob Schroeder: Male, age: mid 20's to early 30's
  • Joel Goldman: Male, age: 30's
  • Miriam Goldman: Female, age: 50's to 60's
  • Abe Goldman: Male, age: late 50's to 70's

Auditions will be cold readings from the script.

Production Dates are March 18 through April 2, Friday and Saturday nights at 8:00 PM, with the addition of a Sunday Matinee possible

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

SHAKESPEARE DISCOUNTED FOR STUDENTS NOW!

Student Prices Reduced January 30 to Globe Theatre Prices!*

*adjusted for 400+ years of inflation, currency conversion, etc.


Read The Review

CWS Card

Students with valid ID pay only $10 this Sunday, January 30 at Edison Valley Playhouse for The Compleat Works of Wllm Shkspr (abridged). Showtime 2 PM.  Tickets are limited and can be purchased online at www.evplayhouse.com.  Tickets also available for adults and seniors at regular prices.

Edison Valley Playhouse, 2196 Oak Tree Road, Edison, New Jersey

REVIEW: “25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE”

PHOTO 2If Myla Goldberg’s 2000 first novel Bee Season osto be taken at face value, children who win spelling bees are highly regarded by their parents, some of whom go to great lengths to advance their talented offspring up the ladder to acclaim at state and national levels. Such parents often become very involved, drilling the child with long lists of obscure words and helping him/her devise and use techniques to help visualize the word—all to avoid the dreaded Second Place spot at the end of the competition.

A whiff of such parents and techniques wafts over the Paper Mill Playhouse's smashing production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, but the show's honesty and humor lets us focus on the strength and character of each contestant, to everyone's delight.

I once took my four-year-old granddaughter to a Paper Mill production for children when she wisely (and in sotto voce) announced, "Meema, those are adults pretending to be children." Well, it didn't seem to bother her a whit, nor does it here in this production, that's how convincing the actors are. No, they don't look like kids, but they act/sing/dance like middle school students with great verve and energy.

If you've ever been in (or attended) a spelling bee, you know they can be deadly for the audience and nerve-wracking for the contestants. The play's plot is very straightforward: each contestant is given a word to spell and if successful, gets to sit down and try again, and again, and again until one is left, declared the winner and sent on to Nationals. However, the back stories hinted at by Ms. Peretti and enacted by each character (aided by other actors) makes this more than just a spelling competition. We really get to know and care for these kids.

Ephie Aardema is adorable as Loginanne Schwartzandgrubenierre (she really looks 12), president of the Gay-Straight Alliance at her elementary school, with twin pigtails, a lisp and two dads who desperately want her to win. Her plaintive query, "What about me," hits the theme of identity so important to kids at this age. Lyle Colby Mackston's home-schooled Leaf Coneybear clearly loves to spell (as much as he loves his curly hair and his sneakers with wheels) and is winning as he "skates" around the stage and puts to lie the idea that he's not that bright. Olivia Oguma as Asian student MarcyPHOTO 9 Park (right), who skipped fourth and fifth grades and who displays an over-weening (and obnoxious) assurance that she will win (her mother is probably Amy Chua, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother), spits out the correct letters at breakneck speed. And Brandon Yanez is very funny as last year's arrogant and over-confident winner, Chip Tolentino, whose pubertal longings ultimately embarrass him.

IMPORTANT NEWS: JANUARY TWILIGHT THEATRE PERFORMANCE POSTPONED UNTIL SPRING!

.
Darress Theatre Logo

TWILIGHT THEATRE
At the Darress Theatre

615 Main Street, Boonton, NJ

POSTPONED UNTIL SPRING

   

Twilight Theatre Poster

Due to the extremely cold temperatures and harsh wintery weather conditions we have been experiencing in this area, the January 2011 performance of Twilight Theatre has been postponed and will be rescheduled for the early Spring.

For Info Call 973.334.9292

Click here to visit Robert Jackson's Twilight Site

 
 

Darress Theatre
615 Main Street
Boonton, New Jersey 07005
www.darresstheatre.com
info@darresstheatre.com
973.334.9292

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

PULITZER PRIZE WINNING PLAY @ GEORGE ST. PLAYHOUSE

The Subject Was Roses
By Frank Gilroy
Directed by Michael Mastro
with Lee Sellars, Chris Wendelken and Stephanie Zimbalist

WHEN: February 8 - March 6, 2011
WHERE:
The George Street Playhouse, 9 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick
TICKETS:
BUY ONLINE or call 732.246.7717

There are three sides to every story. Buried truths and old emotional wounds resurface when a young soldier returns to his parents' home after World War II. Caught in the crossfire of unresolved tensions over money, love and heroism, the new veteran finds himself engaged in a battle on the home front.

A stunning, beautifully written Pulitzer Prize-winning drama about the relationships between a husband and wife and their young adult son.
The cast will comprise of Lee Sellars, recently seen on Broadway in the hit revival of West Side Story, as John Cleary; Chris Wendelken as young Timmy Cleary; and stage and screen star Stephanie Zimbalist (TV's Remington Steele) as Nettie Cleary.

Sponsored by The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation and Regina and John Heldrich

READ A BOOK! SEE A SHOW! DISCUSS…

Here’s a neat idea for book lovers and theater lovers: A BOOK CLUB!

If you love to read and enjoy a great discussion with other theatregoers, join members of the GSP staff for a "book club" style discussion and behind-the-scenes information about The Subject Was Roses.

The package includes:

  • A ticket to see a performance of The Subject Was Roses at George Street Playhouse
  • The acting edition script of The Subject Was Roses
  • A study guide
  • A discussion with a member of the GSP staff; Tuesday, February 15, at 7 PM

Complete package price: $56.50/person*

* Includes required $1.50 facility fee. Shipping & handling is not included and is based on size of the order. No shipping & handling fees if packages are picked up at the theatre. No minimum number of people required.

For more information, contact Michelle Bergamo mbergamo@georgestplayhouse.org at 732.846.2895 x 134 or Janine d'Auguste jdauguste@georgestplayhouse.org at 732.846.2895 x 155


WHERE: The George Street Playhouse, 9 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick

PICK A POCKET OR 2 WITH “OLIVER!” IN THE HILLS OF MORRIS COUNTY FEBRUARY 4–20

If you missed Oliver! at the Chatham Community Players last spring or at Centenary Stage Company this past fall, you’re not out of luck! Brundage Park Playhouse in Randolph is mounting their rendition of this classic!

Monday, January 24, 2011

GRAND OPENING FOR NEW TEEN LOUNGE @ KAPLEN JCC

clip_image002All teens in the community, grades 6-12, JCC members and nonmembers, are invited to visit the new Teen Lounge at the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades at a Grand Opening.
WHEN:
Sunday, January 30, 7-9 PM
WHERE: Kaplen JCC. 411 E. Clinton Ave., Tenafly

The new facility, equipped with computer docking stations, large screen TV, game systems and ultra-modern “teen” décor will offer the ultimate atmosphere for teens to gather for both study and fun.

DSC_0065During the Grand Opening, teens will enjoy music, watch a sushi-making demonstration and and try an exercise Boot Camp class. They will also have the chance to discuss activities they would enjoy seeing added to the department’s overall offerings.

“We also want to give teens ownership over the new lounge,” adds Teen Services Director Sara Lewis.

“It will always be supervised and staff will always be on-hand for guidance and assistance, but we want teens to feel that this vibrant new space is ‘theirs,’ a home away from home. We’ve created a real teen-friendly space and furnished it with great modern amenities that are sure to make the JCC a perfect destination for our local youth.”

TeenLoungeWallThe new Teen Lounge will be open to JCC members and nonmembers Monday- Thursday from 3:30–9 PM, Sundays from 12–5 PM, and occasional Saturday nights, the first on February 12, 7:30–10 PM. It will offer socializing, study, games, movies, a chalkboard wall, where teens can leave messages for each other and more. Teens can even request to have their favorite TV shows taped in advance and then book a time to view them with friends. Future plans include providing teens with the opportunity to host their own art shows, where they can exhibit their photographs, paintings, etc.

“Teens are highly social and peer-connected and our goal is to make our teen lounge a welcoming place where teens come to socialize, study, watch movies, bond and have fun,” says Youth Services Director Judi Nahary.

Teens 12 and up who are not JCC members can join the JCC for only $78 a month (with a 12-month commitment), which will enable them to enjoy additional JCC offerings such gyms, pools, a greatly expanded Benjamin Bergen Youth Fitness Center (ages 8–13) and many additional programs at reduced rates. For more information on the Open House or teen services at the JCC, please call Judi Nahary at 201.408.1470; e-mail jnahary@jccotp.org or Sara Lewis, 201.408.1469; slewis@jccotp.org

SOPAC HOSTS BENEFIT CONCERT FOR MIDTOWN DIRECT REP

Midtown Direct Rep is a group of artists who live in the South Orange-Maplewood area and who commute to New York on Midtown Direct! They are a welcome addition to the local NJ theater scene. You can support the company while enjoying a concert by one of its most esteemed members:

clip_image001
Christiane Noll and the Lyrics of
Ira Gershwin
 
WHEN: Saturday, January 29, at 8 PM + Pre-Performance Reception at 6:30 PM + Post-Performance Reception at 10 PM
WHERE:  South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) located at One SOPAC Way, South Orange, NJ, 07079
TICKETS: $40 Performance Only; $85 Performance + Post-Performance Reception; $150 Performance + Pre- and Post- Performance Receptions.
To purchase tickets, visit http://www.SOPACnow.org or call 973.313.ARTS
 
A one-night only benefit performance featuring Tony® Award-Nominee and Midtown Direct Rep Founding Member Christiane Noll performing her globally acclaimed one-woman show. Join Christiane as she explores Ira Gershwin’s lyrics, filled with the wit, sensitivity and intelligence that have helped create some of the most enduring songs of all time. Special guest artists are slated join her on stage. 
 
Portions of the proceeds will benefit future programming of Midtown Direct Rep, SOPAC’s resident theater company. 

For more details, visit http://sopacnow.org/628/mdr-benefit.

PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE ANNOUNCES AUDITIONS FOR 2011 SUMMER PROFESSIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMS

Paper Mill Playhouse's Professional Training Programs represent the ultimate opportunity—a chance for students to take their skills to the next level, while gaining the self-discipline and work ethic that will serve them throughout their entire career. Students will participate in demanding classes in singing, acting, auditioning, dance, and a series of guest artist workshops led by professional actors, directors and casting agents. Paper Mill Playhouse's programs build professional skills—so if you have the passion, talent, and drive it takes to be a performer, then Paper Mill Playhouse has the program for you.

2011 Summer Professional Training Programs
for talented young performers ages 10 to 18

PMP_newlogoSMALLPaper Mill Playhouse's Professional Training Programs are comprised of two tracks: the five-week Summer Musical Theatre Conservatory held in July, or the three-week August Musical Theatre Intensive. To qualify for the programs, every student—including returning performers—must audition. Student tryouts are judged for vocal skill, dance ability, personality and song interpretation skills (acting through your song). Students will be placed in a program based on their auditions.

Paper Mill Playhouse's Summer Musical Theatre Conservatory (June 27 to July 30, 2011) offers the unique opportunity for gifted and talented young performers, ages 10 to 18, to work at their own level and challenge themselves to achieve new goals and learn new skills. The Conservatory is grouped into three companies, allowing each student to work on material that is appropriate for their age and skill level. This five-week program of rigorous study allows students to enhance their individual performance potential while also developing a broad base of theatre experience and knowledge. The Paper Mill Playhouse Summer Musical Theater Conservatory classes and workshops will be held at Kean University in Union, New Jersey, in cooperation with the Department of Theater and its resident Equity theatre company, Premiere Stages.

The end of the Conservatory month is devoted to rehearsals for the NEW VOICES CONCERT, performed annually on the Paper Mill Playhouse Stage. Industry professionals are invited and attend the New Voices Concert. The theme of the 2011 News Voices Concert is I'll Take Manhattan, a look Broadway's love affair with its hometown. The New Voices of 2011 concert will take place on July 29 & 30 on the main stage at Paper Mill Playhouse. Tickets go on sale March 1, 2011 at the Paper Mill Box Office 973.376.4343 or on www.papermill.org.

Paper Mill Playhouse's August Musical Theatre Intensive (August 8 to 26, 2011) allows performers between the ages of 10 and 16 to build individual technique and learn about themselves as performers, explore their own abilities and refine their skills. Like the July Conservatory, admission to the August Intensive is by audition only. Intensive students do not perform in the New Voices Concert, rather, the Intensive classes prepare a musical theater showcase for family and friends in the Black Box Theatre at Paper Mill Playhouse. This allows their faculty to focus on strengthening skills and building self confidence in a non-competitive environment. Accepted students are placed in one of two sessions according to age. The small class size in each session allows for individual attention and instruction from the faculty.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

SPOOKY ROCK ‘N’ ROLL REIGNS @ “TWILIGHT THEATRE”


Darress Theatre Logo

Robert Jackson Presents. . . .
TWILIGHT THEATRETwilight Theatre Poster

WHERE: The Darress Theatre, 615 Main Street, Boonton, NJ
WHEN: Friday, January 29, 8 PM
TICKETS:
All Seats $20
For Info Call 973.334.9292
Click here to visit Robert Jackson's Twilight Site

Twilight Theatre is about the chronological timeline of the history of horror, the paranormal, supernatural and sci fi from Stonehenge all the way up to modern day UFO sightings. It is also a takeoff on the Twilight Zone with a spoken-word narrative that introduces each theater piece.

One of the show’s concepts is that the corporate record business and huge radio conglomerates have tried to kill off rock and roll and that pop culture is consuming itself so rapidly that rock is now being killed off by its very creators (record companies and once-innovative FM rock radio).

Well, you can't kill rock and roll! Here come the monsters of Twilight Theatre, crawling up out of the graves dug by these companies to hit you all over the head one more time. The Twilight Theatre characters, in essence, become the Frankenstein monster coming after its creator while bits and pieces of the rock era's pop culture (AOR Rock, Twilight Zone, Dark Shadows, Night Gallery, Night of the Living Dead and horror and sci fi b movies) are evident in the stage show.

"I wanted to do something fun and multimedia, and I saw that in this day and age there were too many entertainment choices,(computers, dvds, cable tv, video games, cell phones, iPods, etc.) and less need for society to interact personally with one another. I also saw live audiences not out there supporting independent rock like they used to. Thus Twilight Theatre and the stage show were born."—Robert Jackson

WINTER FUN @ LAMBERTVILLE–NEW HOPE COMING UP!

The Lambertville–New Hope
WINTER FESTIVAL 

January 26 – 30, 2011

The Lambertville–New Hope Winter Festival provides a healthy, invigorating cold-weather experience in these two river town communities, which demonstrates that these multi-faceted communities are alive and well in the winter months with exciting and diverse activities.  For 2011, Winter Festival will host over thirty events.  For a complete list of all events, go to the Events Page.

Winter Festival has “Crazy Love” for POCO
The 2011 Winter Festival Committee is pleased to announce this year’s concert performer will be country-rock pioneer Poco. Please come Friday, Jan 28, at 8 PM as Poco performs their hits “Crazy Love,” “Rose Of Cimarron,” “Heart Of The Night,” “A Good Feelin’ To Know” and “Call It Love.” Click here for more information on the Poco concert. To purchase tickets, go to their TICKETS PAGE.

Tickets to all events are now on sale! 
Be sure to order your tickets early as many events sell out in advance.  NOTE: The Chili Cook-off is SOLD OUT. Go to the TICKETS PAGE now for all other events!

FREE PARKING
George Michael has generously offered free parking at Union Square over the Winter Festival weekend from Friday 5:30 PM through Sunday at 6:00 PM.

Second Annual Food Drive
Again this year, the Winter Festival is hosting a food drive for Fisherman’s Mark. The need for food is a crisis in this community. This problem can easily be solved with each of us contributing a small amount and collectively filling the need. Food donation canisters will be provided along the parade route, as well as at all ticketed events. For complete information about the food drive, please go to our Fisherman's Mark page.

Annual Parade
Come join the parade. This annual Winter Festival parade marches right across the bridge. All floats, marchers and fun loving revelers are welcome.  For complete information about the parade, go to the Parade page.

REVIEW: “THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED” @ THE BICKFORD

Once upon a time in Hollywood, homosexual actors lived in fear of being “outed” by the gossip columnists and photographers in fan magazines and newspapers, thus being denied the juicy roles, their fans’ adoration and the chance at lucrative careers. They lived circumspect, circumscribed lives, some even going so far as to marry unsuspecting women, to employ their male lovers as “personal assistants and to drive their agents to distraction at the thought of discovery. It may sound “quaint” to us today, but back in the fifties and sixties, it was serious business.

This is the central situation of Douglas Carter Beane’s play The Little Dog Laughed, produced by The Bickford Theatre as part of their series taking a look behind the making of films (initiated last fall by a similar exhibit at the Morris Museum). Originally written as an extended monologue for the agent Diane and fleshed out by Beane when that was so successful, the play ricochets from monologues performed by each of the four actors to scenes performed by at least two at a time, on a serviceable set designed by Jim Bazewicz and lit by Abby Hoke-Brady.

As in his mordantly funny As Bees in Honey Drown, Beane satirizes Hollywood’s ability to deceive itself and the lengths to which the industry will go to preserve its profits, even at the cost of its morals and ethics. In this milieu, actors aren’t people; they are commodities to be bought and sold—and to sell to the adoring public a bill of goods that’s very different from the truth.

Little Dog 1Matinee idol Matthew Green, the proverbial “boy next door,” has come with his hard-driving agent Diane to New York City for an awards cere-mony. Afterwards, to celebrate his win, Matthew gets drunk and calls a male escort service for some “com-pany.” He’s so drunk that nothing sexual happens, but upon awaken-ing, he’s so taken with boy-toy Alex that they make plans to get together, much to Diane’s dismay, for she’s in the middle of tough negotiations with a gay playwright for his hit Broadway play to be made into a film, starring her client. When Diane returns to Hollywood, Matthew remains behind in New York to spend quality time with Alex. Complicating matters is the friends-with-benefits thing between Alex and party girl Ellen, the outcome of which brings about a denouement that’s sad and happy at the same time.

SWEEP AWAY THE FEBRUARY DOLDRUMS WITH THE STATE THEATRE’S ECLECTIC PROGRAMMING!

Stage WHERE: State Theatre, 11 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
TICKETS: call 732.246.SHOW
Online: www.StateTheatreNJ.org

500 Clown Macbeth
Wed, February 2, 2011, at 8 pm
Thu, February 3, 2011, at 8 pm
Fri, February 4, 2011, at 8 pm
Sat, February 5, 2011, at 3 pm & 8 pm
500 Clown smashes Macbeth to pieces, then tears through the rubble to forge a wild, unpredictable and hilarious deconstruction of Shakespeare’s classic. Three clowns descend upon a stage to perform the Scottish play. Infected by ambition, they compete for the title role. In the process, they destroy the text, the set and eventually each other. Ripping through the fourth wall, the clowns generate a charged environment in which the audience is left to wonder what was planned and what was created for the first time. Featuring no red noses or big shoes, 500 Clown conspires with the audience to redefine “clown” and “Macbeth” as they propel 500 Clown Macbeth to its exhilarating conclusion. These performances take place at the Crossroads Theatre, 7 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick.
Tickets: $30

STREB: BRAVE
Fri, February 4, 2011, at 8 pm
STREB declares an all-out war on gravity, combining dance, gymnastics, circus skills, and stunt-work with high-tech, cutting-edge set design to redefine the possibilities of movement. Powerful bodies fly in an artfully dangerous, action-packed program of extreme sports meets gymnastics. The audience will be on the edge of their seats as the dancers move with breathtaking precision around, through, and against various contraptions-and each other. Gravity be damned!
Tickets: $22-42

STOMP
Fri, February 11, 2011, at 8 pm
Sat, February 12, 2011, at 3 pm & 8 pm
STOMP is explosive, provocative, sophisticated and unique, and appeals to audiences of all ages. The international percussion sensation has garnered an armful of awards and rave reviews, and has appeared on numerous national television shows. The eight-member troupe uses everything but conventional percussion instruments—matchboxes, wooden poles, brooms, garbage cans, Zippo lighters, hubcaps—to fill the stage with magnificent rhythms. As USA Today says, “STOMP finds beautiful noises in the strangest places.” STOMP. See what all the noise is about.
Tickets: $32-67

Friday, January 21, 2011

COMEDIES ABOUT CHOCOLATE? BET YOU CAN’T HAVE JUST ONE…

A theater in a tavern? Well, Tierney’s Tavern has been producing plays for a long time in wonderful Montclair. Here is info about their upcoming ode to St. Valentine’s Day:

Hot Chocolates

76 TROMBONES BLOW INTO RVCC IN BRANCHBURG

Quintessential musical theater reigns in the small towns of Somerset County!

 The Music Man, Sun., Jan. 23 at 2PM

The Music Man
By Meredith Willson
Performed by Windwood Theatricals
WHEN: Sunday, January 23, at 2 PM
WHERE:
The Theatre at Raritan Valley Community College
118 Lamington Road, Branchburg
TICKETS: $40 & $45
Box Office: M-F, 11-4, 908.725.3420

An affectionate paean to Smalltown, U.S.A. of a bygone era, Meredith Willson’s The Music Man follows fast-talking traveling salesman Harold Hill as he cons the people of River City, Iowa, into buying instruments and uniforms for a boys’ band he vows to organize—this, despite the fact he doesn’t know a trombone from a treble clef. His plans to skip town with the cash are foiled when he falls for Marian the librarian, who transforms him into a respectable citizen by curtain’s fall. Aside from a fast-paced, chock-full- of-laughs script, The Music Man features memorable tunes like Rock Island; Trouble; Goodnight, My Someone; Seventy-six Trombones; Pick a Little, Talk a Little; Goodnight Ladies; Marian The Librarian; The Wells Fargo Wagon; and ‘Til There Was You.

The original production ran for 1,375 perfor-mances on Broadway. It was such a sensation that even Jack Lemmon's character attended it (or tried to, anyway) in 1960s Best Picture, The Apartment. Before achieving success as a Broad-way writer, Meredith Willson was a popular radio personality and bandleader who occasionally worked with Frank Loesser, who wrote Guys and Dolls. Loesser so believed in this show that he backed it for years of development and produced the original production. It made a star of Robert Preston, and Marian was played by Barbara Cook, who went on to be one of the most celebrated Broadway singers in history.

The Music Man is unquestionably one of the most beloved shows of all time.