October 23, 2024
By Donald Gilpin
Election Day, Tuesday, November 5, is less than two weeks away with high-profile races on the ballot for U.S. president and vice president, U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, and a heated local battle for three seats on the Princeton Public Schools (PPS) Board of Education (BOE).
Early voting starts this Saturday, October 26 and continues through November 3, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday at any one of seven Mercer County locations, including the Princeton Municipal Building at 400 Witherspoon Street.
Vote by mail ballots have been mailed to all voters who have requested them, applications continue to be processed, and drop boxes to return those ballots are open throughout the county. Visit the Mercer County clerk’s website at mercercounty.org for locations and further information on the election and ways to vote. more
By Donald Gilpin
The search for a permanent superintendent of the Princeton Public Schools (PPS) was officially launched on Thursday, October 17, with School Leadership LLC consultants advertising the position in numerous outlets, as well as reaching out to target organizations and implementing additional recruitment strategies.
“The consultants have said that they are seeing interest in the position,” the Princeton Board of Education (BOE) reported in a statement Tuesday.
The hiring process, a rolling search with applications submitted online, is expected to continue into the winter with a candidate and contract approved by March. Interim Superintendent Kathie Foster will continue to lead the district through June, with the new superintendent stepping into the position on July 1, 2025. more
By Donald Gilpin
Seeking to encourage “housing that’s affordable for schoolteachers and other middle-income families,” an assortment of experts and ordinary citizens under the auspices of Princeton Future will gather in the Theron Room of the Princeton Theological Seminary Library at 25 Library Place on Saturday, October 26, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. to discuss possibilities.
This particular Princeton Future forum will focus on North Tulane, a small block between Wiggins and Spring streets, and “the question for all of us,” according to Princeton Future cofounder and administrator Sheldon Sturges, is, “What would be the best thing for this community?” more
CHORAL COLLABORATION: The Ndlovu Youth Choir, familiar to many from its appearances on the television show “America’s Got Talent,” is being hosted by the Princeton University Glee Club on Saturday, October 26 at Richardson Auditorium.
By Anne Levin
Each fall, Princeton University’s Glee Club presents a concert at Richardson Auditorium with the glee clubs of either Harvard or Yale. It was Harvard’s turn this year, but the date — October 26 — conflicted with another event the Cambridge, Mass., club had on its schedule.
Gabriel Crouch, a professor of music at Princeton and the director of the glee club, found out about the conflict last summer. more
By Anne Levin
Thanks to funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Princeton households will be able to recycle food scraps at an expanded number of drop-off sites.
The municipality has been awarded a $245,590 Compost and Food Waste Reduction grant to expand its food scraps recycling program, currently serving 223 residents at two sites, 400 Witherspoon Street and Monument Hall. The town plans to add 10 locations to be determined, which will serve about 1,200 households. The program is free for all Princeton residents.
Princeton Council approved the pilot program for two sites in May 2023. The goal, which aligns with the town’s Climate Action Plan, is to divert food waste from landfills. This helps reduce methane and carbon dioxide emissions, two potent greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. more
RESTORATION AND EXPANSION: A rendering of the design by Kimmel Bogrette Archi-tecture + Site for the Historical Studies-Social Science Library at the Institute for Advanced Study. (Illustration courtesy of Kimmel Bogrette)
By Anne Levin
At a special meeting on Thursday evening, October 24, the Princeton Planning Board is scheduled to consider a proposal by the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) to add a second level to its existing main library.
Designed by architecture firm Harrison & Abramovitz and dedicated in 1965, the modernist library was built at the request of former IAS Director J. Robert Oppenheimer. Wallace K. Harrison was known for his work on New York City’s Metropolitan Opera House, Rockefeller Center, and the United Nations building. He also designed Jasna Polana, the estate of J. Seward Johnson and his wife, Barbara Piasecka Johnson, on Route 206. more
By Stuart Mitchner
In the final chapter of James Joyce’s Portrait of the Artist As a Young Man (1916), Stephen Dedalus tells two of his fellow students what happened to a girl who got into a hansom cab “a few days ago” in London. “She was on her way to meet her mother whom she had not seen for many years. At the corner of a street the shaft of a lorry shivered the window of the hansom in the shape of a star. A long fine needle of the shivered glass pierced her heart. She died on the instant.”
Reading Portrait my senior year in college, I put a ballpoint asterisk next to the anecdote in the Viking Compass paperback (“copyright renewed in 1944 by Nora Joyce”) and above it scrawled the words “accidental causation,” which were probably cribbed from something the teacher said. Although I underlined Stephen’s prosy remarks on “pity” and “terror,” delivered as he explained why it was not “a tragic death,” all that stayed with me was the girl in the hansom cab and the style Joyce had devoted to the brutal, uncanny happenstance of the event, the “shape of a star” and the “fine needle of shivered glass” he employed to finesse a freak accident. Pity, terror, and “the tragic emotion” were secondary; all it finally came down to was the way Joyce had composed it. more
By Nancy Plum
The works performed by Princeton Symphony Orchestra this past weekend may not have all been from the Baroque and Classical periods, but they were all tied in some way to the 18th and early 19th-centuries. The trio of pieces by Michael Abels, Sergei Prokofiev, and Ludwig van Beethoven demonstrated to the audience at Richardson Auditorium how music from these earlier eras has stood the test of time in a concert also showcasing two of the Orchestra’s own members.
Music Director Rossen Milanov and the Orchestra began Saturday night’s performance (the concert was repeated Sunday afternoon) with a compositional new twist on an old favorite. Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Michael Abels has been commended for his “unique ability to blend diverse elements.” In his 1999 More Seasons, the “elements” blended were themes from Antonio Vivaldi’s popular The Four Seasons, with Abels using motives from the “Spring” and “Summer” movements to create what he has called “Vivaldi in a Mixmaster.” more
“JEKYLL & HYDE”: Performances are underway for “Jekyll & Hyde.” Presented by Kelsey Theatre and Off-Centre Stages, and directed by Genevieve Estanislau, the musical runs through October 27 at Kelsey Theatre. Above: Dr. Henry Jekyll (William Kamps) struggles to regain control over a rather dangerous experiment. (Photo by Abigail Acolia Photography)
By Donald H. Sanborn III
Kelsey Theatre is presenting Off-Centre Stages’ production of Jekyll & Hyde. The popular musical continues Kelsey’s “Season of Transformations” by portraying one of the most famous literary metamorphoses: doctor into murderer.
Loosely adapted from Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886), Jekyll & Hyde is conceived for the stage by Steve Cuden and Frank Wildhorn. The book is by Leslie Bricusse, who also is credited with the lyrics, though a few of the songs have words by all three writers. Using the novella as a point of departure, the musical adds a romantic element, as well as themes of class tension, ambition, and autonomy versus community. more
A DANCER’S STORY: Manich Chauhan speaks about his career at a screening of “Call Me Dancer,” part of the Rutgers Jewish Film Festival, which runs from November 7-21. Chauhan’s talk is on the final day of the series. (Photo by Sonam Dekar)
The Rutgers Jewish Film Festival’s milestone year will feature 14 films, discussions with filmmakers and special guests, and numerous New Jersey premieres on dance, music, the LGBTQ+ experience, American Jewish history, and Israeli society.
Twelve films will be screened at the Regal Cinema Commerce Center, North Brunswick (November 7–17), and five films will be available virtually (November 15–21). The festival is sponsored by Rutgers’ Allen and Joan Bildner Center for the Study of Jewish Life. more
The Halloween Playfest at the West Windsor Branch of the Mercer County Library System will feature four original short plays written by librarian Michael Kerr: The Stay-Behinds; Words Will Never Hurt Me; The Life of the Party; and Backstage. Performances will be on Friday, October 25 at 8 p.m.; Saturday, October 26 at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sunday, October 27 at 3 p.m.
All the plays will be performed by teens from the local area. All performances will take place at the West Windsor Branch of the Mercer County Library System, 333 North Post Road, West Windsor Township. Recommended for ages 10 and above. Admission is free. No registration required.
Doors open 20 minutes before showtime. Call (609) 799-0462 or email westprogs@mcl.org for more information.
MAGICAL MYSTERIES: Greg Frewin is one of the stars of “Masters of Illusion” at the State Theatre New Jersey on October 24.
State Theatre New Jersey presents award-winning magicians in “Masters of Illusion” on Thursday, October 24 at 7 p.m. The show features Greg Frewin, Alexandra Burgio, and shock illusionist Dan Sperry.
Frewin is currently ranked as the International Grand Champion of Magic, having won every major award offered within the magic community. Burgio is the only female Canadian magician to ever fool Penn and Teller on the hit show “Penn and Teller: Fool Us.” Sperry, known as “The Anti-Conjuror,” has performed at such venues as The Magic Castle, The Sydney Opera House, Radio City Music Hall, and live on tour with Masters of Illusion.
State Theatre New Jersey is at 15 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick. Visit stnj.org for tickets, which range from $29-$99.
NOEL COWARD CLASSIC: In the 1941 comedy “Blithe Spirit,” two wives — one dead, one alive — cause a ruckus.
Two wives, one dead and one alive, combine for a spooky, comedic experience when Theater to Go presents Noël Coward’s classic comedy Blithe Spirit, October 31-November 3 at the Kelsey Theatre on Mercer County Community College’s West Windsor Campus. Kitty Getlik directs. more
The Larry Fuller Trio will appear at 4 p.m. on Sunday, October 27, at Hillman Performance Hall located on Westminster Choir College campus at 101 Walnut Lane. Although a Princeton resident, Fuller rarely appears locally.
A pianist, Fuller learned his craft the “old school” way — on the bandstand, where he played with jazz greats including vocalist Ernestine Anderson, drummer Jeff Hamilton, guitarist and vocalist John Pizzarelli, and bassist Ray Brown.
In his programming, Fuller includes the Great American Songbook, jazz, blues, pop standards, and originals, bringing his own take to a variety of music. At Hillman Performance Hall, expect to hear anything from Stevie Wonder to Oscar Peterson, Wes Montgomery to Ray Brown, George Gershwin to Joni Mitchell. more
LINDY HOP AND MORE: Joshua McLean has Rachel Pitner in the air at “SW!NG OUT” at McCarter Theatre Center on Friday, October 25 at 7:30 p.m.
On Friday, October 25 at 7:30 p.m., McCarter Theatre Center presents SW!NG OUT, a swing dance performance choreographed and directed by Caleb Teicher. The show, which concludes with an on-stage jam session, is accompanied by live music from Eyal Vilner’s 10-piece Big Band.
“SW!NG OUT has been a dream project for me, bringing together 12 all-star swing dancers and a live 10-piece big band to celebrate Lindy Hop in a way that resonates with audiences everywhere,” said Teicher. “It’s thrilling to see the impact this show has had on so many, inspiring them to dance and engage with the swing dance community. We aim to share the joy and energy of Lindy Hop with a broader audience. Each night, the performance concludes with an on-stage jam session, welcoming attendees to join in and celebrate the dance with us.” more
JOURNEY TO FAME: “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations” tells the story of the group’s rise from Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. It will be performed October 25-27 at State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick. (Photo by Johan Persson)
State Theatre New Jersey presents the Broadway musical Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of The Temptations for five performances on Friday, October 25 at 8 p.m.; Saturday; October 26 at 2 and 8 p.m.; and Sunday, October 27 at 2 p.m. Tickets range from $40-$105.
Featuring Grammy-winning songs and Tony-winning moves, Ain’t Too Proud follows The Temptations’ journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. With their signature dance moves and harmonies, they rose to the top of the charts creating 42 Top 10 Hits with 14 reaching No. 1, and were voted the greatest R&B group of all time by Billboard Magazine in 2017. The rest is history — how they met, the groundbreaking heights they hit, and how personal and political conflicts threatened to tear the group apart as the U.S. fell into civil unrest. more
The newest Princeton Triangle Club show, Pageant Pending, comes to the stage of McCarter Theatre on Friday and Saturday, November 15 and 16 at 8 p.m.; and Sunday, November 17 at 2 p.m. The show is an annual tradition featuring undergraduates from Princeton University.
“Welcome to America’s Most Wanted, the biggest pageant event in all 50 states,” reads a release about the show. “The lights are blinding, the competition is cutthroat, and the interview questions must be answered in 20 seconds or less. Dreams, schemes, and ripped seams are all exposed under a merciless spotlight in this new musical comedy about a series of sash decisions!” more
SIGNATURE SOUNDS: The America: Ride On Tour mixes pop-rock with folk-jazz at State Theatre New Jersey on Friday, November 1.
Grammy Award-winning rock band America comes to the State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick with its Ride On Tour on Friday, November 1 at 8 p.m.
The band’s best-known tunes — which include “A Horse with No Name,” “I Need You,” “Ventura Highway,” “Don’t Cross The River,” “Tin Man,” “Lonely People,” and “Sister Golden Hair” — were cornerstones of 1970’s Top 40 and FM rock radio. Their combination of melodic pop-rock and folk-jazz elements, slinky Latin-leaning rhythms, and impressionistic lyric imagery contrasted with other more traditional country-rock leanings and highly personal lyrics. more
“UNTITLED #1383 (SISTERS – TWO TREES)”: This large-scale work by Peta Coyne is on view in the Museum Building at Grounds For Sculpture in Hamilton through March 2.
Grounds For Sculpture (GFS) in Hamilton has announced that Petah Coyne’s Untitled #1383 (Sisters – Two Trees) is now on view in its Museum Building through March 2. The large-scale sculpture is on loan from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), which is sharing this work from its permanent collection through Art Bridges Foundation’s Partner Loan Network.
Created using unconventional materials such as apple trees and taxidermized peacocks, Untitled #1383 (Sisters – Two Trees) compares and contrasts elegantly with the garden landscape of GFS. The view from inside the gallery looks out upon the gardens, inviting opportunities for deeper discussions on nature, climate, temporality, and whimsy. more
ART TALK: Visual artist Cathy Dailey will be the featured speaker for the “Inside the Artist’s Studio” talk on Thursday, October 24 at 7 p.m. at Princeton Makes in the Princeton Shopping Center on North Harrison Street.
On Thursday, October 24 at 7 p.m., visual artist Cathy Dailey will be the featured speaker for the “Inside the Artist’s Studio” series at Princeton Makes in the Princeton Shopping Center. Dailey, a Princeton Makes cooperative member, creates vivid, whimsical images of cats, dogs, and birds, as well as abstract art, in a variety of media including colored pencil, oil pastel, and collage. In her talk, entitled “My Artist Road Trip,” she will share her 30-plus-year artistic journey.
“My plan is to quickly show and tell my life story, and then focus on my artistic life, which feels more like a road trip to me than a journey,” she said. “It will be fun to talk about how my work has evolved over the years.” more
“FUELING MIGRATION”: This watercolor by Joanne Amantea is featured in the “95th Juried Art Show” at Phillips’ Mill in New Hope, Pa., which closes on October 27.
The “95th Juried Art Show”at Phillips’ Mill, which has welcomed over 1,200 visitors since it opened last month, closes this Sunday, October 27.
Among the over 200 artists exhibited in the historic 18th century gristmill are Princeton artists Joanne Amantea, Linda Bachert, Joanne Donnelly, Paul Giancola, Katarzyna Iwaniec, Lori Langsner, Helene Mazur, Meera Pradhan, Delphine Salzedo, and Melanie Teasley. more
The New Jersey State Museum in Trenton will host its annual Halloween Spooktacular on Sunday, October 27 from 12 to 4 p.m.
Guests can enjoy Halloween-themed games and crafts in the Museum’s Riverview Court. Children in costume may participate in trick-or-treating on the Museum’s front lawn at 1:30 p.m. Following the trick-or-treating, there will be a raffle for Museum-themed prizes. Event participants will receive one raffle ticket each when they check in for the event. Free planetarium shows will be offered at 1 and 2 p.m. Tickets for those shows will be available on a first-come, first served basis at check-in.
The New Jersey State Museum is located at 205 West State Street, Trenton, and is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.; closed on all State holidays. General admission is free. For more information, visit statemuseum.nj.go.
