Compiled by Kevin Coughlin
Based on the Mayo Performing Arts Center’s track record with youth productions, we can confidently say you should not miss this weekend’s presentation of Les Misérables. It should leave you feeling anything but.
But first … Meet Me In Morristown. That’s on Thursday. Scroll down for more details about that sidewalk fair, and much more, including a ghost hunt, the true story of General Custer, an auction for bears, and the very first rock movie.
And check our handy calendar for additional fun and stimulating weekend activities in Greater Morristown.
THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2015:
Rock and roll movies have been around since… Rock Around the Clock. See Bill Haley and the Comets in the film that started it all in 1956. This free screening starts at 7 pm at the Morristown & Township Library, at One Miller Road in Morristown. And yes, there is a Jersey connection… which the library folks will reveal. Light refreshments will be served.
There was more to Gen. George Armstrong Custer than the Little Bighorn disaster. He was a Civil War hero, the youngest general in the Union Army, and a darling of the press. Not bad for a guy who finished last in his class at West Point. Learn more about “Old Curly” from Temple University historian and author Gregory Urwin, who addresses the North Jersey Civil War Roundtable at 7:14 pm, at the Frelinghuysen Arboretum’s Haggerty Educational Center, 353 E. Hanover Ave., Morris Township. Donation: $5.
Meet Me in Morristown is back for a second season! The downtown fair that blends art with the “Shop Local” experience kicks off with sidewalk sales at 11 am, followed by free art and entertainment from 5 pm to 9 pm. It’s a joint production of Morris Arts and the Morristown Partnership. The rain date is Friday. Additional dates are scheduled for June 25, July 30 and Aug. 27, 2015.
FRIDAY, MAY 29:
The Simon Gallery is hosting a reception between 6 pm and 8 pm for Nicole Schmölzer, whose show runs through June 27, 2015. At 48 Bank St., Morristown. Call 973-538-5456 for more.
It’s the end of the month– time for the Critical Mass bike loop of Morristown. Meet behind town hall, at 200 South St., for the leisurely 6:30 pm cycling caravan.
Bear Education and Resource (BEAR) is hosting a Silent Art Auction for black bears of NJ, at the Morris Museum in Morris Township, from 7 pm to 11 pm. Jeff Tittle, director of the Sierra Club’s New Jersey chapter, will speak about the nature and role of American black bears, and the threats they face. Tickets: $50 for one, $40 for two or more. Call 732-446-6808 x 101 for more. At 6 Normandy Heights Road.
The Mayo Performing Arts Center presents its spring youth production, Les Misérables, at 7:30 pm. The world’s longest-running musical tells the story of Jean Valjean, struggling to recalibrate his life after 17 years in prison for stealing a loaf of bread, in Victor Hugo’s sprawling tale of love, courage and hope set in 19th-century France. This production features 60 cast members between ages 7 and 22, with a 14-piece orchestra and sets rented from Vegas. Director Cathy Roy says it’s the most ambitious undertaking yet by MPAC, which impressed audiences with Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (2013) and Hairspray (2014). Tickets: $20-$25. Also, two shows on Saturday and a Sunday matinee. At 100 South St., Morristown. Call 973- 539-8008 for more.
Discover why Buster Keaton was a star of the silent era, at one of his greatest films, The General, at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Morristown at 7:30 pm. Church music director Josh Stafford will accompany the movie on the church’s magnificent Skinner organ. Admission: $10-$15. At the intersection of South Street and Miller Road.
“Classical” doesn’t have to mean “ancient.” The Red Oak Contemporary Ensemble aims to prove that with an 8 PM concert in the chapel at the Presbyterian Church in Morristown at 57 East Park Place. The ensemble champions “fresh classical music by living composers.” In other words: “This is not your grandfather’s Mozart!” Admission: Free; all are invited. For more details, contact Matt Webb, church director of music, at (973) 538-1776.
Fans of tight harmony should enjoy Brother Sun , at 8 pm at The Minstrel in Morris Township. Greg Greenway, Pat Wictor and Joe Jencks have been called the male version of Red Molly, high praise. Opening the show is Juilliard-trained violinist Diane Perry, who spans genres from swing to folk to original tunes. Admission: $9, children 12 and under, free. At the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship, 21 Normandy Heights Road.
SATURDAY, MAY 30:
Bargain hunters, take note! The Giant Yard Sale returns to the Presbyterian Church in Morristown, from 9 am to 3 pm. Sponsored by the Presbyterian Women, it takes place in the front yard at 65 South St. Housewares, antiques, books, toys, games, holiday items and more are promised at rock-bottom prices. Proceeds support community outreach projects such as the Community Soup Kitchen, Market Street Mission and Interfaith Food pantry, and missions abroad that provide clean water for Kenyan villagers and support schools and clinics around the globe. Donations are welcome, at the Parish House during office hours (9 to 5) weekdays until May 28. Volunteers are welcome, too. Contact Sherry for more, or visit the website above.
Answering the Call: Standing on the Front Line for Civil Rights is the second annual conference of the Summit, NJ, Veterans in the NAACP. It runs from 9 am to noon at Cornerstone Family Programs, 62 Elm St., Morristown, and it’s free to all veterans, spouses, civilians and young adults (high school/college). RSVP here or call 973 538-5260 x 124.
The Red Carpet Rummage Sale to benefit the P.G. Chambers School runs from 9 am to 4 pm, and again from 10 am to 4 pm on Sunday, at 35 Abbett Ave. in Morristown. Home goods, furniture and more are on sale. Here is a preview. The school in Cedar Knolls provides education and therapy programs for children with disabilities, from birth to age 22.
Are you grieving the loss of a loved one? Lo Anne Mayer, author and co-founder of the International Grief Council, is giving a day-long workshop at the Center for Spiritual Living in Harding, starting at 10 am. Admission: $50; seating is limited. Bring your own lunch, pen and journal. Refreshments are provided. At 331 Mount Kemble Ave. Register here or call 973-539-3114, or contact Mayer here or at 201-787-0961.
Get real. No, get surreal! Ghost-hunt at the Frelinghuysen Mansion in Morris Township, from 7:30 pm to 11:30 pm. The Island Paranormal Society of Long Island takes paranormal sleuthing seriously. The program features an introduction to paranormal investigating, a two-hour investigation, and a closing presentation of findings with a Q&A, and light refreshments. Tickets: $45, on a first-come, first-served basis. To register, please contact khumphreys@morrisparks.net . Pre-registration is required.
Les Misérables, the spring youth production at the Mayo Performing Arts Center, has shows at 2 pm and 7:30 pm. Please see Friday entry for details.
SUNDAY: MAY 31:
The Red Carpet Rummage Sale to benefit the P.G. Chambers School runs from 10 am to 4 pm on Sunday, at 35 Abbett Ave. in Morristown. See Saturday entry for more details.
Les Misérables, the spring youth production at the Mayo Performing Arts Center, concludes its run at 2 pm. Please see Friday entry for details.
Illustrator Thomas Nast skewered scoundrels with his pen. But was he so fierce in the bosom of his family? Gain a peek into the private life of this 19th-century muckraker from the people who inhabit his Morristown home, Ken and Nancy Miller. Their talk, Nast the Homebody, starts at 4:30 pm at the Macculloch Hall Historical Museum, at 45 Macculloch Ave. in Morristown. Ken, who chairs the town historic preservation commission, will share insights about restoring this National Historic Landmark home. Admission: Adults $8; seniors and students $6; children 6 – 12, $4. Members and children under 5 are admitted free. Tickets for the talk go on sale at 1 pm; no advance purchases.
The Morristown Jewish Center hosts The New Face of Drug Addiction: An Honest Discussion at 6:30 pm. Open to the community. At 177 Speedwell Ave. For more information, call 973-538-9292.
