Thursday, December 31, 2015
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
CLASSES FOR CHILDREN @ LUNA STAGE FILLING UP SOON!
Theater and Musical Theater Classes for Children Ages 4 to 13
Classes Start in 10 Days!
WHEN: January 9th - March 5th (No Class on February 13th)
WHERE: Luna Stage, 555 Valley Road, West Orange
Register Today - Classes are filling up!
Click Here to Register Today
Theatre and Creative Dramatics
Little Luna Ages 4-7
(NEARLY SOLD OUT - Don't Wait)
WHEN: Saturdays 10am-11am
TUITION: 8 Weeks $72
INSTRUCTOR: Danielle Renee Thompson
In the Little Luna program, young performers discover the creative elements of drama through a basis in story-telling. Through fun games and exercises, Little Luna participants learn about different theatrical elements (sets, costumes, props, scripts, etc.) and how they combine to create a performance. The class culminates in a sharing for family and friends.
Creative Drama
Ages 8-10
(NEARLY SOLD OUT - Don't Wait)
WHEN: Saturdays 11am-12pm
TUITION: 8 Weeks $72
INSTRUCTOR: Danielle Renee Thompson
The class is specially designed with creative minds and play as the focus. Through the use of theatre games and mini-performance workshops, young actors receive a comprehensive study of the various aspects of acting and performing. Topics include voice and speech, character development, creative expression through movement and solo and group improv, just to name a few. Actors will have an opportunity to perform for each other every class, and will work together to develop self-confidence, team/group dynamic, body and spatial awareness. The class culminates in a sharing for family and friends.
Performance Intensive
Ages 11-13
WHEN: Saturdays 12pm-1pm
TUITION: 8 Weeks $72
INSTRUCTOR: Danielle Renee Thompson
Our newest class offering for young performers ready to move beyond exercises and theatre games and dive into scene study and monologue work. Using age appropriate material from published plays, children will learn about character development and text analysis, with a focus on the technical skills necessary for a strong stage performance. The class culminates in a sharing for family and friends.
Musical Theatre
Song and Dance
Ages 4-7
WHEN: Saturdays 11am-12pm
TUITION: 8 Weeks - $96
INSTRUCTOR: Daryl L. Stewart
Luna's Song and Dance Class allows offers a fun introduction to musical theatre for our youngest artists. Children are introduced to all the different elements of musical theatre (acting, singing, dance and stage presence) and given the opportunity to discover their individual talents, creativity and self-expression. The class culminates in a sharing for family and friends.
Musical Theatre
WHEN: Ages 7-9 Saturdays 12pm-1pm - (NEARLY SOLD OUT - Don't Wait); Ages 10-12 Saturdays 10am-11am
TUITION: 8 Weeks - $96
Instructor: Daryl L. Stewart
Luna's Musical Theater Class allows children of all experience levels an opportunity to discover their individual talents, creativity and performing interests while exploring the basics of Musical Theater (acting, singing and dance). Young performers work collaboratively to explore vocal technique, character-based song interpretation, and choreography from Broadway musicals. The class culminates in a sharing for family and friends.
Our Teachers
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| Daryl L. Stewart |
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| Danielle Renee Thompson |
A Special Note about Luna's Holiday Hours
Luna's Offices are closed for the holidays until January 5th, so you won't be able to reach us by phone until then. Please feel free to email info@lunastage.org in the meantime and we will respond as quickly as we can.
Thanks for your understanding.
GSP ACTING CLASSES FOR ADULTS, KIDS FILLING UP QUICKLY: REGISTER NOW!
WHEN: ADULT CLASSES BEGIN MONDAY, JANUARY 4! YOUTH CLASSES BEGIN SATURDAY, JANUARY 9!
WHERE: George Street Playhouse, 9 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick
2 CLASSIC FILMS @ THE DARRESS THEATRE TO RING IN THE NEW YEAR
“THE PAVILION” BY ALLIANCE REP IN SUMMIT WARMS HEARTS ON COLD JANUARY DAY
THE PAVILION
by Craig Wright
directed by Michael Driscoll
starring Erik Gaden as Peter, Sarah Kuhns as Kari and Brad Howell as the Narrator
WHEN: January 8 -24, 2016 Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 PM with a Sunday dinner/theater package with J B Winberie's on Sunday Jan. 24th at 7 PM. There are also Thursday specials on Jan. 14th & 21st at 8 PM, buy one adult ticket get 2nd at half price! Details can be found at www.alliancerep.org.
WHERE: MONDO, 426 Springfield Avenue, Summit
TICKETS: $25; seniors $20; students $15
For reservations: By Phone: 908-472-1502 or online at http://www.alliancerep.org/
Set in a small-town during a 20th high school reunion, this funny, thought-provoking play explores the sometimes overwhelming question of " What If ." What if we could go back in time and take another path? If only we had that second chance to make amends. The Pavilion is a gloriously poetic theatrical treat that shows the dramas of ordinary lives into the patchwork pattern of the universe.
“It's a rare occasion to work on such a well-written script as The Pavilion.” Michael Driscoll, the Director adds, “ A play that makes you laugh, think and have your emotions moved to tears is, to me at least, the perfect play and one that will warm your heart on a cold January day.”
Hailed by critics as an "OUR TOWN for our time" this play is by turns poetic and comic, romantic and philosophical and in 2000 received a Pulitzer nomination. It was also nominated for the American Theatre Critics Association Best New Play and a 2005-2006 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play.
The award-winning Alliance Repertory Theatre is under the Artistic Direction of Michael Driscoll and was founded in 1999 by Jerry Marino and Jeff Streger. They are a non-profit 501c3company dedicated to producing distinctive, challenging and thought-provoking theater, and to providing local actors, directors and writers the opportunity to display and expand their talents.
WINTER HEATS UP @ UCPAC IN RAHWAY
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SINGER-SONGWRITER TO APPEAR AT FREE CONCERT IN CHATHAM
CONCERTS ON MAIN
Emanuel Ayvas, singer-songwriter
an acoustic afternoon of original folk and rock songs from the frontman of the noted (and eclectic) band Emanuel and the Fear
WHEN: Sunday, January 10, 2 p.m.
WHERE: Ogden Memorial Presbyterian Church, 286 Main Street, Chatham, NJ
ADMISSION: freewill donation
www.ConcertsOnMain.org
Lead vocalist, guitarist, pianist, and composer of the symphonic rock band Emanuel and the Fear, Ayvas is known for intertwining original pop songs with extravagant and complex orchestral compositions. His influences include the likes of Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, Philip Glass, Bob Dylan, the Beatles and Daft Punk.
Emanuel and the Fear has released four albums and toured extensively, sharing the stage with Joanna Newsom, The War on Drugs, Wilco, Beirut and Here We Go Magic and others in venues ranging from NYC’s Gramercy Theatre and Joe’s Pub to Berlin’s Deutsches Theater. A recent solo European tour for Emanuel included stops in Germany and the UK where critics enjoyed his music’s connections to the Rat Pack and Shirley Bassey.
The Guardian highlighted his music’s “keen sense of theatre and drama.”
Jordan Blum, the Philadelphia Rock Music Examiner, noted that the band’s album “Listen is undoubtedly one of the best debut records I’ve ever heard, as well as one of the best albums I’ve ever reviewed… [the] chance to see lead guitarist/pianist/vocalist/songwriter Emanuel Ayvas in a humble, personal setting is an opportunity you’ll kick yourself for missing” (Examiner.com).
Emanuel’s appearance with Concerts on Main features original songs from his upcoming solo album. A folk-influenced project, the album will be recorded later this winter and will highlight Emanuel’s prowess as a vocalist, guitarist and pianist. The lyrics offer a reflective and sometimes humorous look at how popular culture affects individuals and their emotions. Emanuel will also share solo arrangements of songs from Emanuel and the Fear, including some from Primitive Smile, an album that is all about returning to family and roots. A native of Wood-Ridge, NJ, Emanuel now makes his home in Brooklyn. He is a graduate of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he competed as a pole vaulter and studied composition and piano performance. For more information visit www.emanuelandthefear.com.
About Concerts on Main: Free and open to all, varied hour-long performances by NJ and NYC professionals are held during the fall and winter in Ogden Memorial Presbyterian Church’s historic and acoustically-engaging sanctuary. As needed, younger listeners can take advantage of a nearby indoor playspace. Ogden is located a block from Chatham’s train station, with easy and fast NYC access; there is ample free parking in the vicinity of the church. The series continues on Sunday, March 20 with a 12pm performance by the Reeds Amis woodwind trio.
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
DANCE NJ PRESENTS “SHOW UP AND DANCE” @ CENTENARY COLLEGE
SHOW UP AND DANCE
WHEN: Saturday, January 9, 2016. Show times are 1:00 and 3:00 pm
WHERE: Centenary Stage Company’s Lackland Center, 715 Grand Ave., Hackettstown
TICKETS: $10 for Adults and $5 for Seniors/Children 12 and under
For more information on this event and other programs and services offered by Dance New Jersey, please visit www.dancenj.org.
Dance New Jersey, the state’s premiere dance service organization will present its bi-annual member-based performance opportunity. Show Up and Dance is an opportunity for dance artists to exhibit their work in a supportive environment. Members of Dance New Jersey are invited to showcase a work in progress or present a complete work, as a means to solicit constructive feedback from peers and to gain exposure. The general public is invited to join in the fun for a nominal fee. Members need not pay anything additional to participate, but pre-registration is required.
“Show Up and Dance” informally showcases the breadth of dancing and choreographic talent that hails from New Jersey. In a welcoming and supportive environment, student and professional members of Dance New Jersey alike come together to share their creative dance work with the community. In this iteration showcasing over 25 works and 100 performers, audiences can expect to see performances by local professional dance companies moe-tion dance theatre and Nai-Ni Chen, along with the highlighting of National Honor Society of Dance Arts students, and many more exceptional performances by some of New Jersey’s best dance artists.
Dance New Jersey is a service organization committed to advocating the excellence of dance and dance education in the state. Its goals are to raise public awareness of the significance of dance by cultivating relationships with communities, to foster the artistic and administrative growth of its varied members, and to be the state-wide hub of dance resource sharing.
Monday, December 28, 2015
GUEST EVENTS @ GEORGE STREET PLAYHOUSE IN JANUARY
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SUMMIT PLAYHOUSE SEEKS PERFORMERS 8-14 TO BRING BELOVED CHILDREN’S BOOK TO LIFE!
AUDITION NOTICE:
We are thrilled to be piloting this brand new adaptation of the beloved children's book series:
Junie B. Jones!
It's Junie B.'s first day of first grade and a lot of things have changed for her: Junie's friend Lucille doesn't want to be her best pal anymore, and on the bus, Junie B. makes friends with Herb, the new kid at school. Also, Junie has trouble reading the blackboard and her teacher Mr. Scary thinks she may need glasses. Throw in a friendly cafeteria lady, a kickball tournament and a "Top-Secret Personal Beeswax Journal," and first grade has never been more exciting!
Seeking performers 8-14 to bring this show to life!
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS PILOT PRODUCTION CLICK HERE
WHEN: Saturday, January 9 and Sunday, January 10 (by appointment); Callbacks will be held on Sunday, January 17 (by invitation only)
WHERE: The Summit Playhouse, 10 New England Ave, Summit, NJ 07901
To sign up for an audition, CLICK HERE!
THE BARN THEATRE SEEKS ACTORS FOR TENNESSEE WILLIAMS’ CLASSIC
AUDITION NOTICE:
The Barn Theatre in Montville, New Jersey continues its 88th Season by holding open auditions for its upcoming production of
Cat On A Hot Tin Roof
written by Tennessee Williams
directed by Roseann Ruggiero
WHEN: Sunday, January 17, 2016 7pm – 9:30 pm and Monday, January 18, 2016 7pm – 9:30 pm
WHERE: The Barn Theatre, 32 Skyline Drive in Montville, NJ, just minutes off Route 287 (Exit 47).
For more information or directions, call 973-334-9320 ext. 5, or visit www.barntheatre.org
PERFORMANCE DATES: March 18, 2016 - April 10, 2016 (Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and possible Thursdays)
The story of a Southern family in crisis, especially the husband Brick and wife Maggie, and their interaction with Brick's family at a gathering on the family estate to celebrate the birthday of patriarch Big Daddy and his clean bill of health. All except Big Daddy and Big Mama are aware of Big Daddy's true fatal diagnosis. Throughout the course of the play, it becomes clear that the family has long constructed a web of mendacity.
CAST REQUIREMENTS:
- Margaret (Maggie) – must play mid 20s - 30s – married up and tense as a cat
- Brick – male – must play mid 20s – 30s – former athlete golden boy filling the hole in his soul with alcohol
- Big Daddy – must play late 60s – 70s - bombastic Southern plantation owner and patriarch of the family
- Big Mama – must play 60s-70s – typical southern mama
- Gooper, sometimes called Brother Man – must play 30s-40s - typical “other” son
- Mae, sometimes called Sister Woman – must play 30s-40s – manipulative wife and daughter-in-law
- No neck monsters – children of Gooper and Mae
- Doctor Baugh (pronounced “Baw”) – 50s-60s – southern small town doctor
- Reverend Tooker - 40s-60s – typical southern preacher
- Trixie – any age - house servant
- Sonny – any age – house servant
- Lacey – any age – house servant
Actors are asked to arrive to sign in within the first hour of the audition start time. All roles are available. Casting is open, and newcomers are especially welcomed. Crew and other volunteers are also needed for the event. If interested, please contact info@barntheatre.org
NEW JERSEY SCHOOL OF DRAMATIC ARTS’ ENCORE THEATRE PRESENTS "AMERICAN IDIOT!"
AMERICAN IDIOT!
WHEN: Friday, January 8, 8pm; Saturday, January 9, 3pm; Saturday, January 9, 8pm; Sunday, January 10, 3pm
WHERE: WESTMINSTER ARTS THEATRE, 449 Franklin Street, Bloomfield, NJ.
TICKETS: $20. http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2226532
The New Jersey School of Dramatic Arts Encore Theatre presents AMERICAN IDIOT! Green Day's powerhouse album is brought to life in this electric-rock musical of youthful disillusion. The two-time TONY Award-winning hit musical Green Day's American Idiot, based on the GRAMMY Award-winning multi-platinum album, boldly takes the American musical where it's never gone before. This high-octane show includes every song from Green Day's album American Idiot, as well as several songs from follow-up release, 21st Century Breakdown. Johnny, Tunny and Will struggle to find meaning in a post-9/11 world. When the three disgruntled men flee the constraints of their hometown for the thrills of city life, their paths are quickly estranged when Tunny enters the armed forces, Will is called back home to a...ttend familial responsibilities, and Johnny's attention becomes divided by a seductive love interest and a hazardous new friendship. A high concept, energy-fueled rock opera with strong messages and an amazing cast.
The musical will feature the amazing directing “dream team” from NYC's 20th anniversary production of RENT, Alex Perez and Charles Santoro!
The show is directed and choreographed by Alex Perez, Alex is a Member of AEA, SAG-AFTRA, and SDC (Stage Directors and Choreographers).
The musical direction is by Charles Santoro (Musical Director/Piano Conductor). Currently, Mr. Santoro teaches, composes, arranges, and orchestrates for an assortment of shows and events in the NJ and NYC area.
The American Idiot cast includes Michael Nigro from Cranford, Tyler Moscaritola from Nutley, Thomas Short from Jersey City, Susan Ramirez from Belleville, Nisa Betancourt from Bayonne, Kelly Baron from Milford, Andy Winters from Bayonne, Robert Stevens from Saddle Brook, Jr., Rob Wilson from West Orange, Chris Taramelli from Landing, Xander Fiedler, Jesse Bush from Randolph, Annalise Mendez from Old Bridge, Rachel Spillane from Kearny, Angela Romano from Fairfield, Katerina Farese from Woodland Park, Dani Morris from Wycoff, and Audrey Russelman from Wanaque.
Founded in 2004, the New Jersey School of Dramatic Arts (www.njactors.org) in Bloomfield, NJ has provided comprehensive professional acting training for adults, teens and children. More than 3,000 students, some of whom have gone on to pursue professional acting careers, have taken classes at the school since it opened its doors eleven years ago.
THE FORCE IS AWAKENING IN LIVINGSTON!
Blast into the New Year with the Livingston Symphony Orchestra’s
Space...the Final Frontier
This interactive family concert features a narrated musical trip to the moon and back, and music from Star Trek, “Jupiter” and “Mars” from Holsts’ “The Planets,” and John Williams’ “Star Wars”and selections from “ET.”
Free Tofutti sponsored frozen desserts will be served after the concert, and optional dress as your favorite Star Wars, Space or alien character is appreciated. A prize for best costume or look is also available for those who wish to participate.
WHEN: Saturday January 9, 2016, 2:00 pm
WHERE: Livingston High School, 30 Robert Harp Drive, Livingston NJ. TICKETS: $25 for adults; $15 for seniors, free for students 12- 18 with ID; and free for children under 12 accompanied by an adult.
The venue is handicapped accessible with adjacent free parking. Tickets can be purchased prior to the event by calling (973)980-1809 or will be available at the door. Please visit www.lsonj.org for more details on the orchestra and program.
Saturday, December 26, 2015
JANUARY PROGRAMS FOR KIDS, FAMILIES & TEENS @ THE MONTCLAIR PUBLIC LIBRARY
Storytime
WHERE: The Montclair Public Library, 50 South Fullerton Avenue
Montclair, NJ 07042 (unless otherwise noted)
www.montclairlibrary.org
973-744-0500 ext. 2236
Mother Goose n' Craft
NEW Date & Time! Mother Goose is an excellent way to promote literacy among our preschool-aged patrons. Picture books, flannel board stories, songs and puppets are used to build upon children’s natural enthusiasm for books and reading. Each session will end with a simple art experience for little ones. Children of all abilities welcome.
*No registration required; space limited.
3rd floor
Ages 3 to 6
Mondays, January 11, 25, February 1 & 8 at 1:30pm
*Preference given to Montclair Library Cardholders; please bring card.
Babies in the Library
Babies meet babies! Parents and caregivers sing nursery rhymes together with their little ones. Songs, language activities, and board books will be introduced during each session. Make baby's first library experience a special one! Children of all abilities welcome.
*No registration required; space limited.
3rd floor
Newborns-23 mos.
Tuesdays, January 12, 19, 26, February 2 & 9 at 10:30am & 11:30am
*Preference given to Montclair Library Cardholders; please bring card.
Toddler Time
Two-year-olds and the adults in their lives explore language and numbers through stories and songs. Picture books, flannel board stories, and nursery rhymes are used to introduce the wonder of books. Children of all abilities welcome.
*No registration required; space limited.
3rd floor
Two-year-olds
Wednesdays, January 13, 20, 27, February 3 & 10 at 10:30am & 11:30am
*Preference given to Montclair Library Cardholders; please bring card.
Family Storytime @ Bellevue Avenue Library
WHERE: Kids Place @ Bellevue Avenue Branch Library, 185 Bellevue Ave., Upper Montclair
This program is designed for newborns through five year-olds accompanied by a favorite adult. Share books, stories, finger-plays, rhymes, and music with your children. Enjoy a story session that encourages a love of reading and fosters the development of early literacy skills. Children of all abilities welcome.
No registration required
Newborns to 5 year-olds
Thursdays, January 7 & 21 at 11am*
*Please note that the Library is not otherwise open during program; preference given to Montclair Library Cardholders.
Homeschooling Meeting
Check out the Library’s monthly Homeschooling meeting and make friends with other families. Youth Services Librarian, Enola Romano, displays our comprehensive collection of parenting books provided for your family. Bring your favorite board game to share!
For more information email Enola Romano at enola.romano@montclair.bccls.org.
No registration required
Auditorium
Thursday, January 7, 11am-1pm
Game On! Drop-In Wii & Board Games
Are ‘wii board’ yet? Come enjoy many games that are a lot of fun and offer a little bit of friendly competition. We will provide various Wii games (including but not limited to), Wii Sports Resort, Just Dance, and Super Smash Brothers Brawl. In addition, we will also offer various board games such as, Don’t Wake Daddy, Creationary, LIFE, Clue, Connect 4, Operation, Twister, Mancala, Chess and Backgammon to those who prefer to play traditional board games. GAME ON!
No registration required
3rd floor
All ages welcome
Friday, January 15, 3-5 pm
(4 volunteers)
Books & Bites: Beginner Reading Club
Cultivate a love of literature with the Books & Bites Reading Club! We will read and discuss a new book, followed by a themed-craft and a tasty snack. Don’t miss out on the fun! For students in Grades 1-3, books are available to check out on your library card after December 21.
Registration required
3rd floor
Grades 1-3 Mercy Watson to the Rescue by Kate DiCamillo
Wednesday, January 20, 4:30pm-5:30pm
LIMIT 15
*Please advise of food any allergies.
Let's Read Together!
Let's Read Together is a family literacy program designed to help kids get ready to read! Each session will highlight fun activities that adults and children can share to help develop early literacy skills. Children of all abilities are welcome.
Registration required*
3rd floor
Newborns to 5 year-olds
Saturday, January 23 at 11am LIMIT 15
Monday, January 25 at 6:30pm LIMIT 15
*Please register for only one session.
Books & Bites: Advanced Reading Club
Cultivate a love of literature with the Books & Bites Reading Club! We will read and discuss a new book followed by a themed-craft and a tasty snack. Don’t miss out on the fun! For students in Grades 3-5, books are available to check out on your library card after December 21.
Registration required
3rd floor
Grades 3-5 The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
Wednesday, January 27, 4:30pm-5:30 pm LIMIT 15
*Please advise of any food allergies.
Young Adult Programs
Teen Advisory Board Meeting
The Teen Advisory Board is busy preparing for the winter season! Join us in finalizing plans for our Drop-in Wii and Board Games, Passport to Flavor: Destination Greece, and of course KORT! We will be looking forward and discussing our brilliant ideas for the months of February. The Teen Advisory Board (TAB) of the Montclair Public Library meets the first Wednesday of each month, September-May. TAB members receive community service hours for participating. For more information email Justin Kontonicolaou at justin.kontonicolaou@montclair.bccls.org.
TAB Members Grades 6-12
Refreshments will be served; please advise of food allergies.
Wednesday, January 6, 6:30pm-7:30 pm, 3rd floor
*Currently accepting new memberships; membership application required and membership is limited!
Passport to Flavor: Destination Greece
Did you know that Greece is a Mediterranean country made up of a mainland and over 2,000 islands? Of these islands, only 151 have people living on them. This month we visit Greece and will be enjoying simple, hearty meals. Join us as we learn how to make gyrous me kototoulo (pita with chicken) with tzaziki sauce, horiatiki salata (Greek salad), and yaourti me fraoula con meli (yogurt and honey with strawberries). Kali orexi!Registration required* LIMIT 10
Ages 12 & up
Thursday, January 21, 4pm-5:30pm, 3rd floor
*Please advise of any food allergies.
YA Book Club: Knights of the Round Table
Hear ye hear ye, KORT is now in session! Young Adult Librarian, Justin Kontonicolaou wants to know what you are reading. Join us as we discuss new and upcoming YA books. Teens are welcome to bring in titles of books they would recommend to others. Discussions will be followed by a tasty bite to eat!
No registration required
3rd floor
Ages 12 & up
Monday, January 25, 6:30pm-7:30pm
Program Registration begins Monday, December 21
Youth Services Department, 3rd floor; by Phone: 973-744-0500 ext. 2236
Registration is required for all Youth Services Programs unless otherwise noted.
All are welcome, Montclair card holders receive priority registration.
All Youth Services Programs Are Free.
Please have your library card ready to register for programs.
About the Montclair Public Library: Founded in 1893, the Montclair Free Public Library serves the 37,669 citizens of Montclair New Jersey it has two facilities: the Main Library at 50 S. Fullerton Avenue and the Bellevue Branch at 185 Bellevue Avenue. The Library exists to enhance the quality of life in Montclair by providing an environment which supports and stimulates self education, lifelong learning and information literacy.
AMBITIOUS STUDENT MUSICALS & PLAYS IN TEANECK, NJ
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Black Box Studios celebrates the New Year with a new home. Set in the heart of vibrant Teaneck, NJ, the Black Box Performing Arts Center offers the opportunity for more robust programming in 2016. Continuing their commitment to serve the NJ arts community, the January 2016 repertoire includes a high-level teen ensemble productions of Bat Boy: The Musical, and Other Desert Cities; as well as student productions of How I Learned to Drive, and Zombie Prom: Atomic Edition. WHERE: The Black Box Performance Arts Center is located at 200 Walraven Dr. (just off Palisade Ave.), Teaneck, NJ Bat Boy: The Musical WHEN: Jan 7-13, Thu, Jan 7 at 8:00 pm; Sat, Jan 9 at 7pm; Wed, Jan 13 at 9pm; Thu, Jan 14 at 8:30pm; Sat, Jan 16 at 9pm. Based on a story in The Weekly World News, Bat Boy: The Musical is a musical comedy/horror show about a half boy/half bat creature who is discovered in a cave near Hope Falls, West Virginia. Other Desert Cities WHEN: Jan 9-18, Sat, Jan 9 at 9pm; Sun, Jan 10 at 7pm; Sat, Jan 16 at 7pm; Sun, Jan 17 at 8pm; Mon, Jan 18 at 7:30pm. Brooke Wyeth returns home to Palm Springs after a six-year absence to celebrate Christmas with her family. Brooke announces she is about to publish a memoir dredging up a pivotal and tragic event in the family's history-a wound they don't want reopened. In effect, she draws a line in the sand and dares them all to cross it. How I Learned to Drive WHEN: Jan 10-13, Sun, Jan 10 at 9pm; Mon, Jan 11 at 8pm; Wed, Jan 13 at 7pm. A wildly funny, surprising and devastating tale of survival as seen through the lens of a troubling relationship between a young girl and an older man. How I Learned to Drive is the story of a woman who learns the rules of the road and life from behind the wheel. Zombie Prom: Atomic Edition WHEN: Jan 12-17, Tue, Jan 12 at 7pm; Thu, Jan 14 at 6:30pm; Sun, Jan 17 at 5:30pm. This girl-loves-ghoul rock and roll musical is set in the atomic 1950s at Enrico Fermi High, where the law is laid down by a zany, tyrannical principal. Pretty senior Toffee has fallen for the class bad boy. Family pressure forces her to end the romance, and he charges off on his motorcycle to the nuclear waste dump. He returns glowing and determined to reclaim Toffee's heart. Bat Boy: The Musical, Other Desert Cities and How I Learned to Drive are presented in special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc. Zombie Prom: Atomic Edition is presented in special arrangement with Samuel French Inc. |
| About Black Box Studios (BBS): |
| Based in Teaneck, NJ, BBS offers collaborative theater workshops and performance for adults, teens, and children. Cutting-edge productions and innovative programs for students of all ages, experience levels, and backgrounds run year-round. BBS teaches using an improv-based method that BBS' founders developed during their years working in theater in New York City. BBS also teaches acting classes and runs drama clubs in private and day schools in Bergen County and the Greater New York area. BBS offers private coaching in acting, singing, and musical theater, and has a popular summer intensive theater programs for kids and teens. The experience of Black Box's professional teaching artists covers all disciplines- acting, singing, dancing, music performance and composition, directing, producing, writing, managing, and lighting and comes from Broadway, off-Broadway, film, concerts, television, and new media. |
Friday, December 25, 2015
ONLY 4 PERFORMANCES OF THIS SUGARPLUM OF A SHOW!
The Merry Wives of Windsor
Written by William Shakespeare
Directed by Bonnie J. Monte
Buy tickets now by calling our box office at (973)-408-5600
or visiting us online at www.ShakespeareNJ.org
WHERE: Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, 36 Madison Ave., Madison (on the campus of Drew University)
Pictured: Saluda Camp and Caralyn Kozlowski
Photo © Jerry Dalia
START 2016 WITH GREAT THEATER FROM NJ REP IN LONG BRANCH
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WHERE: NJ Repertory, 179 Broadway, Long Branch, New Jersey
732-229-3166 | njrep@njrep.org | Ticketing | Directions
“STAGE KISS” @ STUDIO PLAYHOUSE IN UPPER MONTCLAIR
STAGE KISS
By Sarah Ruhl
Directed by Mark Liebert
Stage Managed by Michael Sakolsky
WHEN: Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 3pm from January 8 through January 23
WHERE: Studio Playhouse is located at 14 Alvin Place, off Valley Road near the Acme, in Upper Montclair. 973-744-9752. www.studioplayhouse.org
TICKETS: $20 for adults and $17 for students and seniors; discounts available for groups of 20 or more that prepay.
Tickets can be purchased online at www.studioplayhouse.org/tickets or by calling 973-744-9752
Art imitates life. Life imitates art. When two actors with a history are thrown together as romantic leads in a forgotten 1930’s melodrama, THE LAST KISS, they quickly lose touch with reality as the story onstage follows them offstage. They follow that with a second play, a gritty contemporary story of love and violence called I LOVED HER BEFORE I KILLED HER or BLURRY. The effect is a web-spinning tale about what happens when lovers share a stage kiss – or when actors share a real one.
Top: He and She (in character for the show within the show) in the title pose (Samantha Carpel and Michael Smith Gallo)
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
BERGEN COUNTY PLAYERS KICKS OFF 2016 WITH "GOOD PEOPLE"
GOOD PEOPLE
by award-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire
directed by Peter Colletto
WHEN: January 9 - 30. Friday and Saturday performances at 8 pm, with Sunday matinees at 2 pm.
WHERE: Little Firehouse Theatre, 298 Kinderkamack Road in Oradell
TICKETS: $21 for all evening performances, $17 for matinees
Tickets can be purchased online at www.bcplayers.org, by calling 201-261-4200 or by visiting the box office at 298 Kinderkamack Road in Oradell during regular box office hours. Visa, Master Card, and American Express are accepted.
Those interested in Group Sales of 20 or more tickets can email groups@bcplayers.org or call the main number and press #6.
Are you "good people"? Find out as the Bergen County Players (BCP), NJACT's 2015 Community Theatre of the Year, kicks off 2016 with Good People, a show that contains mature subject matter and language.
USA Today has called the play "thoughtful and moving." Set in South Boston, Good People offers an intimate look at how luck, class and the choices we make intersect to form our lives.
"Good people," as depicted in the play, are those who Colletto says "have integrity, stay true to themselves and also know instinctively what others need". A big admirer of the playwright's other works, which include Pulitzer Prize-winning Rabbit Hole and lyrics for Shrek The Musical, Colletto is very excited about the opportunity to direct this play. "It is extremely well-written," he says. "The scenes are so moving, loyalties change, sides change. It's sad and comical at the same time, but always entertaining and very provocative for today's audiences, when so many people feel vulnerable about their financial future."
The story is set in motion when Margaret "Margie" Walsh (Paula O'Brien of Park Ridge), a working class Southie who has struggled for years, is fired from her job in a Dollar Store by her kid boss Stevie (Paul Reitnauer III of Demarest). Desperate for work, she decides to ask for help from a former neighborhood friend who has made good, Dr. Mike Dillon (Mic McCormick of Tenafly). Margie is joined on her mission to get work and make a point about life by her best friend Jean (Jean Marie Garver-Gaydos of River Edge) and her needy landlady Dottie (Michele Blum of Oakland), all of whom have failed to get out of the old 'hood. The cast is rounded out by Mike's posh wife Kate (Nadiya Braham of Hackensack) and the priest who calls out the bingo game (Ed Gross of Westwood).
The production team, besides director Colletto, who also is the lighting designer, includes Rhea Smith (Producer & Program Notes), Joanne Misha (Assistant to the Director), Michael Smith (Set Design & Construction, Photography), Michele Roth (Stage Manager), Katie Lupfer (Costumes), Joe Halajian (Sound Design), Angela Grippo and William Powers (Sound Operation), Rosemary DeFlorio (Lighting Operation), Cammy Bourcier (Publicity) and Arno Austin, Richard Ciero, Pauline Quinones and Andrew Whitney (Props & Crew).
As it has for the past few seasons, BCP continues to offer a
"Questions & Artists" (Q&A) discussion following select performances. Good People Q&A will take place immediately following the Friday, January 15, performance. Admission is included in the cost of the ticket.
• Advance discount tickets for students age 25 and under with proper ID are available for $14 by phone or walk-up only, and student rush seats can be purchased for $5 (cash only) starting 30 minutes before the curtain at every performance, pending seat availability. There is a limit of one rush ticket per student.
• Parking is free at the Park Avenue municipal lot, across the street, one-half block north of the theatre.
The Bergen County Players has grown tremendously from its roots as a small community theatre when it was founded in 1932; today, more than 300 volunteer members, working on and off stage, make possible the nine productions presented each season.
Further information, including additional photos, can be found at www.bcplayers.org.
SHOWS FOR THE YOUNG AND YOUNG AT HEART IN RAHWAY
Grab your friends and join us for a group sing-a-long to the original
musical motion picture Grease 2.
WHERE: Hamilton Stage, 360 Hamilton St., Rahway
WHEN: January 23, 2016 at 8PM
Tickets
Bring the kids to sing along with Disney's hit animated film Frozen.
(Parents, you know them too, so sing along!)
WHEN: January 24, 2016 at 2PM
Tickets
Sensory Friendly Theatre Series
Specially designed shows for children with sensory sensitivity but great for all children!
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| Jeff Boyer's Bubble Trouble takes bubbles to the max in this one-man bubble extravaganza. |
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| Brady Rymer and The Little Band That Could preform songs that celebrate children of all abilities. |
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| NJ Ballet presents Sleeping Beauty, the tale of a princess, a hundred year's sleep, and a kiss. |
Come see everyones favorite big red dog, Clifford, live on stage in
Clifford The Big Red Dog - Live!
WHEN: April 22 at 7PM
Tickets
STUDIO PLAYERS CASTING MOSS HART COMEDY
AUDITION NOTICE:
LIGHT UP THE SKY
a comedy by Moss Hart
directed by Keith Hoovler.
WHEN: Sunday, January 10 and Monday, January 11 at 7:30pm.
WHERE: Studio Players. 14 Alvin Place
Montclair
Performance dates are March 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 24, 25, 26, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8:00pm, Sundays at 3:00pm.
No monologues required. Sides from the script will be provided and are available prior to auditions online at www.StudioPlayhouse.org
For more information visit the Studio Playhouse website or call 973-744-9752
No Pay, No Fee
"Follow the fireworks that occur on the opening night of a new play, with a cast of characters one can only find in the theatre of the 1940’s. In walks an entourage, ready to toast Miss Irene Livingston, the star of the show. Piled in her hotel suite are the overly emotional director, the overbearing stage mother, the harried assistants, and that’s just for starters. With just hours before the curtain goes up, everything that can go wrong does. The show must go on. How will it all turn out in the end?”
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
Miss Lowell - (Female, mid 20’s to mid 50’s) Trim, neat figure of a women who aspire to be a great writer. She is fascinated by the lives they lead in the theatre, as it is so far removed from her usual studious life.
Carlton Fitzgerald – (Male, Early 40’s to Mid 50’s) The play’s director. He is temperamental and dramatic with a full-on passive-aggressive behavior bent. His every action, no matter how inconsequential, is filled with drama.
Peter Sloan - (Male, Mid 20’s to late 30’s) The writer of the play, and a young, idealistic, tortured soul. He seems to have been carried along on a path no so much of his own making, but rather by equal parts of luck and talent. He feels very out of place in this world of theatre.
Owen Turner - (Male, Late 30’s to mid 50’s) A writer who has come to the out of town opening, and knows most of those involved with the production. He is wise in the ways of survival on the Great White Way (Moss Hart, the playwright, speaks through this character). He suffers fools only for entertainment value. Each of them has been exploited as a character in one of his plays.
Sidney Black - (Male, Late 40’s to mid 60’s) The major financial backer of the play, although the world of theatre is new to him. He has accumulated things of status and self-importance as compensation for his humble beginnings. Everything is an accumulation towards money and status, even to some extent his wife Frances.
Frances Black – ( Female, Late 20’s to late 40’s) Wife of Sydney. She is a born and raised in NY gal who speaks her mind and is always ready to put up her dukes. Her vitality is at once fearful and refreshing. She must strike the attitude of an athlete and show girl rolled into one.
Stella Livingston - (Female, Late 40’s to late 50’s) The mother of the show’s star Irene Livingston. She is the perfect specimen of the redoubtable old pirate and saboteur. Her age is as uncertain as the color of her hair, and a closely guarded secret. She is a handsome old hoodlum who is very well turned out.
Irene Livingston (Female, Mid 20’s to Mid 30’s) The consummate star of stage and screen, Irene should draw attention from every corner the moment she enters a room. Everything she says and does exudes a dramatic flair that comes from having spent her life basking in the footlights. One should almost assume she was born on the stage as she literally knows no other existence.
Tyler Rayburn - (Male, Mid 40’s to Mid 50’s) Tyler is Irene’s husband for all the conveniences that he brings to her (even if he doesn’t seem quite aware of that). Tyler is an Ivy League businessman who knows nothing of the theatre world, but is utterly enchanted by Irene. There are a collection of Tyler’s littering the hallways or Irene’s life.
William Gallagher - (Male, Early 50’s to mid 60’s) Mr. Gallagher is the type the keeps the theatre alive and well and bankrolled. He has arrived with deep pockets, a love of theatre, and deeper dreams of living a theatrical life.
Sven - (Male mid to late 20’s) The young, handsome, and athletic masseur whose lines are limited to two words, but his looks and Cheshire Cat-like grin imply so much more has taken place in the time leading up to his entrance.
Shriners, Plain Clothes Policeman (Male, various ages) The Shriners are drunkenly celebrating after hours of their convention, and the police are there to quell the mayhem.
CHATHAM PLAYHOUSE TO HOST COMEDY WORKSHOP
PHYSICAL COMEDY WORKSHOP
with Jeff Bender of STNJ
WHEN: Saturday, January 9, 2016 from 3:00 until 5:00 PM
WHERE: Chatham Playhouse, 9 N. Passaic Ave., Chatham
ADMISSION: $20 and is open for anyone 14 years old and older
The Chatham Community Players are excited to be hosting a “Physical Comedy Workshop” presented by Jeff Bender. Jeff is primarily an actor and was most recently seen at the Shakespeare Theatre of NJ in a production of Love’s Labour’s Lost where he has been a company member for 16 years. He has taught comedy classes and stage combat in the tri-state area for over 10 years. As an actor, he has worked on Broadway at the Golden Theatre and at Lincoln Center Theatre, as well as the Metropolitan Opera, The Old Globe in San Diego, Seattle Repertory Theatre, The Denver Center, The Acting Company, and Delaware Theatre Company, to name a few. (Above: Jeff Bender in Much Ado About Nothing at Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey)
The class will consist of discussing what makes physical comedy different from other types of comedy. There will also be talk about finding the extremes of a given event or emotion by using the body to exaggerate the situation. To do this, the class will use individual and group mime exercises to explore how to connect the body to the comedic moment. From there, activities that show how to incorporate the exercises to the stage and games that will show how to interact physically with others in the space will be shared. Finally, you will discuss the origins of physical comedy by exploring Commedia Del’Arte with its stock characters and the Lazzi. Jeff asks that participants wear comfortable clothes that they can move in. It will be physical, but fun!
About the Chatham Playhouse
The Chatham Community Players has been entertaining residents of Morris County and the surrounding area since 1922. The organization’s mission is to produce high-quality theater for a diverse audience, while elevating its standard of excellence and providing a creative outlet with educational opportunities and outreach programs. For more information, including details of CCP’s 2015-2016 season, visit www.chathamplayers.org.
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
McCARTER THEATRE CENTER STARTS NEW YEAR WITH PRODUCTION OF AUGUST WILSON’S PULITZER PRIZE-WINNER: “THE PIANO LESSON”
![ThePianoLesson-sm[1]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-RQQRyK0BGTA/VnoKzbiOxqI/AAAAAAAAcVo/yoI5uEwp7Wc/s1600-h/ThePianoLesson-sm%25255B1%25255D%25255B4%25255D.jpg "ThePianoLesson-sm[1]")
THE PIANO LESSON
By August Wilson
Directed by Jade King Carroll
WHEN: Jan. 8 – Feb. 7
WHERE: McCarter Theatre’s Berlind Stage, 91 University Pl., Princeton
Tickets are available now at the McCarter Box Office or online at www.mccarter.org or by phone at 609-258-2787.
A struggle between a family’s enduring legacy and its chance for a brighter future takes center stage in The Piano Lesson: one of the most critically-acclaimed productions in August Wilson’s landmark ten-play American Century Cycle.
Winner of the 1990 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Play, August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson is set in 1930s Pittsburgh, revolving around the Charles family and the fate of an ancient piano covered in carvings telling the story of their ancestors. To reclaim his family’s legacy, Boy Willie (Marcus Callender) wishes to sell their priceless heirloom, but will his sister Berniece (Miriam A. Hyman) and the ghosts of their past stand in his way? An intense tale of a family at a crossroads, August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson speaks deeply to the themes of memory, hope, and perserverance.
The cast of August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson is a collection of amazing talent, including Tony Award-winner Cleavant Derricks (Dreamgirls) as Wining Boy; Tony Award-nominee John Earl Jelks (August Wilson’s Radio Golf) as Doaker; Marcus Callender (Straight Outta Compton) as Boy Willie; David Pegram (Broadway’s War Horse) as Lymon; Shannon Janee Antalan (Broadway’s Caroline, Or Change) as Grace; Owiso Odera (The Roundabout’s Overwhelming) as Avery; and Miriam A. Hyman as Berniece. Rounding out the cast as Maretha is Frances Brown, an eleven year-old Plainsboro native making her McCarter debut.
About Jade King Carroll’s directorial debut, McCarter Theatre Center Artistic Director Emily Mann said: “Jade is an extraordinary talent who assisted Ruben Santiago Hudson on August Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean at McCarter over 10 years ago. During her time here, Jade distinguished herself as a remarkable artist, and she went on to launch a vibrant career. One of her early triumphs, a production of Raisin in the Sun at Julliard, made a lasting impression on me, and is the best production of that play I have ever seen. She is known as an astute and sensitive director who elicits extraordinary performances from her actors. It is with great pride and excitement that I introduce you to her work.”
The design team for August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson includes Helen Hayes and Obie award-winning scenic designer Neil Patel, costume design by Paul Tazewell (creator of the stunning looks of NBC’s The Wiz LIVE!), lighting design by Edward Pierce, (McCarter’s production of Tennessee Williams’ Baby Doll), and sound design by William Kirby (Sound Design). The production will also include original music by acclaimed jazz composer Baikida Carroll (father to director Jade King Carroll), with musical direction by Richard Harper.
August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson marks the fourth McCarter Theatre Center production of Wilson’s American Century Cycle plays, following Gem of the Ocean (2005), Radio Golf (2007) and Fences (2014).
About McCarter Theatre Center
Under the leadership of Artistic Director Emily Mann and Managing Director Timothy J. Shields, McCarter Theatre Center is recognized as one of the nation’s premier theater companies. Renowned for major contributions to the theatrical canon, McCarter premieres include Christopher Durang’s Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike (winner of the 2013 Tony Award® for Best Play) and Miss Witherspoon (both commissions); Tarell Alvin
McCraney’s The Brother/Sister Plays; Will Power’s Fetch Clay, Make Man (commission); Edward Albee’s Me, Myself & I (commission); Emily Mann’s Having Our Say; Danai Gurira’s The Convert; Beth Henley’s Ridiculous Fraud (commission); Regina Taylor’s Crowns (commission); Dael Orlandersmith’s Yellowman (commission); Athol Fugard’s Valley Song; and Stephen Wadsworth’s Marivaux trilogy. McCarter has also produced major new productions of Brian Friel’s Translations, directed by Garry Hynes; Nilo Cruz’s Anna in the Tropics and Edward Albee’s All Over, directed by Emily Mann; and Electra, directed by David Leveaux. McCarter is supported by Princeton University, the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, and over 3,000 individuals, corporations, and foundations. McCarter Theatre is located at 91 University Place in Princeton, NJ. For more information,www.mccarter.org.
More information on August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson may be found here
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