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Moorestown DeCafe: A Brief History…

Don Dixon Performs at DeCafe

I’m a child of the 60s.  I wore my hair long with a center part.  My uniform was a black turtleneck and slim pants, ala Audrey Hepburn.  I listened to cool jazz and earnest folk music on my portable stereo and attended concerts at the local coffee house.  My venue of choice was a church basement, but coffee houses were a common scene, scattered all over Philadelphia and the sprouting suburbs of southern New Jersey.

At my huge high school, I sometimes felt almost invisible among the sea of students.  But, at the coffee house, I discovered other music lovers.  Being there and sharing that passion made me feel like I was a part of something unique.

Regardless of who was playing, those shows felt special.  Instead of watching from across a vast expanse, you experienced the music in an intensely personal way.  And, while I definitely have reveled in my share of arena style shows – think The Who, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, and Springsteen, for example – I still prefer live music in a more intimate setting.

Over the years, many small music venues have disappeared.  Coffee shops often feature live music and there are still places where the performer is the primary event.  But, other than a handful of old-school jazz clubs, there aren’t that many options for those who yearn for a specific type of concert experience.

Imagine my delight when I discovered that Moorestown DeCafe, the music performance program at Perkins Center for the Arts, is alive and thriving!

Dance Magic: The Perks of Attending a Gala…

It’s that time of year again: gala time!  As an arts supporter you have likely received a gala invitation or two (or twenty) from your favorite arts groups.  Galas provide a great opportunity for arts organizations to celebrate a year of work, honor supporters and raise funds.  They are also a fun way for those who love the organization to celebrate its achievements and the people who make them happen.  While I have had the pleasure of attending many different kinds of arts events, I had yet to experience a gala until last weekend, so anticipation was high when I got the opportunity to attend the Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company gala last Saturday.

Attending the gala as a volunteer, I got a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into preparing for such an event.  As volunteers, board members and staff worked diligently coordinating a fundraising auction and welcoming guests, I learned just what a gala entails.  One amazing performance, several new friends, and many tasty treats later, my first gala experience was complete.  So, for those considering supporting an arts organization by attending their fundraiser or for those who are already looking forward to an upcoming event, here are my Top 5 Favorite Things About Attending a Gala:

Anne Frank: Theater of a Real Girl

My favorite 14 year-old, Jules, has loved “The Diary of Anne Frank” since the first time she read it.  When I asked her why this book is a favorite, she answered without hesitation.  “It was Anne’s real thoughts in her journal, not someone telling a story knowing what was going to happen in the end,” she told me.  And while those in the annex were living under extremely difficult circumstances, their situation did not keep Anne from acting like what she was – a teenager.  “She was in love with a boy.  She had pictures of movie stars on her wall.  She had arguments with her mother and sister.  She was a normal girl,” Jules explained.

Anne Frank and Peter Van Daan: Spending two years in hiding was difficult for everyone, especially the young Anne Frank. She was thankful to have a companion close to her age in Peter.

And perhaps it is this universality – this quality of Anne’s that allows us to relate to her experiences – that is a primary reason why the stage play, adapted from the book, is perpetually popular with theater goers of all ages.

Mainstage Center for the Arts will present “The Diary of Anne Frank” on February 11, 12, 13, 18, 19 and 20, at the recently renovated Dennis Flyer Theatre at Camden County College in Blackwood.  Friday and Saturday shows begin at 8:00 PM; Sunday matinees are at 2:00 PM.  Tickets are $13 – $21, and can be ordered online or by phone at 856-227-3091.  Group rates are available.

Director Joe Caliva, of Cherry Hill, first became interested in the Holocaust in high school, but didn’t read “The Diary of Anne Frank” until later.  Like Jules and thousands of others, Caliva was deeply affected by Anne’s story.  “Her account,” he said, “drove home the humanity element.  We get to watch this little girl grow up.”  And her story is one that has relevance, even now.  It is clear that, despite the compelling evidence of the effects of racism and hatred, people still have much to learn.  “We have become somewhat numb,” Caliva says, “which makes it even more important for new generations to hear Anne’s message.”

CV Interview: Bucky Pizzarelli

John “Bucky” Pizzarelli was born January 9, 1926 in Paterson, New Jersey and currently lives in Saddle River.  The list of artists he’s played with reads like a who’s who in jazz history.  He’ll be celebrating his 85th birthday with a concert on Tuesday, January 11th at the Bickford Theatre in Morris Township.  I recently got the chance to wish him happy birthday and talk about his career…

GARY: How did you get the nickname Bucky?
BUCKY: When my father was 16, he hitch-hiked down to Odessa, Texas.  He was the first Italian cowboy! He was a cowboy for a couple of years.  Later on when he got married – much later – his first born was me and he called me Bucky.

You’ve had such an amazing career that keeps on going.  Do you still get as much of a kick out of playing as you did in the beginning?
I do, yeah.  That’s what I wanted to do and I just keep going.  It’s really not a job; it’s a lot of fun!

I know you’re aware of it, but not many people are aware that so many great jazz musicians came from New Jersey.  You’ve certainly played and recorded with most of them.  Any idea why this area has been so great for music?
Well there’s a big population of guitar players here.  I can name a whole gang of them: Tony Gottuso, Al Casamenti, Tony Mottola, Al Caiola – all guitar players!

Jersey Arts Resolutions, Part 2.

Hope you had a lovely New Year’s celebration, Arts Lovers! Here’s some  New Year’s thoughts from John, Colleen, and Jonathan. Read on for more about branching out, taking personal stakes in the art in our lives, and the role of arts in communities.–CV

JOHN BECK, Our Dance Blogger:

I think my biggest resolution is to get out and see more- more dance, more galleries, more poetry. This first year in New Jersey has been a whirl, and now that I’m finally feeling settled (more or less), I’m starting to realize how much art I’ve been missing.  I work down the street from Paper Mill Playhouse, and I live in Morristown, walking distance from the Community Theatre and the Morris Museum.  So I resolve to make time in my schedule for more of the great things my community has to offer… right in between cooking a healthier dinner and my trip to the gym!

Jersey Arts Resolutions, Part 1.

As we head towards the close of another trip ’round the sun, we wanted to share with you some of our reflections and thoughts on both 2010′s arts experiences and our hopes for what 2011 may hold. Here’s some resolutions from Shen, Gary, Patricia and Cat–check back for part 2 later this week. We hope you enjoy, New Jersey–and stay warm! –CV

SHEN SHELLENBERGER, our Blogger-at-Large:

When Twyla moves, you listen...

Twyla Tharp said that “art is the only way to run away without leaving home” and, really, isn’t that the truth?

I’ve always had art in my life – whether I was pounding out adolescent stories on the hulking Royal typewriter in my grandmother’s basement or listening to “West Side Story” and “Funny Girl” with my mother in the living room of our circa 1950s Cherry Hill ranch home.

Through writing for Culture Vultures this year, I’ve been more tuned in to art than I have for a long time.  Not only have I gone to musical concerts, which I’d likely have done regardless, but I also visited a jewel of a cultural site, saw a marvelous art exhibition at an equally marvelous South Jersey museum, watched a remarkable theatre production and attended the WheatonArts fest.

And the conversations that I had with people who make art – or in the case of the Civil War reenactors, keep history alive – reminded me of how glorious it is to have that passion to create.

In the coming year, I want to hear more stories – told from the stage in theatre productions and from authors reading and discussing their work.  I want to see more visual art, and maybe finally get my boyfriend to Grounds for Sculpture.  And I’d love to be a student and challenge myself to learn a new skill or fine-tune something I once knew how to do.  In short, my goal is to spend more time surrounded by art and the people who make it.

And, you’re right, Twyla, I won’t even have to pack a bag.

So, You’ve Seen the Nutcracker…What’s Next?

So many Nutcrackers to choose from...

With the holidays fast approaching, we’re all searching for last minute stocking stuffers.

Tickets to a performance make a great gift because:

1)      it’s not a fruitcake or a sweater;

2)      it shows you know the person well enough to at least guess what he or she might like;

3)      if you buy a matching ticket for yourself, it’s a great way to say, “you’re awesome, let’s spend some time together.”

So now that all my friends have a hint of what they’re getting, it’s just a matter of narrowing down the incredible range of art available in the Garden State.  I’m the new dance blogger here at Culture Vultures, I’m going to focus on opening up the dance world to the casual dance watcher- someone like my mother, who regularly watches the television dance shows, who saw Nutcracker a decade ago, but who enjoys a wide range of arts.

Arts Holiday Memories, Part Two: The Festivities Continue!

Welcome, dear reader, to part two of our Holiday Stroll Down Memory Lane with our Bloggers. We hope you’ll check out part one below, if you haven’t already, and then scamper on over to our Holiday Guide. Happy Holidays, New Jersey! -CV

JESSE NORTH, Our Theater Blogger:

Not Quite Dylan Thomas...

A Holiday Memory: The holidays can be a confusing time. It was for me when my family took me to the 12 Miles West Theatre Company in Madison when I was in sixth grade for a Christmas-y afternoon of Dylan Thomas poems. First of all, I spent the entire afternoon confusing the Welsh poet with Bob Dylan. What did the Tambourine Man have to do with Christmas anyway? Well, even upon setting the record straight that Dylan Thomas was NOT Bob Dylan, I still didn’t know what he had to do with Christmas. But it wasn’t so much the subject matter, it was the presentation at the 12 Miles West Theatre. We all sat at wooden tables on wooden benches in the black box theater. Hot apple cider was served in mugs and the glow of large, old-fashioned Christmas lights glowed around the stage’s perimeter. A few Welsh carols were sung (yes, Welsh Christmas carols), and I remember rolling my judgmental, sixth-grade eyes in embarrassment. I didn’t think the show made a lot of sense, but all these years later, I remember it as one of the coziest Christmas events I’ve ever been to. And nowadays when I listen to my Bob Dylan Greatest Hits album, I always think of Dylan Thomas.

A New Tradition: Because I like my holiday traditions served with a side of sap, I was thrilled  for the Kelsey Theatre’s reading of “It’s A Wonderful Life – A Radio Play” in West Windsor. The story of George Bailey and his selflessness toward his family and friends brings me to tears at least three times throughout its duration. And in this production performed as a radio show, there’s an old timey aspect added that makes me feel like I’m listening to the story during the characters’ time period. “No man is a failure if he has friends.” Ugh, here come the tears.

Arts Holiday Memories…and Making Some New Ones.

Even the Grinch Loves This Time of Year!

Over here at Culture Vultures, we’re all sorts of excited for this time of year. There’s a chill in the air, the lights twinkle and blink in every color imaginable, and everything has that faint, mysterious flavor of gingerbread. We’ve asked our bloggers to share their favorite holiday memories from years past, and offer some advice on building new arts traditions with your family this season. We’ll have some today, and some more next week. After reading, check out our bloggers’ recommendations on our Holiday Guide. We hope you enjoy! -CV

CHRIS BENINCASA, Our Film Blogger:

George C. Scott as Scrooge (Bah. Humbug)

A Holiday Memory: Aside from the holiday events at church and school, and there were many of those, over the holidays we were pretty much barricaded in at some relative’s house, or at our house, in which case the trains of grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, neighbors, and friends ran until what seemed like the end of Time itself.  We went to church on Christmas eve, made weird-looking ornaments out of Styrofoam, made lanterns for the sidewalk by putting sand at the bottoms of paper bags and then sticking candles in the sand – not the best idea, come to think of it – and then, finally, after the sermon, we watched choir-ish-looking congregation members ring handbells in very ingenious, clucking sequences.  We would also watch the George C. Scott version of A Christmas Carol – which I still like very much – and, of course, the sacred Charlie Brown special – the one with the little tree who’s so meek that it can’t even hold one red bulb off the ground.  But one experience I can share is what must have been an abridged reading of A Christmas Carol at Rivergate Books in Lambertville.  The store is no longer there, but it was a really cool spot that had a backyard patio overlooking the river, and you could buy a book and sit out there and read it.  The owner lived on our street, and she asked me to do some modest, middle school set design – Scrooge’s hearth made of painted foam core.  At the point when the reader, whose name I cannot remember (Sorry.  You were great!), got to Charles Dickens’ description of that hearth, I got a kick out of seeing someone kind of acting and interacting with the prop I’d made – and seeing it pretty much match up with the words being spoken.

A New Tradition: But if there’s one holiday-ish arts thing I need to get around to doing, it’s checking out a production of Black Nativity.  I’ve always thought that sounded great.  When I was a kid, and my younger brother was still, I don’t know, under the age of one, my family “performed” in our church’s nativity play – meaning we stood around while the story was narrated from the pulpit.  A different family did it every year.  My brother was the baby Messiah, my parents were the parents, my sister was a shepherd, and I was a slightly taller shepherd, wearing a robe and some biblical headgear, pretending to sing.  I wasn’t trying to be uncooperative.  I think I was just distracted by how bored I was, and so couldn’t really keep up with the rest of the cast.  Even today, it seems like the smartest strategy I could’ve hoped to come up with.  And it worked.