ACCLAIMED HARMONIUM CHORAL SOCIETY PRESENTS SEASON FINALE IN MADISON THIS WEEKEND

MAGIC AND MYSTERIES

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. June 4 & 5, 2016
WHERE: Grace Episcopal Church, Madison Ave. (Rte. 24), Madison
TICKETS: $25 at the door ($20 for students/seniors).
Advance tickets may be purchased online at https://harmonium.yapsody.com/
You may also send an email to sales@harmonium.org or call 973-538-6969 for more information.
Large print or Braille programs will be made available if requested in advance.
The church is air-conditioned, with parking. Program notes are available on the website.

The 100-voice Harmonium Choral Society, led by Dr. Anne Matlack of Madison, N.J., presents its 2015-2016 concert season finale, an eclectic selection of sacred, secular and global works ranging from Schumann to Sarasola and Palestrina to Esenwalds; with world music from Haitian to Celtic to Baltic. The select Harmonium Chamber Singers will present works by Ockeghem, a Kings Singers arrangement, and an original composition by George Aronson of Morristown.

 

This concert also premieres a work by 2016's $1000 Grand Prize winner of the Harmonium High School Student Choral Composition Contest, for the second year in a row, Mendham High School senior Zachary Catron. His work, Cold Wind, is based on a poem by Walter de la Mare, as is the second-prize composition, November, by Princeton High School student and American Boychoir School graduate Theodore Trevisan. Honorable mention recognition will go to Timothy Morrow of Ridge High School and Carl Hausman of Mt. Olive High School. Harmonium's Annual High School Choral Composition Contest is a past winner of the prestigious Chorus America Education and Outreach Award.

The theme of this concert embraces some of our favorite works and some new composers we are very excited about, including as always, the talented high school ones, explains Artistic Director Dr. Anne Matlack. Music has a way of expressing the inexpressible and mysterious. We have amazing soloists drawn from our membership of 1/3 music teachers and some of our favorite works in preparation for our Baltic tour this summer.

MORE ABOUT HARMONIUM CHORAL SOCIETY
Harmonium Choral Society, based in Morris County, is one of New Jersey's leading choral arts organizations. The 100-voice choral society has been widely recognized for its musical excellence and innovative programming, and has commissioned and premiered works by Amanda Harberg, Matthew Harris, Elliot Z. Levine, Harmonium's composers-in-residence Mark Miller and Martin Sedek, and others. Directed by Dr. Anne J. Matlack of Madison, Harmonium also sponsors musicianship workshops and an Outreach Chorus which performs in schools, nursing homes and other venues. They have performed at Carnegie Hall, and the Eastern Division Convention of the American Choral Directors Association and have toured internationally to England and Wales, Eastern Europe, Spain and Portugal, and Greece and Turkey. They leave for Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia this June.

NJ ASSOCIATION OF VERISMO OPERA TO HOLD AUDITIONS

AUDITION NOTICE:

Rigoletto & Aida

WHEN: Open auditions will be held on Sunday, June 12, 2016 from 2:00 pm to 8:00 p.m.
WHERE: Megremis Studio in the Epic Building located at 2067 Broadway in New York City

New Jersey Association of Verismo Opera's Artistic Director Lucine Amara invites soloists in all vocal categories to audition for roles in the professional opera company’s 2016-2017 productions. New Jersey residents are encouraged to apply. (Above: New Jersey Association of Verismo Opera presents Rigoletto on October 23, 2016. Photo Credit: Marilyn Monsanto)

Performance dates: Rigoletto on Sunday, October 23, 2016 and Aida on Sunday, April 23, 2017 both at 3:00 p.m. at bergenPAC.

Verismo Opera will perform these grand operas fully staged with a live orchestra and chorus. "Verismo Opera welcomes amateur, professional and retired vocalists of all ages to audition.  It's all about great singing!  Many roles require a more mature artist.  This is also a great opportunity for any promising, young artist to prepare for a role in a professional setting before being engaged by a major opera company,” said Ms. Amara. (Above: New Jersey Association of Verismo Opera presents Aida on April 23, 2017. Photo Credit: Marilyn Monsanto)

Auditions

Auditions will be held for these roles in Rigoletto:

• Rigoletto
• Count Ceprano
• Monterone
• Marullo
• a Page
• a Herald.

Vocalists are invited to apply to audition for the following roles in Aida:

• Ramphis, the King of Egypt
• a messenger

All applicants must have previous experience in a fully staged production and the necessary vocal training to perform leading or supporting roles. The application deadline to audition is June 8, 2016. Although an accompanist will be provided, applicants may bring his or her own. For an audition appointment, call 201-886-0561or send an e-mail to info@verismopera.org.

Applicants must submit a bio listing current or past performances and roles sung, a resume, photo and an audio file, preferably in an MP3 format or on a CD, by the application deadline to Verismo Opera Inc., P.O. Box 3024, Fort Lee, New Jersey 07024-9024 or to info@verismopera.org. Vocalists should prepare to perform three arias of which one must be from Rigoletto or Aida or an opera with a similar song.

A refundable $25 deposit must be submitted with all applications to secure an audition time. The deposit will be refunded at the audition time. Checks should be made out to Verismo Opera.

The selected vocalists will receive free coaching from professionals in the field, including Artistic Director Lucine Amara, a Met Opera legend, and General Manager/Stage Director Evelyn La Quaif. Professional photos and a DVD of the production will be available to use for future engagements and performances.

YOU ARE INVITED TO AN EVENING WITH “CIVIC STORY”

Order Tickets Here

Youth and families are warmly welcome; student tickets are $15.  If you cannot attend, please consider donating the cost of a student ticket (or tickets) and we will invite Summit middle and high school students to attend.  Thanks for supporting our efforts to broaden and enrich the news!  Susan Haig & the CivicStory Board of Directors editors@civicstory.org 908-273-8699

MIDDLESEX COUNTY VOCATIONAL & TECHNICAL SCHOOLS TO PRESENT “STEAM PLAYS PROJECT”

STEAM PLAYS PROJECT
a collection of plays inspired by science, technology, engineering,
arts, and mathematics

Magnet Arts School performances developed in collaboration with Princeton’s McCarter Theatre Center and NJIT’s Theatre Program

WHEN: June 2nd through 4th, and June 9th through 11th at 7:00 p.m.
WHERE: Middlesex County Vocational Technical School auditorium, 112 Rues Lane, East Brunswick
TICKETS: Pre-sale tickets can be purchased by contacting mcvtstheatre@gmail.com, $15 for adults and $5 for students.
Tickets at the door are $17 for adults and $7 for students. Teachers and administrators K through 12 are free.
The show will run approximately two hours with intermission.
Free parking at the venue.

Middlesex County Vocational and Technical Schools The STEAM Plays Project is a collection of performances developed and created by the students at MCVTS Theatre, in collaboration with McCarter Theatre Center and NJIT Theatre Program.  The students spent the 2015-2016 school year exploring individual senses of identity and creating pieces inspired by
and developed with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) tools and ideas. By adding “Arts” to the STEM equation, a “STEAM”-powered way of thinking emerges.

Four original pieces will premiere in this production:

All Possibilities As True, written by guest artist Jessica Dickey, forces a bunch of teenagers to face their greatest fears during a during a quantum mechanics lecture in their physics classroom.

Packing, by MCVTS Junior Michael Villanueva, deals with the friction between two friends when one of them has to move to a predominantly white suburb.

Support Group for Weirdos, written by guest artist Nathan Alan Davi, is a dark comedy of three high school outcasts who band together with the help of a prosthetic arm.

ID is a devised piece of theatre created by the sophomore and junior students that explores personal disconnection, fears, and aspirations surrounding the idea of America.

The pieces will feature four projectors, a live camera feed, kinect technology, robotics, movable lights, and wearable tech, all of it developed by students under the guidance of several resident artists.

The STEAM Plays Project began when Princeton’s McCarter Theatre Center In Schools Program approached Maria Aladren, head of the Theatre Program at the Middlesex County Vocational Technical School (MCVTS), to collaborate on a project. Ms. Aladren proposed creating a production that combined
science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) with theatre as the focus. The New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) was invited to participate in the project as an advisor. 

At the launch of the process, MCVTS Theatre brought in three professional playwrights to guide the students in writing exercises and begin the year long process of developing written material.  Soon after, the Theater Arts and Technology Program (THaT) at NJIT and the McCarter Theatre, brought
together five NJIT faculty members from the Biology, Industrial and Digital Design, Humanities Departments, and three designers closely associated with the McCarter, to present a panel of their most exciting work for the students of MCVTS Theatre- East Brunswick Campus and the students at NJIT and Rutgers University-Newark (Joint Theatre Program). The panel delved into the interaction of Art and STEM in
a professional environment. 

As the project gained momentum, the McCarter Theatre Center brought in a number of administrators and several local artists to train students on arts management, budgeting, marketing and other fields.

Early in 2016, the Joint Theatre Program at NJIT and RU-N hosted an afternoon workshop with the goal of rehearsing and further developing the students’ work. Louis Wells directed and Michele Rittenhouse dramaturged play readings in order to guide the students toward further story development. Based on this foundation, MCVTS students began to collaborate with the professional set, light, sound and costume
designers the school had engaged for the project and, under the direction of Maria Aladren, they started to rehearse and create the four productions which form the STEAM Plays Project.

The student involvement, creativity, learning and enthusiasm could not have been more rewarding.  According to director, Maria Aladren, “while a basis in science, technology, math and engineering may provide skills that are needed in today’s job market, the addition of the arts with its highly metaphorical, critical and abstract thinking provides a framework to give the students the needed flexibility to move learned skills from an existing platform to one that has not yet appeared. Because of this, we approach
this curriculum with the performing arts as a starting point. Its inherent laboratory structure lends itself to problem-solving using many of the STEM skills that a high school curriculum would want for its students. It presents a series of problems involving physical and mathematical challenges to be solved using current technology.”

THE PRINCETON FESTIVAL OPENS ITS 12TH SEASON ON JUNE 1

THE PRINCETON FESTIVAL

THREE WEEKS FILLED WITH OPERA, JAZZ, FILM, DANCE, FREE LECTURES

The 2016 season of The Princeton Festival starts rolling this week with the best of a cappella vocal jazz, the preliminary rounds of the Festival’s annual Piano Competition for Young Performers, and two free events, an Artists Round Table and a Festival Preview.

The weeks ahead will be filled to the brim with Benjamin Britten’s great opera Peter Grimes, Stephen Sondheim’s musical comedy A Little Night Music, jazz vocalist Cécile McLoren Salvant, Concordia Chamber Players, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, The Passion of Joan of Arc/Voices of Light, the classic silent film accompanied with a live performance of Richard EInhorn’s oratorio, baroque orchestra and choral concerts, an organ recital by Kristiaan Seynhave, and more free lectures and events

Festival events start moving on Wednesday, June 1, at 6:30pm with an Artists Round Table. Members of the opera’s cast, director and production staff informally discuss how they work to make Peter Grimes come to life on stage. Marian Burleigh-Motley, Head of Academic Affairs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, moderates the discussion in the Erdman Center, Princeton Theological Seminary.

 

The next evening, Thursday, June 2, at 7pm brings another free event for Festival-goers, a preview of Peter Grimes and A Little Night Music with scenes performed by members of the casts and commentary by the directors  in the Princeton Public Library.

 

Break from Blue Collar and The Fonic present the best in all-male a cappella on Saturday, June 4, at 8pm in Taplin Auditorium, Fine Hall on the Princeton University campus. Break from Blue Collar’s mix of barbershop and rock and roll recently won awards at the Barbershop Harmony Society, Mid-Atlantic Division competition. In contrast, The Fonic, a five-man vocal band from New York City mixes pop, rock, and soul, and does them all with high style and beautiful blend.

Young pianists from the mid-Atlantic region and beyond gather on Saturday and Sunday, June 4 and 5, from 9:30am to 3:30pm in the Clark Music Center at The Lawrenceville School for preliminary rounds of the Festival’s Piano Competition for Young Performers. They compete in six age categories for trophies and cash. The preliminary rounds for these amazing young pianists are free and open to the public. The final round will take place on Sunday, June 12 at 3pm in Clark Music Center.

For more information about the three weeks of the Festival and a link to ticket sales (handled by McCarter Theater), visit www.princetonfestival.org. To purchase tickets by phone, call McCarter Theatre at 609-258-2787.

STUDIO PLAYHOUSE TO HOLD AUDITIONS FOR “THE FROG PRINCESS”

AUDITION NOTICE:

The Frog Princess
by Catherine L. Howard
directed by Julie Anne Nolan

WHEN: Sunday, June 19, and Monday, June 20, at 7:30 pm
WHERE: Studio Playhouse is located at 14 Alvin Place, off Valley Road near the Acme, in Upper Montclair
973-744-9752

Performance dates are October 22, 23, 29, and 30 at 1:30 and 3:30pm. PLEASE NOTE: there is an additional sensory friendly show on October 29 at 11am and an additional performance at Giggles Theatre at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital on October 25 at 6pm.

Queen Natasha is handing over her throne to one of her three sons—Boris the toughest son, Casimir the smartest, or Sacha, who isn’t quite good at anything. Queen Natasha sends her sons to find a wife to make a great queen. Boris and Casimir marry princesses, but Sacha marries…a frog? To determine which of the three brides makes the best wife, they have to pass three challenges, but Sacha’s frog princess is hiding a secret. Will she be able to pass Queen Natasha’s tests?

• No monologues required. 
• Sides from the script will be provided and are available prior to auditions online at www.StudioPlayhouse.org
• No Pay, No Fee

Character Breakdown:

• Narrator – (any age/gender) A storyteller; welcoming and charming; talks to the audience as well as involved in the action
• Queen Natasha – (50s +) A great, distinguished ruler who is ready to pass along her crown to one of her three sons
• Boris – (20s-30s) A mighty and strong prince and the eldest son; very aggressive and very physical
• Casimir – (20s-30s) A clever and talkative prince and the middle son; very charming
• Sacha – (teens-20s) An inept but kind prince and the youngest son; very sweet and the opposite of his brothers
• Ursula – (20s-30s) A warrior princess; very aggressive and very physical
• Vassilissa – (20s-30s) A talkative and flighty girl, and the daughter of a rich nobleman
• Natalia – (teens-20s) The Frog Princess; very sweet and very earnest
• Lady-in-Waiting/Court Gentleman – (any age) The court’s “Greek chorus”; often flustered or amazed by the goings on of the court
• Guard – (any age) Servant at the court; tough and intimating
• Cook – (any age) Servant at the court; easily upset
• Tutor – (any age) Servant at the court; easily exasperated
• Guard/Cook/Tutor may be doubled

AUDITIONS COMING UP FOR “PIRATES PAST NOON” @ THE SUMMIT PLAYHOUSE

AUDITION NOTICE:

Shiver me timbers!  Limited time left to sign up to audition for Pirates Past Noon Jack and Annie are ready to open up an adventure...will you join them? CLICK HERE to sign up for an audition today! All of our buccaneers, (ages 5-12) will be featured in this high-sea adventure of a musical! For more information CLICK HERE

LIGHT OPERA OF NJ TO PERFORM @ SOPAC THIS JULY

The Mystery of Edwin Drood
WHEN: JULY 8-17 / six performances!
WHERE: SOPAC, One SOPAC Way, South Orange (behind the train station)

Light Opera of New Jersey is proud to present Rupert Holmes' Tony Award-winning musical, The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

Inspired by Charles Dickens' novel, this musical seeks to write the ending that Dickens never finished. It is up to you to decide who has murdered Drood! With plenty of opportunities for audience participation, Drood is sure to delight with a surprise ending every night.

Buy Tickets Now!

This charming production is directed by Jeffrey Fiorello with music direction by Stephen Fox and is produced by William Corson.

STUDENT AUDITIONS @ NJPAC THIS WEDNESDAY

WHEN: Wednesday, June 1, 4 – 9 PM
WHERE: NJPAC Center for Arts Education, 24 Rector St., Newark
9733.353.7058 or artseducation@njpac.org to sign up for an audition

2 MORE WEEKS TO CATCH MEMBER SHOW @ SHORT HILLS TEMPLE

CONGREGATION B’NAI JESHURUN MEMBERS ART SHOW

WHEN: closes June 12
WHERE: 1025 South Orange Avenue, Short Hills
ADMISSION:  Free

Image: Five pieces by Julie Levine

FREE CONCERT IN MAPLEWOOD HONORS TRAGIC LOVERS

The Society of Musical Arts concludes its 2015-2016 season with a free concert in Maplewood. Tragic Lovers will feature moving music by Tchaikovsky: Romeo & Juliet, Faure: Pelleas and Melisande, Wagner: Tristan and Isolde. Also on the program is Natalie Polito, soprano, with more tragedy—Mendelssohn: Infelice and other sad songs. You might to bring a box of tissues with you to the concert!

Member of the Society of Musical Arts Orchestra are talented semi-professional and amatuer musicians from Maplewood and the surrounding area. The Society gives three free concerts each year, led by Maestro Stephen Culbertson of West Orange. Culbertson is known for his innovative programming and for bringing some of his wide network of musicians and composers to work with the orchestra.

More information, please email orchestrasoma@gmail.com, check our Facebook page, website: www.soma.ar88.net, or call 973.763.4939

LGBT ONE-ACT PLAYS IN OCEAN GROVE FINISH UP THIS WEEKEND

REVIEW: COOL “MARRY ME A LITTLE” PERFECT FOR A HOT SUMMER EVENING

By Ruth Ross

Clocking in at a touch over 60 minutes, the Women's Theater Company's cool, polished production of Marry Me a Little is the perfect antidote for the hot weather that presages summer in New Jersey. The pocket musical—there are only two performers—incorporates songs by the great American composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim that were cut from several of his musicals, although the order and slight story woven through the songs are the brainchild of Craig Lucas (Prelude to a Kiss) and his frequent collaborator Norman Rene.

The story, such as it is, involves two lonely, not so young singles alone in their respective apartments on a Saturday night. Aware of each other's existence, they are too reticent to pursue on, opting instead for dreaming of what could be. The songs convey not only their longing but also their fears of marriage, their expectations for happiness, the misery of being "alive and alone on a Saturday night" when "you might as well be dead."

Patricia Durante and Joe Elefante (both members of Actors Equity, the professional organization for actors) are terrific at conveying this longing through their renditions of Sondheim's music, although at times it's easy to see why some of these songs were never sung onstage. At times, the lyrics and melodies are overly complex, wording is clunky and the content often uninteresting (although we do not know the original context for which they were composed). Of the two performers, Durante "acts" her songs better, with an expressive face and beautiful smile—not to mention a terrific voice. Elefante is more laid-back, so we don't really get a sense of his angst, although he does sing well too.

Standout numbers are a very funny "Can That Boy Foxtrot" (cut from Follies) sung with sly double entendres by Durante. She really drags out the f in foxtrot so that there is no mistake about what she really means! A duet entitled "Two Fairy Tales" (from Into the Woods) gives the would-be relationship a fairy tale quality; we already know that it has little chance of fruition. Sondheim's pessimistic attitude toward love and wedded bliss are evident in "Bang" (from A Little Night Music), a comedic take-down of romance, and in "Marry Me a Little" (from Company) and "Happily Ever After" (from the same show), both of which telegraph the fear of losing one's "self" in marriage. "Pour le Sport" (from an unproduced show) spoofs golf while "Uptown, Downtown" (from Follies) chronicles the adventures of "hyphenated Harriett from New Rochelle," a girl so miserable in the 'burbs that she seeks excitement in the lower depths of New York society. And in a sequence entitled "A Moment with You," (from Saturday Night), Durante and Elefante perform a bittersweet waltz together, albeit in a dream.

Todd Mills' set design is efficient yet evocative, with two armchairs to signify the respective apartments and a park bench and bridge as a possible meeting spot in Central Park. Rich Lovallo provides strong musical direction and piano accompaniment, while Lauren Moran Mills' musical staging smoothly moves the principals around the playing space. Frances Harrison's costumes are not overly fussy, yet they suggest states of mind and personalities. And of course, kudos to director Barbara Krajkowski for her fluid, intelligent direction of this little-known musical revue.

Marry Me a Little may not contain Stephen Sondheim's best efforts, but it is interesting to see a master working out themes, lyrics and melodies that appear in his more successful musicals. The plot is slight—almost too slight to make sense—but fine performances make Marry Me a Little a fitting final production for the Women's Theater Company's 2015-2016 season. It's perfect music for a summer night!

Marry Me a Little will be performed at the Parsippany Playhouse, 1130 Knoll Road, Lake Hiawatha, through June 5; Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Saturdays and Sundays at 3 pm. Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for seniors. To purchase tickets online please visit www.womenstheater.org or call 973.316.3033. For GPS driving directions, enter “Boonton 07005.”

10% ON ALL TICKETS TO 10 SELECT SHOWS OFFERED THIS WEEKEND @ UCPAC IN RAHWAY

In honor of Memorial Day Weekend, UCPAC will be offering a 10% discount on all tickets to 10 select shows. Discount is available now and will end at 11:59pm on Monday, May 30th. No coupon code necessary! Discounted Shows Include: Narnia The Musical The Skivvies Almost Queen & Unforgettable Fire The Italian Chicks Bebe Neuwirth The Best of The Second City Drew Lynch The Pillowman Sinbad Vanessa Williams The staff UCPAC wishes you a safe & happy holiday weekend! *Discount codes are not retroactive and cannot be applied to past purchases* Upcoming Shows Becky Pine Latin Comedy Night Wine & Cheese Party In Search of God ORDER TICKETS NOW! Box Office: 732.499.8226  -  www.ucpac.org

ONLY 5 MORE CHANCES TO CATCH “A SONG AT TWILIGHT” @ STNJ!

973.408.5600 or www.ShakespeareNJ.org

“ART IN THE PARK” RETURNS TO WEST END PARK IN LONG BRANCH FOR 18TH ANNUAL EVENT

ART IN THE PARK

WHEN: Sunday, May 29, between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
WHERE: West End Park in Long Branch, corner of Ocean and Brighton Avenues 
ADMISSION: free

If you’re an art lover (or artistically inclined person) who lives in and around the New Jersey Shore, you probably couldn’t wait to put away winter’s drab watercolors — and to welcome Memorial Day Weekend 2016, while enjoying a day of light, color, activity, music, friendly people and good times in the arts-friendly fresh air of an exciting new season.

Returning for an 18th annual edition, the annual Art in the Park event transforms the corner of Ocean and Brighton Avenues into one of the largest outdoor art happenings in the state; an art and artisanal crafts fair that emphasizes unique and original works over commercially produced “craft sale” merchandise.

Sponsored by the Long Branch Arts Council and Long Branch Historical Association, with support from the City of Long Branch, Art in the Park takes place in a sunlit seaside setting that’s just one block from the beach — and within strolling or rolling distance to an eclectic menu of restaurants, taverns and eateries.

As if that weren’t enough to love, there’s also plenty of free parking in the neighborhood — but according to Art in the Park coordinator Mare Akana, the real secret of the event’s success is the fact that “ the artists love it too…and that really comes across.”

“Since all sale proceeds go directly to the participating creators, Art in the Park has become a ‘must’ event for regional artists,” explains Akana, herself a gallery-exhibited sculptor. “So anyone who’s shopping for something unique for their home or as a gift can choose from some first-quality work…and talk to the people who created it, person to person.”

Last year’s edition was among the most successful ever, with hundreds of visitors and more than 60 participating artists enjoying beautiful weather, live music and all-around good vibrations.

For Art in the Park 2016, a contingent of first-timers will be joining dozens of returning painters, sculptors, jewelry designers and photographers — as well as The Paul Marino Band, who will once again provide live entertainment through the afternoon on the park’s outdoor stage.

“Our artists make the trip here from four states,” Akana explains. “On behalf of everyone involved, we’re ready to put on a fantastic event that holds all the passion and promise of the new season.”

The Long Branch Arts Council is a partnership dedicated to working with the city government, civic and business organizations and the arts community to re-establish the City of Long Branch as a thriving regional center for the arts. Our aim is to accomplish this goal by attracting artists and arts organizations, by coordinating fundraising and development efforts, by establishing arts education programs, and by presenting arts-oriented events that draw upon the natural resources, accessibility, historic assets and “people power” that are unique to our beloved city.

DRAMA INSPIRED BY INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING TO PLAY @ GEORGE STREET PLAYHOUSE IN NEW BRUNSWICK

CLICK TO LEARN MORE OR CALL 732-246-7717

WHEN: a pair of 8 p.m. performances June 3 and 4, with post-play discussions to follow each night.
WHERE: George Street Playhouse, 9 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick
ADMISSION: Admission is free, but reservations are recommended as seating is limited.
To reserve seats, please visit www.georgestreetplayhouse.org or call the box office at 732-246-7717.

Terra Incognita is an absurd dark comedy about a New Jersey family. Joseph and Lena have just paid off their mortgage and are looking forward to a bright and beautiful future until they discover that the underground gas storage tank in their backyard is leaking. Suddenly, their life becomes a labyrinth of complex, bizarre and illogical attempts to clean up the fuel-soaked soil beneath their home and prevent it from contaminating the groundwater and their marriage.

The play is directed by Jim Jack, Director of Education and Outreach at George Street Playhouse, and features Matt Baguth, Di Shawn Gandy, Kym Gomes, Frances Pu and Dave Seamon.

Terra Incognita will be followed by a “TalkBack” discussion with a panel of local journalists and community members, allowing for the questions and views raised in the production and the stories, to be discussed in a post-show dialogue touching on homeownership, responsibility and the toxic legacy that affects us all. Be a part of the conversation by following The Center for Investigative Reporting on Twitter (@Reveal) and Facebook (facebook.com/ThisIsReveal).

This StoryWorks production from George Street Playhouse and The Center for Investigative Reporting is inspired by the NJTV News with Mary Alice Williams investigative reporting series, "Toxic, NJ," reported by correspondent Brenda Flanagan. The series is part of Dirty Little Secrets, a collaborative reporting project investigating New Jersey’s toxic legacy. Participating news partners include New Jersey Public Radio/WNYC, WHYY, NJTV, NJ Spotlight, Jersey Shore Hurricane News, WBGO, New Brunswick Today and the Rutgers Department of Journalism and Media Studies. The Dirty Little Secrets project is coordinated by The Center for Investigative Reporting with help from the Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State, with support from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation. More information about the series can be found at www.toxicnj.com.

CHILDREN’S THEATER COMING TO PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE

 

SEUSSICAL
WHEN: Saturday, June 11, 2016, at 10AM
WHERE: Paper Mill Playhouse, 22 Brookside Drive, Millburn
TICKETS: All tickets are only $12.75.
Tickets may be purchased by calling 973-376-4343, or at the Paper Mill Box Office on Brookside Drive in Millburn, or online at www.papermill.org.

Theatreworks USA For ages 5 & up

"Oh, the thinks you can think" when Dr. Seuss' best-loved characters and stories hit the stage in this unforgettable musical. The noble Horton the Elephant, the one-feathered bird Gertrude McFuzz and the antics of the Cat in the Hat steal the spotlight!

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A SPECIAL AUTISM-FRIENDLY PRESENTATION

 

 

 

 

HENRY AND MUDGE 
WHEN: Sunday, June 12, 2016, at 10AM Theatreworks USA For ages 4 & up

Sometimes it's tough being a kid, but life is a lot easier and a lot more fun when you've got a great big canine buddy to share your adventures! Follow the exploits of Henry and Mudge in this musical based on Cynthia Rylant's best-selling books.

An Autism-Friendly Performance planned in cooperation with the Paper Mill Autism Advisory Team. 

 “Meet Your Seat” Open House  Friday, June 10, 2016, 4:00 – 6:00 pm

Major funding for autism-friendly programs is provided by the Merck Foundation, with additional support from C.R. Bard Foundation, The Karma Foundation, MetLife Foundation, Nordstrom, and PSEG Foundation.

ROBUST ARTS PROGRAMMING FROM PUSHCART PLAYERS: BOOK A PROGRAM FOR YOUR SCHOOL NOW!

Enhance your existing theater arts education program, or BUILD A NEW ONE with PUSHCART PLAYERS A robust arts education is an effective and extremely powerful way to generate: Student Achievement, Student Engagement, School Climate & Culture, and Parent Involvement. Pushcart provides: Outstanding Professional Assembly Programs THEATER PROGRAMS  |  ARTS EDUCATION  |  ABOUT  |  SEE A SHOW  |  CONTACT Innovative Curriculum Supporting Theater Programs  CREATIVE DRAMA WORKSHOPS On-school-time or after: Students develop self-awareness and confidence in dramatic play and self-expression through Theater Exercises, Games, Storytelling and Improvisation Technique. DEVELOPMENT THROUGH DRAMA RESIDENCY On-school-time: Over a period of 4-12 weeks, students experience a more in-depth Creative Drama program that fosters an understanding of theater and creates a proficiency in expression. Curriculum inclusion in early grades sets the stage for the ability to act and interact in any life situation. Young people benefit from theater by doing it! KIDS DO BROADWAY Student productions directed by Pushcart directors and teaching artists. Over an average period of 12 to 16 weeks, familiar Broadway favorites are designed, costumed, rehearsed and presented by students with the involvement of teachers, parents, and camp counselors. PUSHCART Jr. Scripts originally produced by Pushcart and in our repertoire are adapted for schools and other groups to be performed by youth ensembles of up to 50 students. Directed by Pushcart faculty, or licensed to organizations for self-production. Learn More Leading Teaching Artists engage Students and Teachers to Create, Perform, Respond and Connect WHY TEACH THEATER IN SCHOOLS? Theater is SCIENTIFIC and MATHEMATICAL. Theater is a FOREIGN LANGUAGE and HISTORY. Theater is PHYSICAL EDUCATION and TECHNOLOGY, BUSINESS, LANGUAGE ARTS and ECONOMICS. Theater is taught in schools not because you are expected to major in theater, or to become a performer for the rest of your life, and not so you can relax or so you can have fun, but So you will THINK CREATIVELY, So you will recognize BEAUTY and be more AWARE, have more COMPASSION and GENTLENESS, more GOOD...    in short, MORE LIFE. BOOK a PROGRAM   Contact us by email or call 973-857-1118 Thank you for considering Pushcart Players for your arts education programming!

“SINATRA AT THE MOVIES” @ NJPAC THIS SATURDAY

Sinatra at the Movies with Carole J. Bufford, Marissa Mulder and Billy Stritch Moderated, with Film Clips, by Will Friedwald WHEN: Saturday, May 28; doors open 7:30 PM; performance 8 PM

Cabaret stars Carole J. Bufford and Marissa Mulder, accompanied by award-winning jazz pianist and composer Billy Stritch, perform "All the Way," "High Hopes" and other great songs written for Frank Sinatra's three decades as a Hollywood headliner.Sinatra biographer Will Friedwald hosts this unique performance and narrates screening of clips from Sinatra's hit Hollywood musicals.

WHERE:  New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Chase Room, 1 Center Street, Newark NJ TICKETS: Start at $50

Whether dancing with Gene Kelly in On the Town, singing with Bing Crosby in High Society or shooting dice with Marlon Brando in Guys and Dolls, many of our favorite moments with Sinatra are from his vast and storied movie career. Join singers Carole J. Bufford, Marissa Mulder, jazz pianist and composer Billy Stritch and Frank Sinatra biographer Will Friedwald in the intimate, cabaret-style Chase Room as he hosts this unique performance and narrated screening of clips from Sinatra's hit Hollywood musicals.

Billy Stritch is one of the premier singer-pianists on the New York and national jazz and cabaret scene. Billy has appeared in cabaret venues across the nation as well as concert performances at the London Palladium, NHK Hall in Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro's Municipale Auditorium. In New York, he has performed at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall and originated the role of Oscar the rehearsal pianist inthe 2001 Broadway revival of 42nd Street which starred Christine Ebersole. He is also a songwriter and arranger, and his composition "Does He Love You" was recorded by Reba McEntire and Linda Davis. The single reached the number one spot on the Billboard Country chart, winning a Grammy Award and selling over five million copies along the way. Billy has arranged for many top performers and is a frequent collaborator with Liza Minnelli.

Show Page: http://www.njpac.org/events/detail/sinatra-at-the-movies

AUDITIONS SET FOR SUMMER SHOW IN DUNELLEN

AUDITION NOTICE:

Dunellen Skylight Theatre Productions is holding auditions for their 2016 summer musical

You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown

WHEN: Sunday, June 5th, 4:00-7:00 PM and Tuesday, June 7th, 7:00-9:00 PM
WHERE: St. John the Evangelist Church auditorium, on the corner of Washington Ave. and First St. in Dunellen, NJ.

The show will be directed by Bill Seesselberg.

Performances will be August 19-21 & 26-28 in Washington Park.

Come prepared with 2 pieces of music, 16 bars each, a song from the show and an upbeat show tune. An accompanist will be provided. Be prepared to stay. All readings will be provided.

Charles Schulz’s beloved comic comes to life in Clark Gesner’s classic musical, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. The whole gang is here: bossy Lucy is hopelessly in love with piano prodigy Schroeder who doesn’t give her the time of day, perfectionist Sally is still mocking blanket-toting Linus, Snoopy is in the doghouse, and “blockhead,” himself, Charlie Brown, is in rare form.

The show is a series of brief vignettes showing the ups and downs of all childhood days, from wild optimism to utter despair. Whether you’re keen to fly with the Red Baron, moon over the Moonlight Sonata, or just do your best to find “Happiness,” You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown is a crowd-pleaser.

Character Breakdown:

• Charlie Brown Baritone
• Lucy Van Pelt Mezzo-Soprano
• Sally Brown Soprano
• Linus Van Pelt Baritone
• Schroeder Tenor
• Snoopy Tenor

For additional information visit www.DunellenSkylightTheatre.com.

EXPERIENCE A HANDS-ON TOUR OF “THE WILLOWS” @ FOSTERFIELDS THIS SUMMER

www.morrisparks.net

NJPAC ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF 5TH ANNUAL “SARAH VAUGHAN INTERNATIONAL JAZZ VOCAL COMPETITION”

NJPAC ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF 5TH ANNUAL Female vocalists can submit applications online now at sarahvaughancompetition.com For the fifth consecutive year, singers from around the world will gather online to compete in the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, a 21st century version of the amateur night at the Apollo Theater that helped launch the career of a gifted teenager from Newark, Sarah "Sassy" Vaughan, more than 70 years ago. The only international vocal competition of its kind in the world, the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition culminates in a rousing performance on the final day of the TD James Moody Jazz Festival (November 1-20), a yearly celebration of jazz at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) and other venues in Greater Newark. On November 19, the evening prior to the competition, the festival presents a Sarah Vaughan Celebration, featuring the Christian McBride Trio and vocalists Dianne Reeves, Lisa Fischer and Sheila Jordan, in NJPAC's Victoria Theater. The contest provides a platform for one outstanding jazz singer to gain widespread recognition in the music industry. Past winners include Cyrille Aimée, Jazzmeia Horn (winner of the 2015 Thelonious Monk Competition), Ashleigh Smith and Arianna Neikrug. Beginning the week of May 16, female vocalists can submit an application online at sarahvaughancompetition.com. The public has the opportunity to vote for their favorites by visiting the website. Five finalists, who will be announced on October 18, will perform at NJPAC on November 20 before a panel of judges that will include four-time Gammy-winning jazz bassist and NJPAC's Jazz Advisor Christian McBride, legendary jazz vocalist and National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Sheila Jordan, Sheila Anderson from WBGO, and Mark Ruffin from Sirius XM. The competition is open to female vocalists who are 16 years or older and who are not presently signed to a major record label. Singers must submit audio clips online through a website powered by Indaba Music (sarahvaughancompetition.com) by September 12 at 5 p.m. Think you have what it takes? The judges are looking for vocal quality, musicality, technique, performance, individuality, artistic interpretation and ability to swing. The grand prize winner of the coveted SASSY Award will receive a $5,000 cash prize and a recording deal with Concord Music Group. The incomparable singer Sarah Vaughan was born in Newark in 1924 and was known as "Sassy" throughout her life for her vibrant personality. After winning the top prize of $10 at the Apollo Theatre's amateur night at age 18 in 1942, she went on to record with the greatest names in jazz, including Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Billy Eckstine and countless others. The 2016 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition finals will take place on Sunday, November 20 at 3 p.m. in NJPAC's intimate Victoria Theater. For tickets, call 1.888.GO.NJPAC (1.888.466.5722) or visit njpac.org. The TD James Moody Jazz Festival's title sponsor is TD Bank. The festival also is generously supported by the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation. Special program support is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts.

PODCAST HOSTED BY ALEC BALDWIN AND PRODUCED BY WNYC STUDIOS TO RECORD @ TWO RIVER THEATER IN RED BANK

Are you a fan of Alec Baldwin’s Here’s the Thing podcast on NPR? Here is a special offer for you:

TWO RIVER THEATER PRESENTS A BENEFIT EVENING: 

ALEC BALDWIN AND KEVIN KLINE: LIVE FROM TWO RIVER THEATER

RECORDED LIVE FOR “HERE’S THE THING,” A PODCAST HOSTED BY
ALEC BALDWIN AND PRODUCED BY WNYC STUDIOS

WHEN: MONDAY, JUNE 20, AT 8PM
WHERE: Two River Theater, 21 Bridge Ave., Red Bank
TICKETS: Tickets ranging from $75-$350 are on sale now from 732.345.1400 or www.tworivertheater.org; $350 tickets include an exclusive pre-show reception with the artists beginning at 6:30 pm and premium seats in the Rechnitz Theater. Other benefits of sponsorship include donor recognition on event materials and reserved parking. All proceeds support Two River Theater’s programs.

Two-time Emmy Award-winner Alec Baldwin (Above. 30 Rock, A Streetcar Named Desire, Glengarry Glen Ross, It’s Complicated) and two-time Tony Award-winner and Oscar-winner Kevin Kline (Left. The Pirates of Penzance, Hamlet, Sophie’s Choice, A Fish Called Wanda) will share the stage of Two River’s Rechnitz Theater in this one-night event.

WNYC Studios’ “Here’s The Thing” is a podcast series of intimate and honest conversations hosted by Alec Baldwin. Baldwin talks with artists, policy makers and performers—to hear their stories, what inspires their creations, what decisions changed their careers, and what relationships influenced their work. For more information, visit http://www.wnyc.org/shows/heresthething/.

Two River Theater is supported in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, Monmouth University, The Shubert Foundation, The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Meridian Health/Riverview Medical Center, The Stone Foundation of New Jersey, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Saker ShopRites, Investors Foundation, The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, Springpoint Senior Living Foundation at the Atrium at Navesink Harbor, Bank of America Charitable Foundation, Wells Fargo, William T. Morris Foundation, US Trust, Brookdale Community College, and many other generous foundations, corporations and individuals.

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Two River Theater, under the leadership of Artistic Director John Dias and Managing Director Michael Hurst, creates great American theater performed by award-winning artists. We produce American and world masterpieces, and new plays and musicals. Two River Theater offers new-play commissions and artistic development activities that support the most adventurous artists in the American theater; invites its audience to be part of the creative process through readings and open rehearsals; and cultivates students and young people to participate in innovative arts-education programs and become a new generation of theatergoers. Founded in 1994 by Joan and Dr. Robert M. Rechnitz, Two River Theater is easily accessible by car, train, or bus, with great restaurants and shopping within walking distance of the theater. For more information, visit tworivertheater.org or call 732.345.1400.