Greater Morristown weekend preview: Who needs the Super Bowl, anyway?

'Postcards from Morristown,' by Bonnie-Lynn Nadzieka
'Postcards from Morristown,' by Bonnie-Lynn Nadzieka
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Postcards from Morristown. Tales of a cop. The sinking of the Monitor. The rise of Heart.

Big Bands…opera…hip-hop…ladies in bikinis running like the wind…or being sawed in half  (by professionals; do NOT try this at home).

Who needs the Super Bowl, anyway?

Certainly not Greater Morristown!  Not with the Giants and Jets on the sidelines, anyway.

Fortunately, there are many worthy leisure pursuits to divert–or prepare–us for the Ravens and 49ers. A sampling is below. And don’t forget to check out our handy calendar,  if you want to call an audible from the line of scrimmage.


THURSDAY, JAN. 31, 2013:

'Postcards from Morristown,' by Bonnie-Lynn Nadzieka
'Postcards from Morristown,' by Bonnie-Lynn Nadzeika

They say a picture tells a thousand stories… which means you will enjoy about a million stories from Morristown: A History Through Postcards, a new book by Bonnie-Lynn Nadzeika, former director of the Morris County Historical Society. Bonnie will speak at 7 pm at the Morristown & Township Library, at One Miller Road in Morristown. Admission is free, light refreshments will be served, and you can buy autographed copies of the book for $21.99.

The North Jersey Civil War Round Table has an action-packed doubleheader scheduled for 7:14 pm in the
Haggerty Education Center, at the Frelinghuysen Arboretum at 53 E. Hanover Ave. in Morris Township. Robert Sheridan, professor emeritus at Rutgers University, is one of the discoverers of the USS Monitor, and author of Iron from the Deep: The Discovery and Recovery of the USS Monitor. He will give a talk entitled, The Monitor Squadron Attacks Charleston: The Failure of Admiral Samuel DuPont. Then, Joyce McNeill, a film professor at Berkeley College, will discuss the making of the movie Glory. And there will be a few words from Harry Keyishian, director of Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, publisher of Jim Malcolm’s book, The Civil War Journal of Private Emmell, Ambulance and Infantry Corps: A Very Disagreeable War.  Admission is $5. First time guests and students, free.

Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart
Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart come to Morristown on Thursday night

Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart fueled countless schoolboy fantasies and inspired a generation of girls to rock on. But the sisters from Seattle are not done yet. Nearly four decades into their party-hearty, take-no-prisoners careers, they have racked up their best year ever: An autobiography, a CD boxed set, a new album, a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, a command performance for Led Zeppelin and President Obama, and election to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. At 8 pm, these rocking sibs roll into Morristown’s Mayo Performing Arts Center with such classics as Crazy on You, Barracuda and Magic Man, and a strong batch of tunes from their new CD, Fanatic. Tickets are $79-$129; the show is SOLD OUT but call 973-539-8008 for cancellations. And check out our podcast with Ann Wilson!


FRIDAY, FEB. 1:

Soprano Galit Dadoun-Cohen

As Galit Dadoun-Cohen’s 40th birthday approached, friends and family asked the usual questions: “Should we have a party? Are you and Joe going somewhere romantic?” But the cantor at Temple B’nai Or surprised everybody with a request. She wanted to sing opera for her congregation and her community. A shining venue was found: Drew University’s Dorothy Young Center for the Arts, where Temple B’nai Or Presents: The Golden Age of Opera is at 7:30 p.m. Proceeds from the concert will benefit the temple’s music program. Tickets may be purchased at Templebnaior.org. To learn more about the event, including specials dinner deals for opera-goers visit: https://www.facebook.com/TheGoldenAgeOfOperaBenefit

What’s it like to be one of Morristown’s Finest? Police Officer Yeison De Los Santos will tell you, and answer questions, at 8 pm at the Morristown Neighborhood House, 12 Flagler St. Admission is free. All are welcome! Pizza and soda will be served. Call 973-538-1229 for more.

If you love the Big Band Era, or if you’re just curious about it, The Minstrel is the place to be.  Reeds, Rhythm, and All That Brass is a 16-piece Big Band playing the classic American Songbook repertoire, at 8 pm. Opener Bill Brandon also entices big sound from his hollow body electric guitar. Admission is $8, at the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship, 21 Normandy Heights Road, Morris Township.

Recreate the experience of a jazz evening at New York’s famous Birdland club with The Birdland Big Band, at the Mayo Performing Arts Center at 8 pm. Drummer Tommy Igoe directs the band. Tickets are $29-$49; call 973-539-8008 for more details. The Mayo is at 100 South St. in Morristown.

It’s Jam-Rock at the Shamrock! Universal Rebel rocks Morristown’s Dublin Pub at 9 pm, with special guests Myke Rivera of the Community, Frankie Goffredo and Roland Ramos.


SATURDAY, FEB. 2:

Deception has never been so much fun: The Masters of Illusion will cut you up–and put you back together–at Morristown’s Mayo Performing Arts Center  at 7:30 pm. Comic magicians, escape artists, gorgeous dancers–step right up, tickets are $39 to $69.  Call 973-539-8008 for details.

 


SUNDAY, FEB. 3:

A children’s musical, The Lost Boy, unfolds at The Presbyterian Church in Morristown at 10 a.m. It’s a musical telling of the Biblical tale of the 12-year-old Jesus’ three-day disappearance from his parents. The church is at 57 East Park Place. Admission is free. Call 973-538-1776 for more.

Super Bowl Sunday can mean only one thing in Morristown… the Super 4 Miler race!  The race starts at 11:30 am at the Wells Fargo parking lot on Maple Avenue and loops around to finish on DeHart Street. At 12:30 there is one-mile walk/fun run, to benefit the Community Soup Kitchen. Registration details are at the website. Police note that residents should be aware of the following road closures from 10:30 am to 2 pm:

• Macculloch Avenue from Bank Street to Wetmore Avenue (start of race)
• Macculloch Avenue from James Street to Madison Street (end of race)
• Maple Avenue (De Hart Street to Miller Road)
• Maple Avenue (Oak to James Street) start of race
• James Street (start of race)
• Mt. Kemble Avenue – Southbound only.

And if that doesn’t put you in the mood for the Super Bowl, the Daughters of the American Revolution have just the thing: The Rise of Lincoln, a talk about the quarterback of the Emancipation team. It’s presented by former Civil War re-enactor Glenn LeBoeuf at 1:30 pm in the first floor public room of the Morris County Library, at 20 East Hanover Ave. in Whippany. The DAR also will present its History Medal to Pulitzer Prize winning historian and author Thomas Fleming. Refreshments will be served. Admission is free. Call 973-285-6930 for more details.

But wait, there is more pre-game entertainment!  The Harmomium Outreach Chorus will perform Love and Peace (in honor of Valentine’s Day, not the Super Bowl) at the Macculloch Hall Historical Museum on 45 Maple Ave. at 4:30 pm. Tickets go on sale at 1 pm, no advance sales. A separate ticket from the museum admission is required for the show. Tickets are $12, and $10 for members, seniors, students and visitors who visited the museum the day of the program.

Morristown’s Sunday Night Portrait Drawing Sessions have returned to ArtSpace at 14 Elm St. Sessions run from 6 pm to 9 pm and feature live models and camaraderie for $10.


MONDAY, FEB. 4:

Call it “Mural Diplomacy.”  Morris County’s Arts by the People nonprofit  sent visual artist Brad “Bisco” Smith to Jerusalem last summer to run a street workshop for young Arabs and Jews. The result was a 40-foot mural. Hear Bisco describe the experience, and view a mini-documentary, Words to the World, A View from Israel, at The Artist Baker café, at 14 Cattano Ave., Morristown. The reception starts at 6 pm, the movie, at 7 pm.  Call 973-267-5540 to reserve a space.

arts by the people event israel

 

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