WHERE: 551 Valley Road, West Orange, NJ
Fusing elements of cubism with realism, surrealism and mysticism to reflect the Afro Cuban life and religions, memories of Cuba, and life in the U.S.
FEE: Free for WOAC members (donations welcomed), $10 for non-members
September Collage Exhibition Call for Artists coming soon!
WHERE: West Orange Arts Center, 551 Valley Road, West Orange, NJ 07052
Please contact info@woarts.org for more information
AUDITIONS:
The Barn Theatre in Montville, New Jersey continues its 92nd Season by holding open auditions for its upcoming production
Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
by Christopher Durang
directed by Lauri MacMillan
WHEN: Monday, June 17, 2019, at 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM Tuesday, June 18, 2019, at 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM. Actors are asked to arrive to sign in within the first hour of the audition start time.
WHERE: The Barn Theatre is located at the end of Skyline Drive in Montville (For directions to the theatre, please see http://www.barntheatre.org/directions.asp)
Christopher Durang's Tony Award-winning play serves up family drama with comic savagery. In addition to the Tony Award, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike also received the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Play, Drama League Award for Best Production of a Play, Drama Desk Award for Best Play, New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Production and the Off-Broadway Alliance Award for Best Play. Siblings Vanya and Sonia live out their days in an endless, bleak tableau in Bucks County, PA. All seems numbingly mundane until in sweeps hurricane Masha, their fading movie star sister with her shiny new boyfriend and a big announcement that will impact all their lives.
CAST REQUIREMENTS: All roles are available and casting is open; newcomers are especially welcome! Crew and other volunteers are also needed for the event. If interested, please contact info@barntheatre.org
Vanya: Male, 55-60 All Ethnicities
Lives with his adopted sister Sonia at their family home, basically resigned to the way his life has turned out. Dour but highly intelligent, dry and sardonic, he plays peacemaker between his two sisters Sonia and Masha. Actor must possess strong comedic and language skills as well as excellent timing.
Sonia: Female, 50-55 All Ethnicities
Vanya’s discontented adopted sister who longs for a life not lived. Volatile and emotional, she is full of regret and jealous of Masha’s wild and glamorous life. Actress must possess strong comedic and language skills as well as a wide emotional range. Must do a convincing impersonation of Maggie Smith.
Masha: Female, 50-55 All Ethnicities
Vanya and Sonia’s sister who became a glamorous and successful movie star. More than a bit of a diva but also charming and funny. Highly competitive and very insecure about aging and losing her allure.
Spike: Male, 20-29 All Ethnicities
Masha’s new boyfriend. An aspiring actor. Very physically fit. Must be comfortable on stage in underwear only. Self-obsessed, but can be friendly and charming. Seeking a strong comedic actor who is good at physical comedy.
Nina: Female, 17-25 All Ethnicities
A lovely, sincere, would-be young actress visiting her aunt and uncle, who live next door to Vanya and Sonia. Starstruck and just a bit naïve.
Cassandra: Any Gender, 30-55 All Ethnicities
Housekeeper and soothsayer, frequently bursts into prophecy, sounding like Greek tragedy, but always with a contemporary edge. Smart, biting wit. Must possess very strong comedic and verbal skills.
Performance Dates: September 6, 14, 20, 21 ,27 & 28 at 8pm and September 7, 8, 15, & 22 at 2pm. Also Potential Benefit Performances September 13, 19, & 26 at 8pm
IMPORTANT: Rehearsals will begin almost immediately. Please be prepared with your calendar and out-dates at your audition. The rehearsal schedule will be generated based upon availability.
Schedule of Free Princeton Festival Lectures, Workshops, Outdoor and Indoor Performances
WHEN: May 29-June 12
Lecture Topics Include Women in Musical Theater, 20th Century Music, Baroque Music in China
The Princeton Festival (www.princetonfestival.org) will present an exceptionally varied program of lectures and other events from now through the end of June. All are free and open to the public, but some require advance registration. More information is available HERE.
Exhibit of Music-Inspired Art by A-TEAM
WHEN: Now through May 31
WHERE: Thomas Sweet Café, Skillman
Paintings by A-TEAM artists, affiliated with the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, will be displayed for sale.
https://princetonfestival.org/event/2019-ateam/
Performance | Music Under the Stars
WHEN: May 31, 7:00 pm
WHERE: Pettoranello Gardens Amphitheater, Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve, Route 206 and Mountain Avenue, Princeton
Young artists from the casts of the Festival’s 2019 opera Nixon in China and musical She Loves Me will sing audience favorites. Partner: Princeton Public Library.
https://princetonfestival.org/event/music-under-the-stars/
Opera Workshop | Music That Tells a Story
Part 1: Workshop, choice of three times/venues starting June 1.
For full information see https://princetonfestival.org/event/2019-opera-workshop/
Two-part intergenerational program: opera workshop, plus backstage tour & performance of Princeton Festival’s Nixon in China. Pre-registration is required.
Lecture | Women in the American Musical Theater
WHEN: June 4 at 7 pm
WHERE: Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon, Princeton
Princeton University professor Stacy Wolf discusses what women do in musical theater and why it matters, from the 1950s to today – including She Loves Me.
https://princetonfestival.org/event/2019-lecture-wolf/
Festival Preview
WHEN: June 6 at 7 pm
WHERE: Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, Princeton
Sneak peek: singers perform selections from this season’s opera Nixon in China and musical She Loves Me. Directors discuss the productions.
https://princetonfestival.org/event/2019-season-preview/
Film | From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China
WHEN: June 10 at 7:30 pm
WHERE: Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, Princeton
Academy Award-winning documentary of the great violinist’s tour of mainland China. The first Western musician to visit after the disastrous Cultural Revolution, Stern gives concerts and master classes to music students.
https://princetonfestival.org/event/film-from-mao-to-mozart/
Lecture | 20th Century Music: John Adams
WHEN: June 11 at 7 pm
WHERE: Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, Princeton
Rider University professor Stephen Arthur Allen will show how the composer of Nixon in China uses orchestral color and other techniques to give the audience a rich experience in sound.
https://princetonfestival.org/event/2019-lecture-allen/
Lecture | The Emperor’s New Sounds: Baroque Music in China
WHEN: June 12 at 7 pm
WHERE: Mary Jacobs Memorial Library, 64 Washington Road, Rocky Hill
Scholar, musician, and director of a Baroque music ensemble, John Burkhalter will discuss the impulse behind the study of Western music and instruments by Chinese emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Pre-registration is required.
https://princetonfestival.org/event/2019-lecture-burkhalter/
For ticket information and a complete listing of event in the Princeton Festival 2019 season, visit www.princetonfestival.org or call 609.258.ARTS (2787).
HTC MONDAY NIGHT READING
Purple Panties
by Mike Sockol
Directed by Peter Reimann
WHEN: June 3rd @ 7PM
WHERE: Duncan Smith Theater, 36 Crawfords Corner Road, Holmdel, New Jersey 07733 (The white barn in front of the Holmdel High School)
Questions? Email us at info@holmdeltheatrecompany.org OR call 732.946.0427
Want to get involved in our Monday Night Readings or show your own piece? Go here to learn more!
Three friends celebrate a birthday darkened by the fear of death—a dog under the knife, a troubling medical prognosis, and the final embers of a secret affair. Anna, Dmitri, and Katia are not admirable people, but they are real ones, filled with faults and emotions that we see in others and hope we don’t see in ourselves.
STARRING Dawn Lanoue as Anna, Seth Newfeld as Dmitri, Sharon Coyle-Saeed as Katia
Mike Sockol has been a storyteller all his life—as a journalist, teacher, actor, and corporate communicator. He has written over 20 plays, including “Pets (and Their Humans),” which received two Perry Awards from the New Jersey Association of Community Theaters. Most recently, his plays were featured in Playhouse 22’s Third Thursday Play Reading Series, the New Voice Play Festival in Charles Town, West Virginia; Luna Stage’s Annual New Moon Short Play Festival; and The Theater Project’s ThinkFast Festival.
Mike also acted in several HTC productions, including A Few Good Men, Becket and Much Ado About Nothing.
AUDITIONS!
18 AND ABOVE!
Ok—ask and you shall receive...we just extended the age for Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson at RHINO STUDIO 237 so ages 18 AND ABOVE can channel your inner rock star and tell some bloody US history with us!
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION!
REGISTER FOR YOUR AUDITION HERE
Adult subject matter!
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WHERE: JCC, 760 Northfield Ave., West Orange
lsuss@jccmetrowest.org for information
THE ART OF TIME
WHEN: Saturday, June 1
WHERE: front of Hamilton’s Princeton location at 92 Nassau Street
ADMISSION: Free
Hamilton Jewelers, Princeton Palm Beach, celebrates the arts in Princeton with “The Art of Time” exhibition as part of its 20th annual Watch Fair weekend event. This fun-filled day will benefit the Arts Council of Princeton.
“The exhibit’s guidelines were broad, which I found to be compelling,” says Jacqui Alexander, one of the featured artists. “What the concept of ‘time’ means to me, or looks like to me might be entirely different than another artist’s, so it allows for broad interpretations and a range of responses in a variety of mediums.”
The participating artists include Jacqui Alexander (Pennington, NJ), Peter Arrias (San Clemente, CA), Emily Gilman Beezley (Glen Rock, NJ; Top image), Jerry Cable (Stockton, NJ), Ioana Cretu (Freehold, NJ), Steph Martel Giberson (Ocean, NJ), Chris Harford (Princeton, NJ), Katie Heinzer (Dayton, OH), Robert Hummel (Plainsboro, NJ), Lenora Kandiner (Princeton Junction), Russell Marks (Princeton, NJ), Shamael Munir (Glasgow, Scotland), A.J. Pandian (East Windsor, NJ), Kim Piotrowski (Riverton, NJ), Gabriella Pollner (Princeton, NJ), Ellie M. Randolph (Virginia Beach, VA), Andrew Redd (Princeton, NJ), Lori Sanft (Marlboro, NJ), Robert Scifo (Keansburg, NJ), Christine Seo (Columbus, NJ), Jason Sisino (Asbury Park, NJ), Beni Snow (Princeton, NJ), Rebecca Swan (Hamilton, NJ), Sarah Tropio (Philadelphia, PA), Christopher Wilson (Princeton, NJ) and Noah Zarur (Princeton, NJ).
Artist Kim Piotrowski (above, right), who has a background in biology and fractal geometry, finds inspiration in the repetition and pattern found in organic forms and textiles. “My paintings are the product of a relationship found between science and the everyday,” she explains.
Robert Hummel, who is well-known for his paintings of scenes in and around Princeton, found his inspiration for “The Art of Time” exhibition in the clock at Nassau Hall on the Princeton University campus. His past works, include paintings of Hamilton Jewelers beautiful and classic Tudor building on the corner of Nassau and Witherspoon Streets (left).
“The Art of Time” exhibition will also offer limited edition fine art quality prints and t-shirts by Princeton resident and artist Linda Zacks, from Exhibit No. 9 Gallery + Studio for Contemporary Art. Zacks' work has been featured in numerous exhibitions and publications worldwide, and has had limited edition books in the MoMa Design Store and The International Center of Photography.
“The Arts Council of Princeton thanks Hamilton Jewelers for supporting the arts by showcasing the work of local artists during Princeton University’s graduation weekend. Filling the streets of Princeton with local art during this busy time, raises awareness of the Arts Council's mission of building community through the arts,” says Executive Director Jim Levine.
About Hamilton Jewelers' largest Watch Fair ever!
Celebrating 20 years of this annual event that brings you a huge selection of new timepieces! For two days only, view a tremendous selection, enjoy special financing, gifts with purchase, and more. This year, we commemorate “The Art of Time” with an art exhibition of work done by local students and artists, as well as an opportunity to purchase art to support Princeton Arts Council. And there’s face painting, too….get your tiger stripes here! Featuring over 1,000 watches from the world’s finest brands with something for every style and every budget. Friday, May 31 and Saturday, June 1 (Art exhibition Saturday only). 92 Nassau Street, Princeton. 609.683.4200
About Hamilton Jewelers
Founded in New Jersey in 1912, Hamilton has been offering clients the finest quality, value, and design for over 100 years. With a heritage of excellence and family ownership, Hamilton is proud to serve generations of guests with an outstanding experience with each and every visit. Hamilton's expertise in design and manufacturing in its own workshops has produced many exceptional pieces of enduring quality and value. Hamilton is a recognized leader in its commitment to responsible social and business standards, environmental preservation, and community philanthropic support. To learn more, visit hamiltonjewelers.com/pages/watch-fair.html
ROCK THE MIC: An All-Star Broadway Karaoke Party with Midtown Direct Rep and YOU!
WHEN: Sunday, June 2, 7 PM
WHERE: The Woodland, 60 Woodland Road, Maplewood
TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE
Adam Dannheisser and Josephine Rose Roberts, both alums of ROCK OF AGES on Broadway, will MC an evening featuring many of the extraordinary Broadway performers who call South Orange/Maplewood home, along with members of the community who want to ROCK THE MIC.
Confirmed Karaoke singers include
Everyone is invited to sign up to sing or to make challenge requests that will be accepted by MDR ensemble members in exchange for a small contribution to the company.
Want to sing a duet with a Broadway professional?
MDR members who have volunteered to sing with YOU include Catherine Brunell, Dwayne Clark, Danielle Ferland, Julia Haubner, Elizabeth Ward Land and Abby Sher.
Want to brush up your singing in advance?
MDR members Joanna Young, Robert DuSold, Elizabeth Ward Land and Meg Zervoulis have offered to donate vocal coaching services in advance of the event in exchange for a donation of $50 to MDR's programming fund. Please contact middirrep@gmail.com to arrange details.
A cash bar featuring beer from SO MA Brewing Company, signature cocktails, and a variety of wine will be open throughout the evening.
Bartenders and ushers include Broadway professionals Jenny Bacon, Lucas Calhoun, Julia Campbell, John Cramer, Evan Fleischer, Lily Hung, Kevin Kraft, Jeff Larkin, Gregory Omar Osborne, Vanessa Parvin, Marni Raab, Peter Reader, Sandy Rustin, Gayle Seay, Robert Shaffron, Steven Tabakin and Aliza Wassner. Who knows what might happen...
Don't miss this evening! Fun guaranteed!
REGISTRATION IS OPEN! SummerART Classes for Adults
Registration is officially open for Summer 2019 Adult classes and workshops! This summer we are offering Yard School of Art favorites as well as some new offerings including Art History.
Gathering of the Vibes: Ages 13–18
Planned by MAM's high-school interns, Teen Night: Gathering of the Vibes, is a celebration of art, optimism, and of course, good vibes! The evening features a workshop with exhibiting artist Ben Jones as well as art-making, tie-dye, live music, and food trucks!
WHEN: May 31, 6–9 p.m.
WHERE: Montclair Art Museum, 3 S. Mountain Ave., Montclair
→ CHECK OUT the full line-up of events
Paid High School Internship
MAM’s year-long paid internship for rising Juniors and Seniors includes a behind-the-scenes look at working in a museum, professional experience in the art classroom, and planning two annual teen nights!
Application deadline for the 2019-2020 academic year is June 21.
→ LEARN MORE about this internship opportunity
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After a four-year run on Broadway (and four Tony Awards), the Axelrod revives Elton John and Tim Rice’s AIDA, starring American Idol’s ACE YOUNG and directed and choreographed by LUIS SALGADO (Broadway’s In the Heights and On Your Feet!), playing May 31 through June 16.
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JUDY GARLAND AT CARNEGIE HALL, hosted by LORNA LUFT, Judy Garland’s daughter, and featuring Tony winner DEBBIE GRAVITE, KAREN MASON (Broadway’s Norma Desmond), JOAN ELLISON and GABRIELLE STRAVELLI, with a 40-piece orchestra conducted by Liza Minnelli’s former musical director MIKE BERKOWITZ, takes place at the Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park on Sunday, June 23.
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Back by popular demand, THE DOO WOP PROJECT returns to the Axelrod on Thursday, June 27, and to the Paramount Theatre on Friday, June 28. Both shows at 8pm
AXELROD TICKETS
PARAMOUNT TICKETS
The irresistible family musical about the trials and triumphs of Israel’s favorite son, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat has been one Andrew Lloyd Webber’s most popular musicals for five decades. July 11- July 28
WHERE: Axelrod Performing Arts Center, 100 Grant Ave., Deal Park
WHERE: Paramount Theatre, 1200 Ocean Ave, Asbury Park
Contains Mature Content
Not recommended for children under the age of 13
WHEN: May 31 – June 15, Fridays & Saturdays 8 PM/ June 2 and 9 at 2 PM
WHERE: Dover Little Theatre, 69 Elliott St., Dover
TICKETS: $18
doverlittletheatre.org
WHEN: Sunday, June 2, 2 PM
WHERE: The Jewish Heritage Museum is located in the Mounts Corner Shopping Center, at 310 Mounts Corner Drive Freehold, NJ, 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.
ADMISSION: $18 members, $20 non-members
For more information or to make a paid reservation (non-refundable), call the Museum at 732-252-6990, or visit jhmomc.org/events. Maximum capacity is 100, so paid reservations are recommended.
Popular cabaret ensemble Oasis Players marks its tenth anniversary with a return to the Museum for a special program featuring songs of war and peace. The cabaret comes just before the 75th anniversary of D-Day. It includes music from the American Revolution, the Civil War, World War I, World War II, and the war in Vietnam, as well as some of the peace songs that emerged in the 1960s. Among the scheduled performers are Debbie Higgins and Ed Lamb of Tinton Falls, Sandi Edelstein of Marlboro, Ruthie Levy of Ocean, and Oasis co-founder Robert Weinstein of Matawan. Audiences should bring their singing voices with them because Oasis always includes a sing-along!
The Oasis Players was formed in 2009 with the goal of bringing elegant, cabaret-style concerts to local audiences throughout New Jersey. Typically, the group performs with five male and five female singers, with piano accompaniment. They have performed at Monmouth University, churches, synagogues, senior developments, and local libraries.
This program is made possible in part by the Monmouth County Historical Commission through funding from the New Jersey Historical Commission of the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders.
The JHMOMC is a tax-exempt organization under Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The Museum is handicapped and assisted listening accessible.
Dear Students,
The Baby Shark Craze has reached Garden Street! Miss Joanna is teaching this high energy, unforgettable, etched in our heads forever class waiting for your Baby Shark Loving Kid!
Children will learn dance, singing, and fun with this exciting new theme. We will mash up Baby Shark with Little Mermaid's Under the Sea and over the next 5 classes, kids will learn a fun dance routine to perform in class for parents and friends.
WHEN: Thursdays
WHERE: Garden Street School of Performing Arts, 1018 Washington St., 2nd floor, Hoboken
FEE: Only $99 for the session or $25 per drop in.
201.683.9100
Start this week. All ages welcome!
Disenchanted
Poisoned apples. Glass slippers. Who needs ’em?!
WHEN: May 31-June 9, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm and Sundays at 3 pm.
WHERE: Parsippany Playhouse at 1130 Knoll Road, Lake Hiawatha, NJ. For GPS driving directions, please enter the town of Boonton, 07005
TICKETS: $25 for adults and $20 for seniors. To purchase tickets online please visit www.womenstheater.org or call 973 335 3038.
BUY TICKETS
Not Snow White and her posse of disenchanted princesses in the hilarious hit musical that’s anything but Grimm. Forget the princesses you think you know – the original storybook heroines have come to life to set the record straight!
Starring: Marlaina Powell* Tatiana Bustamante, Tara Henderson, Lizzy Raine, Juliana Valente, Kelly Wenz
Directed by Lauren Moran Mills, Musical Direction by Deborah Martin, Producing Artistic Director Barbara Krajkowski
ABOUT THE WOMEN’S THEATER COMPANY:
The Women’s Theater Company’s mission is to provide a fertile environment for the advancement of professional women theater artists and to provide quality theater for the community at large. Through their main stage, educational outreach, and new works development programs, the Women’s Theater Company supports the development of new women artists, promotes new works in the American theater, and provides entertaining and enriching productions for growing audiences. Women’s Theater Company is located at The Parsippany Playhouse, 1130 Knoll Road, Parsippany, NJ. For more information contact 973 335 3038, or email info@womenstheater.org.
The Women’s Theater Company is proud to be a member of the New Jersey Theater Alliance Funding for the Women’s Theater Company has been made possible in part by funds for the Morris Arts through the New Jersey State Council on the Art/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.
The Women’s Theater is proud to be a member of the Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce.
PETER AND THE WOLF & CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS
WHEN: Sunday, June 2, at 4:00 pm
WHERE: Sitnik Stage of Centenary Stage Company’s Lackland Performing Arts Center at 715 Grand Ave. Hackettstown
TICKETS: 25.00 for adult orchestra seating, $22.00 for adult mezzanine seating and $15.00 for children under 12.
Tickets are available on line at www.centenarystageco.org or by phone at (908) 979 – 0900.
Peter and the Wolf is a timeless classic that delights both children and adults alike. It is a story of unexpected friendships, teamwork and bravery. This ballet serves as a great introduction for children to learn the instruments of the orchestra because each character is represented by a different instrument. The dance, narration and musical themes help guide the story which has captured the hearts of audiences all over the world.
Peter and the Wolf features all-new choreography this year by the new Co-Artistic Directors Alexandra Thorpe and Ashley Feyrer. The part of Peter is played by Lily Papendick (12) of Stanhope. The part of the Wolf is played by Violet McMeen (13) of Long Valley. It is the first time for both of them in this role.
Carnival of the Animals is a charming ballet that tells the story of a young girl who falls asleep and dreams her favorite stuffed animal, a lion, has come to life! The Lion leads the young girl to his magical kingdom, where all of his animals friends live. The young girl loves to dance and is delighted when all the magical animals dance for her. There are spirited chickens pecking about, beautiful fish swimming around, adorable turtles peeking out of their shells, a kangaroo that energetically bounces to and fro and silly penguins that slip and slide all over. The young girl wakes up realizing that just because it was a dream, doesn’t mean it wasn’t real. We are reminded that you should always believe in your dreams. The entire ballet is a gem that leaves the audience feeling enchanted and inspired.
It has been 6 years since NJCYB has last danced Carnival of the Animals. We are excited to bring it back into the repertoire. Choreography is by Elisabeth Holowchuk Sollog. The part of the lion is played by Anne Mohan (17) of Newton. And the part of the Little Girl is played by Kristina Gallagher (8) of Hackettstown.
The cast is comprised entirely of students from the surrounding area (Hunterdon, Morris, and Warren Counties) ranging in ages from 6-17. Both ballets feature narration making the performances accessible to children.
For more information please visit The New Jersey Civic Youth Ballet at www.njcyb.org or by phone at (908) 850 - 0709. To purchase tickets visit www.centenarystageco.org or call the CSC box office at (908) 979 – 0900. The Centenary Stage Company box office is open Monday through Friday from 1 – 5 pm and two hours prior to every performance. The box office is located at 715 Grand Ave. Hackettstown, NJ in the Lackland Performing Arts Center on the campus of Centenary University.
FALSETTOS
Directed by Gus Ibranyi and Salvador Navarro of West Caldwell
WHEN: Friday, May 31, and Saturday, June 1, at 8:00 PM and Sunday, June 2, at 7:00 PM. Audiences are invited remain after the performance, for there will be a reception following each performance.
WHERE: Chatham Playhouse, 23 North Passaic Avenue, in Chatham
TICKETS: $35 for premium seating (center section), and $25 for side sections with a student/senior price of $20.00 (side sections) and can be purchased at www.ccp.booktix.com or at the door.
The Chatham Community Players is excited to present William Finn & James Lapine’s musical, Falsettos, as a benefit for The Trevor Project.
Falsettos consists of March of the Falsettos and Falsettoland, the last two installments in one trio of one-act Off-Broadway musicals. FALSETTOS revolves around the life of a charming, intelligent, neurotic gay man named Marvin, his wife, lover, about-to-be-Bar-Mitzvahed son, their psychiatrist and the lesbians next door. It’s a hilarious and achingly poignant look at the infinite possibilities that make up a modern family…and a beautiful reminder that love can tell a million stories.
Founded in 1998, the Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people under 25.
The cast is comprised of Scott Baird of Rockaway as Mendel, Tracey Lynne Haskell of Garwood as Charlotte, Jeffrey Fiorello of Montclair as Marvin, Justin Roth of Ringwood as Jason, Robert Bannon of Ridgefield Park as Whizzer, Tina Kaye of Middletown as Trina and Samantha Kaplan of Montville as Cordelia.
Rounding out Ibranyi/Navarro’s talented production team, Ken Magos of Maplewood and Leslie Williams of Springfield are Co-Producers, James Horan of North Plainfield is the Musical Director and Samantha Simpson of Plainfield is the Choreographer, Steffi Denmark is Production Coordinator, Pam Wilczynski is Stage Manager, Kevin Ohlweiler is Lighting Designer, Kate Pierce is Props and Christine Hahn is Costume Designer.
Funding has been made possible in part by the Arts Council of the Morris Area through the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.
MEDIOCRE AT BEST
WHEN: Wed, May 29, 2019 7:30 PM
WHERE: UCPAC'S Hamilton Stage, 369 Hamilton St., Rahway, NJ
GET TICKETS
Christina Taylor is no stranger to the world of comedy! She started her career working behind the scenes as a Director’s Assistant on Last Comic Standing and other hit sitcoms like My Wife & Kids.
Entertainer extraordinaire, Christina is now bringing her self produced, live comedy show to her home state of New Jersey. She’s performed in front of hundreds in California—but if she’s got to pick a coast, it’s got to be the East!
Join her as she shares the most intimate moments of her childhood; her flailing attempts at motherhood, single-hood, marriage-hood, and becoming an adult; and secret crushes!
This is a one-night-only sensational event you will not want to miss! Come see why Christina Taylor is one of the best hidden gems in the entertainment industry-and why she won’t be for long!
Join us for a magnificent season finale of epic classical works from epic Hollywood soundtracks!
The Man Who Came to Dinner
the classic comedy by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman
WHEN: May 31, June 1, 2, 7, 8 and 9. Friday and Saturday performances begin at 8 p.m., Sunday matinees start at 2 p.m.
WHERE: Theresa Aprea Theater, 199 Scoles Ave., Clifton
TICKETS: adults $17 in advance and $20 at the door. Tickets for seniors and students are $12 in advance and $15 at the door. Group ticket sales are available. To reserve tickets call (973) 928-7668 or visit the Theater League’s website www.theaterleagueofclifton.com. The Theater League’s mailing address is PO Box 4072, Clifton, NJ 07012.
The Man Who Came to Dinner debuted on Broadway in October 1939 and was a 1942 film starring Bette Davis, Ann Sheridan and Monty Woolley. The comedy is set in the 1940s during the Christmas season. Sheridan Whiteside, an opinionated and arrogant radio personality, while on a speaking tour in Ohio, is invited to the home of the prominent Stanley family as a publicity stunt. However, upon his arrival, Whiteside slips at the front door, injures his hip, and a tumultuous six weeks of confinement follows.
The Stanley living room is monopolized by the irascible invalid Whiteside. Ex-convicts are invited to meals and transatlantic calls bring an outrageous phone bill. The arrival of strange gifts from his friends, along with famous guests from Hollywood and a sudden romance further destroys domestic tranquility. The family home harbors penguins in the library and an octopus in the cellar, all of which adds to the chaos.
Cast members for the show include Elizabeth Eisenmenger, John Traier, Karen Bednarz, Gary Koseyan, Debbie Buschsbaum, Carl Bergmanson, Victoria Lopez, Emma Himmelhock, Steve Adubato, Joe Krisocki, George Rex, and Lawrence Kelly.
The show is being produced through special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service Inc. Clifton residents Mark Peterson and Jalmari Vanamo are the co-producers, while Steve Bell of Hackensack serves as the director. Bell, a music teacher at Teaneck High School, last year directed the Theater League of Clifton’s production of “The Fantasticks.” Peterson is the president of the Theater League of Clifton, while Vanamo has served as musical director for many Clifton stage productions.
Founded in 2005, the Theater League of Clifton is a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering an appreciation of the arts through theatrical performances while providing quality entertainment for all ages. The Theater League of Clifton welcomes volunteers in all aspects of performance and production.
IMAGE L-R: Debbie Buchsbaum, George Rex, Karen Bednarz and Gary Koseyan
Summer Landscape Painting
WHEN: Tuesdays, June 18 through July 23, 2019 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
WHERE: Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, Princeton
FEE: $220 for nonmembers and members of ACP and Friends of Morven
Morven and its historic gardens are enticing subjects for Charles Viera’s 6-week workshop which includes demonstrations, group and individual critiques. Open to students of all levels working in all media. Light easels and chairs will be provided. Any questions, please email dlampertrudman@morven.org.
Register here: https://public.artscouncilofprinceton.org/public/classdirect/690
More information: https://morvenmuseum.squarespace.com/summer-landscape-painting-at-morven-with-charles-viera
Live Arts at the Morris Museum
Live Arts at the Morris Museum, a bold new performance series, introduces cultural climate change to Morris County’s Morris Museum in historic Morristown, New Jersey. Innovative artists from around the world and around the area will dominate the season with world and regional premieres of the most interesting new work being created in music, dance and theater.
Live Arts at the Morris Museum is the brainchild of the new Curatorial Director of Live Arts, Brett Wellman Messenger who comes to The Morris Museum by way of The Santa Fe Opera and Peak Performances.
“I see this series as an impetus for exciting, new conversations with our audiences. They are savvy, sophisticated and ready for new cultural adventures right in their own backyard,” Messenger said. “We’re presenting works that align with the Museum’s evolving mission to explore sound, motion and kinetic art onstage as well as in the galleries.” Cleveland Johnson, Executive Director, says “The Morris Museum is a rarity in the museum world—it has its own performing arts facility. The Museum can become home for those eyeing new horizons, who are ready to be surprised, who are hungry for new artistic creations.”
On Thursday, June 6th there will be a Live Arts at the Morris Museum Launch Event where Kyle Marshall Choreography, who appear later in the season, will preview their new work, a duet called Horizon.
WHERE: Museum’s 312-seat Bickford Theatre, Morris Museum, 6 Normandy Hgts. Rd., Morristown
Dzul Dance:
The Last Mayan King
WHEN: Friday, September 20, 8:00PM, Saturday, September 21, 2:00PM
Javier Dzul has of the most impressive and exotic resumes in modern dance. He grew up in the jungles of southern Mexico performing Mayan ritual dance until the age of 16 when he became the last king of his Mayan tribe. He then left his home, becoming a principal dancer with Ballet Nacional de Mexico and Ballet Folklorico de Mexico before he went to Ballet Nacional de Cuba. From there he got a scholarship to study with Martha Graham and danced with the company and also worked with Pearl Lang and Alvin Ailey. Along the way he learned and performed aerial work. That, along with the Mayan history, the influences of modern dance legends is traced on his remarkable body and in the vastly rich physical vocabulary he draws upon in his extraordinary work. His choreography exudes a sinewy, sinuous muscularity befitting Mayan royalty. The Last Mayan King channels the ferocity and grandeur of Mayan culture and Dzul’s own trajectory. Despite the ravages of the conquistadores, Maya culture never vanished and remains thrillingly alive onstage in Dzul’s work.
Rob Kapilow
What Makes it Great/American Song Book/Cole Porter
Featuring Broadway stars Michael Winther & Sally Wilfert
WHEN: Sunday, October 6, 2:00PM
The witty and urbane Cole Porter joyfully pushed the envelope of musical theater in the 1920s, 30s and 40s with ultra-sophisticated, often risqué songs banned by the censors and adored by theatergoers. Unlike most of the 20th century’s great songwriters, Porter grew up in a world of unbelievable wealth and privilege that included Yale, Harvard and astonishingly lavish travel. Yet beneath his socially perfect public persona was a hidden private life that influenced nearly all of his music and lyrics. Broadway stars Sally Wilfert and Michael Winther join Rob Kapilow for a musical tour through Porter’s extraordinary life and career, as they take a fresh look at Porter’s complex highbrow/lowbrow sensibility in classic songs like “You’re the Top,” “Night and Day,” “All Through the Night” and “Begin the Beguine."
Sylvia Milo
The Other Mozart
WHEN: Friday, October 18, at 8:00PM, Saturday, October 19, 2:00PM and 8:00PM
“Imagine an 11-year-old girl performing the most difficult sonatas and concertos of the greatest composers…with precision, with incredible lightness, with impeccable taste,” the Austrian press raved in 1763. That 11 year old girl was Maria Anna (nicknamed Nannerl) Mozart and The Other Mozart is an award-winning play based on the true story of the sister of Wolfgang Amadeus. A prodigy, keyboard virtuoso and composer who performed throughout Europe with her brother to equal acclaim, her work and her story faded away by the age of 18, lost to history in the shadow of her famous brother. This innovative production, created and performed by Sylvia Milo, imagines the life of the forgotten genius through her letters and features an original score written by Nathan Davis and Phyllis Chen (who appears with her own show later in the Live Arts season) featuring music box and toy piano. “Strikingly Beautiful” – The New York Times
Telegraph Quartet and Robert Sirota
Wave Upon Wave
WHEN: Sunday, November 3, at 2:00PM
San Francisco’s vibrant, young Telegraph Quartet joins forces with esteemed composer, Robert Sirota to perform his moving work, Wave Upon Wave. In this piece, which was commissioned to Telegraph Quartet, Sirota looks “inward to examine the topography of the human heart. Wave Upon Wave is about our fears, our hopes and our prayers that we will triumph over the forces of darkness that threaten to overwhelm us,” he says. If the string quartet is the mountaintop experience for composers, then Sirota has found the perfect musical partners to lift his work, and us, to the summit. Robert Sirota will be at the performance and will participate in a discussion about his work. In addition the Telegraph Quartet will perform Bartok’s String Quartet No. 4 and Haydn’s String Quartet in F Major, Op. 77, No. 2 to create an afternoon of glorious music.
10 Hairy Legs & Doug Elkins
Trouble Will Find Me: Remixed (World Premiere)
WHEN: Thursday, November 21-23 8:00PM
New Jersey’s own dance heroes, 10 Hairy Legs, celebrate the artistry of the male dancer. They will join forces with up-from-the-street choreographer Doug Elkins for Trouble Will Find Me: Remixed, a new site-specific piece staged, fittingly, in the Museum’s Main Gallery with the new exhibition, Aerosol: Graffiti l Street Art l New Jersey l Now as their backdrop. This unique and playful World Premiere allows the audience to experience ‘dance in the round.’ Trouble Will Find Me: Remixed will feature a new soundtrack of surprising pieces of music ranging from baroque to contemporary pop. Audience members are invited to sit, walk, and move about during this fresh dance happening. Each performance will be different as the nimble dancers respond spontaneously to the soundtrack (which will be played on shuffle) so that every performance is developing right before our eyes, a user-friendly Russian roulette of dance. There will be a cash bar in the gallery so audience members can imbibe during and after the performance which will then evolve into a social affair/dance party with the artists.
Yevgeny Kutik
Music from the Suitcase
WHEN: Saturday December 21, at 8:00PM and Sunday December 22, 2:00PM
When Yevgeny Kutik was five years old, he and his family emigrated from the deteriorating Soviet Union to the United States. They had to leave most of their possessions behind and fit everything else into just two suitcases. Yevgeny’s mother, a violin teacher, insisted on filling one of the suitcases with sheet music from the family’s collection. Years later, Yevgeny began to explore the music from the suitcase and was enthralled with the pieces he discovered, many of them banned by the Nazi State Music Bureau for being degenerate. “They began to organize themselves into a distinct array of moods and themes…Russian folklore, fantasy, and poetry. It reminds me of what we went through and how far we have come,” Kutik says. Composer Richard Strauss headed the bureau for two years and tried to ensure that banned music by composers such as Mahler and Mendelssohn survived the Nazi reign. Music From A Suitcase unifies Strauss’ own luscious scores with prominent works by four composers whose music was banned: Mendelssohn, Stravinsky, Schoenberg, and Mahler. The various ways in which these five composers antagonized the Nazis through their artistry are exemplified in their respective pieces, highlighting the resilience and enduring power of art to fight tyranny and oppression.
Shakespeare in the Park in Bergen County is back for a second year! Black Box Studios initiated free performances of Shakespeare’s works in 2018, with rotating performances of Twelfth Night and Macbeth.
This summer, the team will return to the stage with Romeo & Juliet and Othello!
In July and August, a troupe of theater-makers will bring these shows to hot spots throughout Bergen County. The shows are free to the public, and supported in part by the Township of Teaneck and Englewood Library. Exact dates and locations to be announced soon!
In Romeo and Juliet, the most famous love story comes to life on stage this summer. The Montagues and Capulets have been feuding for ages. The children decide to take matters into their own hands, and the star-crossed lovers attempt to overcome the societal pressures surrounding them. Inspired by punk-rock, this adaptation with non traditional casting breathes new life into this classic tale.
Othello is a story about societal status and what it means to be an outsider. General Othello is a self-made man and a Moor who seems to reach the peak of his career and love life—but his friend Iago seeks to undo this happiness when Othello passes Iago over for a promotion. The play's varied and enduring themes will leave the audience questioning societal attitudes.
Black Box Studios is the team that brings free Shakespeare to Bergen County. Black Box Studios has been involved with educational theater for the past ten years, expanding to professional theater a few years ago.
This year, there is a special performance opportunity for teens ages 16-19: The Summer Shakespeare Experience! Participants will play ensemble roles in Othello and Romeo and Juliet alongside professional actors, observe rehearsals, attend master classes, and perform in a Showcase Night at the end of the summer! For registration info, please contact BlackBoxPAC@gmail.com by May 30.
Sponsorships are available to corporations and individuals! Benefits of becoming a sponsor include advertisement space in the showbill, mention in future press, and a special thanks in the pre-show announcement.
Please email blackboxpac@gmail.com for more info on how you can donate or become a sponsor.
Reviewed by Rick Busciglio May 19, 2019
A longtime resident of Parsippany, Sherman Edwards, was a composer, lyricist, musician, and schoolteacher. As a composer he wrote the scores for several Elvis Presley movies. as a composer and musician he worked with such bandleaders as Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey and Louis Armstrong. Today, Edwards, who died at only 61 in 1981, is best remembered for the one musical for which he wrote both the music and lyrics, 1776.”The playwright was Peter Stone. 1776 opened on Broadway in 1969 winning the Tony for “Best Musical.” The film version was released in 1972.
Now, just a few miles from where his former North Beverwyck Road home was located, 1776 is being impressively staged at the Barn Theatre in Montville. This is a robust, slightly bawdy, highly entertaining production that might more accurately been titled “The Birth of a Nation.” The plot, of course, centers on John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson as they attempt to convince the members of the Second Continental Congress seated in Philadelphia to vote for independence from Great Britain and sign the Declaration of Independence thus establishing the new nation, “The United States of America.”
Director Roseann Ruggiero has assembled an outstanding cast of 24 men and two women, led by Joe Elefante with a star turn as John Adams. Michael Foley is superb as Benjamin Franklin. He nicely displays his dual passion for liberty and female companionship (randy…a better word?), Jeffrey Dopson has fun as the spirited Richard Henry Lee of Virginia, Brian Eller is excellent as John Dickinson, the strong advocate for loyalty to the British Empire and the preservation of slavery in the southern colonies, Brad Bebout is fine as the great Boston patriot and president of the Congress, John Hancock. The two fine voiced ladies are Adelaide Prekopa as Martha Jefferson and D’Angelique Dopson as Abigail Adams.
If you have never seen a version of the play, we should note that it is not a Disney sanitized portrayal of the Founding Fathers. These are not “sanctimonious orators prone to dramatic proclamations of the glories of democracy.” You will be surprised by the humor, mild profanity and outright bawdiness in some of the scenes. For instance, Thomas Jefferson tells John Adams and Benjamin Franklin that he has writer's block and can't come up with anything for the Declaration of Independence because he "burns" for his wife, whom he has not seen in six months. Adams expresses similar yearnings, and Franklin then makes a joke about how at his age it's best to stick to writing because "the pen is mightier than the sword." New Jersey is prominent, particularly when a letter to the Continental Congress from George Washington reports on the general drunkenness of militia in New Jersey, and how their demand for prostitutes is greater than the supply of prostitutes in New Jersey, and that many have contracted venereal disease.
The play contains 13 musical numbers, with “Sit Down, John” (Adams and Congress); “Till Then” (Adams and Abigail); “But, Mr. Adams” (Adams, Franklin, Jefferson, Sherman and Livingston) and “Is Anybody There?” (Adams and Thomson) particular standouts.
The balance of the cast of 1776 features: the imposing Tim Daniels as Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Barca as George Read, Roy Bogert as Andrew McNair, Jim Coakley as Col. Thomas McKean, Michael Daly as Leather Apron, Don Flynn as Dr. Lyman Hall, Michael Foster as Lewis Morris, Ronan Green as The Courier, Jim Hammill as Stephen Hopkins, Cory Herbert as Robert Livingston, Clinton L. Scott as James Wilson, Adam Mahonchak as Dr. Josiah Bartlett, Dave McDonald as Caesar Rodney, Donald Pauselius as Joseph Hewes, Lawrence Sanders as Rev. John Witherspoon of New Jersey, Robert Scarpone as Samuel Chase, Gabe Weiss as Edward Rutledge, Larry Wilbur as Rodger Sherman and Jared Zak as Charles Thompson.
Director Roseann Ruggiero’s support team includes; Music Director Tracy Lee Witko, Producer Geraldine Baillod and Carla Kendall, Stage Manager Susan Hagen, Set Design Greg Moran, Set Decor Anette Angelini and Camille DiLorenzo, Scenic Artist Anette Angelini, Lighting Design Cheryl Wilbur ,Sound Design Larry Wilbur,
Props Camille DiLorenzo, Costumes Janice Schopper, Make-Up / Hair Pearl Hart,
Wig Consultant Natacha Moreno and Make-Up / Hair Christine Morgan
The principal take-away from this rousing depiction of the decision to revolt is that nothing has changed....even then our leaders were all too human. They were just as divided, just as prone to good and evil, just as irrational of temper as the politicians of today.Three cheers for cast and crew.
The remaining performances are on May, 25, 31 June 1, 7, & 8 at 8pm and May, 26 & June 2 at 2 pm. Tickets are $25 (senior/student tickets are $23 on matinees only).
Image: L to R; Joe Elefante as John Adams, Tim Daniels as Thomas Jefferson, Michael Foley as Benjamin Franklin, Cory Herbert as Robert Livingston & Larry Wilbur as Rodger Sherman [Photograph by Tom Schopper]
AUDITION NOTICE:
THE TEMPEST
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Alicia Harabin
WHEN: Thursday, June 6, 7:30pm - 9:30pm; Monday, June 10, 7:30pm - 9:30pm; Callback Date(s): Monday, June 17. Callbacks are by invitation only.
WHERE: Circle Players, at 416 Victoria Avenue, Piscataway, NJ
Piscataway's Circle Players and director Alicia Harabin seek 14 actors for the first production of our 2019-2020 season. Rehearsals will be scheduled as actors are available throughout the summer, then pick up to approximately thee per week in September.
Actors of all genders will be considered for most roles. Although the roles below are listed by degree of physicality, all roles in this show require more than average physical acting. Ages refer to stage age and are approximate.
Performance Dates: October 4, 5, 12, 13, 18, 19 and 20 (Fri/Sat @8pm, Sun @3pm)
Physically Demanding Roles:
Less Physical Roles:
Readings will be from the script, and sides will be made available at www.circleplayers.org.
Those interested in Alonso or Gonzalo should read Prospero for their initial audition.
Those interested in Stephano, Sebastian or Adrian should read Antonio and Trinculo.
Performers are encouraged to read for more than one character.
Any questions can be directed to the production staff at circleplayersnj@gmail.com.
The Lord Stirling Theater Company will perform
The Importance of Being Earnest
WHEN: Friday, May 31, at 7:30PM, with additional performances on June 1 at 7:30PM, June 2 at 4:00PM, June 7 and 8 at 7:30PM, and June 9 at 4:00PM.
WHERE: English Barn Theater at the Farmstead Arts Center, 450 King George Road, Basking Ridge, NJ
TICKETS: $20 general admission, or $15 for seniors (65 and over), Farmstead Arts members, and students.
For group sales (10+) please call 908.636.7576.
Tickets may be purchased online at http://farmsteadarts.eventbrite.com or at the door (cash only).
Oscar Wilde’s most popular and well-known play, The Importance of Being Earnest is a delightfully witty comedy mocking Victorian traditions and social customs, where manners and appearance are everything and style is more important than substance. First performed in 1895 at St. James’s Theater in London, this “trivial comedy for serious people” continues to entertain audiences over a century later with its brilliant wordplay and hilariously absurd plot in which two young aristocratic gentlemen use fictional identities to escape tiresome social obligations and pursue their romantic desires.
The Lord Stirling Theater Company’s production of The Importance of Being Earnest ” is directed by Lisa M. Black of Westfield. The cast includes: Ryan Fleming of South Brunswick as Jack Worthing (Ernest), Derek Egidio of Columbia as Algernon Moncrieff, Sarah DeVizio of Chester as Gwendolen Fairfax, Sharon McGuire of Westfield as Lady Bracknell, Allegra Mroz of Roxbury as Cecily Cardew, Cass Cochrane of Colonia as Miss Prism, David Kelley of Fanwood as The Reverend Canon Chasuble, and Jeff Forbes of Westfield as Lane/Merriman.
The Importance of Being Earnest begins The Lord Stirling Theater Company’s sixth season at the Farmstead Arts Center. A dynamic community of creative artists based in Basking Ridge, the group is committed to presenting innovative theater for diverse audiences, through readings and full productions of classical theater and new works, as well as exploring the American experience through compelling productions that illuminate and celebrate our history, culture and literature. The theater group fosters the next generation of theater artists and audiences by providing unique hands-on educational programming and training in all aspects of theater production.
The English Barn Theater is wheelchair accessible. Anyone anticipating the need for additional accessibility services please send an e-mail in advance to farmsteadartscenter@gmail.com.
Funds for these events have been made possible in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, through the State/County Partnership Local Arts Program Grant administered by The Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission.
ROCK 'N' ROLL FANTASY: Tribute to Bad Company & Foreigner
WHEN: Thu, May 23, 2019 8:00 PM
WHERE: UCPAC'S Hamilton Stage, 360 Hamilton St., Rahway, NJ
GET TICKETS
Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy, playing the music of Bad Company and Foreigner, is a band forged in the fires of classic rock.
