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The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) Welcomes Back Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company to Celebrate Both the Legacy of Nai-Ni Chen and the Year of the Water Tiger

May 16, 2022 by Samantha Leave a Comment

a world of dance just minutes from home

When: Saturday, May 21, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. EST

Where: NJPAC is located at 1 Center Street, Newark, New Jersey; a short walk from the Newark Penn Station stop by Newark-bound PATH Train or Amtrak.

Tickets: $17 and Up. To purchase, contact NJPAC at 1.888.GO.NJPAC/1.888.466.5722

or visit NJPAC.org/dance.

Health + Safety Protocols: NJPAC regularly updates its COVID protocols and procedures based on CDC, federal, state, city, and other scientific data.

Visit NJPAC.org for the most updated guidelines.

The critically acclaimed Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company presents Year of the Water Tiger at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in a family-friendly matinee celebration on Saturday, May 21, 2022. Paying tribute to the incredible dancer, choreographer, and educator Nai-Ni Chen, this marks the Company’s return to NJPAC after Chen’s untimely passing in December 2021. Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company has been a beloved presence at NJPAC since it first opened its doors in 1997.

In addition to vibrant dance commemorating the Year of the Water Tiger, NJPAC will also welcome the innovative classical music group, the Ahn Trio. (Program details are below.)

The afternoon begins with demonstrations and fun activities staged in the lobby before the performance. Year of the Water Tiger celebration combines the elegance of traditional Asian art and the beauty of American modern dance with thrilling choreography, exotic music and dazzling acrobats. Audiences get close to the exciting sights of dancing lions and dragons, the lilting sound of Chinese pipa and erhu, and vibrant gold and red costumes and props.

On stage, the first part of the program starts with one of the most popular dances performed in the Chinese New Year Double Lions Welcome Spring and the most colorful Chinese traditional dances in the repertory, Festival and Dragon Dance. Sandwiched between is one of Na-Ni Chen’s most iconic dances, Raindrops, which takes the audience to the choreographer’s childhood. To express the Company’s hope for the next generation, Company Director Ying Shi brings Green Lotus by eight junior dancers from her academy.

In the second half of the program, the dancers of Nai-Ni Chen pay tribute to the grace and power of Nai-Ni Chen’s work by performing her signature work, Incense. Making its NJPAC debut is the chamber music ensemble, Ahn Trio. Hailed by The Los Angeles Times as “exacting and exciting musicians,” the three sisters (pianist Lucia, violinist Angella, and cellist Maria) have earned a distinguished reputation for embracing 21^st century classical music with their unique style and innovative collaborations. The Ahn Trio is a longtime collaborator of Nai-Ni Chen and they will play Ave Maria by Bach; Concrete Stream with music composed by Kenji Bunch, their first collaboration with Nai-Ni Chen, and Skylife, one of their signature works.

The program ends with UNITY, one of Nai-Ni Chen’s final work, completed by PeiJu Chien-Pott, the Company’s current Director of New and Creative Dance who worked with composer Jason Kao Hwang to finalize the powerful work that is Nai-Ni Chen’s urgent call to the world.

About Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company

“Like endlessly proliferating forces of cosmic energy”… The New York Times

“Chen’s phrases, part exoskeletal rigidity, part boneless grace, embodied an epic dignity.” – Village Voice

Bridging the grace of Asian elegance and American dynamism, the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company is a premier provider of innovative cultural experiences that reflect the inspiring hope and energy of the immigrant’s journey. The company’s ground-breaking works have focused on themes from ancient legends that reflect issues of the present time to purely abstract, contemporary dances influenced by a mix of cultures Nai-Ni Chen experienced in New York. An Asian American company that celebrates cross-cultural experience, the Company’s productions naturally bring forth issues of identity, authenticity, and equality. The Company’s repertory is based on the works of its recently passed founder, Choreographer/Dancer, Nai-Ni Chen who is a unique artist whose work crosses cultural boundaries. Each of her dances reflect her personal vision as an immigrant and an American female artist with deep roots in the Asian culture. From this very personal perspective, she creates new works that reflect current issues with global influences. Many of her works have been developed in collaboration with renowned artists such as the Ahn Trio, Glen Velez, Joan La Barbara, Myung Hee Cho, Karen Young, Bei Dao among others. The Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company is currently directed by Artistic Director Greta Campo, Director of Traditional Dance, Shi Ying, and Director of Contemporary/Creative Dance, PeiJu Chien-Pott.

The Company has presented at some of the most prestigious concert halls such as the Joyce Theater, Lincoln Center in New York, and the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center in Florida. The Company appears annually at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Queens College, the College of Staten Island and on Ellis Island. Internationally, the Company has presented at international festivals including Open Look Festival in Russia, the Silesian International Contemporary Dance Festival, the Konfrontations International Festival in Poland, the Chang Mu International Dance Festival in Korea, the Meet in Beijing International Arts Festival in China, and the Tamaulipas International Arts Festival in Mexico.

The Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company has received more than 20 awards from the National Endowment for the Arts and numerous Citations of Excellence and grants from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Advancing Dance Education, the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company is currently in residence in New Jersey City University pioneering a program with the University’s A Harry Moore Laboratory School teaching dance to urban children with disabilities. For additional Company information, visit their website, www.nainichen.org; write to Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, P.O. Box 1121, Fort Lee, NJ 07024; or call (800) 650- 0246.

About NJPAC

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in downtown Newark, N.J., is America’s most diverse performing arts center, and the artistic, cultural, educational and civic center of New Jersey – where great performances and events enhance and transform lives every day. NJPAC brings diverse communities together, providing access to all and showcasing the state’s and the world’s best artists while acting as a leading catalyst in the revitalization of its home city.

Through its extensive Arts Education programs, NJPAC is shaping the next generation of artists and arts enthusiasts. NJPAC has served more than 10 million visitors (including over 1.9 million students and families) since opening its doors in 1997, and nurtures meaningful and lasting relationships with each of its constituents.

Filed Under: theater Tagged With: dance, NJ, theater

The Newark #Museum of #Art Acquires Major Work by Bisa Butler

October 6, 2020 by Samantha Leave a Comment

The Warmth of Other Sons to be featured in

Virtual Exhibition during the Newark Arts Festival, Oct. 8-11

The Newark Museum of Art, New Jersey’s largest art institution, announced today that it has acquired a large-scale artwork by Essex County resident Bisa Butler, a rising star among contemporary Black artists in the United States, known for her quilted portraits celebrating Black life.

The Warmth of Other Sons is loosely based on source material including historic photographs of Black families that migrated from the South to the North looking for economic prosperity. Standing at 9 feet high by 12 feet wide, this exuberant, multi-layered artwork is a significant acquisition by the Museum and will be included in Art + Tech: Perception, Access, Power, a virtual group show developed in partnership with the Newark Arts Festival, opening on October 8, 2020.

Drawing on a rich history of African American quilters, Butler stitches and layers her portrait quilts using carefully selected fabrics, including, cotton, silk, wool, and velvet. The title of this monumental work is a reference to Isabella Wilkerson’s critically acclaimed chronicle of the Great Migration, The Warmth of Other Suns, published in 2010.

Butler currently resides in West Orange, New Jersey, where she has a well-established studio practice and deep roots in the local community. She is an active member of the Newark arts community and previously taught in the Newark Public Schools for 10 years.

Local art enthusiasts will get an early glimpse of The Warmth of Other Sons virtually during the Newark Arts Festival, from October 8-11. Thereafter, this work will make its debut in Bisa Butler: Portraits, a solo exhibition organized by The Art Institute of Chicago, opening on November 16th. Mid next year The Warmth of Other Sons will return to The Newark Museum of Art where it will be installed in the Museum’s Seeing America galleries.

Bisa Butler, The Warmth of Other Sons, 2020
Velvet, wool, Vlisco cotton, silk, 108 x 104 in.
Collection of The Newark Museum of Art
Purchase 2020 Collections Exchange Fund 2020.1
Photo courtesy Claire Oliver Gallery © Bisa Butler

“Bisa’s art speaks to the deeply layered, complex, and vibrant histories of Black American life and the diaspora. Her work is especially meaningful as the country reckons with long-standing social and economic inequities impacting Black and Brown citizens, now in sharper relief with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Catherine Evans, Deputy Director, Collections & Curatorial Strategies at The Newark Museum of Art. “We are immensely proud to bring Ms. Butler’s powerfully affirming artwork into the Museum’s collection.”

Butler was born in Orange, New Jersey, the daughter of a college president and a French teacher. She grew up in South Orange, the youngest of four siblings. Her artistic talent was first recognized at the age of four, when she won a blue ribbon in an art competition.

Butler graduated Cum Laude from Howard University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. It was during her education at Howard that she began to experiment with fabric as a medium and became interested in collage techniques. She then went on to earn a Master of Arts degree from Montclair State University in 2005. A dedicated arts educator, she was a high school art teacher for 13 years, serving for 10 years in the Newark Public Schools and three at her alma mater, Columbia High School in Maplewood, New Jersey.

“Honoring art by local artists and artists of color is a core tenet of this institution,” said Linda C. Harrison, director and CEO of The Newark Museum of Art. “We believe guests of all ages, races, and genders will find inspiration when they see the amazing work from contemporary artists and artists from Black and Brown diasporas. Art can unite people in a way that few other mediums can do, and Bisa’s work is an example of that unification.”

Butler’s work is currently the focus of a solo exhibition Bisa Butler: Portraits at the Katonah Museum of Art in New York, which remains on view through October 4^th. That exhibition will then travel to the Art Institute of Chicago this fall. In addition to The Newark Museum of Art, her works are included in the collections of the Art Institute of Chicago; Minneapolis Institute of Art; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art; The Toledo Museum of Art; and Orlando Museum of Art, among others.

In 2019, Butler was a finalist for the Museum of Arts and Design’s Burke Prize. Her portrait of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Wangari Maathai was featured as a cover for Time magazine’s special issue honoring the 100 Women of the Year in 2020.

Filed Under: education, entertainment Tagged With: Museum, NJ

Important Updates on Campaign to Stop NJ Transit’s Power Plant

September 24, 2020 by Samantha Leave a Comment

Our campaign to stop the NJ TRANSIT fracked gas power plant and win a renewable rail alternative is building momentum.

This week, Union City, West New York, and Weehawken all passed resolutions in opposition to the NJ TRANSIT power plant! Six of twelve Hudson County towns have now passed resolutions, bringing our total to 13 resolutions! Our power is growing, especially in the areas that will face some of the worst effects from this pollution nightmare.

We’ve also been busy meeting with our state legislators and generating hundreds of emails and phone calls into their offices. And after so many of us spoke out at NJ TRANSIT’s virtual board meetings over the past several months, including a fiery exchange of questions from Paula, Logan and Bill at their most recent September meeting, NJ Transit finally agreed to set up a meeting with our coalition!

Our campaign is working, but now is the time to turn the pressure up and defeat this project for good! Will you sign up to take on a volunteer shift with Don’t Gas the Meadowlands? Sign up here: http://bit.ly/DGTMVolunteer

It’s critical that we continue to engage residents around the proposed power plant site to grow our base of support and to pressure the representatives from these frontline communities to join us in publicly opposing the power plant.

On Monday Governor Murphy signed landmark environmental justice legislation that will help keep new polluting projects out of overburdened communities. Since this law will not go into effect for another 12-24 months, we must hold Governor Murphy accountable to his commitments to end environmental racism and fight climate catastrophe by stopping the NJ Transit Power Plant and investing our taxpayer money into a renewable energy alternative for public transit resiliency.

As we continue to see worsening effects of climate change throughout our country and world, it is imperative that we continue to pressure Governor Murphy to end fossil fuel expansion projects and make NJ a leader in moving quickly to a renewable energy future. We hope you can join us this Saturday in Red Bank or virtually from your home as we call on the Governor to enact a moratorium on all fossil fuel projects in our state.

Please visit http://bit.ly/paddle4futureNJ to learn more and to RSVP for Saturday’s Rally and Paddle for our Future!

Our movement is growing, and together we will win! But it’s critical that we keep up the pressure. Can you sign up to volunteer with Don’t Gas the Meadowlands?

Filed Under: charity/notforprofit, environment Tagged With: environment, NJ

World Premiere Production at Paper Mill Playhouse

January 17, 2020 by Samantha Leave a Comment

Paper Mill Playhouse is pleased to announce that Michael Wartella (Wicked) will star as Dion alongside Christy Altomare (Anastasia) as Dion’s wife Susan and Joey McIntyre (New Kids on the Block; Waitress) as Dion’s right hand man Johnny in the world premiere of The Wanderer, a new musical based on the life of Rock n’ Roll Hall-of-Famer Dion DiMucci. Further casting to be announced at a later date.

The show will begin performances at New Jersey’s Paper Mill Playhouse on May 28, 2020 and play through June 28.

Tickets can be purchased by calling 973.376.4343, at the Paper Mill Playhouse Box Office at 22 Brookside Drive in Millburn, or online at www.papermill.org.

The Wanderer is written by Charles Messina (A Room of My Own) and directed by Kenneth Ferrone (Cruel Intentions National Tour, “Rent on Fox”). It is produced by Paper Mill Playhouse in association with Jill Menza and Charles Messina.

Dion. One name set the standard of cool for a generation. But how does a kid from The Bronx make it to the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame? In The Wanderer, the incredible musical journey of a troubled young man turned teenage heartthrob (and, ultimately, Rock n’ Roll icon) is told in intimate and no-holds-barred detail. Dion’s music helped define a generation of Rock n’ Rollers. His lifelong battle with addiction shed a stark light on the darker side of fame and success. This musical takes both subjects head on, set to the iconic sound of an incomparable era in American music, and celebrates the triumph of the human spirit against all odds. The Wanderer is the riveting true story of Dion, New York’s rebel king, the man Bruce Springsteen calls “the link between Frank Sinatra and Rock n’ Roll.”

Dion is an American singer and songwriting icon whose work has incorporated elements of Doo-Wop, Rock, and R&B throughout his career. Both as lead singer of Dion and the Belmonts and then as a solo artist, he was one of the most popular American Rock n’ Roll performers of his time. He had 30 Top 40 hits in the late 50s and 60s including, “Runaround Sue,” “Teenager in Love,” “I Wonder Why,” “Ruby Baby,” “Abraham, Martin and John” and “The Wanderer,” among many more. Dion was inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.

Season tickets to Paper Mill Playhouse’s 2019-2020 season are now available at www.papermill.org.

Filed Under: theater Tagged With: NJ, NJ theater, papermill, theater

Audition Registration Open for Paper Mill Playhouse’s Competitive Summer Musical Theater Conservatory

January 3, 2020 by Samantha Leave a Comment

Challenging training opportunities for aspiring musical theater artists ages 10 – 18

WHAT- Paper Mill Playhouse young artist auditions for 2020 Summer Professional Training Programs

WHEN- Saturday, February 1, & Saturday, February 8, 2020

Audition appointment is required.

WHERE- Montclair State University, College of the Arts/Life Hall, 1 Normal Ave., Montclair, NJ 07043

(Millburn, NJ) Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee-Producing Artistic Director, Michael Stotts-Managing Director), recipient of the Regional Theatre Tony Award, will hold auditions for students to be a part of the their prestigious Summer Musical Theater Conservatory and August Musical Theater Intensive for 2020 on Saturdays, February 1 and 8, at Montclair State University, College of the Arts/Life Hall, 1 Normal Avenue, Montclair, NJ. Students who earn coveted spots in the July Conservatory in the Senior (ages 15-18), Junior Plus (ages 13-14), and Junior companies (ages 10-12) are directed and choreographed by Paper Mill’s professional artistic staff in a fully produced, original concert at Paper Mill Playhouse on July 31 and August 1, 2020, titled New Voices of 2020: Oh, the Places We’ll Go! The concert is the culmination of the five-week program. Summer Professional Training Programs and New Voices are supported by Investors Foundation. Paper Mill Playhouse Education and Outreach programs are proudly sponsored by The Goren Family and The Harmony Helper App.

An audition appointment is required. To request more information or to schedule an audition appointment please email summer@papermill.org or call (973) 315-1666. For audition guidelines and other important information, click here.

“Paper Mill Playhouse’s Summer Musical Theater Conservatory and August Intensive are two of the finest young artist professional development programs for musical theater in the United States,” stated Mark S. Hoebee, Paper Mill’s Producing Artistic Director. “It is amazing to see these young performers learn, grow, and improve themselves toward becoming professional artists and demonstrate that in a performance produced by leading industry professionals.”

As one of the nation’s leading regional theaters, Paper Mill Playhouse has a well-earned reputation for bringing new works to Broadway stages. Since its inception in 1996, the Paper Mill Playhouse Summer Musical Theater Conservatory and the New Voices Concert have ignited the careers of many notable performers. Conservatory alumni include Academy Award winner and Golden Globe nominee Anne Hathaway (Les Misérables), Tony Award winner Laura Benanti (Gypsy), Tony Award winner Nikki M. James (The Book of Mormon), Tony Award winner Ali Stroker (Oklahoma!), TONY award nominee Rob McClure (Mrs. Doubtfire), Jelani Remy (Ain’t Too Proud), Olivier Award nominee Jared Gertner (The Book of Mormon) and Shanice Williams who played Dorothy in NBC’s The Wiz Live!. For the full list of notable alumni, click here.

Conservatory alumna Julia Knitel, who played the role of Carole King on the national tour of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, remarked, “Growing up, I was always in the ensemble. That was where I’d feel comfortable because I love being a team player. That’s one of the things that was so great about being at Paper Mill Playhouse, because in their Conservatory you had an equal amount of dancing, singing and acting training every day. I got a great foundation for being a team player and ensemble member and serving a production. The producers and creative team of Beautiful saw in me something they couldn’t find elsewhere.”

The Paper Mill Playhouse Summer Musical Theater Conservatory is a program of rigorous study allowing students to enhance their individual performance potential while developing a broad base of theater experience and knowledge. Students participate in intensive classes including musical theater performance, acting, dance, private voice lessons, and improvisation, while also attending guest workshops led by professional actors, directors, and casting directors. The Conservatory offers the unique opportunity for gifted and talented young performers to work at their own level and challenge themselves to achieve new goals and learn new skills. Key to the curriculum is the development of self-discipline, respect, and a commitment to excellence that will serve these young artists throughout their lives. The final weeks are devoted to rehearsals for the annual New Voices Concert. Also appearing will be winners and nominees of the 2020 Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards presented by the Investors Foundation, who win scholarships to attend the Conservatory.

Noted Broadway talent agents, casting directors, and musical theater university heads flock to New Voices every summer. Victoria Kress, Youth Theatrical Agent at Abrams Artists comments, “I’m always super excited to head to Paper Mill Playhouse for their New Voices show! Having trained some amazing performers, I know this night will prove to be no different! It’s one of my best scouting fields trips of every summer.” Nora Brennan, children’s casting director for Matilda, Billy Elliot, and The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, agrees, “The kids were great, the show was fun and entertaining, and the material was tailored so that each student could shine. Well done!” Paper Mill’s professional casting partner, Telsey + Company, attends annually and often offers workshops for our advanced students.

“From the first day of class all the way through opening night of New Voices, we require our students to rise to the demands of this rigorous program,” stated Lisa Cooney, Paper Mill Playhouse Director of Education. “We ask them to work harder than they ever have before as young performers, and we strive to build an incredible ensemble company, while each student hones their own individual performance skills. Our faculty pushes the students to believe in themselves as professional artists and treats them as such. We find summer after summer that our students meet our expectations and more. When they move on to college or the professional world, they are ready for the challenges they’ll face, and time and again they thrive and ultimately live their dream of being a professional performer. It’s gratifying when they make a name or themselves on Broadway or in Hollywood, but even if they do not, the skills they learn and the work ethic they develop will serve them in any field.”

Students can also audition for the theater’s August Musical Theater Intensive Program. This three-week program (August 3 to 21) allows performers between the ages of 10 and 17 to build foundational techniques, explore their own abilities, and refine their skills. Intensive students do not perform in the New Voices Concert; rather, the Intensive classes prepare a musical theater showcase performed in the Mickey McNany Black Box Theater. The focus of this program is on strengthening skills and building self confidence in a non-competitive environment. Accepted students are placed in one of two sessions according to age. The small class size in each session allows for individual attention and instruction from the faculty.

The Summer Professional Training Programs and New Voices are supported by Investors Foundation. Paper Mill Playhouse Education and Outreach are proudly sponsored by The Goren Family and The Harmony Helper App.

PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE, a not-for-profit arts organization under the direction of Mark S. Hoebee (Producing Artistic Director) and Michael Stotts (Managing Director), recipient of the Regional Theatre Tony Award, is one of the country’s leading regional theaters. Paper Mill Playhouse programs are made possible, in part, by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Paper Mill Playhouse is a member of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, the Council of Stock Theatres, and the New Jersey Theatre Alliance. For additional information, please visit www.papermill.org.

Filed Under: theater Tagged With: NJ, theater

Tickets for the New Season at Millburn’s Paper Mill Playhouse On Sale Monday, August 19

August 13, 2019 by Samantha Leave a Comment

Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee-Producing Artistic Director, Michael Stotts-Managing Director), recipient of the Regional Theatre Tony Award, is proud to announce that tickets for individual shows for the 2019-2020 season will be available to the public on Monday, August 19, 2019. Season subscriptions are on sale now and subscribers can already purchase additional show tickets. Tickets and subscriptions may be purchased by calling 973.376.4343, or at the Paper Mill Playhouse Box Office at 22 Brookside Drive in Millburn, or online at www.papermill.org. With three premieres and a total of five musicals, Paper Mill continues to fulfill its mission to enrich, entertain, and inspire audiences and students as the nation’s premier musical theater. Paper Mill Playhouse’s 2019-2020 season is proudly sponsored by Investors Bank. Paper Mill Playhouse education and outreach programs are proudly sponsored by The Goren Family & the Harmony Helper app.

Paper Mill Playhouse will open its 2019-2020 season with a highly anticipated new musical about one of the world’s most beloved entertainment icons. Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz (September 26-October 27) is the story of how five-year-old Frances Gumm became Judy Garland, chronicling her early career from vaudeville to her rise at MGM, where she wins the role of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. Next, a dash of fairytale romance, magical onstage transformations, and of course, glass slippers in this family musical just in time for the holidays, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella (November 20-December 29). This enchanting, Tony-nominated Broadway adaptation of the beloved musical will put a spell on audiences of all ages. Next winter, Paper Mill Playhouse presents the world-premiere musical Unmasked: The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber (January 30-March 1), about the remarkable life and celebrated work of Andrew Lloyd Webber. Unmasked will feature new material and rediscovered gems, along with the history of their creation intertwined with Andrew’s extraordinary personal story. In the spring, Paper Mill Playhouse welcomes back our good friend and eight-time Oscar winner Alan Menken with his Tony-nominated musical Sister Act (April 1-April 26). Based on the 1992 hit film, this feel-good musical follows Deloris Van Cartier as she goes into hiding in a convent—where she clashes, hilariously, with cloistered life. Deloris inspires the sisters with her soulful style, but the church choir’s newfound fame attracts some unwanted attention. Paper Mill Playhouse closes its 81^stseason with the world-premiere musical The Wanderer (May 28-June 28), the story of Dion DiMucci and how he skyrocketed to fame as a teenage heartthrob in the 1950s and early ’60s with hits like “Runaround Sue,” “Teenager in Love,” and “I Wonder Why.” Now, his extraordinary journey comes to the stage in a moving and intimate new musical.

“Paper Mill Playhouse is thrilled to produce two world premieres and a New Jersey premiere as part of our all-musical lineup,” commented Mark S. Hoebee, Producing Artistic Director of the Millburn theater. “Producing new works is central to our vision of becoming recognized as one of the most important incubators of new musical projects. We’re opening our doors to collaborate with and host the top talents of musical theater, both established artists like Andrew Lloyd Webber and up-and-coming playwrights and composers.

“Paper Mill Playhouse’s 2019-2020 season is one of the most exciting lineups in our theater’s history,” said Managing Director Michael Stotts, “and that’s thanks in large part to the support of our loyal subscribers, who take this journey with us every year. We hope even more people will join us next season and enjoy such benefits as access to the best seats in the house, at the best prices, before we sell out. With the support of our subscribers and donors, Paper Mill Playhouse can continue to be a leader in creating and producing world class musical theater.”

“Paper Mill Playhouse delivers high-quality, engaging performances to broad audiences. By making good theater accessible, Paper Mill enriches our local communities,” said Investors Bank Chairman and CEO Kevin Cummings. “But most importantly, it provides unique educational opportunities to more than 40,000 students each year and continues to offer invaluable experiences that would not otherwise be available to them. Arts education is key to the development of our children and young adults.”

Paper Mill Playhouse will produce eight performances a week, Wednesday through Sunday. Three, four and five-show subscription packages are available now starting at just $111. Each subscription package includes a different level of special benefits (see www.PaperMill.org for details). Youth subscriptions are available for children ages 4-18 with the purchase of an adult subscription with accessible discount pricing. Single tickets will go on sale on August 19 starting at just $35. Tickets and subscriptions may be purchased by calling 973.376.4343, or at the Paper Mill Playhouse Box Office at 22 Brookside Drive in Millburn, or online at www.PaperMill.org. Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express accepted. Groups of ten or more can receive up to a 40% discount on tickets and should call 973.315.1680. Titles, casting and dates subject to change.

PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE’S 2019-2020 SEASON

CHASING RAINBOWS: The Road to Oz

September 26–October 27

Book by Marc Acito

Music Adapted by & Additional Music by David Libby

Conceived by & Additional Lyrics by Tina Marie Casamento

Directed & Choreographed by Denis Jones

Major Sponsor: Bank of America

Before she burst onto the big screen as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, Judy Garland was a young vaudeville trouper named Frances Gumm. In this highly anticipated new musical chronicling Garland’s early career from vaudeville baby to MGM teen star in the making, the road to Oz is paved with adversity. At its heart a story of love between a father and daughter, featuring such legendary songs as “Over the Rainbow,” “You Made Me Love You,” and “Everybody Sing,” Chasing Rainbows is a poignant coming-of-age tale about “the little girl with the big voice,” who went on to become one of the world’s most beloved entertainment icons. The show has already earned praise from Liza Minnelli, who said, “My mother said that her biography is in her music, and now a talented creative team is using that music to tell the story of her early years and her extraordinary rise to fame.”

Rodgers + Hammerstein’s CINDERELLA

November 20–December 29

Music by Richard Rodgers

Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II

New Book by Douglas Carter Beane

Original Book by Oscar Hammerstein II

Choreographed by JoAnn M. Hunter

Directed by Mark S. Hoebee

Major Sponsor: The Goren Family and the Harmony Helper App

This enchanting, Tony-nominated Broadway adaptation of the beloved musical will put a spell on audiences of all ages. Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella showcases some of the songwriting duo’s loveliest tunes, including “In My Own Little Corner,” “Impossible/It’s Possible,” and “Ten Minutes Ago,” as well as some new characters and surprising twists. Add a dash of fairytale romance, magical onstage transformations, and the iconic pumpkin and glass slippers—and you’re guaranteed to have a ball!

UNMASKED: The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber

January 30–March 1

Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber

Written with Richard Curtis

Directed by Laurence Connor

Choreographed by JoAnn M. Hunter

Major Sponsor: JPMorgan Chase & Co.

One of the most successful musical theater composers of all time takes audiences on a behind-the-scenes journey in Unmasked: The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber. Written with Richard Curtis and directed by Laurence Connor, Unmasked is a not-always-reverential look at Andrew’s life and musical career. You’ll hear his best-loved work, including classics from Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Cats, Phantom of the Opera, and Sunset Boulevard, in sometimes new and unexpected ways. This new production will also feature new material and rediscovered gems, along with the history of their creation intertwined with Andrew’s extraordinary personal story.

SISTER ACT

April 1–April 26

Music by Alan Menken

Lyrics by Glenn Slater

Book by Cheri Steinkellner & Bill Steinkellner

Additional Book Material by Douglas Carter Beane

Based on the Touchstone Pictures Motion Picture Sister Act Written by Joseph Howard

Based on the 1992 hit film, this feel-good musical comedy smash sizzles with powerful music, spectacular dancing, and a story brimming with heart. The madcap plot is set in motion when disco diva Deloris Van Cartier witnesses a murder and must go into hiding in a convent—where she clashes, hilariously, with cloistered life. Deloris inspires the sisters with her soulful style, but the church choir’s newfound fame attracts the attention of the bad guys. Featuring original music by Tony and eight-time Oscar winner Alan Menken (Newsies, Beauty and the Beast, Little Shop of Horrors), the musical was nominated for five Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

THE WANDERER

May 28–June 28

Book by Charles Messina

Choreographed by Sarah O’Gleby

Directed by Kenneth Ferone

Signature Support: The Blanche & Irving Laurie Foundation

Dion. One name set the standard of cool for a generation. But how does a kid from the Bronx make it to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? In The Wanderer, the incredible musical journey of a troubled young man turned teenage heartthrob (and, ultimately, rock and roll icon) is told in intimate and no-holds-barred detail. Dion’s music helped define a generation of rock and rollers. His lifelong battle with addiction shed a stark light on the darker side of fame and success. This musical takes both subjects head on, set to the iconic sound of an incomparable era in American music, and celebrates the triumph of the human spirit against all odds. The Wanderer is the riveting true story of Dion, New York’s rebel king, the man Bruce Springsteen calls “the link between Frank Sinatra and rock and roll.”

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Paper Mill Playhouse offers its audience an opportunity to enhance their theater experience with behind-the-scenes views of mainstage productions. Have you ever wanted to sneak a peek behind the curtain? Or wondered what the director was thinking, or how the cast prepares for a show? Join us for one of many revealing insider’s experiences. Visit the Paper Mill Playhouse website at www.PaperMill.org for dates for our Director’s Viewpoint Series, Conversation Club Series, Q&As with the cast, and more.

Paper Mill Playhouse offers people with disabilities the opportunity to see live theater with dignity and independence through a myriad of award-winning access programs and services, including audio description and sensory seminars for the blind, Braille and large-print programs, American Sign Language interpretation for the deaf, open-captioning for those with hearing loss, and assistive listening devices. In addition, Paper Mill Playhouse provides autism-friendly performances of both mainstage and children’s shows throughout the season. Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella will feature an autism-friendly performance on Thursday, December 26, at 1:30pm.

Paper Mill Playhouse recently announced casting for its season opener Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz. Directed and choreographed by Tony Award nominee Denis Jones, orchestrations by Larry Blank and David Libby with music direction byLawrence Yurman, the principal cast features Ruby Rakos (Billy Elliot) as Judy Garland/Frances Gumm, Tony Awardnominee Max Von Essen (An American in Paris, Paper Mill’s The Baker’s Wife) as Frank Gumm, Olivier Award-winner Lesli Margherita (Matilda, Dames at Sea) as Ethel Gumm, Karen Mason (Mamma Mia!, And the World Goes ‘Round) as Ma Lawlor/Kay Koverman, Stephen DeRosa (Into the Woods, HBO’s Boardwalk Empire) as Louis B. Mayer, Michael Wartella(Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Tuck Everlasting) as Mickey Rooney, and Colin Hanlon (ABC’s Modern Family, Paper Mill’s Benny & Joon) as Roger Edens.

PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE, a not-for-profit arts organization under the direction of Mark S. Hoebee (Producing Artistic Director) and Michael Stotts (Managing Director) and recipient of the 2016 Regional Theatre Tony Award, is one of the country’s leading regional theaters. Paper Mill Playhouse programs are made possible, in part, by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Paper Mill Playhouse is a member of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, the Council of Stock Theatres, and the New Jersey Theatre Alliance.

Filed Under: theater Tagged With: NJ, NJ theater, theater

Paper Mill’s “Half Time” Announces Cast Recording and Pre Order

July 10, 2019 by Samantha 1 Comment

FEATURING PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE’S STAR-STUDDED LINEUP OF BROADWAY LEGENDS INCLUDING NEW TONY AWARD WINNER ANDRÉ DE SHIELDS, TONY AWARD WINNERS LILLIAS WHITE & DONNA MCKECHNIE PLUS A FINAL PERFORMANCE FROM THE LATE GEORGIA ENGEL.

Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee-Producing Artistic Director, Michael Stotts- Managing Director), recipient of the Regional Theatre Tony Award, along with Sony Masterworks Broadway announces the July 19^th release of HALF TIME (ORIGINAL CAST RECORDING), with music by Matthew Sklar, lyrics by Nell Benjamin and additional music by Marvin Hamlisch and Ester Dean. Available for preorder now, the album features music from the Bob Martin and Chad Beguelin-written musical, which made its 2018 debut at Paper Mill Playhouse and tells the uplifting true story of ten New Jersey seniors with extraordinary dreams.

The Half-Time (Original Cast Recording) features some of the last songs written by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning composer Marvin Hamlisch, who passed away during the show’s early gestation. The album also features a who’s who of Broadway talent, including five-time Emmy Award-nominated actress Georgia Engel (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Everybody Loves Raymond), Tony and Emmy Award winner Lillias White (The Life, Sesame Street), Tony and Drama Desk Award winner Donna McKechnie (A Chorus Line) and Emmy Award winner André De Sheilds (The Wiz), who most recently won a Tony for his role in Hadestown. The Original Cast Recording is dedicated to the memory of Georgia Engel.

Based on the motion picture Gotta Dance, directed, written and produced by Dori Bernstein, Half Time tells the incredible true story of ten determined dreamers who audition to dance at half time for a major basketball team., inspired by the true story of the Brooklyn Nets NETSational dance team. They have three things in common: they love to dance, they have something to prove, and they are all over 60. Only after making the cut do they learn they won’t be dancing tap, salsa or swing—instead, they will bring down the house with a style that is entirely new to them: hip-hop. Take the uplifting journey with these dreamers—and the young coaches who inspire them along the way—as they battle self-doubt, stereotypes and even each other for a chance to bust a move at center court in front of 20,000 screaming fans. Together they remind us that in life, when the odds are stacked against you and the challenges seem too great to overcome, it’s not the end of the game—it’s Half Time.

HALF-TIME (ORIGINAL CAST RECORDING) – TRACK LISTING

A Number – Company
Who Wants to See That? – Haven Burton and Company
Princess – Lillias White and Nkeki Obi-Melekwe
Follow Me to the Party – Donna McKechnie, Kathryn Kendall, Lori Tan Chinn, Lillias White, Nancy Ticotin, Lenora Nemetz, Kay Walbye, André De Shields
Dorothy/Dottie – Georgia Engel, Garrett Turner, Valton Jackson
The Prince of Swing/There You Are – André De Shields, Mary Claire King, Nkeki Obi-Melekwe
Swagger – Haven Burton, Nkeki Obi-Melekwe, Mary Claire King, Georgia Engel and Company
The Waters Rise – Lori Tan Chinn
They All Get to See That – Haven Burton
Princess (Reprise) – Lillias White, Nkeki Obi-Melekwe, Garrett Turner
¿Como No? – Nancy Ticotin and Company
The Prince of Swing (Reprise) – Georgia Engel and André De Shields
Too Old for This – Donna McKechnie
New Point of View – Company
Gotta Get Up – Haven Burton, Lillias White, Georgia Engel and Company
Time Machine (Bonus Track) – Donna McKechnie

ABOUT SONY MUSIC MASTERWORKS

Sony Music Masterworks comprises the imprints Masterworks, Sony Classical, OKeh, Portrait and Masterworks Broadway. Our artists range from icons to newly developing talents in classical, crossover and adult alternative music, plus new and legendary jazz artists. Our vast catalog of musical theater recordings features classic shows and original cast albums of today’s Broadway hits, including Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, The Prom, SpongeBob SquarePants, Hello, Dolly! (starring Bette Midler), Groundhog Day, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, On Your Feet!, Kinky Boots, Once, If/Then and An American in Paris.

HALF TIME is produced by Dori Berinstein and Bill Damaschke.

Filed Under: entertainment, theater Tagged With: NJ, papermill playhouse, theater

Dads are FREE at MEDIEVAL TIMES for Father’s Day!

June 11, 2019 by Samantha Leave a Comment

What better way is there to celebrate dad than to make him feel like a king? Treat dad like royalty this Father’s Day at Medieval Times! Hope you can please let your readers know about this special Father’s Day promotion. Thank you!

Available for all shows now through June 16, Dads are FREE at Medieval Times with the purchase of one full-priced adult ticket. Just use the codeDAD19 to take advantage of this great special offer.

A special upgrade package is available for an additional $25 which includes: