THE FORUM THEATRE IN METUCHEN CASTING “THE ADDAMS FAMILY”

AUDITION NOTICE:

Addams Family Musical

WHEN: August 14 & 15 from 7pm to 10pm.
WHERE: Forum Theatre, 314 Main St., Metuchen

Casting all Roles
Please send pic and resume to peter@forumarts.net to set up an appointment.

Rehearsals begin at the Forum Theatre September 18 from 7pm to 10pm Tuesday thru Friday and 10 to 5 on Fri

Performances begin October 13 and closes on Halloween October 31 Friday & Saturday 8pm Sun 2pm.

• Gomez Addams (Lead): Male, 18+ man of Spanish descent who takes great pride in his family and revels in all it means to be an “Addams”, he struggles with having to keep his daughters secret from his wife whom he adores more than death, smart, comedic actor with tenor vocals.
• Morticia Addams (Lead): Female, 18+attractive, leggy, the strength of the family, an easy comedic actress with a sexy, dry wit, feels her husband is hiding something from her and will use any tactic to lure the secret out, strong dancer/mover, with alto/mezzo soprano vocals.
• Uncle Fester (Supporting): Male, 18+androgynous family member who serves as the musicals narrator, larger than life, an energetic, joyous, child-like presence, vaudeville style comedian with tenor vocals.
• Wednesday Addams (Lead): Female, 17+ plays 25-30 years old, attractive, with the same dry wit and sensibility of her mother, finds love with a “normal” boy (Lucas) and wants to introduce his family to hers, experiences the youthful drama that comes with first love, strong pop belt vocals.
• Pugsley Addams (Supporting): Male, 17+ plays 18-24 years old, charming, funny, husky boy who loves being tortured by his sister, wants to ensure he won’t lose his sister to her new boyfriend so he takes matters into his own hands, strong, high vocals.
• Lurch (Supporting): Male, 18+
• Mal Beineke (Supporting): Male, 18+
• Alice Beineke (Supporting): Female, 18+
• Lucas Beineke (Lead): Male, 18+
• 5 Chorus/Ensemble for The Ancestors Males & Females, 17+

REVIEW: 2017 “JERSEY VOICES” @ CHATHAM PLAYHOUSE A STELLAR EVENING OF THEATRE

By Ruth Ross

Some drama reviews are difficult to write. Often, one aspect of a theatrical production may be praiseworthy while others may be less (sometimes, far less) successful. In such cases, a review becomes a balancing act: how to critique the production fairly and constructively without trashing it outright.

Conversely, some reviews are easy to write. This is especially true when all aspects of a production come together to create an organic piece of theater, one where the actors live and breathe the characters they portray, where life feels actually re-created onstage and fine writing illuminates the world for us in a way we’ve never experienced before. That’s a tall order for a theater company, but when it happens, magic occurs.

For 22 summers, the Chatham Community Players have presented Jersey Voices, their festival of one-act plays by New Jersey playwrights. What makes this season so praiseworthy is the uniform high quality of the scripts, direction and acting. Often, out of the six entries, I have a favorite or two, but this year, all six blew me away.

The evening starts with Knock Out¸ a charming slice of life penned by G. David Post and directed by John A.C. Kennedy, wherein three thirty-something young women meet for an annual dinner, this time in a restaurant that features a trio of joke-telling waiters. Amid groans over their bad “knock-knock” jokes (many of them told with relish by the ever-versatile Chip Prestera (aided and abetted by Matt McCarthy and Howard Fischer). Whether Mary Morlino, Elissa Strell or Julie Anne Nolan finds love in this wacky environment is an open question at the ends, but it looks promising for Strell, whose sharp sarcasm marks her as a smart cookie.

In contrast, the relationship between a young man and an old bag lady is examined in Dianna A. Lewis’s Badger & Maddy directed by Arnold J. Buchiane. The playlet feels a tad long, but the mismatched pair (played by Donald Calliste and Diane Gilch, respectively) are always engaging. Garrulous free-spirit senior citizen Maddy may be homeless, but she sure has her act together. As she extends a hand to the taciturn, morose, lost Badger, we are left with hope that the young man will one day be as confident as she. Gilch has the funnier bits, especially related to her attire and plans for the evening.

Reverse Order, by Eric Alter and directed by George Seylaz is reminiscent of those commercials where everyone says what he/she things. Instead of their blind date going from revealing their best to baring their darkest secrets, Gordon (Howard Fischer) and Renee (Judy Laganga) work in reverse, much to our merriment! Gordon’s secrets are especially droll; Renee’s outrage at learning about them is equally as funny. Popping in to check up on the couple and patting Gordon on the shoulder in encouragement is Julie Anne Nolan as an annoying waitress. Alter et al sure give us an interesting slant on the progression of a blind date.

A high spot of the evening is provided by Robert Scott Sullivan, playwright of A Dog’s Life, and directed by Joann Lopresti Scanlon (with assistance from Eleanor Anderson). Sullivan must talk “dog,” for he sure gets into pooch RJ’s mind, with his spot-on dialogue and oh, so doggish actions. Just watching Matt McCarthy’s RJ turn around several times clockwise and counter-clockwise before lying at his mistress’s feet, will have you in stitches! That Jessica Phelan’s Billie faces a dilemma regarding her pet is revealed late in the action; it’s all the more poignant because we’ve already fallen head-over-heels in love with RJ.

Hair, Shoes, Coffee by Eleanor Kennedy and directed by Dawn Afanador is even less than a slice of life. This sliver happens so fast that we are left breathless when it ends. A robotic Doris (Gianna Esposito, left) ticks off a mantra of lists as a way to keep herself ready to face magic Monday. It takes the warmer Frank (Dominick J. DeNucci) to unexpectedly derail her. much to her surprise—and ours!

And finally, Walter H. Placzek’s Zarg (directed by Lynn Polan) provides a moving finale to the dramatic evening. Courtesy of the Make a Wish Foundation, wheelchair-bound Alison Watford (Lily Bauer) meets her idol, Carolyn Carpenter (Mary Jo Oakley), the aging star of a once-popular series of sci-fi films set on the planet Zarg, now confined to a wheelchair herself. As the two terminally ill Zarg enthusiasts get to know each other, their caregivers (Christine Talarico as daughter Janet and Dominick J. DeNucci as Alison’s father David) connect over their shared situation in a bittersweet mating dance that expresses both reverence for their charges’ Zarg obsession and the possibility of hope for themselves.

What makes Jersey Voices so special is the focus on the drama and comedy; eschewing complex sets, the troupe manages six times to create entire worlds for us with nothing more than a couple of tables and chairs and a bunch of props. Marry that to superior scripts performed by talented actors under sure-handed direction, and you’ve got a successful festival of one-act plays.

I’ve often written that “if it’s summer, it must be Jersey Voices (and vice versa)” and once again, the Chatham Community Players don’t disappoint. You won’t want to miss this year’s offering of plays written by New Jersey playwrights. We sure do have great talent here in the Garden State!

Jersey Voices bill be performed at the Chatham Playhouse, 23 N. Passaic Ave., Chatham, through August 6th. For information and tickets, call 973.635.7363 or visit www.chathamplayers.org online.

Photographs by Jill Fischer.

CD RELEASE SHOW @ TRUMPETS, AUGUST 7, 2 SETS

Bryant/Fabian/Marsalis: Do For You?
CD Release Show

WHEN: Monday, August 7th, 7:30pm and 9:30pm
WHERE: Trumpets, 6 Depot Square, Montclair, NJ 07042
 (973) 744-2600
www.trumpetsjazz.com

Lance Bryant and Christian Fabian met in the Lionel Hampton Big Band, and were brought up like Jason Marsalis in old school jazz roots. And they religiously practice the first commandment of the old school:

“Thou shalt give the audience a great show!”

do for you? is proof that jazz roots grow into exciting new tunes, thrive in new times, and produce new jazz masters.

The album showcases new compositions by Bryant and Fabian, with a tune by Marsalis, and the Trio’s collective mastery and virtuosity is consistently front and center. These artists have not only mastered every corner of the tradition—they can do anything. The virtuostic Bryant on saxophone, a groovy solo by Fabian mixing funk and hip-hop flavor, expert punctuation by Marsalis on drums, lightning speed as quick and exciting as it is clean—they can do anything. Of A Certain Age by Bryant, with its nostalgic ballad feel and an artful performance by the Trio, could easily pass for a jazz standard.

The Band never loses its tightness...through impressive solo fills from Marsalis, Fabian’s gloriously clear pizzicato, pitch bends and grooves...Marsalis’ skillful Brazilian rhythms and timbres...unrelenting and funky drum and bass grooves, blazing saxophone melodies...the Band keeps surprising and amazing, and leaves us wowed.

From the liner notes by — Kabir Sehgal & Latin Grammy Award® winner New York City, June 2017

FAMILY TALE OF OLD WEST @ SOMERSET VALLEY PLAYERS IN HILLSBOROUGH

Wagon Wheels West
Directed by Tina Lee
Produced by Karen Abbatiello

WHEN: July 21 - August 6, 2017. Friday and Saturday Evenings at 8:00 pm and Sunday Matinees at 2:00 pm. 
WHERE: Somerset Valley Players, 689 Amwell Rd./Route 514, Hillsborough
TICKETS:  General Admission $15; Seniors/Students $13
To Buy Tickets:  Visit the website at www.svptheatre.org
For Further Info:  Call 908-369-7469

Giddy-up, lil' partner! It's time for some rootin'- tootin' good ole fun in this high-steppin', thigh-slappin', laugh-a-minute musical family tale of the old west.  Our happy hero Chuck Wagon gets stranded in the tiny town of Vinegar Bottle and has to battle his way out of a heap of big trouble while fightin' with the kookiest, craziest, and silliest darn townspeople you ever saw.  Come and see what High Noon will bring?

Theatre is wheelchair accessible.

“GREASE” IS THE WORD THIS WEEKEND FOR ASPIRE PERFORMING ARTS COMPANY

GREASE

WHEN: Friday, July 28 at 8:00pm, Saturday, July 29 at 3:00pm and 8:00pm, and Sunday, July 30 at 3:00pm
WHERE: Barn Theatre, located at 32 Skyline Drive in Montville, NJ.
TICKETS:
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.aspirepac.com or contact Aspire PAC at 201-220-4933 or aspirepac@gmail.com.

One of the world's most popular musicals, Grease includes everyone you remember from Rydell High's senior class of 1959, including Danny, Sandy, Rizzo, Kenickie, and all of the "Burger Palace Boys" and their "Pink Ladies!" Relive the romance of those "Summer Nights" and dance your way through "Greased Lightnin'" and all of the songs that became the soundtrack of a generation.

Aspire PAC’s production of Grease is directed and choreographed by Aspire PAC Artistic Director, Lisa Beth Vettoso, and features musical direction by Charles Linnell. Additional choreography is provided by Jaimie Michelle Bass. Cheryl Wilbur serves as Production Manager and Shannah Harris is the Stage Manager.

A rockin’ ensemble is led by Jonathan Cocca as Danny and Courtney Bulger and Olivia Howell alternating as Sandy. They are backed up by the Burger Palace Boys and Pink Ladies, an ensemble cast that includes Melody Appel, Jolien Avena, Leighann Albanese, Gerald Cetrulo, Jillian Cetrulo, Jade He, Ginger May, Louis Messercola, Annie Pascale, Anthony Paterno, Christina Silvestri and Jason Tobias.

Aspire Performing Arts Company was formed in January 2011 by Lisa Beth Vettoso and represents the culmination of her 20+ years of experience in the performing arts. Aspire PAC’s mission is to provide educational workshops and production opportunities for children and teens, offering a professional arts experience in a friendly atmosphere. Aspire PAC has earned a strong reputation in the Wayne, NJ area for its high-quality theatrical productions and professional arts experiences for local youth. In 2016, Aspire PAC was nominated for a New Jersey Association of Community Theaters (NJACT) Award for its 2015 production of The Drowsy Chaperone.

For more information on Aspire Performing Arts Company, please visit www.aspirepac.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/aspirepac

JAZZ CD RELEASE THIS SATURDAY IN MONTCLAIR

Dave Stryker Strykin' Ahead
(Strikezone 8815)

WHEN: Saturday, July 29 – 8:00pm and 10:00pm
WHERE: Trumpet’s Jazz Club, 6 Depot Square, Montclair, NJ
www.davestryker.com

DAVE STRYKER guitar
STEVE NELSON vibraphone
JARED GOLD organ
McCLENTY HUNTER drums

The notion of moving forward by triangulating a space between creative and pragmatic imperatives is a consistent thread throughout Dave Stryker’s four decades in the jazz business, not least on Strykin’ Ahead, his 28th CD as a leader. Stryker augments his working trio of Jared Gold on organ and McClenty Hunter on drums with vibraphone player Steve Nelson, all on-board for a second go-round after their stellar contri- butions to last year’s Eight-Track II. Like the leader, Nelson is a preternaturally flexible and in-the-moment improviser with deep roots in the tradition who knows how to push the envelope without damaging the contents. Stryker internalized those imperatives on a 1984-1986 run with Brother Jack McDuff, and he received further invaluable training in the art of musical communication during a decade on the road with Stanley Turrentine, to whom he paid homage on the 2015 release Don’t Mess With Mister T.

In contrast to his Eight Track II conception of putting his spin on pop hits of his formative years, Stryker returns to his long-standing practice of presenting originals and reharmonized standards from the jazz and show music songbooks. "Shadowboxing" is a burning 14-bar minor blues; his well-considered chordal variations on Wayne Shorter's "Footprints" proceed to a simmering 5/4 figure. Next is "New You" (a stimulating Stryker contrafact of the oft-played "There Will Never Be Another You"). He personalizes Billy Strayhorn's "Passion Flower," set to Hunter's insinuating bossa-funk groove. The title track “Strykin’ Ahead” has a Cadillac-racing-down-the-freeway-feel; he imbues the lovely melody of "Who Can I Turn To" with the full measure of his plush, inviting tone.

That Stryker knows his Albert King is evident on the slow-drag “Blues Down Deep,” which evokes wee-hours third sets in the inner city grills and lounges of Stryker’s apprentice years. He knows his bebop, too. On Clifford Brown’s “Joy Spring,” the solo flights over Stryker’s “modernized” progressions transpire over Hunter’s drum-bass beats and crisp, medium-up four-on-the cymbal; on the chopbusting “Donna Lee,” all members springboard off a churchy vamp and Hunter’s funk-infused swing.

“I’ve always wanted to write vehicles that are fun and interesting to blow over,” Stryker says. “Trying to come up with a beautiful melody that lasts is very fulfilling. Writing is a big part of my voice in this music.” Stryker is too modest to say that his voice is also a big part of jazz, to which he’s devoted a career marked by consistent application of the values that he espouses. But that’s all right—I’ll say it for him. (edited liner notes from Ted Panken)

FREE OUTDOOR THEATER: “TWELFTH NIGHT” OPENS THIS WEEKEND IN PLEASANT VALLEY PARK—BRING THE FAMILY!

Twelfth Night

WHEN: July 28, 29, and August 3, 4, and 5, at 8 pm
WHERE: Pleasant Valley Park, Valley Road (next to the Veterans Hospital at Lyons), in Basking Ridge. 
ADMISSION: free, but donations are gratefully accepted to help cover the cost of this production
Bring lawn chairs or blankets for seating, and a picnic dinner if you choose.  
For information, call 908-204-3003.

Twelfth Night, an enjoyable jumble of mistaken identity, romantic triangles, and colorful characters, was originally written for Queen Elizabeth’s celebration of Epiphany, the twelfth night after Christmas, and was originally entitled What You Will. The play has been produced on Broadway numerous times, most recently during the 2013-2014 season, a production that received six Tony nominations and two awards.  The play has also been a popular vehicle for the movies and television five times in the past thirty years with many familiar faces from both media reprising the roles.

Juliette Hommes of Branchburg and Michael Jay of Hackettstown play the identical twins, Viola and Sebastian, who are separated in a shipwreck.  After Viola disguises herself as a man, The Countess Olivia, played by Emily Miller of Bloomingdale, and a confused Duke Orsino, portrayed by Peter Curley of Maplewood both fall in love with her.  Olivia’s madcap household is comprised of Tim Murphy (Denville) as her hard-drinking uncle, Sir Toby Belch, Kelly Maizenaski (Branchburg) as the wise and witty servant, Maria, and the self-important Steward, Malvolio, is played by Chris Gibbs (Fanwood).  Adam Barr  (Basking Ridge) is the clown Feste, who joins Alicia Hayes (Belleville) as servant Fabian and Aaron Kellner (West Orange) as wealthy, but not too bright, houseguest Sir Andrew Aguecheek as they all torment the overblown Malvolio.  When twin brother Sebastian appears on the scene, confusion reigns.  Other characters include servants Curio and Valentine played by Elizabeth Dreitlein (New Providence) and Elizabeth Sanchez-Quinones (Montclair).   Kevin Vislocky (Hamburg) as Sebastian’s friend Antonio and Hank Barre (Basking Ridge) as the Captain round out this talented cast.  Director Paul Bettys of Parsippany keeps the action moving and the laughs coming in this favorite Shakespeare comedy.

The partnership of Trilogy Repertory and Bernards Township has produced over three decades of family entertainment and achieved several awards for both groups for excellence in theater programming.  Most prominent are the awards from ACT (Achievement in Community Theater) and the prestigious “Excellence in Cultural Arts Programming.”  “Twelfth Night” is made possible, in part, by support from New Jersey State Council on the Arts.

CALL FOR ARTISTS FOR NEW SHOW "FABULOUS FAKES"

FABULOUS FAKES

WHEN: September 13 to October 7, 2017 Opening Reception will be held Sunday, September 17 from 4 to 6 PM
WHERE: ACL Art Gallery, 2310 Carillon Way, Livingston, NJ

The ACL Art Gallery announces its fall show and invites artists to submit artwork featuring original works created in the manner of your favorite Art Masters, whether from old or from modern schools of art. The art can be an exact copy or an imitation of the style and subject matter of a recognized Master.  

All media will be accepted, including paintings, sculpture, jewelry, pottery, glassware and textiles including wearable art.

Submissions of artwork will be received on Monday, September 11, from 9:30 to 11:30 AM at the Gallery.

For further information, call Vivian Olshen at 973-650-6374.

SUMMER FUN CONTINUES @ HUNTERDON ART MUSEUM

Summer Camps to Explore Fun Forms, Nature Art and More

If you haven't enrolled your kids in one of our summer camps, don't think they've missed out on all the fun! We have several more weeks of terrific camps remaining including Theater Camp: Where the Sidewalk Ends, LEGO® Robotics, Pinhole Photography and Egyptian Art.

We offer an enriching classroom experience thanks to our faculty of professional artists and teachers. Our camps are fun, week-long immersions into a theme, medium or skill. Most camps are half-day so students can enjoy different activities throughout the day and from week to week.

A few popular second-half offerings can be found below, but go here to see the entire list:

• 2D/3D Art Studio (starts July 31, 1 p.m.): A mixed-media class that's perfect for any young artist who likes to experiment with different materials. Use your imagination and have fun with drawing, painting and sculpting. For ages 5 to 7. Register
• Nature Art (starts Aug. 7, 9 a.m.): Explore art in nature and nature in art! Have fun learning about the lives of plants, flowers, and insects by making collages, prints, paintings and sculptures. Ages 4 to 6. Register
• Fun Forms (starts Aug. 7, 9 a.m.): Your kids will create fun forms as they explore the basic concepts of three-dimensional art. Projects in sculpture and weaving cover essential lessons in form, texture, positive & negative space, proportion and balance. Ages 11 to 15. Register
• Old Masters/New Era (starts Aug. 14, 9 a.m.): Drawing, painting and art history merge in this fun camp that teaches the Old Masters while kids create their own works of art using traditional wet and dry media including pencil, charcoal, pastels, watercolor and acrylic paint. Ages 10 to 15. Register

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HAM Offers Watercolor Class for Adults

Beginner/Intermediate Watercolor with Lena Shiffman is a fun and relaxed class designed for students of all levels. Students work at their own pace while receiving individual instruction as they learn basic and advanced techniques using washes, controlled edges, glazing, expressive brush strokes and corrections.
Class includes working from still lifes and, if the weather cooperates, outside on the Museum's Toshiko Takaezu Terrace overlooking the waterfall and the historic Red Mill. This class runs for four consecutive Mondays starting Aug. 7 at 7 p.m. for adults and teens, ages 16 and up.
Register

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Meet the Stone Mill's Last Owner

Joseph Kreidel

The Hunterdon Art Museum is housed in an old stone mill that dates back to the 1830s. (There was an earlier mill on the property that was built in 1763, but that was destroyed in a fire.)

The mill had several owners throughout its history, but it was Joseph Kreidel who sold it to a group of visionaries, led by James Marsh, who sought to convert the building into an art center.

Kreidel was born in Germany and came to the U.S. when he was 19. He was a miller all his life, working in New York and Washington, NJ before coming to Clinton. He bought the mill in 1929 and owned it until 1953, when he turned 87. Activity at the mill had slowed in the years leading up to the sale, and Kreidel was grinding only feed and an occasional batch of cornmeal between the two millstones on the second floor of the building. Equipment for grinding flour had sat idle for many years.

After selling the building for $10,000, Kreidel was named an honorary member of the art center and its caretaker; and he was offered an apartment on the second floor of the building. He lived in the art center for about a year before moving; his apartment being converted into a members room and art library.

Kreidel passed away in Aug. 1959 at the age of 93 and was buried in Washington Cemetery in Warren County.

SAVE THE DATE FOR “CURTAIN CALL”

CELEBRATE 4TH WALL THEATRE’S STAYING POWER!

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS

TICKETS: $65 early bird special for reservations received by end of day August 15th; $75 for reservations received between August 16th and September 1st
$599 for a group of ten!

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT SONG OR SHOW REQUESTS

We can't promise that we will be able to accommodate every single request,
but we will do our best!
To send a question or comment, email us at info@4thwalltheatre.org

QUINTESSENTIAL AMERICAN MUSICAL SHOOTS INTO MCCC’S KELSEY THEATRE THIS WEEKEND

The Yardley Players present

ANNIE GET YOUR GUN

WHEN: Fridays, July 28 and Aug. 4 at 8 p.m.; Saturdays, July 29 and Aug. 5 at 8 p.m.; and Sundays, July 30 and Aug. 6 at 2 p.m. A reception with the cast and crew follows the opening performance on July 28.
WHERE: Mercer County Community College’s (MCCC’s) Kelsey Theatre, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor
TICKETS: $20 for adults, $18 for seniors, and $16 students and children. Tickets may be purchased online at www.kelseytheatre.net or by calling the Kelsey Box Office at 609-570-3333.  Kelsey Theatre is wheelchair accessible, with free parking available next to the theater.

Famous throughout the Wild West for her sharpshooting skills, Annie Oakley meets her match in fellow gunslinger Frank Butler. Performing with the traveling show headlined by the legendary Buffalo Bill Cody, Annie and Frank spar both professionally and romantically. Along the way, they belt out some of the most well-known tunes in Broadway history, including Doin' What Comes Naturally, Anything You Can Do, I Got the Sun in the Morning, and, of course, There’s No Business Like Show Business. (Image: From left are Meredith Thomas as Dolly Tate, Brian Davis as Frank Butler, Karaline Rosen as Annie Oakley, Scott Karlin as Buffalo Bill Cody, and Nathan Parker as Charlie Davenport. Photo by John Maurer)

With music and lyrics by Irving Berlin, Annie Get Your Gun premiered on Broadway in 1946, where it ran for more than 1,100 performances. A film version debuted in 1950 that won the Academy Award for Best Musical Score and received three other nominations.

The show stars Karaline Rosen of Robbinsville as Annie Oakley; Brian Davis of Newtown, Pa., as Frank Butler; Scott Karlin of Plainsboro as Buffalo Bill; Meredith Thomas of East Windsor as Dolly Tate; Nathan Parker of Manalapan as Charles Davenport; John Montero of Ewing as Chief Sitting Bull; Danielle Slaboda of Hamilton as Winnie Tate; Jon Logan of West Windsor as Tommy Keller; Ken McCormick of Yardley, Pa., as Wilson; Wayne Wood of Fairless Hills, Pa., as Pawnee Bill; Dan Mucha of Yardville as Mac; Elise Carey of Yardley, Pa., as Jessie; Shealyn Davis of Newtown, Pa., as Nellie; Tristan Davis of Newtown, Pa., as Little Jake; Andrew Millin of Perrineville as Porter; and Sydney Broitman of Newtown, Pa., as Mrs. Potter Porter.

Ensemble members include Cathy Coryat of Cream Ridge, Sophie Daley-Harris of Princeton, Brayden Davis of Newtown, Pa., Jake Federico of Lawrenceville, Jenna Gottlieb of East Windsor, Grace McFarland of Fairless Hills, Pa., Daniel Montero of Ewing, Jeff Rosenthal of Dayton, Hayley Rubins-Topoleski of Trenton, Madison Russell of Morrisville, Pa., Carissa Salzano of Yardley, Pa., Marge Swider of Langhorne, Pa., Natalie Thomas of East Windsor, Ashley Gafgen of Robbinsville, and Abby Gafgen of Robbinsville.

Featured dancers are Margaret DeLucia of Robbinsville, Maryellen Molnar of Skillman, Nicole Potenza of West Windsor, and Reva Sangal of Princeton Junction.

The production staff includes Producer Marge Swider, Director Kristy Davis, Music Director and Orchestra Conductor Matt South, Choreographer Laura Ghaffoor, Stage Manager Liz Wurtz, Set Designer James Kenna, and Costumer Louisa Murey.

COMING UP @ UCPAC IN RAHWAY

WHEN: August 5 at 3 PM and 7 PM
WHERE: UCPAC Hamilton Stage, 360 Hamilton St., Rahway
TICKETS: $35
Tickets

They say a girls’ first hero is her dad, but what happens when that hero turns out to be her arch nemesis and destroys all that she will ever come to know about what a man should be? Well, the truth of the matter is that there will come a time when all the pain of the past that we have buried deep within will explode inside us if we don’t let go and let God. Let God what, you say? Well, allow me to draw your attention to Angels Haven, where the answer to that lies deep within the souls of the very women you encounter every day. A Play about the True Gift of FORGIVENESS.

Returning for its 4th smash year, Icon 2017 is a Battle of the Best Musical Theater Voices in the State! Each week the judges AND THE AUDIENCE will each send TWO lucky contestants to the Semi-Finals being held in November. Who will be this year's ICON?

Package Deal: To purchase tickets to all five elimination rounds, the Semi-finals, and Finals for only $60 call or visit the box office directly.

WHEN: Elimination Rounds: September 12, 14 and 28, October 5 and 12 at 8 PM
Tickets

WHEN: Semi-Finals and Finals: November 26 at 7 PM; December 10 at 7 PM
Tickets

ITALIAN-AMERICAN ACTRESS BRINGS 1-WOMAN SHOW TO BICKFORD THEATRE

ITALIAN BRED

WHEN: Saturday, August 5, at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, August 6, at 2:00 p.m.
WHERE: The Morris Museum’s Bickford Theatre is located at 6 Normandy Heights Road inMorristown
TICKETS: $40 the General Public; $38 Seniors; $35 Museum Members; and $20 Students (18 & under or with valid college ID).
Group rates are available.
Tickets may be purchased online at morrismuseum.org,by phone at (973) 971-3706, or in person at the Bickford Theatre Box Office. The Morris Museum’s Bickford Theatre is located at 6 Normandy Heights Road inMorristown, NJ, and offers free parking and full accessibility. Box office hours for phone sales are Monday through Friday, 10:00am to 5:00pm. Walk-up hours are Tuesday through Friday, 11:00am to 5:00pm

Actor and comedian Candice Guardino brings her hit one-woman show  to the Morris Museum’s Bickford Theatre. The show which had a successful and critically acclaimed Off-Broadway run in 2013 has been playing to packed houses across the country for the past couple of years.

Inspired by the acting career of her famous late uncle, Harry Guardino, Candice has based her popular show on her own childhood experiences growing up Italian on Staten Island. This hilarious, heartwarming show includes the unfiltered wisdom of her outspoken grandmother, unique stories of the distinctive personalities of relatives, and video cameos from friends Leslie Jordan (“Will and Grace”), Mario Cantone (“Sex & the City”), Steve Schirripa (“The Sopranos”), and Vic DiBitteto (“Mall Cop 2”).

Candice made a name for herself on the New York theatre scene with her outrageously revealing one-woman show “S.O.S.” which ran at Stage 72 and the Laurie Beechman. Her work has been acclaimed by critics who have called her someone who “Stuns!” and an actor who is “redefining solo performances.” She works with comedy groups such as the Upright Citizens Brigade, The Pit, Cult Comedy, and Second City Showcases. Some of her credits include New York Musical Theatre Festival, the Off-Broadway show “That Other Woman’s Child,” “The Guiding Light,” “All My Children,” and “Law & Order.”

“Whether you are Italian or not, you’ll relate to this very funny and touching show,” says the Bickford Theatre’s Artistic Director Eric Hafen. “I’m sure that our audience will love this extremely talented comedian who possesses a unique storytelling ability.”

5-DAY CELEBRATION OF NEW PLAYS BY LATINO WRITERS + FOOD & MUSIC @ TWO RIVER THEATER IN RED BANK

WHEN: August 2, 2017 - August 6, 2017
WHERE: Two River Theater | 21 Bridge Avenue | Red Bank
ADMISSION: All events are free and open to the public. Reservations are encouraged; patrons should contact the Two River Theater Box Office at 732.345.1400 or here online.

Unless otherwise noted, all readings and events will take place in Two River’s Marion Huber Theater and be performed in English, followed by an opportunity to meet the festival artists in the theater’s Victoria J. Mastrobuono Library. Schedule & artist lineup subject to change at any time.

The Crossing Borders (Cruzando Fronteras) Festival includes English-language readings of four plays (one of which is also read in Spanish), conversations with artists following every reading, a keynote address from a leader within the Latino arts community, and a free outdoor neighborhood party with live music.

Click here for a full festival line-up and to reserve your FREE tickets today!

Oprima aquí para el programa en español

WHEN: Wednesday, August 2, 5:30pm - Neighborhood Party on the Two River Plaza

Two River Theater kicks off Crossing Borders with an outdoor neighborhood party on the Two River Plaza with opportunities to meet the artists involved in the festival, food, and live music!

CLICK HERE TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT

7:00pm - Lecture on The Sol Project and Latinx Theater by Jacob G. Padrón

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FREE Play Readings:

EL
By Raúl Garza
Directed by Michelle Bossy

WHEN: Thursday, August 3, 7:30pm

Emi and Gus are siblings living with their mother in Chicago. Emi is writing a novel about her family, but her desire to tell a good story means she risks exposing their long-buried secrets. Gus is working in a butcher shop with only the wisecracking cow head to talk to, eager to get out. Each of them is caught between the past and the future in this funny, moving new play about how telling your story isn’t always telling your truth.

CLICK HERE TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT

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AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF A BODY OF WATER
By Benjamin Benne

WHEN: Friday, August 4; 7:30pm

Marina has led a reclusive existence with only her daughter’s ghost to keep her company. But when her ritual meal of catfish soup is disrupted by the disappearance of her fishmonger, she can no longer swim in the routine circles of her solitary life. She embarks on a search for connection that takes her into surreal territory where paper cranes take flight, the sky and sea are inverted, and travel to the ocean floor is possible.

CLICK HERE TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT

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BLANCAFLOR
By Cecilia Cackley
Translated into Spanish by Ártemis López

WHEN: Saturday, August 5; 12:00pm

The Crossing Border festival’s first play for children, Blancaflor is a charming new adaptation of a traditional Spanish and Latin American fairytale. In it, a prince must embark on a quest to save the life of his father. Faced with one impossible task after another, he is sure of failure until a mysterious woman, Blancaflor, appears to offer help. Will he and Blancaflor win the day?

CLICK HERE TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT

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EL HURACÁN
By Charise Castro Smith
Directed by Pirronne Yousefzadeh

WHEN: Saturday, August 5; 7:30pm

In 1992 Miami, while a family rushes to secure itself against the oncoming Hurricane Andrew, its matriarch finds herself trapped within memories that threaten to carry her out into the rain. Thirty years later, as Miami grapples with rising tides, the family again finds themselves swept together for a final chance at reconciliation. A modern-day nod to The Tempest, Charise Castro Smith’s new play touches upon magic, exile, and the storms that rage within families.

CLICK HERE TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT

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THE GOLEM OF HAVANA: A NEW MUSICAL
Music by Salomon Lerner
Lyrics by Len Schiff
Book and Direction by Michel Hausmann

WHEN: Sunday, August 6; 3:00pm

The Golem of Havana tells the story of a Hungarian-Jewish family living in Batista’s Havana on the brink of the Cuban Revolution. When their maid’s son, a guerrilla fighter, is injured, they must choose between protecting him and guarding their first fragile grasp on prosperity since their arrival. The Golem of Havana weaves together the music and traditions of two worlds, asking questions about family, community, religion, and politics.

CLICK HERE TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT

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Since Crossing Borders launched in 2011, the annual five-day festival has featured free readings of more than two dozen plays, including many that have gone on to full productions at Two River (Pinkolandia, Ropes and next season’s El CoquÍ Espectacular and the Bottle of Doom) and elsewhere. Today, it attracts more than 700 people annually and includes English-language readings of four plays (one of which is also read in Spanish), conversations with artists following every reading, a keynote address from a leader within the Latino arts community, and a free outdoor neighborhood party with live music.

A company of actors, writers, directors, and other artists will be in residence throughout the festival. Crossing Borders is curated by Stephanie Ybarra, who serves as the Director of Special Artistic Projects at The Public Theater in New York, where she leads the Mobile Unit and Public Forum programs.

Crossing Borders is sponsored by The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo.

New this season, we expanded the festival to include a community mural project! In conjunction with Indie Street Film Festival and Kitch Organic, Crossing Borders festival artists along with community leaders and 20 local youth worked together to paint a beautifuli mural on the wall of Kitch Organic, on the West Side of Red Bank.

ISRAELI FILM FESTIVAL TO BE HELD IN FREEHOLD THIS WEEK

WHEN: Tuesday, July 25 - 30
WHERE: The Jewish Heritage Museum is located in the Mounts Corner Shopping Center, at 310 Mounts Corner Drive Freehold, at the corner of Route 537 and Wemrock Road (between the CentraState Medical Center and Freehold Raceway Mall). It is on the second floor of the historic Levi Solomon Barn. The Museum is handicapped accessible.
ADMISSION: $10 per film.
For more information or to make a paid reservation (non-refundable), call the Museum at 732-252-6990, or visit www.jhmomc.org.

The Women’s Balcony. An accident during a bar mitzvah celebration leads to a gender rift in a devout Orthodox community in Jerusalem, in this rousing, good-hearted tale about women speaking truth to patriarchal power. When the women’s balcony in an Orthodox synagogue collapses, leaving the rabbi’s wife in a coma and the rabbi in shock, the congregation falls into crisis. Charismatic young Rabbi David appears to be a savior after the accident, but slowly starts pushing his fundamentalist ways and tries to take control. This tests the women’s friendships and creates an almost Lysistrata-type rift between the community’s women and men.

On the Map. An unforgettable upset victory by the Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball team against a Cold War adversary, is exhilaratingly recounted in On the Map. Demoralized by the Yom Kippur War, the Munich massacre, and its sagging economy, Israel was hungry for a collective triumph as it pursued the 1977 European Championship Tournament. Facing impossible odds, the underdog Maccabi Tel Aviv team, comprised of Israeli players and NBA also-rans, is matched up against the powerhouse Soviets in the semifinals. In a David-and-Goliath battle, the Israelis topple the four-time defending Soviet champs, and in doing so, rally a nation. The so-called “Miracle on Hardwood” is thrillingly related by team captain and Israeli basketball hero Tal Brody, NBA great Bill Walton, former NBA Commissioner David Stern, and former Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren, along with another observers from the sports and political worlds.

Offering a courtside seat to the pulse-pounding action, On the Map celebrates a watershed moment of glory that many Israelis still regard as their nation’s greatest sports achievement.

AKA Nadia. The film is about an Israeli woman living under false pretenses and is haunted by her past. It is a powerful meditation on the personal and political nature of identity.

Born into a Palestinian family, the naïve and love-struck Nadia severs ties to her Jerusalem home life, and follows a PLO activist (Ali Suliman) to London where they secretly marry. When her husband is arrested, Nadia finds herself alone and in exile, with no option of returning to Israel where she is viewed as a terrorist. Flash forward 20 years, and Nadia has forged a new identity as Maya, an Israeli Jew who by all appearances enjoys a successful life as a choreographer, devoted mother, and wife to a high-ranking Ministry of Justice official (Oded Leopold). But the resurfacing of a figure from her past threatens to unravel both her family and her own sense of self.

The JHMOMC is a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

24-HOUR MUSICAL BACK @ RHINO STUDIO 237!

Back by popular demand!

Take the challenge with us and put on a whole musical in just 24 hours!

SEASONAL FUN @ RVCC PLANETARIUM

Happy Birthday, Harry Potter

WHEN: Friday, July 28
WHERE: RVCC Planetarium, 118 Lamington Rd., Branchburg

The Skies Over Hogwarts 
7 & 8 pm 

Take a Harry Potter-themed tour of the night sky!  See how JK Rowling used astronomy as her inspiration for characters.

Fright Light Laser Concert
6 & 9 pm 

Join us for our popular Halloween laser concert.  Songs include "Alive" by Meatloaf, "Ghostbusters" by Ray Parker, Jr., and "Thriller" by Michael Jackson.

Visit our website for full details and age recommendations

Countdown to the Solar Eclipse

Prepare for the Great American Solar Eclipse on August 21, 2017!  Most of our astronomy shows will include a 5-minute presentation about what a solar eclipse is and how to view it safely.  New Jersey will see about 75% of the Sun covered by the Moon.

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Tuesdays in July

Magic Tree House: Space Mission & Countdown to the Eclipse 

• July  25 at 2:30 p.m

Laser Pop Rock 

•  July 25 at 3:30 p.m

Earth, Moon, Sun & Coyote & Countdown to the Eclipse

•  July 25 at 4:30 p.m 

(Visit our website for descriptions of shows & recommended ages)

Thursdays in July

Space Shapes & Tycho to the Moon

•  July 20 & 27 at 2:30 p.m.

Laser Kids

• July 20 & 27 at 3:30 p.m.

(Visit our website for descriptions of shows & age recommendations

Fridays in July

Fright Light Laser Concert

• July 28 at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.

(Visit our website for descriptions of shows & age recommendations)

Observatory  

Weather permitting, the 3M Observatory will be open to the public on Friday evenings from sunset to about 10:15 p.m.

UPCOMING EVENTS @ WEST ORANGE ARTS COUNCIL

The West Orange Arts Council (WOAC) is compiling a Color My World Community Coloring Book filled with black and white interpretations of photographs submitted about life and living in West Orange, New Jersey. The coloring book for adults and children will be available for purchase in the Fall. Proceeds will go toward WOAC community art programs.  Open to anyone who loves West Orange and would like to participate. Photo submission guidelines at www.woarts.org

iPadology/Abstract Impressions Exhibit
WHEN: Wednesday, July 12 - Saturday, August 26
WHERE: West Orange Arts Center, 551 Valley Road, West Orange, NJ 07052
Artists: Antoinette Ellis-Williams, Ellen Foto, Fran McClain, Abeni Mussa & Mansa K. Mussa

¡Cuba, Si!                                                                  
WHEN: Wed., August 16; 7-9pm
WHERE: West Orange Arts Center, 551 Valley Road, West Orange, NJ 07052
ADMISSION: Free & open to the public. Light refreshments served
Cuba Journey Photography, iPadology and Conversation with artists: Ben Jones, Mansa K. Mussa and Lorna Johnson

iPadology Workshop                                                 
WHEN: Sat., August 19, Noon-3pm
WHERE: West Orange Arts Center, 551 Valley Road, West Orange, NJ 07052 
FEE: $50 for class, $10 for supplies

Free iPadology Demo 
WHEN: Sat., August 26, 1-3pm
WHERE: West Orange Arts Center, 551 Valley Road, West Orange, NJ 07052 
FEE: free

¡Bienvenidos a las Artes! Welcome to the Arts!    
West Orange Arts Council’s First Hispanic Art Exhibition
WHEN: September 5 -October 14, 2017; Opening Reception: Friday, Sept. 15 7-9pm
WHERE: West Orange Arts Center, 551 Valley Road, West Orange, NJ 07052 
In conjunction with the West Orange Hispanic Foundation, this exhibit is designed to showcase the diverse visual, cultural, educational experience of our local Latino community.

SOLO SHOW INAUGURATES NEW GALLERY, HEADQUARTERS FOR JERSEY CITY ARTS COUNCIL

Structural Landscapes

WHEN: opens July 27, 5:00pm – 8:00pm and runs through September 10. The gallery is open on Tuesday nights, 4:00pm to 6:00pm, Sunday afternoons from noon to 3pm, and by appointment. For more information please visit jerseycityartscouncil.org. Light refreshments will be served and attendees will have a chance to meet the artist.
WHERE: JCAC Gallery at ShuaSpace, 340 Summit Avenue, Jersey City
ADMISSION: Free

Structural Landscapes is a gallery show of two firsts.

It is the first solo slow by Gregg Rosen, a Jersey City-based artist and art educator.

Structural Landscapes is also the first gallery show to be presented by the Jersey City Arts Council (JCAC)—a nonprofit arts organization whose mission is to be an advocate and ambassador for the arts and artists in Jersey City—at its new headquarters and art gallery.

Structural Landscapes showcases a body of work Rosen started in 2003 with Structural Landscape #1, when he first seriously combined abstract motifs with realism. “I wanted the composition of the painting to be organic, to invite the viewer into the art as opposed to telling the viewer what to think or feel,” he said.

Rosen, who grew up in Long Island, earned a BFA for the School of Visual Arts, New York, in 1992. He mainly worked in figurative formats after graduation, but also embarked on an intensive, decade-long study of modern art movements and artists, including reading hundreds texts, including art histories, critical analysis and artist biographies as well as frequent museum and gallery visitations. Gradually, geometric images and visual abstractions appeared in his work and he finally created Structural Landscape #1. Through the years, completed 46 Structural Landscape paintings, working with oil on canvas or wood. Last year, both an end and a new beginning was apparent when he completed Post-Structural Landscape #1, using what he describes as a more “gestural and tactile brushwork,” pushing the shapes and colors to their more natural conclusion, resulting in imagery that is less geometric, but more spontaneous.

“I’m glad viewers will have the opportunity to see this phase of my work as one collection,” said Rosen. “What my work shows is how abstraction and realism are not opposites in art, in fact they are both actually necessary and compatible. They are not separate, but coexist and feed off each other.”

On view at the JCAC Gallery at ShuaSpace are 22 pieces—nearly half—of the entire Structural Landscapes series – the exhibition is bookended by the Structural Landscape #1 and Post-Structural Landscape #1. This thematic cluster of paintings has a cumulative effect of revealing the unique dichotomy of Rosen’s vision, whose process often requires using multiple layers of paint – and even masking tape – to create an emotional dialogue between curves and lines, juxtaposing naturalistic images with geometric shapes. Rosen’s playful approach to form draws viewers in, shifting shadow and light within his distinctive palette, an effect he achieves by layering multiple color tones. “For some of the paintings I’ve done as many as 30 layers of painting to get the color I was looking for,” he said.

Several Structural Landscapes pieces have already been sold and are part of both national and international private collections. Rosen’s work has also been featured in numerous group shows, including Metro31 Redux City Without Walls, Jersey City Theater Center (JCTC) Borderless Art Show; SMI 17th Annual Open Exhibition (juried by Sue Scott) at Aljira Center for Contemporary Art; July 2013 Earth Show (curated by Jill Connor) 440 Gallery, Brooklyn; Abstract Expressionism in a Postmodern Times/ S.H.E. gallery, Boonton, N.J.; 32nd Annual NYU Small Works Exhibition.

Rosen also works as an Arts Instructor, teaching adult art classes for the Jersey City Department of Recreation and adult & children’s classes at the Mary McLeod Bethune Life Center, Jersey City.

ShuaSpace, founded in 2012 by Shua Dance Group, is located in the Journal Square neighborhood, and also serves as the new home for the JCAC. While it’s certainly fitting for an arts advocacy organization to be headquartered in a building owned by a leading arts group, it was obvious to the JCAC board of trustees that the walls – and museum-quality track lighting – should not be under-utilized.

“We are advocates for the arts and for artists in the community, and we realized that one way to further that mission, as well as fully use this remarkable space, is to also show artists here,” said Alvin Pettit, JCAC Board Member, Jersey City-based artist & sculptor, and director of the Mary McLeod Bethune Life Center. “The primary objective was to have a home where the community could come and connect with the council, but if we can use the walls and double-up as a gallery, that all is for the better. We’re proud to have Gregg Rosen, a long-time Jersey City resident and well-respected artist to inaugurate our gallery space. We will be looking at other solo shows and group shows to showcase the amazing work of Jersey City artists in the near future.”

Photo by Thom Leavy

AUDITIONS SET IN NEWTON FOR DOO WOP MUSIC REVIEW

AUDITION NOTICE:

Doo Wop Music Revue

WHEN: August 7th starting at 7 p.m. All auditions are scheduled by appointment only. To schedule an audition please send an email to dramageekstudios@gmail.com or call 973-512-8251.
WHERE: Drama Geek Studios, 13 Washington Street in Newton

Show dates are September 29, 30 and October 1 in the Performing Arts Center at Sussex County Community College, Newton

Please have a song from this era prepared. You will also be asked to sing a song from the show which will be provided.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE

SPECIAL PRODUCTION TO BENEFIT HOLMDEL THEATRE COMPANY

The ManOpause Boys
Written by  Billy Van Zandt & Jane Milmore
music by Wayland Pickard

WHEN: July 21, 22, 28, 29 at 8pm; July 23, 30 at 3pm
WHERE: 36 Crawfords Corner Rd., Holmdel, NJ 07733
TICKETS: All Seats $25*
*no discount tickets are available for this benefit production
BUY TICKETS ONLINE HERE
For more info contact info@holmdeltheatrecompany.org

Great music and side-splitting humor collide when four life-long friends share their post-50 journey of men going through manopause. An upbeat, hilarious comedy revue, The ManOpause Boys is always funny, clever, and delivers a memorable evening of laughter! Songs include My Prostate is the Size of a Buick, I Just Took A Pill Called Viagra, and My God I Am My Father.

Starring Jeff Babey, Tom Frascatore, Glenn Jones, and Billy Van Zandt

A HOST OF AUDITIONS FOR ALL AGES SCHEDULED @ RHINO THEATRE

AUDITION NOTICES:

Don't miss your chance to perform in Ghost the Musical, based on the classic Paramount Pictures film.

Click here to sign up for auditions!

All roles available for this incredible musical twist on your favorite fairy tales.

Click here to sign up for auditions!

Auditions will be held Sept. 5 & 6 for the classic Mel Brooks Musical for all roles except Max Bialystock and Franz Liebkind.

Visit the website for more details.

Click here to sign up for auditions!

Coming up mid-August!

All roles available for this classic musical tale, suited for ages 7-13.

Click here to sign up for auditions!

perfect show for high schools kids! Join us mid-September for auditions!

Click here to sign up for auditions!