June 26, 2024

Two Summer Exhibits at Contemporary Art Center

“PUG IN THE CITY”: This oil on canvas painting by Martine Marie White was named Best in Show at the “Members’ Non-Juried Exhibition & Sale,” on view through September 15 at The Center for Contemporary Art in Bedminster.

The Center for Contemporary Art (The Center) in Bedminster has two new summer exhibitions on view through September 15.

The “Members’ Non-Juried Exhibition & Sale” showcases the diversity and creativity of The Center’s community of artists. The exhibition features 89 works of art across a variety of mediums including painting, pastel, charcoal, ink, collage, graphite, photography, sculpture, glass, mixed media, ceramics, and more. more

“Captured Moments” on Display at Artists’ Gallery

“CHAMPION”: This work by Richard Harrington is featured in “Captured Moments,” his joint exhibition with Ilya Raskin, on view July 4 through August 4 at Artists’ Gallery in Lambertville. An opening reception is on July 6 from 4 to 7 p.m.

Artist Richard Harrington and photographer Ilya Raskin have announced the opening of their joint show, “Captured Moments,” on view July 4 to August 4 at Artists’ Gallery in Lambertville. The exhibit features the artists’ work inspired by trips throughout the U.S. and the world.

An opening reception will be held on Saturday, July 6, from 4 to 7 p.m.  more

“Sundaes on the Veranda”At Trenton City Museum

“SUNDAES ON THE VERANDA”: The annual ice cream social hosted by the Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie is on Sunday, June 30 from 1 to 4 p.m. Funds raised will be used to support programs offered by the museum.

Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie will serve up its annual “Sundaes on the Veranda” fundraiser on Sunday, June 30 from 1 to 4 p.m. In addition to all the classic toppings at this family-friendly ice cream social, attendees can choose a unique, artisan-made ceramic bowl to take home. New this year, sundaes are free for children age 6 and under who are accompanied by a paid adult; $20 for a sundae in a handmade ceramic bowl; and $10 for a sundae in a disposable bowl. Admission can be reserved in advance at ellarsie.org/sundaes, or paid at the door. more

PU Men’s Hoops Alum Maddox Achieves Olympic Dream, Making the U.S. 3×3 Basketball Squad for Paris Games

DRIVING TO PARIS: Kareem Maddox drives to the hoop in a 2011 game during his senior season for the Princeton University men’s basketball team. Maddox made the U.S. men’s 3×3 team that has qualified to compete in the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics. (Photo by Stephen Goldsmith)

By Justin Feil

When Kareem Maddox started playing 3×3 basketball to further his playing career in 2017, he saw it in large part as an avenue to his Olympic dream.

That avenue had a speed bump when the United States and Maddox failed to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (that were held in 2021), but Maddox’s dream found a fast track three years later as a member of the U.S. men’s 3×3 team that has qualified and will compete in the Paris 2024 Olympics. more

Getting Up to Speed in His 2nd College Campaign, PHS Alum Doran Starred for Williams Men’s Lax

WILL TO SUCCEED: Will Doran prepares to fire a shot in recent action for the Williams College men’s lacrosse team. Former Princeton High star Doran tallied 38 points on 20 goals and 18 assists this season, emerging as a star during his sophomore campaign for the Ephs. (Photo by Shiv Patel, provided courtesy of Williams College Athletics)

By Bill Alden

During his senior season for the Princeton High boys’ lacrosse team in 2022, Will Doran was the main man for the Tigers, leading New Jersey in scoring with 128 points on 55 goals and 73 assists.

Heading to Williams College that fall to start his college career with the Division-III program, Doran found himself as a member of the supporting cast for the Ephs, struggling to make an impact at the next level. more

PDS Boys’ Lacrosse Excited About Future Prospects, Gaining Key Experience with MCI Run, Close Games

HART AND SOUL: Princeton Day School boys’ lacrosse player Hart Nowakoski, right, looks to pass the ball in a game this spring. Junior Nowakoski led PDS is assists this spring with 25 and added 12 goals as the Panthers went 7-12 and advanced to the final of the Mercer County Invitational. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Making the final of the Mercer County Invitational, the ‘B’ bracket of the county tournament, wasn’t the goal for the Princeton Day School boys’ lacrosse team at the beginning of the season, but the tourney run proved valuable for the young squad.

“Being able to play in the finals was really good for us,” said PDS first-year head coach Nick Taylor, whose team fell 8-7 to Lawrence High in overtime in the MCI title game. “You look back at our season and where we are at — we have some returning guys that are going to play a lot of minutes next year, so it was great to have that experience this year.” more

With Young Players Showing Growth, PDS Boys’ Tennis Saved its Best for Last

By Bill Alden

Working a number of new faces into its lineup this spring, the Princeton Day School boys’ tennis team saved its best for last.

PDS posted wins over Allentown and Ewing to wrap up regular season play and then topped St. Rose 5-0 in the first round of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Non-Public South Jersey tournament. Facing second-seeded Morristown Friends in the quarterfinal round, the seventh-seeded Panthers battled valiantly as they tried to extend their season but fell 3-2.

“The match against Friends was on a knife’s edge until the end, Steven [Li] was neck and neck with his opponent at second singles,” said PDS head coach Michael Augsberger, whose team ended up with a final record of 10-8 this spring. “That was the deciding match. His opponent hit a drop shot that Steven ran after and he lost his balance. He had been dealing with a wrist injury and as he reached for the drop shot he fell and landed right on it. He played the rest of that match with it. In the second set he was up 2-1 and he played the rest of that set without a backhand. It was an incredibly tough decision that he made — he didn’t want to be the one to retire the match, that would end it.” more

Battling a Gauntlet of High-Powered Opponents, Hun Boys’ Lax Showed it Could Compete with the Best

RAISING CANE: Hun School boys’ lacrosse player Danny Cano, right, looks to unload the ball in a game this spring. Senior star and Hobart commit Cano tallied 23 goals and eight assists this spring to help Hun go 8-9. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Although the Hun School boys’ lacrosse team went 8-9 this spring, the program made strides as it battled a gauntlet of high-powered foes.

“It was a successful season with the competition that we played — we put the best possible teams on our schedule that we could and for the most part competed in every single game,” said Hun first-year head coach Alex Lopes, whose squad faced Lawrenceville School, the top-ranked team in the nation, along with the Episcopal School (Pa), the Westtown School (Pa.), Gill St. Bernard’s, St. Augustine, and Academy of New Church (Pa.). more

With Star Guard Young Triggering the Offense, YSU Produces Sizzling 4-0 Start in Summer Hoops

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YOUNG AND STRONG: Freddie Young Jr. goes up for the ball for YSU as it faced 1911 Smokehouse last Monday night at Community Park in the Princeton Recreation Department Men’s Summer Basketball League. Former Princeton Day School and Trenton Catholic standout guard Young tallied 16 points to help YSU defeat Smokehouse 66-37 as it improved to 4-0. In other action on Monday, Novi Wealth Partners edged Jefferson Plumbing 63-62 in double overtime and Lob City topped Speed Pro 54-41. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Freddie Young Jr. wasn’t happy as his YSU team found itself in an 11-11 tie with 1911 Smokehouse last Monday night in the Princeton Recreation Department Men’s Summer Basketball League.

“We came out here kind of lackadaisical,” said Young. “It should never have been an 11-11 game.”

With former Princeton Day School and Trenton Catholic standout guard Young triggering the offense, YSU went on a 16-0 run to seize momentum and build a 34-15 lead at halftime.

“We made the change, we stepped on the gas and we kept stepping on the gas,” said Young, who starred this winter for the Lincoln University men’s hoops team. “We kept going, kept going. We played defense and turned our defense into offense. It turned out to be successful.” more

Pounding Out 17 Hits in Earning 1st Win This Season, Post 218 Baseball Defeats Broad Street Park 13-9

HATS OFF: Princeton Post 218 American Legion baseball player James Schiavone gets ready to bat in recent action. Princeton High rising senior Schiavone starred with his bat and arm last Sunday as Post 218 defeated Broad Street Park Post 313 13-9 to earn its first win of the summer. Schiavone went 2 for 4 with two runs and two RBIs and then produced a strong relief outing, striking out five and yielding just one hit in 2.0 innings of work to secure the win. Post 218, now 1-12, was slated to play at Allentown on June 25 before hosting Trenton Post 93/182 on June 27 at Smoyer Park. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Ending its 12-game losing streak this summer with a bang, the Princeton Post 218 American Legion baseball team pounded out 17 hits as it topped Broad Street Park Post 313 13-9 last Sunday at Hamilton High.

Princeton High standout Travis Petrone led the hit parade for Post 218, going 4 for 5 with a double, one run, and three RBIs. Nate Nydick went 3 for 4 with one run and one RBI, while Nano Sarceno went 2 for 5 with a run and three RBIs. James Schiavone, Ray Nault, and Anders Hedin each contributed two hits in the win for Princeton. more

June 20, 2024

Princeton Cooling Centers

During the current heat wave, the municipality has opened cooling centers at Monument Hall, Witherspoon Hall, and Princeton Public Library.

Through Monday, June 24, the main meeting room at Monument Hall is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Community Room at Witherspoon Hall is open on Friday, June 21 from 1-5 p.m., and Saturday to Monday, June 22-24 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Princeton Public Library is open Thursday, June 20 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday, June 21 and 22 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, June 23 from 12-6 p.m.

June 19, 2024

Moving On

Princeton High School saw 366 seniors graduate last Friday afternoon, going on to colleges and universities, into the workforce, or serving in the military. With the graduation season coming to a close, it’s on to summer academic and construction projects at Princeton Public Schools. (Photo courtesy of Princeton Public Schools)

Busy Summer, Many Projects Ahead for PPS

By Donald Gilpin

Activity at the Princeton Public Schools (PPS) might look as if it’s winding down following last Friday’s Princeton High School (PHS) graduation, but two key administrative appointments and a slew of construction projects are two indications of a busy summer in preparation for the 2024-25 school year.

Fifth graders at the district’s four elementary schools celebrated their moving-on-to- middle school ceremony on Thursday morning last week; 257 Princeton Middle School (PMS) students, who will attend PHS in the fall, participated in a moving up ceremony on Wednesday; and on Friday, with the time moved up from 5:30 to 4 p.m. in order to outrun a major thunderstorm, 366 PHS seniors received their diplomas.

Meanwhile, PPS staff who are working with building contractors, architects, and engineers; numerous teachers and administrators with summer projects; and two new administrators, in particular, are wasting no time in getting down to work. more

Restoration Underway at Monument Park Garden to Prepare for 250th

GROOMING THE GARDENS: Volunteers from the Garden Club of Princeton, Friends of Princeton Open Space, Sustainable Princeton, and the community recently began working with botanists and ecologists from WildLawn to remove invasive plants surrounding the Princeton Battle Monument and replace them with a variety of natives. (Photo courtesy of Sustainable Princeton)

By Anne Levin

Thursday, June 6 was the first official workday of a collaborative project aimed at revitalizing the garden beds surrounding the Princeton Battle Monument.

Located just steps away from Morven, which is certain to be a focal point of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Monument Park is likely to be a much-visited location once the celebrations begin.

“Since one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence [Richard Stockon] lived at the Morven house, we expect many visitors to be coming through this part of town,” said Sarah Ringer, who with Jody Erdman led a group of neighbors, known unofficially as the Friends of Monument Park, on the project along with Sustainable Princeton, Friends of Princeton Open Space (FOPOS), and the Garden Club of Princeton. WildLawn of Bucks County, Pa., was hired to lead the project. more

Pride Parade, “a Joyful Lovefest,” is Ready to Step Out on Saturday

“MARCH, DANCE, ROLL, SASHAY”: The 2024 Princeton Pride Parade and After-Party will be taking place this Saturday, June 22, with participants marching from the Municipal Building on Witherspoon Street to the YMCA field on Paul Robeson Place for food, music, speeches, dancing, and more. This photo is from last year’s Pride Parade. (Photo courtesy of Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice)

By Donald Gilpin

“Marchin’ in Solidarity” and “Dancin’ in Celebration” the flyer from the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice (BRCSJ) reads, as Princeton prepares for its annual Pride Parade and After-Party on Saturday, June 22, stepping off from the Princeton Municipal Building on Witherspoon Street at 11 a.m.

“The Princeton Pride Parade is a joyful lovefest of community celebration right here in Central Jersey,” wrote State Sen. Andrew Zwicker in an email Monday. “I am grateful to the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice for their leadership and efforts to bring us all together and, as always, look forward to marching, dancing, singing, and chanting in solidarity as we recommit ourselves to defending the liberties of the LGBTQIA+ community.” more

All-Time Great Athlete Hobey Baker is Subject of Three-Episode Podcast

THE SHORT LIFE OF A PRINCETON LEGEND: The three-episode podcast “Searching for Hobey Baker” explores previously unreported aspects of the famed athlete’s life, including his struggles as a queer man in the early 20th century.

By Anne Levin

It would be hard to find a hockey fan who isn’t familiar with legendary Princeton University alumnus Hobey Baker. The golden-haired athlete, who excelled at football as well as hockey before graduating in 1914, was a superstar of his time. Collegiate hockey’s most prestigious award bears his name, as does the University’s 2,092-seat ice rink.

Fellow Princetonian F. Scott Fitzgerald idolized Baker, writing him into his novel This Side of Paradise. Tragically, Baker died at the age of 26 after a plane he was piloting crashed mysteriously, just before he was to return home from Europe during World War I.

Theories about that crash are just one focus of “Searching for Hobey Baker,” a podcast released June 12 as part of ESPN’s “30 for 30” series. The three episodes, narrated by actor and Princeton graduate David Duchovny, also delve into the nature of Baker’s relationship with the extremely wealthy Percy Rivington Pyne II, son of financier and University benefactor Moses Taylor Pyne. Nine years Baker’s senior, Pyne II was obsessed with the athlete and invited him to live in his Gilded Age mansion. more

Three Generations Sing Together in Performance by Tim Keyes Consort

FAMILY HARMONY: Dr. Rosemarie Scolaro Moser celebrated a recent birthday by appearing in a world premiere choral performance of “The Stone” at Richardson Auditorium with members of her family. From left are daughter Rachel Moser Vassak, Rosemarie Scolaro Moser, granddaughter Serena Vassak, son Alex Moser, and Tim Keyes.

By Anne Levin

When Dr. Rosemarie Scolaro Moser started thinking about how she wanted to celebrate an upcoming significant birthday, material gifts did not come to mind. Moser, who is the director of Princeton Neuropsychology, was considering something more meaningful.

Moser asked her daughter, son, and granddaughter — all singers — to join her as part of the chorus in a performance of the Tim Keyes Consort, which took place on June 15 at Richardson Auditorium. The concert included the world premiere of The Stone, by Keyes, who founded the ensemble 29 years ago.

“Our true legacy is found in the multiple generations of our families who have come to be part of the Consort,” Keyes said in a speech at the performance. “Tonight, however, is a first, as one of our longtime members, Rosemarie Moser, is here with three generations of her family on stage tonight. Additionally, she joins us on the eve of a significant birthday, so I think it only appropriate that we join in singing happy birthday to her.” more

Trial for Evan Gershkovich Scheduled to Begin June 26 in Secret in Russia

By Donald Gilpin

A Russian court announced on Monday that the trial of journalist and former Princeton resident Evan Gershkovich, who has been imprisoned in Russia for almost 15 months, would begin on June 26 and would be held behind closed doors, according to news sources.

A 2010 Princeton High School graduate, Gershkovich was on a reporting trip for the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg in March 2023 when he was detained by Russian security officials and incarcerated in a high-security prison in Moscow.

Gershkovich, who is fluent in Russian, which he spoke at home with his Jewish parents, who had been born in the Soviet Union and fled to the United States in 1970, has been charged with espionage. He is the first American to be imprisoned on espionage charges in Russia since 1986 during the Cold War. more

Celebrating an Uncut Gem: Frank Borzage’s “Man’s Castle”

By Stuart Mitchner

Sixteen years ago I wrote about “An American Masterpiece You Can’t See on DVD — Yet.” Now, at last, we can forget the “Yet.” Frank Borzage’s Man’s Castle (1933) has been restored to its original length and released on a Blu-ray disc from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

Although this is an entirely legitimate piece of good news, I can’t help recalling the moment in Mad Men when Pete Campbell goes to Mr. Cooper with proof that the firm’s genius Don Draper is an imposter, a fraud, a criminal, maybe worse, to which the boss croons, three times, “Who cares?”

In his “Front Row” appreciation of Man’s Castle, the New Yorker’s Richard Brody cares; it’s a film that he’s “cherished’” for decades. Referring to the “eight minutes of risqué plot points and dialogue” that were cut in deference to the Motion Picture Code, Brody confesses that his “love of the movie has been accompanied by tantalized curiosity about what was missing.” As he puts it, “the restoration emphasizes all the more strongly the depth and power of Borzage’s vision — and the wit and style with which he brings it to light.” more

Princeton Festival Presents Timeless Mozart Opera

By Nancy Plum

It all began with a bet. Three male buddies were arguing over everyone’s favorite topic — fidelity. To prove his point that women are fickle, one dared his companions to entice their fiancées to betray them by pretending to be two other suitors. The companions agreed, and mayhem ensued — all to the delicious music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. This, of course, is the plot of Mozart’s popular opera Così fan tutte, which musically addresses the age-old question, “Are women really all like that?” Premiered less than two years before Mozart’s death and full of challenging music for both singers and instrumentalists, Così has remained a popular staple of opera repertory for more than 200 years. The Princeton Festival brought this classic to life this past weekend as a cornerstone presentation of its two-week series of performances and lectures. Accompanied by the Princeton Symphony Orchestra and led by conductor Rossen Milanov, six singers took on the daunting assignment of interpreting Mozart’s complex score, delving into the realm of the theatrically silly along the way.

Sunday afternoon’s performance at the pavilion of Princeton’s Morven Music & Garden (the opera officially opened last Friday night) brought a full house under a tent on a perfect weather night for opera. The “Overture” that opened the production was short by 18th-century standards, but set the scene for the action to come. Milanov and the Princeton Symphony players found an elegant Viennese flow to the music, aided by wind solos from oboist Kemp Jernigan and flutist Scott Kemsley. Stage Director James Marvel took the opportunity to introduce the characters during the “Overture” — sisters Fiordiligi and Dorabella, their respective fiancés Guglielmo and Ferrando, the streetwise maid Despina, and the scheming “philosopher” Don Alfonso. Mozart’s original setting was 1790s Naples, but scenic designer Blair Mielnik and costume designer Marie Miller moved the opening scene far from the 1700s to what looked more like a flamboyant beach community.  more

“Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy” Opens Princeton Summer Theater; Kate Hamill’s Layered Script Inspires Strong Performances, Vivid Production

“DRACULA: A FEMINIST REVENGE FANTASY”: Performances are underway for Princeton Summer Theater’s production of “Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy.” Written by Kate Hamill and directed by Eliana Cohen-Orth, the play runs through June 30 at Princeton University’s Hamilton Murray Theater. Above, from left: a Western version of Dr. Van Helsing (Sophie Falvey) strategizes with Dr. Seward (Teddy Feig), Jonathan Harker (Destine Harrison-Williams), and Mina Harker (Meghana Kumar) about ways to defeat the titular vampire. (Photo by John Venegas Juarez)

By Donald H. Sanborn III

In Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Dr. Van Helsing is a feisty American woman in a cowboy hat. Be sure to address her as “Doctor,” not “Madam.” It is for readers and audiences to guess who emerges victorious when this Dr. Van Helsing confronts Dracula.

Playwright Kate Hamill, who has brought a contemporary perspective to theatrical adaptations of several classic novels, loosely adapts and satirizes the Bram Stoker original, pitting the titular Transylvanian vampire against a Van Helsing that seems to be patterned after Annie Oakley (among other characters and archetypes). It is a fun but risky concept that could have come off as gimmicky — but it brilliantly succeeds. more

“Alan Cumming: Uncut” is New Cabaret Show

MULTI-TALENTED: Actor, singer, writer, and multimedia mogul Alan Cumming is at the State Theatre New Jersey on Saturday, June 22 at 8 p.m.

State Theatre New Jersey (STNJ) presents Alan Cumming: Uncut on Saturday, June 22 at 8 p.m.

Multi-hyphenate, multi-award winning, multimedia mogul Alan Cumming returns to STNJ with a new cabaret show, even more revealing, hilarious, and authentic than ever before. Musical direction is by Henry Koperski.

Cumming trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Before graduating he had already made his professional theater, film, and television debuts. In 1988, he appeared in Manfred Karge’s Conquest of the South Pole at the Traverse theatre in Edinburgh. The play transferred to the Royal Court in London, and he received his first Olivier award nomination. He went on to work with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal National Theatre where he won an Olivier award for his performance in Dario Fo’s Accidental Death Of An Anarchist.  more

Tony-Winning Actor Performs at Festival

Santino Fontana (Photo by Nathan Johnson)

Actor and television star Santino Fontana takes over the Princeton Festival stage in the performance pavilion at Morven Museum & Garden on Saturday, June 22 at 7 p m.

Pianist Cody Owen Stine joins Fontana in this cabaret performance, “An Evening with Santino Fontana,” which is the final show of this year’s Princeton Festival.

Fontana has received the Tony Award, two Drama Desks, an Outer Critics Circle, a Lortel, an Obie, and the Clarence Derwent Award for his work in both plays and musicals. Most recently seen on Broadway in Tootsie, he is also known for lending his voice to the villainous “Prince Hans” in the Disney film, Frozen. On TV, Santino was seen on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. more

Summer Chamber Concerts Return to Richardson

SERIES OPENER: The Ulysses Quartet is first on the list of ensembles at the Princeton University Summer Chamber Concert 57th season at Richardson Auditorium on June 23.

The Ulysses Quartet will open Princeton University Summer Chamber Concerts’ 57th Season in Richardson Auditorium on Sunday, June 23 at 4 p.m. Works by Fanny Mendelssohn, Beethoven, and Tower are on the program. Ruth Ochs, who conducts the Princeton University Sinfonia, will provide commentary.

Founded in the summer of 2015, the Ulysses Quartet won the grand prize and gold medal in the senior string division of the 2016 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and first prize in the 2018 Schoenfeld International String Competition.  more

Creative Collective Art Group Exhibit at Gourgaud Gallery

“FLOWERS ON THE FRENCH RIVIERA”: This work by Francis Gunther is featured in an exhibit by the Creative Collective Art Group, on view July 1 through August 29 at the Gourgaud Gallery in Cranbury.

The Cranbury Arts Council will host an exhibit by the Creative Collective Art Group July 1 through August 29 at the Gourgaud Gallery in Cranbury. An opening reception is on Sunday, July 14 from 1-3 p.m.

The exhibit includes the members of the Creative Collective Art Group displaying a variety of art mediums — acrylic paintings, oil painting, watercolor, mixed media, and photography.

The Creative Collective is dedicated to fostering a creative and nurturing community for artists, artisans, and art lovers in central New Jersey and beyond.  more