State Theatre

A Q&A with Glen Burtnik

2011-07-12T12:01:00.000-07:00

A Q&A with Glen Burtnik about Jersey Beatles Bash V coming to the State Theatre on Sat., July 23 at 8pm

Q: What can the audience expect to see different at this year’s Beatles Bash?

A: Enhanced orchestration. I pretty much know all Beatles albums by heart. And so before I carefully went over it, I originally—and absent mindedly—thought doing a note-for-note performance of Revolver could be fairly straight forward, executed by a simple ‘rock band’ (just bass, a few guitarists, pianos, and drums backing the vocals) as the Revolver album seemed to feature somewhat straight ahead, uncluttered arrangements.

But then I remembered “Eleanor Rigby”, the one and only song on the album with a string section. A song that’s a big fat landmark in the marriage of pop music and classical arranging. A masterpiece for sure.

Now, I love working with live strings and have grown fond of the group of players I’ve been working with—a quartet consisting of violinists Dana Marchioni, Linda Heffentrager, Taylor Hope and cellist James Celestino.

Upon informing them of my plans to tackle “Eleanor Rigby”, violinists Dana & Linda appealed to me that we go the distance with this important song and do it for real. To me, this would mean using the absolute correct orchestration (on the record, George Martin had arranged it for 8 strings: 4 violins, 2 violas, and 2 cellos).

Loving such enthusiasm, I took the bait, deciding to expand the string section by double. But upon going through the process of hiring eight classical string players to play for only one tune seemed an inefficient use of musicians (or kinda stupid, as we rock musicians would say).

Instead of missing an opportunity, since I’ll have all these cellists, violinists, and viola players hanging around backstage with nothing to play all evening except “Eleanor Rigby”, I figure let’s add some of the more orchestrated Beatles material to the show. It seemed a good idea to include other, more ambitious productions. The bigger, more classical & symphonic songs like “She’s Leaving Home”, “Yesterday” and “The Long And Winding Road,” “Across The Universe” as well as the wilder “Strawberry Fields Forever,” “All You Need Is Love,” “I Am The Walrus,” and “A Day In The Life.

Of course, once I got the ball rolling in such a direction, it behooved me to assemble a large horn section (featuring James Egan) and a 25 voice female choir. This music deserves 100% effort and the audience certainly deserves such as well. This event is as much a celebration as anything, and I’m planing to fill the State Theatre with the sound and passion of 40 musicians all joyfully performing this amazing music from the soundtrack of our lives.

Q: How was it different preparing for this with Revolver as opposed to other Beatles albums?

A: The Beatles began experimenting during the making of this 45-year-old album. George Harrison delved much deeper into his eastern influence with “Love You To,” a song featuring Indian instrumentation of sitar and tabla. Then there’s the beautiful French Horn of “For No One.”

And most importantly, there’s the avant gard “Tomorrow Never Knows”—an iconic breakthrough for rock music, featuring tape loops, and guitars played backwards.

Q: What is your favorite Revolver song?

A: Very difficult to say, as it’s such an interesting album. “Good Day Sunshine” makes me happy.

Q: How has Beatles Bash evolved over the years?

A: Each year the stakes are higher, at least in my mind. It is a self imposed task to try to recreate this classic music as meticulously as possible, and with each year I strive a little harder to get closer to this “holy grail” type journey. We, my fellow musicians and I, up the ante a bit each time—we get into more and more heated discussions about how each sound was produced. We’re truly music nerds about this material, and each brings their own knowledge and research to the table. There’s a sort of competition and because of this, the attention to detail grows each time.

I’ve been approaching each year as an Anniversary. In 2007 it had been 50 years since Sergeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band was released. 2008 was the 50th birthday of what’s known as The White Album, 2009 was the anniversary of Abbey Road’s release. Each year we performed those albums. And since last year it had been 50 years since Let It Be and 45 years since both Help! and Rubber Soul (both came out in ’65) we performed all three.

But here’s the real deal; as our musical drive and ambition for perfecting this great music has grown in intensity, so has the audience. The evenings have become a bit of a love fest—attended by both aficionados and music fans all sharing my passion for what is truly some of the most important, powerful and beautiful music ever made.

For tickets to Jersey Beatles Bash V with Glen Burtnik & Friends on July 23, 2011, visit http://www.statetheatrenj.org/jersey_beatles_bash_v

"Springing" into the Music Industry

2011-07-06T08:36:00.000-07:00

By Audrey Yeager, Marketing & PR Intern

When I was younger, I used to work as a camp counselor. I always found it interesting to ask children what they wanted to be when they grew up, mostly because the question elicited so many original (and occasionally comical) responses: an ice cream man, a rock star, a princess, a doctor, a teacher, a painter, an actor. I was amazed by the amount of responses I received that dealt with professions in the arts. Take a “rock star,” for instance. I know many teens that have followed their passions and started their own bands, practicing out of their garages and booking local gigs. I think it is fabulous that teens today are so involved with music.

I wonder if Rick Springfield knew how successful he was going to be when he formed his first band named “Icy Blues” in high school in 1964. At that time, he was 15 years old. Now seeing the sensation that Springfield has become in his career, it is easy to forget about the fact that he was once a kid too, starting off in music the same way thousands of rock star hopefuls do today. After all, it was only two years earlier, at age 13, that Springfield had received his first guitar as a birthday present. Nevertheless, Springfield’s talent for music was unquestionable. After leaving high school, everything began to fall into place. Pete Watson asked the young Springfield to join Rock House, and the emerging musician accepted. While with the band, which changed its name from Rock House to MPD, Ltd in 1968, Springfield got the opportunity to play gigs in Vietnam. After returning, Springfield formed his own band, Wickedy Wak, but then decided to join the Australian band Zoot in 1969. (Did you know Springfield was born in Australia?)

It was clear that Springfield’s musical career had taken off by the time he recorded and released “Speak to the Sky.” At this point in his life, Springfield had moved to the United States. “Speak to the Sky” was his debut single at age 22; it became a hit. We all know what happened from there: Springfield went on to write and record more and more music that topped the charts. Springfield has released 17 top 40 singles throughout his music career. In 1982, he won a Grammy for Best Male Vocal Performance for the song “Jessie’s Girl.” Other hits include “Affair of the Heart,” “Love Somebody,” and “Don’t Talk to Strangers.” Springfield also branched out into acting and appeared in General Hospital. He most recently made appearances on Californication and Hawaii Five-0.

See Rick Springfield live on Sunday, July 10 at 7pm.

“Workin’ for a Livin'” - Huey Lewis and the News Had to Do It Too

2011-06-23T07:02:00.000-07:00

By Alyssa Selvaggio, Marketing/PR Intern

With the way our economy is today, a day rarely goes by without someone talking about how hard it is to find a job and be successful. For Huey Lewis and the News, that topic of conversation is all too familiar. While they have sold over 20 million albums and had 19 top-ten Billboard hits in the past 30 years, the road to get there was definitely a bumpy ride.

Starting off as two rival bands in San Francisco, they put their differences aside to become one. They released their first self-titled LP record in 1980 and experienced little success. Their efforts to create a live sound by only doing two or three takes for each song did not turn out to be sensation they had hoped for. For their second album, Picture This, they learned from their first album and took their time making a cleaner sound. When this album was released in 1982, they had one hit song, “Do You Believe in Love,” which helped them become more popular, but they were not a big name yet.

Still determined to become superstars, Huey Lewis and the News quickly ran back to the studio to record their third album in 1983. Delays in debuting Sports because of record label issues left the band in a tough situation. They wanted to reach out to people with their music, but their album was stuck in the studio. The band decided that they needed to go on tour to get noticed by more than just Bay Area fans. They travelled around the country touring in small clubs and bars to get their name out to the public. As they were on tour, Sports was released and they got news that their album had climbed its way to the top of the Billboard charts. They had finally reached stardom.

From then on, Huey Lewis and the News only became more famous. With their humorous and memorable videos on MTV (remember them buried in the sand in If This Is It?), each of their singles shot to the top of the music scene. Having a career and doing well is not always easy. Huey Lewis and the News proved that sometimes even music stars have to spend their days “Workin’ for a Livin’.”

See Huey Lewis and the News live at the State Theatre on Tuesday, July 12.

I Can't Help But Dance Along...

2011-06-15T07:59:00.000-07:00

By Audrey Yeager, Marketing & PR Intern

As a classically trained ballet dancer, my friends laugh at me every time I bust a move to anything that isn’t Mozart or Tchaikovsky. But I can’t help but start dancing when I hear that ultimate feel-good party song that has undoubtedly ‘survived’ the decades. The hit is a staple at all karaoke nights, and is as much a symbol of female empowerment today as it was when it was first released in 1978. (And yes, I will admit to butchering the song at many a karaoke gathering with my friends and family—I wish that I could hold a tune!) Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” is doing more than surviving; this hit is here to stay.

This song is just one of the reasons why Gaynor is a disco music legend. The lyrics are about a woman letting go and moving on after getting out of a difficult relationship. Mixed with Gaynor’s extraordinary vocals, the toe-tapping pump-up disco beat, and its relatable theme, it’s no wonder how quickly “I Will Survive” came into the limelight.

Let us follow the song from when it was first introduced to its place amidst music today. After being released in October of 1978, “I Will Survive” became immediately popular. The song was first released on the “B”-side of a record. (Gasp! Remember the time when there weren’t CD’s or iPods?!) The “A”-side of records were usually the more popular ones, and were often heavily edited with changes to the song’s speed and pitch. Luckily, “I Will Survive” did not undergo many changes.

Only one year after its release, the song secured the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100. The next year, “I Will Survive” won a Grammy for Best Disco Recording. Since then, it has been recorded in over 20 languages. It is incredible to see how many famous music artists reproduced this hit. Among the singers that released covers of Gaynor’s song are Diana Ross, Cake, Gladys Knight, Chantay Savage, Shirley Bassey, and Selena. In 2000, "I Will Survive" was ranked Number 1 on VH1’s list of the 100 Greatest Dance Songs, beating out classics party hits such as “We Are Family” by Sister Sledge and Aretha Franklin’s “RESPECT.”

See Gloria Gaynor live with the Village People on Saturday, June 25 at 8pm.

“Weird Al” Yankovic – Summer Tour Kick-off in New Brunswick

2011-05-17T13:53:00.000-07:00

By Kayla Steinbach, PR & Marketing Intern

As a child I would carry around three different cassettes tapes with me everywhere I went. (You know…the primitive way of listening to music where songs were placed inside a plastic rectangle on a thin ribbon that would constantly get stuck inside and around any machine that would supposedly play your songs. You would then need to use your finger or a pencil to re-wind the tape hoping you wound it properly or at least didn’t rip the ribbon because then the tape was useless!) I carried a tape full of lullabies, Michael Jackson’s Thriller, and “Weird Al” Yankovic’s The Food Album, with classics like “I love Rocky Road” (a satire on “I Love Rock ‘n Roll” made famous by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts) because I did, I loved rocky road ice cream. I preferred Al’s “Eat It” to Michael’s “Beat It” any day of the week. “Eat It” even earned Yankovic his first of three Grammy® Awards.

“Weird Al” Yankovic, is the undisputed king of pop culture parody. He has sold more comedy recordings than any artist in history, with six of his albums going gold (including my beloved The Food Album), eight going platinum, and Alapalooza going double platinum. His satirical twist on songs like Coolio's “Gangsta's Paradise” (“Amish Paradise”), and Nirvana's “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (“Smells Like Nirvana”) have made him a household name. Some of Al's other hits include “Gump,” “White and Nerdy,” “I'm Fat,” “I Lost on Jeopardy,” “Pretty Fly for a Rabbi,” “Like a Surgeon,” and “Bedrock Anthem.”

Al's live show is family-friendly with lots of surprises, costume changes, and all the antics you'd expect. I can’t wait to see him and sing along with all my favorite food inspired songs plus so many more! See you at the State Theatre on Thursday, May 19, 2011 at 8pm for a laugh-out-loud event that is sure to bring tears to your eyes!

For tickets and more information please visit http://www.statetheatrenj.org/weird_al.

Get ready to Rock & Roll in July!

2011-04-25T07:52:00.000-07:00

By Kayla Steinbach, PR & Marketing Intern

The month of July brings sunshine, pool parties, and Rock & Roll to New Brunswick. We have four rockin’ acts set between July 10-23 including four Grammy® Award-winners!

On Sunday, July 10 at 7pm come out to the State Theatre for Grammy® Award-winning singer/songwriter, Rick Springfield. He has had 17 top 40 singles, including the smash hits “Jessie's Girl,” “Don't Talk To Strangers,” “Affair of the Heart,” “Love Somebody,” “Celebrate Youth,” and “Rock of Life.” Springfield is also a TV actor starring in General Hospital and Californication.

Huey Lewis and the News are set to perform on Tuesday, July 12 at 8pm. For one night only, the Grammy® Award-winning band will pay tribute to Memphis soul with the Soulsville Tour including songs like “Respect Yourself” and “Got to Get You Off My Mind. But don’t worry, the band will also play all those classic Huey Lewis and the News songs you know and love— like smash-hits “The Power of Love,” “If This is It,” “Doing It All For My Baby,” “(Too) Hip to be Square,” “Workin’ For A Livin’,” and “Back In Time.”

That weekend on Saturday, July 16 at 8pm, Shawn Colvin & Loudon Wainwright III will take the stage. In her 19-year career, singer/songwriter Shawn Colvin, best known for her Top 10 hit “Sunny Came Home,” has won three Grammy® Awards and released eight albums. Grammy® Award-winning folk singer Loudon Wainwright III has recorded over 20 albums. His songs include “Dead Skunk,” “Needless to Say,” and “My Girl” with John Hiatt. Wainwright has also appeared on the TVshow M*A*S*H as the singing surgeon, Capt. Calvin Spaulding.

To close out the month, Glen Burtnik & Friends are back at the State Theatre on Saturday, July 23 at 8pm for their fifth annual Beatles Bash. Marking the 45th anniversary of Revolver, Glen and friends are to perform the Beatles album note-for-note! Songs include “Eleanor Rigby,” “Got to Get You into My Life,” “Yellow Submarine,” “Tomorrow Never Knows,” “I Want to Tell You,” and “Taxman.”

For tickets and more information please visit www.StateTheatreNJ.org.

Spring Awakening – One of the Best Musicals Out There

2011-03-30T06:16:00.000-07:00

by Kelly Blithe, Director of Public Relations

A few years ago, I had the pleasure of seeing Spring Awakening on Broadway with the original cast, many of whom are now well known including Lea Michele, who is now in the TV show, Glee; and Johnny Gallagher Jr. who won a Tony® for his portrayal of Moritz, and went on to star in the Green Day musical American Idiot. Since that night, I have had nothing but admiration for this show. From its catchy tunes to the powerful messages within the storylines (some very obvious, others not as much), it has become one of my favorite musicals of the last 10 years. The story is something that many people can relate to, growing up and the pains that come with being a teenager—peer pressure, seeking your parents/friends approval, and the general feeling of just wanting to be accepted. The storylines combined with the music provide such a strong backbone for the actors that when they perform the song “The Bitch of Living,” everything just clicks right into place. And even though it has been a few years, this CD still makes regular appearances on my playlists (especially, “Don’t Do Sadness/Blue Wind” “The Song of Purple Summer,” and of course “The Bitch of Living”) and I can’t say that for every musical that comes out these days.

So, I look forward to seeing the national tour performance of Spring Awakening this Saturday, April 2 because as much as I love my soundtrack, nothing beats live theater, don’t you agree?

For tickets or more information on the April 2 performances of Spring Awakening, visit: http://www.statetheatrenj.org/spring_awakening

How long have I been a Jeff Beck fan?

2011-03-08T07:43:00.000-08:00

Contributed by Garry Owen, Group, Advertising, & Sponsorship Consultant

From the first day I picked up a guitar and began a life long journey into rock and roll music, psychedelia etc….Jeff Beck has been a part of my life. I remember well that first time I tried to play "Over Under Sideways Down," spending countless hours trying to figure out how he made that sound. Even today, I listen to him, watch him play, and I’m still trying to figure out how he makes those Jeff Beck sounds!

Now one of my dreams is about to come true, right here in our humble theater, we welcome a true guitar god! Not just anyone that people might consider a good player or accomplished… this is Jeff Beck! But with a twist because he will be playing the hits of none other than Les Paul how exciting is that!

I had the fortune of seeing Les play at his club in New York and although he was certainly not 100% physically (92 yrs. old) he was hilarious, great stories between songs, totally a pro, one of the highlights of my guitar life. And now, I get to see Jeff Beck play his version of Les’s songs and I can hardly wait!

Us gear heads will note that Jeff is going to be playing an array of guitars, full bodied stuff, as well as his signature Strat, Les Paul’s of course, and will be using a much different amp setup than “normal.”

All in all, and this is quite evident, I am absolutely excited about Mr. Beck and the female singer Imelda May and her band joining us at that State Theatre and I have the date plastered on every calendar in our house! I just can’t wait!

ONE SINGULAR SENSATION -- Come see A Chorus Line!

2011-02-24T06:45:00.001-08:00

By: Katie Stoppiello, Marketing and PR Intern

Desperate for a job, wondering if you’ll make the cut, hoping for a chance, dreaming for a future... We’ve all been there. It’s the reason why A Chorus Line is a timeless classic. Winner of 9 Tony ® Awards, the Pulitzer Prize, and the fourth longest running Broadway show, A Chorus Line tells the stories of 17 dancers hoping to be cast in the newest Broadway production. They open up about their dreams, their life, and the decisions they made to get where they are. A Chorus Line is not your typical musical. It is more than just song and dance or smoke and mirrors; it’s based on the true stories of real dancers.

The musical was formed from several taped workshop sessions with Broadway dancers, known as "gypsies," including eight who eventually appeared in the original cast. The two dancers running the sessions hoped that they would form a professional dance company to make workshops for Broadway dancers. Instead, their workshops quickly developed into one of the most well known musicals of all time. With book by James Kirkwood, Jr. and Nicholas Dante, lyrics by Edward Kleban, and music by Marvin Hamlisch, A Chorus Line has been playing around the world for the last three decades.

A Chorus Line, will be presented ONE NIGHT ONLY, on Thursday, March 10th at the State Theatre. Visit StateTheatreNJ.org for more information.

Irish Music Legends Make a Long Awaited Appearance

2011-02-15T13:25:00.000-08:00

Originally set to perform back in March, The Chieftains are rescheduled to perform on February 18th at the State Theatre! Not even a power outage can hold these traditional Irish musicians from the stage!

Together for almost 50 years, The Chieftains are a six-time Grammy®-winning band. They have performed around the world including places such as London, in the Capitol Building in Washington D.C., on China’s Great Wall, and for the Pope in front of an audience of over ONE MILLION people.

Formed by Paddy Maloney in 1962, The Chieftains sound has become instantly recognizable.

Although their early following was purely a folk audience, the range and variation of their music has captured a much broader public, making them today the best known Irish band in the world. Beginning as a traditionally Irish band, The Chieftains have transcended music-genre barriers and their distinctive sound can be heard with some of the biggest names in rock and pop including in Paul Mc Cartney and Stevie Wonder’s “Rainclouds” and in Art Garfunkel’s “Watermark”.

The Chieftains have been able to share their love of Irish music with millions of music lovers across the world. Now it’s your turn to come share in the love of music and see Ireland’s Official Musical Ambassadors, The Chieftains, at State Theatre in New Brunswick.

The Chieftains include:

Paddy Moloney, Uilleann pipes/Tin Whistle;

Matt Molloy, Flute; Kevin Conneff, Bodhrán/Vocal;

Triona Marshall, Harp/Keyboards;

Jon Pilatzke, Fiddle/Dance;

Jeff White, Guitar/Vocals;

Alyth McCormack, Vocals;

Deanie Richardson, Fiddle/Vocals

Nathan Pilatzke, Dance

Cara Butler, Dance

For tickets and more info go to http://www.statetheatrenj.org/the_chieftains.

The Reviews are in - 5th graders Love STREB!

2011-02-14T12:02:00.000-08:00

Jessica Kennedy, a 5th grade teacher at New Brunswick’s Roosevelt Elementary School gives us her review of the dance group STREB’s recent school day performance on Feb. 4. Also, the kids themselves share a few words with us.

Inertia, motion, force, energy, load, effort, work...the kids are making so many connections to our just-completed science unit on levers & pulleys: today they are seeing trained artist-athletes interact with machines. And it is beautiful. I've never seen the excitement level so high: in the first 5 minutes, when i heard a kid behind me shout, "I LOVE THESE PEOPLE." The loud music, the lights....as fun and unpredictable—and scary—as any rock concert i've ever been to. I ADORE, and so do the kids, the subversive boom of directions hurled among the performers...a vital communication missing from all the dance I’ve ever seen...Could there be a more perfect break in the tedium of almost two months of cancelled outdoor recreation at school, where the kids have to sit quietly in the auditorium during recess, because the teachers need to park their cars on the "blacktop" instead of the icy streets. Something like this gives me a much-needed referent to talk about art, commitment, passion...possibilities...wish dance were emphasized as much as sports in our schools.

Glad I was with my 10-year-olds who could explain to me exactly what was going on...they missed nothing! Evocative of Houdini, the first woman to go over Niagara Falls...How brilliant when physical and intellectual bravery are experienced hand in hand.

Reviews from Jessica Kennedy’s 5th grade class:

AJ: “That show made us excited and still. Elizabeth Streb is a genius for making Streb.”

AP: “It reminded me of Leonardo da Vinci. The part where the women spread out like a star reminded me of Leonardo da Vinci’s VITRUVIAN MAN!”

SM: “Streb is unspeakable. It took my breath away. Amazing.”

AA: “The performance was so awesome. Everyone was cheering for Streb when the performance ended.”

KB: “I thought STREB actioneers had a lot of skills. When everyone was in the box I was speechless, also when they were doing their dives. AMAZING'.”

DV: “My favorite part is when the performers climbed this ladder to get on this moving bar. Then this performer said to move the bar as up as it can so she can jump off it, then everyone was screaming then she jumped for the bar and landed on a drop bed and I was amazed. I loved it.”

MA: “My favorite part of the show is the part when you guys got on the round circle because you guys were brave and I saw your owner he was cool you guys rock!”

DS: “The polar wander was the coolest performance in the show.”

JB: “My favorite part was when all of the actors threw themselves from the high spot. It was amazing because it was a high height.”

PM: “This performance was so great!! I was scared when they threw yourselves from a high surface to a sponge all the way down to the floor!!!”

SM: “I liked the way the performers threw themselves off the poles.”

EH: “The show was amazing. They threw themselves like if they action figures. Please be careful when you perform. Have luck when you perform.”

The Poetry of Coming Home

2011-02-04T07:58:00.000-08:00

With all the snowstorms, it is hard to believe that Spring is just around the corner and so is my return to New Brunswick, NJ, where I will be working at the State Theatre. I will be Poet-in-Residence for the month of March. Since this is my third return visit, I now think of NJ as my home away from home. Last year I enjoyed working in the schools, senior citizen homes, vocational centers, corporations, and several halfway homes. The great joy last year was culminating with a community reading at the theater with the participants that took my workshop. They were people from all walks of life. The joy in the room that night made me an even more fervent believer that poetry is a great equalizer.

This year, as every year, I am taking my lead from what is weighing on my heart: Place. I will be facilitating workshop participants to reflect and discover their own Sense of Place. It is my belief there are two types of landscapes: the external and the internal, when we reflect and go deep we make connections and find the nexus between the two and what generally surfaces is poetry. I look forward to returning to my 2nd home and having great conversations and classes that will lead to powerful expressions.

Yours-n-Verse,
Glenis Redmond

Four Days, 44 Shows (Really.)

2011-01-31T11:45:00.000-08:00

By Lian Farrer, Vice President for Education

The week before last I was in Tampa Bay, FL, at the annual IPAY (International Performing Arts for Youth) Showcase and conference. And yes, I really did see 44 shows in just 4 days. And went to workshops, meetings, lectures, and a party or two. Despite the grueling schedule, I came home reenergized and excited about the things I saw, heard, and did.

I’ll begin with the sheep. Or, I should say, Les moutons. That’s the name of this bizarre but inspired interactive performance piece presented by a dance company from Toronto called Corpus. They set up a sheep pen (complete with sheep dung that I hope wasn’t real) on the plaza alongside the river walk. Through the crowd came a shepherd driving his flock: dancers dressed in sheep’s costumes. The dancer/actors who played the sheep should all win awards for never once breaking character during the show. They did the usual sheep-y things, including getting shorn and milked. I tasted the milk, warm from the udder. (Don’t ask.) Kids in the audience had a chance to come up to the pen and feed the critters. This show was totally goofy and unexpected. I’d like to figure out a way to work Les moutons into our State Theatre season. Can you hear me out there, Cook College?

Another show featuring herd animals was equally strange and wonderful: The Wolf and the Goat, by Italy’s Compagnia Rodisio. A wolf and a goat, natural enemies, take shelter one stormy night and, not recognizing each other in the dark, become friends. When daylight comes, will the wolf eat the goat? Will the goat manage to escape? Or will they break the accepted order of things and remain friends? (The audience never finds out.) The show is basically two actors—not in animal costumes, thank goodness—a red velvet settee, and three small lighted trees. Dressed in a simple white frock, Manuela Capece, playing the goat was all wide-eyed innocence, while Davide Doro, as the wolf, managed to be both sleazy and seductively sexy at the same time. The Wolf and the Goat was originally in Italian; my colleagues and I were further impressed when we learned that Davide Doro spoke no English, and had learned his part phonetically. Bravo, Davide!

Without a doubt, my very favorite showcase was Grug. Now, I will confess to you here that I normally don’t get too excited about shows for really little kids. But I lost my heart to a character who “began his life as the top of a burrawong tree” and who looks like this:

Grug was created by Australia’s Windmill Theatre and is based on a children’s book series that I confess I’d never heard of. The production was everything theater should be: imaginative, expertly performed, and completely captivating. I loved the clever design of the sets and puppets. Most of all, I was struck by how the actors seemed genuinely delighted to be performing for their young audience; there was no condescension and none of that exaggerated cheerfulness that makes me cringe at so many other shows targeted to kids this age. As we like to remind each other in my profession, children are just like our adult audience, only smaller.

DrumLine Live – From the Football Fields to the Theatrical Stage

2011-01-25T10:32:00.000-08:00

By Katie Smith, Marketing & PR Intern

People ordinarily anticipate football games for the general thrill and excitement of the game, the hype surrounding the players, and whether or not they will make plays in high pressure situations. However, there are many people who anticipate football games for an entirely different reason; the halftime show. At halftime, a show transpires that may often trump what occurs during quarters, and is put on by the athletes of the marching band who exhibit tremendous skills, well equivalent to their football playing peers. While dancing and “stepping” these individuals, play instruments to put on a memorable, high energy performance…and thus Drumline Live was born!

Drumline Live offers audiences a quick look into a popular tradition at America’s top Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The musical team responsible for hit movie Drumline offered their creative talents for this theatrical production, which includes modern hip hop and R&B, classic Motown, brass section highlights featuring the music of Earth, Wind, and Fire, and a vast array of other instruments. The combination of passion and skill exhibited by this 39 member cast brings audiences alive and leaves them inspired.

If you are looking for a good time and a great show, Drumline Live will not disappoint, afterall, “It’s a marching band extravaganza that parades out of the football stadium onto the stage with explosive percussion, resounding brass and dazzling choreography,” said one audience member. What’s not to enjoy?! Tickets start at $32 and are sure to sell fast so visit the http://statetheatrenj.com/drumline_live for more ticketing information, and http://www.drumlinelive.com/ for information about the show!

STOMP - What the Noise is About

2011-01-11T07:11:00.000-08:00

By Kelly Backus, Marketing Coordinator

Thirty brooms, eight lids, five short bins, ten 6 foot by 6 inch poles, 15 pounds of sand, four blocks of athletes chalk, 12 pairs of drumsticks, 200 litres of water, eight bananas, and 12 boxes of matches. No, that’s not some crazy shopping list for Home Depot—that’s a list of the materials that the cast of STOMP uses in just one week of performances!

If you don't know what STOMP is, then that list probably confused you (I know I would be!) STOMP is an international percussion sensation that's been performing all over the world since it began back in 1991 (350 cities in 36 countries). As you can see, you won't find your normal percussion instruments in this group! Instead, these performers show us that anything can be an instrument and that normal everyday noise can be made into something beautiful. These talented cast members use anything and everything to compose complex and fun rhythms that will have you dancing in your seat!

And if you think the show is only banging on cans and sweeping up floors, think again! The show is also influenced by dance and martial arts like tap and Shaolin. And make sure to watch the performers interactions—you'll catch a lot of humor if you pay close attention. This is definitely a show you'll never forget!

So if you're looking for a rocking good time, come check out STOMP at the State Theatre in New Brunswick and see just how these talented performers unconventional instruments and turn them into an outrageous performance of rhythms, percussion and dance!

Be sure to check STOMP out online at their website stomponline.com!

For tickets or more info go to http://www.statetheatrenj.org/stomp

Photo by Steve McNicholas.

Trenton's Emily Fisher Charter School Flies High with Innovative Dance Company, STREB

2010-12-13T11:42:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, December 4, a group of high school students from Trenton’s Emily Fisher Charter School made simultaneous debuts with the State Theatre and the Brooklyn-based STREB company as part of an innovative new project known as SLAM Remote. SLAM Remote used interactive video technology to connect performers and audiences in two different venues: in this case, Crossroads Theatre and the STREB Lab for Action Mechanics (SLAM) in Brooklyn. Audiences in both locations saw part of the show performed right in front of them, and part of the show onscreen via live-time streaming. In Brooklyn, the STREB ensemble launched into their high-flying, death-defying routines. Midway through the show, the action switched to Crossroads and the students from Emily Fisher. In preparation for the big event, instructors from STREB traveled to Trenton in November for a series of five workshops. The students learned the basics of STREB’s “Pop Action” technique, then created their performance piece.

In preparation for the big event, instructors from STREB traveled to Trenton in November for a series of five workshops. The Emily Fisher students learned the basics of STREB’s “Pop Action” technique, then created their performance piece.

A longtime State Theatre favorite, STREB is famous for their “extreme action” performances—a unique fusion of cutting-edge technology, dance, sports, gymnastics, and the American circus. Their performances are equally famous for creating a dynamic interaction between the audience and performers. SLAM Remote is their latest experiment in creating an artist-audience interface for this age of technology.

Below some of the students share their thoughts on the whole experience...

“I love STREB! It was so much fun I never tried anything to do with gymnastics so at first I didn’t really know what to expect…but once I got the hang of it, it was really fun. I was sore but it was so awesome I moved like never before. I hope I can do it again, the show was sooo fun! I loved to show everybody what we learned. I got so close to the teachers I didn’t want to see them go! I cried, lol, but I really am going to miss them! Love you guys :)
-Vicki, 11th Grade

“My experience with STREB was good, I really enjoyed it. Even though practice was hard and I even got hurt, it was worth it all. I'm thankful the STREB company took out time and came and showed us all we know. Thank you Sam, Cresslyn, and John. And to Ms. Miller.”
-Marelly, 11th Grade

“Well what can I say, I had soo much fun and I learned soo many things I never knew I could do, at first I was like I’m not doing that but I ended up loving it. It was an experience of a life time for me and once again thank you for this opportunity!”
-Carla, 11th Grade

“I liked it very much. It taught me a lot about myself, and what I thought I would never do. The rehearsals were hard and tiring, but through it all, it was fun. I’m very happy that I was able to be in the show, let alone to be picked as one of the students thanks to Ms. Miller. It was a good experience and it’s something I will never forget.”
-Asia, 10th Grade

“This was a once in a life time experience. I enjoyed it so much, the teaching artist's were great. They were friendly and very kind. I want to thanks them so much for teaching me stuff I never thought I would do. Now with this experience I want to keep on doing STREB. Take care Cresslyn, Sam, and John, I love you. Hopefully, I will get to see you soon and wish you the best luck on your performances. Don’t forget me!”
-Jesenia V

“Dec 4th, I thought it went excellent! My experience during the slam remote with STREB, was interesting at first. I didn’t think I was going to push myself as the way I did after the show. As myself just realizing, that anything is possible if you just try, you can conquer anything.”
-Sydnie, 10th Grade

“Well, after the great time I had in the Residency Program, it made me feel as though I should be more into theater! I loved all the attention, thanks to Ms. Miller and the staff of STREB (John, Cresslyn, Sam)”
-Katherine, 11th Grade

A Hectic Fall Season Rewards the Education Department

2010-11-23T12:59:00.000-08:00

By Jennifer Cunha, Education Assistant

The beginning of November was a busy time for the State Theatre’s Education Department. From school shows to the Free Milk & Cookies events, we had every age group attending one of our events. It started with two school day performances of Leo Lionni’s Swimmy, Frederick, and Inch by Inch on Monday, November 1st. Over 2,000 preK-3rd graders attended the performances and teachers and students alike had a blast. We even got a chance to take some new pictures of the students in the audience! That Monday also marked the beginning of the STREB residency with the high school students at Emily Fisher Charter School in Trenton. Each Monday in November, three teaching artists from the company will visit the high school. I got to watch as they used the 90 minute workshop to introduce the students to Pop Action and begin choreographing the piece that the students will be performing at Crossroads Theatre on December 4th. This was also my third annual visit to the NJEA teacher’s convention – held every year in Atlantic City. Together with representatives from American Repertory Ballet, Crossroads Theatre, George Street Playhouse, and the Zimmerli Art Museum, I was able to talk to teachers at the convention about all the different programs each of our organizations has. It’s always a fun trip (and shopping in the outlet stores isn’t bad either!). Over the weekend, the Education Department also had some of our free Milk & Cookies events for children ages 3 to 8. Cookies were donated by the sisters of the Rutgers University chapter of Kappa Phi Lambda and some sisters from Sigma Lambda Upsilon were in attendance to help run the event. There’s nothing cuter than little kids lining up for their milk and cookies after listening to stories and songs by our storyteller, Ken Galipeau. On Sunday, we were treated to a performance by the BBC Concert Orchestra. Before the performance, we held a Scientists Exploring the Arts event in the Heldrich Room of the State Theatre and welcomed back Pre-Performance Insights. The Education Department rounded out our busy week with three performances of Jason and the Argonauts in Crossroads Theatre, brought to us by Visible Fictions out of Scotland.

It was a hectic week, but I think it’s safe to say that each of these events was enjoyed by everyone who attended, and by myself most of all! As you can see, the Education Department always has something going on!

Dig out those platforms and thank ABBA for the music!

2010-11-18T13:53:00.000-08:00

By Semira Woldmichael, Marketing & PR Intern

Mamma Mia, how could we resist you? ABBA MANIA, international tribute band is coming to the State Theatre! The music of ABBA has been enjoyed by fans of all ages for almost 40 years and their hits have flawlessly transitioned from records to iPods. Their music has hit almost every medium successfully, whether it be Broadway (Mamma Mia is celebrating their 10th year on Broadway), or the big screen starring actors like Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, and Meryl Streep. It’s no wonder their songs are kept alive and on the charts with no regard for age (I remember calling Radio Disney when I was nine and winning a Super Soaker water gun for correctly completing the lyrics of "Dancing Queen").

If you’ve been looking for a trip down memory lane with classic ABBA hits and family fun, look no further. With songs like “Waterloo,” “Winner Takes It All,” “Fernando,” and “Voulez Vous,” why wouldn’t you take a chance on ABBA MANIA? They have toured the world in their quest to bring the the music of the Swedish super group to their millions of fans and now for the first time, they’ve finally arrived in the U.S. Since the super troupe formed in 1999, ABBA MANIA has been selling out shows all over the world with two hours of uplifting, dance inducing and sometimes heart-breaking songs that will leave you dancing in your seats.

Thinking of going with your friends? If you buy 4 or more tickets and mention promotional code BFF4, take $10 off the price of each ticket!

Reviewers of the show have said “…If you close your eyes, it seemed like you were listening to the real thing,” but I guarantee you won’t want to look away! For more information call 732-246-7469 or order your tickets online at: http://www.statetheatrenj.org/abba_mania

In the Mood - A 1940s Musical Revue!

2010-11-01T10:48:00.000-07:00

By Kelly Blithe, Director of Public Relations

In the Mood, now in its 17th year, began as a celebration of American music from the 1940’s a time when big bands were drawing record crowds, and when the music of the time, swing music, played a pivotal role in maintaining American morale through WWII. Now, it makes it's way to the State Theatre for a return engagement on Sunday, November 14th.

In the Mood has played a number of sellout concerts for the National Archives in Washington, DC, including the 50th Anniversary of WWII, as well as a series of USO tours. Since then, In the Mood has visited Europe and in 1997, the band and singers were selected to be part of the entertainment for the 53rd Presidential Inauguration Ball for President and Mrs. Bill Clinton.

More than a concert, In the Mood is a Big Band theatrical swing revue, featuring a company of 19 on stage including the In the Mood singers and dancers with the sensational String of Pearls Big Band Orchestra, performing the music of Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, Harry James, Erskine Hawkins, The Andrews Sisters, Frank Sinatra, and other greats of the 1940’s.

So, come on down and swing with us on November 14th, as we celebrate the big band era of the 1940s!

Kappa Phi Lambda Sorority lends a hand and bakes cookies!

2010-10-15T08:50:00.000-07:00

Guest Blog by Rutgers, Kappa Phi Lambda Sorority Treasurer Angelica Poon

On the weekend of October 2nd, the Sisters of Kappa Phi Lambda Sorority from Rutgers University were most pleased to volunteer at Milk & Cookies- an event held in the State Theatre to encourage appreciation of the art of theatre in young children. It was the first time we were exposed to this event, which was eye-opening. We felt it was a great education outreach program to encourage learning beyond school. Many of us enjoyed the storytelling ourselves, even though it was aimed at a much younger audience! Our contribution was to usher and sign in guests, and most importantly donate fresh homemade cookies to the program, which were then distributed (free of charge) to the children who attended the event. (Milk was also generously sponsored by another party to complement the delicious cookies!)

We were delighted to see the joy in the young children as they collected their cookies and milk, as we reminisced to our own childhood where milk and cookies were a divine combination and treat to always look forward to. Our Sisters also prepared a milk-free and egg-free batch of cookies and lo and behold, there was a young boy who had egg allergies. Being able to help a child who was originally excluded from the joy of cookies, was extremely rewarding. The Kappa Sisters were more than happy to put in our time to bake and volunteer at the event, as it was fun, eye-opening, and we love to help our community! We would gladly and enthusiastically do this again.

Living like a Celebrity: State Theatre Date Night Packages

2010-10-11T14:37:00.000-07:00

By Brigitte Bastaldo, Marketing & PR intern

Fine decadent chocolates, VIP seats to phenomenal theater, palette blinding dining and luxurious hotel accommodations... After a tiresome week of work, noisy kids, and towering piles of household chores, the lifestyle of the glamorous is, without doubt, an experience worth drooling over. As a New Jersey professional, wife and mom the thought of living like a celebrity—for even just one evening—is often far from fathomable. But something has changed recently that brings more glee to my soul than a random impulse purchase of a designer purse. You see, my husband and I just learned about the exciting Date Night packages offered by the prestigious State Theatre. Since then we have had the opportunity to not only see top-notch performances by international artists but we have had the opportunity to mingle backstage, sip wine, dine gloriously and more upon our recent trips to the State Theatre. Truly, State Theatre’s Date Night packages have brought a sense of exhilaration back into our lives—something well overdue.

Most who haven’t tried it yet just don’t understand my enthusiasm and loyalty to State Theatre as well as their Date Night packages. It is true that some other venues, commonly in NYC, occasionally offer some of the same perks I mentioned earlier. But it must be known that there is a distinct difference between State Theatre and these other venues that makes me favor the State Theatre without a blink.

I like the State Theatre and especially these packages because they are customizable; such that the package options are available on countless shows—not just a handful of specific shows throughout the year. I prefer them because, as a New Jersey professional, wife and mom, I don’t have to commute all the way to NYC to enjoy a wondrous night out. I like the State Theatre because I’m feel good about supporting my own community and a New Jersey based not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting the arts.

Thank you State Theatre for the glamour and romance.

Listed below are some the packages offered now:

VIP Tickets

Two Seats in VIP Box Right or VIP Box Left

Backstage Pass Access

Boraie Donor Lounge Access for Complimentary Drinks and Snacks

Tickets Plus

Two Mid-orchestra Tickets

Two Glasses of Wine

One Box of Chocolate

Getaway

Two Mid-orchestra Tickets

Hotel Accommodations

and sometimes Parking & Dining Credits

Dining

Two Mid-orchestra Tickets

$100 Dining Gift Certificate from Your Choice one of the Featured Restaurants Below

One Rose at Your Seat Before the Show

To learn more, visit: http://www.statetheatrenj.org/datenight

The Bad Boys of Magic Return to the State Theatre

2010-10-04T07:11:00.000-07:00

By Semira Woldmichael, Marketing & PR Intern

Even before I knew Penn & Teller, I KNEW Penn & Teller: They have always kind of just been there, floating around somewhere in the entertainment and pop culture world. Instantly, upon finding out about who they actually are, a liking occurs. Everyone needs a little magic in their lives and theirs is best suited for those of us in suits. An escape from the 9-5? Maybe. An entertaining show that you won’t take your eyes off? Always.

If you don’t know who Penn & Teller are, chances are, you’ve seen then around just like me. In the last 30 years, they’ve performed their provocative combination of comedy and magic at numerous venues since the late 1970s (including the State Theatre in 2001) They have made dozens of television appearances including The Drew Carey Show, Hollywood Squares, Muppets Tonight, The Bernie Mac Show, Fear Factor, The West Wing, Home Improvement, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Las Vegas, and The Simpsons. They’ve also appeared in music videos for Run-DMC in "It's Tricky" and just recently in Katy Perry’s “Waking Up in Vegas.”

Don’t know what to expect: knife flinging, bullet catching, and trapeze swinging fun! Penn & Teller do not really follow the same routine to say the least. Don’t miss your chance to see their return to the State Theatre on November 4th! For ticketing information call 732-246-7469 or go to http://www.statetheatrenj.org/penn_and_teller.

Smooth Sailing for the Blues and Jazz Festival

2010-09-29T17:58:00.000-07:00

By Kelly Blithe, Director of Public Relations

Did anyone catch a performance from this year's New Jersey Blues and Jazz Festival?! Well, if you didn't, you missed out. The festival is the one time of year that we turn our venue inside out like nothing you have ever seen before. Everything is on stage, and I mean everything...the artist, the audience, the crew, the bar, the brooms, the lights...the works. It is all out there for everyone to see, plus you get an amazing view of the inside of the theater (the view of where you would normally sit). It's so up close and personal that sometimes it feels a little surreal and to top it off when setting up for the actual festival, the mood is so relaxed and laid back (like the shows) that setting up is effortless. Every year I anticipate something will go wrong and every year I am surprised to find out that the festival goes on without any crazy unexpected shenanigans (yeah I said shenanigans). So, if you missed it, then you missed an amazing time, but I guess there is always next year. Here are some great photos of Regina Carter's performance by photographer Mary A. Brown.

Rola-bola of death! Tell me more!

2010-09-14T06:40:00.000-07:00

By Kelly Blithe, Director of Public Relations

You may or may not have seen, but recently we posted The Passing Zone's (a juggling duo here on 11/21/10) "Top 5 Dangerous Tricks" ...which are...

5. The Chainsaw Ballet
4. The Rola-bola... of death!
3. Wearing white after Labor Day
2. Rat Traps, Leapfrog, Volunteer, need we say more?
1. Hurling dangerous objects so close to the audience, without properly warming up!

Now, I don't know about you but I want to know what the "Rola-bola of death" is!! And that's what these guys are all about, keeping us on our toes, in fact they literally keep audiences on their toes since many of their tricks include volunteer participation. I know volunteer participation is not for everyone, but isn't it funny when your Dad, husband, wife, or crazy Uncle get dragged into it? I think so. Any way, I'll let you decide for yourself, enjoy the clip below...

State Theatre Marketing and PR Internship Reflection

2010-09-07T10:35:00.000-07:00

By State Theatre Marketing and PR intern, Matt Lipsky

Every summer thousands of college students from around the country emerge from the safety of their dorm rooms and lecture halls and return home. They trade their cargo shorts and hoodies for slacks and ties and for some inexplicable reason, subject themselves to the internship process. As a student, especially a business student, this tradition of unpaid employment is inescapable. “If you want to get a job when you graduate,” we are told, “you have to have a strong resume of internships first.” Moreover, as useful as a college degree is, much of what one needs to know to work in an office is overlooked by professors and theory textbooks. As a student looking for an internship, it is difficult to know what to expect. Every employer says the same thing—something along the lines of, “you will have to do some filing or data entry, but I promise you will learn a lot here too.” It is hard to know when selecting an internship where on the continuum it falls – will this one be more filing and less learning, or more learning and less filing?

In the case of the State Theatre Marketing and PR internship, the scale is tipped heavily towards the learning end. Although not every task was exciting work, I was never asked to do anything that is not marketing related. Admittedly, many of the projects I worked on earlier in the summer were centered around the slow process of posting State Theatre events all over the internet, even this task was fundamentally the leg work of the theater’s online marketing strategy. As the summer progressed, my list of tasks quickly shifted away from mind-numbing website postings toward the writing of press releases, researching and contacting organizations with which to cross-promote and planning the promotion of the NJ Blues & Jazz Festival featuring Sugar Blue, Eddie Palmieri, Maria Muldaur, and Regina Carter (hey, I’m in marketing). Working in a theater, especially one with such a diverse season, proved to be a great experience. Instead of spending all day, every day promoting the same product to the same potential clients, this venue offers an opportunity to experience the promotion of very different events to very different groups. Marketing strategies for such exciting upcoming shows as Michael Feinsten: Sinatra Project and Leo Lionni’s Swimmy, Frederick and Inch by Inch (what, did you think the shameless marketing would stop?) differ immensely.

Of course, as anyone who works in an office knows, much of what makes a job enjoyable or not is the people you work with. In that respect, the State Theatre certainly has not disappointed. The staff is fun, extremely good at what they do, and most of all dedicated. The fact that everyone here likes what they do is certainly reflected in the quality of the product they provide – excellent shows year after year. As an intern, I have learned as much about what it takes to enjoy office life as I have about marketing and PR.

Back on the Fringe

2010-09-02T12:31:00.000-07:00

By Lian Farrer, Vice President for Education

Your intrepid Vice President for Education has been running herself ragged scouting out fabulous new shows for the State Theatre. There are all kinds of showcases and conventions where performing artists display their wares, but for sheer density, none can compare with the New York Fringe Festival. Close to 650 performances in just 17 days, at 18 tiny venues scattered across Greenwich Village, Soho, the East Village, and the Lower East Side. Despite my best efforts, I was not able to see all 197 productions. I did manage to pack in 21 shows in 6 days, which you must admit is pretty impressive.

So, how did it go? Pretty much what I’ve come to expect from my annual Fringe Binge. About 90 percent of the shows fell into one of two categories: just plain awful (no, I’m not going to name names, so don’t bother to ask), or not quite good enough/not a good fit for the State Theatre. The remaining 10 percent passed both the “great theater” and “right for us” tests. I’ll talk about those.

Of my three winners, two of them were companies I saw at last year’s Fringe and booked at the State Theatre this season. Run, do not walk, to BAMA Theatre’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, playing here April 1-2. These nimble actors speak “Shakespearian” so naturally and fluently that you’ll forget the lines were written in the 16th-century. I’ve seen a lot of productions of this play—but none that makes the complicated plot so crystal clear, and none with such a sense of fun. Think I’m exaggerating? Read the Wall Street Journal’s review of BAMA’s latest production, As You Like It. I rest my case.

My other discovery from last year’s Fringe is the Project Girl Performance Collective in a show called Voices of Our Generation. The ensemble, made up of 16 girls ranging in age from 13 to about 20, is smart, outspoken, and immensely talented. In 40+ short pieces—spoken word poetry, songs, monologues, and ensemble scenes—they explore issues important to young women today. Some of the material is pretty heavy, but the overarching message is one of strength and empowerment. You’d be smart to skip out of class or work to catch the State Theatre’s school-day performance (Monday, April 4 at 10:30am). Bring your teenage daughters—sons, too.

New to me at this year’s Fringe was a solo play, For Kingdom and Fatherland. In one of those truth-is stranger-than-fiction stories, Shabana Rehman recounts her autobiographical tale of being a Pakistani Muslim female standup comic in Norway. A survivor of childhood abuse, death threats, and other ordeals too numerous to mention, Shabana speaks out against Islamist fundamentalism, government bureaucracy, and the oppression of women. The show is by turns provocative, inspiring, and really, really funny. I’m keeping my eye on this one.

My assistant Jenn (like me, a real theater junkie) scouted some additional shows that simply wouldn’t fit into my schedule. She’s pretty excited about a show called Hamlettes. According to the description, “Three pre-pubescent girls decide to stage a production of Hamlet. When, as an exercise, they decide to never drop character, the dramas of their middle-school quibbles magnify, resulting in a very real tween tragedy.” Shakespeare meets Mean Girls? Gotta check this show out for myself.

My First Radio Experience

2010-08-26T11:31:00.000-07:00

A guest blog by Marketing & PR Intern Whitney Zrebiec

It’s simple, every college student has to start at the bottom and work their way up. I am just getting my feet wet in the world or PR and Marketing, and it is safe to say it is a very tough industry. Over the past few months I have been interning for the State Theatre in PR and marketing and also at a radio station in their promotions department; these are both unpaid internships, and for the radio station it requires a good amount of traveling up and down the Garden State Parkway on a weekly basis. However, despite all of that I can say it is one of the best experiences I have ever had.

I have seen the ins and outs of how promoting a radio station really works, we are given responsibilities to make sure everything goes smoothly, and it really makes you feel like you are making a difference. From live broadcasts, to appearances at carnivals, baseball games, and fairs, the detail that goes into every event is extraordinary.

Many people are very skeptical when I discuss all of my unpaid jobs for the summer, but they simply just don’t understand. I mean what type of job allows you to spend the day at the Jersey shore, interacting and playing games with everyone on the boardwalk? What type of job allows you to spend the day at Six Flags: Great Adventure to see well known radio hosts broadcast their show? I think it’s safe to say there aren’t many, I’ve found something worth trying to persue in the future.

We're Back & Cooler Than Ever

2010-08-23T06:53:00.000-07:00

In less than one month, the State Theatre re-opens its doors to audiences for the first time since late July. After a summer of renovations for our new heating/air conditioning system, we will be back and better than ever! And for those of you who have been away, we have added a whole bunch of shows to our 2010-11 line-up, including comedians Ron White (3/3/11) and Gabriel Iglesias (1/20/11); contemporary Christian group, MercyMe (10/14/10); and former Styx front man Dennis DeYoung with a concert featuring the music of Styx (3/5/10).

Our latest brochure hits mailboxes right after labor day and will include a complete list of shows up until this point. To make sure you get one, give us a call, we’ll mail you a copy (732-246-7469). Until then, check us out online: http://www.statetheatrenj.org/eventstickets/calendarevents/

See you in September!

The Crossing - A Concert Choir with a Twist

2010-08-17T10:20:00.000-07:00

A guest blog by Marketing & PR Intern Joanna

For many people, listening to a choir concert might not sound like a fun way to spend an afternoon. However, The Crossing is attempting to change the way people think about choirs. Founded in 2005, the choir is unique because they sing newly composed and modern music. The Philadelphia Inquirer has called them “Philadelphia’s Best Chorus”, and said “most of the music presented by Donald Nally’s choir, The Crossing, lies outside describable musical contexts”. This is what makes the choir so exciting.

This summer, during their “Month of Moderns” concert series, the choir presented three premieres on words of Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Phillip Levine: Statement to the Court by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Lang; The Memory of Rain by Lansing McLoskey; and Breath by Paul Fowler. I was struck by how well The Crossing crafted a start to finish experience for the audience member. The concert program included some of the most unique program notes I have encountered, and I enjoyed being guided by them. I especially liked the special note for each piece, explaining how the choir came to find it. Following the concert, the entire audience was invited to an elegant, free reception that featured the opportunity to mingle with the choir members and fellow concert goers. This provided a lovely bookend to the beautiful music that came before.

Surprisingly, The Crossing’s administration, marketing, and outreach services are entirely donated. This allows them to focus all of their funds on creating and maintaining an excellent artistic product. However, as you can imagine, it provides unique challenges to the organization and requires innovation and creativity in order to succeed. It was inspiring to see how much they have already been able accomplish. One of their marketing tactics that impressed me was being given a free CD of tracks and clips from previous concerts as a gesture of goodwill for joining the choir’s mailing list. They simply asked that after listening (or importing the tracks into iTunes!) I pass the CD onto someone who is unfamiliar with The Crossing.

Tessitura Conference Blog = Day 4

2010-08-11T06:30:00.000-07:00

By Dan Grossman, Vice President of Marketing

Day 4 (Wednesday 8/11/10 - 8am): WOW! The past day and a half have been a whirlwind. Sessions have been VERY informative. The trends in mobile and social networking are eye opening to say the least. POP put out a mobile ticketing platform that delivers tickets as a barcode to mobile iPhones. Also, folks are now implementing text to donate campaigns, which are pretty successful. Selling tickets on Facebook is not far off (Disney is already doing it) and businesses are now allowing customers to log into their site via Facebook through Open Graph (FB CONNECT) which opens up a ton of connectivity and communication on the host website using Facebook technology. I also learned a lot about TravelZoo, dynamic pricing models, real-time data initiatives, shared services, tracking marketing efforts, and ROI in fundraising to name a few. We have also been having lots of social activities. We went to the Kennedy Center, the largest Performing Arts Center in the world under one roof (AMAZING) and a Nationals baseball game. Both events were loads of fun. Well, I am off to more sessions and networking. Bye for now…

Tessitura Conference Blog = Day 1 and 2

2010-08-09T07:13:00.000-07:00

By Dan Grossman, Vice President of Marketing
(background note: Tessitura is the State Theatre's Ticketing Software, there are 324 other organizations who also use Tessitura, including Carnegie Hall, Kimmel Center, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Day 1 (Sunday 8/8/10 - 2pm): I woke up at 6am to the wonderful sounds of my 2 year-old daughter saying, “Daddy, I feel sick.” This actually means, “I’m ready to play.” I had a nice morning with my wife and two kids, who kindly dropped me off at the Trenton, NJ, train station. I got on the train and I joined Leah Anglum (Development Associate) and Don McKim (Ticket Office Manager) on our journey to DC. We went through Philadelphia, PA; Wilmington, DE; Baltimore, MD; and finally Washington DC. We hopped in a cab and feared for our lives for about 15 minutes until we arrived safely at the Gaylord National Hotel. As I was in line to check in, I saw a nice gentleman who works at the hotel. We got to chatting and it turns out that we went to the same high school and I graduated with his sister. Well, lucky me. I got upgraded to a three room corner suite on the 19th floor. AWESOME. We went over to the conference area to check in and bumped into Joe Rodriguez (Staff Accountant) and a few people from the Network that we see every year. Now I am going to unpack, unwind and get ready for a night of networking with fellow Tessiturians. This is going to be one great conference!

Day 2 (Monday 8/9/10 - 8am): Let the networking begin! Last night we gathered together as a large group to kick off the conference at the NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKING AT THE POTOMAC. We represent groups from all of the world—Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Canada, Great Britain, and U.S.A. Don Youngberg, the VP and MC of Tessitura calls it the United Nations of Tessitura. We kicked the event off in one big room and then we split into Block Parties. Block Party 1 was by organization type (performing arts centers) and Block Party 2 was by job type (Marketing). So, we ate and got to meet some cool people who all share similar trials and tribulations. Then, we all got back together at the end to wrap up and hear the Tessitura Chorus unveil the new network mission. After the dinner it was off to the huge atrium at the Gaylord Hotel for drinks and more networking. I conversed with my co-workers and Claire from Tampa Bay Florida (who uses Tessitura as a registrar software for a conservatory), Jeremy from San Francisco (who is a union Box Office Manager with the Symphony out there), and a half dozen other people from around the Globe. Well, today should be great! I’m off to two sessions about social media and Tessitura 360 in the morning and then will hit a reporting class in the afternoon. Finally, we will have a big dinner at the Kennedy Center – I am really looking forward to visiting that venue for the first time.

My Day at NJN

2010-08-02T06:31:00.000-07:00

One of the huge perks of my job as VP of Marketing at the State Theatre is live TV appearances. As someone who once aspired to be an actor (until I realized I did not have the guts to go through with it), I sincerely love appearing on pledge drives at NJN. So far, I have worked on pledge drives for Carol Burnett, Richard Nader’s Doo Wop, Anuna, Loretta Laroche, Benise, and most recently Ethan Bortnick. This not only gives me the opportunity to re-live my childhood fantasy of being on television, but, more importantly, NJN provides a platform for me to boast about the State Theatre and our programs. I talk about the history of the building, the excitement in the City of New Brunswick, and the fantastic programs we host for our audiences.

Additionally, I get to work directly with some really great people, both famous and not so famous. The staff at NJN, and my point person Donna Richards, are so professional and slick—from the production team to the membership team and everyone in between. Just yesterday I met a 9-year-old piano prodigy, Ethan Bortnick, and his father Gene. Ethan is incredibly humble, likable, and talented. He’s so well-spoken and is truly a 9-year-old. He is an inspiration to all young children that you are never too young to throw yourself into your passion. All-in-all, the State Theatre / NJN partnership is a win-win for us all. They raise money and we sell tickets! I hope that we continue working together for many years to come.

—Daniel Grossman, Vice President for Marketing

Postcard from Tampa

2010-07-26T06:21:00.000-07:00

Who’d believe that June in Tampa, Florida would be about 20 degrees cooler than in New Jersey? It was still plenty hot and humid at the International Performing Arts for Youth (IPAY) meetings I attended there last month. I serve on both the Board and Selection Committee of IPAY, which is quite an honor for me and for the State Theatre. Well shielded from the Florida sunshine, I spent most of my four-day junket holed up in a conference room with about a dozen of my colleagues and associates.

IPAY is made up of education directors of performing arts centers, along with performers and artist managers dedicated to programs for young audiences. Our big event is an annual juried Showcase, where about 20 companies from around the world are chosen to perform for an audience of about 250 presenters who book shows for young people and families. I can’t reveal yet which shows earned a performance slot at the 2011 Showcase; the official selections will be posted on the IPAY website in the coming months.

The IPAY Showcase takes place every January, in a different North American location each year. The 2011 Showcase in Tampa is being hosted by the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts. So I’ll be back in Florida this winter—when I expect I’ll be better able to appreciate the climate!

I’ve learned the hard way that it’s extremely risky to make programming decisions based on word-of-mouth or even video. Therefore, I almost never book a company I’ve never seen perform live. Showcase gives me the opportunity to attend full-length performances of phenomenal shows from all over North America, Europe, and Australia—shows I’d otherwise never get to see on my tiny travel budget! One of my all-time favorite Showcase discoveries is coming to the State Theatre in November: Jason and the Argonauts, a brilliant production from a truly amazing Scottish theater company called Visible Fictions. Who’d have thought Greek mythology could be so hilarious—while staying completely true to the story? If you’re a theater fan and can get an hour off from work (the performances are during the school day), don’t miss this one!

Lian Farrer, Vice President for Education
State Theatre

NEW LEADERSHIP AT THE STATE THEATRE

2010-07-20T08:29:00.000-07:00

We recently announced a new Executive Committee, two new Trustees, as well as the appointment of an Interim Chief Operating Officer.

The new Executive Committee elected at the June annual meeting of the Board of Trustees includes Warren R. Zimmerman, Chairman; Efrem B. Dlugacz, Vice Chairman; Douglas M. Garback, Secretary; and Frederick P. Pierce, Treasurer.

We are also happy to announce the addition of two new Trustees, Susan Podlogar, Worldwide VP Compensation Resources & Productivity at Johnson & Johnson, and a resident of New Brunswick; and Raj Singh, Managing Director and Head of the Recapitalization & Restructuring Investment Banking Group for Raymond James and Associates from New York City.

“It is truly my pleasure to serve as the new Chairman of this great historic State Theatre,” recently stated Zimmerman. “I am committed to the patrons, staff, and the Board of Trustees in providing the leadership and support to continue to build the best theatre we can. With our strong capable staff and committed Board of Trustees, I have no doubt we will continue to maintain and improve the level of quality and service our patrons deserve. I am excited about the future of the State Theatre and I look forward to seeing everyone there!”

As our search for a new State Theatre President & CEO continues, following the June retirement of former President & CEO Wes Brustad, we have announced that Marion Combs, Senior Vice President for Development, will assume responsibility as Interim Chief Operating Officer. Combs will act as Interim COO until a successor for Brustad is hired later in the fall.

“The State Theatre staff is really excited about our upcoming 2010-2011 lineup of performances and festivals! We’ve got something for everybody, including great performing arts experiences for school children. Working with the Board of Trustees and its dynamic leadership team, we will continue to focus on artistic excellence and financial stability,” commented Marion Combs.

Chairman Warren R. Zimmerman, a resident of Piscataway, is an AVP in Information Technology at Chubb & Son. Vice Chairman Efrem B. Dlugacz of Princeton is Vice President of Worldwide Benefits for Johnson & Johnson; Secretary Douglas M. Garback, a resident of North Brunswick, is the owner/premiere agent of The Garback Agency; and Treasurer Frederick P. Pierce, a resident of Basking Ridge, is a Senior Vice President of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney.

The continuing Board members are Ann H. Asbaty of Randolph; Sam Boraie of New Brunswick; Elizabeth Hance of New Brunswick; Bill Herman of Clifton; Patricia Howard of Manalapan; Joe Light of Somerset; Andrew J. Markey of Basking Ridge; Sherard Murphy of Piscataway; and Robin Suydam of Somerset.

Q & A with Runt of the Litter star Bo Eason

2010-07-13T09:04:00.000-07:00

Bo Eason, a former NFL player turned actor/writer performs his one-man play Runt of the Litter at the State Theatre March 2011. Recently, Bo took some time to talk to us about his upcoming show, how he made the move from the NFL to theater, and his big plans for bringing Runt of the Litter to the silver screen.

Q: How were you received by your fans, as well as your peers, when you made the transition from the NFL to acting/writing?
A: What’s funny about this, is that I’ve always kept one eye on drama. When I was in high school, I was taking acting classes and none of my football teammates ever knew. Then, in college I minored in drama, and still none of my teammates knew. So, in 1989 when I retired from the NFL, I moved to New York City and I did play after play. I was afraid they would make fun. I remember my first play was a children’s play in which I was the mayor of this elf town and my brother (Tony Eason) who was the quarterback of the New England Patriots at the time and my friend Kenny O’Brien who was the quarterback of the Jets, came to see me. After the play, they came up to me and said “six months ago, you were playing football and signing autographs for fans and now you’re in a top hat and performing in front of a bunch of kids who aren’t paying attention.” From that point on I knew I had to start from the bottom. So, when Runt premiered in Houston, where I used to play, it was great to hear my former teammates say “that’s so cool Bo,” or “Bo, I didn’t know you liked that, man, I wish I would have done that.” So, acting was a secret all my life but now everyone was rallying around it and it was a great feeling.

Q: How much of the show is autobiographical?
A: Most of it is based on the truth, and the story of my brother and I. However, there is a segment in the play that is not true but I thought it would be an interesting concept to explore and it has to do with two brothers meeting face to face.

Q: What would you say is more challenging, football or acting? Do you find they have similar challenges or are they complete opposites?
A: A lot, a lot of training for both. Twenty years of training for football and 20 years of training for acting. And in stage acting, the preparation is the same as football, you have to learn all the elements to do it well and it takes years and years. The training for being a safety in football is so specific, running forward and sideways and backwards, and the same goes for acting but they both involve body, movement, and structure.

Q: In terms of preparation, rehearsing, practicing, etc, what goes into preparing for a game versus preparing for a show?
A: There was this one sensation that happened to me before a game, where I would be in tunnel, in the dark and I would hear the music and the announcer start introducing the players and I would just think, ‘what if I just turned around and ran out of the stadium and drove off in my car.’ And the same happens before a show, I am sitting backstage, in the dark, and I think ‘what if I just turned around and ran out the back door.’ But there is something that always makes me take that step. And I love overcoming it, I love overcoming my fears, whether it is playing an NFL game or performing on Broadway.

Q: We hear that you have written a screen play based on the show and that it will soon be a major motion picture. Can you tell us a little about that and how far along that is? Is there a director or have any actors been cast yet?
A: A couple of years ago, Frank Darabont (the director of the Shawshank Redemption and Green Mile) came to see Runt in Santa Monica in a little theater with about 30 people. And after the show, he came up to me and said ‘Bo, I think this would be a great movie, and I think you should be the one to write the screenplay.’ And I thought, I don’t know the first thing about writing a screenplay. So, together Frank and I pitched Castlerock and they bought the rights and I went on to write the screenplay with Frank kind of looking over my shoulder. Frank is a multi-Academy Award nominated writer, so it was like I was in Grad school and Frank was the teacher. And after a few years, I ended up taking the movie rights back and I just finished rewriting the screenplay. We are hoping to start filming next year, late spring or early summer. There have been a few directors who have show interest including Rob Reiner, DJ Caruso (Eagle Eye), and John Lee Hancock (The Blindside). The actors interested have ranged from Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, and James Franco to Nicholas Cage, Ryan Phillipe, and Orlando Bloom. All of whom have either asked to be in the movie or if I could write them a movie with roles like that. So, a lot of people have circled around the movie because of the play.

Ringo Starr in New Brunswick

2010-07-06T13:59:00.000-07:00

BACKSTAGE PASS FROM THE BELLY OF THE BEAST
By Larry Dember - Director of Production

I was lucky to grow up a drummer in the late 60s and early 70s with such great music. Even luckier to have great drum teachers like Pete Bross (Gary U.S. Bonds, Hermans Hermits), Mickey Sheen , John Macaluso (Yngwie Malmsteen, James Labrie of Dream Theater, TNT, Riot, Starbreaker, and ARK) and Bobby Rondinelli (Black Sabbath, Rainbow), but there was always one drummer that stood out to me…Ringo Starr of The Beatles.

STARRDATE-LOG
March 17th, 3:00pm: I spoke with my old friend Tommy O, Bass player from Candy and Fortress, and asked him who he would like to see at the State Theatre. Tommy said Ringo. Ironically, the next day we booked Ringo. I was a hero.

Day of Show…
6:30am: My five year old son wakes me up with “good morning Daddy, Ringo needs you,” which I am sure was a prompting from my wife. (Since I produce concerts my work schedule can be erratic and have extremely long days. Some people would not comprehend that for an 8pm show time a Production Directors day starts at 7am.)

7:30am: Meet my Live Nation co-promoter at venue and let caterer in to set up hot breakfast. (No Ringo is not here yet, this is a crew breakfast, about 25 people.)

9:00am: Meet Ringo’s production manager to tour the venue and assign dressing rooms, introduce the heads of each department (sound, lights, deck, fly and steward), plus the runner and the caterer for the day. Once settled in I ask if I could get a drum head signed for the theater and perhaps a picture. The response was “zero chance, I guess you didn’t see Larry King live where Ringo declared he loved the fans but would not be signing anything for anyone anymore. Apparently, someone had Ringo sign a Make a Wish Foundation Beatle Memorabilia and it ended up on EBAY soon afterward and that was the final straw”. I am still staying hopeful I can catch him in the wings and grab a photo.

12:00pm: Crew is still setting up risers, sound, lights, and hanging backdrops. No Ringo yet but I am told he will be arriving from NY via private car around 6pm to sound check and have a bite. Just maybe we will bump into each other in the green room.

1:00pm: Lunch for the crew and most loaders go home till load out, just heard Bon Jovi, Sean Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, and McCartney are coming tonight!

2:00pm: Ringo is turning 70 on Wednesday and after his show at Radio City his sister-in-law and her husband (Joe Cocker) are throwing him a birthday party for 400 of his closest friends. Stage is dark till 6pm sound check. A lot of waiting.

3:00pm: 1500th email from long lost friends, “Hey any chance of meeting Ringo tonight?”

4:00pm: State Theatre Vice President of Development, “Can I bring some donors backstage tonight?” I told him “Ringo is old but I don’t think it looks that serious”.

6:00pm: Ringo enters the building and slips on stage for a sound check with the band. There is truly a magical feeling in the building.

7:00pm: Ringo slips off stage and into his dressing room.

7:15pm: Dave Hartkern, Director of Operations and I meet and talk with Gregg Bissonette, great drummer and guy.

7:30pm: I bring back Warren Zimmerman, Chairman of the State Theatre Board of Trustees to meet Ringo. Instead, get a humble meet and greet with his tour manager.

7:45pm: I return backstage and find……RINGO! in the hallway and I say, “Hey Man” to which he replies something inaudible and walks into his dressing room.

7:50pm: Greg comes out of his dressing room and says “hey Larry I can’t go on, you drum tonight” and hands me his sticks. That was a cool moment for me. I handed back his sticks and asked him if he could teach me to close up my paradiddles.

8:05pm: Ringo and the all stars, Rick Derringer, Richard Page (Mr. Mister), Wally Palmar (The Romantics), Edgar Winter, Gary Wright, and drummer Gregg Bissonette, take the stage with “It Don’t Come Easy”. Two hours of good old rock and roll tunes from all of the band mate’s solo projects and bands.

10:00pm: (on the dot) Ringo comes off stage and is escorted to his car. Dave and I greet him as he leaves, enters his car, and I say “Thanks for coming” and Ringo responds, “No, thank you, good night”. It was over and done. A long awaited brush with greatness is now one for the record. A full capacity house and very satisfied audience, and another great show for the State Theatre and Live Nation.

2:00am: Last truck is loaded and the crew busses roll out to Radio City Music Hall.

3:30am: Bed.

I am still trying to comprehend the no signing and no photograph policy Ringo has. I was forced to actually live the moment so much that you can taste the adrenalin, and you know I really loved it. The most satisfying feeling being in the entertainment industry for me is to see and hear the glow of the audience as they walk out of exhilarating live performance, especially of such iconic proportions. Next up, Melissa Etheridge July 16th and Cheap Trick/Squeeze July 18th.

Come out and see a show.

Larry Dember - Director of Production

Here's the set list for the State Theatre show:
1. It Don't Come Easy
2. Honey Don't
3. Choose Love
4. Hang on Sloopy (Rick Derringer)
5. Free Ride (Edgar Winter)
6. Talking in your sleep (Wally Palmer)
7. I Wanna be your man
8. Dream Weaver (Gary Wright)
9. Kyrie (Richard Page)
10. The Other Side of Liverpool
11. Yellow Submarine
12. Frankenstein (Edgar Winter)
13. Peace Dream
14. Back off Boogaloo
15. What I Like About You (Wally Palmer)
16. Rock & Roll Hoochie Koo (Rick Derringer)
17. Boys
18. Love is Alive (Gary Wright)
19. Broken Wings (Richard Page)
20. Photograph
21. Act Naturally
22. With a Little Help From My Friends/ Give Peace a Chance (reprise)

Experiencing the Wizarding World of Harry Potter

2010-06-29T15:12:00.000-07:00

As someone who works for a live performing arts and entertainment venue, I sometimes find myself looking past the "magic" of an entertainment experience and directly to the "yeah, I know how they did that." I don't do it on purpose, but when you are "behind the scenes" a lot, you sometimes forget how to just become the spectator.

I recently spent my vacation in sunny Florida in which I was lucky enough to visit the brand-new section of Universal Studios - Islands of Adventure, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

It was insane. Insane crowds, insane lines, but more importanly it was insane just how much effort was put into every little detail of this imaginary world. And for the first time, in a long time, I didn't know what to say....and the best part is, I didn't want to know the secrets of how they "did this" or "created that." (And I couldn't even begin to guess on some things.) I walked through Hogwarts Castle in line for the "Forbidden Journey" ride and I didn't want to move forward because I wanted to soak up every inch of every room that we passed by (Dumbledore's office, the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom). Not to mention, the ride itself, is truly something that other rides should aspire to be.

Now, don't get me wrong, after I left the park I had plenty to say (just as we all do, after we see a great movie or show). But, while I was there, I was in sort of a Harry-Potter-coma. I wanted to live in Hogwarts, eat nothing but chocolate frogs from Honey Dukes, and drink endless cups of butter beer. But alas, I am back in New Jersey and back to reality. And I can't wait for my next dose of Harry Potter magic (bring on Deathly Hallows!).

-Kelly Skinner, Director of Public Relations

If you are thinking about visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and have a few questions, I would be happy to answer whatever I can. Please email pressrelations@statetheatrenj.org

This Summer - Music and Air Conditioning!

2010-06-09T08:24:00.000-07:00

Summer is here! And for us, summer means music! And this year we have 3 big music concerts: Ringo Starr (7/5/10), Melissa Etheridge (7/16/10), and Squeeze and Cheap Trick (7/18/10). We are super excited and ready to rock! So, now you know what we have this summer, but what you don't know is why only 3? That my friends, is because we are gearing up for an installation of a new HVAC system! I know, not as exciting as our 3 star concerts, but important nevertheless. For years, as an older venue, we have had on again, off again issues with our air conditioning and heat (as some of you may recall). So, finally after years of "temporary fixes," this summer Middlesex County has decided to invest a million dollars into a new HVAC system for the theater. And because we are an older building (est. 1921) the process will take much longer than most. This the reason why we must temporarily close down the building for the summer following our 3 music concerts.

In fact, preliminary work has already begun. We are in the first stage, which is the "foundations for steel" stage (not quite sure what that exactly means just yet). So, we have a long way to go, but I will definitely keep everyone posted on the project. For now, stay cool and don't forget to buy your summer concert tickets before they sell out (because they will)!

—Kelly Skinner, Director of Public Relations

NONPROFIT STATE THEATRE BENEFIT RAISES $520,000!

2010-05-26T07:06:00.000-07:00

On May 22, the State Theatre Benefit Gala 2010, That’s Entertainment! A Las Vegas Experience featuring Lynda Carter honored Dr. Norman Reitman and raised $520,000 for the nonprofit performing arts center. Additionally, the State Theatre distributed its first “Leadership in the Arts Award” to retiring president Wesley Brustad. The Gala festivities, which included dinner and dancing at The Heldrich hotel, also included an authentic casino experience with a variety of gaming tables, raffles, and opportunities to win prizes.

The Gala Chairs were Ann. H. Asbaty, Senior Vice President, National Accounts, CIGNA, and Efrem B. Dlugacz, Vice President, Total Rewards and Health Resources, Johnson & Johnson.

“An incredible Gala Committee and Theatre staff with the support of our individual patrons and corporate sponsors created the magic again. The beneficiaries, of course, are the arts in Central New Jersey and the educations programs sponsored by the State Theatre,” commented Gala co-chairs Efrem Dlugacz and Ann Asbaty.

“In a time when special event attendance and funding seem to be waning, we were thrilled to be busting at the seams in The Heldrich hotel. The State Theatre grossed over half a million dollars with this event, allowing the Theatre to finish its fiscal year solidly in the black. This was in no small part due to Dr. Norman Reitman, our honoree of the evening. If ever there was a man who symbolizes all that is good about New Brunswick and its environs, it is Dr. Reitman. We were proud to stand with him in service to our community,” added Wes Brustad, State Theatre President & CEO.

Brustad, who is retiring this year, was also presented with an award at this year’s Gala. The State Theatre Board of Trustees awarded Brustad with a “Leadership Award in the Arts” award for his years of service to the arts community in New Jersey and around the country.

More than 550 patrons attended the Black-Tie Dinner Dance at New Brunswick’s The Heldrich hotel. Among the attendees were community, arts, business and civic leaders from central New Jersey and around the state.

The State Theatre Benefit Gala 2010 committee included (Trustee Vice Chairman/Gala Co-chair) Ann H. Asbaty of Randolph; (Trustee/Gala Co-chair) Efrem B. Dlugacz of Princeton; Madiha Boraie and Karla Brustad of Milltown; Diane Garback of North Brunswick; Cathy Gombas of East Brunswick; (Trustee) Bill Herman of Clifton; Carolyn and Dave Horn of Hillsborough; (Trustee)Patricia Howard of Manalapan; (Trustee Chairman) Andrew J. Markey of Basking Ridge; Hon. Cathy Nicola of North Brunswick; (Trustee Treasurer) Morton Plawner of Monroe Twp; and Lisa Rapolas of Somerset.

The State Theatre Benefit Gala 2010 Honoree was Dr. Norman Reitman. Dr. Reitman, an alumnus of both Rutgers College and NYU Medical School, has been a patron of the State Theatre since its doors opened in 1921. After starting his medical practice in 1938, Reitman developed a solo practice into Cardiology Associates of New Brunswick, a partnership of 11 physicians.

Thank you to all the sponsors that made this happen, including ACS, a Xerox Company; BNY Mellon; CIGNA; Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey; Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies; PSE&G, Russell and Stephanie Deyo; Mercer; and Towers Watson; to name a few.

Photo by Kyle D. Barker.

Two Sold Out Shows = One Busy Weekend

2010-05-18T08:56:00.000-07:00

We are happy to say that more than 3,700 people attended the State Theatre this past weekend. On Saturday, May 15 people filled the hall for comedian Joel McHale (star of NBC's Community and E!'s The Soup) as he performed his live stand-up (complete with Ryan Seacrest and Kim Kardashian jokes, and a very funny Hugh Hefner impression). It was an awesome night and I have to say that I have not heard applause and cheers THAT loud from an audience in a while (in fact I am pretty sure the building shook). So, needless to say, we found out that people LOVE Joel McHale and with good reason. Which brings me to our Sunday May 16 matinee, an appearance by someone else who people love and adore, Carol Burnett.

The comedian/actress took the stage for an intimate Q&A with the audience, appropriately entitled "Laughter & Reflection." Carol, who is still quick on her feet, fielded every kind of question, from the obvious "did you enjoy working with Tim Conway" to the off-the-wall, "who knows where that came from" kind of question. But no matter what the question, Carol (see to the left with the State Theatre stage crew) answered them all with such sincerity that you couldn't help but to feel just how special this experience was.

It was a wonderful weekend with 2 amazing people that we won't soon forget here at the State Theatre (And it's probably the only time that their names will appear in the same story...).

—Kelly Skinner, Director of Public Relations

Performance Poet Glenis Redmond returns to State Theatre

2010-05-10T09:11:00.000-07:00

We at the State Theatre are happy to announce the return of performance poet Glenis Redmond as this year’s Artist-in Residence. The North Carolina poet (who is back by popular demand after last year's residency) will appear in a variety of settings during her three-week residency, May 11-28. During her stay, she will be the State Theatre’s artistic ambassador, offering free poetry performances and writing workshops throughout New Jersey. Her busy schedule takes her to 13 different host sites—encompassing public schools, social service organizations, corporate headquarters, residential treatment centers, transitional housing facilities, and senior communities from Princeton to Newark, Whitehouse Station to Trenton. The three-week residency will culminate in a free public performance at Crossroads Theatre on Friday, May 28 at 7pm. All residency activities are offered to the public free of charge. To reserve tickets for the May 28 public performance at Crossroads Theatre call 732-246-7469, ext. 545. (Look below for a video featuring Glenis.)

For more information on the residency program or on Glenis Redmond’s visit : http://www.statetheatrenj.org/education/artistresidencies.asp.

And a big thank you to The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey and The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation for their support of this wonderful program.

U.S. Premiere Performance!

2010-04-15T07:10:00.000-07:00

I love it when I can say "U.S. Premiere at the State Theatre"! It feels really good to know that we are presenting new stuff to a new audience. And our upcoming show NALMES is no exception. NALMES, a Circassion dance group from the North Caucasus has been around since 1936. Their dances tell the stories of everyday Circassion life and it is our privilage to be bringing them here to the U.S. for the first time on May 8. Featuring live music, skillful swordplay, and of course, an amazing dance performance. Catch a sneak peek of NALMES with the video clip below.

Enjoy!
—Kelly Skinner, Director of Public Relations

"It's My Party" at the Theatre

2010-04-09T06:28:00.000-07:00

A guest blog by Marketing & PR Intern Alex Smith

Young girls across America belted out the words “it’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to” at some point in their lives. Whether it was with girlfriends, or alone singing into their hairbrushes, something about the song sympathizes with the angst of young love. In my experience, “It’s My Party” played a large part during my 16th birthday party. After all, “Johnny” leaving hand-in-hand with “Judy” is devastating at that age. Lesley Gore recorded “It’s My Party” in 1963, but every girl to sing it since continues to prove that the song is timeless.

“It’s My Party” was nominated for a Grammy Award for rock and roll recording. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. Other Lesley Gore hits include “Judy’s Turn to Cry” (the sequel to “It’s My Party”), “You Don’t Own Me,” “She’s A Fool,” and “Sunshine, Lollipops, and Rainbows.” These and other singles made it to the top of the charts in the mid 1960s.

Besides chart-topping hits, what does Lesley Gore have in common with Michael Jackson? Well, no, there is no punch line. The answer is a fact: Quincy Jones. That’s right, one of the most famous producers in American music. Thriller may be the source of much of his fame now, but Quincy Jones worked with Lesley Gore first. He helped discover the 16-year old and produced “It’s My Party.”

On Saturday, May 1, those who used to sing the relatable song in their bedroom mirrors will have the chance to sing along once more, this time with Lesley Gore when she performs as part of Richard Nader’s Sold Gold Rock and Roll Show.

Q&A with Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet dancer Ana-Maria Lucaciu

2010-04-05T13:02:00.000-07:00

Q: How long have you been dancing with Cedar Lake?
A: This is my 4th season.

Q: Where were you dancing before this? What company and/or school?
A: I graduated from the National Ballet School of Canada and then danced with the National Ballet of Canada, the Royal Danish Ballet, Augsburg Ballet in Germany and the Portuguese Contemporary Dance Company in Portugal.

Q: Which dance piece out of the 3 being performed at the State Theatre is your favorite and why?
A: I would say it's between Ten Duets and Decadance. They are on the complete opposite side of the spectrum as far as the movement quality is concerned, but they each offer me new possibilities every time I dance.

Q: What’s your preshow ritual like?
A: I eat, do my hair and make up and the do a thorough warm up. Eventually I go over some steps, but normally I use the time to just get focused and warm, and to connect individually to each piece that I'm performing that night.

Q: What do you do when you’re not dancing?
A: I'm going to school, studying to obtain my BA on the side. When I'm not doing that, I love going out to discover more hidden corners of this fantastic city. I read, eat all that I can. Photography is also a secret hobby.

Q: Who or what inspired you to become a dancer?
A: Well it wasn't my first passion as a kid, but when I got accepted at the National Ballet School every teacher there made me realize that this what I love doing.

Q: Who inspires you now? What dancers/choreographers and/or companies?
A: My colleagues, the many choreographers I've worked with everywhere in the world, younger dancers who are so eager to arrive in the dance world and just absorb everything around them.

Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet - The Group to Watch

2010-03-23T07:28:00.000-07:00

In the entertainment business, you see this tag line very enough: "A don't-miss event" or "an event not to be missed," etc. And since we see it so often, we become numb to it. Now, I'll admit, we still use the line from time to time but only when WE (as in the staff) feel strongly about it. For example, in the case of Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet. We have had Cedar Lake here every year for 5 years and WE (the staff) just can't seem to get enough of them (and neither can many of our patrons). Each year, they come with a new piece or program that just wows us. The dancers for Cedar Lake are amazing. They can handle both the choreographed pieces and the pieces that involve some improv with the same ease. And there is something about these dancers that sticks into your brain. I have seen hundreds of dancers come through this theater and yet, I could spot a Cedar Lake dancer out of a crowd if you asked me to. I don't know what it is, I guess they have that "Je ne sais quoi" thing going for them. But, really, if you love dance, you HAVE to them. And if you have never seen a dance performance, this is the group to see. Check them out online at: http://www.cedarlakedance.com/

—Kelly Skinner, Director of Public Relations

Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet at State Theatre
Friday, April 9, 2010 at 8pm

The Man Who Planted Trees - An Inspiration to Us All

2010-03-19T08:20:00.000-07:00

There were four school performances of The Man Who Planted Trees at the Crossroads Theatre over March 16th and 17th. There were approximately 940 people there over the two days in grades 1 through 6 and every single person that walked out of the theater loved the show. Anybody who has seen the show is quick to tell you that the dog, who is one of the best puppets I’ve ever seen in theater, is their favorite part. The play follows the narrator, Jean, through France in the early to mid-1900s and through both World Wars, but he always manages to return to visit Elzéard Bouffier and his little dog. We watch as Elzéard plants hundreds of thousands of trees of all types all over southern France and turns a dry, barren expanse into a lush green area. To help us experience the change, the actors waft lavender throughout the auditorium and explain that in the original climate, the only thing that can grow is lavender, a durable plant that doesn’t need much water. Later, we are shown the new forest when we are misted with “rain” and get to experience a truly woodsy scent as it’s dispersed throughout the audience by one of the actors.

The adults and the children in the audience laughed at the dog’s comedic relief and watched in awe as the simple set, originally covered in brown fabrics, is transformed into bright green trees and landscape. While a very simple show, The Man Who Planted Trees showed that you don’t need special effects to connect with an audience and get them to enjoy the show.

—Jennifer Cunha, Education Assistant

Technology Continues to Pave the Way for New Means of Listening to Live Music

2010-03-16T10:45:00.000-07:00

A guest blog by Marketing & PR Intern Nicole Connelly

Anyone who knows me, knows, it is no secret that One Tree Hill is one of my all time favorite shows. I have been watching it since it aired in 2003 (the show is currently in its seventh season). Not only is it a TV show, but it is also an outlet to discover new music. One Tree Hill has introduced me to a multitude of uber-talented musicians that I would never have heard of if it wasn’t for their music being featured on the show; and now this music has pioneered its way into my home in a different capacity.

We are all well aware that today’s technology has jumped leaps and bounds over the past decade. If you thought viewing concertgoers’ video clips the next day on YouTube of a prior night’s concert was out of this world, you haven’t seen anything yet. What if I told you that a certain Brooklyn based band that has been featured on One Tree Hill did free live music stream’s weekly through the use of Facebook? It’s true! The band is called Wakey!Wakey! fronted by the talented musician Michael Grubbs (also known as the bartender “Grubbs” on the show). Every Monday at 8pm from now up until April 19th you can catch the live music stream via Wakey!Wakey!’s Facebook page. If you have a Facebook account, it’s very easy to set up. All you have to do is search on Facebook for the Wakey!Wakey! page, once on the page click on the music stream tab, then click on the play button, and you are set to go! The live stream will start at approximately 8pm (or a little after) and there you can enjoy musical bliss as well as chat with fellow people who are watching the live stream. I love this because not only do you have a live performance streaming in the convenience of your own home, but you can chat live with Wakey!Wakey!’s manager Wes who answers all of your Wakey!Wakey! questions and takes song requests to pass onto Mr. Grubbs. Additionally, if you can’t catch the live stream on Monday nights the next day the previous night’s music stream is posted for you to watch at your earliest convenience. Thus, every Monday at 8pm until One Tree Hill comes back from hiatus, you will find me watching the Wakey!Wakey! live music stream while chatting amongst other fans and music enthusiasts.

Let it be known that this amazingly talented band is a breath of fresh air! No matter what kind of music you listen to, I truly believe that everyone can appreciate the raw talent that exudes Wakey!Wakey!. You can find their latest full length album Almost Everything I Wish I’d Said the Last Time I Saw You, as well as other songs, on their MySpace page, iTunes, and their record label’s website thefamilyrecords.com.

Porgy and Bess - It's Finally Here

2010-03-10T10:04:00.000-08:00

The 1935 opera The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess is an opera that is considered part of standard operatic repertoire. And it has also eluded us here at the State Theatre for a couple of years now. It seems like forever that we have been trying to book this show, because no matter what we did, inevitably something always went wrong -- we didn't have an available date, the timing was just off, etc, etc. And now after years of follow-up and determination, we are finally presenting Porgy and Bess on March 25. And, even better, it is the full-scale production of the opera. You may know Porgy and Bess from all of the iconic Gershwin songs including “Summertime,” “I Got Plenty O’ Nuttin’,” and “It Ain’t Necessarily So." And now, you can see it brought to life, right here in central Jersey.

I hope to see you there. I know I certainly can't wait (anymore).
—Kelly Skinner, Director of Public Relations

The Amish Project

2010-02-23T07:30:00.000-08:00

From March 2-6, we are presenting 6 public performances of a dramatic one-woman play called The Amish Project. One of the most intense plays that we have ever presented, this work explores a very recent event in our history. A fictional exploration of true events, The Amish Project centers on the 2006 Amish school house shootings of five girls in Lancaster, PA. The play focuses on the tragedy that took place and on the path of forgiveness and compassion forged in its wake.

Writer and performer Jessica Dickey does a tremendous job as she portrays the play’s seven different characters (including the gunman and his wife). It is a performance that challenges us to think deeply about anger, violence, and forgiveness. I encourage everyone to see this fantastic piece of theater.

—Wes Brustad, President & CEO

Photo by Todd Mountain.

Hub City Carnivale Experience

2010-02-18T10:26:00.001-08:00

A guest blog by Marketing & PR Intern Alex Smith

Presidents Day was Family Day here at the State Theatre, and part of our 4th Annual Hub City Carnivale. This season was my first as an intern with the theater, but it won’t be soon forgotten.

I never thought I’d have the chance to wear Gucci in my life, let alone as an intern (that's me on the left)! Thanks to the "Flash Fashion" contest at the East Brunswick Library, teens from our area made that possible. The dress I’m wearing is made from recycled materials, including accessories like the tin foil necklace. Pictures of me modeling the outfits were for the Recycling Arts Exhibit, held in the theater lobby before the ScrapArtsMusic performance on Feb. 5. Also part of this exhibit was a mobile made from old CDs and DVDs, made by Rutgers University students (below right).

On Family Day here at the State Theatre, (Presidents Day), the excitement buzzed as we busily got ready for hundreds of families to come take part in over 29 events. I was helping out with the face painting table, which was a popular activity. The most often requested designs were Spiderman and Hello Kitty, but I painted everything from colorful rainbows and butterflies to creepy spiders. It was great to see how much fun the kids were having. One brave mom even asked me to paint a heart on her cheek!

Overall, my Hub City Carnivale experience as an intern was a positive one. Is work always going to be this much fun?

A Q & A with Glen Burtnik

2010-02-11T12:17:00.000-08:00

Q: Why did you decide to put together a show to celebrate the music of The Who?
A: In addition to my career as a singer/songwriter, I've become somewhat of an expert in performing the music of the Beatles. But I admire the music of The Who so much, I figured it would be a good challenge. I was right.

Q: How did you go about selecting the band members for this performance?
A: I listened to the Who's Next album and considered it's elements. Who could best recreate the synthesizer parts? Who could play Keith Moon's amazing drum fills? Who can play bass like John Entwhistle? I then reached for my cell phone...

Q: What “Who” song are you most looking forward to performing on the 13th?
A: I may be most looking forward to performing GOIN' MOBILE.

Q: How have the rehearsals for this show gone in comparison to your rehearsals for the Beatles Bash performances?
A: The rehearsals for this show have been harrowing. This is high-risk music. A person could get hurt...

Q: What are some of the highlights of the night that we should look out for?
A: Steve Augeri (Journey, Tall Stories) is singing BEHIND BLUE EYES. Backing him will be a chorus of a dozen singers. Also, there will be a number of other guest artists, taking turns singing these great Pete Townsend songs.

For more information on Glen Burtnik & Friends Celebrate the Music of The Who, call the State Theatre ticket office at 732-246-SHOW (7469), or visit us online at www.StateTheatreNJ.org. The State Theatre ticket office, located at 15 Livingston Ave, New Brunswick NJ, is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 10am to 6pm; Wednesday 11am to 7pm and at least one hour prior to curtain on performance dates. For information on group outings and discounts, call 732-247-7200, ext. 517.

ScrapArtsMusic stops in New Brunswick before their performance at the 2010 Olympics

2010-02-08T07:33:00.000-08:00

On February 5, just one week before their 2010 winter Olympics debut, ScrapArtsMusic—an innovative percussion music group—gave an amazing, high-energy performance to an ecstatic State Theatre audience. More than 600 people braved the coming snow storm on Friday to watch the group perform on more than 140 different instruments (altogether weighing about two tons!) crafted from salvaged and recycled junk, including discarded artillery shells, plumbing fixtures, exhaust hose, steel oil cans, and accordion parts. Talking to attendees after the performance, the reviews were "couldn't wait to see what they would do next," and "the performance was terrific."

So, in short, it was really a great night and we hope to have them back soon. In the meantime, we can't wait to watch them at the 2010 Olympics on Sun, February 14th. And we hope you watch too. For more on ScrapArtsMusic visit: http://www.scrapartsmusic.com/.

—Kelly Skinner, Director of Public Relations

(Pictured above: ScrapArtsMusic members with State Theatre staff members Katie Pyott, Jenn Cunha, and Kelly Skinner)

Report from the IPAY Showcase in Pittsburgh

2010-02-02T06:44:00.000-08:00

Just got back from the annual Showcase sponsored by IPAY (International Performing Arts for Youth). IPAY is made up of arts presenters, artists, and artist managers, all on a mission to bring high-quality performing arts to young audiences. I love being involved with this group because I meet all kinds of people from around the world who share my passion for getting kids hooked on drama, music, dance, storytelling, and other live theater. During Showcase I was voted onto the IPAY Board of Directors. It’s a tremendous honor to receive this recognition from my peers. I’m totally psyched about taking on a leadership role in the organization.

About 300 people attend the IPAY Showcase each year. We see shows—a LOT of shows—from companies around the world. This year there were 20 full-length showcases, as well as “spotlights”—10-minute excerpts—of an additional 23 shows. The companies were from the U.S., Canada, the U.K., the Netherlands, Spain, Australia, and even Iceland. I’ve discovered some of my favorite shows and companies through Showcase and brought them here to the State Theatre. Among them are Det Lille Turneteater’s astonishing Hamlet and the playful, touching Snowflake. This week is the State Theatre’s residency with ScrapArtsMusic, an ensemble I first saw at the Montreal Showcase in 2003. I’ve been waiting seven years to get them here!

Showcase is held in a different place each year; this time it was in Pittsburgh. Our host was the Pittsburgh International Children's Theater, which is part of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. The Trust has transformed downtown Pittsburgh by restoring the city’s grand theaters, building new facilities, commissioning public art projects, and developing urban parks and riverfront recreation spaces. I have to say… the vast array of Pittsburgh’s arts resources made me more than a little envious! We saw Showcases at nine different venues, including the brand-new and totally cool August Wilson Center. Loved the sail-like exterior and rich purple interior.

When I wasn’t watching showcases, I was in the exhibit hall talking to artists and artists managers, participating in professional development sessions, and of course, partying with friends and colleagues! With so many activities packed into four days, the conference kept me hopping from 8am until as late as 11pm. By the way, the Director of Marketing at the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is none other than Marc Fleming, who used to be Marking Director at the State Theatre. Marc and I had a chance to catch up a little over lunch at a fantastic restaurant called Nine on Nine. If you’re ever in Pittsburgh, give it a try.

Pittsburgh was my 16th Showcase, but my first time as a member of the Selection Committee. Our group met back in June to review the submissions and choose which ones would be awarded a showcase slot. I felt both excited and a little scared; conference attendees can be absolutely brutal if they don’t like the showcase selections. I can tell you, the screening process is difficult! The committee makes its selections based on videos—always a risky proposition when it comes to assessing live theater. A couple of shows didn’t quite live up to their videos. The opposite happens, too. There was a one-woman show called Nearly Lear, an ingenious retelling of Shakespeare’s play. Based on the video, we awarded it only a ten-minute spotlight. Seeing it live, we all wished we’d given it a full showcase. Still, the feedback was that the Selection Committee did a great job overall.

Two of my favorite productions presented at Showcase were Australian imports. Plop! is a quirky, imaginative show for very young children. We Built This City, a “public construction extravaganza,” is an installation piece in which kids and families build and then destroy an entire city made out of thousands of empty cardboard boxes. I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun! With any luck, you’ll get to see these shows someday at the State Theatre.

—Lian Farrer, Vice President for Education, State Theatre

The Festival of Imagination At Play

2010-01-25T08:55:00.000-08:00

This winter we are proud to present the 4th annual Hub City Carnivale—a winter festival for the imagination at play. It’s a non-stop schedule of events and activities for kids from 1 to 100 with 67 events packed into 30 days from January 30-February 28, beginning with One-Man Star Wars Trilogy (1/30) and ending with three magical performances of Le Grand Cirque (2/27-28).

On February 5, don’t miss the chance catch a brilliant performance by Scrap Arts Music—an adrenaline-laced power-percussion performance rooted in street performance, jazz, and world music traditions. If you like Stomp, you will love Scrap Arts Music! A one-of-a-kind blend of intricate rhythms, athletic choreography, raw energy, and theatrical flair, the group performs on more than 140 invented instruments crafted from industrial scrap.

Joining the festival line-up comic genius Tomáš Kubínek (2/19) in his State Theatre premiere! A self-proclaimed “Certified Lunatic and Master of the Impossible,” his inspired fusion of clowning, acrobatics, music, magic, and absurdity will astonish and delight people of all ages.

Other festival highlights include the Moscow State Radio Symphony Orchestra (2/14) in a special Valentine’s Day all-Tchaikovsky program; the very funny one-man stage show, My Mother’s Italian, My Father’s Jewish, and I’m in Therapy! (2/21); folk singer Ani DiFranco (2/2); a celebration of the music of THE WHO by local musician Glen Burtnik & Friends (2/13); and a special one-night only performance of the Broadway favorite, Jesus Christ Superstar (2/20).

Returning this year is State Theatre’s “Family Day on Presidents Day,” where you and your family can spend the whole day here. In addition to offering three performances of Fan Yang’s “Gazillion Bubble Show” Stage Spectacular (2/15), we invite everyone to participate in a variety of free activities, including face painting, balloon animals, and sing-a-longs, as well as a variety of workshops for kids and parents.Bring your friends and family, and join us in beating the winter blahs this February at Hub City Carnivale. For a complete Hub City Carnivale schedule including family day workshops and special happenings, visit www.StateTheatreNJ.org/HubCityCarnivale.

Hope to see you soon!

Wes Brustad
–President & CEO

Fireworks over New Brunswick for New Year's Eve!

2009-12-15T07:25:00.000-08:00

We are happy to announce that there will be fireworks over New Brunswick on New Year's Eve this year! At midnight, the fireworks will be shot off the top of The Heldrich hotel across the street from the State Theatre and in the heart of downtown New Brunswick. This announcement comes after weeks of uncertainty (paperwork, city approval, etc). And for us at the State Theatre, it is a real treat, as we will be throwing our second annual New Year's Eve Party at The Heldrich hotel that night. Lots of food, dancing, live and silent auctions, and now fireworks at midnight! It is going to be a wonderful night and we have to say thank you to all of those involved in making this happen.

For more information on the State Theatre New Year's Eve Party at The Heldrich hotel, click here: http://www.statetheatrenj.org/new_year_eve_party

“Backstage Access” - From The Belly of The Beast Part 2

2009-12-09T10:56:00.000-08:00

By Larry Dember, State Theatre Director of Production

Once upon a time a long long time ago, I lived in a town called Massapequa.

Many famous people have hailed from the land of the Pequas such as: Jerry Seinfeld (my sister was in Hebrew school car pool and graduated with him), Neil Diamond, the Baldwin’s (their Dad was my football coach/social studies teacher), Twisted Sister, Eliot Eastman (the Cars guitarist), the Baldinger Brothers (Pro football players) , Andre Eglevsky (ballet dancer), Carlo Gambino, John Gotti, Steve Guttenberg, Marvin Hamlisch, Ron Kovic (I played in a band with his brother Jack at the New York Times 4th of July release party for his brothers book, Born on the Fourth of July), Bob Nelson, Helen Slater (spent a couple of Thanksgivings with her at her cousin Hunt Bresky’s house), and of course, all three of the Stray Cats.

I was in a band with Lee (Leon Drucker) Rocker in high school but we kicked him out because he was not a great bass player and had a bad attitude (I hear things have not changed). James McDonnell, aka “Slim Jim Phantom” is the drummer for the Stray Cats and was in an original jazzy band that beat my band in the Nassau County finals of the battle of the bands. Great drummer. A founding member of that band was Brian Setzer. It was my pleasure to present him in concert last week here at the State Theatre in New Brunswick.

When Brian was a young teen he would take guitar lessons at my buddy Ralph Agresta’s (nationally accomplished guitarist/songwriter/teacher/vocalist) music store. We all knew Brian was different and very, very skilled, even at 16. I remember going over his house one day and he had just come back from Brooklyn shopping for guitars and he had bought a Dan-Electro double neck bass and six string. Another week, he came into school with his hair dyed bright orange. Back then he was playing the hell out of Zeppelin, Queen, Bowie, and Deep Purple. He was a rock god on guitar. One day in our senior year I was sitting in the little theater at school watching auditions for the Senior Variety show and Brian took the stage with his band and sang “Communication Breakdown” and “Ziggy Stardust”. I was so blown away from the energy and talent exhibited. It is a feeling that I get whenever I see a real virtuoso. His band played the show and dressed like Kiss and rocked the house. In the next years, I had the pleasure of jamming with him at a party and some late night basement jams. He was doing a lot of hard rock and was putting together a punk band called Bloodless Pharaohs. Not my taste at all and we went our separate ways. Mine was the business side of music, his was the UK and reinventing Rockabilly, playing with Robert Plant, touring the world, selling millions of records and winning three out of 7 Grammy nominations.

It must be about 15 years since I saw Brian out at a trade show in California. Last week when I sat with him in his dressing room and we talked about old friends, girlfriends, and jams I told him how proud all of us non-celebrities from Massapequa are of him. He was very humble and gracious as always. You can see in his face that he has led a fun packed life, playing thousands of shows all over the world. It took all my power and restraint not to remind him my band Starfire beat his band in the Massapequa High School Battle of The Bands in 1977. So what he sold millions of records and won 3 Grammys. I didn’t want to rub that old wound in his face, especially before he took the stage for an amazing night of music to a packed house.

A Few Minutes with John Waters

2009-12-01T10:16:00.000-08:00

Every holiday season we present a lot of the normal family fare such as The Nutcracker, musical acts that play Christmas songs, a feel good musical like Annie or Scrooge in Concert (a musical version of A Christmas Carol), but rarely do we present something well, you know, NOT for the kids. Well, this year, I am happy to announce we have broken that tradition. And with who/what you ask? With none other than cult filmmaker John Waters! His movies including Hairspray, Cry-Baby, and Pink Flamingos, his wacky sense of humor, and his campy personality, have cemented his staying power in Hollywood and helped earn him legions of fans across the globe. Now, I can go on and on about what he's actually "doing" at the State Theatre, but really wouldn't you like to hear it from the man himself? So, go ahead and take a few minutes to listen to this podcast (for Jersey Arts by NJN) with John Waters, the man with the pencil-thin mustache.

Click below for the John Waters Podcast: http://www.jerseyarts.com/podcast.asp

Kelly Skinner

–Director of Public Relations

State Theatre presents Free Program for College Students

2009-11-06T07:09:00.001-08:00

Here at the State Theatre we present a variety of free programs for different ages as part of our mission to better serve and enrich the lives of the surrounding community. We do everything we can to make sure people know about these programs. So, with that said, below is some information from our Education department on a FREE program that we offer to college students. If you are a college student or if you know any, please read or pass this on.

Thank you for supporting the arts!

Kelly Skinner
–Director of Public Relations

Are you a college student? Do you like free food, entertainment, and social networking? Then be sure to check out Scientists Exploring the Arts, a unique program inspired by the relationship between performing arts and science. Although you may be wondering what these two seemingly different disciplines could possibly have in common, there are actually several elements that are essential to both: creativity, innovation, problem solving, teamwork, and process. As a way to celebrate and explore these similarities, the State Theatre has partnered with National Starch, LLC. to bring college students Scientists Exploring the Arts. “National Starch is excited to be co-sponsoring this unique event with the State Theatre. The pre-performance lectures and the shows have been outstanding and have provided a memorable evening for all,” commented Joseph Light, Head of Global Development, Customer Solutions & Product Innovation Groups for National Starch and State Theatre Trustee. "I like to think of it as left brain meets right brain...Who says the arts and sciences can't work together?!" added State Theatre President & CEO Wes Brustad.

The program is totally FREE and open to college students (both graduate and undergraduate) majoring in the one of the following: food science, molecular gastronomy, nutrition, chemistry, chemical engineering, statistics, environmental science, food sensory evaluation, material science, business (finance, sales), marketing, computer science, and communications. The program includes a ticket to the performance at the State Theatre in New Brunswick, a pre-performance "Exploration" with an arts educator, and a pre-performance dinner, where there will be opportunities for networking with National Starch employees and other students. Registration is on a first-come, first-serve basis, so apply early to reserve your spot! Contact Jennifer Cunha at 732-246-7469, ext. 545 or check out www.statetheatrenj.org/education/scientistsexploringarts.asp to guarantee your space in this incredible program.

The Challenge We All Face in Today's Economy

2009-10-21T11:05:00.000-07:00

I was particularly struck by Thomas Friedman’s column in The New York Times this morning that I want to share with you. We are in a different and changed economy that has seriously changed our business. The challenge for us is to rise above just processing work as in the past and to fire up our imaginations to re-gain our market. Here’s part of what he wrote:

“A Washington lawyer friend recently told me about layoffs at his firm. I asked him who was getting axed. He said it was interesting: lawyers who were used to just showing up and having work handed to them were the first to go because with the bursting of the credit bubble, that flow of work just isn’t there. But those who have the ability to imagine new services, new opportunities and new ways to recruit work were being retained. They are the new untouchables.

That is the key to understanding our full education challenge today. Those who are waiting for this recession to end so someone can again hand them work could have a long wait. Those with the imagination to make themselves untouchables—to invent smarter ways to do old jobs, energy-saving ways to provide new services, new ways to attract old customers or new ways to combine existing technologies—will thrive.” (Thomas Friedman)

I’d like to think we are a theatre of the new untouchables.

–Wes Brustad, State Theatre President and CEO

Click here to read the complete column by Thomas Friedman.

The World’s Greatest Artists Visit Central New Jersey

2009-10-12T17:20:00.001-07:00

Theaters are magical places; they can take you on a journey around the world and back without even leaving your seat! And right here at the State Theatre, we are very fortunate to present some of the world’s greatest artists that can take you on that journey. The best of the best! From the classical musicians of China to the folk dancers of the Ukraine to the passionate flamenco of Spain, the world is at our doorstep here in central New Jersey! And this year is no exception, as over 12 countries are represented in our upcoming 2009-2010 performance schedule!

In addition to the upcoming Shanghai Symphony Orchestra (11/12/09); the Virksy Ukrainian National Dance Company (11/14/09); and Spain’s Soledad Barrio and Noche Flamenco (11/18/09); other 2009-2010 performances from around the world include…

Vienna’s famous New Year’s Eve celebration takes the form of a stage show with an orchestra, dancing, and more in Salute to Vienna on December 31, 2009
Both Ireland and Scotland are represented with the pipes and drums of the Band of the Irish Guards and the Royal Regiment of Scotland on January 23, 2010
A one-of-a-kind spectacle of driving rhythm, athletic choreography, raw energy, and theatrical flair, Canada’s drum group Scrap Arts Music will open our winter festival, Hub City Carnivale on February 5, 2010
Russia is well represented with the Moscow State Radio Symphony Orchestra and a special Valentine’s Day matinee on February 14; followed one month later by the fantastic Moscow Festival Ballet in Swan Lake on March 12, 2010
In addition to the Irish Guards, Ireland is also represented by The Chieftains, March 14, 2010.
Japanese drum group TAO, who made their U.S. debut here in 2007, will return on March 27-28, 2010 with a new show, The Martial Art of Drumming
Nalmes Folk Dance Spectacular, a 70-member dance ensemble from the North Caucasus in Russia, will make its U.S. premiere on May 7-8, 2010.

For a complete line-up of events and upcoming additions to the schedule, please visit our website at http://www.statetheatrenj.org/.

–Wes Brustad, State Theatre President and CEO

The History of the State Theatre - Since 1921

2009-09-30T13:14:00.000-07:00

As an establishment that has been open since 1921, patrons are enough curious of the history of the State Theatre. As someone who has worked here for 5 years I can very easily rattle off a long detailed (sometimes too many details ) history from 1921 until today because I truly do find it quite interesting. But rather than take my word for it, I have posted the story of the State Theatre below. Happy reading!

–Kelly Skinner, Director of Public Relations

Opening on December 26, 1921 and designed by noted theater architect Thomas W. Lamb to offer both movies and live entertainment, "Reade's State Theatre" was one of the biggest, most lavish and modern theaters in the region.

The opening matinee audience, who willingly paid the 20-, 30-, and 50-cent admission, was treated to a live orchestra concert and a tenor rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner." The first feature presentation was the silent film White Oak, a western melodrama starring stone-faced cowboy hero William S. Hart

. Also on the bill were five vaudeville acts, a newsreel, and a nature film. The State was the "class act in town," with its opulent decor, splendid acoustics, and delightful mix of cinematic and live attractions.

A few years into its operation, the theater's management was transferred to the B.F. Keith theater chain. Benjamin Franklin Keith and his partner, Edward Franklin Albee, operated the largest string of vaudeville theaters and the largest booking agency for vaudeville acts in the east. Eventually, the business merged with the largest western booking agency, Orpheum, to form Keith-Albee-Orpheum (KAO). The Radio Corporation of America (RCA), which entered the motion picture business after the advent of sound, acquired KAO in 1928. RCA renamed its new subsidiary Radio-Keith-Orpheum, RKO.

The State Theatre continued to thrive well into the 60s; until eventually audiences started flocking to new multiplex cinemas. In the face of this decline, RKO sold the building to a concern that converted the once-proud State Theatre into a road house that occasionally showed adult movies. It persisted in this state until 1979, when it was purchased by the New Brunswick Development Corporation (DevCo) as part of New Brunswick's revitalization project. By this time, the State Theatre had suffered a sorry decline, both in appearance and reputation.

In 1986, the New Brunswick Cultural Center acquired the State Theatre from DevCo, and by fall 1987 work was underway to reclaim the building from the ravages of time. Miraculously transformed back into a state-of-the-art showplace for live performances, the State Theatre reopened on April 24, 1988 and set the press and public raving about the hall's visual and acoustical splendors.

In December of 2003, the theater began an extensive, $3 million restoration/renovation to return the theater as closely as possible to its original appearance while updating its sound and lighting systems to state-of-the-art. Experts from the architectural firm of Ford, Farewell, Mills, and Gatch oversaw the cleaning and repair of the handsome terra cotta exterior. On the inside, artists from Conrad Schmitt of Milwaukee, a century-old firm specializing in historic restorations, researched and physically examined several areas of the theater’s interior to determine the original paint colors, decorative trim style, and other signature details of the Thomas W. Lamb theater. The theater underwent ornamental plaster repair, decorative painting, replacement of house and lobby lighting, and installation of high tech sound and lighting systems.

For more information on the State Theatre visit http://www.statetheatrenj.org/

Multiple One-Man Shows featured in 2009-2010 at the State Theatre

2009-09-15T08:21:00.000-07:00

This season at the State Theatre we have quite a few one-person performances, 4 to be exact (not including stand-up comedians). There is no rhyme or reason to it, it's really just a coincidence. In fact, it's become an inside joke among the staff that next season we are going to present only one-person shows! (Just a joke folks.) Yet, we know, as many of us have already seen these performances in NYC or elsewhere, that these 09-10 one-person performances pack a big punch. Comedy, drama, and (sometimes) complete lunacy will ensue as each performer presents their own unique brand of theatrics. So, without further ado, here are this season's one-man performances...

MacHomer
Oct. 27-30, 2009
Imagine Shakespeare’s Macbeth performed in 75 minutes—by a single actor. Oh, and did I mention that all of the play’s characters are portrayed in the voices of over 50 characters from The Simpsons? Read more.

One-Man Star Wars Trilogy
Feb. 6, 2010
Actor Charles Ross does it all...the characters, the action, special effects, and even parts of John Williams’ score. Read more.

Tomáš Kubínek
Feb. 19, 2010
A self-proclaimed “Certified Lunatic and Master of the Impossible,” his inspired fusion of clowning, acrobatics, music, magic, and absurdity will astonish and delight people of all ages. Read more.

The Amish Project
Mar. 5-6, 2010
A fictional exploration of true events, this is the story of a schoolhouse shooting in an Amish community, and the path of forgiveness and compassion forged in its wake. Read more.

The State Theatre is located at 15 Livingston Ave in New Brunswick, NJ. For information or to purchase tickets call 732-246-SHOW (7469) or visit http://www.statetheatrenj.org/. Check us out on Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, and YouTube.

It's a Pajama Jammy Jam!

2009-09-09T12:10:00.001-07:00

Children’s music superstars and NOGGIN channel favorites Laurie Berkner, Susie Lampert, Adam Bernstein, and Bob Golden (Also known as The Laurie Berkner Band) will perform a “Pajama Party” concert at the State Theatre on September 13 to benefit The Pajama Program which provides new pajamas for children entering foster care. In addition to wearing pajamas to the concert, families are also encouraged to bring a pair of new children’s pajamas and/or a new children’s book to donate to the program.

A Note from the Band...
Laurie, Susie, Adam, and Bob are throwing a Pajama Party Concert! Kids, wear your pajamas (parents can too) or bring your favorite stuffed animal (for your head of course) to the concert. At the concert we're collecting new pajamas and books for children in need in the U.S. and around the world, (many of whom are waiting to be adopted.) At the concert there will be a collection bin for your donations.

Those not attending the concert, are also encouraged to drop off their pajama/book donations to the State Theatre Ticket Office on September 13. So, come out and support a good cause!

The State Theatre is located at 15 Livingston Ave in New Brunswick, NJ. For information or to purchase tickets call 732-246-SHOW (7469) or visit http://www.statetheatrenj.org/. Check us out on Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, and YouTube.

Blues & Jazz returns!

2009-09-03T05:57:00.000-07:00

Every year in September, we present a little something called the New Jersey Blues & Jazz Festival at the Backstage Jazz Club. It's 3 days and 6 sets of Blues and Jazz by some of the top musicians in the Blues & Jazz biz. What's unique about these performances is that both the performers and the attendees sit on the stage, creating an intimate jazz club kind of setting (only 200 seats). Even the entrance to the festival, which is down the alley by the stage door has that small jazz club feel. I have many memories from these festivals and I have met many talented musicians. One of my favorite sets was Jon Faddis with Jimmy Heath. Heath, now 82 years old, can still jam with the best of them, not to mention he is one of the sweetest guys I have ever met. I was able to take a little footage (see below) of their performance at the 2007 festival...the video was filmed a little far back as if I was a fly on the wall, but it's still cool to watch.

–Kelly Skinner, Director of Public Relations

The 2009 New Jersey Blues & Jazz Festival line-up includes:

Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers
Thu, September 24 at 8pm & 10pm

Marcia Ball
Fri, September 25 at 8pm & 10pm

Yellowjackets
Sat, September 26 at 8pm & 10pm

The State Theatre is located at 15 Livingston Ave in New Brunswick, NJ. For information or to purchase tickets call 732-246-SHOW (7469) or visit http://www.statetheatrenj.org/. Check us out on Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, and YouTube.

Review of 2009 NYC Fringe Festival Events

2009-08-24T10:04:00.000-07:00

New York City’s Annual Fringe Festival is a chance for artists to come together to showcase what they have been working on to friends, family, industry and theater fans. I attended two shows at the Connelly Theater on the East Side at this year’s festival to see if there was anything out there that our school groups might enjoy seeing in future seasons and I was pleasantly surprised. The first show, Sinking Ship Production’s Powerhouse, is the story of composer Raymond Scott and his passion in discovering new ways to create music. Actually, the entire play leads up to his invention of “The Electronium” (a machine that produced sounds and melodies randomly so you could always listen to something new). The show, which naturally incorporated a lot of Scott’s own music along with other sounds of the time, was well done and well acted with some very amusing puppets acting out the cartoons that Scott had composed for (even though sometimes I wasn't really sure what the puppets were doing). It was touching and I laughed, but I don’t think school groups would be too interested in seeing this show with slightly more adult themes.

Later that day I got to see a great musical version of the Edgar Allan Poe classic, The Fall of the House of Usher from the Woodberry Forest School. When I decided to go see it, I thought, as I’m sure many high schoolers think, that Poe is going to be dark and depressing and kind of boring. I was pleasantly surprised. The music covered several different genres and added a definite tone to the show that helped the audience get into the mindset of the original poet who wrote over 200 years ago. I was impressed with the acting and how passionate they were in their roles and how exciting it was compared to other Poe works, such as “The Raven”. I thought this version is one that high schoolers could very much enjoy if they don’t think so much that they are “learning.”

All in all, I think it was a pretty successful first outing at the Fringe Festival. I enjoyed both shows and got to see what people in the industry were doing. The Festival only runs until August 30th, but I’m already looking forward to next year.

–Jenn Cunha, Education

The State Theatre is located at 15 Livingston Ave in New Brunswick, NJ. For information or to purchase tickets call 732-246-SHOW (7469) or visit http://www.statetheatrenj.org/. Check us out on Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, and YouTube.

Yes, it's true. We are Star Wars fans!

2009-08-18T14:27:00.000-07:00

You may or may not know this, but we are presenting the One-Man Star Wars Trilogy in February 2010. Yes, that's right folks, a ONE-MAN STAR WARS show. How you say? Well, it's a simple concept actually (and crazy to watch), one guy performs the entire trilogy, all the characters and all of the voices in...less than 2 hours. Curious? Check out Charlie Ross' (the actor who performs) website. Or watch the video below of a commercial Charlie did for Cinemax.

To quote the New York Times, "You had better start investing in a light sabre."

Anyway, to spread the word on this show, we have partnered up with the Somerset Patriots who are hosting Star Wars night on August 24. They promise to have over 10 costumed characters including Darth Vader. These special appearances will be provided by the New Jersey Chapter of the 501st Legion, the premier costuming organization of Star Wars characters (who knew there was such a thing? Who knew NJ has it's own chapter?!). See you at the ball game!

For more info on the One-Man Star Wars Trilogy performances, click here.

The State Theatre is located at 15 Livingston Ave in New Brunswick, NJ. For information or to purchase tickets call 732-246-SHOW (7469) or visit http://www.statetheatrenj.org/. Check us out on Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, and YouTube.

MC Bakeshop, Highland Park’s Newest Bakery

2009-08-13T08:42:00.001-07:00

Looking for a sweet fix this summer? Maybe a little something to woo your friends at your next BBQ? MC Bakeshop in Highland Park (the new guys in town) offer up some homemade baked goods with a twist (including this waffle dog pictured).

Cheesecake cupcakes and cakes, from Southern style red velvet to chocolate to tiramisu, are their signature items, but don't worry there are plenty of those standbys, brownies, cookies, and dessert bars to be had.

For the more exotic, go for Opera, a French dessert made with almond sponge cake and coffee liqueur sandwiched with French butter cream and chocolate layers.

For more information on MC Bakeshop or too drool over the photos of the yummy goods, visit http://www.mc-bakeshop.com/. MC Bakeshop is located at 314 Raritan Ave, Highland Park, NJ.
The State Theatre is located at 15 Livingston Ave in New Brunswick, NJ. For information or to purchase tickets call 732-246-SHOW (7469) or visit http://www.statetheatrenj.org/. Check us out on Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, and YouTube.

Summer Food Drive Success!

2009-08-06T07:23:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, August 4th, the State Theatre in collaboration with Elijah's Promise held a community food drive to benefit the Elijah's Promise Food Pantry in New Brunswick, NJ.

And we are happy to report that it was a success!

The food drive—held during the concert, Harry Chapin: A Celebration in Song—was in honor of Harry Chapin and his dedication to the fight against world hunger. (Chapin founded World Hunger Year in 1975.) Many patrons attending the celebration, brought in multiple bags of non-perishable food items (including Costco sized items!). It was a very nice evening and we were pleasantly surprised at the amount of food that we received. Thanks for making a difference and providing a nutritious meal to those in need in the New Brunswick community.

The State Theatre is located at 15 Livingston Ave in New Brunswick, NJ. For information or to purchase tickets call 732-246-SHOW (7469) or visit http://www.statetheatrenj.org/. Check us out on Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, and YouTube.

What a Blast -- 3rd Annual Jersey Summer Beatles Bash Proves to Be the Best Yet

2009-07-30T08:19:00.000-07:00

For three years, the State Theatre has partnered with local celebrity musician Glen Burtnik (former member of Styx) on a Beatles tribute concert called the "Jersey Summer Beatles Bash." Every year, Glen picks a Beatles album, and some friends (a very talented group of musicians) to perform a note-for-note rendition of that album. This year's album was Abbey Road.

(Above, people browse through the Beatles Rock Art that was displayed during the pre-show Happy Hour.)

From start to finish, this year's performance was amazing. I mean you could just feel the energy of the crowd in the hall, it was electric. (And it's still funny to me that lighters have been replaced by cell phones.) One of these highly charged moments was during I Want You (She's So Heavy)." The song, which is hypnotic without a live performance, was mesmerizing to listen to and to watch, especially as Glen and several other guitarists including Bob Burger (who has performed alongside Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, and Jon Bon Jovi), John Merjave (from the band Liverpool), Marc Muller (has played guitar for Shania Twain, Kelly Clarkson, and Elton John, among many others), and Marty O'Kane (lead guitarist/multi-instrumentalist for award-winning songwriter April Smith) poured themselves into the repetitive guitar riffs of the song (which is in fact 8 minutes long).

The last song of the night was the ever-popular "Hey Jude," where quite a few folks (including some State Theatre staff members, see pic at right) jumped onstage to join Glen & Friends for the song's repeating "Na-Nas". So, it really was a great night and we can't wait for next year's.

The State Theatre is located at 15 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick, NJ. For information or to purchase tickets call 732-246-SHOW (7469) or visit http://www.statetheatrenj.org/. Check us out on Twitter, Facebook, and Myspace.

Don't Stop Believin' on the Great White Way

2009-07-22T09:22:00.000-07:00

A guest blog by Marketing & PR Intern Jessica Quinlan

On a recent trip to New York City, I saw the new 80s musical, Rock of Ages. It proved to be an enjoyable and unique experience right from the get go. The theater was packed with a young crowd who grew up in the 70s and 80s – some still clad in their favorite leather jackets and vintage band T-shirts. Before and during the show, the wait staff scurried about the theater selling a variety of beverages to give it that real concert feel. From the moment the curtain rose to the tune of Twisted Sister’s “I Wanna Rock” to its close with Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin,’” the music, vocals, and special effects were quite impressive.

The fist pumping audience gave the show an energy and atmosphere in itself. The musical’s dialogue and plot were creative in the fact that they managed to tie the lyrics of many popular unrelated 80s bands together into a story of its own. Laughter often erupted minutes before the next song, simply because the dialogue easily predicted the plot and set list to such 80s fans. (For example, when dialogue started with “I can't fight this feeling any longer” and broke out into REO Speedwagon’s power ballad.)

Set in 1987 California the plot did have some historical basis but this was easily overshadowed by the vivacious personalities of the show’s comedic and loveable characters. Many times throughout the show the cast urged the entire audience to their feet by singing and dancing in the aisles. I found that it didn’t take much to compel this crowd to belt out their favorite songs and relive their “glory days.”

The State Theatre is located at 15 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick, NJ. For information or to purchase tickets call 732-246-SHOW (7469) or visit http://www.statetheatrenj.org. Check us out on Twitter, Facebook, and Myspace.

Toxic Audio: A Cappella with a Twist

2009-07-16T06:47:00.000-07:00

A guest blog by Marketing & PR Intern Kelly Dolan

Last week, while on a Royal Caribbean Cruise, I had the opportunity to see many shows. I was beginning to get bored of night after night of subpar shows, when finally I saw Toxic Audio perform. I could hardly believe that they were using nothing but their own voices as the background music to some highly intricate instrumental songs. This five- person a cappella group not only sang popular songs such as Vicki Sue Robinson’s “Turn the Beat Around” and Mika’s “Grace Kelly” but they also use their own voices to supply all of the background music. When I shut my eyes for a second I felt as though there was a real trumpet, guitar, and piano being used during performance.

The singing was not the only thing that kept me entertained. The performance of each song had some type of twist to it. For example, when they sang “Paperback Writer” by the Beatles they walked around the audience and had members point to random words from a book. By the end cast member Jeremy James, known as the “Rap Master”, was able to create a rap song on the spot using all the words collected from the audience. Toxic Audio puts on a show that keeps audiences in awe throughout the entire performance. After seeing them perform, you may just be tempted to try and move your own nose at just the right angle in order to sound like a trumpet.

For more information on Toxic Audio, visit: http://www.toxicaudio.com/.

The State Theatre is located at 15 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick, NJ. For information or to purchase tickets call 732-246-SHOW(7469) or visit http://www.statetheatrenj.org/. Check us out on Twitter, Facebook, and Myspace.

A Brief Q&A with Michael Cavanaugh

2009-07-13T13:43:00.000-07:00

A brief Q&A with musician Michael Cavanaugh, the original Piano Man in Broadway's Movin' Out on his upcoming tour and his new CD, In Color

How long have you been playing the piano? And did you always want to play the piano? I have been playing since I was 7. My parents purchased a piano for my Mom and immediately loved it and started playing. When I showed up to my first piano lesson I played “It’s still Rock & Roll to me”. Then my first lesson was something like "Mary Had a Little Lamb." I wasn't that interested. I wound up being a poor piano student.

How did it feel to be hand-picked by Billy Joel to star in Movin’ Out?
It was unreal. It was the kind of thing I imagined when I was a kid.

Can you tell us about your new album In Color?
My new CD was one of the greatest experiences I have had making music as we teamed up with producer Rob Mathes and have some great originals as well as some interpretations of some classic songs by Billy Joel, Led Zeppelin, Pete Townsend, Bob Dylan, and others. We also received a great distribution deal so it is available at iTunes, Amazon.com, as well as Best Buy and Borders. I will be out front after the show at the State Theatre signing CD’s too!

What’s has been your most memorable performance? What town/city was it in?
There have been many, if I had to pick a few, I would pick playing on stage with Billy Joel in Cleveland, Ohio (my hometown) during one of his shows. Others of note would be the first symphony performance I did with the Indianapolis Symphony because they had such belief in the project and that first night was incredible. And obviously my first night on Broadway was pretty special :)

What are some of the bands/artists that you are listening to right now?
The Beatles, John Mayer, Daughtry, The Eagles, The Who

Would you ever consider performing on Broadway again?
Who knows, I never say never. For now, I have many other projects that I am working on. A new symphony show (Generations of Rock-n-Roll), a new Vegas show (hoping to debut this fall), as well as a tour in the Far East. I plan on having a long career so you never know.

Michael Cavanaugh performs with a full band at the State Theatre in New Brunswick, NJ on Thursday, July 16 at 8pm.

The State Theatre is located at 15 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick, NJ. For information or to purchase tickets call 732-246-SHOW(7469) or visit http://www.statetheatrenj.org/. Check us out on Twitter, Facebook, and Myspace.

The Amish Project - An Intense Hour Worth Your Time

2009-07-07T13:56:00.000-07:00

A group of State Theatre staff members including myself, recently went into NYC to the Rattlestick Playwrights Theater for a performance of The Amish Project (presented by the State Theatre in March 2010). If I had one word to describe this show, it would be captivating. For 65 minutes, I, like my co-workers was glued to every word and every movement made by Jessica Dickey, the one-woman actress/playwright of this show.

The play, a fictional exploration of the true events of the 2006 shootings of 5 girls (and the gunman) in an Amish Schoolhouse in Lancaster, PA, is imbued with poetry, humor, and wonder. Throughout the hour, Dickey moves seamlessly back and forth among different characters (including the gunman, his widow, an Amish child, a news reporter, and a 16-year-old Hispanic girl), deftly weaving a complex and thought-provoking web of differing perspectives that explore the major themes of forgiveness and reconciliation. Each character is portrayed with a different voice and very distinct mannerisms that make it clear as to who she is playing at any given moment and all of this while in the same costume of an Amish dress, apron, and bonnet. It is truly a masterclass in acting to watch as she makes you forget that she is playing the deranged gunman while wearing this bonnet.

As intense as the play is, we didn't leave the theater feeling sad, in fact, it opened a dialogue between us. A dialogue that has been ongoing since we saw the show almost 2 weeks ago. And apparently, we are not the only ones still talking about this show, as the run has been extended to July 12 due to critical acclaim and popular demand (New York Times review. NPR review.) Check it out now at: http://www.rattlestick.org/ or catch it at the State Theatre in March 2010.

–Kelly Skinner, Director of Public Relations

The State Theatre is located at 15 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick, NJ. For information or to purchase tickets call 732-246-SHOW(7469) or visit http://www.statetheatrenj.org/. Check us out on Twitter, Facebook, and Myspace.

Rutgers and the State Theatre, Perfect Together

2009-06-29T12:21:00.000-07:00

Part of my job as University Liaison consists of engaging the Rutgers community in all things State Theatre. We present world-renowned artists in almost every discipline and many times these artists are available for workshops, master classes, Q&A's etc. We want Rutgers students, faculty, and staff to take advantage of all we have to offer. But they need to know about these special opportunities in order to participate. Last year around this time, I organized a presentation to Rutgers faculty and staff to promote last season's events. On Wednesday, July 1st, we will do it again for our 2009-2010 performances. There are several performances we hope will generate excitement, among them The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey's adaptation of The Grapes of Wrath, MacHomer, Scrap Arts Music, and The Amish Project. We want the Rutgers community, especially students, to see the State Theatre as their neighborhood entertainment and performing arts venue. There is so much more happening here than most people think. Hopefully on Wednesday we will begin to plan for some great collaborations with Rutgers.

–Katie Pyott, Education Associate & University Liaison

The State Theatre is located at 15 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick, NJ. For information or to purchase tickets call 732-246-SHOW(7469) or visit http://www.statetheatrenj.org/. Check us out on Twitter, Facebook, and Myspace.

Laughter is the Best Medicine -- And We Need It

2009-06-18T09:05:00.000-07:00

"Give us more comedy!"

Every day patrons give us their feedback as to what types of artists we should book at the State Theatre. And leading the pack right now, more than ever, are comedians. Why is that, you ask? Well, it's simple, times are crappy and people want to laugh (and believe me, so do us arts folks). Comedians help us to lighten up and forget, even for just an hour or so, the reality of our situations. So, with that said, you asked for comedy and we have answered. This fall, we have scheduled 3 comedians, all with their own brand of comedy: Lewis Black, Joy Behar, and Jim Gaffigan.

(above is a funny bit about cinnabons by Jim Gaffigan)

So, if you need a laugh, come and visit us at the State or if you want to laugh RIGHT NOW, check out Jim Gaffigan's YouTube page. Either way, treat yourself and find time to laugh...you know you want to...

The State Theatre is located at 15 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick, NJ. For information or to purchase tickets call 732-246-SHOW(7469) or visit http://www.statetheatrenj.org/. Check us out on Twitter, Facebook, and Myspace.

State Theatre presents school performances of Harold and the Purple Crayon and more for 2009-2010

2009-06-08T11:38:00.000-07:00

Now that the 2008-2009 education season has wrapped up, we are well on our way to putting out information about next season’s shows. We’ve got some orders in already and school’s not even out! The 2009-2010 education season is looking to be a great one, seeing some familiar titles like The Grapes of Wrath, Harold and the Purple Crayon, The Nutcracker, and The Very Hungry Caterpillar. We’ve also got some shows that you may not have heard of, including MacHomer, a one-man version of Shakespeare’s Macbeth told in the voices of characters from The Simpsons. Also, The Man Who Planted Trees a show based on a children’s book about a man who makes it his life’s work to plant trees all over the south of France. Although it’s still very early and we have just put these shows and several others on sale, we already seem to have some favorites including The Very Hungry Caterpillar and other Eric Carle Favorites for the preK-3rd grade crowd. This is a return event for us and already we have some big orders for the 3 performances. For older students, it looks like the returning of performance poets and New Jersey’s own the Mayhem Poets will be a favorite. They will be here to help us celebrate National Poetry Month in April. You can find more information about the entire education season at http://www.statetheatrenj.org/education/performancesschools.asp.

–Jenn Cunha, Education

The State Theatre is located at 15 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick, NJ. For information or to purchase tickets call 732-246-SHOW(7469) or visit http://www.statetheatrenj.org/. Check us out on Twitter, Facebook, and Myspace.

May is over, but tough times are still ahead

2009-05-31T19:41:00.000-07:00

So, we did it. We survived the busy month of May...a month of Gala craziness and the arrival of a brand new outdoor festival. Both of which were two very different events for the State Theatre. The Gala, which takes months and months of planning, is a night of cocktails, entertainment, dinner, dancing, auctions, and the works. This year's theme was a tribute to the movies and leading the concert was long-time Academy Awards® Music Director and Oscar® Award-winning composer Bill Conti (composer of the Rocky theme). The Gala, which is our big annual benefit, helped to raise $570,000 for the theater. It was a success, and a big one in these economic times.

Now, shifting gears, one week after the Gala on May 23, we held our first annual Urban Arts Festival. From reading our previous blog posts, you know that this was no easy task for us. It was tough...with no background in programming urban artists, very little time, and a very tight budget; it had the possibility of being a dud. However, I am happy to tell you that it wasn't! It was a blast! It truly went off without a hitch, well without any major problems anyway. Sure, we had a few sound issues (an outdoor stage will do that) and what not, but that's it.

(Above: A short video from Urban Arts featuring the local dance group Strickly Street)

So, for us at the State Theatre, May has been a good month. We couldn't have asked for a better way to end our season. Now, we look to the new fiscal year (ours begins in July) and we start planning for it now in June. It's going to be a tough year for the arts and we hope to meet the challenge.

The State Theatre is located at 15 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick, NJ. For information or to purchase tickets call 732-246-SHOW(7469) or visit http://www.statetheatrenj.org/.

Check us out on Twitter, Facebook, and Myspace.

The Urban Arts Festival is Here! What Do We Do Now?

2009-05-22T06:36:00.000-07:00

So, after months and months of planning, it's here and it's tomorrow, Sat, May 23...the State Theatre's first annual Urban Arts Festival. It's an all-day (12pm-8pm) outdoor festival and we've booked so many acts, it's unbelievable. Very quickly, this venture into new territory, the urban arts, has gone from "what do we do and how do we do it," to "what do we do with all these big plans now?"

We have booked 20 plus acts, and scheduled 2 open mic times for local spoken word poets, and all of that must fit into 8 hours...that is going to be some crazy turnaround time for our stage hands. And that is not to mention we have all sorts of other stuff going on at the same time including free workshops, a 25 ft mural project and a hanging "art happening" or art installation, both of which are open to the public for participation. Nevertheless, we are confident in our plans and we just hope that people like what we have put together. We just have to remember, this is the "first annual" Urban Arts Festival, which means you never know...stay tuned (or just stop by!).

For more information on the Urban Arts Festival, visit: http://www.statetheatrenj.org/urban_arts. The State Theatre is located at 15 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick, NJ. For information or to purchase tickets call 732-246-SHOW(7469) or visit http://www.statetheatrenj.org/.

Check us out on Twitter, Facebook, and Myspace.

The Appeal of Old Movies - Carnegie Hall

2009-04-30T08:33:00.001-07:00

While channel surfing the other night I stumbled across an amazing 1947 film on TCM entitled Carnegie Hall. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039244/fullcredits#cast . The movie itself, largely forgettable, (clearly forgotten in fact), centers on a contrived love story set in and around the famed concert hall. I was initially drawn in by the obviously authentic location shooting, interiors and many exterior shots of that neighborhood in which I used to work. Most remarkable though were the cameo appearances of many 20th century classical music titans: Jascha Heifetz, Artur Rubinstein, Lily Pons, Leopold Stokowski, and Jan Peerce just to name a few. Some overacted in the roles of themselves as eccentric artists, but most simply performed; long, extended, non-sound bite, montage free performances. How much has changed in 60 years. That a movie like this could get made, that a small constellation of classical music stars familiar to the general public even existed, and that their simple one or two stationary camera performances could be considered visually engaging is touchstone of aesthetics long gone. I won’t lament too much though. No doubt the appeal, for better or worse, of many performers who routinely take the stage here will astound the audiences of 2069.

-Andrew Fishman, Director of Programming

The State Theatre is located at 15 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick, NJ. For information or to purchase tickets call 732-246-SHOW(7469) or visit http://www.statetheatrenj.org/.

Check us out on Twitter, Facebook, and Myspace.

Cedar Lake Touching Performance

2009-04-28T08:45:00.000-07:00

As a Rutgers student currently enrolled in Modern dance, it was highly recommended that I see Cedar Lake perform their contemporary Ballet pieces this past Friday at the State Theatre. Having been familar with this particular genre in dance, I was the upmost impressed and blown away after this performance. In my opinion, never has a dance company make such connections through real-life emotions and present the uncut truth of it to an audience with such grace. Completely, taken aback by a mind-blowing performance, I am proud to say I was one of the many in the audience who gave the performers a standing ovation.

The show had three seperate pieces that each symbolized human life at its most truthful element. There was the first, that dealt with issues of relationships-displaying a variety of differnent and individual dynamics each relationship had. What also was an apparent theme was the fact there were outsiders watching, passing judgements. To represent the "passing of judgments" they had the onlookers walking across the stage whispering or making gossiping-like sounds, literally "passing" by the couple that was having issues. Also, interesting to note, the only couple on stage to dance as if they were happily "dancing through life" without a care, had their gossipers walk away, because it was no longer something dramatic to talk about; two people just being happy and content with each other.

This type of truthfulness exsisted within the other two pieces, although more abrstract from the first. The second was only two women, one of which was in a trance or sleep-like state, and the other was darkness, and represented the seduction and control it has over one's sleeping body. The dance itself was one with at times with a nightmarish feel to it, which gave an overall erie feeling. Different, this dance led into the final act with got possibly darker with emotions, and yet a sense of relief of a common feeling among us all that we share.

With the final act, there was also a feeling a eeriness and a dream like state, but what the piece seemed to represent is shared fears among the human population. The dances not only had strong movements with their bodies, but played the parts of the characters and the fears each one was facing.

All represented through movements of the body, and the old rule of Ballet with now less restrictions, Cedar Lake did a fabulous job at crafting the natural human reactions.

--Ashley Petersen, Marketing/PR Intern

The State Theatre is located at 15 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick, NJ. For information or to purchase tickets call 732-246-SHOW(7469) or visit http://www.statetheatrenj.org/.

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Follow the Bee!

2009-04-20T09:35:00.000-07:00

Inspired by the Peeps contests from mycentraljersey.com and the Washington Post we decided here at the State Theatre to do our own twist of a Peeps scene, using The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee as our inspiration. State Theatre Marketing/PR interns worked hard on the model, only using Peeps (88 cents per box at Rite Aid!) and supplies found in the office. Now, the Spelling Bee Peeps are set up for 14 days of mischief. They have already started to hit the road, encountering various people and places like Best Buy (with the Geek Squad), the Philadelphia Orchestra (well, sort of, the orchestra was actually out to lunch while they enjoyed a seat on the podium), Officer Dave (yes a real police officer), and all around downtown New Brunswick. And just a few days after being created, the Peeps have already met their first celebrity, comedian Brian Regan!

The Peeps are looking forward to their next exciting journey, wherever it may be. They will be showing up unannounced at random locations in NJ, so keep your eye out and Follow the Bee in order for your chance to win free tickets to The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee on May 1-2, 2009 here at the State Theatre!

The State Theatre is located at 15 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick, NJ. For information or to purchase tickets call 732-246-SHOW(7469) or visit http://www.statetheatrenj.org/.

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Can You Spell R-E-L-E-V-A-N-T and I-N-T-E-R-A-C-T-I-V-E Musical?

2009-04-14T07:36:00.000-07:00

As an avid fan of musicals I've seen my fair share, and I've come to one conclusion. Musicals have changed. A lot. The topics have changed, the music has changed, the characters have changed, the relevance of musicals has changed, and even the audience has changed. Think of all the musicals you know that have recently been produced. They don't all fit into one category.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is by far one example of those mold breaking musicals. For starters, when was the last time you heard of a musical based on a spelling bee? Aside from the quirky topic, this musical is relevant. Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre, the youngest and most politically aware of all the spellers, wears an Obama pin on her shirt. I'm sure she was devastated when it was announced at an Illinois show that former Governor Blagojevich would not be able to attend the Spelling Bee due to his impeachment. It's these little extra touches that make this musical so intriguing, and entertaining to watch, and prevents Spelling Bee from aging. The musical moves forward with time.

Not only is Spelling Bee relevant, but it also interactive. Each performance, a handful of audience members are selected (on a purely voluntary basis) to come up and spell in the Spelling Bee. Audience members who want to sign up are given the chance to do so 30 minutes before the performance, and spellers are selected from that group. As a student speller, you will be on stage for as long as you can spell correctly, just like in a real spelling bee! I've never seen a musical where audience members are asked to come on stage and interact with the cast. This concept is so unique and will be a great time, for both audience members and guest spellers.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is definitely a musical I am looking forward to seeing. It's great to see that this musical continues the tradition of breaking out from the musical stereotype of over the top choreography and singing. Hope to see you all there, and maybe you'll see me on stage as a guest speller!

--Jennifer Luzes, Marketing/PR Intern

The State Theatre is located at 15 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick, NJ. For information or to purchase tickets call 732-246-SHOW(7469) or visit http://www.statetheatrenj.org/.

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The Rise of the Meet & Greets

2009-04-10T07:49:00.000-07:00

Theater perks...everyone is looking for something more than just a show these days and for us, the big one right now are "Meet & Greets" with the artists. People absolutely LOVE them and can't seem to get enough of them. I would say that this season the number of Meet & Greets that we have held has easily doubled from last season. And it hasn't been just one or two genre of artists...Jazz musician John Piazza, violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter, dance group Pilobolus, actress Tovah Feldshuh, kid's character Bob the Builder, the national touring cast of Hairspray, are just a few examples from this season.

Now, looking at that list, you can see that these are all very different artists with different audiences (although I do admit there is some crossover). So, what do they all have in common? I am not really sure, but I can take a guess. Today, people feel closer to their favorite artists than ever. Today, you can look up your favorite artist online and actually SEE what they are up to, maybe read about their day, and possible chat with them online. Artists have become more accessible, and have come to realize how important it is to connect with their fans and seeing them in person before or after a show is no exception. So, bottom line is, meet & greets are on the rise and the artists as well as us State Theatre folk realize just how important they have become.

Interested in a Meet & Greet with an upcoming State Theatre artist? E-mail statetheatrenj@gmail.com

The State Theatre is located at 15 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick, NJ. For information or to purchase tickets call 732-246-SHOW(7469) or visit http://www.statetheatrenj.org/.

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“Backstage Access” - From The Belly of The Beast

2009-04-08T06:27:00.000-07:00

This past Thursday the children’s character Waldo, from the Where’s Waldo book series took over the State Theatre. Rutgers University Programming Association (RUPA) held a charity event to not only collect books for the local New Brunswick school district, but attempted to break the Guinness World Record of the most amount of people dressed as Waldo in one location. Starting at 7pm students lined Livingston Avenue and around the corner to George Street to donate their books and receive a costume, provided by RUPA. As the students came into the theater various student performance organizations took the stage including the band The “N” result, The Jugglers Club, The Iota Phi Theta Step team, and the Livingston Theatre Company. In the end the students almost doubled the record with 1,052 Waldo’s and over 3,000 books for the New Brunswick Schools. Here are some great videos, pictures, and articles of the event:

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/ireports/2009/04/04/irpt.wheres.waldo.cnn?iref=videosearch

http://www.flickr.com/photos/emidesu/3408706534/

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/weird/Hundreds-Dress-as-Wheres-Waldo-at-Rutgers.html

Saturday night, was a totally different experience. We presented the classic Mikado, performed by G&S repertory company, Opera A La Carte. Arguably the most famous operetta ever written and obviously still wowing audiences since its debut in 1885 had our audience smiling for two and a half hours. Here’s an interesting piece of info…The idea for The Mikado first sprang into W.S. Gilbert's mind when an old Japanese sword, which had been hanging on the wall of his study for years, suddenly fell from its place. Gilbert took this as an omen and determined to leave his own country alone for a while and turn his biting satire instead towards the East. He did not have to look far to research the subject of his new play. He found all the material he wanted in Knightsbridge, a little village of Japanese immigrants within a mile of his own home in South Kensington. Hopefully, they will back to visit us soon with one of their other productions.

(A really proud moment Saturday night for us here at the State actually happened in Cleveland. Our head sound engineer, Willie Weist, who is also the keyboardist/music director for Little Anthony and The Imperials played live on the national broadcast of The Rock and Roll hall of Fame induction ceremonies!)

Sunday and Monday we were host to the National Acrobats of China. Not a lot of fun backstage for me since no one spoke English but there was certainly not a dull moment onstage. It was quite apparent that this group practices relentlessly as there were no mistakes. Some of the routines just seem impossible to do…riding on top of someone’s shoulders on a bicycle and jumping to the next person’s shoulders in front of them on another bicycle, just crazy stuff. The age ranges of the audiences were from 0 to very old and everyone loved it. I can tell you that backstage they have a book that if you make a mistake you get written up. Now judging on how serious they are about not getting written up , well I am not sure of the penalty, but their tour manager told me that at one show one acrobat went flying off the stage to catch his hat and jumped up like a center fielder yelling I got it!

Not a lot of crazy things backstage this weekend but check back later this month when I report on Willie Nelson, Joe Cocker, Brian Regan , and k.d. lang. Thanks and remember come out and see a show!

--Larry S. Dember, Director of Production

The State Theatre is located at 15 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick, NJ. For information or to purchase tickets call 732-246-SHOW(7469) or visit http://www.statetheatrenj.org/.

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Twitter and the Arts, perfect together

2009-04-01T05:54:00.000-07:00

Last minute changes to the program, new discounts, added shows, these are all things that happen on a daily basis in the theater business. So, how do you go about giving people the 411 as soon as possible? Snail mail? Forget it, 2-3 days later is way too long. E-blast? What if you need to tell someone something that they need to know before the end of the day? The answer, Twitter.

Twitter is quickly becoming the best way to communicate with constant updates and instant feedback to questions. Plus it lets people know that you are around and when you are around, which makes the theater an approachable and accessible place. It's a connection that isn't made with an email announcement, people can't ask an email questions, but they can ask the person tweeting. The State Theatre has only had an account for a couple of months, but it's already proving to be worth the time and effort and it's only going to get better. Go Twitter.

The State Theatre is located at 15 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick, NJ. For information or to purchase tickets call 732-246-SHOW(7469) or visit http://www.statetheatrenj.org/.

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An Urban Arts Festival for New Brunswick, New Jersey

2009-03-27T06:23:00.000-07:00

For years now, we at the State Theatre have been trying to put together an Urban Arts Festival, a celebrated community experience of music, dance, poetry, and art. And now with the support of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, our dreams have come true and the date is set for Saturday, May 23. Now if we can only figure out exactly what we want to do....

The city of New Brunswick is a diverse city, so planning for the festival (which will be free of charge) has been harder than we could ever imagine. We are currently in the process of booking local acts for an outside stage that will be open on the street in front of the State Theatre from 12:30pm to about 6pm. As you can imagine, there is a lot of work to be done in just under 2 months (and that's not to mention the evening performances on the State Theatre stage and the day-time workshops we want to do). There are TOO MANY options (and time is running out) and how often can you say that in times like these?! I guess what it comes down to is that we are very thankful for this opportunity, and we want it to be the best it can be, so our emotions and expectations are running high. And for lack of a better phrase, THE HEAT IS ON!

Performers scheduled for the Urban Arts Festival so far include Mayhem Poets and performance poet Glenis Redmond. If you are a solo performer or part of a group that would like to perform at the Urban Arts Festival, contact Andrew Fishman: afishman@StateTheatreNJ.org. No phone calls, please.

The State Theatre is located at 15 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick, NJ. For information or to purchase tickets call 732-246-SHOW(7469) or visit http://www.statetheatrenj.org/.

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Rutgers to break Guinness World Record of most Waldos in one place!

2009-03-23T12:22:00.000-07:00

In any other case, seeing over 1500 people dressed up as Waldo from the book series "Where's Waldo?" would probably frighten you. If you are a child of the 90's you probably remember Waldo as the tall, lanky, guy that always seemed to be lost amidst a crowd of people/objects that looked like his red and white striped shirt at first glance. On April 2, 2009 Rutgers University is attempting to break the Guinness World Record of the largest gathering of people dressed up as Waldo. I know what you're thinking, "THAT'S a world record?" You would be surprised to find out what other bizzarre world records there are out there (actually, last April, Rutgers students broke the world record for the most people dressed up as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles).

This year's record breaking attempt will take place at the State Theatre, with an entry fee of $5 or a new children's book. All books and proceeds will benefit literacy efforts for the students of the New Brunswick School District. So, not only will you be able to be a part of breaking a really unique world record, you will also be helping out the kids that live in the local community. We are living in a time where books are becoming a more and more obsolete source of entertainment for children. It is nice to know that there are still events like this that are fighting for books to remain a part of childhood. So, if you grew up in the 90's looking for Waldo, want to break a world record, or just want to benefit a good cause, put on your Waldo gear and stop by the theater.

--Teisia Park, Marketing/PR Intern

The State Theatre is located at 15 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick, NJ. For information or to purchase tickets call 732-246-SHOW(7469) or visit http://www.statetheatrenj.org/.

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Mom and Dad, please put down that video camera!

2009-03-11T12:28:00.000-07:00

Live performances -- theater, music, whatever, there is nothing like it. Sharing the experience with your family, priceless. You buy the tickets, refreshments, some quirky show merchandise, and sit to enjoy the show. But there's one problem, there is a square box of brightness distracting you (and blinding you) from a few rows up. Someone in front of you is filming every second of the show ...Argh! You sit and bear it, but a few minutes later a few more bright little screens pop up...cameras, phones, etc.

This is exactly what happened at our recent performances of Dora the Explorer Live. One parent would see another parent filming the show and so THEY would start filming the show. Our ushers would politely ask them to stop filming, but some people would intially refuse stating "Well that person is taping, why don't you stop them." Yikes! What to do, what to do...

Well, the filming of live performances at a performaning arts center like ourselves, is not allowed anywhere, at any time. However, saying that to patrons, is a difficult task. So, I just want to say think before you try to sneak a few pictures or video footage because it ruins it for everyone, plus you know you are never going to watch the footage more than once. Why spoil the moment by trying to recapture it for later? You are at the performance right now, so sit back and take it all in. You might just miss the most amazing moment because you are trying too hard to hide the fact that you are taking pictures or taping.

The State Theatre is located at 15 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick, NJ. For information or to purchase tickets call 732-246-SHOW(7469) or visit http://www.statetheatrenj.org/.

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What will you be spending money on three months from now?

2009-03-06T08:40:00.000-08:00

What will you be spending money on three months from now? How about six months, or even a year down the road? Will you pop for those $75 tickets to see one of your favorite performers in concert, or dinner and a Broadway show? will I? Chances are neither one of us know answers to these questions. We are currently in the thick if of programming our schedule for the 2009-2010 season, which entails booking shows, setting ticket prices etc. for events as far away as May 2010. Normally we can predict with a fair degree of accuracy what the market will bear, but “normally” has gone out the window. The good news is, that in spite of the uncertainty, we forge ahead. Will we make concessions and adjustments based on the economy, of course, but compare next season to this one, and all that have come before, and you will see the same broad variety of quality shows that the Theatre is known for. We all know what predictions are worth these days, but here’s one thing for certain, three months, six months or a year from now, we’ll be here. Hope you will be too.

The State Theatre is located at 15 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick, NJ. For information or to purchase tickets call 732-246-SHOW(7469) or visit http://www.statetheatrenj.org/.

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Rocking Opera Like No Other Group - East Village Opera Company

2009-02-26T11:09:00.000-08:00

Opera? Rock? How about Opera rocked? Yes, music fans, there is a new genre of music where 300 year old arias are being re-imagined and re-worked as Rock songs. And the group leading the way is East Village Opera Company. With their leather pants and kick-ass performances, East Village is making waves across the music industry with their unique and explosive new sound. They even have the Grammy nominations to prove it! And, classical and rock fans alike are loving it!

Check out the video below and see for yourself!

East Village Opera Company performs live at the State Theatre in New Brunswick, NJ, on Friday, April 3 at 8pm.

The State Theatre is located at 15 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick, NJ. For information or to purchase tickets call 732-246-SHOW(7469) or visit http://www.statetheatrenj.org/.

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State Theatre's Third Annual Family Day

2009-02-20T13:10:00.000-08:00

Every year the State Theatre hosts Family Day on Presidents' Day, a nonstop schedule of both free and paid activites at the State Theatre , George Street Playhouse, Crossroads Theatre, Uniter Methodist Church, and the Hub City Big Top. Each time Family Day gets bigger and bigger and this year was no exception. There were ten workshops, five performances at the State Theatre and Crossroads Theatre (including a mini-circus!), and free sing-a-longs and story telling all day long at United Methodist Church. The size was not limited to just the events, but also to the size of the Hub City Big Top, a 30x75 foot heated tent that shuts down Livingston Avenue from George Street to New Street, when last year's was only 20x50 feet.

Live characters from popular children shows filled the street, while volunteers from the community, like Rutgers University, ran a variety of free activity stations. Our most popular station was face painting where kids could get colorful penguins, flowers, Hello Kitties, and Elmos on their cheeks. A close second was balloon animals where kids could choose from a dog, elephant, mouse, horse, monkey, snail, sword, hat, or bunny.

The bunny was clearly the most popular balloon animal of the day. Once the children saw Goodnight Moon and Runaway Bunny they all wanted one of their own. These two performances were the main attraction of Family Day.

So after all was said and done, and the last cheek was painted and the last balloon was handed out, kids and parents alike went home with lifted spirits and smiling faces. It is those faces that make us want to continue this tradition for years to come.

The State Theatre is located at 15 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick, NJ. For information or to purchase tickets call 732-246-SHOW(7469) or visit http://www.statetheatrenj.org/.

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A New Guild to Bring Together the Community

2009-02-12T18:47:00.000-08:00

This past Monday, the State Theatre held the first official event for it's brand new guild, The Rising Stars. The sold-out event brought together 80 women for a special dinner before a lecture by one of Hollywood's most famous actresses, Goldie Hawn.

The Rising Stars is a new program that was started up to bring together people who can help us to educate and enlighten the community about the State Theatre and its programs and encourage involvement in all age groups. It was a wonderful kick-off event (even if Goldie didn't stop by:) ), as this was the first of 5 special dinners between now and June 1.

And this is just the beginning, as plans for future Rising Stars community events are in the works.

The State Theatre is located at 15 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick, NJ. For information or to purchase tickets call 732-246-SHOW(7469) or visit http://www.statetheatrenj.org/.

Check us out on Twitter, Facebook, and Myspace.