nj arts maven

LIVE EQUESTRIAN SHOW COMES TO IZOD CENTER: SPECIAL TICKET OFFER FOR NJ ARTS MAVEN READERS

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Ross) — Mon, 28 May 2012 06:30:08 PDT

And now for something completely different! A live arena equestrian show, perfect for the entire family. If it’s artistic, I LOVE it!

APASSIONATA: THE BEGINNING

WHEN: June 1-3; Friday & Saturday at 8 PM; Saturday & Sunday at 3 PM
WHERE: IZOD Center, Route 3, East Rutherford
TICKETS: $29-$125
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE

SPECIAL OFFER FOR READERS OF NJ ARTS MAVEN:

FAMILY FOUR PACK OFFER: Buy three tickets, get one free! Use promo code FAMILY. Go to apassionata.com for more details and to get tickets.

APASSIONATA has been Europe’s most popular live arena show for nearly a decade, thrilling more than five million fans across 15 countries with a breathtaking display of the beauty and the bond between horse and rider.

Now APASSIONATA comes to North America to take audiences through a magical adventure featuring more than 40 horses, with exhilarating equine stunts by the world’s best performers. Breeds from Friesians to Bretons—some rarely seen in North America—and their riders were brought from Europe to create this evocative theatrical event. From trick riding to liberty dressage, these teams have honed their craft on a single breed for generations. With graceful horsemanship and enchanting music, this equestrian sensation captivates families and horse lovers alike.

Directed by Scott Faris (“Walking with Dinosaurs”) and featuring an award-winning Broadway creative team, APASSIONATA: THE BEGINNING is sure to give audiences of all ages an unforgettable experience.

Click on the link to check out the VIDEO that really captures the show,

UCPAC SUMMER CAMP FOR SHUTTER BUGS AGES 5-15

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Ross) — Sat, 26 May 2012 10:56:31 PDT

GEAR UP!

2012 Summer Photography Camp

August 2 - 30
Tuesdays and Thursdays 10 AM – 12 PM

** 2012 REGISTRATION **

Pre-Registration is required.

Click here to PAY ONLINE to RESERVE YOUR SPOT TODAY.

Download the Registration Form and mail it back to them.

Summertime is the right time to try your hand at photography. Grab your new point-and-shoot digital camera, that old Polaroid, or even a fancy cell phone and get ready for Photography 101!

A great opportunity for students ages 10 to 15 to participate in a hands-on class and learn fun and creative techniques to take great photos of their friends and family using any camera!

Christina Wilson, a freelance photographer with an MA in photography and a BA in Education & Communications, will be facilitating the 4-week camp.
Wilson brings years of experience in the field from commercial shoots,
concerts, theater production, portraits and weddings.

This program is appropriate for students in grades 5-8 (ages 10-15).
Pre-Registration is required.
For more information visit ucpac.org or call the box office at 732.499.8226.

THEATER CAMP @ UCPAC FOR UNION COUNTY KIDS 5-15

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Ross) — Sat, 26 May 2012 10:52:39 PDT

Sponsored by Friends of Union County Arts Center

2012 CHILDREN’S STAGE ADVENTURES

Summer Theatre Camp

** 2012 REGISTRATION **
Pre-Registration is required.

Click here to PAY ONLINE to RESERVE YOUR SPOT TODAY.

Download the Registration Form and mail it back to them.

Join Union County PAC for one week of Summer Theatre Camp
featuring Children's Stage Adventures;
providing local students with the opportunity to
experience the unforgettable excitement of theatre.

This summer starting on Monday, July 16, through Friday, July 20, approximately 50 local students will be cast in Children's Stage Adventures' musical production of

This program is appropriate for students in Kindergarten through 8th grades (ages 5 through 15).

Pre-Registration is required.
For more information visit ucpac.org or call the box office at 732.499.8226.

NOSTALGIC JUKEBOX MUSICAL FOR 1 WEEKEND @ EVP

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Ross) — Sat, 26 May 2012 10:48:20 PDT

An original 1940's-1950's jukebox musical with live dance, voice, acting and musical accompaniment. A Night in Birdland will be sure to transport you back to a time where jazz clubs were alive and well, and the sounds of Big Bands stole the night.

Harkening back to the 1940's, A Night in Birdland is sure to entice ALL your senses. Featuring record-breaking hits from the likes of Glenn Miller, Frank Sinatra, Tommy Dorsey, Ella Fitzgerald and Rosemary Clooney, and original dance choreography from choreographer Alyssa Derling, A Night in Birdland is an eclectic production that celebrates the stage and incorporates all styles of the performing arts.

WHEN: Friday, June 1, at 8 PM; Saturday, June 2, at 8 PM; Sunday, June 3, at 2 PM
WHERE: Edison Valley Playhouse, 2196 Oak Tree Road, Edison
TICKETS: Adults $18, Students & Seniors $15
Go to www.evplayhouse.com or call 908.755.4654 to make reservations.

A ONE-NIGHT “STAND” YOU SHOULD NOT MISS!

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Ross) — Sat, 26 May 2012 10:38:55 PDT

This is South Mountain TheaterWorks’ last production at the Oakes Center. This show features many talents you’ve seen in local productions singing music from some of the best-known musicals. It is a one-night event that should not be missed:

NEW IMPROV PIECE @ NJSDA JUNE 2: 1 PERFORMANCE ONLY

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Ross) — Fri, 25 May 2012 14:09:00 PDT

NUTTY BY NATURE
The Improv Comedy Troupe

NUTS 2 U!

WHEN: SATURDAY, JUNE 2, at 8:00 PM
WHERE: NJ SCHOOL OF DRAMATIC ARTS THEATER, 593 BLOOMFIELD AVE, BLOOMFIELD
TICKETS: $10.00.
Tickets may be reserved by calling 973.566.9700, Ext 4.

The Herald News has called them "Bawdy, brilliant and proof that ingenuity can strike at a moment’s notice."

Nutty By Nature has been making audiences laugh throughout the metropolitan NY/NJ area for the past 15 years. In addition to having performed at The NJ Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), The South Street Seaport,12 Miles West, Theater Under the Stars, The Black River Playhouse, Luna Stage, Barnes & Noble and Borders bookstores, they were featured on the E! Television/Style Network’s reality TV series Try My Life.

Executive director Bob Sapoff has been profiled on ABC News, CNN, NY 1 News and in the Star Ledger, Herald News and Daily Record. A professional actor for over 20 years, his theater credits include the role of Harpo in the Off-Broadway revival of The Cocoanuts, which was named one of the 10 best Off-Broadway productions of that year. Bob has appeared on Nickelodeon and in countless television commercials (including a Clio Award winner) and print work nationwide. He is also the co-director of the NJ School of Dramatic Arts. Other members of the troupe include Co-Director Paul Acocella, Elaine Brodie, Jody Eiden, Laura Hartin, Matt Hopkins, Robin Lewis, Rich McDonald, Shelly Miller, Wendy Tiburcio, Jackie Valeo and Ted Wrigley.

The show is based entirely on audience suggestions! “After all,” says troupe director Paul Accello, “the only thing better than having a great idea is watching it come to life right before your eyes”!

In addition to providing the material for the show, **Attached picture: Nutty By Nature, photo by NJ School of Dramatic Arts that the actors will use during the show!

Photo by NJSDA.jpg

HARMONIUM CHORAL SOCIETY PRESENTS “FROM THE MOUNTAINS TO THE SEA”

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Ross) — Thu, 24 May 2012 15:03:00 PDT

FROM THE MOUNTAINS TO THE SEA
Celebrating the 15th Annual High School Student Choral Composition Contest

WHEN: Saturday, June 2, and Sunday, June 3, 7:30 PM
WHERE: Grace Church, 4 Madison Avenue, Madison
TICKETS: General admission tickets are $25 at the door and $20 for students and seniors.
Tickets purchased on or before May 25 are $20 and $15 for students and seniors.
To order tickets in advance, visit www.harmonium.org/paypal.shtml or send a mail order to Harmonium Choral Society, P.O. Box 1317, Morristown, NJ 07962-1317.
Large print or Braille concert programs will be made available if requested in advance.
More information about Harmonium is available at www.harmonium.org or by calling 973.538.6969.

This year’s award-winning student compositions will be performed at the concerts, as well as a suite of commissioned choral works by past composition contest winners. The concert also features an eclectic selection of works by Victoria, Kodály, Chen Yi, Billings and more.

The Grand Prize winner of this year’s 15th Annual High School Student Composition Contest is Jacob Gelber, a junior at Cranford High School.

Jacob receives $1,000 for his choral composition “Nightingales” set to the poetry of Robert Bridges. “Nightingales” will be performed and recorded live during the Harmonium concerts.

Trained as a classical pianist, Jacob has been recognized for his accomplishments in classical music, composition and jazz. Among Jacob's musical mentors are Suzuki Piano instructor Nancy Modell, piano performance professor Dr. James Goldsworthy of Westminster Choir College, Israeli composer Gilad Cohen, and jazz pianist Victor Lin of Columbia University.

Jamie Currie of New Providence High School receives $250 as this year’s Runner-Up. J.Eric Roper, also from New Providence High School and singer in the Harmonium bass section, is awarded an Honorable Mention. Jamie and Eric study with Susan Kirkland, director of Vocal Music at New Providence High School.

To celebrate the 15th Anniversary of the High School Student Composition Contest, Harmonium will also present a suite of commissioned works featuring past winners Tim Laciano (2011, 2010, 2009), Dale Trumbore (2005), Stefan Swanson (2000), Benjamin Schroeder (1998) and Martin A. Sedek, faculty member at the John J. Cali School of Music, Montclair State University and this year’s student composition contest coordinator. The commissioned works are set to the text of A Child’s Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson. Harmonium has dedicated the commissioned works to David Hoadley of Mendham, in gratitude for over 30 years of his loyal service and generous support of Harmonium. The composers of these commissioned works and all of the former contest award winners are invited to attend the Harmonium concert in June.

“I’m delighted and amazed that these five short movements by up-and-coming composers relfect the poetry so beautifully and hang together as a set. I hope to see the suite published in the future for more groups to enjoy,” said Dr. Anne J. Matlack, Artistic Director, Harmonium Choral Society. "Supporting the young professional composer continues the mission of the contest."

Led by Dr. Matlack (above), Harmonium Choral Society is one of New Jersey’s leading choral arts organizations. Based in Morris County, the 100-voice choral society has been recognized for its musical excellence, innovative programming and commissioning new choral works. In 2009 Harmonium received national recognition by winning the Chorus America Education and Outreach Award. One significant factor cited for presenting Harmonium with the award was its sponsorship of the New Jersey High School Student Choral Composition Contest.

Funding has been made possible in part by grants form 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. Funding for the instrumentalists is graciously provided by the Frank and Lydia Bergen Foundation.

SOAP STAR BRIAN GASKILL TO PERFORM AT POETRY READING

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Ross) — Thu, 24 May 2012 13:38:00 PDT

MAKE IT REAL
A fundraiser for Garden State Players

WHEN: Monday, June 4, 7:30 PM
WHERE: Trinity Restaurant, 84 Broad St., Keyport
TICKETS: $25 for the show only and $55 for a three-course-dinner and the show. A free meet and great after the show is included. Dinner seatings are at 6 and 6:30 PM, and the show will start promptly at 7:30 PM.
For reservations call 732.497.2998. Seating is limited.

Soap star and Monmouth County native Brian Gaskill is coming home to work with the Garden State Players as education director and instructor at the GSP’s new summer theater camp.

To welcome the summer, Brian will read poetry from his new original spoken-word poetry album, Make It Real. Brian is known best from his roles on Guiding Light, As the World Turns, The Bold and the Beautiful, Port Charles, All My Children and Models, Inc. He is currently starring in the webisoap, The Bay: Dark Side of the Bay, airing worldwide this summer.

Singer, songwriter and acoustic guitarist George Wirth will also perform. Attendees are welcome to bring original poetry for a chance to take the stage with Brian.

For more information about Garden State Players e-mail LAUREN@GARDENSTATEPLAYERS.ORG, visit www.gardenstateplayers.org, LIKE@ Garden State Players on Facebook or follow @ Garden State Play on Twitter.

ABOUT GARDEN STATE PLAYERS
Garden State Players is a nonprofit arts and entertainment organization that uses the performing arts as a fundraising platform for various local charities that affect our lives and touch our hearts.

Through a collective, collaborative process consisting of various artists with different levels of experience, they foster a positive, educational creative outlet for everyone with a passion to make a difference through the love of the arts.

SAIL THE OCEANS BLUE IN THE ARK WITH NOAH, HIS FAMILY AND THE CHOSEN ANIMALS

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Ross) — Thu, 24 May 2012 11:58:00 PDT

TWO BY TWO
Directed by John Fiorenza
Starring Joseph D. Conklin as Noah
TICKETS: Adults $18, Seniors/ Students $16, Groups of 10 or more $14
Tickets and ticket reservations available by phone: 201.941.6030
Visit the website at www.parkplayers.com

This Broadway musical that starred Danny Kaye with a book by Peter Stone, lyrics by Martin Charmin, & music by Richard Rogers is based on Glifford Odet’s play The Flowering Peach. It tells the story of Noah’s preparation for The Great Flood and it’s aftermath.

On his 600th birthday, Noah receives a message from God, warning him about the impending flood. He is directed to save two of each animal and to build an ark for them. Noah's wife and family make fun of him as he starts to build the ark, but join in when it starts to rain. After completion they invite onboard a pair of each animal on earth to insure the animals’ survival.

The Park Players is a not-for-profit Community Theater Company performing in Bergen and Hudson Counties.

HILARIOUS ADVENTURE TO BENEFIT DOVER LITTLE THEATRE

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Ross) — Wed, 23 May 2012 15:14:00 PDT

You CAN Get There From Here...

Written & Performed by Actress/Storyteller Kristin Ace as a benefit for Dover Little Theatre

WHEN: June 1 and 2, at 8 PM
WHERE: The Dover Little Theatre, 69 Elliot Street, Dover
TICKETS: $20 ticket price includes talk back after the show!

Reservations: 973.328.9202
www.doverlittletheatre.org

Have you ever wondered about the direction your life is going? Do you ever think, why did this happen? Do you like to laugh?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then join actress/storyteller Kristin Ace for a hilarious storytelling adventure chock full of pygmies, driving mishaps and much more as she shows you how You CAN get there from here...raise your vibration, change your perspective, shift your life.

MARATHON OF MUSICALS LIGHT UP CENTENARY STAGE WITH YOUNG PERFORMERS SPRING FESTIVAL OF SHOWS

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Ross) — Wed, 23 May 2012 14:30:00 PDT

SPRING FESTIVAL OF SHOWS
Presented by the Young Performers Workshop

WHEN: June 1-June 10
WHERE: Centenary Little Theatre on the campus of Centenary College in Hackettstown
TICKETS: $10 for adults and $8.00 for children under 12, and are available through the Centenary Stage Company Box Office at 908.979.0900 and online at www.centenarystageco.org.
Patrons may purchase tickets in person at the CSC Box Office Monday – Friday 1 PM-5 PM at the David and Carol Lackland Center as well as two hours prior to each performance at the CSC Box Office located at the Centenary Little Theatre.

The YPW Spring Festival features more than 80 young performers, ages 8 – 18, from Warren, Morris, Hunterdon, Somerset and Sussex Counties.

Composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, CATS is based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot. The show tells the story of a tribe of cats called the Jellicles and the night they make what is known as "the Jellicle choice" and decide which cat will ascend to the Heavyside Layer and come back to a new life. CATS will be performed Saturday, June 2, @ 8 PM; Sunday,
June 3, @ 4 PM; Saturday, June 9, @ 2 PM; and Sunday, June 10, @ 7 PM.
Originally a 1966 Broadway musical, CABARET was a groundbreaking Bob Fosse musical based on Christopher Isherwood's Goodbye to Berlin. Fosse used the decadent and vulgar cabaret as a mirror image of German society sliding toward the Nazis. This intertwining of entertainment with social history marked a new step forward for the movie musical. CABARET will be performed Saturday, June 2, @ 2 PM; Saturday, June 9, @ 8 PM; and Sunday, June 10 @ 1 PM.
George Sidney's adaptation of the satiric Broadway musical smash, BYE BYE, BIRDIE, by Michael Stewart, Charles Strouse, and Lee Adams, follows and Elvis Presley-inspired rock star, who is drafted into the army and creates a near-riot in a small Midwestern town when he stops there for one last publicity junket. BYE BYE BIRDIE takes good-natured swipes at popular culture, rock n' roll, and American family life. BYE BYE, BIRDIE will be performed Friday, June 1, @ 8 PM; Saturday, June 2, @ 5 PM; Sunday, June 3, @ 1PM, Saturday, June 9 @ 5 PM.
With music and lyrics by songwriting team, John Kander and Fred Ebb, THE ACT is a backstage musical concerning a fading film star attempting a comeback in Las Vegas. Liza Minelli starred in the 1977 Broadway musical directed by Martin Scorsese with choreography by Ron Lewis. THE ACT will be performed Sunday, June 3, @ 7 PM; Friday, June 8, @ 8 PM; and
Sunday, June 10, @ 4 PM.

The Young Performers Workshop, a musical theatre training program for young people ages 8 – 18, is the educational arm of the Centenary Stage Company. Under the direction of Broadway, film and television veteran Michael Blevins, students enjoy studies in acting, voice and dance while preparing for the Festival of Shows culminating at the end of the session. Entrance into the YPW training program is based on an interview.

Registrations for the YPW Summer Intensive are being accepted now with interviews scheduled for Saturday, June 9, and Sunday, June 10, at 11 AM.

The YPW Summer Intensive will run from July 16 – August 19, 2012. For more information regarding Centenary Stage Company’s YPW programs, please call the CSC Box Office at 908.979.0900, or visit online at www.centenarystageco.org.

REVIEW: “MY WONDERFUL DAY” @ TWO RIVER THEATER COMPANY

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Ross) — Wed, 23 May 2012 13:28:47 PDT

In his seminal novel, The Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison posited the idea that a person—in his case, a black man—could exist in plain sight yet be virtually unseen by those around him—in his case, white people. Now, the great British playwright Alan Ayckbourn has taken the insidious idea and run with it in a charming, droll comedy entitled My Wonderful Day, which closes out the season at the Two River Theater Company this month.

But Ellison's book wasn't a comedy, you say, and what's so funny about being invisible to your fellow man? Well, Ayckbourn has expanded the parameters of what makes a person "invisible" to include age, class and language, along with skin color, to serve as the central conceit to his study of people behaving badly—very badly! And while you'll laugh a lot, you'll find yourself thinking about the goings-on after you've left the theater.

Kept home from school sick, nine-year-old Anglo-Caribbean Winnie Barnstairs accompanies her pregnant housekeeper mother Laverne to her job at the home of a minor television celebrity couple, the Tates. Instructed to write an assignment about her day, Winnie observes and records everything that occurs around her, including marital infidelity, explosive egos run amok and comedic misunderstandings galore. Throughout the increasing domestic chaos, she sits unseen by the other characters: first, because she's a child (and a girl); second, because she's lower class; third, because she's black; and fourth, because they think she doesn't speak/understand English since she's speaking only in French that Tuesday in preparation for her and her mother's return to Martinique after her baby brother arrives (which is very imminent)!

Nicholas Martin's firm direction keeps the anarchy wild yet under control. Cameron Anderson has designed a spare, but elegant, modern London townhouse which Philip Rosenberg has lit appropriately as the action moves from the living room to the kitchen and the day progresses.

As Winnie, Susan Heyward's splendid and convincing performance provides the calm center of all that's swirling around her, with her big eyes taking everything in and her hand writing continually in her school notebook. Dressed in a school uniform, with her hair gathered in barrettes into bunches all over her head, Heyward is the very embodiment of a prepubescent schoolgirl. She's obedient toward her mother, aghast at the adults' sexual antics, bored, and intent on practicing her French even after her mother has gone to hospital in labor. She "fools" the adults into thinking she's French; her convincing portrayal of Winnie "fools" the audience, too. When my companion said she was amazed by the child's acting ability, I had to break the news that Heyward is definitely not a little girl!

Kimberly Hébert is spot-on as Laverne, ordering her daughter around in a long tirade about what she can and cannot do. Speaking nonstop, she gets the proceedings off to a fine start, and her portrayal of labor pains is priceless!

As for the wacky trio left to care for Winnie after her mother leaves, well, I wouldn't let one of them within two feet of my child. Marc Vietor's Kevin Tate (aboce, second from right) speaks (if you can call it that) at the top of his lungs as he frenetically rushes around the house looking for his absent wife Paula, dealing with his paramour and trying to decide what to do with the thousands of promotional DVDs he's made that have been corrupted by his spurned spouse. There's nothing to like about this guy, but he's not really mean, just self-centered and clueless, especially about children, whom he professes to hate. His assistant/lover Tiffany is played by Alison Cimmet (above, right) as the quintessential airhead. In a squeaky voice, she talks to Winnie like the girl is three years old or younger—slowly and loudly and about topics inappropriate for a child. Kevin Isola once again shows his talent for physical comedy (remember him in Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey's Accidental Death of an Anarchist last season) as Kevin's hungover associate Josh (left). He, too, has no idea of how to deal with a child, and the scene where he falls asleep with his feet propped on the dining table is especially hilarious.

The climax comes when Paula, played by Danielle Skraastad (top, left) whirls into the house. Shrieking about her husband's sexual shenanigans, she's the only one who shows any sympathy for Winnie's predicament. The virago has a heart, which is more than she shows to Tiffany whom she summarily evicts, without clothes. When she converses with the girl in French, she speaks so quickly that Winnie has to get out her dictionary.

Alan Ayckbourn's usual targets are the domestic relationships of the British middle class, but this is the first time he's written from the point of view of a child, and a person of color at that! Since the opening of My Wonderful Day in 2009, the play has had ten productions in the United States and none in the UK. Perhaps it cuts too close to the bone for the Brits, but we Yanks love to see class warfare play out with the underdog as victor. Of course, that Ayckbourn administers his bite with love and honesty makes it all even droller.

While My Wonderful Day doesn't have an ending wherein the scoundrels get their comeuppance (these folks will probably go on behaving very badly—it's in their DNA), just watching Laverne's facial expressions as she reads Winnie's essay makes for delicious theater. I don't know whether Winnie considers the day "wonderful," but it sure is a wonderful ninety minutes for the Two River Theater audience.

My Wonderful Day will be performed at Two River's Rechnitz Theater, 21 Bridge Avenue, Red Bank, through Sunday, June 3. Don't forget to arrive at the theater 45 minutes before curtain to hear local Ayckbourn aficionado/expert offer insights about the playwright's life and career. There will be Post-Play Conversations following the Sunday, May 27, 3 PM and Wednesday, May 30, 1 PM performances. For tickets and information, call 732.345.1400 or visit www.trtc.org.

Photos by T. Charles Erickson

FRENCH TROUBADOUR APPEARS @ UNDERGROUND CONCERT SERIES JUNE 1

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Ross) — Wed, 23 May 2012 11:54:55 PDT

Stephane Wrembel
New Jersey CD release concert
WHEN: Friday, June 1, at 8:30 PM
WHERE: Burgdorff Center for the Performing Arts, 10 Durand Road, Maplewood
ADMISSION: $20 (Buying tickets in advance is recommended)
BUY TICKETS

Check out an article on Stephane in the latest issue of Matters Magazine.
He’s been called “a revelation” by Rolling Stone. Woody Allen recruited him to score the theme to the 2012 Academy Award winning film Midnight in Paris, and he performed live during this year’s Oscar’s telecast.

To say that French-born guitarist/composer Stephane Wrembel—who learned his craft among the Gypsies at campsites in the French countryside—has already had a remarkable career would be an understatement. But this virtuoso, who is now Brooklyn-based, has truly just begun to make his mark as one of the most original guitar voices in contemporary music.

Stephane Wrembel - Bistro Fada
Listen to Stephane perform at Maplewood Online Studios

Origins, Wrembel’s fifth and most highly anticipated release yet, finds the multi-faceted musician corralling a myriad of influences into a hybrid that simultaneously reflects where he’s been and points to where he’s headed. Although he built his reputation as a stylist in the mode of the iconic French Sinti guitarist Django Reinhardt, Wrembel now revels in transcending and expanding. “I’m digging deeper and deeper into my roots,” he says about the album.

Origins touches upon everything from blues to flamenco to rock; all of these influences come together as something identifiable only as Stephane Wrembel. It is the most sophisticated representation to date of Wrembel’s superior compositional skills; his melodies burst with a panoply of textures and colors, moods and emotions.

“It’s a different state of mind all together,” adds Wrembel, talking about Origins. “I always compose with a picture in mind. That Impressionism approach is the main thing that I’ve carried with me from Fontainebleau.”

Website: http://www.stephanewrembel.com

Underground Concert Series Website:
http://www.undergroundconcerts.com
Phone: 973.762.0119
Jamie Ross jamie@undergroundconcerts.com

A ROYAL TEA TO BENEFIT PUSHCART PLAYERS

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Ross) — Wed, 23 May 2012 09:02:00 PDT

www.pushcartplayers.org

information@pushcartplayers.org

FREE SCREENING OF A FILM EVERYONE SHOULD SEE—ALL AGES!

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Ross) — Tue, 22 May 2012 14:28:17 PDT

An exclusive and free sceening of the nationally acclaimed movie

BULLY

WHEN: Wednesday, May 30, at 6:00 PM
WHERE: The Bergen Performing Arts Center, 30 North Van Brunt Street, Englewood
ADMISSION: free
TICKETS OR RESERVATIONS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO ATTEND, BUT ARE NECESSARY FOR PRIORITY SEATING.

For priority seating, please email your name(s) and phone number(s) to Assemblywoman Vainieri Huttle's office at AswHuttle@njleg.org

We strongly recommend you e-mail Assemblywoman Huttle's office for priority seating. A large turnout is expected.

This special free presentation is made possible through the incredible generosity of Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle, prime sponsor of New Jersey's Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights, and Englewood Mayor Frank Huttle III.

Many of you know the controversy surrounding this movie: It is so brutally honest about the bullying crisis in our schools, the Motion Picture Association had tried to give it an R rating to keep students from seeing it.

But it's vital for everyone to see. Here's the trailer:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1g9RV9OKhg

Immediately following the film will be a discussion panel featuring renowned anti-bullying experts, including Garden State Equality Vice Chair Luanne Peterpaul and Garden State Equality Board and Youth Caucus member Corey Bernstein.

Please feel free to forward this notice to everyone you know in New Jersey. Your family, friends and colleagues are warmly invited as well, but we recommend they, too, e-mail Assemblywoman Huttle's office for priority seating.

WAR LETTERS PROVIDE BASIS FOR PLAY IN HOWELL

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Ross) — Tue, 22 May 2012 13:15:00 PDT

The Grange Playhouse presents

HOME FRONT: BETWEEN THE LINES
By Pam Munson Steadman

WHEN: June 1, 2, 3 and 8, 9; Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sunday at 3 PM
WHERE: Southard Grange Hall Playhouse, 4860 Rte. 9 South, Howell
TICKETS: $18, $15 seniors; includes dessert and hot and/or cold beverages
Call 732.768.2709 for reservations and ticket information

A collection of old letters (from WWII through Vietnam) is shockingly discovered by the daughter of a deceased war veteran.

While she pieces through the remnants of the letters with her grown son one afternoon, various passions (love, loss, jealousy, resentment and regret) are exposed. Before long, a dark secret seems to loom on being unhinged.

Is there more to finding answers than the remaining letters suggest? Or, are some fading memories better left to the past?

Pam Munson Steadman is an Asbury Park playwright who has finished a play concerning real letters between her father, a US Marine who served in the Pacific during WWII, and her grandmother.

AWARD-WINNING DOC SERIES @ HAM: FREE SCREENINGS

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Ross) — Mon, 21 May 2012 17:09:28 PDT

FREE screenings of the award- winning documentary series, Art in the Twenty-First Century, all four episodes from Season Six.

Thursday May 31: CHANGES, featuring Ai Weiwei, El Anatsui and Cathering Opie

Thursday July 19: BOUNDARIES, featuring David Altmejd, assume vivid astro focus, Lynda Benglis and Tabaimo
Thursday September 27: HISTORY, featuring Marina Abramovic, Glenn Ligon and Mary Reid Kelly
Thursday October 18: BALANCE, featuring Rackstraw Downes, Robert Mangold and Sarah Sze

WHEN: Reception 6:30 PM, screening 7:00 PM. Stay after the screening to view current exhibitions!
WHERE: Hunterdon Art Museum, 7 Lower Center Street, Clinton

For more information visit art21.org.

Photo: Ai Weiwei, portrait with sunflower seeds, courtesy art21.org

FRANTIC FARCE SLAMS DOORS GALORE @ STUDIO PLAYHOUSE

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Ross) — Mon, 21 May 2012 14:18:24 PDT

LEND ME A TENOR
By Ken Ludwig
Directed by Darren Gage

WHEN: May 18-June 9, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 3 PM
WHERE: Studio Playhouse, 14 Alvin Place, off Valley Road near the A&P, in Upper Montclair
TICKETS: $18 for adults, $15 for students and seniors age 65 and up with discounts available for groups of 20 or more that prepay.
To reserve tickets in advance, call the box office at 973.744.9752 www.studioplayhouse.org

A sensation on Broadway, this screwball comedy will leave you teary-eyed with laughter. The tenor “Il Stupendo,” is scheduled to sing the lead in Otello, but chaos ensues when his wife mistakes an autograph-seeker hidden in his closet for a secret lover, then is accidentally given a double dose of tranquilizers and is presumed dead. But somehow, the show must go on! What follows is a chain-reaction of mistaken identities, backstage shenanigans, double entendres and innuendoes—a roller coaster of fun!

Directed by Darren Gage and Stage Managed by Judi Liebert, Lend Me a Tenor is a guaranteed great time.

Above: Max emerges from the bathroom to a surprised and shocked group. Left to Right, Liz Samuel, Elaine D’Addezio, Chris Gibbs, Annette Winter, James Lugo, Mark Liebert, Debbie Badal and George Adamo.

Photo courtesy of Amy Fox

RICHARD SKIPPER “PLAYS” HIMSELF @ REVISION’S CABARET AT CHICO’S HOUSE OF JAZZ

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Ross) — Mon, 21 May 2012 15:34:56 PDT

May Cabaret features RICHARD SKIPPER

WHEN: Thursday May 31, at 7:30 PM
WHERE: Chico’s House of Jazz, 631 Lake Ave., Asbury Park
ADMISSION: $15 GENERAL ADMISSION*

Accompanying Richard will be musical director Rich Siegel.

In 2008, Richard was an integral part of ReVision’s introduction to our great city starring as Carol Channing as Dolly Levi in the one-night only concert of the Jerry Herman’s Tony award winning musical Hello Dolly!.

Richard has received artistic and critical acclaim over the past 19 years as a first-class entertainer. When he closed his off-Broadway tribute to Carol Channing in February, it garnered him 25 rave reviews. Richard was the associate producer of the 2010 and 2011 Bistro Awards in association with Sherry Eaker. He is campaigning diligently for Carol Channing to receive a long overdue Kennedy Center Honor in 2012.

Richard Skipper: At Last features Richard appearing and performing as many people have not seen him—himself. What better way to start off the summer of 2012?

*For more information, or to purchase $15 general admission tickets, please visit revisiontheatre.tix.com or call 732.455.3059.

Hear world-class entertainment each month while enjoying Chico’s urban cool laid-back setting where a light menu and full bar are available.

revisiontheatre.org
info@revisiontheatre.org

MOVE ON DOWN THE ROAD TO NETCONG: THE GROWING STAGE HOLDS AUDITIONS FOR “THE WIZ”

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Ross) — Mon, 21 May 2012 15:36:50 PDT

AUDITION NOTICE

THE WIZ
Directed by Steve Graham
Musical Direction by Laura Petrie

WHEN: Tuesday, May 29, at 7:00 PM
WHERE: The Growing Stage, 7 Ledgewood Ave., Rte. 183, Netcong

PERFORMANCE DATES: THE WIZ opens July 14 and runs to the 29 with performances Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 4:00 PM.

The Growing Stage will produce THE WIZ this summer with a complete cast of high school and college-aged students. This new programming initiative is for students who have completed their first year of high school or are currently in college. There is no fee to participate.

Move on down the Road! Winner of 7 Tony awards, this beloved Broadway musical sets Dorothy's adventures in the Land of Oz to music in a dazzling, lively mixture of rock, gospel and soul!

Each auditioner should have 16 measures of a song prepared with sheet music for the accompanist.

There will be no understudies and rehearsals will take place primarily in the evening. Cast members will have the opportunity to work with the professional production team of the Growing Stage in the building of sets, props and costumes. Those more interested in the technical aspects of theatre are welcome to attend the audition. For additional information, please contact Steve Fredericks, Executive Director of the Growing Stage at exdir@growingstage.com or call the theater at .973.347.4946.

The production will be under the direction of Steve Graham, who has been with the company since 2005 as both a professional performer and stage manager. His last performance was as the Cat in the Hat in the company’s successful production of SEUSSICAL. Laura Petrie will be the Musical Director. Laura has been the Musical Director for the company’s Main Stage presentations for the past five years.

ACTRESS SOUGHT BY STROLLERS FOR 2012 NYC INTERNATIONAL FRINGE FESTIVAL SUBMISSION

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Ross) — Fri, 18 May 2012 17:39:28 PDT

AUDITION NOTICE

The Strollers of Maplewood, NJ, in their Selected Submission for the 2012 NYC International Fringe Festival, are looking to cast a 20 to 40 year old, light-skinned black actress, who will portray the central character in

The Slave Who Became a Man
By Georgiana Hart

This is the story of a Pre-Civil War era enslaved house maid, Ellen Craft, who escapes the South by impersonating a white male slave owner, traveling north for supposed medical attention, accompanied only by a manservant, William Craft, who is in reality her husband.

This is the true story of Ellen and William Craft, two married slaves who
successfully escaped from Macon, Georgia, traveling north through Philadelphia, on their perilous journey to freedom.

The play has been adapted and copyrighted from the book, The Journey of 1000 Miles to Freedom, written by William Craft, which may be read in full on the internet. Please Call ASAP Georgiana Hart 973.902.1701 or e-mail luchahart@verizon.net

WHEN: Wednesday, May 30, and Thursday, May 31, 7 to 9 PM; Call Backs June1, TBA
WHERE: Morrow United Methodist Church, 600 Ridgewood Road, Maplewood

Audition Requirements
• Head Shot and Performance Resume
• Sides from the play will be provided.
• A Soliloquy prepared showing your performance range, is suggested, but not required.

FARMSTEAD ARTS OFFERS PHOTOGRAPHY & ART WORKSHOPS/CLASSES THIS SUMMER

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Ross) — Wed, 16 May 2012 14:31:22 PDT

Farmstead Arts is offering two creative photography workshops by professional photographer Filip Everaert and drawing classes and workshops by artist Susan Antin in June and July.

WHERE: The photography workshops will be held at the Farmstead at 450 King George Road in Basking Ridge.
WHERE: The art classes are being held at the Brick Academy, 15 West Oak Street in downtown Basking Ridge while restoration work is being done on the English Barn and the Farmhouse at the Farmstead this summer.

All classes are open to teen and adults.

On Saturday, June 2, and Sunday, June 3, Filip Everaert (left) of Basking Ridge will teach Composition Tricks & Tips photography workshops. Participants will get hands-on experience on how to use lenses, objects, position, and light to improve their creative skills. Each workshop will be from 8 to 11 AM. The cost for one three-hour session is $115. The class size is limited to eight to maximize the experience. All participants will need to bring a camera, full battery, good walking shoes, and rain gear. A tripod is also recommended.

E-mail Filip Everaert with any questions about the workshop at Filip@everaertstudios.com. To register, mail a check written to Farmstead Arts and mail to PO Box 155, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920, or register online at http://farmsteadphoto.eventbrite.com/. Everaert’s photography show Impressions of Nature Exhibit and Sale is currently at Farmstead Arts through June 16. Gallery hours are 1-4 PM on Saturdays and Sundays. There are no gallery hours on Saturday,May 19, or the weekend of May 26-27. The show is free and open to the public. [Above: Photographer Filip Everaert (Center) with Pat Emanuele (left) and Dana Richardson (right) of Basking Ridge viewing his photograph “Stand Out” at the opening of his Farmstead Arts show Impressions of Nature Exhibit and Sale running May 5 through June16. Photo credit: Nino Gjivoje.]

Artist Susan Antin of Basking Ridge is offering a variety of art classes for teen and adults beginning in June. From June 23 through July 28, Antin is offering a six-week Drawing and Mixed Media Class on Saturdays from 10 AM to 12 noon for $175.

She is also offering three new one-day introductory workshops: Drawing Intro on Saturday, June 2; Colored Pencil Drawing on Saturday, June 9; and Contemporary Collage on Saturday, June 16, all from 10 AM to 2:30 PM. The introductory workshops are $90 each, or $245 for all three. Register online at http://FAartclasses2012.eventbrite.com/or send a check with your contact information and class(es) to Farmstead Arts at PO Box 155, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920.

Farmstead Arts is a non-profit, volunteer-run arts center located at the historic Kennedy- Martin-Stelle Farmstead in Basking Ridge. The center offers classes,art shows, concerts, and workshops by professional and emerging artists in the performing, visual and practical arts. For a current list of Farmstead Arts events and classes, visit www.farmsteadartscenter.org, Facebook,e-mail farmsteadartscenter@gmail.com, or call 1.347.927.8748.

The farmhouse is wheelchair accessible. Anyone anticipating the need for additional accessibility services is requested to make a request by sending an e-mail to farmsteadartscenter@gmail.com at least three weeks in advance.

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.

SHOPPING WORKS WONDERS FOR THE CENTER FOR CONTEMPORARY ART THIS SATURDAY

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Ross) — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:58:12 PDT

TAKE THIS E-VITE TO BLOOMINGDALES. SHOP AND BENEFIT THE CENTER FOR CONTEMPORARY ART…AND YOURSELF!

ACROBATIC CHOREOGRAPHY TELLS THE TALE OF A WALL @ RVCC THIS FRIDAY

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Ross) — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:55:29 PDT

RVCCArts presents

MUR MUR
(The Wall) by DynamO Theatre
Recommended for ages 8+

WHEN: Friday, May 18 at 7 PM
WHERE: The Theatre at RVCC, 118 Lamington Road, Branchburg

A wall, with its graffiti and its secrets, alternates as a playground and a refuge from the world for five characters. It echoes the whispers and murmurings of earlier times.

The Wall speaks of the friendships among two teenage couples and a pesky and incorrigible younger brother. With humor and sheer innocence, these five characters are swept up in an air-bound acrobatic ballet. Telling of quarrels, shared schemes and stolen kisses, the acrobatic choreography allows the performers to unleash the eloquence of movement with the use of very little dialogue.

Tickets Artist

IT’S FOOD REVOLUTION DAY @ FOSTERFIELDS THIS SATURDAY

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Ross) — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:43:16 PDT

STAND UP FOR REAL FOOD!

WHEN: Saturday, May 19, 11 AM-4 PM
WHERE: Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, Morris Township, NJ

Morris County Park Commission is hosting Food Revolution Day in conjunction with The Jamie Oliver Foundation. It is a global initiative to stand up for real food. “Thousands of people worldwide will participate in events to raise awareness on preventing diet-related diseases, and to arm people with the knowledge and tools to make healthier food choices.”
Enjoy fitness classes, listen to lecture topics ranging from Genetically Modified Organisms to benefits of a raw vegetarian diet, and observe a variety of cooking demonstrations. Come and join the movement!

Enjoy cooking displays, demonstrations, snack ideas, physcial fitness playtime and special lectures by Dr. Christopher Bump of Integrated Healthcare, and learn how you can eat better and be happier with entertainment for the whole family!

For more information, please call 973.326.7645 or visit www.morrisparks.net.