Hobokenâ€s Mile Square Theatre Presents Big Bunny Laughs

Kids Will Love This Popular Childrenâ€s Musical Based on the Best-Selling Book

What happens when a family unknowingly brings home a vampire bunny much to the dismay of the familyâ€s cat and dog who must save the family from this “wascally-wabbit”?

“On a dark and stormy night, the Monroe family decides to go see a movie. Their pets Chester (the cat) and Harold (the dog) patiently await their return. When they finally come home, they come bearing a surprise: they have found a bunny in the movie theatre. However, this is no ordinary rabbit…this is the extraordinary Bunnicula! When the familyâ€s produce starts losing its juice, Chester thinks he knows what is causing the fantastic phenomenon: Bunnicula is a vampire who sucks the color out of the vegetables! Or maybe Chesterâ€s imagination is getting the better of him. Singing and dancing their way through this hilarious mystery, the furry friends find room in their hearts, and in their home, for one very unique bunny.”

Bring the kids to solve the hilarious mystery of BUNNICULA, now showing at Mile Square Theatre, Hobokenâ€s resident professional theatre company. This family musical runs through May  5 at the companyâ€s 14^th Street theater; and, the plot goes something like this:

The childrenâ€s musical was written by  Jon Klein and Chris Jeffries; Jillian Carucci directs. Bunnicula brings back some recognizable artists to the MST stage, too, like Joelle Zazz, who played Violet in MSTâ€s recent Itâ€s a Wonderful Life as Chester, and Cameron Blankenship who played Rikki in The Garden of Rikki Tikki Tavi returns as Harold. Rachel Eddy, who delighted audiences as Lucy in Youâ€re a Good Man, Charlie Brown plays Toby Monroe, and Andrew Baldwin (Core Values, 12^th Night, Rikki Tikki Tavi) will employ his puppetry skills as Bunnicula.

The creative team includes resident scenic designer Jennifer Price Fick, costume designer Stefanie Genda, resident lighting designer Matthew J. Fick, resident scenic painter and prop designer by Emmett Grosland, and puppet designer Mary Gragen Rogers. Estimated run time: 1 hour and 20 minutes. Recommended for ages 5+.

“I encountered this extremely entertaining young audience play about 25 years ago when I was working with Seattle Childrenâ€s Theatre,” MST Artistic Director Chris Oâ€Connor says. “Itâ€s funny, engaging, entertaining, and wonderfully adapted from the well-known book by Deborah and James Howe. Itâ€s another great example of theater for young audiences that goes from the page to the stage. I love how plays like this ignite the imagination of young people and also get them enthusiastic about reading the source material. This will be a great show for school groups and for families looking for a rich family experience.”

If you go

April 13-May 5

BUNNICULA

Mile Square Theatre

1400 Clinton St, HOB

(201) 683-7014

Milesquaretheatre.org

The post BUNNICULA’S BACK! first appeared on River View Observer.

 By Sally Deering

Hobokenâ€s Mile Square Theatre wants to put a smile on everyoneâ€s face—and who could blame them? We all could use a belly-laugh right about now! So, Artistic Director Chris Oâ€Connor turned to one of the funniest playwrights in contemporary theater, Tony Award winner Christopher Durang and pulled a rabbit out of his hat with this gem of a comedy, MSTs new production Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike.

 Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike won the 2013 Tony Award for Best Play and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play. One big reason: it has non-stop laughs – and some belly ones, too — and a cast thatâ€s as much family as the characters they portray.  Offstage, Chris Oâ€Connor (Vanya) and Annie McAdams (Masha) are husband and wife; onstage they play sister and brother. Barbara Pitts (Sonia) plays their sister onstage, and in real life, sheâ€s their sister-in-law. Andrea Bellamore (Cassandra) Annette Hammond (Nina) and Jonah Robinson (Spike) round out the cast. Mark Cirnigliaro directs.

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike centers on the relationships between a brother (Vanya) and his two sisters (Sonia and Masha), one of whom is adopted. Vanya and Sonia have been living in their parents†Bucks County house for many years; they took care of their parents when they were still alive. Their sister Masha, a big movie star with an ego to match, drops in on Vanya and Sonia for a surprise visit with her young lover Spike. Masha invites them all to a costume party where Vanya and Sonia discover Masha tried to sell the house out from under them.

“I think this play really connects to people in mid-life,” Oâ€Connor says, “where they are in their life, and how they value their siblings. When we were deciding to cast it, everyone said I should play Vanya. Iâ€m the perfect age, and I am an actor. We decided to cast my wife Annie as Masha and our sister-in-law Barbara Pitts, who is an accomplished New York actor, we wanted her to play Sonia. When we went into rehearsals, we had this chemistry between us that was great for the foundation of the play. Annieâ€s brother and Barbaraâ€s husband John passed away in April, so this has been incredibly therapeutic and wonderful for us to work on something together.”

Director Mark Cirnigliaro has directed several productions at MST including Itâ€s a Wonderful Life, The Net Will Appear, and Driving Miss Daisy. He also serves as MSTs Associate Artistic Director.

“Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike connects to audiences on a lot of levels,” Cirnigliaro says. “It’s super funny – from the moment they take the stage to final curtain, it’s a roller-coaster ride of laughter. It’s about family, and how family drives us crazy, but we love each other anyway.”

As Artistic Director, Chris Oâ€Connor says he likes to have a well-rounded season. And as a country, we are going through some tough times. Thatâ€s why itâ€s the perfect time for a comedy, he says.

“People need to laugh,” Oâ€Connor says. “This play is very funny and very modern. It addresses our disconnectedness in the modern world. Vanya explodes in a rant about this that is funny, uplifting and affirming. This play doesnâ€t look away from where we are in this world.”

If you go

Performances: Oct 7 @ 8 pm; Sundays @ 3 pm

VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE

Mile Square Theater

1400 Clinton St, HOB

(201) 683-7014

www.milesquaretheatre.org

Tix: $30-40; $18 students and seniors

The post ALL IN THE FAMILY     Mile Square Theatre Pulls Out the Stops in Christopher Durang Comedy first appeared on River View Observer.

 AT THE GALLERIES

SMUSH GALLERY, 340 Summit Ave, JC. www.smushgallery.com. Opens June 15 (Opening Reception 6-9 pm) and runs through Fri, July 6, (Closing Reception 6-9 pm):  MODERN LIFE: paintings by Tom Wolf. “The opening reception will feature a performance by The Prom Dates.” Performance at 7:30 pm.

FRAGMENTED IDENTITY, 389 Washington, St, JC. Opening Reception Fri, June 8, 7-9 pm. (The show runs through July.) Solo show by Theda Sandiford, a self-taught installation and mixed-media artist based in Jersey City. “Theda began exploring her artistry by transforming collected materials into mixed-media works, photographing her process and then digitally manipulating these images to extend the narrative as part of her personal mythology.”

NOVADO GALLERY, 110 Morgan St, JC. (201) 744-6713; novadogallery.com. Through Sat, June 23:  PERMUTATIONS OF VULNERABILITY. The International Sculpture Center presents an exhibition of artists in ISCs residency program at Mana Contemporary. Artists in the show are Carole Halle, Jessica Taylor-Hale, Christina Dietz and Dominic Sansone.

MANA CONTEMPORARY, 888 Newark Ave, JC. www.manacontemporary.org. Through Aug 1 on the 1^st & 5^th Floors:  PLEASE TOUCH: BODY BOUNDARIES. “The show is an exhibition of more than 50 artists who reference the body to illuminate conceptions of identity, femininity, and the gaze.”

OPEN MIC

SMUSH GALLERY, 340 Summit Ave, JC. www.smushgallery.com. Wed, June 27, 7 pm: SLYCE OF LYFE V: VARIETY HOUR EDITION. “Open mic slots are 3 minutes each, first come, first served. Hosted by Marcus Emel” Tix: $10 online and at the door.

MILE SQUARE THEATRE, 1400 Clinton St, HOBO. www.milesquaretheatre.com. Sat June 30 @ 8 pm; Sun, July 1 at 3 & 7 pm:  THE 8^TH ANNUAL ONE-MINUTE PLAY CONTEST. Works by Brad Baron, Della Brown, Marian Calabro, Alexander Doyle, Mike Duffy, Laura Ekstrand, Lisa Huberman, Steven Haworth, Chisa Hutchinson, Stephen Hiltner, Margo Hammond, Angela Kariotis, Michele Aldin Kushner, Ari Laura Kreith, Mayumi Lane, Lyn Marie Macy, TS Murphy, Lisa Mary MacNair, Erin Mallon, Benjamin Marshall, Chris Oâ€Connor, Barry M. Putt, Nicole Pandolfo, Seamus Scanlon, Sylvia Schwartz, David Lee White, Stanley Werse, Amy Witting, Karin Diann Williams, and Brendon Votipka.

JERSEY CITY THEATER CENTER (JCTC), Merseles Studios, 339 Newark Ave, JC. www.jctc.org. Fri, June 15, 8 pm: JCTC PRESENTS THE BOX: RESISTANCE EDITION.  Thurs, June 21, 7 pm: JCTC FILM: HOW MANY LIVES? Directed by Duda Penteado. Tues, June 26, 6:30 pm: JCTC 12-YEAR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION honoring William La Rosa, former Director of the Hudson County Office of Cultural Affairs.

HUDSON SHAKESPEARE COMPANY @ Hamilton Park, Corner of 8^th & Jersey, JC. www.hudsonshakespeare.com.  Thurs, June 21 @ 7 pm: THE TEMPEST. “The Hudson Shakespeare Company (HSC) returns for its 27th season of touring Shakespeare in the parks with one of the Bardâ€s most magical plays.  Admission is free.”

 ARTISANS MARKET

MARKETPLACE JC @ MAGNOLIA LANDING, 136 Magnolia Ave, JC. Sat, June 16, Noon-5 pm. “Marketplace JC brings 20+ artisans, crafters, chefs and vintage sellers to the neighborhood. Come visit the newest pop-up location in the newly renovated plaza behind Journal Square PATH. Live music will be provided by RiverviewJazz.org and will feature some of Jersey Cityâ€s favorite local bands.”

CLUBSCENE

BRIGHTSIDE TAVERN, 141 Bright St, JC. www.brightsidetavern.com. Mon: Jazz Jam Session; Tues & Wed: Karaoke; Thurs: Open Mic Night; Fri: Comedy, Private Parties, Dance, Karaoke, Open Mic; Sat & Sun, Brunch, Private Parties, Dance, Karaoke, Open Mic.

FOX & CROW, Bar & Restaurant, 594 Palisade Ave, JC. www.foxandcrowjc.com. Thurs, June 21, 8-10 pm: SPAGHETTI SESSIONS SHOWCASE. Fri, June 22, 8-10 pm: PAUL SANCHEZ.  Fri, June 29, 10-11:59 pm: DEMOLITION STRING BAND.

FOR THE KIDS

 LIBERTY SCIENCE CENTER (LSC), Liberty State Park, 222 Jersey City Blvd, JC. (201) 200-1000; www.lsc.org. Now showing: One World, One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure “Join Sesame Street friends in an out-of-this-world planetarium show!

Explore the night sky with Bird Bird, Elmo, and a friend from China named Hu Hu Zhu. In this show, you’ll learn about the Big Dipper, the North Star, the Sun and the Moon. The show is the newest feature at the JENNIFER CHALSTY PLANETARIUM AND LSC GIANT DOME THEATER at LSC, the largest and most technologically advanced planetarium in the Western Hemisphere. Only three others in the world—two in Japan and one in China—are bigger.”

NEW VICTORY THEATER, 209 W. 42^nd St, NYC. (646) 223-3010; www.newvictory.org. Through June 17: PANDAâ€S HOME. “Fusing ancient art forms and contemporary dance, Italy’s Compagnia TPO with Teatro Metastasio Di Prato and China’s TONG Production invite children to follow a panda’s footprints and roam a bamboo forest as they explore the five elements of Wu Xing—wood, fire, earth, metal and water. With kaleidoscopic imagery and the sounds of traditional instruments, PANDA’S HOME is anything but black and white.”

 SEND US YOUR ARTS LISTINGS. If you have an art opening or performances coming up including visual arts, performing arts and street arts, send an email to:  riverviewobserver@gmail.com and weâ€ll list it in ARTScene.  ALL ARTScene LISTINGS ARE FREE.

The post ARTScene/JUNE 2018 In & Around Hudson listings first appeared on River View Observer.

   Hilarity Abounds in Childrenâ€s Show at Mile Square Theatre

   Back by Popular Demand, Great Family Theater, Runs Thru April

 By Sally Deering

 Photos by Craig Wallace Dale

 Four talented actors transform themselves into a cobra, tailor bird, muskrat and mongoose in THE GARDEN OF RIKKI TIKKI TAVI, the funny and endearing play by Y York now on stage at the Mile Square Theatre in Hoboken.  The show opened Fri, April 13 and will be performed twice a day on Saturdays and Sundays through May 6.

 Back by popular demand, RIKKI TIKKI TAVI first opened at Mile Square Theatre in 2011 and the theaterâ€s artistic director Chris Oâ€Connor has reclaimed the role of director for this 2018 production. Itâ€s an all new cast featuring Andrew Baldwin as Nag the cobra, Cameron Blankenship as Rikki Tikki Tavi the mongoose, and Arielle Legere as Chuchu the muskrat with Blaire Brooks returning in the role of Darzee the Tailor Bird. 

 Arielle Legere as Chuchu

 â€œItâ€s an adaptation of Rudyard Kiplingâ€s short story from The Jungle Book,” Oâ€Connor says. “Kiplingâ€s story is very suspenseful. Y York, who wrote the adaptation, turned it into a gentle comedy. The first production we did had a long life. That was in 2011. That audience has aged out and now we have a new audience for it.”

Yorkâ€s adaptation of the Rudyard Kipling tale tells the story of Nag the Cobra who has issues with Darzee the Tailor Bird, Chuchu the Muskrat and Rikki the Mongoose. Its funny and there are some nice life lessons about sharing and growing up.

Its really the story of the tailor bird who is the queen of the garden, Oâ€Connor says. Rikki Tikki Tavi is a mongoose, and she wants to get rid of him because she wants the garden to herself. The cobra enters, and they discover that the mongoose is the predator to the cobra and they figure out how to get rid of the cobra.

Cameron Blankenship as Rikki Tikki Tavi

“Itâ€s really really funny,” Oâ€Connor says. “Y York is a wonderful writer. She managed to write a play that relates to kids and the humor reaches the adult audiences. Itâ€s really fun to see a young audience piece that hits on both levels and this one does.”

Oâ€Connor gathered a great cast for the 2018 production including Brooks who played the Tailor Bird in the 2011 production.

“Blairâ€s hilarious,” Oâ€Connor says, “one of the funniest actors I know.  I was very excited that she wanted to come back and do the show. Most of her work is TV and film. She has a young child and I think itâ€s a thrill for her to have her young son see it.”

Andrew Baldwin as Nag

Childrenâ€s shows tend to run under an hour and Rikki Tikki Tave clocks in at 50 minutes, Oâ€Connor says, with a talk back at the end so kids and their families can ask questions about the show.

“We do this for all our kid shows,” Oâ€Connor says, so that kids can learn more about theater. Theyâ€re always bursting with questions. They get a real thrill seeing the actors come out from backstage as people. Thatâ€s theater magic.”

 Blaire Brooks as Darzee

 If you go

Sat, 3 pm & 7 pm; Sun, 11 am & 3 pm

Apr 13-May 6

Mile Square Theatre

1400 Clinton St, HOBO

(201) 683-7014

www.milesquaretheatre.org

Tix: $30 adults; $15 kids

Ages 4+

The post KIPLING ON STAGE first appeared on River View Observer.

  Pulitzer Prize Play Resonates in These Turbulent Times

 By Sally Deering

A three-hander – a play featuring three actors – can be an intimate theater experience, especially when its performed in Mile Square Theatreâ€s gem of a performance space on Clinton Street in Hoboken. In this case, the three-hander is the Pulitzer Prize winning play Driving Miss Daisy by Alfred Uhry, the story of an aging Southern Belle, Daisy Werthan, and her aging African-American chauffeur, Hoke Colburn. During the course of the play, these two seniors, with a lot of history behind them, cover 25 years of a relationship that begins as a thorny dance between two strangers and develops into a deep love between two friends.

Driving Miss Daisy opens Wed., Jan. 31, and runs through Sun., Feb. 25, and features Barbara Broughton, Count Stovall and Matthew Lawler. Broughton, who plays Daisy, was recently seen on Broadway in the revival of Stephen Sondheimâ€s Sunday in the Park with George. Stovall, who plays Hoke, was in Broadwayâ€s A Streetcar Named Desire. Lawler, who plays Daisyâ€s son Boolie was in MSTâ€s Betrayal and has been seen in ABCâ€s The Family.

The creative team features Matthew J. Fick, set design; Peter Fogel, costume design; Justin Partier, lighting design; and MSTs Associate Artistic Director Mark Cirnigliaro directs.

Cirnigliaro directed last seasonâ€s hit The Net Will Appear – a two-hander about the friendship between an old codger and his young neighbor who help each other through a tough time. With Driving Miss Daisy, Cirnigliaro again directs a very intimate play in MSTs intimate theater.

“How do we find the humanity in each other,” Cirnigliaro says. “Thatâ€s the core tenet of the piece. Race is also a big part of the play. Both Daisy and Hoke are in a place at the top of the play where they are dealing with the other through stereotype. As the play moves forward, they come to see each other as people and in seeing each other as people, they fall in love. When I say fall in love, I mean itâ€s a deep romance. Thatâ€s more accurate.”

Cirnigliaro cast Broughton and Stovall – both Broadway veterans — because they bring years of life experience to their roles, he says. And for Stovall, after understudying James Earl Jones in the revival of Driving Miss Daisy on Broadway, he gets to put his own spin on Hoke. It seems James Earl Jones never missed a performance and, therefore, Stovall never got the chance to step into the role. All thatâ€s changed, and now Stovall will have four weeks to play the coveted role.

“Count gives a wonderful vibrancy and energy to the work,” Cirnigliaro says. “Heâ€s a wonderful person.”

Cirnigliaro speaks highly of Broughtonâ€s portrayal of Daisy, too. Last seen on Broadway in the Sunday in the Park with George revival, Broughton brings a strong commitment and an “open heart” to her part.

Cirnigliaro says: “We have an amazing cast. The play spans 1948-1973. A lot happens in America over that time, technologically, culturally, politically. Thereâ€s a lot that has to be delved into and understood, so that the actors representing these wonderful people understand the world theyâ€re living in at any given moment.”

Some might remember the film, Driving Miss Daisy, which starred two great actors, Jessica Tandy and Morgan Freeman, who played Hoke to Dana Iveyâ€s Daisy in the original Off-Broadway production. The car, an old classic Oldsmobile, was also an important part of the film, and Cirnigliaro says a good portion of the stage play also takes place in the car, giving the audience the opportunity to use their imaginations.

“What separates theater from film, is that theater allows the audience to be an active participant,” Cirnigliaro says. “That is what makes theater unique. It engages the audienceâ€s imagination in ways the movie can never.”

Chris Oâ€Connell, Artistic Director of Mile Square Theatre says he chose Driving Miss Daisy for the theaterâ€s 2017-2018 season because he wanted to honor Black History Month with an intimate play that would resonate in MSTâ€s intimate space.

“I wanted to find a play that would draw an audience, that would get people in the door to see our work in this part of our development,” Oâ€Connor says. “Then Driving Miss Daisy came to mind. I read it, but had never seen it on stage. So I re-read it, and I was really moved by it. Even though itâ€s a play written by a White writer and through a ‘southern white lensâ€, it is really a play about acceptance, about how we are all connected.”

If you go

Wed, Jan. 31-Sun, Feb. 5

Driving Miss Daisy

Mile Square Theatre

1400 Clinton St, HOB

(201) 683-7014

www.milesquaretheatre.org

Tix: $30-$40; $18 for students/seniors

The post A FINE ROMANCE   Mile Square Theatre’s Driving Miss Daisy opens Jan. 31 first appeared on River View Observer.

ARTScene / Cultural Happenings in & around Hudson

 ON STAGE

  MILE SQUARE THEATRE, 1400 Clinton St, HOB, wwwmilesquaretheatre.org. (201) 683-7014. Feb 3-26: Youâ€re a Good Man, Charlie Brown! “Mile Square Theatre opens its 2017 season with hit musical, a real treat for the entire family. This comic musical includes the whole gang from the beloved comic strip Peanuts: bossy Lucy is hopelessly in love with piano prodigy Schroeder who doesnâ€t give her the time of day, perfectionist Sally is still mocking blanket-toting Linus, Snoopy is in the doghouse, and ‘blockhead,†himself, Charlie Brown is in rare form. Brief vignettes span the months from Valentineâ€s Day to Beethoven Day.” Shows are Friday at 7 pm; Saturday at 2 pm and 6 pm; and, Sunday at 11 am and 3 pm. Tix: $30; Student/Senior: $15. Recommended for audiences 5 and up. For school show booking and information, contact Erin: estehli@milesquaretheatre.org.

 JERSEY CITY THEATER CENTER, Merseles Studios, 339 Newark Ave, JC. www.jctcenter.org. Thurs, Feb. 9 through Thurs, Mar. 23, JCTC in partnership with the Writers Theatre of NJ presents BORDERLESS, NEW PLAY FESTIVAL. Thurs, Feb. 9, 7-10 pm: FOURTH PLANET, by Dano Madden, a staged reading. “As Dr. Violet Garcia attempts to be chosen for the first human mission to Mars, she is forced to confront the possibility of losing her most important relationships on Earth. Fourth Planet is a play about the future of humanity and what scientific advancement and sacrifice look like through a very personal lens.” Reading followed by Talk-Back.

  BOOK READING/SIGNING

 WORD BOOKSTORE, 122 Newark Ave, JC, Tues, Feb. 7, 7:30-8:30 pm: Elan Mastai Presents “ALL OUR WRONG TODAYS” W/ JONATHAN TROPPER. “You know the future that people in the 1950s imagined we’d have? Well, it happened. In Tom Barren’s 2016, humanity thrives in a techno-utopian paradise of flying cars, moving sidewalks, and moon bases, where avocados never go bad and punk rock never existed . . . because it wasn’t necessary. Except Tom just can’t seem to find his place in this dazzling, idealistic world, and that s before his life gets turned upside down. Utterly blindsided by an accident of fate, Tom makes a rash decision that drastically changes not only his own life but the very fabric of the universe itself. In a time-travel mishap, Tom finds himself stranded in our 2016, what we think of as the real world. For Tom, our normal reality seems like a dystopian wasteland.”

JERSEY CITY THEATER CENTER, Merseles Studios, 339 Newark Ave, JC. www.jctcenter.org. Opens Fri, Feb. 3, 6-10 pm: BORDERLESS ART SHOW. Borderless Gallery/Series Opening & Reception; panel discussion with gallery artists and previews of upcoming Borderless events. Free & open to the public. Tickets not required to attend.

DEEP SPACE GALLERY, 77 Cornelison St, JC. Now showing:  33 1/3: WORLD WAR FREE featuring new works by NTEL. “33 1/3: WFREE is a narrative documenting the life of the artist from birth to the present.  Each of the 33 and 1/3 pieces that make up the show chronicle a year of his life, with a tapestry on canvas, evoking the feelings and the mood of the moment in his evolution, to who he is now”.

MANA CONTEMPORARY, 888 Newark Ave, JC. (201) 604-2702; www.manacontemporary.com. Through May 31: SURFACE, a group exhibition features work by five Mana BSMT residents who work primarily as GIF artists: Matthias Brown (TraceLoops), Sam Cannon, Julian Glander, Thoka Maer, and Hayden Zezula (Zolloc). “Until now, their artwork has been created for and seen on screens, and shared across social platforms. This exhibition is their first exploration into creating work that can only be experienced in a physical space: sculpture, installation, performance, and gaming. By eliminating screens and creating site-specific experiences, this exhibition will illustrate a collective surfacing from the digital to the physical realm.” The exhibition is sponsored by GIPHY Arts.

107 BOWERS GALLERY & ARTSPACE, 107 Bowers Street, JC, (201) 280-04821, kd@107bowersgallery.com.  Feb. 18, 2 pm: ARTIST TALK WITH MYLES COLLINS, commercial artist, who will speak of his years working for ad agencies in New York. One of his specialties: store window display animations.

VICTORY HALL DRAWING ROOMS, 180 Grand St, JC. (201) 823-93923; drawingrooms.org. Through Sun, Feb. 12 Hours: Fri, 4-7 pm; Sat & Sun, 12-6 pm. THE BIG SMALL SHOW featuring the works of more than 100 artists. Meet artists on 2/12, 3-5 pm.

BARSKY GALLERY, 48 Harrison St, HOB. (888) 465-4949; barskyallery.com. BARSKY GALLERYâ€S WINTER EXHIBITION. “The rotating collection is a showcase of recent works by gallery-represented artists, embodying an eclectic mix of contemporary original art priced for every budget.” Winter hours: Mon & Tues, by appointment; Wed-Sun, 11 am-6 pm.  (Pictured: Margherita Martinelliâ€s “Incantami”.)

CLUBS

ART HOUSE PRODUCTIONS, 136 Magnolia St, JC. (201) 915-991; info@arthouseproductions.org. Thurs, Feb. 2, 8-10 pm, $5: OPEN MIC PERFORMANCE SERIES FEATURING RYAN ROMAN.  5-minute open mike for poets, actors, comics and musicians NOTE: There are 18 first come, first served performances slots available.

 FOX & CROW, 594 Palisade Ave, JC, www.foxandcrowjc.com. Fri, Feb 3, 10-11:59 pm: SEAN KIELY. Sat, Feb. 4, 10-11:59 pm: RAY CORVAIR TRIO.

BRIGHTSIDE TAVERN, 141 Bright St, JC. Every first Monday of the month, RJO All Stars Jam Session at 7:30 pm. www.riverviewjazz.org 

JERSEY CITY THEATER CENTER, Merseles Studios, 339 Newark Ave, JC. www.jctcenter.org. Sun, Feb. 12 – Sun, Apr 9, shows at 1 pm. Tix (at the door) for Kids, $11 & Adults, $12. PUPPETWORKS presents THE WIZARD OF OZ. “Dorothy is convinced the Wizard of Oz can help her go home.  Join Dorothy on her travels as she meets the Silly Strawman who wants brains, the Shiny Tin Man who wants a heart, and the Cowardly Lion who wants courage.  Will the Wizard of Oz grant their wishes?”

  LIBERTY SCIENCE CENTER, Liberty State Park, 222 Jersey City Boulevard, JC. (201) 200-1000; www.lsc.org. Opens Sat, Feb 4: ILLUSION: NOTHING IS AS IT SEEMS. “Get ready for an exhibition that will blow your mind! Illusion: Nothing Is As It Seems is designed to make you question your perception of the world around you, and perhaps reality itself. The exhibitionâ€s dozens of thought-provoking exhibits explore principles rooted in magic, art, neuroscience, physics, biology, psychology, and technology. Gaze into a mirror and watch yourself morph into your inner animal. See how theater, haunted houses, dark amusement park rides, and magic tricks use a special effects technique called Pepperâ€s Ghost to deceive you. Experience a virtual haircut, enabled by high-tech sensory stimulants. The exhibits include optical, perceptual, and audio illusions. Science and art intersect in this mind-boggling, mesmerizing exhibition.” Created by science gallery at Trinity College Dublin, part of the Global Science Gallery.

OUT OF TOWN HAPPENINGS

THE NEW VICTORY THEATER, 229 W. 42^nd St, NYC. www.newvictory.org. Jan 28-Feb 5:  ELEPHANT & PIGGIEâ€S WE ARE IN A PLAY. “From Kennedy Center Theater for Young Audiences on Tour. Based on the Elephant and Piggie books by Mo Willems. Elephant Gerald is a careful, formally-attired worrywart. Piggie is a perky, smiley bundle of fun. Total opposites? No way! In ELEPHANT & PIGGIE’S WE ARE IN A PLAY! Elephant and Piggie are BFFs. The two sing and dance their way through plenty of pachydermal peril and swiney suspense, facing fundamental questions like: What do you wear to a fancy costume pool party? Should you share your ice cream? And how can two friends play with one toy? Backed by nutty back-up singers The Squirrelles, Elephant and Piggie will have you giggling out loud in this romp of a musical!”

  NEWARK MUSEUM, 49 Washington St, Newark, NJ. (973) 596-6550; www.newarkmuseum.org. Through May: NEW ACQUISITION: “WHAT WILL COME” (2007) VIDEO INSTALLATION BY WILLIAM KENTRIDGE. “A recent acquisition – an installation by the renowned South African artist William Kentridge – is on view in the Arts of Global Africaâ€s dedicated gallery for video art. WHAT WILL COME (2007) is an animated film, created using Kentridgeâ€s signature technique of drawing and erasing on a sheet of paper and filming the process frame-by-frame. The work is inspired by Italyâ€s invasion of Ethiopia in 1935, in which 275,000 Ethiopians lost their lives. Among them were a large number of civilians who were gassed, a fact denied by the Italian government until 1995. The title originates from a Ghanaian proverb, “what will come, has already come,” a reference to the cyclical nature of history.”

SEND US YOUR ARTS LISTINGS. If you have an art opening or performances coming up including visual arts, performing arts and street arts, send an email to:  riverviewobserver@gmail.com and weâ€ll list it in ARTScene.  

ALL ARTscene LISTINGS ARE FREE.

The post Art Listings ARTScene Cultural Happenings in & around Hudson through February 15th, 2017 first appeared on River View Observer.

 Lucy, Linus, Snoopy, Schroeder, Sally & Charlie Brown on Stage Feb. 3-26

 By Sally Deering

In 1967, Youâ€re a Good Man, Charlie Brown opened Off Broadway at Theater 80 in the East Village, and 50 years later it still charms and delights audiences of all ages. Songs like “Suppertime” and “Happiness” are classics of musical theater and cartoonist Charles M. Schultzâ€s characters Snoopy, Lucy and Charlie Brown are as iconic – and adorable – today as they were back then.

Mile Square Theatre in Hoboken opens its 2017 season with Youâ€re a Good Man, Charlie Brown beginning Friday, Feb. 3 and running through Sunday, Feb. 26. The musical, featuring Schultzâ€s Peanuts Gang is a series of vignettes about Lucy who worships Schroeder who worships Beethoven; curious Sally and Linus, who doesnâ€t feel complete without his blanket; and Charlie Brown and his funny, loyal and precocious pup, Snoopy. Mary Kate Burke directs with musical direction by Terri Gorgone, and choreography by Sarah Weber-Gallo. Jen Price-Fick designed the set.

“Weâ€re doing it pretty faithful to the story, because the story is so strong,” Mary Kate Burke says after a Wednesday rehearsal. “We cast actors who feel faithful to how the comic strip depicts them.”

All the roles are performed by adults. Playing the Peanuts Gang are Mikey LoBalsamo as Charlie Brown, Marcus Beckett as Schroeder, Aiesha Dukes as Lucy van Pelt, Chris Goodrich as Linus van Pelt, Clare Rea as Sally Brown and Brandon Santoro as Snoopy.

Based on the comic strip Peanuts® by Charles M. Schulz, the musical is the work of Clark Gesner who wrote the book (libretto), music, and lyrics. Thereâ€s additional dialogue by Michael Mayer; and additional music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa.

In rehearsals: Aiesha Dukes (Lucy) and Chris Goodrich (Linus) learn dance steps from choreographer Sarah Weber-Gallo.

 â€œYouâ€re a Good Man, Charlie Brown is a classic,” Burke says, “and itâ€s adorable. The show is meatier than what youâ€d expect. Itâ€s got a lot of adult humor in it; itâ€s not just for the kids. I know they say that a lot about childrenâ€s shows, but with this one itâ€s really true. Every day we leave rehearsal singing something.  Itâ€s a fun show.”

Mile Square Theatre just moved into its new space at 1400 Clinton Street last year thanks, in part, to the vision and persistence of the companyâ€s artistic director Chris Oâ€Connor, and the rest of the company and board of directors. Itâ€s a beautiful building with studios for classes and an intimate black-box theater.

A few years back, Burke directed one of Mile Square Theatreâ€s annual productions of “Itâ€s a Wonderful Life.” She makes her directorial debut in the new theater with Youâ€re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.

“When I first walked into the lobby, I felt so much pride for Chris,” Burke says. “Having a ‘home†creates a permanence and it allows you to know who your audience is, program shows for them, and become a part of the fabric of the community. Chris wants to make great art for the community and heâ€s succeeding. As the community continues to grow, Mile Square Theatre does as well. ”

If you go

Fri, Feb. 3 – Sun, Feb. 26; Fri at 7 pm,

Sat at 2 pm & 6 pm; Sun, 11 am & 3 pm

Mile Square Theatre

1400 Clinton St, HOB

(201) 683-7014

www.milesquaretheatre.org

Tix: $30; Student/Senor: $15

For school bookings, and further info

contact Erin: estehli@milesquaretheatre.org.

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