MORRIS EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES JUDGE PANEL FOR 15th ANNUAL MORRISTOWN ONSTAGE
Feb. 23 Talent Show Will Feature the Best Amateur Talent from Morristown, Morris Plains and Morris Township
The Morris Educational Foundation (MEF) Wednesday announced the stellar panel of professional judges for the 15th Anniversary of its annual talent show, Morristown ONSTAGE.
15 Years of Talent. 15 Years of Dedication. 15 Years of Impact. Morristown ONSTAGE has grown and evolved over the years, with each show proving to be the “must see” event of the year.
The show continues to thrill audiences year after year, so much so that all four judges from the 2021 all virtual event are returning to judge the in person show at Mayo Performing Arts Center.
In addition, one of the founding Morristown ONSTAGE committee members will step out from backstage and take a seat as a judge.
The following five distinguished judges will judge the Feb. 23, 2022, in-person competition:
HELEN H. CHA-PYO – Artistic Director of the Wharton Institute for the Performing Arts and Principal Conductor of the New Jersey Youth Symphony. Wharton Arts is New Jersey’s largest independent non-profit community performing arts education center
Helen Cha-Pyo, conductor. Photo courtesy of Susan Peterson.
serving over 1,200 students from 13 different counties of New Jersey. From 2002 – 2018, she served as Music Director and Conductor of the Empire State Youth Orchestra (ESYO) in New York. Ms. Cha-Pyo’s vision was instrumental in the founding of ESYO CHIME in 2015, a music education program dedicated to serving underprivileged youth in Schenectady and Troy, NY. Her previous positions include Associate Professor of Orchestral Activities at Montclair State University and Artistic Director and Conductor of the Riverside Philharmonic and Choir of the Riverside Church in the City of New York. She is a frequent guest conductor and clinician for All-State and Regional Festival Orchestras throughout the country. She has degrees in Organ Performance and Conducting from Oberlin Conservatory (OH) and Eastman School of Music (NY).
BRIAN B. CROWE – Director of Education and a Resident Director at The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, where he is beginning his 27th season. NJArts named his 2019 production of William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play and A Christmas Carol on their “Top 10 Plays in NJ.” The Star-Ledger called Mr. Crowe “one of the state’s most
Brian Crowe of The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey
ingenious directors” (Love’s Labour’s Lost) and has twice named him Best Director of a Drama (Julius Caesar and Wonderland). Mr. Crowe is a teacher, mentor, and director with the Theatre’s Academy and Professional Training Program. He conducts Shakespeare workshops at universities across the country and has been an adjunct instructor at Drew University. Mr. Crowe holds BFAs in Directing and Acting from Wright State University, and was a Fellow of the 2000 International Salzburg Shakespeare Seminar. He is proud to serve on the Executive Committee of the Shakespeare Theatre Association.
ALLISON LARENA – President and CEO of the Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC) for 20 years, has over thirty years of experience in the field of theatre management. Ms. Larena has been instrumental in transforming MPAC into a world class performing arts center and growing the theatre’s annual operating budget from $1.5 million to $14
Allison Larena of MPAC.
million. Over the past two decades, Ms. Larena spearheaded multiple fundraising campaigns and capital improvement projects to expand and upgrade the venue, built in 1937, into a state-of-the art facility. Today, MPAC welcomes more than 200,000 patrons to 250 events annually, serves more than 40,000 children through education and outreach programs and has an economic impact of $15 million. Ms. Larena also served in management positions at the Garden State Arts Center and Bergen Performing Arts Center. She is a graduate of Rutgers University where she studied Theatre Arts and received her Master of Arts Degree from Montclair State University
VINCE MORREALE – First Chairman of Morristown ONSTAGE and past Board of Trustees Member of the Morris Educational Foundation, serving from 2006-2011. It was
Vince Morreale, founding chairman of what’s now known as Morristown Onstage,
in 2006 during a fundraising committee brainstorming session at Vince’s kitchen table in Morris Township that Morristown ONSTAGE was born! During the first four years of Morristown ONSTAGE, Vince produced and directed the show, a model that remains in place today. Although Vince claims to have zero talent of his own, he certainly has an eye for talent, having led the finalist selection committee during the first four years as well. Vince is a 23-year resident of Morris Township where he resides with his wife Judy, who is the Secretary at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School. Vince has two daughters, Lauren and Kristen, both graduates of the Morris School District. He currently serves as Vice President of Business Development for DriveNets Inc.
TOM WERDER – Tom Werder joined Morris Arts as Executive Director in May of 2012, bringing broad-based and extensive experience at the helm of non-profit performing arts organizations. In New Jersey, he served as the Managing Director of Two River Theatre
Tom Werder of Morris Arts
Company in Red Bank, as Executive Director of the Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company, based in Union, and as Managing Director of George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick. Prior to that, he was the Managing Director of Portland Stage Company in Portland, Maine, where he was a member of the Executive Committee for the Portland Arts and Cultural Alliance, an organization charged with the creation of a Downtown Arts District and the revitalization of the city’s downtown area. Tom received his MFA in Theatre Management from the Yale School of Drama and his BFA from Purchase College (SUNY) where he was lighting designer and stage manager.
“We are absolutely thrilled to have these influential members of the arts and entertainment community return to Morristown ONSTAGE to judge the 15th anniversary event,” said Melanie Smith, Morristown ONSTAGE event chair and member of the Morris Educational Foundation Board of Trustees.
“The 13 finalists are all exceptional in their crafts so it’s only fitting to have such an outstanding caliber of professionals join us to celebrate these local rising stars. We look forward to viewing all the finalist and 2021 winner performances with our judges at the Mayo Performing Arts Center on February 23.”
The 13 finalists will compete for one of two 1st place $1,000 cash prizes – one for contestants ages 19 and over and one for contestants ages 18 and under.
Additionally, $500 will be awarded for the “Audience Choice” Winner, which is a “text-to-vote” at the end of the show, a $250 Rossoff Rising Star Award for talent training chosen by the Morristown ONSTAGE Steering Committee, and the New York Jets Take Flight Award to the top two vocalists to audition to sing the national anthem during a New York Jets home game.
Atlantic Health System’s Morristown Medical Center has once again signed on to be the event’s Headline Sponsor and returning for the 9th year as the Master of Ceremonies and host of the show is Morristown resident and Senior Content Producer at PEOPLE (the TV show!), Tara Bernie, who was awarded an Emmy for her work as the Senior Correspondent on DailyMailTV.
Tickets for Morristown ONSTAGE are available for purchase at the Mayo Performing Arts Center, 100 South St, Morristown, NJ; by calling (973) 539-8008 or online at www.mayoarts.org.
To become a sponsor or purchase an advertisement in the Morristown ONSTAGE playbill to support the finalists and benefit the Morris Educational Foundation, visit www.morristownonstage.com.
Morristown ONSTAGE is following strict safety protocols in order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. For event entry, Morristown ONSTAGE will require proof of full COVID-19 vaccination and/or a negative COVID test for all patrons ages 12+. Social distancing will be practiced when possible and face masks will be required for everyone and may be removed only while performing. For more information on these safety protocols, please visit www.morristownonstage.com.
Morristown ONSTAGE was created to further the Morris Educational Foundation’s ability to distribute financial and other resources to and for the Morris School District. Fifteen years later, over $1.4 million in total funds has been raised.
About Morris Educational Foundation
The Morris Educational Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that seeks to attract private resources to support a variety of educational programs and initiatives in support of the Morris School District. Through effective solicitation and distribution of funds, the Morris Educational Foundation helps enable the District to continue to be the model of visionary social and educational leadership it has been since its inception. For more information, visit www.morrisedfoundation.org.
The success of the MEF annual fundraiser is undeniable and a blessing to the community. I would like to give credit where it’s due, to be absolutely clear in a world where information that reflects what actually happened, slips further away as time goes by. The actual idea of using a “talent show” as a fund raiser in Morris County was first used by the Community Children’s Museum (CCM) held at the very same theater now known as MPAC. It was Ms. Jody Marcus, the museum director, who came up with the idea and made it happen. Ms. Fran Rossoff, a member of the MEF fundraising committee and a friend of Ms. Marcus, remembered the show and introduced the idea at that historic MEF committee meeting. Unfortunately, the CCM closed in 2010 despite having survived the 2008 recession. Nevertheless, the credit is a straight line from the now gone CCM.
The success of the MEF annual fundraiser is undeniable and a blessing to the community. I would like to give credit where it’s due, to be absolutely clear in a world where information that reflects what actually happened, slips further away as time goes by. The actual idea of using a “talent show” as a fund raiser in Morris County was first used by the Community Children’s Museum (CCM) held at the very same theater now known as MPAC. It was Ms. Jody Marcus, the museum director, who came up with the idea and made it happen. Ms. Fran Rossoff, a member of the MEF fundraising committee and a friend of Ms. Marcus, remembered the show and introduced the idea at that historic MEF committee meeting. Unfortunately, the CCM closed in 2010 despite having survived the 2008 recession. Nevertheless, the credit is a straight line from the now gone CCM.