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.”

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!

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.

The Conversation on Cyber-Bullying Takes the Stage at George Street Playhouse

The lobby of the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick was a busy place on a recent Saturday afternoon.  A congenial and chatty crowd there, waiting to see “Circle Mirror Transformation”, the Mainstage production starring Sandy Duncan.  And, in the more intimate, black box theatre, there was a free performance of “IRL: In Real Life” as part of their as part of their Open Stage Series.  The show, written by R.N. Sandberg, addresses the provocative hot-button topic of cyber-bullying.

Bullying is certainly nothing new among children and young adults, but the technological developments of the past decade or so have changed it up.  Back in the day, being bullied might mean that some kid called you a nasty name or made a comment about your clothing choices or your eyeglasses when you were at recess.  If the playground was particularly crowded that day, it was possible that a couple dozen friends and classmates witnessed the encounter.  A few might mention it to you again later that day, or even tell others.  And maybe the incident would resurface again.  Some people might talk about it on the bus.  Or your friends might joke about it and encourage you to plan a defensive action.  But, most likely, the overall effect would not be too serious or long-lasting.

In today’s times, however, it is possible for an off-handed comment or an adolescent jab to escalate from minor and meaningless to something much more sinister at an astonishingly fast pace.

And this is the tale that unfolds – with texting and elaborate social media networking and computer-generated visuals – in this powerful show.  

A Love Letter to the Film Festival…

This was the year I finally decided that movies were better presents than books.  For his birthday, I gave my dad two DVDs.  Not Blu-ray – plain old DVDs.  One was the Mel Brooks adaptation of The Twelve Chairs, and the other was the Woody Allen film Broadway Danny Rose.  I told him it was the best I could do – the recession and all.  For my brother’s birthday, which is later this month, around Thanksgiving, I’ve picked out a weird French film set in war-torn France called Triple Agent, and the amazing Noah Baumbach film The Squid & The Whale.  I hope my brother’s not reading this.

I have a history of going out of my way to see movies.  Going into the city, or to an out-of-the-way cinema co-op in some town nobody ever heard of, delving verrry deeply into the collections of the local video rental stores – before they all died – and, of course, drifting in and out of the autumnal film festival.

The CV 5: Adventures at WheatonArts (the other 51 weekends a year)

Here’s Shen’s 5 favorite things-to-see at WheatonArts EVERY weekend of the year! Check ‘em out.

The Glass Studio – The building – a replica of the T.C. Wheaton Glass Factory – appears to be a many, many, MANY foot-tall brick furnace with a structure around it.  If you have some leisure time on a chilly fall afternoon, you can warm your bones at a glass-blowing demonstration in this very cozy place.  It’s way more interesting than sitting on the couch.

The Museum of American Glass – This lovely building contains one of the finest collections of American glass in the United States, with more than 6,500 pieces, ranging from early bottles and flasks to recent works by contemporary glass artists.  Even if you don’t know much about the history of glass, you’ll find something you like in the museum.

Make Your Own – It’s not exactly a cheap date at $75 plus shipping for a paperweight and $135+ for a vessel.  But a make-your-own session, under the guidance of an experienced glass artist, is definitely a fun and satisfying activity.  Reservations are required.

Retail Therapy – The shopping opportunities at WheatonArts include Brownstone Emporium, the General Store, the AG Paperweight Shop, The Gallery of Fine Craft, and the Christmas Shop.  Customer Appreciation Week, from October 30 thru November 7, will feature discounts, fun activities, door prizes, refreshments and much more.  Shop ‘til you drop!

From A to Z (or B for Blowing to Y for Yoga) – Throughout the fall, WheatonArts offers a wide-ranging selection of multi-session classes, intensives and workshops, and many are open to adults and teenagers.  Can you say multi-generational bonding?

Festival of Fine Craft: The 411.

I was in a terrific mood on Saturday morning as I drove to WheatonArts for their annual Festival of Fine Craft. It was another gift-from-the-weather-deity day – brilliantly blue sky, warm sun and moderate temperatures – and I was grooving along to some tunes from a CD that came with a recent issue of the British music magazine, Uncut.

Aside from just anticipating the day, I was also looking forward to discovering for myself what all the fuss was about at the Wheaton festival. Many friends who KNOW – either as buyers or from an artist’s point of view – told me that the WheatonArts Festival of Fine Craft sets a fairly high bar.

Festival of Fine Craft at Wheaton: Preview and Pumpkins (Oh, my).

This weekend, I am planning to take a brief break from focusing on the Phillies and will be heading to WheatonArts in Millville for the annual Festival of Fine Craft.

The Festival is open – rain or abundant sunshine – on Saturday and Sunday, October 2 and 3, from 10 AM to 5 PM.  And just one admission price gets you in to everything! Visitors can view (and purchase) works by more than 140 artists, as well as enjoy what WheatonArts offers all year ‘round – the exceptional collection in the Museum of American Glass, the rich cultural experience of the Down Jersey Folklife Center, and the first-hand look at the creative process at work in the Glass and Craft Studios.

Surflight Theatre: Sand, Surf, and Songs.

Tucked away on a cozy street in Beach Haven on the family beach getaway that is Long Beach Island, the Surflight Theatre churns out productions like ice cream sundaes in July. They do that too, in fact, as the 60-year-old theater has an adjoining 1950s-style ice cream parlor that doubles as a singing-waiters performance space. Producing musicals throughout the warm months in summer-stock format that run for two weeks then give way to another production, the theater runs straight plays in the fall and an always sold-out Christmas spectacular in December. Committed to family entertainment, the Surflight also produces children’s theater on site, as well as a traveling troupe. Take a tour through this cherished-by-vacationers theater, which has grown quite a bit since originally being housed in what is now its scenery shop.

Posted by Jesse North, JerseyArts.com’s Theater Blogger.

Kevin Smith turned 40 and the world didn’t end…

Kevin Smith...and Kevin Smith as a baby.

Ed. Note: The links below contain some of Mr. Smith’s famously salty language. Enjoy!

Having a milestone birthday always brings a time of reflection–you think about what you have accomplished in life, what you wish to conquer next, and the times when you’ve managed to have a good old-fashioned laugh on the occasions in-between. For Kevin Smith, turning 40 was doing exactly that…in an intimate evening with 1,543 of his closest fans, that is, at the historic Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank. Having recently turned 30, I was eager to hear what one of my all time favorite writers would have to say. I mean, c’mon, you didn’t have to grow up in Jersey to relate to the gritty humor found in Clerks and Mallrats, both staples from my adolescence. Through both his unpretentious, tell-it-like-it-is storytelling and fiercely evident love (and occasional snark) for the Garden State, Kevin Smith has emerged as one of New Jersey’s favorite sons in the entertainment world, A Red Bank native (and damn proud of it), Mr. Smith led an epic 5 hour Q & A about his latest film projects, becoming a voice for the slacker generation, and the “incident” with Southwest Airlines.