State Theatre New Jersey presents “MasterChef Junior Live!”

MasterChef Junior Live!
Featuring Che (Season Seven Winner), Malia (Season Seven Finalist), Avery (Season Six), and from New Jersey, Matthew (Season Seven)

WHEN: Sunday, March 8, 2020, 7pm
WHERE: State Theatre, 15 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick
TICKETS: $29-$129
For tickets, more information, or group discounts, call State Theatre Guest Services at 732-246-SHOW (7469) or visit us online at STNJ.org. State Theatre Guest Services, located at 15 Livingston Ave, New Brunswick NJ, is open Monday to Friday from 10am to 6pm; Saturday from 1pm to 5pm; and at least three hours prior to curtain on performance dates unless otherwise specified. Additional ticket and transaction fees may apply.

State Theatre New Jersey presents MasterChef Junior Live!  A limited number of VIP Packages will be available and will include a premium seat, cast meet and greet, Q&A session, a signed show poster, photos, and more.

The MasterChef Junior Live! cast for this show includes Che (Season Seven Winner); Malia (Season Seven Finalist); Matthew (Season Seven) from Livingston, New Jersey; and Avery (Season Six).

MasterChef Junior Live! brings MasterChef Junior directly to fans and foodies alike, live on stage! The family-friendly show will feature head-to-head cooking demonstrations and fun (sometimes messy!) challenges with past MasterChef Junior contestants, and an overall immersive audience experience that is fun for all ages.

About MasterChef Junior

MasterChef Junior, based on the hit FOX television show MasterChef, blends exciting moments and inspirational stories with talented young contestants. Young home cooks face fun and technical challenges proving that when it comes to cooking, age doesn’t matter! Produced by Endemol Shine North America and One Potato Two Potato, MasterChef Junior is based on a format created by Franc Roddam and Endemol Shine. Natalka Znak, Danny Schrader, Elisabeth Murdoch, Georgie Hurford-Jones, Gordon Ramsay, Patricia Llewellyn, and Ben Adler serve as executive producers.

About State Theatre New Jersey

The theater exists to enrich people’s lives, contribute to a vital urban environment, and build future audiences by presenting the finest performing artists and entertainers and fostering lifetime appreciation for the performing arts through arts education. State Theatre New Jersey’s programs are made possible by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Grant funding has been provided by the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders through a grant award from the Middlesex County Cultural and Arts Trust Fund. United is the official airline of the State Theatre.

This Weekend at the UCPAC!

Classic Film Series 35 mm: JURASSIC PARK

WHEN: Fri Feb 28, 2020 8:00 PM
WHERE: UCPAC Main Stage, 1601 Irving St., Rahway
GET TICKETS
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In Steven Spielberg's massive blockbuster, paleontologists Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) and mathematician Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) are among a select group chosen to tour an island theme park populated by dinosaurs created from prehistoric DNA. While the park's mastermind, billionaire John Hammond (Richard Attenborough), assures everyone that the facility is safe, they find out otherwise when various ferocious predators break free and go on the hunt.

Out of the Blue

WHEN: Feb 29, 2020 - Feb 29, 2020
WHERE: UCPAC'S Hamilton Stage, 360 Hamilton St., Rahway
GET TICKETS
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This family brings it all, the adrenaline rush, the laughs, the gut-wrenching truth, all in this hit stage play. Let’s see if the family can handle the truth. Is their bond strong enough to get them through? Is it love or is it jealousy? Be inspired, be encouraged, be mad, but you’ll be glad you didn’t miss it. Back by popular demand Out of the Blue stage play!

EVENTS @ MORRIS COUNTY PARKS

SPROUTS: SWEET AS (MAPLE) SUGAR

February 26

It’s that time again when the maple trees are waking up and sending their sap upwards. Watch the trees being tapped, taste the delicious sap and enjoy waffles with real maple syrup. Don’t Miss Out!

MAKE & TAKE WORKSHOP: SOAP WITH HERBS AND ESSENTIAL OILS

February 27

Get the scent of summer in your soap! Experience a quick and easy way to make soap with no lye. Join the Fun Now!

MAPLE SUGARING DEMONSTRATIONS

January – March

The trees are tapped, and the firewood is chopped - it’s maple sugaring season at the Great Swamp OEC! Experience the fascinating process of maple sugaring from tree to pancake topping. Watch as staff identifies and taps maple trees and collects sap, if conditions are right, and make syrup over a wood-fired evaporator. Get Cookin’!

SNOWSHOE SUNDAYS

January – March

Get outside and active this winter, and experience the unique and exhilarating sport of snowshoeing! Enjoy a guided trek exploring the beautiful winter scenery and looking for signs of wildlife - all while getting a great workout. Learn All About It!

SPROUTS: P IS FOR PLANT

March 4

Every plant has a name, just like people do. Take a walk around the Arboretum to find plants with names that start with the same letter as yours. Create a special letter collage to take home. Don’t Miss Out!

MAPLE SUGAR FESTIVAL

March 14

Join this annual festival, rain or shine, celebrating the peak of maple sugaring season. Enjoy tree tapping demonstrations, delicious syrup taste tests, maple snow cones, and fun games. ‘Hike through Maple Sugaring History’ to discover how sugaring has changed over time! I want to know more!

RUTGERS PREP STUDENTS PRESENT “SEUSSICAL THE MUSICAL” @ BROOK ARTS CENTER THIS WEEKEND

TICKETS: $10
BUY TICKETS

Comprised of students from grades 3 through 12, Rutgers Prep’s production of Seussical  takes us on Horton the Elephant’s journey as he desperately works to protect and save the Who’s of Whoville, a world as small as a speck of dust that lives on a clover. Facing many challenges—including angry jungle creatures, a travelling circus, and a neglectful bird mother—Horton is the only one who can save the people of WhoVille.

Rutgers Preparatory School is the first independent school founded in NJ, with students from Pre-K through 12th.

SENIOR TICKETS FOR CARPENTERS TRIBUTE: LIMITED TIME OFFER

Promo Code for Senior Discount on

Closet Carpenters Tribute

KAREN3

Save $3 on Advance Sales Only

Offer Expires March 7, 2020

TICKETS: $20
BUY TICKETS

Wharton Institute for the Performing Arts Celebrates Life-Changing Music Programs at “West Side Story in Paterson” Gala

West Side Story in Paterson

WHEN: Friday, March 6, 6 PM
WHERE: Westmount Country Club, 728 Rifle Camp Rd., Woodland Park
TICKETS: $250
BUY TICKETS
For more information and to support the Wharton Institute by celebrating West Side Story in Paterson, go to www.whartonartsgala.org.

The Wharton Institute for the Performing Arts will celebrate its successful, life-changing music education programs with a special gala event at the Westmount Country Club in Woodland Park. Jennifer and David S. Stone serve as Honorary Chairs of the event which features performances by students from the Paterson Music Project, the New Jersey Youth Symphony, and the Performing Arts School.

The gala is inspired by Steven Spielberg’s remake of the classic movie which was partially filmed last summer in Paterson, the home of the Wharton Institute’s Paterson Music Project. The Wharton Institute for the Performing Arts will present its Lifetime Achievement Award to Jamie Bernstein (left), whose father, Leonard Bernstein, composed West Side Story’s groundbreaking score. The evening will also feature a welcome by Paterson Mayor André Sayegh.

Author, narrator and filmmaker Jamie Bernstein has transformed a lifetime of loving music into a career of sharing her knowledge and passion with others. Guests will receive a copy of her memoir, Famous Father Girl: A Memoir of Growing Up Bernstein, published by HarperCollins. The book, published in 2018, gives a captivating perspective on growing up as a child of the world-acclaimed composer and conductor. An award-winning film director, Jamie also writes articles and poetry which have appeared in a variety of publications from Opera News to Town & Country. Her award-winning film documentary, Crescendo: the Power of Music, follows children in West Philadelphia and Harlem participating in youth orchestras inspired by Venezuela’s El Sistema, a program that uses music to transform the lives of children in underserved communities.

“I’m honored to be part of this grand celebration of music education with the Wharton Institute for the Performing Arts,” said Jamie Bernstein. “I know my father would have been thrilled to see the impact of programs such as the Paterson Music Project and the New Jersey Youth Symphony.”

Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Helen H. Cha-Pyo looks forward to showing off the talents of the young performers. “Jamie’s inspiring documentary Crescendo: The Power of Music was instrumental in fueling the growth of El Sistema-inspired programs throughout the country, including our Paterson Music Project (right). I hope everyone joins us for this special evening and experiences the transformative power of the music shared by our young musicians. What they have accomplished is awe-inspiring.”

“The show West Side Story illustrates what happens as a result of the failure to integrate and empower young people in a constructive way,” explained Peter H. Gistelinck, Executive Director of the Wharton Institute for the Performing Arts. “Our mission is to reverse that failure by providing the highest quality performing arts education to students in a very supportive and inclusive environment and we make a huge difference in the communities we serve.”

Located in Berkeley Heights, New Providenc, and Paterson, the Wharton Institute for the Performing Arts is New Jersey’s largest independent nonprofit community arts education organization, serving more than 1,500 students. The 15-ensemble New Jersey Youth Symphony performs throughout Northern New Jersey with a season that offers more than three dozen public concerts. The Paterson Music Project provides after school and weekend experiences for youngsters in the state’s second largest school district through the community experience of ensemble learning and playing. This remarkable program not only brings respect and pride to Paterson, it is building self-confidence and fostering academic success for participating student musicians.

Faith Center for the Arts Presents “Harvey” in Succasunna This Weekend

Faith Center for the Arts Presents

Harvey

WHEN: February 29th at 7:30 PM; March 1st at 6:30 PM
WHERE: Investors Bank Theater at the Horseshoe Lake Complex, 72 Eyland Ave, Succasunna
GET TICKETS

Join us for a production of Harvey, a Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy about a pleasant gentleman, his desperate sister and niece, and his rather unusual best friend on their adventure in and around an asylum for the mentally ill in the 1940s.

MORE INFO

NJSO SCHEDULES NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERTS IN NEWARK & HOBOKEN

On Stage at Stevens: Four Seasons

WHEN: Mar 12 
WHERE: Hoboken
Info & Tickets

Winter, spring, summer and fall—experience them all with the NJSO Chamber Players. Four virtuosic violinists each take a solo turn to bring The Four Seasons to life. Hear instantly recognizable melodies, learn about the music through onstage discussion, and feel the character of each season in Vivaldi’s classic work.

Learn more about NJSO Neighborhood Concerts.

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Play Jurassic Park with the pros at #OrchestraYou

WHEN: Mar 27
WHERE: NJPAC
Register by Mar 13

Welcome … to the Jurassic Park #OrchestraYou experience! After the NJSO’s March 27 concert at NJPAC, join forces with fellow audience members and Orchestra musicians to perform epic music from John Williams’ Jurassic Park score

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Paper Mill Playhouse to Open New Education Studios in Downtown Millburn

Paper Mill Playhouse Trustees Approve Strategic Plan for the Theater’s Future

Paper Mill Playhouse, recipient of the Regional Theatre Tony Award, is proud to announce an expansion of the theater’s award-winning Theater School with the lease of a storefront building in Downtown Millburn. The new space, totaling 2,500 square feet, is the first property extension of the theater since 1996 and the first expansion of the theater’s footprint into Downtown Millburn. This expansion is a result of a board-approved strategic plan to move Paper Mill Playhouse forward, reimagining the Millburn theater as the center for musical theater in America.

WHEN: The official ribbon cutting for the new space will take place on Wednesday, March 4, at 9AM
WHERE: 20 Main Street, Millburn.

The community is welcome to visit the new studios on Saturday, March 14, for an open house featuring free classes for students ages 6 to 15. Free class spots during the open house must be reserved in advance and are first come, first served with an online registration at https://tinyurl.com/PMPStudios.

The theater’s spring session of classes kicks off the week of April 20 with classes for all of life’s stages. For more information on upcoming Paper Mill Theater School offerings visit www.PaperMill.org/Education.

Paper Mill Playhouse will host two Master Classes to celebrate the studio opening and the 25^th Anniversary of the Rising Star Awards. Two former Rising Star winners will return to Millburn to share their expertise with students. 

• On Monday, March 30, at 6:30pm, Broadway performer Jelani Remy (Broadway’s Ain’t Too Proud, The Lion King, Smokey Joe’s Café) will present a dance workshop for ages 11 to 15. 
• On Monday, April 6, at 6:30pm, Broadway performer Natalie Weiss (Emojiland, American Idol, You Tube’s Breaking Down the Riffs, Broadway’s Everyday Rapture) will present her Breaking Down the Riffs vocal Master Class. For Master Class times, prices and to register, email classes@papermill.org. Space is limited.

“We are thrilled to expand our theater’s footprint into Downtown Millburn,” remarked Paper Mill Playhouse Managing Director Michael Stotts. “This expansion allows us to serve the community by increasing Paper Mill Playhouse’s capacity to inspire more students through our arts education programs. This additional space is a wonderful opportunity to further integrate Paper Mill with our business partners in Downtown. It literally bridges the gap between our theater and downtown. This is the beginning of a long-term vision to realize a ‘cultural corridor’ that extends from the Turtle Back Zoo through the South Mountain Reservation to Taylor Park in Millburn.”

DANCE WORKSHOPS, PUNK ROCK @ UCPAC IN RAHWAY

Culture Crawl Dance Series: Workshops

WHEN: Mar 07, 2020 4:00 PM
WHERE: The Fazioli Room at UCPAC, 1601 Irving St., Rahway
GET TICKETS

The Culture Crawl is offering dance workshops on Saturday, March 7th! Check out what is available!

BOWLING FOR SOUP

WHEN: Sat Mar 14, 2020 8:00 PM
WHERE: UCPAC Main Stage, 1601 Irving St., Rahway, NJ
GET TICKETS

Brought up on a heady diet of 80's John Hughes Movies, LA Hair Metal, Steve Martin comedy routines (which spawned the band's name) and hook-laden punk rock, Bowling For Soup hit the ground running on the simple blueprint: have a good time and pretty soon, everyone else will join in!

Now approaching their 25th anniversary as a band in the coming Summer of 2019, Bowling For Soup's unique brand of hooked-filled pop punk music has gone all around the world and back again.

Opening Act: Jackknife Stiletto

TWO RIVER THEATER’S SPRING BREAK INTENSIVES REGISTRATION NOW OPEN

Students in grades 6–12 will create a performance, based on a theme, and share it with family and friends on Friday afternoon in one of our new studios. They will spend the week working with professional teaching artists—singing, dancing, playing theater games, creating, devising, exploring—the sky’s the limit!

WHEN: Monday, April 13 – Friday, April 17, 9:00 AM–4:00 PM
WHERE: Two River Theater, 21 Bridge Ave., Red Bank
TUITION: $375
BOOK NOW

Some need-based scholarships available. APPLY NOW

RVCC to Host Screening of Documentary About Struggles to Complete a College Education

Unlikely

WHEN: Tuesday, March 3, from 4-6 p.m.
WHERE: Event Center (Rooms A and B), Raritan Valley Community College, 118 Lamington Road in Branchburg
ADMISSION: free
For additional information about the film screening, contact Shay Wadher at shay.wadher@raritanval.edu or 908-526-1200, ext. 8264.

The film, approximately two hours in length, focuses on efforts to increase access to higher education and improve graduation rates in the US.

Unlikely depicts the story of five individuals fighting for a second chance at opportunity in the world of higher education. Fewer than 50 percent of students in the US who start college ever finish, making America’s college completion rates among the worst in the world. Today there are more than 35 million Americans who started college but never finished, leaving them saddled with debt and behind their peers in earning power.

Featuring interviews with LeBron James, Howard Schultz, and our nation's leading voices in education, Unlikely investigates America’s college dropout crisis through the lives of five diverse students as they fight for a second chance at opportunity. The film also highlights the innovators reimagining higher education for the 21^st century.

Ranked by WalletHub.com and Niche.com as the #1 community college in New Jersey, Raritan Valley Community College has been serving as an academic and cultural center for Somerset and Hunterdon County residents for over 50 years. The College has been nationally recognized for its service to the community, environmental stewardship, and commitment to diversity. It is home to  a Planetarium, Science Education Institute and 3M Observatory; a 1,000-seat Theatre offering professional performances for all ages; and an Honors College for high achieving students.

The College offers more than 90 associate degrees and certificates, as well as career training, small business assistance through the Small Business Development Center, and professional development courses.

For further information, visit www.raritanval.edu.

AUDITION NOTICE: “I NEVER SAW ANOTHER BUTTERFLY” AND “CALIFORNIA SUITE”

AUDITIONS:

Center Players Dessert Theater will hold auditions for upcoming productions of

I Never Saw Another Butterfly & “California Suite

WHEN: I Never Saw Another Butterfly: Sun. March 1^st and Mon. March 2nd from 6-9pm. (performance dates: April 18^th and 19^th). California Suite: Sun. March 8^th and Tues. March 10^th from 7-9pm (performance dates: May 15-June 14 – no performances Memorial Day weekend)
WHERE: Center Playhouse, 35 South St, in downtown Freehold, NJ

Synopsis:

I Never Saw Another Butterfly: Directed by Jack Rosmarin; seeking six teenagers ages 12-18. This one-act musical piece centers on the children who survived the Terezin concentration camp and share their stories of living in the camp while retaining a world filled with butterflies and flowers. This will be a staged reading with added poems and music.

California Suite: Directed by Dave McGrath; seeking 6 women and 5 men. In this 1976 Neil Simon play, four couples arrive, in turn, from London, Philadelphia, Chicago and New York and separately inhabit a Beverly Hills hotel suite, bringing along their problems, anxieties and comical marital dilemmas. Beverly Hills will never be the same.

Complete details/character list is available at https://centerplayers.org/auditions/.

AUDITION MATERIAL: Sides from the plays will be provided. Those auditioning for I Never Saw Another Butterfly must also prepare 16 bars of a song.

PLEASE BRING Resume and headshot if available

NON-UNION, NO PAY

Celebrating its 18th season at Center Playhouse, Center Players is a respected, award-winning 501(c) 3 organization, presenting high quality, engaging productions featuring local talent in downtown Freehold. In addition to their signature plays, the group also sponsors free play reading events and offers dinner and theater packages with several local restaurants.

MUSIC CAFE @ BLOOMFIELD COLLEGE THIS WEEKEND

Music Café 2020

WHEN: Feb. 28. Doors open at 7 pm. Snacks will be served.
WHERE: CT+T at 198 Liberty Street, Bloomfield College. Entrance is through the College Library
ADMISSION: free, but donations are appreciated
Click here for more information

The Company @ Bloomfield College presents its first annual Music Café featuring the Z3mog Trio and Bloomfield’s own CAT prof. Abraham Gomez-Delgado, with fellow musicians Maria Christina Eisen on sax and Pablo Bencid on drums.

About his music, Gomez-Delgado writes, “The music draws from popular Afro-Puerto Rican, Cuban and South American Rhythms but is also inspired from German Cosmic music, Japanese Buto Dance, Punk Rock, Classical Minimalism and American Free Jazz. Sung in both Spanish and English, the songs deal with issues such as immigration, racism, the power of dancing together, living in-between and the balance of imbalance in life.”

The New York Times praises Gomez-Delgado’s musical style for “Twisting genres at will and singing with skewed humor.” It also notes that the music is “largely unplugged, taking the horn section and guitar vamps of Puerto Rican salsa and bending them by way of Mingus and Sun Ra.”

Gomez-Delgado will be joined on stage by Bloomfield alums: the soulful Sqootie Jackson, and John Avila. Ambience between sets will be supplied by Tommy Jesus. The show will also feature a special performance by Bloomfield’s own, Nasic.

Music Café is a benefit for The Company @ Bloomfield College. The Company is the first resident performing arts company in the history of Bloomfield College. Founded by Bloomfield students and Dr. Freddie Harris in the spring of 2015, The Company is dedicated to producing new works by emerging and/or underrepresented playwrights, and other performance artists.

In collaboration with guest artists who are professionals in the world of theater, The Company strives to create a performance outlet for Bloomfield College students, where they can evolve artistically to address and celebrate The College’s diverse setting and to work collaboratively with each other to expand and enrich their aesthetic and cultural horizons. We endeavor to evoke meaningful conversations in ways that engage with issues of social justice that affect and shape the Bloomfield College community.

ENCORE of “Die Fledermaus” Thursday and Saturday this week!

SOLD OUT CROWD and public demand allows us to do it all over again this week-end!

Die Fledermaus

WHEN: Thursday Feb 27th at 7:30PM (not 8pm!); Saturday Feb 29th at 7:30PM (not 8pm!): NO SHOW FRIDAY Feb 28th
WHERE: Fellowship Cultural Arts Center, 8000 Fellowship Road, Basking Ridge, NJ
TICKETS

Just in Time for Spring! Artist Marsha Heller to Exhibit New Landscapes at Cafe Mignon

Fragments of Beauty: New Landscapes by Marsha Heller

WHEN: March 1 to March 31, 2020. An opening reception will be held on Sunday, March 8 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Heller's work may be viewed during the cafe's normal hours Monday through Friday 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
WHERE: Cafe Mignon, 332 Broad Avenue, Leonia
ADMISSION: free and open to the public
For further information about the exhibition and the public art reception, contact 201-400-8430. Heller's work may also be seen on her website, www.marshahellerart.com.

In Fragments of Beauty, the viewer experiences Heller's landscapes, skyscapes, intimate details of nature or its broad vistas, as acts of passion rendered through an artist’s discipline. The fragments of beauty, which she encounters everywhere, imbue the images with power and delicacy in equal measure. Heller’s color palette, with its extraordinary range from bold to soft and shimmering, is less concerned with empirical fact than with experienced truth. And yet, the facts of nature are there: in the brilliance of light, the burst of wetland grasses, the roil of wind, all rendered through strokes of color and suffused with energy.

"The exhibit includes a group of small works made from the palettes of my recent paintings. The leftover paint on the palettes dries and creates an interesting surface that I use to create abstract pieces. The heavy impasto allows lights and darks to appear," explained artist Marsha Heller.

Her New York exhibitions the Cork Gallery in Lincoln Center, Phoenix Gallery, and St. Peter’s Church in the Citicorp Building. In New Jersey, Montclair State University Gallery One featured Heller's work in a solo exhibition. She has received various juried prizes, with Artspeak Magazine describing her work as “colors (creating) a shimmering surface….Warm and cool, light and dark, they dance around the canvas until flowers, bushes or trees emerge from a tapestry of marks. The seductive mosaic of color is satisfying in itself.”

Heller’s work was chosen to represent New Jersey in the permanent collection of PNC Bank in Pittsburgh and is also included in numerous private collections. Her encaustic painting, “Emerging Spring,” was selected for inclusion in Marcie Cooperman’s seminal textbook, Color: How to Use It, published in 2013 by the educational publisher Pearson in coordination with Parsons/The New School of Design. Heller is represented by The Riverside Gallery in Hackensack, New Jersey; Ceres Gallery in New York; Yaacov Heller Gallery in Boca Raton, Florida; Portage Hill Gallery in Mayville, New York; Chester Gallery in Chester, Connecticut; and Harvest Gallery in Dennis, Massachusetts.

Laser Spectacular: Celebrating Pink Floyd! March 6

WHEN: Friday, March 6, 8 PM
WHERE: UCPAC, 1601 Irving St., Rahway
BUY TICKETS NOW!

Paramount’s Laser Spectacular is the smash hit, multi-media laser and light show, featuring the Original Master Recordings of Pink Floyd.

Celebrating 50 years of Pink Floyd, Paramount’s Laser Spectacular has become a cult classic, presenting the music of Pink Floyd, as you’ve never seen before!

Surrounded by walls of concert quality sound, Laser Spectacular carries viewers away on a mind-expanding journey driven by cutting-edge effects, high-powered lasers, large screen video projection, and special lighting effects. Your senses are confronted with an array of visual displays, choreographed to the legendary sounds of Pink Floyd.

The Laser Spectacular has become a rite of passage for any young rock n’ roller. You are not “Rock Certified” until you have witnessed the Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular! Nowadays, you will see Classic Rockers along with a new generation of fans! So, parents, score “cool points” with your teenagers and bring them along!”

CHERISH THE LADIES @ RVCC MARCH 1

Cherish The Ladies

WHEN: Sunday, March 1, at 2PM WHERE: The Theatre at RVCC | 118 Lamington Road, Branchburg TICKETS: $30 & $40 TICKETS For more information or to purchase by phone, call the box office at 908.725.3420, weekdays, from 11-4.

One of the most engaging and successful ensembles in the history of Celtic music, Cherish The Ladies has shared timeless Irish traditions with audiences worldwide for over thirty years. Under the leadership of All-Ireland flute and whistle champion Joanie Madden, this Irish-American super group creates an unforgettable performance that includes a spectacular blend of virtuoso instrumental talents, beautiful vocals, captivating arrangements and stunning step dancing. With a level of artistic, historic, and purely enticing entertainment unlike any in its genre, the group’s reputation and admiration from both fans and critics alike continues to grow as it blazes forward into another decade of music-making.

“It is simply impossible to imagine an audience that wouldn’t enjoy what they do,” says the Boston Globe speaking of Cherish the Ladies, the long-running, Grammy-nominated, Irish-American super group that formed in New York City in 1985 to celebrate the rise of extraordinary women in what had been a male-dominated Irish music scene. Over the past three decades, they have toured the world, played the White House and the Olympics and recorded 17 critically acclaimed albums including their latest release, “Heart of the Home.”

Sensory-Friendly Astronomy and Music Show Set at RVCC Planetarium

The Sky Above

WHEN: Saturdays, March 7 and April 4, at 5 p.m.
WHERE: RVCC, 118 Lamington Rd., Branchburg
ADMISSION: $10 per person. Seating is limited and reservations are strongly suggested. For additional information and to make reservations, call 908-231-8805 or visit www.raritanval.edu/planetarium.

The sensory-friendly astronomy and music show, approximately 45 minutes in length, is specially designed for families with children on the Autism spectrum or those with developmental disabilities. Neurotypical children are welcome as well.

The program, which is presented on a kindergarten level, is appropriate for audiences of all ages. We provide a comfortable and judgment-free space that is welcoming to everyone.

During the show, the doors will remain open so children may freely leave and return if they choose. Lights will be left dim (instead of dark) and the audio will be lowered and kept at a consistent level.

The show will include music, laser lights, stories, and information about the planets, the Moon and constellations. All material will be presented on a very basic level.

THURNAUER FACULTY CELEBRATES BEETHOVEN AT 250

BEETHOVEN AT 250

WHEN: Sun, March 1, 4 pm. Reception to follow.
WHERE: Eric Brown Theater of the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades, 411 E. Clinton Avenue, Tenafly
ADMISSION: Free; with a suggested $10 donation
Reservations suggested
For more information and to reserve tickets, visit jccotp.org/Thurnauer or call 201-408-1465.

Faculty members pianist Steven Masi and violinist Samuel Katz, and guest artist, cellist Barbara Mallow, will perform “Beethoven at 250,” featuring the “Ghost” and “Archduke” Trios by Beethoven.

Dorothy Kaplan Roffman, founding director of the Thurnauer School of Music said, “We are delighted to present such fine musicians performing these two great masterpieces by Beethoven. This is a special way to celebrate the enduring legacy of Beethoven in his 250^th year.”

About the Artists

Samuel Katz

Violinist Samuel Katz has been praised by the New York Times for playing with "...lovely sound and lyricism.”  Samuel has concertized extensively throughout Europe and U.S. He was featured as a soloist with the New York Youth Symphony on their 50^th anniversary concert in Carnegie Hall, collaborating with Cho-Liang Lin and Michelle Kim.

Barbara Stein Mallow

Barbara Stein Mallow, cellist, is recognized as a distinguished soloist, recitalist and chamber musician. For many years, she was member of the Carnegie String Quartet and the Chamber Arts Trio. She is currently on the faculties of the Mannes College of Music at The New School and Kneisel Hall Summer Chamber Music School and Festival in Blue Hall, Maine and also taught at the Perlman Music Program where she established the cello and chamber music programs.

Steven Masi (top)

Acclaimed as an artist of unusual sensitivity and virtuosity, pianist Steven Masi has concertized extensively throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. As a recitalist and chamber musician, he has appeared at the Casals Festival, Aspen Music Festival, Chautauqua Festival, Park City International Festival, Central Vermont Chamber Music Festival, and Music Festival of the Hamptons. Masi's 2017 CD recording of Beethoven’s complete Sonatas for Piano on the Albany Records label has been greeted with praise in the press as “Masi’s crowning achievement.”

About the JCC Thurnauer School of Music

The JCC Thurnauer School of Music has been named a Major Arts Institution by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Serving more than 500 students from infancy through adulthood, it offers a comprehensive program similar to the finest pre-college conservatories. The Thurnauer experience includes instrumental lessons, ensembles, and classes, master classes with world-renowned artists; a chamber music series; faculty recitals; frequent student performances; and a 20+ year partnership with the Englewood Public School District. The school is a member of the National Guild for Community Arts Education and received an award for “excellence and high standards” from The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. For more information, visit jccotp.org.

MAM After Hours: Art Meets Jazz

MAM After Hours: Art Meets Jazz

An Evening with world-renowned jazz bassist and performer Reggie Workman 

Presented in partnership with MAM’s African American Cultural Committee

WHEN: MARCH 5, 2020, 7:00 PM-9:00 PM WHERE: Montclair Art Museum, 3 S. Mountain Ave, Montclair TICKETS: $25 MEMBERS; $35 NON-MEMBERS

Art Meets Jazz promises to wow you with a one-of-a-kind jazz performance! Featuring avant-garde jazz and hard bop double bassist Reggie Workman, we promise to keep you on your toes!

Workman’s versatile style has been showcased while working with a range of jazz icons including Gigi Gryce, Red Garland, and Roy Haynes. Reggie bopped through the 60’s as a member of the John Coltrane Quartet, Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, and his own, Reggie Workman Ensemble.

Reggie Workman is a world-renowned jazz bassist and performer named a legend by the African-American Historical and Cultural Museum in Philadelphia. In 2020 Workman received the nation’s highest honor in jazz as a recipient for the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Fellowship Award.

For more information or questions, please contact Khloé Crimando at 973-259-5120 or at kcrimando@montclairartmuseum.org

STUDIO MONTCLAIR PRESENTS “THE PLACE CALLED HOME” AT STUDIO MONTCLAIR GALLERY, March 6 to April 20, 2020

THE PLACE CALLED HOME

WHEN: March 6 to April 10. An opening reception will take place on Friday, March 6 from 7 to 9pm.
WHERE: Studio Montclair Gallery, 127 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair

The exhibit, featuring the artwork of 39 artists, reflects upon the meaning of home through a variety of lenses and mediums.

Moving beyond the concrete meaning of “home” as a place where one lives, this exhibit explores “home” as a concept, an idea imbued with emotional associations that hopefully give us comfort. Peace, security, safety, and opportunity are all words that can be used to describe it. Across the world people travel to and from places near and far, often risking everything in search of a place to live without fear or threats to their safety. They search for the manifestation or fulfillment of this concept of “home;” sometimes they are forced to do so, other times they do it voluntarily. Self-identity may be redefined by the blending of many cultures as new roots are established. And then there is the juxtaposition of the many individuals who take “home” for granted. A Place Called Home explores this theme through many unique lenses using a variety of mediums to best express each artist’s concept of “home.”

About the Curators:
Heather Carter is the founder of Carter Fine Art Services (CFAS) focused on art consultation, artist representation and curation. Daughter of the reputed artist Robert Carter, she grew up surrounded by extraordinary art and artists, and, having been exposed at a very early age, developed a passion for art.
For more information about CFAS, please visit: www.carterfineartservices.com
Mary Z. Scotti is an artist/curator of 73 See Gallery Design Studio focusing on fine art curating, pop-up exhibitions in site-specific locations, exclusive on-line gallery exhibitions, artist representation, and graphic design specializing in artist catalogs and promotion pieces.

For more information please visit: www.73seegallerydesignstudio.com

Participating Artists:
Stephen Adubato, Peter Allen (left), Sandra Anton, Francesca Azzara, Teela Banker, Siona Benjamin, Howard Berelson, Judith Carlin, Virginia Carroll, Susan Fidlon, Vanessa Gonzalez, Kate Hamilton (top image), Robert Hendrickson, Samar Hussaini (above, right), Stacy Isenbarger, Linda Johns, Maya Just Maya, Evgenia Klimenko, Joe LaMattina, Anthoula Lelekidis, Maria Lupo, Evan Stuart Marshall, Robin Meyer, Michel Modell, Anh-Thuy Nguyen, Leslie Nobler, Anabella Rainer, Joe Ren, Catherine Schmitt, Gary Sczerbaniewicz, Stephanie Spitz, Miriam Stern, Amy Tingle, Loura van der Meule, Linda Vonderschmidt-LaStella, J. Wachira, Sue Eldridge Ward, Paula Weiner, Louise Wheeler

About Studio Montclair: Studio Montclair is a nonprofit organization of exhibiting professional artists and others interested in the visual arts. Its mission is to promote culture and education in the visual arts and encourage emerging artists. Founded in 1997, the organization includes over 550 members including artists from around the United States, as well as Europe and Asia. For more information, contact smi@studiomontclair.org, or call 862-500-1447.

Peter Allen, Country Husband and Wife; Found object steel welded and painted on stone; 32x19x12"

Kate Hamilton, Little Village; various papers: handmade, xerox, printed, archival, cardboard, and yarn.

Samar Hussaini, EnduringThread; Acrylic, gold foil, graphite, ink, paper transfer, thread on canvas.; 55x26"

PRINCETON PUBLIC LIBRARY PRESENTS WORK OF 2 LOCAL ARTISTS

Wetland to Woodland 

WHEN: March 1 to May 30, 2020. Artist Talk: March 24, 2020
WHERE: Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon St., Princeton; Second Floor – Quiet Reading Room, Second Floor – Hallway, Second Floor – Tech Center

Wetland to Woodland is an exhibition by two Princeton-based eco-artists, Mary Waltham and Susan Hoenig. The works on display ask viewers to consider afresh these two distinctly different but interrelated ecosystems, each of which combats climate change.

The artists have worked together to present works reflecting a connection to and inspiration from wetland and woodland respectively, using a range of visual media and methods.

Materials collected from selected sites, such as wetlands muds and ink derived from tree nuts, are incorporated in some of these works to express and enhance the portraits of site or species.

The artists share an urgent concern with the numerous ways in which the climate emergency is affecting our wetlands, our woodlands and inevitably, all of our lives.

Image: “Skunk Cabbage” by Mary Waltham

Night of Jazz by First Baptist Church of South Orange @ Georgio's Ristorante

WHEN: February 28, 6-10 PM
WHERE: Giorgio’s Ristorante, 52 Vose Ave., South Orange
ADMISSION: $125/couple
Click Here for tickets

Lunch and Learn to Feature Rabbi with Interfaith Upbringing