April 16, 2025

No. 5 PU Women’s Lacrosse Tops Columbia 17-6 As 11-1 Tigers Tune Up For Penn, Brown Showdowns

ON THE BALL: Princeton University women’s lacrosse player Meg Morrisroe, right, goes after the ball in recent action. Last Saturday, sophomore attacker Morrisroe scored a goal to help Princeton defeat Columbia 17-6 and earn its 11th straight win. The No. 5 Tigers, now 11-1 overall and 4-0 Ivy League, play at No. 18 Penn (6-5 overall, 2-2 Ivy) on April 16 and then host No. 17 Brown (10-3 overall, 4-1 Ivy) on April 19 as the program holds its annual Senior Day celebration. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Coming into its game against visiting Columbia last Saturday, the No. 5 Princeton University women’s lacrosse team was clicking on all cylinders.

The sizzling Tigers brought a 10-game winning streak into the contest, having started the week by topping No. 19 Stony Brook 19-13 last Wednesday. more

Battling Hard in Early Season Loss to WW/P-South, PHS Boys’ Tennis Shows it Can Compete at High Level

FIRST TAKE: Princeton High boys’ tennis player Garrett Mathewson hits a groundstroke in a match last season. Junior Mathewson has starred at first singles as PHS has gotten off to a 1-1 start this spring. In upcoming action, the Tigers host Hightstown on April 17 before competing in the Colonial Valley Conference (CVC) tournament on April 21 and 23 at the Mercer County Tennis Center. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Although the Princeton High boys’ tennis team suffered a 4-1 loss to powerhouse WW/P-South its second match this season, Sarah Hibbert saw reason for optimism.

PHS junior star Garrett Mathewson posted a straight-set win at first singles in the April 8 match while junior Andrew Kuo forced a match tiebreaker at second singles and the second doubles pair of senior Matt Chen and sophomore Emil Kapur lost in two hard-fought sets. more

PDS Boys’ Tennis Featuring a Young Lineup, Looking to Gain Experience in CVC Tourney

By Bill Alden

Youth is being served this spring for the Princeton Day School boys’ tennis team.

PDS is featuring a freshman and a sophomore in its singles lineup with a pair of freshmen having seen action at doubles.

While the squad may lack experience, Panther head coach Michael Augsberger believes it has plenty of quality. more

Developing Into a Mound Ace for Hun Baseball, Junior DeLue Stars in 4-1 Win Over Lawrenceville

BRINGING THE HEAT: Hun School pitcher Asher DeLue fires a pitch in a 2024 game. Last Thursday, junior DeLue produced a superb effort in a 4-1 victory over Lawrenceville, going five innings with eight strikeouts to get the win on the mound. The Raiders, who fell 8-2 to Christian Brothers Academy last Monday in moving to 6-2, play at Pennington on April 17 and have a doubleheader at the Mercersburg Academy (Pa.) on April 19. (Photo by Steven Wojtowicz)

By Bill Alden

After pitching just 12 innings for the Hun School baseball team last year, Asher DeLue focused on pumping iron over the offseason in an effort to make a greater impact on the mound this spring.

“It was definitely putting in a lot of work in the weight room,” said junior DeLue. “Team lifts with the guys were great, we do that all winter. Playing club was great but the biggest thing was getting into the weight room and getting stronger.” more

Sparked by Chirik’s Athletic Versatility, Hustle, Stuart Lacrosse Poised to Get on Winning Track

ABBY ROAD: Stuart Country Day School lacrosse player Abby Chirik, center, sprints upfield last Wednesday as Stuart hosted Robbinsville. Junior midfielder Chirik scored a goal in a losing cause as the Tartans fell 16-3 to the Ravens. Stuart, now 0-3, hosts Princeton Day School on April 17 and Pope John on April 22. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

There is no down time for Abby Chirik when it comes to her athletic pursuits.

Chirik is a three-sport star at Stuart Country Day School, competing for its field hockey, basketball, and lacrosse teams. In her spare time, she plays club soccer year-round. more

April 9, 2025

“Hands Off!”

More than 1,000 demonstrators braved the stormy weather to gather at Hinds Plaza on Saturday to rally against ongoing Trump administration initiatives and demand that the federal government stop interfering with a wide range of health, education, environmental, and personal aspects of their lives and the country’s welfare. Attendees share what brought them to the rally in this week’s Town Talk on page 6. (Photo by Thomas Hedges)

“Hands Off!” Demands Large Hinds Plaza Crowd

By Donald Gilpin

With a broad agenda of issues and a sharp focus in opposition to the Trump administration agenda, more than 1,000 demonstrators, undeterred by dark skies and periodic rain showers, arrived at Hinds Plaza at noon on Saturday, April 5, spilling out onto the surrounding sidewalks and into Witherspoon Street, which was closed for the occasion.

“Hands Off!” was the mantra for the rally organized by Indivisible Princeton and Indivisible Cranbury as part of a nationwide day of peaceful protest with hundreds of demonstrations taking place in cities and towns across the country.

In chants and signs and a dozen speeches by representatives of a range of organizations, the message to President Trump, Elon Musk, and the federal government was to stop the destructive interference with health care, schools and colleges, libraries, DEI, immigrants, veterans benefits, civil rights, LGBTQ+ rights, national parks, free speech, and “hands off our democracy.” more

Eisgruber Stands Firm For Academic Freedom, Rights of Due Process

By Donald Gilpin

Facing the suspension of several dozen federal government research grants, Princeton University President Christopher L. Eisgruber is asserting the University’s commitment to academic freedom and to adherence to due process rights.

In an email to the Princeton University community last week Eisgruber announced that the University had received notifications from government agencies, including the Department of Energy, NASA, and the Defense Department, that they were suspending a number of research grants.

The rationale for the government suspensions was not clear, Eisgruber said, and in an April 6 “All Things Considered” interview with NPR’s Asma Khalid, he noted, “We have not received any communication from the government that explains why these grants were suspended or any requests to do anything in response to the suspensions.” more

Princeton’s Plans for Semiquincentennial Include Collaborations and Partnerships

By Anne Levin

The countdown is on. Princeton, along with the rest of the country, is gearing up for the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States in 2026.

The town is among the more than 100 New Jersey communities and 200 organizations that have officially joined in the preparations for the nation’s semiquincentennial, led by Revolution NJ, the State’s official initiative to mark the milestone.

For the past several months, Princeton’s Heritage Tourism Committee and Mercer County’s Division of Travel and Tourism have been regularly meeting to talk about how best to spotlight the town’s critical role in the creation of the country. Key players include the Princeton Battlefield Society (PBS), the Historical Society of Princeton (HSP), Experience Princeton, Morven Museum and Garden, and the Witherspoon-Jackson Historical and Cultural Society, among other organizations and nonprofits. more

Robeson Week Events Honor Life, Legacy, and Impact of Paul Robeson

HONORING A NATIVE SON: The Paul Robeson House Princeton pays tribute to the man who spent his life fighting for truth and justice with events April 12-20.

By Anne Levin

On March 31, Gov. Phil Murphy signed a bill designating April 9 of each year as Paul Robeson Day in New Jersey.

In Princeton, where the famed singer, actor, professional athlete, and influential activist was born on April 9, 1898, the commemorative day is only part of the story. Robeson Week, “a celebration of Legacy, Art, and Community,” takes place April 12-20 with a lineup of events starting with a wreath-laying at the Arts Council of Princeton and concluding with an Easter Sunrise Service at Princeton Cemetery, followed by a breakfast at Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church. more

Multiple Opportunities to Participate In the 55th Observance of Earth Day

By Anne Levin

Since the very first Earth Day was organized on April 22, 1970, environmentally-conscious citizens across the globe have been mobilizing to try and protect the planet. The theme this year, “Earth Day 2025: Our Power, Our Planet,” is especially relevant as the Trump administration makes no secret of its intention to dismantle climate action.

According to Earthday.org, some 550 cities and towns will be holding Earth Action Day events on and around April 22. As usual, Princeton is among them. Among the environmentally-centered events in which the public can take part are stewardship sessions, cleanups of local preserves, exhibits, and festivals.

Local activities begin on Sunday, April 13 (new date) at Herrontown Woods with a day of exploring and learning in nature from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. “Stewarding Your Local Environment” is sponsored by Friends of Herrontown Woods at 600 Snowden Lane, and all are invited. Visit herrontownwoods.org for more information. more

Excessive Lead Levels Found in Water at Four Princeton Elementary Schools

By Donald Gilpin

Water samples from seven drinking fountains in the four Princeton public elementary schools have recorded levels of lead that exceed acceptable level, as determined by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP).

The seven fountains have been turned off —four had already been inactive for three years and were reactivated only for testing purposes, and the other three were turned off as soon as the results were reviewed. The older non-working fountains will be replaced, and water will be tested again to ascertain its safety before the fountains will be approved for use of students and staff, the district reported.

Lead testing for schools’ drinking water is mandated every three years by the New Jersey Department of Education. The Princeton Public Schools (PPS) tested all 238 units in the six Princeton schools between December 2024 and January 2025. more

Bridges and Poetry: From Brunel’s Darling to Bristol’s Cary Grant

By Stuart Mitchner

…my first love, my darling.

—Isambard Kingdom Brunel on the Clifton Suspension Bridge

Born April 9, 1806, British engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel once claimed that the “most wonderful feat” he ever performed was producing “unanimity among 15 men who were all quarrelling about that most ticklish subject — taste.” He was referring to the panel of experts that approved his ambitious design for the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol, the longest in the world at the time of its construction in 1831.

In a 2002 BBC Poll of the “100 Greatest Britons,” Brunel came in second to Winston Churchill and ahead of Princess Diana, Charles Darwin, William Shakespeare, Sir Isaac Newton, Elizabeth I, and John Lennon. While his contributions to English life were no more than bridges and tunnels, the Great Western Railway, Paddington Station, and numerous steamships, Brunel somehow managed to outrank William Blake (38); Charles Dickens (41); Florence Nightingale (52); Freddie Mercury (58); Charlie Chaplin (66); Tony Blair (67); Jane Austen (70); Geoffrey Chaucer (81); Richard III (82); J.R.R. Tolkien (92); Richard Burton the actor, not the explorer (96); and David Livingstone the explorer (98). The world-makers Blake, Chaucer, and Shakespeare aside, where are the poets? Don’t ask. Milton, Keats, Shelley, Coleridge, and Wordsworth, among numerous others, didn’t make the list.

What does a poll that places Margaret Thatcher (16) ahead of Queen Victoria (18) and Queen Elizabeth II (24) say about the state of that “ticklish subject taste” in England two years this side of the millennium? You can find the full list at geni.com (“Home of the world’s largest family tree”). Although I’m not here to praise the U.K. or to bury it, only to celebrate a bridge and its builder, my impression of the extremes on the list suggest a possible explanation for Mad Merry Old England’s fling with Brexit 14 years later.  more

Lewis Center Delivers a Vibrant, Charismatic “Macbeth in Stride” at McCarter: Lady Macbeth’s Story is Retold from a Black Female Viewpoint, via R&B Songs

“MACBETH IN STRIDE”: Performances are underway for “Macbeth in Stride.” Written by Whitney White; and directed by Princeton senior Layla Williams, the musical runs through April 12 at McCarter’s Berlind Theatre. Above: Woman (Alex Conboy, third from left) debates the nature of Lady Macbeth’s role with three Witches: Sasha Villefranche (left), Amira Adarkwah (second from left), and Kareish Thony (right). (Photo by Ron Wyatt / Lewis Center for the Arts)

By Donald H. Sanborn III

Macbeth in Stride is a musical in which the story of Macbeth is retold from Lady Macbeth’s viewpoint. More precisely, it is told from the point of view of a contemporary African American female performer, identified only as Woman, portraying, and examining the role of, Lady Macbeth.

The stage on which Woman performs seems not to be a literal space, but rather a metaphysical one. Although she is dissatisfied with Lady Macbeth’s role in the original play, Woman is constrained by the way in which Shakespeare has written it — not at the insistence of a producer or director, but because the play’s Witches, who serve as a cross between a Greek chorus and a trio of godlike beings, insist that the play’s world cannot be changed. more

PU Concerts Brings Unusual Combination of Instruments in Dance-Infused Program

By Nancy Plum

Some ensembles spend a great deal of time coming up with their name. Last Wednesday night’s presentation by Princeton University Concerts showcased three instrumentalists who collaborate as a trio, but without a formal group moniker. Swedish clarinetist and conductor Martin Fröst, French violist Antoine Tamestit, and pianist and Israeli native Shai Wosner came to Richardson Auditorium to offer a diverse program of music ranging from the 19th to the 21st centuries. Individually, these artists have been acclaimed for pushing musical boundaries, and their appearance last week expanded the repertory a bit further by uniting solo players not often heard together.

Fröst, Tamestit, and Wosner began the evening with three excerpts of a suite by Antonín Dvorák originally composed for piano duet and arranged for clarinet, viola, and piano by Wosner. Throughout the concert, Fröst alternated between clarinets in the keys of B-flat and A, finding a variety of musical styles from both. The opening “Allegretto” of Dvorák’s Legends featured a bit of klezmer effect between clarinet and viola, with long clarinet lines and sharp bowings from violist Tamestit. In all three movements, Fröst and Tamestit phrased the music in tandem, occasionally holding back cadences for effect. Pianist Wosner provided subtle accompaniment for the first two pieces, taking a more prominent role in the closing “Allegro.” In this swirling dance, a dialog between Tamestit’s fierce viola playing and Fröst’s lyrical clarinet lines were well complemented by Wosner’s skillful keyboard accompaniment. more

Classics and New Works Planned by Ballet Troupe

TELLING STORIES: Philadelphia Ballet has announced its 2025-2026 season, which includes a new take on “Romeo and Juliet” by Juliano Nunes.

Philadelphia Ballet has announced its 2025/26 season, a mix of full-length classics and new works to be performed at the Academy of Music.

The season opens with Angel Corella’s Carmen October 9-12, and continues with “Evening of Horror: Antony Tudor’s Fall River Legend and Juliano Nunes’ new Valley of Death October 16-19. Next is Balanchine’s The Nutcracker December 5-31, followed by Ronald Hynd’s version of The Merry Widow March 5-15. Nunes’ new production of Romeo and Juliet closes the season April 30-May 10. more

McCarter Theatre Center Announces 2025-26 Season

ON MCCARTER STAGE: Momix, the contemporary dance troupe, returns to McCarter with “Alice,” inspired by Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland,” as part of the upcoming season of performances. (Photo by Sharen Bradford)

McCarter Theatre Center has unveiled its 2025-2026 subscription season, featuring a lineup of theater, music, and dance.

The theater season opens with the world premiere, commissioned by McCarter, of I and You: The Musical, based on Lauren Gunderson’s award-winning play, with a new score by Ari Afsar and direction by McCarter Artistic Director Sarah Rasmussen. Other highlights include 300 Paintings, the award-winning off-Broadway solo show by comedian-turned-artist Sam Kissajukian; Kim’s Convenience, the comedy that inspired the hit Netflix series; Circus Quixote from Chicago’s Lookingglass Theatre; and the mystery-comedy Mrs. Christie, marking the McCarter directorial debut of BOLD Associate Artistic Director Donya K. Washington. more

Nakashima Foundation Hosts Peace Concert

Taoufik Ben Amor

The Nakashima Foundation For Peace will hold its 2025 peace concert, “Many Paths to the Divine — Devotional Music from the Indian and Arab Traditions: A Concert of Mystical Sounds and Shared Devotion” on Sunday, April 27 from 2-5 p.m., featuring musicians Gaurav Shah and Taoufik Ben Amor, in the Nakashima Arts Building, 1847 Aquetong Road, New Hope, Pa.

This concert supports the mission of the Nakashima Foundation for Peace, to build Sacred Peace Tables for each continent, and to preserve both the legacy of George Nakashima, a leading innovator of 20th century furniture design, and the National Historic Landmark designated Nakashima Property for future generations.

The performance will explore meeting points where different languages, spiritual and mystical traditions use the same metaphors of love and intoxication. Shah and Amor have been making music together for more than two decades. This artistic collaboration, a contemporary manifestation of harmony between musical and spiritual traditions from centuries past, serves as a role-model for world peace in the future.  more

Pennington School Presents “The Long Ride Home” Exhibit

“BARREL RACER” This photograph by Ron Tarver is featured in “The Long Ride Home: Black Cowboys in America,” on view in The Pennington School’s Silva Gallery of Art through June 6. A gallery talk and book signing are on April 15 from 2 to 4:30 p.m.

On view through June 6, The Pennington School’s Silva Gallery of Art now presents “The Long Ride Home: Black Cowboys in America.” The exhibition showcases the work of acclaimed photographer Ron Tarver, who will also host a gallery talk and book signing on Tuesday, April 15, from 2 to 4:30 p.m.

Tarver, who is an art professor at Swarthmore College, corrects the American cowboy narrative with the publication of his work. From ranches to city streets, his photographs reveal the beauty, romance, and visual poetry of Black cowboys throughout the country. more

Gallery 14 in Hopewell Has Exhibits by Schwartz, Blum

“MOONSARAZ”: This photograph by Martin Schwartz is featured in “Places I’ve Been, Faces I’ve Seen,” on view through May 4 at Gallery 14 Fine Art Photography in Hopewell.

The Goodkind Gallery at Gallery 14 Fine Art Photography in Hopewell features the work of Martin Schwartz of Cranbury in “Places I’ve Been, Faces I’ve Seen,” on view through May 4.

According to the gallery, “a photographer never wants to stop seeing and shooting images. However, sometimes physical restrictions prevent our ability to get out and take new works. When this happens, we sometimes look back at previous works. That is the case with this exhibit. Martin has looked back into his expansive portfolio of work and is reimagining shots using new processing and more powerful software to create new images. Some of the shots have never been processed or exhibited before. Others are works previously shown but now reworked. Some are even from slides which he then had to scan so they could be worked on for this exhibit.” more

Grounds For Sculpture Awarded $25,000 Grant

Grounds For Sculpture (GFS) in Hamilton has received a $25,726 FY25 Cultural Trust Institutional and Financial Stabilization Grant from the New Jersey Cultural Trust. This new funding helps support installing a professional database with informational signage for GFS’ living horticulture collection that will include tagging, cataloging and tracking vital specimen history, health, and locations at the sculpture park. As the first grant awarded to GFS’ horticultural department, this support underscores the vital role that horticulture represents at the 42-acre nonprofit, which became a Level II Arboretum by The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and The Morton Arboretum in 2024.

“This significant grant funding allows us to implement this new database system that will help our team manage the extraordinary living collection at Grounds For Sculpture,” said Janis Napoli, Grounds For Sculpture’s director of horticulture. “We are excited to enhance our ability to document, track, and care for our horticultural specimens, ensuring that future generations can continue to experience and learn from the ever-evolving landscape in our gardens. We are grateful to the New Jersey Cultural Trust for their support in advancing our mission.”

GFS recognizes the importance of retaining institutional knowledge about the park’s creation and its specimens, along with plant updates and the management of specialized collections, such as the deciduous conifer collection. A catalog system supported by this grant will house much of this information and assist in the daily management of the organization’s vast gardens. The sculpture park will install a professional garden database and associated tools and develop a process to maintain and create new records for existing specimens and a protocol for documenting new additions to the living collection.  more

Claude Winn Exhibition at Berkshire Hathaway

CLAUDE WINN EXHIBITION: Works by local artist Claude Winn are on view April 10 through May 15 at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, Realtors, 253 Nassau Street. An opening reception is on April 10 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, Realtors presents a new exhibition of abstract artwork by local artist Claude Winn, on view through May 15. An opening reception is on Thursday, April 10 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 253 Nassau Street.

The exhibition showcases 11 of Winn’s distinctive abstract paintings, paying tribute to artists who greatly influence her work, including Joan Mitchell, and Helen Frankenthaler.  more

Sparked by 6-Goal Outburst from Blake, PU Women’s Lax Edges Cornell, Now 9-1

SIX SHOOTER: Princeton University women’s lacrosse player McKenzie Blake heads to goal in recent action. Last Saturday, senior attacker Blake scored six goals to help Princeton edge Cornell 12-11 and post its ninth straight win. The No. 5 Tigers, now 9-1 overall and 3-0 Ivy League, host Stony Brook on April 9 and Columbia on April 12. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Justin Feil

McKenzie Blake is off to a great start to her senior season with the Princeton University women’s lacrosse team.

But it’s more about the finish, which the Blake and the Tigers got a little reminder of in last Saturday’s 12-11 win at Cornell.

“This has been definitely a really good start to the season,” said Blake, who tallied six goals in the victory. “But you know coming with that we can’t let up and I think that’s definitely something that is in the back of all our minds with the Ivy League tournament and NCAA tournament — definitely that’s the number one priority.” more

With Sizzling Burns Posting Another Hat Trick, Princeton Men’s Lacrosse Defeats Vermont 10-5

CATCHING FIRE: Princeton University men’s lacrosse player Colin Burns unloads the ball in recent action. Last Saturday, sophomore attacker Burns scored three goals to help Princeton defeat Vermont 10-5. It marked the third straight hat trick for Burns. The No. 3 Tigers, now 8-2, host Brown on April 12. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Colin Burns produced a solid start this spring in his sophomore season for the Princeton University men’s lacrosse team, scoring nine goals in the team’s first seven games.

But over the last week, star attacker Burns has caught fire, coming up with three-goal performances in three straight games as Princeton edged Dartmouth 11-8 on March 29, topped Lehigh 17-12 on April 1, and then defeated Vermont 10-5 last Saturday. more

Senior Wheeler Stars With His Arm, Bat As PHS Baseball Tops PDS 3-1, Now 2-2

TAKING THE WHEEL: Princeton High baseball player Eric Wheeler lays down a bunt in recent action. Last Thursday, senior Wheeler starred with his arm and bat to help PHS defeat Princeton Day School 3-1. Wheeler worked six innings on the mound to get the win and went 1 for 2 with a run and two walks at the plate to help PHS improve to 2-2. The Tigers host WW/P-South on April 10 before playing at Allentown on April 11 and Ewing on April 14. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Eric Wheeler wasn’t at full strength last spring for the Princeton High baseball team, hampered by a back issue that kept him from making a major impact for the Tigers.

But this spring, Wheeler is back to 100 percent and has emerged as a star for the Tigers in the early going. On the mound, Wheeler pitched PHS to a 10-1 win over North Dame on March 29 and 3-1 win over Princeton Day School last Thursday. At bat, Wheeler is hitting .308 with four hits and three runs as the Tigers have started 2-2. more