May 7, 2025

Local Arts Groups Feel the Sting of NEA Cuts

By Anne Levin

A few weeks ago, McCarter Theatre Center was awaiting delivery on the $35,000 it was to be awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in support of the play Legacy of Light. Nearby, Princeton University Concerts was looking forward to the $20,000 promised by the federal agency to support its Music & Healing series.

In Frenchtown, the Roxey Ballet was anticipating the $10,000 the NEA had allocated for its “Viva Cultura” Cinco de Mayo festival.

This past Friday, these organizations learned that the funding would not be forthcoming. They are among the numerous cultural groups across the nation promised support that has now been rescinded. As a result, a group of senior officials from the NEA announced Monday that they have resigned. more

Princeton Pro Musica’s Upcoming Concert Reflects Turing’s Accomplishment and Heartbreak

MUSIC THAT MATTERS: Princeton Pro Musica, led by Ryan James Brandau, presents “Codebreaker: The Alan Turing Story” at Richardson Auditorium on May 18. Brandau is shown here leading the chorus and orchestra in a previous performance.

By Anne Levin

When Princeton Pro Musica’s artistic director Ryan James Brandau considers what kinds of works to program for the 100-member symphonic chorus and orchestra, he finds himself returning to music written about the contributions of historical figures and what they endured to accomplish them.

There was Annelies, in 2022, James Whitbourn’s work based on the writings of Anne Frank. Sanctuary Road, more recently, drew from the writings of Underground Railroad conductor William Still. On May 18 at 4 p.m. at Richardson Auditorium, the chorus will present Codebreaker: the Alan Turing Story, composer James McCarthy’s choral work based on the pioneering British mathematician and logician whose work laid the groundwork for modern computing. Turing, who was gay, committed suicide in 1954 — a time when homosexuality was still a crime in Britain. more

Voices in Time — A May 7 Gathering

By Stuart Mitchner

Robert Browning

After looking for poetry in actors last week, I’m thinking of a poet who was a compelling actor in his verse and happened to be born on this day, May 7, in 1812. I formed the habit of reading Robert Browning in lonely motel rooms when I was covering college English departments for W.W. Norton in the mid-sixties. My reading companion was the Norton Anthology of English Literature at a time when Norton’s compact anthologies of English and American lit were being adopted by English Departments from the southland to the heartland. Since I was living on an expense account, most of my salary was going toward a trip to India.

Otherwise, I spent my motel life writing a novel narrated by a fantasist obsessed with Browning. Besides filtering semblances of the master into the twisted prose style of my narrator, I read the dramatic monologues aloud, with gusto, especially my favorite “Fra Lippo Lippi,” all 392 lines of it. You can hear James Mason read the whole thing online. It’s magificent, a one-man opera, every nuance, every smirk, every suggestive snort right down to the nightcrawling painter’s farewell: “Your hand, sir, and good-by: no lights, no lights! The street’s hushed, and I know my own way back, Don’t fear me! There’s the gray beginning. Zooks!” more

Voices Chorale NJ Presents Diverse Classical Requiem Masses

By Nancy Plum

Not many performing ensembles have the capability to reinvent themselves. Voices Chorale NJ was founded in the late 1980s as a fully professional vocal ensemble, later adding a “Chorale” to include volunteer singers. The chorus has been through some reconfiguration in the past four decades, both in response to economic challenges and to expand their activities, but one thing that has remained consistent is the dedication of its singers. Voices Chorale NJ currently offers an annual concert series as well as educational programs for the community, all overseen by Artistic Director David A. McConnell. The Chorale presented its closing concert of the season this past weekend, featuring vocal soloists and the Berks Sinfonietta in a performance of a Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart tour de force and a relatively obscure work by a Brazilian contemporary of the Viennese master.

Mozart’s setting of the Requiem stands out as a pinnacle of late 18th-century symphonic choral composition, and even in the pre-technology 1700s, it was clear that the influence of the prodigious composer was felt far and wide. On the other side of the world, sacred music in Brazil at that time was heavily influenced by the mass settings of European composers, especially Mozart. On Saturday afternoon at Princeton’s Trinity Church, Voices Chorale NJ paired Mozart’s poignant Requiem with a setting of the same text by a very under-represented Latin American composer. Born in Rio de Janeiro 11 years after Mozart, José Maurício Nunes García sustained a dual career as musician and priest, composing more than 240 surviving works with another possible 170 which have been lost. Nunes García conducted the Brazilian premiere of Mozart’s Requiem, so the coupling of these two pieces was musicologically appropriate and imaginative. Dating from 1816, Nunes García’s own Requiem is rarely heard on either side of the Atlantic.  more

Princeton Youth Ballet Presents “Cinderella”

CINDERELLA STORY: Princeton Youth Ballet’s upcoming production of “Cinderella” stars Mackenzie Klaus in the title role, partnered by Alastair Donofrio as the Prince.

Princeton Youth Ballet (PYB) invites the community to celebrate Mother’s Day with its production of Cinderella, choreographed by former Artistic Director Risa Kaplowitz and adapted by current Artistic Director Talin Kenar. Performances, at the Princeton High School Performing Arts Center, are Saturday and Sunday, May 10 and 11 at 4 p.m.

The ballet features a cast of more than 60 young artists. Projection backdrops were created by Raymond DeVoe, and bespoke costumes have been reimagined this season by artist Anne Schwantes.
The ballet transports the audience to Cinderella’s cottage, a royal ballroom, and an enchanted garden, where amidst songbirds, woodland creatures, and butterflies, Cinderella, with the help of her Fairy Godmother, discovers the enduring power of her mother’s love.  more

Folk Music Society Presents Trio from Italy

ITALIAN FOLK: Ensemble Sangenito, from Northern Italy, brings an eclectic mix to Christ Congregation Church on May 16. (Photo courtesy of Ensemble Sangenito © Allessandro Erbetta)

On Friday, May 16 at 8 p.m., the Princeton Folk Music Society brings Ensemble Sangenito to Christ Congregation Church, 50 Walnut Lane, for a program mixing the old and the new.

Blending ancient melodies and modern rhythms, the trio from northern Italy, was formed in 2000 by the twins Adriano and Caterina Sangineto, children of the well-known harp and psaltery maker Michele Sangineto. Growing up under their father’s influence, the twins developed a natural flair for music.  more

Garden Theatre Hosts Special Film Event

The Garden Theatre will present an evening dedicated to the magic of film projection on May 21 at 7 p.m. with a screening of the documentary Film is Dead. Long Live Film!

Beforehand, an antique projector demonstration will be given by the Garden’s Operations Director, Jesse Crooks. The event is free for members of the nonprofit cinema.

Film is Dead. Long Live Film! is a tribute to the private film collector. As studios and distributors neglected and disposed of countless reels of film throughout the 20th century, these individuals worked in the shadows to preserve much of cinematic history. The documentary highlights the efforts of some of the most important people in the cause, including the late Lou DiCrescenzo – mentor of the Garden’s own Jesse Crooks, who is also featured in the film.  more

State Theatre Announces 2025-26 Broadway Series

The lineup for State Theatre New Jersey’s 2025-26 Broadway series has been announced by the New Brunswick theater, which is located at 15 Livingston Avenue. Tickets are available for those purchasing season tickets, which can be ordered without fees through May 30.

On the list are Mrs. Doubtfire, November 1 and 2; Kinky Boots, February 27-March 1; Stereophonic, March 27-29; and Meredith Willson’s The Music Man, May 8-10.

Also planned are the shows Elf The Musical November 14-16, Richard Thomas in Mark Twain Tonight by Hal Holbrook March 5-6, and Monty Python’s Spamalot June 27-28.

Visit stnj.org for tickets and further information.

Songs and Stories By Collins and Peyroux

MUSIC ICONS: Judy Collins, pictured, will perform with Madeleine Peyroux on Saturday, May 10 at State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick.

State Theatre New Jersey presents folk legend Judy Collins and jazz singer Madeleine Peyroux on Saturday, May 10 at 8 p.m.

Collins has long inspired audiences with vocals, songwriting, personal life triumphs, and a commitment to social activism. In the 1960s, she evoked both the idealism and determination of a generation united against social and environmental injustices. The award-winning singer-songwriter is known for her interpretations of traditional and contemporary folk standards and her own original compositions. Her 55th album, Spellbound, was released in February 2022. more

Registration Open For Summer Arts

SUMMER ON STAGE: Registration is now open for Tomato Patch Summer Workshops at Mercer County Community College, where students are offered classes in the performing and visual arts, culminating with an Evening of the Arts for family and friends on the last day of each session.

The Tomato Patch summer workshops at Mercer County Community College (MCCC) begin June 30, and registration is now open for all school age students.

Now in its 25th year, Tomato Patch is the longest-running multi-disciplinary visual and performing arts program in central New Jersey. Featuring classes for all school-age students, Tomato Patch is taught by a artists and theater professionals. more

McCarter Theatre Tickets On Sale for Next Season

SEASON PLANNED: Humorist David Sedaris is among the performers scheduled for McCarter Theatre’s 2025-26 season. Tickets are now available. (Photo by Anne Fishbein)

McCarter Theatre Center has announced that subscriptions, tickets, and flexible Choose-Your-Own packages for the 2025/26 season are now on sale.

The season kicks off with the world premiere of I and You: The Musical, featuring a book by Lauren Gunderson and music and lyrics by Ari Afsar. Directed by McCarter Artistic Director Sarah Rasmussen and co-produced with Olney Theatre Center, this musical runs from September 13–October 12. Other highlights include Camille A. Brown & Dancers: I AM on Friday, September 26. Brown, a 2025 Tony Award nominee for Gypsy, returns to McCarter with a new work celebrating cultural liberation and imagination through movement. more

“Being Present” Exhibition Coming to Arts Council

“BEING PRESENT:” The photographic artwork of Princeton-based artist Robin Resch will be featured in a dual exhibit with Shirley Kern, on view at the Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) May 17 through June 14.

The Arts Council of Princeton has announced a two-person exhibition, “Being Present: Exploration of Abstraction,” featuring the work of Princeton-based artists Robin Resch and Shirley Kern. It will be on view May 17 to June 14 in the Taplin Gallery.

“Being Present” explores abstraction through the photographic artwork of Resch and paintings of Kern. They have long been drawn to each other’s work, finding that it resonates mutually in an emotive way that they feel is worth sharing. more

Princeton Art Bazaar

The third annual Princeton Art Bazaar presented by the Arts Council of Princeton drew a crowd of 8,500+ attendees on Saturday, May 3. Art lovers shopped from 100 makers, enjoyed local beers and live music in the Triumph Beer Garden, and tried their hand at a variety of art-making stations. (Photo courtesy of Arts Council of Princeton)

Olivia & Leslie Foundation + Johnson Park Student Art Show

Olivia & Leslie Foundation + Johnson Park Student Art Show will be held at the Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, on Saturday, May 10 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

This special event will showcase the artistic achievements of students in the foundation’s Art + Math Program. RSVP at oliviaandlesliefoundation.org/rsvpnj. For more information, visit oliviaandlesliefoundation.org.

April 30, 2025

“Primary Trust” at McCarter Theatre Lets Peter Bisgaier Play Nice Guys

UPLIFTING: “Primary Trust,” the final play of the season at McCarter Theatre, is about renewal and community. From left are DeShawn Harold Mitchell as Kenneth, and Peter Bisgaier, in one of the three different roles he takes. (Photo by Mikki Schaffner)

By Anne Levin

In Primary Trust, the Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Eboni Booth that closes out the season at McCarter Theatre May 8-25, actor Peter Bisgaier plays three different roles. To his delight, none of them are villains.

“As a 50-year-old white man, my place in the theater nowadays is often to play not very nice people,” said Bisgaier, whom local audiences may recognize from his work with Pegasus Theatre Company in West Windsor and, later, Bordentown; and Passage Theatre Company in Trenton. In Primary Trust, he plays a banker, a bookshop owner, and a third character he leaves for audiences to discover.

“I have a history of playing, in the best case, someone who is overwrought and bossy, and in the worst case, someone who is quite racist or awful,” he said during a phone interview last week. “So playing characters who are nice and supportive is great.” more

Ending Poetry’s Month with Three TV Series Antiheroes

By Stuart Mitchner

I’ve always been interested in poetry and poets that show up in unexpected places. And, as happened recently with another national recognition month, I’d forgotten that April was National Poetry Month. Even so, given my sense of poetry as a gift not necessarily confined between the covers of a book, I inadvertently signaled the subject this month with pieces featuring a great poet named Charlie Chaplin (who W.C. Fields, a poet himself, called a “ballerina”); a lesser known “disappearing” poet (Weldon Kees); and the greatest of them all, on the stage or the page or in the air, William Shakespeare. The one sentence of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s I know by heart is from his essay “The Poet”: “The people fancy they hate poetry, and they are all poets and mystics.”

Tony Soprano a Poet?

Before poetry surprised me on the front page of Tuesday’s New York Times with a squib on Charlotte Brontë’s “A Book of Rhymes,” I was well into an article about being haunted by the actors, characters, and situations of 21st-century television series like David Chase’s The Sopranos, Matthew Weiner’s Mad Men, and Graham Yost’s Justified.

David Chase’s shocking cut-to-black never-ending ending of The Sopranos qualifies as poetry if only because it’s sudden and enigmatic, like a line of verse that keeps you wondering. Tony and Carmela and their kids A.J. and Meadow have met for a dinner out, Tony has set Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” playing “on and on and on” on the jukebox, as Meadow hurries in late after a clumsy parking job, adding a touch of everyday angst to the life-or-death tension that the family-meal atmosphere is already pulsing with, an undercurrent of dread thanks to mass audience apprehension energized and intensified by the song, as Steve Perry sings the words “Don’t stop” and James Gandolfini’s Tony gazes into the dark unknown. more

Classical and Contemporary On Upcoming Ballet Program

AN ECLECTIC MIX: American Repertory Ballet dancers Leandro Olcese (left) and Savannah Quiner in “The Time That Runs Away” by Stephanie Martinez, on the program at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center May 9-11. (Photo by Megan Teat)

“Pasion” is the title of the program being presented by American Repertory Ballet at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center May 9-11. Three works, with Spanish, Mexican, and Cuban ties, are being danced.

Originally choreographed by Joseph Mazilier and later restaged by Marius Petipa in the mid-19th century, Paquita is one of the purest and most technically challenging ballets of the classical repertoire. With its Spanish flair, the ballet includes a pas de deux, pas de trois, and virtuosic solos. more

The LOTUS Project Presents Arts Festival

The LOTUS Project has announced its festival series “Remembrance & Resilience: Commemorating Stories Through Music & Art,” a multi-venue celebration weaving together music, visual art, and community dialogue to honor journeys of survival and solidarity. From May 7 through June 18, audiences are invited to explore self-guided exhibits, chamber and choral-orchestral concerts, gallery talks, panel discussions, and workshops — all in partnership with cultural and humanitarian organizations.

A mix of personal narratives expressed through art and music, the series features new commissions by artist-in-residence Alia Bensliman; musical works by Lori Laitman, Jake Heggie, Caroline Shaw, and Laurence Sherr; and community programs developed with I-Rise Trenton and Kennesaw State University’s Museum of History and Holocaust Education.

“We are deeply honored to partner with Kennesaw State University’s Museum of History and Holocaust Education on this concert-exhibit series. Their invitation to collaborate has allowed us to bring together powerful musical works and visual narratives in a shared space of remembrance and hope. This series is a true celebration of resilience, and we look forward to inviting our communities to experience these stories together.” said Alicia Brozovich, artistic director of The LOTUS Project. more

Princeton Sinfonia Concert Highlights Student Soloists

SPRING CONCERT: The Princeton University Sinfonia, led by Ruth Ochs, includes a world premiere by student Toussaint Santicola Jones ’25 at its Richardson Auditorium performance on Friday, May 2.

Ruth Ochs leads the Princeton University Sinfonia on Friday, May 2 at 7:30 p.m. in a concert at Richardson Auditorium. The Spring Concert will highlight student soloists and Florence Price’s Symphony No. 1.

The concert will also include the world premiere of Toussaint Santicola Jones ’25 That Which I Cannot See: Concerto for Tuba and Orchestra featuring Wesley Sanders ’26, tuba soloist; Strauss’s Concerto No. 1 for Horn, Spencer Bauman ’25, horn soloist, and Luigi Bassi’s Fantasia da Concerto on Themes from Verdi’s Rigoletto, with Mason Thieu ’25, clarinet soloist.

The Sinfonia Flute (Dr. Sarah Shin, director) and Clarinet Ensembles (Jo-Ann Sternberg, director) will also perform.

Tickets are $15 ($5 students). Visit tickets.princeton.edu.

Dancing, Singing, and More In “OOPS!” at Phillips’ Mill

COME TO THE CABARET: Members of the Phillips’ Mill Players perform in the annual Spring Musical Comedy Cabaret May 14-17 at the Mill in New Hope, Pa.

The Phillips’ Mill stage presents “OOPS!,” the annual Spring Musical Comedy Cabaret with four evening performances May 14 -17, at 7:30 p.m., 2619 River Road in New Hope, Pa.

The troupe of 16 local actors act, dance, and sing in five short plays written by local playwrights Lisa DeAngelis, Michael Naylor, John Augustine, John McDonnell, and Richard Goodwin. “OOPS!” is produced by Valerie Eastburn with Fran Young directing and casting, and Betty Benton as choreographer.

“This is community theater at its best. Come and be part of it. You’ll feel good,” said Eastburn.

Seating is cabaret style and audience members are invited to BYOB and snacks. Doors open at 7 pm. Tickets are $28 – $32 including premium seating and member discounts. All tickets must be purchased in advance at phillipsmill.org.

Raritan Music Festival Holds 36th Season

The Raritan River Music Festival (RRM) will hold its 36th season on Saturdays May 10-31 at 7:30 p.m., at locations in Hunterdon County.

Guitarists Laura Oltman and Michael Newman, the festival’s artistic directors, founded the festival with the goal of bringing live chamber music to historic venues in Hunterdon County. This year’s series is titled “Old Friends & New Faces: 300 Years of Music.”

The Newman & Oltman Guitar Duo will perform “Music from the NEW World: 21st Century Masterpieces” with the Bergamot Quartet on May 24. The program includes music by Lowell Liebermann, Daniel Binelli, Ledah Finck, Caroline Shaw and Payton MacDonald and will be held at Stanton Reformed Church, Stanton. more

“La Sylphide,” “Etudes” On Philadelphia Program

CLASSICS IN PHILLY: Jacqueline Callahan with artists of the Philadelphia Ballet in rehearsal for “Études,” with shares a program with “La Sylphide.” (Photo by Arian Molina Soca)

Philadelphia Ballet concludes its 2024/25 season with the Romantic ballet La Sylphide and the neoclassical work Études. Performances will run May 8 – 11 at the Academy of Music on Broad and Locust streets.

Set in the misty Scottish Highlands, La Sylphide tells the story of James, a young man lured away from his fiancée on the morning of their wedding by a mysterious and enchanting sylph. La Sylphide is one of the oldest surviving Romantic. In contrast, Études, choreographed by Harald Lander, is a celebration of ballet itself. The ballet begins with dancers at the barre and culminates in a virtuosic display of classical technique. more

Free Chamber Concert At Unitarian Church

A free chamber music and jazz concert is planned for Sunday, May 4 at 2:30 p.m., at the Unitarian Church of Princeton, 50 Cherry Hill Road.

Pianist Jason Gallagher will play pieces by Robert Schumann and Akira Yuyama. Guitarists Frank and Ellen Ruck, the Blue Jersey Band Duet, will perform “The Music and Style of Django Reinhardt.”

Also on the program is clarinetist David Millrod, playing music of Krzysztof Penderecki. Millrod will also perform a piece by Robert Schumann with pianist Nishan Aghababian, who will then perform works by Isaac Albéniz, Sergei Prokofiev, and Frédéric Chopin.

The program is hosted by the Belle Mead Friends of Music.

“Plume” Exhibition At Artworks Trenton

Laura Beard has immersed herself into the world of birds in her latest exhibit “Plume,” at Artworks Trenton in Trenton from May 6 through June 6. Ranging from realistic to abstract, whimsical to fantastical, her artwork invites the audience to consider birds differently and reflect on their presence and influence on our human world.

An opening reception is on May 10 from 6 to 8 p.m.

“We’re delighted to showcase this body of work from an artist with whom we have a longstanding relationship.” said Addison Vincent, artistic director of Artworks Trenton. “Laura’s work never disappoints and her connection to nature is evident in all her works. We are glad to host this exhibition this spring and our hope is that patrons look at our avian friends differently after viewing this exhibition.”  more

Artists Wanted for Art All Night 2025

ART ALL NIGHT: This year’s Art All Night event will take place place on June 28 from 3 p.m. to 12 a.m. and June 29 from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the War Memorial in Trenton. (Photo by Lucky 17)

Artworks Trenton has announced the theme for Art All Night 2025: Trennaissance — a tribute to Trenton’s creative roots and a call to action for its future. Trennaissance blends “Trenton” and “Renaissance” to celebrate a cultural revival grounded in community, expression, and the enduring power of art to bring people together.

Set to take place June 28 from 3 p.m. to 12 a.m. and June 29 from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the War Memorial, Art All Night will be previewed through a series of lead-up events titled “Artworks Trenton Presents: The Preview,” hosted at 19 Everett Alley. These pop-up happenings will bring back pre-pandemic activities based on community feedback, including the glass blowing demonstrations, and live performances. Attendees will also have the chance to co-create photo walls that echo past installations, to be revealed as featured works at the War Memorial during Art All Night. more