December 4, 2024

Chevy Chase to Appear at State Theatre NJ

State Theatre New Jersey and NJPAC Productions present “An Evening with Chevy Chase & National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” on Thursday, December 5 at 7:30 p.m. This show celebrates the classic film National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, with a special 35th Anniversary screening of the film followed by a live conversation and Q&A with Chase and his wife Jayni.

A limited number of VIP tickets are available, including a personal post-show photo opportunity with Chase.

Chevy and Jayni Chase will share their behind-the-scenes stories and personal anecdotes about the making of this movie that has become a Christmas tradition. During the conversation, audience members can ask questions and hear firsthand from Chevy about his career including Saturday Night Live, Caddyshack, and more. more

“Nutcracker” in New Brunswick

American Repertory Ballet brings its production of the holiday classic “The Nutcracker” to State Theatre New Jersey, 15 Livingston Avenue on December 20, 21 and 22, complete with live orchestra conducted by Kenneth Bean and singers from the Princeton Girlchoir. Shows are December 20 at 7:30 p.m.; December 21 at 2 and 7 p.m.; and December 22 at 1 and 5 p.m. Tickets are $29-$69. Visit Stnj.org. (Photo by Megan Teat)

Cirque Musica Presents “Holiday Wonderland”

State Theatre New Jersey presents Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland on Saturday, December 14 at 3 and 8 p.m. Tickets range from $39-$99.

Featuring acrobatics, gravity-defying aerial feats, and musicians and singers, the performance takes audiences on a journey into a world of music, cirque, and more. With new costumes, music, and storylines, the all-new show blends the grace and daredevil athleticism of circus performers with a musical mix of seasonal favorites. more

Princeton Makes Talks Series Features Winn

ARTIST TALK: Painter Claude Winn will discuss her work at the “Inside the Artist’s Studio” event on Saturday, December 7 at 6:30 p.m. at Princeton Makes in the Princeton Shopping Center.

On Saturday, December 7 at 6:30 p.m., painter Claude Winn will be the featured speaker for the “Inside the Artist’s Studio” series at Princeton Makes in the Princeton Shopping Center. Winn, a Princeton Makes cooperative member, creates abstract paintings that she calls “meditations,” reflecting her interdisciplinary background.

During the event, Winn will discuss her work and the influences of her art heroes, including William de Kooning, Wassily Kandinsky, and Helen Frankenthaler. A visual and theatre artist, Winn’s interest in art began in childhood when she spent hours in museums studying the works of great artists. more

Sean Mount Exhibition Opening at SFA Gallery

“DRINKING SONG”: This oil on linen work is featured in “Sean Mount / New Paintings,” on view December 7 through February 2 at SFA Gallery In Frenchtown. An opening night reception is on Saturday, December 7 from 5 to 8 p.m.

Following up on his successful show in 2023, Lambertville artist Sean Mount returns to SFA Gallery in Frenchtown with “Sean Mount / New Paintings,” on view December 7 through February 2. An opening night celebration is on Saturday, December 7 from 5 to 8 p.m.

A self-taught oil and watercolor artist, Mount is also a keen naturalist, mushroom forager, and bird-watcher. Known for his paintings of fog-shrouded woods and sun-dappled creeks, his work is recognized as fortifying the rich legacy of New Hope School Impressionism.

This exhibit comes on the heels of a major achievement in Mount’s career, the purchase of a very large oil painting, Querencia/Altar, by the James A. Michener Art Museum in Doylestown, Pa., where it is currently on view. more

Johnson Park Student Art Show at Arts Council

The Olivia & Leslie Foundation + Johnson Park Student Art Show, to he held on Saturday December 14 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Arts Council of Princeton, will showcase the artistic accomplishments of students from the Olivia & Leslie Foundation Art + Math program.

This special event provides an opportunity to see their creativity come to life and celebrate their efforts as a community. There will also be an arts supplies giveaway and refreshments.

The Arts Council of Princeton is located at 102 Witherspoon Street.

“Freedom of Expression” Exhibit at Dupree Gallery

“FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION”: More than 150 works by 70 artists will be on view at Dupree Gallery Lambertville December 7 through January 24. An opening reception is on Saturday, December 7 from 4 to 8 p.m. (Photo by Sierra Humes)

Dupree Gallery Lambertville will present “Freedom of Expression” December 7 through January 24, 2025. An opening reception is on Saturday, December 7, from 4 to 8 p.m. This open call exhibition features over 150 eclectic works of art by 70 artists from around the country.

The exhibition is curated by artist and gallery owner James E. Dupree and draws from his extensive professional network of established artists, along with submissions from independent artists who responded to the open call. “Freedom of Expression” showcases a wide variety of mediums — including painting, drawing, prints, fiber art, wood carving, photography, collage, and more — offering an impressive range of styles and techniques. Artwork is priced from $125 to $4,800. more

Lucy’s Kitchen & Market, a Popular Mainstay, Offers Variety of Pasta Specialties and More

PLEASING THE PALATE: “We have a wonderful staff,” says Caron Wendell, co-owner of Lucy’s Kitchen & Market. “We are very proud of them. Many have been with us for over 10 years, and some for as many as 20 years or more.” Shown are staff members who are ready to help customers select choices from the display case filled with a variety of tempting treats.

By Jean Stratton

Step inside Lucy’s Kitchen & Market at 830 State Road, and you are immediately glad you came. Just entering this cheerful market, where nearly all the food is prepared on site from scratch, will tempt the taste buds.

Lucy’s success story has been going on for a long time. At the current location since 1996, owners Caron Wendell and Joe McLaughlin had initially set up shop in Trenton in 1991, specializing in ravioli. more

Sparked by Goalie Kovács’s Energy, Competitive Fire, PU Men’s Water Polo Primed for NCAA Tourney Run

MAKING A SPLASH: Princeton University men’s water polo goalie Kristóf Kovács unloads the ball in action earlier this season. Sophomore Kovács has made 316 saves this season in helping Princeton win the Northeast Water Polo Conference (NWPC) tournament. The Tigers, now 23-8, are heading into the NCAA tournament where they are seeded fifth and will face fourth-seeded and host Stanford in the quarterfinal round on December 6 at the Avery Aquatic Center in Stanford, Calif. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Justin Feil

It took a little convincing, but Kristóf Kovács has found just what he was looking for in Princeton University.

Growing up in Hódmezovásárhely, Hungary, Kovács knew that Princeton was a great academic school. When he started to follow the Tigers men’s water polo team, he saw a program ready to reach a new standard. more

Goalie Smith Comes Up Big with 2 Stellar Efforts, Helping PU Men’s Hockey Sweep No. 12 Ohio State

BUCKING UP: Princeton University men’s hockey goalie Arthur Smith makes a save against Ohio State last weekend. Sophomore Smith starred as Princeton swept the Buckeyes in a two-game set, recording 29 saves as the Tigers posted a 3-1 win on Friday before making a career-high 37 stops in a 3-1 win on Saturday. Smith’s heroics got him named as the ECAC Goaltender of the Week. Princeton, now 3-4-1 overall, hosts Union on December 6 and RPI on December 7. (Photo provided courtesy of Princeton Athletics)

By Bill Alden

Arthur Smith could have been rusty as he started at goalie for the Princeton University men’s hockey team last Friday night as it hosted No. 12 Ohio State.

But sophomore Smith, who hadn’t played since November 9 when he took the loss as the Tigers fell 5-1 to Dartmouth, was primed to make the most of his opportunity. more

With Freshman Happy Emerging as a Key Performer, PU Men’s Hoops Tops Nazareth in Improving to 6-3

HAPPY TO HELP: Princeton University men’s basketball player CJ Happy displays his intensity at the defensive end in a game earlier this season. Last Wednesday, freshman forward Happy scored a game-high and career-high 18 points to help Princeton defeat Division III Nazareth 99-63. The Tigers, who improved to 6-3 with the win, were slated to play at Saint Joseph’s on December 3 before playing at Furman on December 7 and hosting Monmouth on December 10. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

CJ Happy provided the Princeton University men’s basketball team with a major highlight as it wrapped up play at the Myrtle Beach Invitational.

After Princeton lost its first two games at the event in Conway, S.C., falling 80-62 to Wright State and 83-80 to Texas State, freshman forward Happy erupted for a game-high 16 points to help the Tigers defeat Portland 94-67 on November 24 to end the weekend on a high note. more

Looking to Rebound from 5-13 Campaign, PHS Boys’ Hockey Ramping Up the Intensity

HEADS UP: Princeton High boys’ hockey player Anders Hedin heads up the ice in a game last winter. Junior forward Hedin figures to be a key performer for the Tigers this winter. PHS opens its 2024-25 campaign by facing Notre Dame on December 6 at the Mercer County Skating Center. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

With the Princeton High boys’ hockey team coming off a disappointing 5-13 campaign last winter, Rik Johnson is looking for his squad to display more intensity this season.

“It is still early going, we have had two on-ice practices and then one dry land on Tuesday,” said PHS head coach Johnson, whose team opens its 2024-25 campaign by facing Notre Dame on December 6 at the Mercer County Skating Center. “The vibes are positive, they are high. We definitely seem to be more focused going into the season. I am hoping to improve on last year.” more

PDS Boys’ Hockey To Use a Grind-It-Out Approach As it Strives to Build on Last Winter’s Improvement

GOING AT IT: Princeton Day School boys’ hockey player Wyatt Ewanchyna brings the puck up the ice in a game last season. Senior forward Ewanchyna, who led PDS in assists last year with 20, will be counted on to be an offensive catalyst for the team again this winter. The Panthers will be opening their 2024-25 season by playing Delbarton on December 12 at SportsCare Arena in Randolph. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

While the Princeton Day School boys’ hockey team has utilized a freewheeling, end-to-end style over the years, Scott Bertoli realizes that isn’t always the best fit for his squad.

As PDS head coach Bertoli looks ahead to the upcoming season, he will be instilling a more grind-it-out approach. more

Stuart Volleyball Produced Historic Season As Young Squad Made Memorable Playoff Run

STATE OF JOY: Members of the Stuart Country Day School volleyball team are all smiles as they pose for a photo this season. The Tartans made history this fall, going 11-8 on the way to making the semis of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) South Jersey Non-Public B state sectional in their first appearance in the tourney. (Photo provided courtesy of Anna Kachmarski)

By Bill Alden

Having been the head coach of the Stuart Country Day School volleyball program since it started varsity play in 2017, Anna Kachmarski has guided the Tartans through some ups and downs.

“Having a smaller school can always be challenging going up against some competing public schools who have hundreds in their classes,” said Kachmarski, the STEM curriculum coordinator at the school, who played volleyball in high school and college. “We have been through a few rebuilding years starting the program and getting it off the ground because when we started the program we actually had a high number of students who were seniors and left after the first year.” more

November 27, 2024

Strolling on Witherspoon

Local businesses are gearing up for holiday season shoppers and Small Business Saturday on November 30. (Photo by Sarah Teo)

PPS Offers Forums, Tours as Referendum Nears

By Donald Gilpin

Princeton residents will have a number of opportunities to learn more about the Princeton Public Schools’ (PPS) $89.1 million facilities bond referendum before they vote on a three-part question on January 28, 2025.

Two upcoming forums — a virtual forum on Monday, December 9 at 7 p.m. (link to be shared shortly before the event) and an in-person forum on Saturday, January 11 at 9 a.m. in the Princeton Middle School (PMS) auditorium — will provide information and chances to ask questions.

The community is also invited to tour one or all of the school buildings included in the 2025 bond referendum proposal: Community Park Elementary School on December 10 and January 8 at 3:30 p.m.; Littlebrook Elementary School on January 7 and 14 at 4 p.m.; PMS on December 5, 12, and January 16 at 3:30 p.m.; and Princeton High School (PHS) on December 8 at 10 a.m., 13 at 6:30 p.m., January 15 at 6:15 p.m., January 24 at 5:30 p.m., and January 26 at 10 a.m. more

James “Jimmy” Mack Honored for Impact on Local Community

By Anne Levin

James “Jimmy” Mack
(Photo by Adam Welch)

Princeton Council paid tribute to longtime barber James “Jimmy” Mack at its meeting Monday evening, November 25, at the municipal building.

As a large crowd of Mack’s family, friends, and neighbors looked on, Councilman Leighton Newlin and Mayor Mark Freda read a special proclamation honoring Mack as a fixture in the Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood since the early 1950s.

Newlin called Mack “a great human, a great humanitarian, a good person, a great family man, a good friend, a mentor, and one hell of a barber.” To visit Jimmy’s Barber Shop at 141 John Street was to be part of “a sanctuary of community where the air vibrated with the hum of clippers, laughter, and soulful melodies, creating a vibrant tapestry of shared experience,” he said, before launching into a brief rendition of the Martha and the Vandellas song “Jimmy Mack.”  more

Panel of Experts Will Discuss 2024 Election at Princeton University Forum

By Donald Gilpin

As the country and the world continue to ponder the results of the 2024 election, Princeton University’s School for Public and International Affairs (SPIA) Center for the Study of Democratic Politics (CSDP) has assembled a panel of experts to help shed light on “What Happened and Why?” The event will take place on Monday, December 2, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in Bowl 016 at Robertson Hall on Washington Road.

“This panel will bring together a blend of expertise, perspectives, and professional experiences that we hope will foster a nuanced, informed discussion of the election results,” said Princeton University Politics Professor and CSDP Co-Director Tali Mendelberg, who will moderate the discussion. “In this era of polarization and information silos, it is vital to offer accurate analysis and to represent diverse views about the state of American politics.”

Panelists will include Betsy Ankney, political strategist and Nikki Haley’s campaign manager; CBS News elections analyst and Princeton University Ph.D. graduate Kabir Khanna; Dorian Warren, public affairs commentator and president of Community Change, co-chair of the Economic Security Project, and co-host of System Check; and Lauren Wright, associate research scholar and lecturer in politics and public affairs at Princeton University with a focus on political communication, including media coverage, candidates’ strategies, and public perceptions. more

Princeton High School Graduate Dan Schulman Knighted by French President at Ceremony in Paris

HIGHEST HONOR: Princeton-raised Dan Schulman was knighted in Paris last month by French President Emmanuel Macron for his contributions to social and economic change. From left are Schulman’s wife, Summerly Schulman; his mother, Ruth Schulman; Macron; and Schulman. (Photo courtesy of Dan Schulman)

By Anne Levin

During his tenure as CEO and president of the financial technology giant PayPal, Dan Schulman was shocked to discover that 70 percent of Americans have a hard time making ends meet.

Schulman, who was raised in Princeton and is a product of the town’s public schools, was even more surprised to learn that over half of his employees — who were paid above market rates — were among those struggling. more

Chanticleer’s Eclectic Repertory Ranges From Renaissance-era Music to Spirituals

TWELVE VOICES UNCONDUCTED: The a cappella group Chanticleer brings “A Chanticleer Christmas” to Princeton University Chapel on Saturday, December 7.

By Anne Levin

The last time Chanticleer came to Princeton, the Grammy Award-winning a cappella vocal ensemble performed at Richardson Auditorium. Leading them that day in October 2023 was Tim Keeler, a 2011 graduate of Princeton University, where he majored in music.

Keeler is Chanticleer’s music director. He is bringing the group back to Princeton, again under the auspices of Princeton University Concerts (PUC), on Saturday, December 7 at 7:30 p.m. — this time in another campus venue. “A Chanticleer Christmas” will be held in Princeton University Chapel.  more

Institute for Advanced Study Online Videos Offer Brief Looks Behind the Scenes

By Donald Gilpin

The Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) is one of the world’s great institutions for theoretical research, intellectual exploration, and academic alliances. It is famed as the former home base of Albert Einstein, J. Robert Oppenheimer, and many other celebrity scholars — but it remains somewhat of a mystery to many locals.

The aura of mystery is possibly due to its relative isolation, ensconced on about 600 acres on the southwestern edge of Princeton, and to the esoteric and complex nature of much of the work that is done there in the loftiest realms of science, mathematics, history, and social sciences.

A current posting, titled “Institute Instances,” on the Institute website at ias.edu will help to dispel some of the mystery. Through one to two-minute video snapshots of individuals who talk about their experiences at IAS, “Instances” provides a variegated picture of some of the work and other activity that goes on at the IAS.  more

Let Us Now Praise James Agee on His 115th Birthday

By Stuart Mitchner

The day after I wrote an article on Elon Musk referencing his first and foremost “life lesson,” that “empathy is not an asset,” the New York Times came up with a front page that instantly connected with my post-election state of mind. Lead head: “Chop First and Fix Later: How Musk Tames Costs.” The story directly beneath: “Trump Stands by Defense Pick Who Denies Sex Assault Claim.” Directly under that: “Robots Still Lack Human Touch in Warehouses.” And just below came two smaller heads previewing stories in the Business section: “Social Media Veers Right” and “Spirit Files for Bankruptcy.”

While the “spirit” in the story is a low-fare airline, what stands out in the current news cycle is the primary meaning of the word as understood by James Agee, who was born on this day in 1909. In his biography James Agee: A Life (Penguin 1985), Laurence Bergreen underscores Agee’s “eloquent” response to the April 12, 1945 death of President Roosevelt. Writing in The Nation, Agee celebrated Roosevelt as someone whose passing would inspire men with a “metaphysical yet very literal faith” in a “unanimity and massiveness of spirit.” Bergreen adds that Agee “perceived the same massiveness of spirit among Southern blacks.” more

McCarter Theatre Presents Innovative String Quartet Ensemble

By Nancy Plum

It would be hard to choose who was the greater teenaged composer — Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart or Felix Mendelssohn. The prodigious musical childhood of Mozart has long been documented, but the works of the young Mendelssohn were no less remarkable. The New York City-based Renaissance String Quartet brought one of Mendelssohn’s early works to life in a concert last Thursday night at McCarter Theatre Center’s Matthews Theatre. Violinists Randall Goosby and Jeremiah Blacklow, violist Jameel Martin, and cellist Daniel Hass played Mendelssohn’s youthful String Quartet No. 1 in E-flat Major in an evening beginning with the early 19th century and ending with a composer born almost at the turn of the 21st century.

The Renaissance Quartet’s inventive approach to chamber music was evident from the moment the musicians came onstage. The Quartet began Mendelssohn’s first published work —emphasizing a sadness in the opening “Adagio” — with expressive motivic gestures which may have been meant as a tribute to the recently deceased Beethoven. The Quartet musicians kept chipper passages bright, with violist Martin bringing out lush melodic lines. The second movement “Canzonetta” reflected Mendelssohn’s ballet A Midsummer Night’s Dream, with an elfin middle section abounding with fluttering fairies in the violins. The Quartet showed its playful side in this music, but never lost the required rhythmic precision.  more

Music by Three Composers on Richardson Program

AN AFTERNOON OF MUSIC: Princeton University Sinfonia, conducted by Ruth Ochs, appears at Richardson Auditorium on Sunday, December 8.

The Princeton University Sinfonia will present a concert on Sunday, December 8, at 3 p.m. at Richardson Auditorium. Ruth Ochs will lead the program.

The concert will open with an early work by Jean Sibelius, his Karelia Overture, a musical tribute to the region in Finland’s southeast.

The world premiere of Kindly as dust I scatter towards light by Princeton undergraduate composer, Romit Kundagrami ’26, is also featured. A student in Princeton’s School of Public and International Affairs, where he researches migration, Kundagrami devotes significant time to Princeton’s musical ensembles, and he credits those experiences as inspiration. more

Motown Greats to Perform at New Brunswick Venue

TWO LEGENDARY GROUPS: The Four Tops, shown here, will appear with The Temptations at State Theatre New Jersey on December 12.

State Theatre New Jersey presents The Temptations & The Four Tops on Thursday, December 12 at 7:30 p.m.

The two iconic Motown groups will perform their biggest hits including “My Girl,” “Just My Imagination,” “Papa Was a Rolling Stone,” “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch),” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” “Baby, I Need Your Loving,” and many more.

The Temptations are revered for their phenomenal catalog of music and prolific career. While the group has evolved over the years, founding member Otis Williams has continued to lead the group. They were ranked No. 1 in Billboard magazine’s most recent list of the Greatest R&B/Hip-Hop Artists of All Time. The Temptations are the recipients of numerous awards and honors, and have been the subject of the Broadway musical, Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations. more