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Monday, December 30, 2013

DRAMA ABOUT FRIENDSHIP AND LOVE @ MCCC’S KELSEY THEATRE

Jody Person  of  Jersey City, MCCC’s Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Theatre/Dance Programs, and choreographer of PinnWorth Production’s Love! Valour! Compassion! puts the cast through their paces in rehearsal. From left: Person;  Bill King (partially seen) of Interlaken; Jonathan Polanco of Hamilton,  Williams Mercado of Hightstown;  Chris Arena of Ewing, Mark Applegate of Hightstown, and Lynn Baskin of Lambertville.LOVE! VALOR! COMPASSION!
By Terrence McNally
Directed by Lou Stalsworth
Presented by PinnWorth Productions

WHEN: Jan. 10-19, Fridays & Saturdays 8 PM; Sundays 2 PM; A reception with the cast and crew follows the opening night performance on Jan. 10. 
WHERE:
Mercer County Community College’s Kelsey Theatre  on the college’s West Windsor Campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road
TICKETS: $18 for adults, $16 for seniors, and $14 for students and children. Tickets are available online at www.kelseytheatre.net or by calling the Kelsey Theatre Box Office at 609-.70-.333.
Kelsey Theatre is wheelchair accessible, with free parking available next to the theater.

Set against an idyllic lakeside backdrop, the drama of the real world is never far from view as eight friends gather over three summer weekends.

Theater goers are invited into the lives of a special group of friends as they celebrate Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day at the vacation home of Gregory, an aging Broadway choreographer, and his twenty-something lover, Bobby. Their guests include Arthur and Perry, an affectionate professional couple of long standing; the irresistible dancer Ramon; a soured ex-patriot Brit, John Jeckyll; his gentle twin brother, James; and Buzz, a costume designer and maniacal lover of musical theater.  Flirtations and skinny-dipping combine with soul-searching, truth-telling, and monumental questions about life and death in the era of AIDS.  At turns poignant and hilarious, the action culminates in a wacky dress rehearsal for Swan Lake, performed in tutus.

According to the show’s director, Lou Stalsworth, the show is all too often depicted as a play about gay men coping with the AIDS epidemic in the 1990s. “What that doesn't address is the play’s general tone, which is often breath-takingly funny, always spot-on and probably the best since Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” he observes.

Stalsworth notes that the show’s title beautifully sums up the theme and context of the material. “These are human emotions on display. Love and the pain of love gone bad knows no gender. Nor does the ability to forgive and start anew,” he says. “These characters speak with an honesty and frankness seldom seen on stage.”

The cast includes Mark Applegate of Hamilton as Bobby; Chris Arena of Ewing as Perry; Lynn Baskin of Lambertville as Gregory; Tony DiDia of Toms River as Arthur; Bill King of Interlaken in the dual role of James Jeckyll and his brother, John; William Mercado of Hightstown as Ramon; and Jonathan Polanco of Hamilton as Buzz.

The show's choreographer is Jody Person, coordinator of the MCCC Theatre/Dance Program. Kate Pinner is the show’s set and costume designer; Bob Terrano is the lighting and sound designer.  The stage manager is Matt Luppino.

Top: Jody Person, choreographer for Love! Valor! Compassion! and coordinator of MCCC’s Theatre/Dance Program, puts cast members through their paces in rehearsal. Behind him, from left, are Bill King (partially seen), Jonathan Polanco, Williams Mercado, Chris Arena, Mark Applegate and Lynn Baskin. (Not pictured: Tony DiDia.)

Friday, December 27, 2013

“ALEXANDER” HAS A BAD DAY AT MCCC KELSEY THEATRE

AlexanderBadDay

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
presented by Theatreworks USA

WHEN: Saturday, Jan. 11 at 2 and 4 PM
WHERE:
MCCC's Kelsey Theatre, West Windsor campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road.
TICKETS: $10 for children and seniors, and $12 for adults.
Tickets may be purchased online at www.kelseytheatre.net or by calling the Kelsey Theatre Box Office at 609.570.3333.
Free parking is available next to the theatre.
Kelsey Theatre is wheelchair accessible and provides assisted listening devices upon request.
For a complete listing of adult and children's events, visit the Kelsey website or call the box office for a brochure.

Alexander’s misfortunes—from getting gum in his hair to tripping on a skateboard to learning that a schoolmate doesn’t want to be his friend anymore—are captured in this hilarious musical adaptation featuring book and lyrics by Judith Viorst, author of the best-selling children’s classic. The younger set will embrace the lesson Alexander learns—that everyone has a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day sometimes…and survives!

Based in New York City, TheatreworksUSA is America's largest and most prolific professional not-for-profit theater for youth and family audiences. Since 1961, the company has enlightened, entertained and instructed more than 90 million people in 49 states and Canada.

(Above front, from left, Paul Ferretti and Hayley Richelson; back, from left, Nathan Freeman, Mindy Kay Smith and Jessica Pierson. Photo by Patrick Dwyer)

Thursday, December 26, 2013

LET ANTHONY ROSE READ YOUR MIND @ PLAYHOUSE 22 FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY

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Mentalist Anthony Rose

A Truly Unique Theater Experience

WHEN: Saturday, January 4, 2014 at 8 PM
WHERE: Playhouse 22, 721 Cranbury Road in East Brunswick.
TICKETS: $15, and can be purchased online at Playhouse22.org, over the phone at 732.254.3939 or at the door.  

Anthony Rose, a world class mentalist, displays unusual talents as he looks into the recesses of your mind. This is a fun filled, 75-minute show where Anthony Rose explores areas of the paranormal. Is it mind reading? Is it body language? Is it psychology? You decide!

Rose, a resident of Middlesex County, has performed for the New York Knicks, the Ford Modeling Agency, Princeton and Rutgers Universities, AIG, to name a few.

AUDITIONS HELD FOR CLASSIC OSCAR WILDE COMEDY

AUDITION NOTICE:

earnest logoTHE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST
By Oscar Wilde
Directed by Amy Fox
Stage Managers Judi Liebert & Danna Boshak

WHEN: SUN. JAN. 12th @ 7:00 PM; TUES. JAN. 14th @ 7:30 PM
WHERE: STUDIO PLAYERS, 14 Alvin Place, Upper Montclair, NJ 
973.744.9752

This witty and buoyant comedy of manners is brilliantly plotted from its effervescent first act to its hilarious finale. Men-about-town, John Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff, pursue fair ladies Gwendolen Fairfax and Cecily Cardew. Matters are complicated by the imaginary characters invented by both men to cover their on-the-sly activities. The Importance of Being Earnest is a masterpiece of high comedy, sparkling with provocative observations.

Sides will be provided and can be viewed at www.studioplayhouse.org

Performance Dates: March 14-29, 2014.

CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS
**All Characters MUST have Upper Class British Accents**

John (Jack/Ernest) Worthing: (male, 25-45) A seemingly responsible and respectable young man who leads a double life; he has created an imaginary brother, but really an alter ego (Ernest) to maintain his country respectability for the sake of his young ward Cecily; Jack has fallen in love with Gwendolyn and the issue of his ‘name’ creates havoc

Algernon Moncrieff: (male, 25-40) A wealthy charming, and idle playboy of sorts and Jack’s best friend; Algernon is brilliant, witty, selfish, amoral, and given to making delightful but often contradictory pronouncements

Gwendolyn Fairfax: (female, 20-35) A model of high fashion and society; Gwendolyn speaks with authority on matters of taste and morality; she is sophisticated, intellectual, cosmopolitan, and utterly pretentious; Gwendolyn is fixated on the name Ernest and says she will not marry a man without that name

Lady Bracknell: (Female, 45+) The wealthy matriarch of the family; Algernon’s snobbish, mercenary, and domineering aunt and Gwendolyn’s mother; Lady Bracknell married well, and her primary goal in life is to see her daughter do the same; she is cunning, narrow-minded, and authoritarian

Cecily Cardew: (female, 18-25) Jack’s ward; Cecily is probably the most realistic character in the play; like Gwendolyn, she is obsessed with the name Ernest, but she is even more intrigued by the idea of wickedness; Cecily is in love with the fictional Ernest and has invented an elaborate romance and courtship with him

Miss Prism: (female, 40+) Cecily’s governess; Miss Prism is an endless source of pedantic clichés; she highly approves of Jack’s presumed respectability and harshly criticizes his “unfortunate” brother; Miss Prism seems to have a softer side as she entertains romantic feelings for Dr. Chasuble

Rev. Canon Chasuble: (male, 50+) The rector on Jack’s estate; Dr. Chasuble entertains secret romantic feelings for Miss Prism

Lane: (male/female, any age) Algernon’s manservant

Merriman: (male/female, any age) The butler at Jack’s Manor House

www.studioplayhouse.org ~ www.facebook.com/studioplayhouse

A FAMILY ACTIVITY IN RED BANK THIS WEEK

Click here to learn more about the show!

Click here to buy tickets!

www.tworivertheater.org

7 MORE CHANCES TO SEE “PERICLES” @ STNJ!

There are seven post-holiday performances of "Pericles" left! The New York Times called "Pericles" a "crazy, sexy, imaginative yarn." Tickets may be purchased by calling the Box Office at 973-408-5600.

ShakespeareNJ.org
973.408.5600

Click here for behind-the-scenes footage of "Pericles!"

For full reviews of Pericles, click here.

To learn more about this production of Pericles, click here for our interactive Know the Show Guide!

Pictured: Jon Barker. Photo credit: Jerry Dalia, 2013

OPEN HOUSE ON ARTS & COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS AT FREE EVENT

RAM Logo-medRAHWAY ARTISTS MEET-UP

WHEN: Jan. 4, 11 AM to 3 PM
WHERE:
Hamilton Stage for the Performing Arts, 360 Hamilton Street, Rahway
ADMISSION: Free

The event is sponsored by Union County Performing Arts Center and Rahway Arts District and will feature representatives of local arts organizations with information on grant, showcase and educational opportunities. Attendees must RSVP through www.eventbrite.com.

Rahway Artists Meetup is an open house for performers and arts groups seeking space in the District’s newest performance venue at Hamilton Stage. It’s also a chance for area artists to get together and contemplate collaborations for the coming year.

Rahway Artists Meetup is the latest in a series of community gatherings linked to the city’s Our Town project funded by the National Endowment for the Arts. 

“Our goal is to circulate ideas on ways to integrate the arts into every aspect of community life,” says Union County Performing Arts Center executive director Lawrence McCullough. “And the best way to have a good idea is to meet people who have lots of ideas.”

** For more information about Rahway Arts District, visit www.artsrahway.com; for upcoming events at Union County Performing Arts Center and Hamilton Stage, visit www.ucpac.org.

HOLIDAY FAMILY FUN & MORE @ THE NEWARK MUSEUM

Holiday Family Fun Days: Friday, Dec 27 - Saturday Dec 28, 2013

Newark Black Film Festival Calling for Entries in 2014 Paul Roberson Awards

SPECIAL HOLIDAY INSTALLMENT OF HOLMDEL THEATRE COMPANY’S MONTHLY PLAY READING SERIES SATURDAY

Written by Daniel Sullivan and The Seattle Repertory
Directed by Ken Wiesinger

WHEN: Saturday, December 28 @7:00 PM
WHERE:
Duncan Smith Theater, 36 Crawfords Corner Road, Holmdel, NJ

As the Soapbox Playhouse is busy preparing for their annual production of A Christmas Carol, they are visited by three rebarbative apparitions. An out-of-work actor on a 30 city audition tour, an NEA judge evaluating their grant money, and the ghost of theatre-yet-to-come.

Featuring:
Lea Eckert*, Bob Senkewicz*, Brian O'Halloran
Rebecca Harris Flynn*, Kendal Ridgeway, Dave Murray
Tom Frascatore, Ronnie Graham, Deb Barr, Gina Delio, Cody Dalton
*member, Actors' Equity Association

 

Sunday, December 22, 2013

A WORD FROM PLATO ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF TEACHING CHILDREN MUSIC

The ancient Greeks had it right! Today, we have state and local governments cutting arts programs. They need to go back and read Plato. And don’t forget to take your kids (indeed, the entire family) to musical productions. Foster a love of music early and it will pay back in spades!

WORDS OF WISDOM FROM A DANCE MASTER

And Bob Fosse surely knew how to dance!

GOOD ADVICE TO INTRODUCE YOUR KIDS TO THE THEATER.

Expose your child to theater and wonderful things can happen. You don’t need to spend a fortune on tickets. Every high school (and many middle schools) put on plays during the year—usually a “straight” play in the fall and a musical in the spring. Take the kids to see one. It won’t break your bank, you can leave if the kid gets tired or bored, and they love seeing other kids perform.

Friday, December 20, 2013

JANUARY FUN @ THE MAYO PERFORMING ARTS CENTER IN MORRISTOWN

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Gallagher_pressGALLAGHER’S LAST STAND

WHEN: Saturday, January 4, 2014 at 8 PM
WHERE: Mayo Performing Arts Center, 100 South Street, Morristown
TICKETS: $29-49
Tickets at 973.539.8008 or www.mayoarts.org

Smash! Splat! Crash! It may be a messy Mayo Performing Arts Center on Saturday, January 4, 2014 when MPAC presents Gallagher’s Last Stand.

One of the fathers of "prop comedy," Gallagher has been demolishing watermelons (and other objects) with a sledgehammer at the end of each set.  After 35 years of non-stop touring, Gallagher is hanging up his Sledge-o-Matic. Gallagher’s Last Smash will be his way of saying “thank you” to his fans who have supported him throughout his career.

greaseSING-ALONG GREASE

WHEN: Sunday, January 5, 2014 at 3 PM

WHERE: Mayo Performing Arts Center, 100 South Street, Morristown
TICKETS: $15-20, and the audience is encouraged to come in costume.
Tickets at 973-539-8008 or www.mayoarts.org


Grease is the word, and the audience gets to sing all of them!  Sing-A-Long Grease, a fun, audience participation viewing of the classic John Travolta-Olivia Newton John musical, comes to the Mayo Performing Arts Center.

MORE EXHIBITS @ THE MORRIS MUSEUMM

WHERE: Morris Museum, 6 Normandy Hgts. Rd., Morristown

Brick Art of Nathan Sawaya
Through March 9, 2014

Nathan Sawaya, YellowCalling all LEGO® lovers! The incredible LEGO sculptures created by Nathan Sawaya are returning to the Morris Museum for a new exhibition!  Nathan Sawaya is a New York based artist who creates awe-inspiring works out of some of the most unlikely things.  This exhibition features large-scale sculptures using only toy building blocks.  LEGO bricks to be exact!  Sawaya’s ability to transform this common toy into something meaningful, his devotion to spatial perfection and the way he conceptualizes action, enables him to elevate what almost every child has played with into the status of contemporary art.  Sawaya’s captivating sculptures range from whimsical to complex and present a new perspective on creativity.  Kids of all ages are sure to be delighted with this grand display of more than 30 original works of art.

Nathan Sawaya, Yellow, Image courtesy of brickartist.com


Beards: The Long and Short of It
Through March 30, 2014

matt-rainwaters-picFrom goatees, sideburns, and moustaches, to the growing popularity of Annual Beard competitions, this exhibition will explore men’s facial hair trends in America.  While the beard is timeless, certain patterns recall historical figures, eras, and past trends. Step back in time to explore the cultural meanings associated with different facial hair trends that were popular throughout the decades. Featuring artwork and artifacts, this exhibition is sure to “grow” your appreciation for facial hair.

Matt Rainwaters, $teven Ra$pa, 2009


Nano LogoThe Science of the Super Small
Through July 13, 2014

Nano is an interactive exhibition that engages family audiences in nano-scale science, engineering, and technology. Hands-on stations present the basics of nanoscience and engineering, introduce some real world applications, and explore the societal implications of this new technology. Nano was created by the Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network (NISE Network) with support from the National Science Foundation.


al green pottery websitePottery by Albert Green
Ongoing

For more than fifty years until his death in 1994, Albert Green produced works of genius that continue to influence the ceramic world today. Through years of experimentation and study, Albert was able to teach himself the intricacies of clay and glazes.  Simple utilitarian forms—the bowl, the bottle, the plate—became Albert’s canvases, allowing him to concentrate on the interplay of color and design which graces the surface of every piece. 

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

CENTENARY STAGE COMPANY CEELBRATES JAZZ AND PUPPETRY IN JANUARY

JAZZFEST & FAMILY FUN SERIES

Halfway through the 2013-2014 season, and Centenary Stage Company is still bringing a diverse selection of entertainment to Northwest New Jersey. CSC’s annual Jazz Fest takes an international spin with one of the world’s leading jazz musicians coming in from Moscow, a performance with a Latin flair, and a group fusing together world rhythms and sounds in . And it all begins with a family show filled with puppetry and music.

WillowGirlThe Catskill Puppet Theatre: WILLOW GIRL 

WHEN: Sunday, January 12th at 2 PM
WHERE:
The Lackland Center, 715 Grand Ave., Hackettstown
TICKETS: $20 for adults and $17.50 for children under 12, when purchased in advance. The post-show workshop is $18.50 for participants.

Willow Girl is the story about a young Chinese girl who immigrates to the American frontier and faces discrimination in a swirl of other immigrants and cultures. But she possesses special gifts. She has been taught the healing power of plants and has a secret friend, the mysterious spirit who inhabits a beautiful Willow Tree.

This rod puppet show features a larger-than-life, gracefully animated Willow Tree and is a wonderful blend of humor, mystery, drama and magical effects. It is illustrated with a combination of original and traditional fiddle music. Catskill Puppet Theatre will also host an optional workshop after the show where children can build their own puppets and play along on stage.

Cathedral Concert1Igor Butman’s Moscow Jazz Orchestra 

WHEN: Saturday, January 11th at 8 PM
WHERE: The Lackland Center, 715 Grand Ave., Hackettstown
TICKETS: $30 for adults and $20 for children under 12, when purchased in advance.

Igor Butman, now Russia's top jazz personality, is not only the artistic director of the country's best jazz club, he also leads the hottest jazz orchestra in Russia. The band has evolved into Russia's best touring hardcore jazz unit. Butman`s marvelous coalescence of soul, sound and technique drew praise from President Bill Clinton, one time tenor man, at a state dinner hosted by Vladimir Putin at the Moscow Kremlin. Clinton stated, that Igor Butman "may be the greatest living jazz saxophone player, who happens to be a Russian."

Tizer with karen Briggs- smallTizer Jazz Band

WHEN: Saturday, January 18th at 8 PM
WHERE: The Lackland Center, 715 Grand Ave., Hackettstown
ICKETS: $22.50 for adults and $15 for children under 12, when purchased in advance

Over the past few years, Tizer—a 2011 nominee for "Jazz Group of the Year"—has taken their multi-faceted world fusion vibe around the globe, galvanizing thousands. Tizer has a multi-genre, multi-national appeal that expands beyond just jazz enthusiasts. Their diverse resume includes performance slots alongside musicians like Jethro Tull, Isaac Hayes, Al Jarreau, George Benson, Babyface, Bruce Hornsby and Robin Thicke. They bring an intensity with expansive arrangements and exciting soloing to each concert.

sammy figueroa-credit jaime riveraSammy Figueroa and his Latin Jazz Explosion

WHEN: Saturday, January 25th at 8 PM
WHERE: The Lackland Center, 715 Grand Ave., Hackettstown
ICKETS: $22.50 for adults and $15 for children under 12, when purchased in advance

Sammy Figueroa has long been regarded as one of the world's great musicians. Well-known for his versatility and professionalism, he is one of the few percussionists equally comfortable in a multitude of styles, from R & B to rock and pop to bebop, Latin to Brazilian, and New Age.

Tickets may be purchased online at www.centenarystageco.org/, t the CSC Box Office in The Lackland Center at 715 Grand Ave in Hackettstown, or by calling 908-979-0900. The Box Office is open Monday through Friday 1-5 PM(Closed on Mondays in December only), and 2 hours prior to performance times. CSC also operates a second Box Office during the season at 217 Main Street in Hackettstown open Monday through Friday 3-6 PM

The 2013-14 season of performing arts events at the Centenary Stage Company is made possible through the generous support of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the NJ State Council on the Arts, and CSC sponsors, including Premier Sponsor Heath Village Retirement Community, Silver Sponsors Hackettstown Regional Medical Center, The Holiday Inn in Budd Lake, and Fulton Bank, Bronze Sponsors The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation and Wells Fargo Bank, and Centenary Stage Company members and supporters.

MORRIS MUSEUM EXHIBITS CLOSING IN JANUARY: GO NOW!

Story Book Forest

WHERE: Morris Museum, 6 Normandy Hgts. Rd., Morristown

Story Book Forest
Through January 16, 2014

This annual display of children’s literature-themed holiday trees decorated by local school children will inspire the entire family.m

Home for the Holidays
Through January 19, 2014

Enjoy an exhibition of dollhouses, miniature rooms, and children’s tea sets from the Morris Museum Collection. Explore our new 18-room “dollhouse” display.


When Sandy Hit: The Storm that Forever Changed New Jersey
Through January 20, 2014

Sandy ImageOctober 29, 2012, was a catastrophic day in the lives of all New Jerseyans.  Sandy came with a fury rarely seen and left unimaginable heartbreak and devastation in her wake.

In conjunction with the book When Sandy Hit: The Storm that Forever Changed New Jersey, the Morris Museum and the Star-Ledger will present the work of Star-Ledger photographers who fought through floods, power outages, and their own personal losses to document the incredible impact Sandy had on New Jersey.  This exhibition portrays a state broken by Mother Nature’s awesome fury and the story of a state determined to rise again.  As we approach the One Year Anniversary of this super storm, these photographs will document the survival, resilience and rebuilding of New Jersey.

(Photo: Tony Kurdzuk/The Star-Ledger. The sun rises behind the Jet Star roller coaster as it sits in the ocean at the end of the badly damaged Casino Pier. Seaside Heights 5/13/13.)

Sponsored by Bank of America


IMG_3969-e1367958577166-300x300Mega Model Trains Return
Through January 26, 2014

Train enthusiasts of all ages will marvel at the spectacular 288-square foot interactive model train display.  Take a trip through the city, small towns, and the countryside.  Also on view will be a collection of photographs of historical trains by Homer R. Hill, on loan from Jean Hill and the Tri-State Railway Historical Society.


Museum MindbendersMuseum Mind Benders
Through January 26, 2014

Featuring 20 puzzle stations, Museum Mind Benders will provide visitors of all ages hours of entertainment. Sponsored by the Walter F. & Alice Gorham Foundation.

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

WINTER THEATER CLASSES FOR KIDS IN HOBOKEN

Hoboken Children's Theater

Hoboken Children's Theatre Winter Classes start January 3!

Sing! Dance! Act! MAGIC TREEHOUSE: DINOSAURS BEFORE DARK is filled! Other classes still have room.

Accepting names for waiting list and possible 2nd class.

DON'T LET YOUR FAVORITE CLASS FILL UP WITHOUT YOU!!
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER (link on graphic will not work)

646.339.8485
WHERE: Monroe Center in Hoboken, 720 Monroe St., 3rd floor

NEW PLAY READING @ MILE SQUARE THEATRE SUNDAY

From Chasing the Dream, by Eric Conger (May 2013)<br />

BEAUTIFUL BOY
by Eric Conger (Chasing the Dream, 2013 7th Inning Stretch)
directed by Jon Marans (Pulitzer Prize nominee and the director of ART)

WHEN: Sunday, December 22 at 7 PM
WHERE:
Monroe Street Movement Space, 720 Monroe Street, 5th Floor, C504, Hoboken
FREE PARKING
201.683.7014
milesquaretheatre.org

The cast includes Mara Lawler, Matthew Lawler (Twelfth Night), Annie McAdams (God of Carnage), Jen Ring (Rikki Tiki Tavi), and Rob Smith.

MST is considering Beautiful Boy for production and we'd love to get your thoughts on the play.

When Bill's adoptive parents die and he is laid off from his job, he feels lost. His need to find out who he is and where he comes from grows stronger. The search for his birth parents takes him from Missouri to Connecticut. What he finds shocks and disturbs him, but is he disappointed?

This funny, suspenseful play tackles the plight of grown children lost in a closed system, where parents' rights trump their children's need to know.

(Photo from Chasing the Dream, by Eric Conger, May 2013)

Monday, December 16, 2013

RING IN THE NEW YEAR WITH NJFO & GUESTS IN WESTFIELD

PURCHASE TICKETS NOW

www.NJFestivalOrchestra.org for tickets

LUNA STAGE HOLIDAY CONCERT RESCHEDULED FOR DEC. 22

Holiday Concert Has Been Rescheduled!

Featuring The Apprentice Chorus of the Newark Boys Chorus School & Three Outstanding Vocalists from Mark Murphy Music

WHEN: Sunday, December 22nd at 4 PM
WHERE:
Luna Stage, 555 Valley Road, West Orange
TICKETS: $10 for Adults; $5 for Children (16 and under)
A percentage of the proceeds will benefit The Newark Boys Chorus School.
Purchase Your Tickets On Line Anytime or By phone 973.395.5551 or In-person Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 AM to 3 PM
Tickets are also available 1 hour prior to the performance.

The Apprentice Chorus of the Newark Boys Chorus School

The Newark Boys Chorus School is a unique independent school located in Newark, N.J. Founded in 1969, the school provides academic and musical education to young men from the greater Newark area in grades five through eight. The chorus has performed at renowned venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. nbcs.us

 

Mark Murphy Music in South Orange

For over ten years, Mark Murphy Music has been offering outstanding musical education and instruction to students of all ages. We are proud to present the singing talents of three of his most outstanding vocalists.

Zoe Crutcher (age 13) is an 8th grader who lives in South Orange and studies voice, piano and most recently, guitar. Keira January (age 10) is a 5th grader at Jefferson Elementary School who enjoys playing piano, and singing solo as well as with her band. Ally Salort (age 10) is a 5th grader at Tuscan Elementary School who has performed at Tuscan, Marshall and Jefferson Elementary Schools.

www.markmurphysmusic.com

IT’S A WONDERFUL SHOW @ RVCC ARTS THIS WEDNESDAY

It's a Wonderful Life

It's a Wonderful Life
WVL Radio Theatre

WHEN: Wednesday, December 18, at 2 & 7 PM
WHERE:
The Theatre at RVCC, 118 Lamington Road, Branchburg
TICKETS: $10 at 2 PM, $25 at 7 PM
tickets

It's Christmas Eve in 1945, and only a handful of WVL Radio's actors have braved the blizzard to perform that evening's broadcast of It's a Wonderful Life; the only hope for keeping the station afloat. This clever stage adaptation breathes new life into the poignant story of George Bailey and Bedford Falls.

The story is juxtaposed against a time of failing banks, devastatingly high unemployment and a shortage of affordable housing.

The circumstances are eerily familiar, and over 60 years later, this story remains as fresh and relevant as ever. Its message of hope and optimism is the perfect antidote to holiday cynicism.

WOMEN SOUGHT FOR “THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES” IN SOUTH ORANGE

iATP and Babyland Family Services announces AUDITIONS!

The Vagina Monologues 
by Eve Ensler
directed by Christine Gaden

A small time commitment with a BIG impact

WHEN: JANUARY 4, 5-8 PM & JANUARY 5, 1-3 PM, 2014
APPOINTMENTS STRONGLY SUGGESTED
WHERE: The Baird Theatre, 5 Mead Street, 3rd Floor, South Orange

PERFORMANCE DATES: FEBRUARY 21-23

CASTING WOMEN 16 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER ONLY

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO AND TO SCHEDULE YOUR AUDITION

Auditions will be by cold reading only

Eve Ensler's hilarious, eye-opening tour into the last frontier, the forbidden zone at the heart of every woman. The Vagina Monologues is the award-winning show that's rocked audiences around the world.

The groundbreaking book gives voice to a chorus of lusty, outrageous, poignant, and thoroughly human stories, transforming the question mark hovering over the female anatomy into a permanent victory sign. With laughter and compassion, Ensler transports her audiences to a world we've never dared to know, guaranteeing that no one who experiences The Vagina Monologues will ever look at a woman's body the same way again. 

interACT Theatre Productions is thrilled to be partnering with Babyland Family Services of Newark to present this production and raise funds to help end violence against women and help local women and families through the Babyland Network.

CELEBRATE AN IRISH MUSICAL CHRISTMAS WITH THE YOUNG GIRLS @ HAMILTON STAGE IN RAHWAY ON SATURDAY

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Girsa-2013

AN IRISH MUSICAL CHRISTMAS WITH GIRSA

WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 21, 8 PM
WHERE: Hamilton Stage, 360 Hamilton Street, in the heart of the colorful Rahway Arts District
TICKETS: $20 general admission tickets and $10 student/senior
Tickets are available online at www.ucpac.org, by calling 732.499.8226, or visiting the UCPAC box office at 1601 Irving Street, Rahway.

Christmas is celebrated in Ireland with hallowed folk customs and lively music and dance — the Irish-American group Girsa brings it all together for a delightful holiday show with a swinging Celtic lilt. 

Girsa (pronounced geer-sha) means “young girls” in Gaelic, and the group’s current lineup consists of Deirdre Brennan, Bernadette Flanagan, Maeve Flanagan, Pamela Geraghty, Blaithin Loughran and Emily McShane performing a dazzling array of instruments — fiddle, tinwhistle, mandolin, accordion, piano, bodhran, guitar — refreshed with a riveting blend of vocals.

And, suddenly — someone steps out and dances a jig and a reel or two.

Friday, December 13, 2013

PTNJ’S FORUM READING SERIES: WEEK 2

Playwrights Theatre’s roundtable reading series FORUM will present

SOUNDINGS

WHERE: Fairleigh Dickinson University, Dreyfuss Theatre, 285 Madison Avenue, Madison
WHEN: 7:00 PM promptly each evening, December 10-21, 2013
ADMISSION: free of charge, with an optional donation of $10. A $25 dollar donation will get patrons a FORUM pass that covers all of the readings. A $250 donation will get patrons a rehearsal pass that allows access to all reading rehearsals
Reservations can be made online at http://www.ptnj.org/freereadings.php or call (973) 514-1787 X10.

Click here for directions

Click here for a printable map of the campus (the Dreyfuss Theatre is located in Building 9)

FORUM brings playwrights, actors and audience members together to enjoy the creative process of bringing a play to life. Staged readings of 12 innovative new plays by some of the country’s best writers with intimate discussions between author and audience following each performance.

Week Two of FORUM Readings

Monday, December 16
Chatting with the Tea Party by Rich Orloff

Who is the Tea Party? In this documentary-style play, a playwright travels around the country interviewing leaders of local Tea Party groups, trying to learn “Who are these people?” The answers showed him there’s more to the Tea Party than most folks know. Based on over 63 hours of interviews, and notes from two dozen Tea Party meetings and events around the country. Nothing the interviewees say in the play is made up.

Tuesday, December 17
Dissent by James Christy

In the near future, the economy of the United States is going through a radical inflation. Burritos cost $35, and the gap between rich and poor has become unbridgeable. Justice Clark, a liberal on the Supreme Court Justice is publically crashing and burning from alcohol abuse, while a serious case of corporate abuse is in front of him, a case that will come down to a close vote. Justin, a freelance journalist is investigating Clark’s self-destruction, when his wife, Lauren, a liberal blogger, going through a six-month bout with agoraphobia, decides to strike up an online conversation with him. And then their friend Maddie reveals a secret about the conservative justice who is opposed to Clark, and this group of liberals decide to take matters into their own hands.

Wednesday, December 18
100 Years by Richard Dresser

In a very odd planned community, the middle-aged Joan and Stevie are eating special food and waiting for a special procedure that will lengthen their lives. In an adjacent identical townhouse senior citizens Raymond and Helen are waiting, too. They share a backyard and, eventually, much more. The twenty-year old Brett is their tour guide/ferryman. A brand new comedy from the writer of Rounding Third.

 

Thursday, December 19
The Ironbound by Martyna Majok

An immigrant woman waits for the bus after a long day. A man appears. A man always appears. And he has something to offer. Spanning 22 years and three different relationships, every scene is a little war between a man and a woman for their best version of security. What are two people willing to trade and how dirtily are they willing to fight for the cheapest safety in a world that does not value all kinds of people?

 

Friday, December 20
Trespasser in a Promised Land by Russell Davis

In search of his former love, a young man enters a strange and foreboding place, secluded from the rest of society. Following a letter she wrote to him once in the past he finds that everything has changed since he knew her, and now an ancient prophecy may stand in the way of the future he wants with her.

 

 

Saturday, December 21
Us by Joe Sutton

Matt, Mark and Mary’s college-aged son is going through some difficult times, so much so that his parents pull him out of college and bring him home. What transpires is a drama about a generation of highly-educated parents, who, armed with the knowledge of their own college malfeasances and transgressions, and highly aware of the sins of their parents, still cannot communicate or begin to understand their child.

Programs are subject to change, based on artistic need. Please visit the website http://www.ptnj.org/freereadings.php for up-to-the-minute details.