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Arts & Entertainment

On Stage: Jersey Rocks, You Can Be a Pirate

Theater and music lovers: Get your fill of entertainment below.

It's a busy week for the theater scene, with rock shows (including some for kids), plenty of opportunities to thrust yourself into the creative process (possibly with an eye Patch, er, we mean patch), and and merry wanderers doing what they do best (wandering merrily).

If you're a theater or music fan, read on for the best of what's coming up locally. We'll be back each week with the On Stage Scoop.

ON STAGE SCOOP

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Next Season at Growing Stage: Season ticket plans for the 2011-12 main stage season at The Growing Stage Theatre in Netcong go on Sale Aug. 1, with individual performance sales beginning Sept. 1. Group and main stage matinee tickets are on sale now. The season begins with “The Code Breaker” by Pauline C. Conley, Oct 1 trhough 23, recommended for ages 8 and up. “Babes in Toyland” will run Nov. 25 through Dec. 18. Recommended for all ages, the original adaptation by The Growing Stage is loosely based on the operetta by Victor Herbert and the Laurel and Hardy film. Next up is “Mother Hicks,” for ages 7 and up, running Jan. 13 through Feb. 5, followed by the all-ages appropriate “Seussical” March 9 through April 1. The season will wrap up with “Diary of a Worm, A Spider, A Fly,” April 27 through May 20. Go to GrowingStage.com for more information.

Submissions for Villagers’ VIP Series: The Villagers Theatre in Somerset is seeking submissions for its 2011-12 Villagers Independent Producers (VIP) Series. Writers, directors and performers are encouraged to take creative control of their productions to a far greater extent than a more traditional setting might allow. The theater’s goal is to select a season of three shows to be performed in October 2011, January 2012 and May 2012. Please submit the titles and authors of the productions you would like to mount. Also include any and all staff you have on board or would like to ask to be on board. Include a brief description of the production, including number of cast members, and a brief concept or vision of production. It is always helpful if you submit a copy of the script (and cast recording for musicals) in electronic format with your submission, however, it is not required with your initial submission. All submissions for consideration must be received in the Villagers Main Office at 475 DeMott Lane, Somerset, NJ 08873 no later than Aug. 10 or e-mailed toVIP@villagerstheatre.com.

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Rockin’ For the Kids: Yosi and the Superdads will perform two lively (and funny) concerts at theon July 28, with shows starting at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The band will perform songs from Yosi’ award-winning CDs, including “Hole in the Ground,” “Dinosaur in Love” and “Chicken Noodle Soup.” For ages 4 to 9. Tickets cost $12. For information, click here or call 973-971-3706.

Merry Wanderers of the Night:  is presenting its annual outdoor show, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” through July 31. Performances are at the Greek amphitheater at the College of St. Elizabeth in Morris Township. The theater promotes the 90-minute production as being perfect for children and families of all ages. For tickets and information, call 973-408-5600 or go to ShakespeareNJ.org.

They’ll Take Manhattan, You Just Go to Millburn:  will present “I’ll Take Manhattan: Celebrating Broadway’s Love-Affair with Its Home Town” on July 29 and 30. The New Voices concert features 120 of New Jersey’s most talented young performers in a musical tribute to New York. Past New Voice performers have gone on to Broadway and national tours, including Anne Hathaway and Tony winner Laura Benanti. For tickets and information, call 973-376-4343 or go to papermill.org.

Brothers in Music: Gipsy Kings are coming to  in Morristown on Aug. 2 for an 8 p.m. concert. The world-famous band consists of two bands of brothers, who grew up in southern France. The Gipsy Kings’ music puts a modern spin on the traditional music they listened to. Tickets cost $57 to $107. The Mayo Performing Arts Center is located at 100 South St. in Morristown. For tickets and information, call 973-539-8008 or go to MayoArts.org.

Hard Rock Royalty: Queensryche is coming to on Aug. 3 at 8 p.m. The heavy-metal band had major success in the 1980s with anthems like “Silent Lucidity.” Tickets cost $39 to $69. The Mayo Performing Arts Center is located at 100 South St. in Morristown. For tickets and information, call 973-539-8008 or go to MayoArts.org.

Death and Laughter: ’s next show, “The Accidental Death of an Anarchist,” will open Aug. 3 and continue through Aug. 28 at the F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre in Madison. The 1970 play was written by Nobel Prize winner Dario Fo and is described by the theater a “hysterically sly and caustic slapstick farce inspired by a real-life event involving a man accused of a crime who ‘fell’ from the window of a police station.” For tickets and information, call 973-408-5600 or go to ShakespeareNJ.org.   

Get Outside and Hear the Music: , the Arts Council of the Morris Area and the United Methodist Church are concluding their second annual Music Without Borders free summer outdoor concert series with Sounds of the North, Bells of the South on Aug. 3 at 12 p.m. The lunchtime performance will feature Indian song and dance, performed by Shubanjali, accompanied by tabla music and other traditional instruments. Go to MayoArts.org for more information.

Jersey Rocks Lecture Series: The ’s lecture series, tied to its “Jersey Rocks” exhibits, continues with “NJ’s Rock & Roll Venues,” a talk by Dewar MacLeod, professor of William Paterson University, and Claudia Ocello, project coordinator for the museum’s “Jersey Rocks” exhibit. The July 28 talk will be about the rock ’n’ roll clubs in New Jersey, including “Disc-O-Teen,” a Newark-based TV dance show and the Capitol Theater in Passaic. The “Jersey Rocks” exhibit, on view through Sept. 5, examines the history of rock ’n’ roll in New Jersey through the 1950s, '60s, '70s and beyond. The lecture will start at 6:30 p.m. For tickets and information, all 973-971-3706.

Ready for an Adventure? Then go see "Tom Sawyer:"  is staging a musical adaptation of Mark Twain’s “Tom Sawyer” through Aug. 7. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. All tickets cost $12. For information, call 908-369-7469 or go to SVPTheatre.org.

Cure Your Cat Scratch Fever by Seeing Ted Nugent: Rock legend Ted Nugent will bring his hard-rock guitar sounds to  on July 26 at 8 p.m. Nugent’s well-known songs include “Stranglehold,” “Cat Scratch Fever,” and the songs he recorded with Damn Yankees. Tickets cost $47 to $87. The Mayo Performing Arts Center is located at 100 South St. in Morristown. For tickets and information, call 973-539-8008 or go to MayoArts.org.

Add Some Magic to Your Summer:  in Morris Township will host “Choo Choo Charlie’s Magic Show” as part of the Summer Theatre Series for Children, on July 26 with performances at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The show promises to take kids on a magical and funny ride. For ages 3 to 8. For tickets, call 973-971-3706 or go to MorrisMuseum.org.

Open Mic Nights at the Darress Theatre: The Morris County Center for the Arts at the Darress Theatre will be experimenting with regularly scheduled open mic nights at the theater. The first event is scheduled for July 28, 8 to 10 p.m. There will be a $10 admission charge, which will be refunded to anyone who performs during the evening. The host for these events will be Tommy Mahoney. Mahoney has been a member of the The Folk Project since 2005 and is an active volunteer with the Minstrel concert series. If there is enough interest in these open mic events, they will be held twice a month, on the second and fourth Thursdays. The Darress Theatre is located at 615 Main St., Boonton. For more information, call 973-334-9292 or go to DarressTheater.com.

Love and Music: Villagers Theatre in Somerset is presenting “The Wedding Singer” as part of its TeensVill series, from July 29 through Aug. 14. Based on the Adam Sandler comedy, the musical is about Robbie Hart, a wedding singer longing for the rock star life whose fiancée leaves him at the alter. Robbie makes himself, and everyone else, miserable until he meets Julia, who he’s attracted to but who is about to get married. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $16. For reservations, call 732-873-2710 or go to VillagersTheatre.com.

A Capella Concert at the Morris Museum: Sammy and the Del-Larks, Quiet Storm, Joe Z and Bobby Thomas’ Tribute to the Orioles are on the bill for an evening of a capella music at the  in Morris Township on July 29 at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $25, $20 members. For information, go to MorrisMuseum.org or call 973-971-3706.

Go See the Wizard: Kaleidoscope Theatre of Youth is presenting “The Wizard of Oz” at , July 29 through Aug. 7. The show features music and lyrics from the famous MGM movie. Performances are July 29 and 30, and Aug. 2, 3, 5 and 6 at 7:30 p.m., as well as July 31 and Aug. 7 at 3 p.m. Tickets cost $15. The theater is located at 10 New England Ave. in Summit. For tickets, call 908-273-2192 or go to SummitPlayhouse.org.

Prepare Ye the Way to “Godspell:” Pax Amicus Castle Theatre in Budd Lake is performing “Godspell” for a run starting July 30 and continuing through Aug. 20. The show adapts the Gospel According to St. Matthew into a rock musical where Jesus and his disciples sing and act in various theatrical styles. Its songs by Stephen Schwartz include the hit “Day By Day” and “All for the Best.” Performances are July 30, Aug. 6, 13, 19 and 20 at 8 p.m. and Aug. 7 and 14 at 2 p.m. Pax Amicus Castle Theatre is located at 23 Lake Shore Road. Tickets cost $25. Call 973-691-2100 to purchase tickets. For more information, go to PaxAmicus.com.

Audition Alert, “How I Became a Pirate:” Villagers Theatre in Somerset will hold auditions for its KidsVill presentation, “How I Became a Pirate” on July 31 and Aug. 1 from 7 to 10 p.m. Characters are Jeremy Jacob, a boy of about 10; four pirates, male 30 and over; three pirates that can be male or female; and an ensemble. Come prepared to sing 16 to 32 bars of a child-friendly musical theater song or a Disney song. Be prepared to dance. Performances are Sept. 10 through 18. The theater is located at 475 DeMott Lane in Somerset. Go to VillagersTheatre.com for more information.

Jazzy Sounds: ’s Jazz Summer Fest continues on Aug. 1 with a concert by pianist Neville Dickie. Dickie has been performing at the Bickford for 10 years and continues to draw crowds with his invigorating style. On Aug. 2, Paris Washboard, with Louis Mazetier at Piano, will perform. Also joining Washboard are Daniel Barda on trombone, Alain Marquet on clarinet and Stephane Seva on percussion. Tickets cost $18, $15 at the door. For information, call 973-971-3706 or go to MorrisMuseum.org.

Picnic and Play:  will present the second of its free Picnic Series performances of the season with Molière’s “Tartuffe” on Aug. 6 at 5:30 p.m. The performance will be held on the lawn outside the , 36 Madison Ave. (at Lancaster Road) in Madison. The show is free, and patrons are invited to bring a picnic blanket or lawn chair. Seating is on a first-come-first-served basis. In the event of rain, the performance will be held in an indoor venue. For more information, visit ShakespeareNJ.org or call 973-408-5600.

Audition Alert, “Steel Magnolias:” Pax Amicus Castle Theatre in Budd Lake will hold auditions for “Steel Magnolias” on Aug. 6 at 1 p.m. and Aug. 9 at 7 p.m. Seeking six women over 18 for this touching and funny comedy-drama. Everyone, including beginners, is welcome to try out, have some fun and meet new people. Performances are Sept. 24 through Oct. 9. The theater is located at 23 Lake Shore Road in Budd Lake. Call 973-691-2100 for more information.

Man-Eating Balloon? This I Gotta See: Jungle John will perform a Comedy Balloon Show at Pax Amicus Castle Theatre in Budd Lake on Aug 6, with performances at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. The show features audience participation ad a balloon so big that Jungle John steps inside it. The theater is located at 23 Lake Shore Road in Budd Lake.
Call 973-691-2100 for reservations.

When Life Gives You Fuzzy Lemons:  in Morris Township will host two family-friendly concerts with The Fuzzy Lemons on Aug. 6, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Tickets cost $8 and will benefit educational programs at Historic Speedwell. Included with admission is a family-fun day at Historic Speedwell, featuring face-painters, jugglers and more fun until 3 p.m. For tickets, call 973-971-3706. For information about the activities at Historic Speedwell, call 973-285-6550.

Musical Legends at the Mayo Center: Tickets for Jackson Browne’s Oct. 17 concert at the  will go on sale on July 29. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee will perform an acoustic solo set, with tickets priced at $65-$100. Tickets for Loretta Lynn’s March 30 concert will go on sale Aug. 12, with tickets priced at $47-$97. The Mayo Performing Arts Center is located at 100 South St. in Morristown. For tickets and information about the entire season, call 973-539-8008 or go to MayoArts.org.

New Season at the Barn Theatre:  in Montville has announced its 2011-12 season, which will open with Arthur Miller’s “All My Sons,” Sept. 9 through Oct. 1. Musical favorite “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” will take stage Nov. 11 through Dec. 3. Next up is Scott McPherson’s “Marvin’s Room” from Jan. 13 through Feb. 4. Ken Ludwig’s comedy “Lend Me a Tenor” is after that, March 16 through April 7. Stephen Sondheim’s musical, “Assassins” will wrap up the season from May 18 through June 9. For information, go to BarnTheatre.org.

Dover Little Theatre’s Season Announcement: “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” will open Dover Little Theatre’s new season, starting Sept. 10 and continuing through Sept. 24. Next will be the world premiere of “An Act of Will” by Grace Wessbecher, Nov. 11 through 20. Ken Ludwing’s “Moon Over Buffalo” will take stage from March 4 through 11. Stephen Sondheim’s “Company” will close out the season, May 5 through 20. For information, go toDoverLittleTheatre.org.

Chatham Community Players Announce 2011-12 Season: Tracey Letts’ “Bug” will kick off new season with a run starting Oct. 14 and continuing through Oct. 29. The play from the writer of “August: Osage County” follows a middle-aged waitress with a terrible past and a Gulf War veteran who enters her life. Next up is Frank Galati’s adaptation of John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath,” March 2 through 17. The season will conclude with a run of the classic musical “Cabaret” May 4 through 19. For more information, go to ChathamPlayers.org.

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