Last night: A First Night to remember in Morristown

By Kirsten Traudt

The Christmas lights on the Green were not the only things illuminating Morristown on New Year’s Eve.

The town rang in 2016 with the 24th Annual First Night Morris County, a nonprofit, alcohol-free celebration designed to “foster the public’s appreciation for visual and performing arts,” according to the organization’s website.

More than 200 hundred professional performers entertained thousands of guests in 80 performances at 24 venues across town, from the lobby of the Hyatt Morristown to the Mayo Performing Arts Center stage.

For families, the night began at about 4:45 PM, in the cafeteria of Morristown High School, where a diverse catalog of children’s events was held.

Many of the early entertainments were highly participatory, from a LEGO workshop held by Snapology, a Morris County company specializing in stimulating creative play, to a chalk art tutorial headed up by local artist Christine Wagner, a three-time First Night veteran.

The final kid performances, which included traditional Chinese music performed by the China Youth Orchestra (with a heavy dose of audience participation in the final number), were done in plenty of time for the 9:15 pm fireworks, so families with young children could ring in 2016 without too much interruption to their bedtime routines.

Children learned basic and advanced hula hoop techniques with ‘Whirled Revolution’ in the Morristown High School Auxiliary Gym at First Night Morris 2016. Photo by Kirsten Traudt

However, despite First Night’s strong reputation as a family event, the vast majority of attendees are adults, who set out in the brisk (yet still unseasonably warm) evening air for their own entertainment adventures starting at 7 PM.

Many attendees, like area resident Ellie Hoxha, were first drawn to First Night by its strong emphasis on classical music, and this year did not disappoint.

The schedule included nearly 10 classical music performances, in addition to a talk by composer Frédéric Chopin (played by pianist Dennis Kobray).

Many musical acts defied genre; the Sweet Plantain quartet blended classical instruments with jazz, hip-hop, and Latin rhythms, and oboist Matt Sullivan blended the folk and gospel music of his St. Louis upbringing with the avant-garde techniques he developed as a soloist and chamber performer in the East Village in the 1970s.

Even longtime attendees found surprisesover the course of the evening. Each act at First Night Morristown is hand-picked by Morris Arts’ director of arts participation and communication, Dr. Lynn L. Siebert, and every year about half the talent is new.

Juggles and Glitter the Clowns entertained First Night’s youngest patrons with handkerchief tricks and juggling in the Morristown High School Atrium. Photo by Kirsten Traudt

One such performer, Keith Leaf, a “light-up juggler” found outside the Masonic Lodge (which doubled as a warming station), admired the breadth and diversity of First Night Morris’ program in comparison to other First Nights he has played.

Leaf astounded spectators on Thursday night with a programmable light-up baton that cast a dizzying array of patterns into the air — including the First Night logo!

Of course, some fan favorites have been returning New Year after New Year. The British Invasion Tribute, a consummate rock band band that performs mid-century hits from the Beatles and beyond, rocked a packed house at the Mayo Performing Arts Center until just before the midnight fireworks.

In MPAC’s second-floor lobby, the First Night tradition of exhibiting New Jersey artists also continued.

Featured artists included County College of Morris faculty member Todd L. W. Doney and artists from the Millburn Short Hills Art Center. Fine art was also exhibited in the Atrium Gallery in the county administration building.

As the night wore on, the energy of the town grew, and streams of people flooded the streets and venues. Many of the later shows, including sets by comedian Jon Fisch and spooky stories brought to life by the Traveling Literary Theatre, had to turn crowds away.

THEY’VE SEEN IT ALL

Volunteers Tom Brown and Ida Bochnan speculated that the clear, brisk weather helped draw so many people into town.

The pair, who live in Hoptacong, have volunteered since the beginning and spent many of those years working the county administration building, a site that Bochnan had managed. But for the first time, perhaps due to recent national security threats,  a full security check was required to enter that building.

Tom Brown and Ida Bochnan, the only couple to have volunteered at 24 consecutive First Nights, work their usual beat at the Morris County records building. Photo by Kirsten Traudt

As the only couple to volunteer at every single First Night, Bochnan and Brown have seen it all; one particularly memorable bygone tradition was that of writing down wishes for the New Year on the Green.

These wishes would “sometimes appear in the paper,” Bochnan explained, “which was exciting.”

There is something inherently optimistic about New Year’s Eve, and the promise of the year to come captivated entertainers and spectators alike.

The Mayhem Poets, from left: Mason Granger, Mikumari Cayhe, and Scott Raven, entertained audiences with a unique blend of slam poetry and improvisational comedy. Photo by Kirsten Traudt

Early in the evening, clown Steve Biegel (professionally known as “Juggles”) said his favorite part of entertaining at First Night with his wife Barbara (known as “Glitter”) is empowering kids and parents to feel like they can master the show’s complex juggling and handkerchief tricks.

This self-empowerment theme was carried on by the Mayhem Poets, New Jersey natives who have toured 47 states and appeared on the Today Show.

They allowed audience members onstage (actually, in front of the County Freeholders Room) to rhyme with the professionals.

In the final moments before midnight, it seemed as if the entire county was gathered on the Green to watch fireworks welcome the New Year.

As friends, families, and couples came together on the grass, it became clear that the most magical thing about First Night was not the world-class entertainment, nor the incredible levels of organization and dedication by the enormous fleet of volunteers.

It was a community’s willingness to gather, to reflect on the past and share hope for the future. And that is a priceless gift.

Kirsten Traudt is a senior at Morristown High School, where she is also editor-in-chief of the school newspaper, The Broadcaster. She also was a prize-winner at the 2013 MorristownGreen.com Film Festival.

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