A New Home (TBA) to Set the Stage for Popular Arts Center

 By Sally Deering

Stepping inside Art House Productions†performance space behind One PATH Plaza in Jersey City, Meredith Burns tiptoes through rows of stage lights, piles of discarded scenery and the ghosts of plays, musicals, art exhibits and dress-up fundraisers that took place within its walls all these years. But the past is the past and Art House Productions is about to take up residence in a new space with Burns as its new executive director. Thereâ€s still lots to be done and some big shoes to fill.

Those shoes belong to Christine Goodman, who served as Executive Director of Art House since the non-profit first opened its doors 15 years ago on McWilliams place near Hamilton Park, then moved to bigger digs on Magnolia Street near Journal Square. As Art Houseâ€s executive director, Goodman – who is leaving to spend more time with family – directed most of Art Houseâ€s plays, oversaw the INKubator writers†workshop and STAGES! program for kids ‘bitten by the acting bug.â€

Changing of the guard:

Christine Goodman, Meredith Burns,

and a young fan.

 â€œMeredith is exactly the kind of visionary we need to bring us into this next phase of growth,” Goodman says. “Our Board of Trustees did a thoughtful, in-depth search to find the best fit for our organization, and I believe they found the right person. I have always believed in succession planning as a hallmark of an organization’s long-term success. It is truly an exciting new day at Art House.”

As the new Executive Director, Burns brings to the table her experience as both an actress and arts administrator. She holds a BFA in Acting from SUNY Purchase, and performs regularly in New York. Sheâ€s done several seasons of Shakespeare in Washington D.C. and belongs to a sketch comedy troupe in Manhattan.

Although plans are underway for Art House to move into its new space, Burns says the landlords of the new space are busy ironing out the details before making the formal announcement, so for now, Art Houseâ€s new residence is under wraps. Besides, thereâ€s still so much to do before the show goes on, so to speak.

During her busy first week on the job, Burns took a break to share her plans for Art House Productions future as a venue for theater, visual arts, music, spoken word, comedy, arts classes and, of course, those costumed-fundraisers that support the non-profitâ€s arts programming.

RVO:  Meredith, you just came on board last week; where were you before Art House?

MB:  Since 2013, I ran an after-school arts program at the New Voices Middle School in New York.

RVO:  Where did you grow up?

MB:  I was born and raised in Essex Fells, New Jersey a little town next to Montclair. My dad and mom grew up in The Heights in Jersey City. My grandmother went to Dickinson High School. I was coming here all the time as a kid. When my parents divorced, my dad moved back. He was a Jersey City firefighter.

RVO:  Youâ€re an actress as well as an arts administrator?

MB: Iâ€m on a sketch comedy team called The Executives out of the Magnet Theater on 29^th & 8^th Avenue in New York. I guess you would say Iâ€m a sketch comedienne. Itâ€s a great little team. We were on Monday nights and now weâ€re the weekend team. I only started doing comedy the past 2-3 years. Before this, I worked at Pregones Theater in The Bronx and the PR Traveling Theater Company in Manhattan. I was managing director and founding member of the Glass Bandits Theater Company in Brooklyn where we did living room readings and, out of that, produced new work.  I also worked at the Shakespeare Theater of D.C. It was a great experience, I learned a lot.

RVO:  As Art House Productions†new executive director, what are your long-term goals?

MB: My goal for Art House is to keep the lights on seven days a week. I love the theater. I love thereâ€s an art gallery. Iâ€d like to do more mixed-media, maybe a web-series, pilots, more comedy, more dance, spoken-word and poetry. The written-word is super important.

RVO:  Will you continue programs that Christine Goodman put in place?

Yes. We have the Inkubator series, a monthly writers†workshop where playwrights and screenwriters get together and read their work. I want to produce work that comes out of there. JC Fridays will continue and so will the annual Snow Ball fundraiser. In the spring weâ€re having a wine-tasting at Harborside, and an Octo-beer-fest. Our Stages! program for kids will also continue. Itâ€s on hold until we move into the new space.

 RVO: Can you share when you think Art House will be in its new home?

MB: Weâ€re hoping by April. The people running the space want to make the announcement.

RVO:  Has Christine been showing you the ropes for the transition of leadership?

MB: Christine is one of the most gracious people Iâ€ve ever met. She is excited for this organization. She understands it needs fresh eyes, new energies. Everything she built is sound. The programs she created are sound. Sheâ€s given me a blank canvas. This is the dream Iâ€ve always had.

RVO:  You dreamed of being an arts administrator?

MB: This is such a dream! When I was acting, I loved performing, but I needed to produce something. I like producing.

 RVO:  How will you let your audience know when the curtain goes up at the new space?

MB:  Weâ€ll keep everyone updated on the website (arthouseproductions.org). Weâ€ll probably have a “Welcome to the Neighborhood!” performance, show people what we can do.

RVO:  Thereâ€s seems to be a threat to end funding for the National Endowment looming like a storm cloud over the arts. As an artist and arts administrator, can you share why you think the arts are important?

MB:  Now more than ever, the arts connect us to humanity, and help us explore what it means to be a human being.

The post LEADING LADY Meredith Burns takes on the role of Art House Productions’ Executive Director first appeared on River View Observer.

•Sunday, October 12 @1pm at The Historic Jersey City and Harsimus Cemetery, 435 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ

•Saturday, October 18 @7:30pm at Fort Lee High School Auditorium, 3000 Lemoine Avenue, Fort Lee, NJ

•Sunday, October 19 @7:30pm at Fort Lee High School Auditorium, 3000 Lemoine Avenue, Fort Lee, NJ

When people think about the movie ”On the Waterfront” usually impressions that come to mind are Marlon Brando, Eva Marie Saint, Karl Malden and the fact that it was mostly shot in Hoboken come to mind. Also, the famous “I could have been a contenda!” scene of Brandoâ€s has become something of a parody as people often try a Brando imitation with this famous line. This usually has more to do with his put on voice in “The Godfather” and some other campier roles. Nothing could be further from the truth in either the scene from the film or the nature of the story itself.

(Terry Malloy (Chris Botte) tells Edie (Noelle Fair) about his days as a prize fighter in a scene from Hudson Shakespeareâ€s stage adaptation of “On the Waterfront”)

SYNOPSIS: The story of “On the Waterfront” is about dreams denied and oppression on both the personal and societal level by those in power. In Hudson Shakespeareâ€s stage production Terry Malloy (Chris Botte) is a has-been at 29. He used to be a prized fighter who headlined fights at Madison Square Garden and now spends his days being a low level mob enforcer, dock worker and his only pleasure in life is tending to pet pigeons that he treats as his children. One night Terry is asked by his brother Charley “The Gent” Malloy (Alex Falaco), a mafia golden- boy, to take part in silencing a local dock worker named Joey Doyle. Doyle has been trying to organize their union against the mob boss “Johnny Friendly” Skelly (Jon Ciccarelli). Skellyâ€s mob has been keeping the locals in poverty taking most of their dock pay in kick-backs or not allowing them to work at all altogether. Terry believes that they are just going to simply rough up Joey to get him to stop his activities but the event takes a dark turn when Joey is instead thrown off the roof of his tenement.

The murder shocks but doesnâ€t surprise the neighborhood as Joeyâ€s Pop (Larry Frank) and Joeyâ€s best friends Runty (Charley Close) and Tommy (Dante Guilliano) try to come to terms with Joey†sudden death. While they are angry, they know that nothing can be done. The police are bought and paid for by Johnny Friendly and any retribution will lead to more killing, so they must remain “D n D”, deaf and dumb. Joeyâ€s firebrand sister Edie (Noelle Fair), who has been raised away from the neighborhood, doesnâ€t take this tact but instead seeks justice against Joeyâ€s killers. Edie allies with the only man who will listen to her pleas, the not quite comfortable in his skin Father Pete Barry (Scott Manganelli). Father Barry reluctantly accepts to try and help Edie but knows it will be an uphill battle not only against the mob controlled waterfront but his own church hierarchy who is also the pay from the mob.

As Father Barry tries to evoke some small change but getting the dock workers to organize it instead leads to Runty getting roughed with a baseball bat but also brings together Edie and Terry. Terry continually tries to dissuade Edie from pursuing justice against Joeyâ€s killers never divulging his full involvement. The idealistic Edie and the cynical Terry collide but find a common bond and attraction to each neither are what the other expected. Father Barry convinces Runty to turn stateâ€s evidence to the Waterfront Crime Commission which results in a rough end for Runty. Escalating the desperation, the Crime Commission is after Terry to testify against Johnny Friendly. Terry is torn between has family, the mob family, his new found love for Edie and a crisis of conscience to confess his involvement with Joeyâ€s murder.

Director Gene Simakowicz has always been a fan of the movie but was intrigued when he learned that there were several stage versions and delighted when asked by Hudson to direct this production. “I love the era and getting to the meet of the story,” he said. “People love the movie, but you have to forget the movie as that clouds any fresh take on the main story. I tell my actors donâ€t watch the film and try to imitate it. Do your own take. I have each actor provide an on the spot biography where I ask them as the character, ‘who are you?†‘How did you get here?†‘What are you looking to get out of this person†and this allows them to concentrate on the character story and not the film, Simakowicz said on his approach to directing the piece.

Hudson Shakespeare Company is producing this adaptation with The Historic Jersey City and Harsimus Cemetery will be fundraisers for the upkeep of the historic sight. A $10 suggested donation is asked for admission and concessions will be sold. Both cemetery shows are at 1pm and will be under tents in case of inclement weather. The show will also be held at Fort Lee High School Auditorium at 3000 Lemoine Avenue, Fort Lee on Sat, Oct. 18 and Sunday, Oct. 19 both at 7:30pm and admission for these shows are $10. The showâ€s second weekend are being produced in partnership with the Fort Lee Film Commission. All tickets can be purchased at the door. Please contact http://www.jerseycitycemetery.org/ and http://www.fortleefilm.org/ for advanced sales on their respective shows.

Hudson Shakespeare was established in 1992 and regularly produces a summer touring Shakespeare program performing lesser done Shakespeare works and unique takes on more popular titles. They also produce modern shows as second stage productions some of which included “Inherit the Wind” and “To Kill a Mockingbird” recently performed in Fort Leeâ€s municipal courtroom. For more information on all the shows, call 973 449 7443 or visit www.hudsonshakespeare.org .

The post Hudson Shakespeare Company presents “On the Waterfront” at The Historic Jersey City and Harsimus Cemetery and Other Venues first appeared on River View Observer.