6-4 All Pages by Community News Service

Opportunities: Call for Bikes

The Mercer County Planning Department and the Mercer County Park Commission are hosting a bike drive for the benefit of the Boys & Girls Club Bike Exchange. This non-profit run by 50 volunteers collects, conditions, and sells used, quality bikes to people in the Trenton and Mercer County area. Since 2009 the Bike Exchange has repaired, reconditioned, and sold over 27,000 donated bikes, raising more than $1,600,000 for the Boys & Girls Club after-school programs which serve over 700 children daily. Over the past several years the Bike Exchange has given away approximately 300 bikes annually to youth in Trenton and urban areas throughout New Jersey.

The Bike Exchange also trains interested students in bike repair through their internship program.

Your bike donation will help support these efforts. Please drop off your bike at the Recreation and Event Center in Mercer County Park at 1638 Old Trenton Road in West Windsor on Saturday, June 7, between noon and 4 p.m., and know that your tax-deductible donation will benefit our community.

The Boys & Girls Club enables young people to develop their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens. The Club provides safe havens, academic enrichment, and recreational activi-

U.S. 1 WELCOMES letters to the editor, corrections, and criticisms of our stories and columns. E-mail your thoughts directly to our editor: hastings@princetoninfo. com.

ties through afterschool, weekend, and summer programs. For more information, visit www.bgcmercer. org/bgc-bike-exchange.

Auditions

Passage Theatre in Trenton is now casting for its 41st mainstage season. If you are interested in auditioning, please send a headshot and resume to casting@passagetheatre.org.

EPA Auditions will be casting both season shows simultaneously on Monday, June 9, in Philadelphia; Tuesday, June 10, in Trenton; and Wednesday, June 11, in New York City.

woman (Doubles as GRACE)

WALKER VESSELS – tall thin Negro about forty (Doubles as CLAY)

GRACE – blonde woman about same age as WALKER VESSELS, forties. Small, thin, beautiful. (Doubles as LULA)

BRADFORD EASLEY — tall, broad, white man, thinning hair, about forty-five

“Muleheaded, or Zora and Langston Write a Play,” written by David Robson and directed by Brishen Miller, is set to run January 30 through Feburary 15, 2026.

Between The Lines

“Dutchman and The Slave,” written by Amiri Baraka and directed by Ozzie Jones, is set to run October 31 through November 16. These are two one-act plays that will be presented as Act I and Act II of the same show.

Roles include:

CLAY — twenty-year-old Black man (Doubles as WALKER) LULA — thirty-year-old white

signers and skilled technicians to work on our shows. If interested, please send your resumé to our Lead Producer, Jamel Baker, at jamel@passagetheatre.org

Directing Opportunities: Interested directors can send resumés and/or portfolios to our Executive Artistic Director, Brishen Miller, at brishen@passagetheatre.org.

Passage Theatre is not accepting unsolicited script submissions at this time.

For more information, visit www.passagetheatre.org/careers.

Kelsey Theatre on the West Windsor campus of Mercer County Community College hosts auditions for Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “South Pacific”presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization.

In an island paradise during the Second World War, two Americans — a wide-eyed nurse and a promising young lieutenant — discover love and confront their own prejudices.

Eight performances are scheduled on Fridays through Sundays from October 10 through 19.

Auditions take place Saturday, June 21, from 1 to 6 p.m. for lead and singing roles as well as children .

Roles include:

LANGSTON — African American in his late twenties (This is the real-life Langston Hughes, should resemble the historical figure.)

LOUISE — African American in her twenties

ZORA — CAST. African American in her late thirties (This is the real-life Zora Neale Hurston, should resemble the historical figure.)

Design & Tech Opportunities: Passage is always looking for de-

Dance and ensemble auditions, by sign-up or invitation from Saturday auditions, take place Sunday, June 22, from 6 to 10 p.m.

Auditions for all characters take place Monday, June 23, from 7 to 9:30 p.m.

Callbacks by invitation only take place Tuesday, June 24, at 7 p.m.

Auditions will be held on the Mercer County Community College West Windsor Campus. Check the Kelsey Theatre sign board for a room location on the day of your audition and emails may be sent out

the week preceding the audition dates. MCCC is located at 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor. Sign up for an audition slot at www.tinyurl.com/MTMSouthPacificAuditions. Walk-ins are welcome, but those with appointments will be seen first. Contact the director at: director@mtmplayers.org with any questions.

Please be familiar with the show. Prepare 16-32 bars of a song in the style of the show — upbeat or ballad depending on the role. Songs from the show are allowed and encouraged if you are seeking a specific role. Any Rodgers and Hammerstein song is encouraged as well for those not seeking a specific role or for the ensemble.

Please bring clearly marked sheet music with accompaniment; no “a cappella” or prerecorded music allowed. There will be an audition pianist provided.

Unless specifically noted, be prepared to move: wear comfortable clothes for the dance call and bring appropriate soft shoes (sneakers, etc.).

The role of Liat is a non-singing role and has a few lines and must be able to move and will be expected for a dance audition. No reading or monologue needed, but should prepare a song. Her few lines are spoken in French.

Please provide a photo and resume. If none is available, we may take your photo and an application will be provided. Download the application and conflict calendar to bring with you at www.mtmplayers.org/sp/ spauditionpacket.pdf

There are three non-singing, speaking only male roles: Captain Brackett, Commander Harbison, and Lieutenant Buzz Adams. Sides will be provided for these three roles.

The roles of Ngana and Jerome (Monique) are middle-school aged children of AAPIdescent and sing one song, “Dites Moi.” Music samples will be provided for this song so children interested can prepare. You will sing this song for the audition. We will seek a boy and a girl or two girls. Please email the director at director@mtmplayers.org after signing up to receive the music for your audition. Note: they only speak and sing in French. Any minor should be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

For the principal roles of Emile, Nellie, Cable, Billis, and Bloody Mary: you will be required to sing a song from the character. Except for Nellie and Billis, no dance audition is needed unless you want to also be considered for ensemble.

All other roles of Nurses/French Women and Sailors/Seabees/Marines must prepare a song as previously mentioned and for a dance audition. All supporting speaking roles will be cast from this pool of auditioners, and you may be asked to do a cold reading from the script.

Certain sides and music are available for download at the sign-up site and at www.mtmplayers.org/sp/spauditionsides.pdf

Be prepared to stay for the entire process, which may be 30-60 minutes.

All performers are expected to be available on Sunday, September 28, from 1 p.m. until late, with a dinner break, for load-in. All performers are also required t be available for the final week of tech from October 5 through 9.

Rehearsals will begin shortly after auditions and will be light (one or two per week except for certain characters) during end of June and July. We will move to three rehearsals per week during mid-August as we lead up to tech weeks at the end of September. Please make sure you list your conflicts on your provided application conflict calendar as accurately as possible.

Roles are open to performers of all races, sexual orientations, body types, ages and abilities except where certain ethnicities are need for specific roles. Certain roles are marked Tonkinese or Polynesian. Older children are encouraged to audition as well, with parental permission. We are striving to cast a diverse cast for this production. All are welcome. All roles are Non-Equity, unpaid

An Open Call for Revolutionary Acts

Monument Lab — in partnership with the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, the New Jersey Historical Commission, and RevolutionNJ — is launching an Open Call for Artist Ideas to commission a new monumental performance series in New Jersey that will animate histories and legacies of the

American Revolution in 2026. Revolutionary Acts invites artists who live or work in New Jersey to propose a performance-based work that will unfold across sites in Camden, Trenton, and Fort Lee. These cities have been selected in collaboration with the State’s larger organizing efforts around the 250th anniversary of the United States of America. The selected artist will collaborate with local partners to activate these sites, weaving together stories of the state’s and nation’s past, present, and future.

The goals of this project include:

• Producing an innovative and captivating performance series that appeals to a broad audience and showcases cutting-edge commemorative and artistic initiatives

• Shedding light on undertold narratives of the American Revolution and how they shape common knowledge of significant events

• Highlighting the stories of an expansive group of Revolutionary voices and recognizing the significance of incorporating more histories into places where gaps in the historical landscape are evident

• Demonstrating that the creation of history and memory is a collective and personal endeavor in which we can analyze, evaluate, and actively participate

• Reaching out to newer and younger audiences who typically do not engage with historical and commemorative sites and events

• Facilitating exploration of the complex layers of history found in New Jersey’s cities, towns, and landscapes

This is a project that appreciates and expands upon conventional forms of performance, public art, and public history. Artists of a variety of visual and performance backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Artists are invited to submit their materials via this online form by Monday, June 16, at 5 p.m.

An artist advisory committee will make a recommendation to Monument Lab regarding the selection of up to three finalists. Monument Lab will then select three artists to develop full proposals and present them in mid-August 2025. Each finalist will receive an honorarium of $2,500 to support the creation of a detailed proposal.

The selected project will be supported with a total production budget of $150,000, covering materials, fabrication, and implementation costs. The artist will also receive an honorarium of $30,000 in recognition of their creative vision and work. Over the course of 2025 and 2026, Monument Lab will support the selected artist in adapting the performance to each historic site’s geography and historical context.

Performance, in this context, is defined broadly. Potential performance formats include but are not limited to:

• Activations

• Block Parties

• Concerts

• Dance Performances

• Gatherings

• Happenings

• Fairs

• Festivals

• Musical Performances

• Pageants

• Processions

• Reenactments

• Reimaginings

• Scavenger Hunts

• Theatrical Productions

• Walking/River Tours

This is a unique opportunity to contribute to New Jersey’s evolving cultural landscape by activating history, creating an innovative, immersive, and participatory experience that invites audiences to reflect on the Revolutionary era and its ongoing impact. We encourage artists with a passion for storytelling, public engagement, and experimental performance to apply.

To learn more about this opportunity, download the Revolutionary Acts Dossier by visiting form.jotform.com/MonumentLab/ revolutionary-acts-open-call.

Please contact RevolutionaryActs@monumentlab.com with any questions regarding this Open Call.

Survival Guide

Friday, June 6

AACCNJ to Host Educational Leadership Symposium

The African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey (AACCNJ), in partnership with the Administrators Network, hosts the inaugural Educators of Color Leadership Symposium on Friday, June 6, at 7:30 a.m. at the Crowne Plaza-Princeton Conference Center on Scudders Mill Road in Plainsboro.

This first-of-its-kind statewide convening brings together more than 300 educators, administrators, and thought leaders committed to advancing equity, innovation, and leadership excellence in New Jersey’s educational systems. The symposium features keynote speakers, interactive workshops, and networking sessions designed to empower and elevate diverse voices in educational leadership.

The cost to attend is $250, which includes breakfast, lunch, three breakout sessions, and networking. For more information or to register for the event, visit www.aaccnj.com/ eoc.

“This symposium is more than a gathering — it’s a movement,” said John E. Harmon, Sr., founder, president, and CEO of the AACCNJ. “By partnering with the Administrators Network, we are reaffirming our commitment to building inclusive leadership pipelines and ensuring that our schools reflect the brilliance and diversity of our com-

munities. This is about creating opportunities and advancing a vision for systemic change.”

Founded by a collective of educational leaders throughout the state, the Administrators Network has long served as a hub for mentorship, advocacy, and shared learning for leaders of color across districts.

“Our goal is to shift the narrative and create a platform where diverse leadership is celebrated, developed, and sustained,” said Dr. Robert M. Tull, Jr., co-founder of the Administrators Network. “This symposium is an affirmation of our excellence and a strategic opportunity to build bridges across systems, sectors, and communities.”

This year’s symposium features keynote presentations by two nationally renowned educational leaders: Principal Baruti Kafele and Steven A. Bollar. Their messages are expected to energize and equip attendees with fresh perspectives and tools for success in education and leadership.

Kafele, an award-winning educator, author, and motivational speaker, is celebrated for his transformative work in urban education and leadership development. He earned his bachelor’s in management science/marketing from Kean University and a master’s in educational administration from New Jersey City University. He received awards for his work as an elementary school teacher in East Orange and as the principal who orchestrated Newark Tech’s ascent from struggling school to state leader. He is the author of 14 books, the most recent of which is “What is My Value INSTRUCTIONALLY to the Teachers I Supervise?” released in 2024.

Bollar, known as “Stand Tall Steve,” is an engaging speaker and school culture expert who brings humor, insight, and practical strategies to empower educators and inspire school improvement. He has worked as an art teacher, school principal, and superintendent and has served on the board of directors of the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association. He is the author of “Stand Tall Leadership” and “Ideas, Ideas, Ideas!”

The symposium will spotlight innovative practices in school leadership, culturally responsive pedagogy, career pathways for aspiring administrators, and solutions to the equity challenges facing New Jersey’s stu-

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dents and school districts.

Between the keynote talks attendees have the opportunity to participate in three breakout sessions covering 15 different topics including:

• Infusing Culturally Responsive Pedagogy Into Your Schools and Classrooms

• Making It Impossible to Fail: Building Leader Capacity and Culture for Literacy Excellence

• Power of Advocacy: Shaping Futures of Students

• Tech Titans Program: Building A Thriving Tech Eco-System

• Building Educational Leadership Resilience

• No More Broken Black Boys: Dismantling Carceral Frameworks in Education

• Student-Centered Behavioral Transformation: Harnessing Digital, Social, and Cultural Dynamics.

This initiative is part of AACCNJ’s broader mission to drive economic equity and workforce innovation, recognizing the pivotal role of education in shaping New Jersey’s future.

Thursday, June 12

Reverse Pitch: Meet The Investors Returns

Flipping the innovation script, Princeton Innovation Center BioLabs and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) host an evening of networking and reverse pitches on Thursday, June 12, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Princeton Innovation Center BioLabs, 303A College Road East, in Princeton. This is an opportunity to hear directly from investors who will take center stage with a reverse pitch approach, discussing their mission and what they are looking for in an early- to mid-stage life science and biotech entrepreneur.

This is an invitation-only event. Early- to mid-stage life sciences and biotech companies seeking funding and interested in attending are invited to fill out the below available at form.jotform.com/251006668386159 to express their interest. Selected companies

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will receive a personal registration invitation to confirm their attendance.

Investors taking part include 49 Alpha, Avant Bio, Cornucopia Investment Partners, Eckuity Capital, Revere Partners, Mission BioCapital, Prevail Partners, Robin Hood Ventures, Signet Healthcare Partners, and Tech Council Ventures.

The New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology and the NSF ICorps Hub Northeast Region also present during the event.

For more information, visit biolabs.io/ princetonbiolabs.com.

First Young Entrepreneur’s Academy in NJ comes to Mercer

The first Young Entrepreneur’s Academy in the state is coming to Mercer County, says the Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber, in partnership with The College of New Jersey, plans to bring YEA!, a 30-week experiential learning program, to Mercer County.

YEA! will give 30 students the opportunity to become real-life entrepreneurs. YEA! started in 2004 at the University of Rochester. Since then, the program has expanded to 38 states.

The YEA! program in Mercer County will be the first of its kind in New Jersey. Throughout the program, students selected through an application process meet once a week to generate business ideas, conduct market research, write a business plan, pitch to a panel of investors, and launch their own business. Weekly classes are held on campus at TCNJ on Tuesday evenings.

Each weekly class is taught by a volunteer instructor from the local business community, and the curriculum includes field trips to learn about local businesses, as well as guest speakers with subject matter expertise to share with the students. Each YEA! student is assigned a mentor to help bring their vision to life.

“Innovation and entrepreneurship are hallmarks of our regional business community, and the chamber is excited to see what happens when we extend this opportunity to local high school students,” said Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Hal English.

“Both as chair of the board of the chamber and as a parent of high school students, I am thrilled that the chamber is extending its reach into our local schools,” said Jeannine Cimino. “Through YEA! we are giving students access to local business leaders and opportunities for mentorship that can have a profound impact on their future.”

“We are excited to partner with the Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce to host these young entrepreneurs,” said TCNJ President Michael Bernstein. “They represent the next generation of innovators and business leaders in our state and we are thrilled to help facilitate and encourage their professional aspirations by welcoming them to our campus.”

“Our local businesses form the backbone of our economy, and with the YEA! program the Chamber is connecting our next generation of entrepreneurs with the knowledge and

skills they’ll need to succeed,” said Mercer County Executive Dan Benson. “I can’t wait to see the businesses that these students build.”

YEA! programs across the country have produced success stories like Rachel Zeitz, who went on to graduate from Princeton University while continuing to build the business she founded through YEA! at the age of 13: Gladiator Lacrosse.

Other YEA! entrepreneurs include Asad Muhammad, who established Taste of Supreme Bakery, specializing in all-natural baked goods in Rochester, New York; and Brandon Boynton who is now the CEO of MostBeastlyStudios, LLC, the mobile application development suite he developed while a part of YEA!

Applications for YEA! are due June 30. Students that attend a high school in Mercer County are eligible to apply. The application form, as well as additional information about the program and eligibility can be found at www.princetonmercerchamber.org/yea/.

Tuition for YEA! is $995 and includes all program materials, field trips, events, and supplies. Scholarships are available for students with demonstrated need, and the YEA! team can assist with transportation challenges as needed.

YEA! is underwritten by local businesses and organizations that include One Simple Wish, NJM Insurance Group, and FirstBank Charitable Foundation, as of press time. Organizations interested in becoming sponsors should contact Gretchen DiMarco at gretchen@princetonmercer.org.

Business Meetings

Wednesday June 4

Networking, BNI Falcons, IHOP, 610 Route 33, East Windsor, 877-264-0500. www. bninjpa.org. Hybrid meeting. Speakers: Donnie de la Pena, tile construction and repair services; and Gary Houghton, home remodeling. 7 to 8:30 a.m.

Thursday June 5

Networking BNI Top Flight, Town Diner, 431 Route 130, East Windsor, 609-4438222. www.bninjpa.org. 7 a.m.

PSE&G Stakeholder Educational Session on Affordability, Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce, The Stone Terrace by John Henry’s, 2275 Kuser Road, Hamilton, 609-924-1776. www.princetonmercerchamber.org. Hear directly from PSE&G representatives about access to energy efficiency and payment assistance programs, as well as other tools and resources to help make energy bills more affordable. Free; registration requested. 8 to 10 a.m.

Estate Planning: Preparing for Senior Living Interfaith Caregivers of Greater Mercer County, Hamilton Public Library, 1 Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. Way, Hamilton, 609-393-9922. Free information session presented by Carl G. Archer, managing attorney of Archer Law Firm. 1:30 to 3 p.m. Pickleball with Young Professionals, Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce, Pickleball Kingdom, 1100 Negron Drive, Hamilton, 609-924-1776. www. princetonmercerchamber.org. Come pick up a paddle with other young professionals. Coaches available. Networking over light fare to round out the evening. Geared toward professionals ages 21 to 40. Register. 5 to 7 p.m.

Friday June 6

Open Letter of Invitation: Why Should You Attend the Third Annual Juneteenth Black Business Expo?

Building strong Black-owned businesses is essential to the continued empowerment, economic mobility, and sustainability of underserved communities throughout New Jersey. The African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey (AACCNJ) is proud to present the Third Annual Juneteenth Black Business Expo on Thursday, June 12, at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) in Ewing Township, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. We will kick off the Expo with a Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony at 8:45 a.m., located in front of the iconic Campus Lion.

This year’s theme, Resilience is Our Heritage, highlights the legacy of economic perseverance and excellence within New Jersey’s Black business community. For generations, Black entrepreneurs have faced and overcome substantial challenges while making meaningful contributions to our state’s economy. The AACCNJ continues to honor that legacy by providing access to critical resources, opportunities, and information to empower entrepreneurs and foster collaboration between the private and public sectors and community stakeholders.

We have made significant strides since the era of Booker T. Washington’s Negro Business League, and the historic legacy of Black Wall Street. Yet, recent shifts in economic equity initiatives remind us that intentional partnerships and inclusive policies remain more critical than ever. Together, we must do more to close opportunity gaps and strengthen pathways to success for Black-owned enterprises across sectors. Your participation would demonstrate meaningful support for our shared goal: ensuring that New Jersey’s Black business community thrives and contributes to a more inclusive economy. We are honored to welcome Governor Phil Murphy for the third consecutive year, along with Keynote Speaker Dr. Boyce Watkins, best-selling author, speaker and founder of the Black Business School. The Expo will feature corporate and small business exhibitors, a health fair in partnership with

Networking, BNI Driven, Elks Lodge #2622, 1580 Kuser Road, Hamilton, 609585-9610. www.bninjpa.org. Speakers: Joseph Valenti, real estate; and Rich Bello, cost savings. 7 a.m.

Networking, X-Factor BNI, VFW 133, 485 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick, 908-4216151. www.bninjpa.org. Guests always welcome. RSVP suggested. Contact distinguished@rocketmail.com for more. 7 to 8:30 a.m.

Educators of Color Leadership Symposium African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jerse, Crowne PlazaPrinceton Conference Center, 900 Scudders Mill Road, Plainsboro. www.aaccnj. com/eoc. Gathering of more than 300 educators, administrators, and thought leaders committed to advancing equity, innovation, and leadership excellence in New Jersey’s educational systems features keynote speakers, interactive workshops, and networking sessions designed to empower and elevate diverse voices in educational leadership. Register. $250. 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

JobSeekers, Professional Service Group of Mercer County, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.psgofmercercounty.org. Lynne Williams presents “Resume First; LinkedIn Next: The Smart Strategy for Job Seekers.” 9:45 a.m. to noon.

Saturday June 7

Mid-Day Toastmasters Club, , 908-4216151. 4139.toastmastersclubs.org. Nonprofit dedicated to effective oral communication and leadership development. Meeting via Zoom. Visit tinyurl.com/zoomwithmidday. 10 a.m.

Tuesday June 10

Mid-Day Toastmasters Club, 908-4216151. 4139.toastmastersclubs.org. Nonprofit dedicated to effective oral communication and leadership development. Meet-

Capital Health and Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of NJ, a fireside chat with Dr. Watkins, interactive sessions, matchmaking opportunities, and much more.

AACCNJ performs an essential role in the economic viability of New Jersey; we provide a platform for New Jersey’s African American business leaders to speak with a collective voice; and we advocate and promote economic diversity, fostering a climate of business growth through strategic initiatives centering on education and public policy. Through our mission we have created an ecosystem of diverse industries and professionals seeking to leverage each other for mutual benefits. The Chamber serves the business community as a proactive advocacy group with a 501(c)3 tax exemption status. We are the only accredited Chamber of Commerce in NJ, and the only accredited Chamber of Commerce in the US, a distinction bestowed upon us by the largest business federation in the world, the US Chamber of Commerce. The AACCNJ has set a standard in its unwavering advocacy for equity and inclusion based on value imperatives fostered by transparency and accountability. These are essential components to improve our state’s competitiveness.

We encourage you TO REGISTER TODAY, share this invitation with your family, friends, faith leaders, and professional network. We look forward to welcoming you to this momentous occasion and thank you for your continued support and partnership.

Please visit our website for details on sponsorship opportunities. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact: Jacqueline Baptiste, Executive Advisor to CEO and Brand Ambassador, AACCNJ, at jbaptiste@aaccnj.com.

Thank you in advance for your continued support!

John E. Harmon, Sr. Founder, President & CEO, African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey

ing via Zoom. Visit tinyurl.com/zoomwithmidday. 11:30 a.m.

What’s In and What’s Out: Interior Design Trends for 2025, Ellevate, Homestead Princeton, 300 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.ellevatenetwork.com. Homestead owner and COO Kristin Menapace and designer Kristin Moore present the “Top Design Trends of 2025.” Appetizers and refreshments while you network and peruse the design gallery followed by presentation of design ideas. Register. 6 p.m. Albert Einstein Memorial Lecture Series, Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce, Nassau Inn, 10 Palmer Square East, Princeton, 609-924-1776. www.princetonmercerchamber.org. Speaker is Harvey J. Alter who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2020 for the discovery of the Hepatitis C virus. In “Hepatitis C: The End of the Beginning and Perhaps the Beginning of the End” Alter will describe the discovery of the hepatitis C virus, the near eradication of transfusion-associated hepatitis, the clinical consequences of chronic hepatitis C, including cirrhosis and liver cell cancer, curative treatments for hepatitis C, and the potential to eradicate hepatitis C worldwide through a test-andtreat strategy. Free; registration required. 6:30 to 8:15 p.m.

JobSeekers. sites.google.com/site/njjobseekers. Virtual meeting for those seeking employment. Visit website for GoTo Meeting link. 7:30 to 9 p.m.

Wednesday June 11

Networking BNI Falcons, IHOP, 610 Route 33, East Windsor, 877-264-0500. www. bninjpa.org. Hybrid meeting. Speakers: Nicholas Stefanelli lesser-known business lending products; and Brian Lavan, mortgage programs and state of the lending environment. 7 to 8:30 a.m.

Business Before Business Virtual Speed Networking Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce, 609-924-1776.

PRE VIEW

DAY-BY-DAY EVENTS, JUNE 4 TO 11

Event Listings: E-mail events@princetoninfo.com

While many venues have returned to hosting in-person events, others are still taking place online. Event descriptions specify if an event is being held virtually or in a hybrid format. To include your virtual or in-person event in this section email events@princetoninfo.com.

Wednesday June 4

Dance

Swan Lake, Princeton Ballet School, McCarter Theater, 91 University Place, Princeton. www. mccarter.org/swanlake. Experience the enchanting beauty of Swan Lake, a timeless tale of love, betrayal, and transformation, set to Tchaikovsky’s score. This adaptation, with choreography inspired by the 1895 revision of Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, follows Prince Siegfried’s journey as he meets Odette, a beautiful maiden who reveals that she and her companions are cursed by the sorcerer Rothbart to live as swans. 6:30 p.m.

On Stage

Alibi: An Agatha Christie Story Bristol Riverside Theater, 120 Radcliffe Street, Bristol, Pennsylvania. www.brtstage.org. Master detective Hercule Poirot has just retired and is hoping for some peace and quiet in a bucolic small town where no one knows who he is. Fate would have it otherwise. His new neighbor, Sir Roger Ackroyd, appears to have been a man who knew too much. Ackroyd knew that the woman he loved poisoned her first husband. He knew she was being blackmailed – and now he knows she is dead. But just before he learns the identity of the mystery blackmailer, he too collapses dead – stabbed through the neck in his own study. Whodunnit? Surely the funny new neighbor, Poirot, can figure it out. 2 and 7:30 p.m.

On Stage

OnStage Seniors presents “How Did I Get Here?” Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.artscouncilofprinceton.org. Directed by David Lee White, this season’s show invites audiences to connect through heartfelt performances. Our Ensemble gathers voices from across Central New Jersey through Story Circles and interviews, bringing them to life on stage. Free. 3 to 4 p.m. Film Hollywood Summer Nights, Princeton Garden Theater, 160 Nassau Street, Princeton, 609279-1999. www.thegardentheatre.com. Rebecca. $13.50. 7 p.m.

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Literati

Virtual Author Talk: Smithsonian’s Extinctopedia, Mercer County Library. www.mcl.org. “Extinctopedia” tells a complex story, not just of those who are extinct but also of those in greatest peril, with explanations of what threatens their survival. Presented by Brian Gratwicke, a conservation biologist who leads the amphibian conservation programs at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute; and Gina Della Togna, a researcher and conservationist currently serving as the executive director of the Amphibian Survival Alliance and a research associate at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Register. 2 p.m. Edward Tenner, Labyrinth Books & Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.labyrinthbooks. com. “Why the Hindenburg Had a Smoking Lounge: Essays in Unintended Consequences” features essays by the international bestselling author that explore the surprises of human ingenuity. 7 p.m.

Good Causes

Explore, Discover – Connect, Kiwanis Club of Trenton, Leonardo’s II, 2021 Brunswick Avenue, Lawrence. www.kiwanisoftrentonnj.org. Learn how the Watershed Institute is helping Trenton children explore, discover, and connect with the environment. Pat Heaney, assistant director of education for the Institute, surveys summer programs that are creating the next generation of environmental stewards. Register to 609208-9991 or mccormicknj@aol. com. $20 at the door for lunch off the menu. 12:15 p.m.

Lead-In

Description here.

Wellness

Wild Gentle Yoga: Yoga to Connect with Yourself and Nature, Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve, 1635 River Road, New Hope, PA. www.bhwp.org. Gentle yoga that builds body awareness, strength, flexibility and a better understanding of how humans connect to and reflect natural systems with Priscilla Hayes. Register. Pay what you can, $8 and up. 8 to 9 a.m.

Tai Chi, Grounds For Sculpture, 80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton. www.groundsforsculpture.org. Series promotes overall wellness through the practice of Tai Chi, an ancient Chinese art that blends exercise with stress reduction. Each week will include a warmup, followed by basic, low-impact Tai Chi movements. Class takes place outdoors. No experience required. Register. $20. 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Outdoor Yoga, Historical Society of Princeton, Updike Farmstead, 354 Quaker Road, Princeton. www.princetonhistory.org. Gratitude Yoga offers donationbased Vinyasa Flow classes. All ages and skill levels are welcome. 6 to 7 p.m.

Lectures

92nd Street Y Live, Center for Modern Aging Princeton, Nancy S. Klath Center for Lifelong Learning, 101 Poor Farm Road, Princeton. www.cmaprinceton.org. Evan Osnos discusses his new book, “The Haves and the Have-Yachts: Dispatches on the Ultrarich.” Register. 7 p.m.

Outdoor Action

Trenton Walks!, , Trenton Battle Monument, 348 North Warren

Street, Trenton. gmtma.org/trailhappenings. Enjoy an easy stroll along the Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park Towpath. Learn about the history of the canal, the railroads and the highways in the Trenton area, as well as the current use of the canal as a water source for about one million N.J. residents. Walk leaders include Stephanie Vannais, resource interpretive specialist with N.J. State Parks, Forests and Historic Sites, and Tim Brill, Central Jersey project manager with the New Jersey Conservation Foundation and Trenton Walks! co-chair. About 2.0 miles. Noon.

Socials

Sip & Paint, Working Dog Winery, 610 Windsor Perrineville Road, East Windsor, 609-3716000. www.workingdogwinerynj. com. With Stephanie Redding of Urban Anchor Design Studio. Register. $45 includes a glass of wine. 6 to 8 p.m.

Jersey Art Meetup, Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.artscouncilofprinceton.org. Princeton Comic Makers presents: JERSEY ART MEETUPS (JAM), a weekly social event connecting creatives within the greater Central Jersey area through a shared passion for sequential art and new media. Attendees may use this open workshop space to draw, write, and develop their own artwork, with an opportunity to receive peer review and feedback from other members if desired. Illustrators, animators, writers, and generalists are all welcome to join and discuss their art and career goals, share learning resources, promote current projects, or find friends and collaborators. Must be 16+ to attend. Free. 7 to 9 p.m.

For Seniors

Summer Block Party BBQ, Center for Modern Ageing Princeton, Suzanne Patterson Building, 45 Stockton Street, Princeton, 609-751-9699. engage.cmaprinceton.org/component/events/ event/696. Hotdogs, burgers (including veggie), country-fried and grilled chicken, corn on the cob, fresh salads, cool drinks, and sweet desserts. Register. $5. 1 to 3 p.m.

Sports

Trenton Thunder, Arm & Hammer Park, Route 29, Trenton, 609-394-3300. www.trentonthunder.com. Williamsport Crosscutters. $12. 7 p.m.

Thursday June 5

Jazz & Blues

Jazz in June: Stella Cole, McCarter Theater, 91 University Place, Princeton, 609-258-2787. www.mccarter.org. Jazz vocalist exposes new generations to the Great American Songbook. $53 to $63. 7:30 p.m.

Live Music

Cosmic Jerry Band, Cooper’s Riverview, 50 Riverview Plaza, Trenton, 609-393-7300. www. coopersnj.com. Grateful Dead tribute. Reservations recommended. 7 p.m.

Art

Drawing Points of View from the Collections | Watercolors: Upward Gaze Princeton University Art Museum. artmuseum. princeton.edu. This live virtual artmaking class is inspired by Doug and Mike Starn’s sculpture “(Any) Body Oddly Propped” (2015). Explore painting from the perspective of an upward gaze. Taught by artist-instructor Barbara DiLorenzo. 8 p.m.

On Stage

Film

Hollywood Summer Nights, Princeton Garden Theater, 160 Nassau Street, Princeton, 609-

279-1999. www.thegardentheatre.com. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. $13.50. 7 p.m.

Farm Markets

Princeton Farmers Market, Princeton Public Library, Hinds Plaza, 55 Witherspoon Street, Princeton, 609-924-9529. www. princetonfarmersmarket.com.

More than 30 vendors including local organic produce, pasture raised meat and eggs, farmstead cheeses, fresh baked goods, empanadas, all-natural dog and cat treats, homemade jam, oldworld style pickles, fresh flowers, handcrafted jewelry, knife sharpening, and more. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Lectures

Meeting 55-Plus Club of Princeton, Jewish Center of Princeton, 435 Nassau Street, Princeton. www.princeton.com/ groups/55plus. Ross Baker, Rutgers professor emeritus of political science, speaks on “The House and Senate: The NonIdentical Twins.” Meetings are free with a suggested donation of $5. Via Zoom or in person. 10 a.m.

Publishers Book Buzz, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www. princetonlibrary.org. Publisher reps from Penguin Random House, Union Square & Co., HarperCollins, Hachette, and Zibby share summer reading picks for adults. Light farmers market refreshments served. Register. 11 a.m.

Through the Eyes of the Artist: Alphonse Mucha, Mercer County Library. www.mcl.org. Felicia Zavarella Stadelman, an art historian, presents a lecture on the life and works of Alphonse Mucha. Unforgettable images of enchanting women, streaming hair, and flowing fabrics, Mucha’s work epitomizes the Art Nouveau Movement yet his name is barely known. Mucha felt that art should serve as language to the viewer.

Outdoor Action

Yoga on the Lawn Princeton University Art Museum, East Pyne Lawn, Princeton University. artmuseum.princeton.edu. Experience the healing benefits of outdoor yoga on a beautiful summer evening.

Free. Bring your own mat. 5:30 p.m.

Shopping News

Square After Sunset, Palmer Square, Princeton. www.palmersquare.com. Live music by AntGeo; extended shopping hours, discounts, and happy hour specials; caricature drawing done by the talented Dan’s Toonz; Pop-Up Paint Party on the Green with Cranbury Station Gallery (preregistration required); and lawn games for all ages. 6 to 8 p.m.

Socials

Paint Party Cranbury Station Gallery, Palmer Square, Princeton, 609-495-5641. Paint “Summer Sunset” by gallery owner Kathie Morolda. Register. $35 includes all materials. Call or email csgproduction123@gmail.com to reserve your seat. 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Sports

Trenton Thunder, Arm & Hammer Park, Route 29, Trenton, 609-394-3300. www.trentonthunder.com. Williamsport Crosscutters. $12. 7 p.m.

Friday June 6

Classical Music

Rachmaninoff and Shostakovich, New Jersey Symphony,

Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University. www.njsymphony.org. Shostakovich’s blazing triumph of a symphony written after a frightening threat to his life; and Rachmaninoff’s own triumph of the soul, his Piano Concerto No. 2, created as he recovered from a shattering setback. Guest artist, pianist Conrad Tao, returns for Rachmaninoff’s epic masterwork. $29 to $110. 8 p.m.

Jazz & Blues

Princeton High School Jazz Ensemble Dance Princeton High School Cafeteria, 151 Moore Street, Princeton. www.princetonjazz.org. Tap your toes or get on your feet to jazz tunes and recent hits performed by the PHS Jazz Ensemble. $10 adults, $5 students. Proceeds benefit the PHS Band program. 7 p.m.

Live Music

The Far Out Folks, Hopewell Valley Vineyards, 46 Yard Road, Pennington, 609-737-4465. www. hopewellvalleyvineyards.com. Folk/rock/Americana. 5:30 to

8:30 p.m.

Z Jazz Band with Flutist Wendy Zoffer, Yankee Doodle Tap Room, Nassau Inn, 10 Palmer Square East, Princeton. www. nassauinn.com. 6 to 9 p.m.

Gilligan Yacht Rock, Cooper’s Riverview, 50 Riverview Plaza, Trenton, 609-393-7300. www. coopersnj.com. Reservations recommended. 7 p.m.

Pop Music

ICON: The Voices That Changed Music, Princeton Festival, Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, Princeton. www.princetonsymphony.org. Capathia Jenkins and Ryan Shaw return to the Princeton Festival stage with a brand-new program featuring songs by such iconic artists as Prince, Whitney Houston, Gladys Knight, Elvis Presley, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, and many others, performing with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra conducted by Lucas Waldin. $45 to $130. 7 p.m. Art

The Stonebridge Photography Club, Gourgaud Gallery, 23A North Main Street, Cranbury. www.cranburyartscouncil.org.

Opening reception for exhibit of photographs by the members of the club based at the active senior community in Montgomery Township. On view through June 27. Noon to 2:30 p.m.

Faculty & Student Show, West Windsor Arts, 952 Alexander Road, West Windsor. westwindsorarts.org. Reception for exhibition showcasing what has been created during the past year in WWAC’s classes, including art by adults, youth, and teaching art-

Continued on following page

Lark Makes a Name Fiddling with the Classics

If this 400-year-old G.P Maggini violin has a memory, could it ever recall playing music like this?

This will certainly be an interesting incarnation for the instrument if Grammy-nominated violinist Tessa Lark has anything to do with it. The music of Bach, Mozart, Belgian composer Eugene-Auguste Ysaye and other classical geniuses will come through its strings, but there will be lots of American roots music played on the Maggini as well.

Consider the sounds on Lark’s most recent album, “The Stradgrass Sessions” (Firsthand Records, 2023), which features an allstar roster of collaborations and composers including bassist Edgar Meyer, pianist Jon Batiste, mandolinist Sierra Hull, and fiddler Michael Cleveland.

Selections from the album mix original compositions by Lark and friends, with a sonata by Ysaye, a handful of Bela Bartok’s violin duos arranged for violin and mandolin, and the premier recording of John Corigliano’s “STOMP.”

But through the entire album, there are melodic and harmonic lines that evoke the yearning tonalities of the Appalachian Mountains.

“This album is a snapshot of the way I live in music -- diversely, organically, intimately, sometimes collaboratively, sometimes solitarily, always sincerely, and anywhere, be it a concert hall or home studio,” she says. “There’s fusion going on in my head all the time. That’s what life is, you’re informed by all your experiences.”

Lark will perform a solo recital including works from “The Stradgrass Sessions,” on Thursday, June 12, at Trinity Church in Princeton. The evening of music is part of the three-week long Princeton Festival, running June 6 through 21.

“Exploring Americana sounds via classical music is a story arc in a sense, about my life in music,” Lark says. “Bach used forms that were folk dances, Ysaye has a folksy flare in his music. There are many folk-inspired classical pieces, and (on the album and in performance) I supplement these with works of my own and traditional fiddle tunes.”

Many may not be familiar with Ysaye (1858-1931), but Lark has immersed herself in his works and

by Susan van Dongen

notes that he is quite well known in the violin world.

“You might even say he has a cult following,” Lark says. “He was very successful in his life and made quite an impact in the United States.”

She says Ysaye is especially associated with the city of Cincinnati, which borders her home state of Kentucky.

“He was music director of the Cincinnati Symphony for a while, and that’s one thing that’s very interesting to me,” Lark says. “Ysaye was not just a violinist, but also a gifted composer and conductor and dear friend to a lot of (more prominent) musicians.”

Lark says it’s not difficult for her to shift between classical and American roots music. She is a highly acclaimed fiddler in the tradition of her native Kentucky, performing programs that include Appalachian and bluegrass music and inspiring composers to write for her. (Lark herself coined the term “Stradgrass” when, in 2015, she played bluegrass on a 1683 Stradivarius violin.)

She comes by this talent naturally, with close and extended family members loving and performing music throughout the years.

“My mom was in a bell choir, and all her siblings took piano lessons; my grandfather played fiddle

played a little mandolin, just basic chords but enough to strum along with my dad. I loved those gigs and got a feel for what it’s like being in a bluegrass band.”

It wasn’t always the violin that Lark had her heart set on: she really wanted to play piano. In fact, it was on a toy piano where she first explored sound, picking out favorite songs on the radio and playing them by ear. Her parents began to realize that young Tessa had a knack for music.

“I took some piano lessons as a teen,” she says. “I also took cello for a while. I am a music nerd – I’ll play anything I can get my hands on. But violin is the only instrument I formally studied, beginning with the Suzuki method (at age 6, with Catherine McGlasson). My parents have said that I declared myself a violinist when I was 7 years old.”

as well,” Lark says. “There’s a love for music on both sides of my family, and the Scot-Irish connection is palpable.”

In addition, Lark’s father used to take her along to play in his gospel bluegrass group, Narrow Road, as a child.

“When I was about 8 or 9, we’d go to different churches on Sundays, and that was a big influence on me,” she says, speaking from her part-time home in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. “I

“There was always classical music playing in the house, it was kind of the soundtrack of my childhood,” Lark adds, noting Hilary Hahn, James Ehnes, Maxim Vengerov, Itzhak Perlman, and David Oistrakh as major influences.

Lark made her concert debut at age 16, playing Mozart’s Violin Concerto Number 3 in G, with the Cincinnati Symphony. She was accepted into Cincinnati CollegeConservatory of Music’s Starling Preparatory Strings Project where she studied privately with Kurt

ists, highlighting the many mediums and art forms students use to create their artwork. On view through June 12. 7 to 8:30 p.m.

On Stage

Sassmannhaus.

Also at age 16, Lark was accepted into the New England Conservatory (NEC), where she completed her bachelor and master’s degrees. In addition, Lark attended the Juilliard School and studied in their Artist Diploma program until completion in 2017.

She has performed at recital venues and in festivals around the world, and she has appeared with such orchestras as the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the Louisville Orchestra, the Stuttgart Philharmonic and the Indianapolis, Knoxville, and Seattle Symphonies.

As a chamber musician, she will continue to tour with her string trio project with composer-bassist Meyer and cellist Joshua Roman, to venues including Meany Hall, Seattle; Cal Performances Berkeley; WPAS in Washington, D.C.; and the Boston Celebrity Series.

Lark champions young aspiring artists and supports the next generation of musicians through her work as co-host/creative of NPR’s “From the Top,” the radio program that showcases some of the nation’s most talented up-and-coming musicians. Her Grammy nomination in 2020 was for Best Classical Instrumental Solo for her recording of “Sky,” a violin concerto written for her by American composer Michael Torke.

knew she was being blackmailed –and now he knows she is dead. But just before he learns the identity of the mystery blackmailer, he too collapses dead – stabbed through the neck in his own study. Whodunnit? Surely the funny new neighbor, Poirot, can figure it out. 8 p.m.

Fiddler on the Roof Kelsey Theatre, Mercer County Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor, 609-570-3333. www. kelseytheatre.org. As Tevye, a poor dairyman, tries to hold onto his religion, his Russian-Jewish traditions, and his five daughters while eluding the difficult future that looms ever nearer, he learns that life is “as shaky as a fiddler on the roof.” $26. 8 p.m.

Hair, Music Mountain Theater, 1483 State Route 179, Lambertville. www. musicmountaintheatre.org. The American tribal love rock musical celebrates the sixties counterculture in all its barefoot, long-haired, bellbottomed, beaded and fringed glory. $35. 8 p.m.

Film

Movies in the Courtyard, Princeton Shopping Center, 301 North Harrison Street, Princeton. www.princetonshoppingcenter.com. Screening

Not being a violinist, this writer wondered if the Maggini can get the melancholy, keening sound you sometimes hear in bluegrass and Americana, or is it too elegant of an instrument?

“A lot of classical violinists need projection, but fiddle players can get away with darker tones that don’t project over an orchestra,” Lark explains. “This violin has the power to solo over an orchestra, but it also has a nice deep tone for the fiddle. I ‘met’ it in 2018 and it’s one of my favorites I’ve ever played. It’s a miraculous instrument, and it makes a mean fiddle.”

Tessa Lark performs Stradgrass Solo Recital, at Trinity Church, 33 Mercer Street, Princeton, Thursday, June 12, 7 p.m. Tickets cost: $35-$50, half price ages 5-17. Post-concert reception, free and open to all concert attendees. (609) 497-0020. www.princetonsymphony.org.

Tessa Lark on the Web: www. tessalark.com

of “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” Bring blankets, lawn chairs, and snacks, available for purchase at the center’s eateries. Free. 8:30 p.m.

Dancing

Friday Night Folk Dance Princeton Folk Dance, Suzanne Patterson Center, 45 Stockton Street, Princeton. www.princetonfolkdance.org. Lesson followed by open dancing. No partner necessary. $10. 8 p.m.

Benefit Galas

20th Annual Platinum Dads Awards, Father Center of New Jersey, The Bradford Estate, 1910 Marne Highway, Hainesport. thefathercenter.org/platinum-dads-2025. Milestone gala event pays tribute to an extraordinary group of fathers whose strong leadership and steadfast dedication have uplifted our communities and changed lives: Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Hamilton Township Councilman and Director of Mercer County Economic Development Anthony Carabelli, Trenton NAACP President Austin Edwards, Esq., Tabernacle Baptist Church Pastor Dr. Cory Jones, The Father Center of New Jersey participant Rashan McNeil, and Former Trenton Mayor Doug Palmer. Regis-

Caption: Info.

ter. $200. 4 to 8 p.m.

Gala, McCarter Theater, Forum, Lewis Arts Complex, Princeton University, 609-2584646. www.mccarter.org. Cocktail reception, a three-course dinner, a cabaret performance by André De Shields, and dancing under the stars. Roger Berlind honored posthumously with the McCarter Award. Register. $600 and up. 6 p.m.

Farm Markets

Farm Market, Blue Moon Acres, 11 Willow Creek Drive, Pennington, 609-737-8333. bluemoonacres.net. Selection of Blue Moon-grown Certified Organic produce, micro greens, eggs, rice, Herbarium body care products made with herbs grown on the farm, as well as an array of products from other local vendors. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Health

Understanding Osteoporosis Robbinsville Library, 42 Robbinsville-Allentown Road, Robbinsville, 609-799-0462. www. mcl.org. Learn what a diagnosis of osteoporosis or osteopenia means and effective strategies to reduce your risk for fractures and optimize bone health. Presented by Anupama Anand, PT, DPT, Rehab Manager and Rehabilitation physical therapist, Penn Medicine Princeton Health, specializing in treating those with osteoporosis. Register. 2 p.m.

History

Morven Revealed Tour, Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, Princeton. www.morven.org. Take a tour of the museum’s newest exhibition, “Morven Revealed: Untold Stories from New Jersey’s Most Historic Home.” A docent leads visitors through the unique stories that made this most historic of houses a home for centuries of inhabitants. Register. $12. 2 to 3 p.m.

Kids Stuff

Cooking Workshop, French American School of Princeton, 75 Mapleton Road, Princeton. www.ecoleprinceton.org. For ages 3 and 4 accompanied by an adult. Bring an apron. Ingredients include ladyfinger cookies, yogurt, and fruit. No allergy/food sensitivity accomodations possible. Register. $5. 9 a.m.

Socials

New Hope Summer Series, New Hope Area Chamber of Commerce, Stockton Avenue, New Hope, PA. Block party featuring vendors, local artists, live entertainment, and small-town magic followed by fireworks and synchronized drone show at 9:10 p.m. 5 to 9 p.m.

Pride on the Plaza, Princeton Public Library, Hinds Plaza, Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.princetonlibrary.org. Community disco dance party featuring live music by the EAMC Disco Funk Machine to kick off Pride Month. For all ages. In case of rain, event moves to the Community Room. 7 to 10 p.m.

For Seniors

First Friday Film: “Will & Harper”, Center for Modern Aging Princeton, Nancy S. Klath Center for Lifelong Learning, 101 Poor Farm Road, Princeton, 609-751-9699. www.cmaprinceton.org. When Will Ferrell’s good friend Harper Steele comes out as a trans woman, they take a road trip to bond and reintroduce Harper to the country as her true self. Refreshments served. Rated R. In person or via Zoom. Register. 1 p.m.

Sports

Trenton Thunder, Arm & Hammer Park, Route 29, Trenton, 609-394-3300. www. trentonthunder.com. Frederick Keys. $12. 7 p.m.

Saturday June 7

Classical Music

65th Anniversary Concert, Greater Princeton Youth Orchestra, Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University. www.gpyo.org. Milestone performance showcases the talents of GPYO’s Concert and Symphonic Orchestras, led by conductors Judith Morse and Joseph Pucciatti, and features a wideranging program that spans centuries and continents. $25. 3 p.m.

The Lion & The Sun La Fiocco, Christ Congregation, 50 Walnut Lane, Princeton. www.lafiocco.org. The Bucks County Baroque ensemble concludes its season with music from Venice and Naples, Europe’s most innovative musical cities during the 17th and 18th centuries. Guest artist tenor Corey Shotwell performs songs from a 1601 collection that sparked the Baroque era, an elegant pastoral cantata of Alessandro Scarlatti, and arias by Antonio Vivaldi from his operas La virtù trionfante overo Il Tigrane and Atenaide. The program also includes instrumental works by Dario Castello, Johann Rosenmüller, Francesco Mancini, and Domenico Sarro. $25 general admission in advance; $30 at the door. 7:30 p.m.

Renée Fleming with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, Princeton Festival, Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, Princeton. www.princetonsymphony.org. Hear one of the most acclaimed singers of our time perform live with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra. The 5-time Grammy-winning soprano sings her favorite arias and songs. Sold out at press time. 8 p.m.

Jazz & Blues

Jazz in June: Dianne Reeves, McCarter Theater, 91 University Place, Princeton, 609-258-2787. www.mccarter.org. The fivetime Grammy winning vocalist fuses jazz and R&B. She is joined by Brazilian guitar virtuoso Romero Lubambo. $33 to $83.

7:30 p.m.

Live Music

Weekend Music Series, Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road, Princeton, 609-924-2310. www.terhuneorchards.com. Live music from 1 to 4 p.m. Lunch fare, homemade treats, ice cream, and wine by the glass available. Noon to 5 p.m.

Jon Savage & the Classic Rockers, Hopewell Valley Vineyards, 46 Yard Road, Pennington, 609-737-4465. www. hopewellvalleyvineyards.com. Classic rock in the afternoon; evening band TBA. 1 to 4 and 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Larry Corban, Small World Coffee, 14 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.smallworldcoffee.com. Jazz guitar. 7 p.m.

SideArm Band Cooper’s Riverview, 50 Riverview Plaza, Trenton, 609-393-7300. www.coopersnj.com. With DJ David Matrix. Reservations recommended. 8 p.m.

Outdoor Concerts

Summer Music Series, Palmer Square Green, Princeton. www.palmersquare. com. KickStart performs. 1 to 3 p.m.

Pop Music

Good Witch Bad Witch, Bucks County Playhouse, 70 South Main Street, New Hope, Pennsylvania. www.bcptheater.org. Concert of powerhouse vocals, playful banter, and Broadway magic featuring Alli Mauzey and Alyssa Fox, a former Glinda and Elphaba from the Broadway company of “Wicked.” $60 and up. 1:30 and 7:30 p.m.

Art

Celebrating Color & Light Artists’ Gallery, 18 Bridge Street, Lambertville. www. lambertvillearts.com. Opening reception for exhibition featuring the work of Jane Adriance and Claudia Fouse Fountaine inviting visitors to experience the artists’ shared love of luminosity, expressive color, and the vibrant energy of the natural world. On view through July 6. 4 to 6 p.m.

On Stage

Alibi: An Agatha Christie Story, Bristol Riverside Theater, 120 Radcliffe Street, Bristol, Pennsylvania. www.brtstage.org.

Pieces of Princeton Launches ‘First Fridays Princeton’

Pieces of Princeton (POP), a community-based resident-business coalition established this year, is bringing the “First Friday” community event concept to the downtown Princeton business district on Friday, June 6, with music, special events, and food specials.

The event kicks off on Thursday, June 5, at the Princeton Farmer’s Market with a “Chef Shop,” where chefs from participating restaurants will gather farm-fresh ingredients that will be included on their menus on what is being dubbed as “Local Food Friday.”

Confirmed events to date include a new barrel tapping and live jazz at Triumph Brewery; “Tea, Tapas, + Tunes” at Tipple + Rose; an exhibit by nature artist Rebecca Deporte at Small World Coffee’s Witherspoon location; the debut of a Whole Earth

Master detective Hercule Poirot has just retired and is hoping for some peace and quiet in a bucolic small town where no one knows who he is. Fate would have it otherwise. His new neighbor, Sir Roger Ackroyd, appears to have been a man who knew too much. Ackroyd knew that the woman he loved poisoned her first husband. He knew she was being blackmailed – and now he knows she is dead. But just before he learns the identity of the mystery blackmailer, he too collapses dead – stabbed through the neck in his own study. Whodunnit? Surely the funny new neighbor, Poirot, can figure it out. 2 and 8 p.m.

Fiddler on the Roof, Kelsey Theatre, Mercer County Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor, 609-5703333. www.kelseytheatre.org. As Tevye, a poor dairyman, tries to hold onto his religion, his Russian-Jewish traditions, and his five daughters while eluding the difficult future that looms ever nearer, he learns that life is “as shaky as a fiddler on the roof.”

$26. 8 p.m.

Hair, Music Mountain Theater, 1483 State

Local Dessert Special, and Dinner and a Movie with the Garden Theater. POP’s mission is to promote, engage in, and facilitate collaborations between small businesses in Princeton’s downtown business district and Princeton residents. Follow POP on Instagram @POP_ PRINCETON or on Facebook at POPPrinceton. Contact popprinceton@gmail. com for more information.

Route 179, Lambertville. www.musicmountaintheatre.org. The American tribal love rock musical celebrates the sixties counterculture in all its barefoot, long-haired, bellbottomed, beaded and fringed glory. $35. 8 p.m.

Literati

Exhibition Tour, Princeton University Library, Firestone Library, Princeton University. library.princeton.edu/lapidus2025. Curator-led tour of “The Most Formidable Weapon Against Errors: The Sid Lapidus ‘59 Collection & the Age of Reason,” which documents the new conceptions of human liberty, political order, and scientific reasoning that emerged in the Anglo-American intellectual world between the 17th and 19th centuries and celebrates the collecting achievements of Sid Lapidus, Class of 1959. 1 p.m.

U.S. 1 Newspaper extends its annual invitation to all writers and poets to present original short fiction, short plays, or poetry for our special issue to be published on Wednesday, July 23 This is an opportunity to have your work published in hard-copy form and to be recognized in public for your effort.

To participate in the U.S. 1 Summer Fiction issue, submit your previously unpublished short story, play, or poem. All work must be received no later than Friday, June 27, by email to fiction@princetoninfo.com. Authors retain all rights.

Preference will be given to central New Jersey writers whose work addresses a theme or place relevant to the greater Princeton business community. Submissions from children are not encouraged.

Important: Be sure to include a brief biographical summary with your submission, along with your name, address, and daytime phone number.

Issue Date: Wednesday, July

p.m.

Gardens

Benefit Galas

A Night in Lights: Annual Benefit Gala State Theatre New Jersey 15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick. www.stnj.org. Cocktail reception, dinner, silent auction, performance by Tony Award-winning Broadway star Kelli O’Hara, and after party with music, dancing, and late-night indulgences. Black tie optional. Register. $700. 5 to 11 p.m.

Comedy

Wine & Comedy Night Old York Cellars, 80 Old York Road, Ringoes. www.oldyorkcellars.com.

Comedy hosted by Helene Angley featuring Scott Higgins and Ace Aceto. Reservations required. $27.50. Food available for purchase. 7 to 10 p.m.

Fairs & Festivals

NJ Renaissance Faire, Burlington Fairgrounds, 1990 Jacksonville Jobstown Road, Columbus. njrenfaire.com. Set in the perilous days when pirates ruled the seas and King George I offered clemency to those who surrendered, this year’s storyline immerses you in the dramatic struggle of the Republic of Pirates. Family-friendly festivities include sword fighting, fire breathing, comedy, live music, and a merchant village. $30 admission. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mercer County Cultural Festival & Food Truck Rally, Mercer County Cultural & Heritage Commission, Mercer County Park, Old Trenton Road, West Windsor. www.mercercounty.org. Celebrate diverse cultures through live music, traditional dance performances, arts and crafts, and cuisine. Free parking and admission. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. 2025 Trenton Pride Festival, City of Trenton, State Capitol & Mill Hill Park, Trenton. www.trentonpridecenter.org. Solidarity March at 11 am starting at the World War II Memorial followed by Opening Ceremonies at Mill Hill Park at noon. Food, entertainment, dance, drag queens, local artists, vendors, and more. Noon to 7 p.m.

Farm Markets

Farm Market, Blue Moon Acres, 11 Willow Creek Drive, Pennington, 609-737-8333. bluemoonacres.net. Selection of Blue Moongrown Certified Organic produce, micro greens, eggs, rice, Herbarium body care products made with herbs grown on the farm, as well as an array of products from other local vendors. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Pennington Farmers Market, Rosedale Mills, 101 Route 31, Pennington. www.penningtonfarmersmarket.org. Fresh fruits, vegetables, and more from local producers. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

West Windsor Community Farmers’ Market, Vaughn Drive Lot, 877 Alexander Road, Princeton Junction. www.wwcfm.org. Up to 50 farms and other vendors on site selling fresh produce, meat, sweets, beer, tea, bread, pickles, and more. Live music and other special events weekly. 9 a.m. to 1

History in Bloom Annual Garden Tour, Bordentown Historical Society. www.bordentownhistory. org. Annual event features a variety of curated home and community gardens, many with rich, local histories that homeowners will be on site to share. $23 in advance; $25 day of. Rain date June 8. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

33rd Annual Mill Hill Garden

Tour Old Mill Hill Society, 19 Everett Alley, Trenton. www.trentonmillhill.org. Tour the hidden gardens of this historic landmark neighborhood. $20. Purchase online or at Artworks day of. Noon to 5 p.m.

Wellness

Sahaja Yoga Meditation West Windsor Library, 333 North Post Road, Princeton Junction. www. mcl.org. Relieve stress via meditation. Open to all ages. 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

History

History/Nature Hike at Institute

Woods Historical Society of Princeton, Princeton Battlefield Parking Lot, 500 Mercer Road, Princeton. www.princetonhistory. org. Hike through the Institute Woods to explore bits of history, as well as the sites and sounds that form this unique and serene setting. Hear stories about the Woods’ origin and the ways IAS mathematicians, physicists, and other members have engaged with it. Stops along the way will highlight the history of early Stony Brook, the Battle of Princeton, the Old Trolley trail, the establishment of the Institute for Advanced Study, and Founders Rock. Special stop at the Swinging Bridge, then hike over to the observation decks at the adjacent Rogers Wildlife Refuge. Register. $20. 4 to 6 p.m.

For Families

Second Annual Abbott Day Celebration Tulpehaking Nature Center, 157 Westcott Avenue, Hamilton, 609-888-3218. www. abbottmarshlands.org. Birthday celebration of the life and times off C harles Conrad Abbott, whose archaeological and naturalist endeavors resulted in the Abbott Farm National Historic Landmark and the Abbott Marshlands being named in his honor. Festivities include: silent auction by Marsh artists; music by Righteous Jolly; birthday cake and ice cream; family crafts and photo booth; and Abbott historic books and photos. Free. Noon to 2 p.m.

Outdoor Action

Old Time Baseball Game & Wash Day, Howell Living History Farm, 70 Woodens Lane, Lambertville, 609-737-3299. www. howellfarm.org. Howell Farm’s two teams play by 19th-century Town Ball rules, and invite visitors of all ages to step up to the plate as “Striker” and face off against the “Thrower.” But be careful of the Referee, who sits in a chair on the field and charges fines of up to 5 cents for breaking the rules. At 11 a.m. the Flemington Neshanocks face off against the Elizabeth Resolutes. At 1:30 p.m. 1:30

p.m. join Howell Farm’s own Hogs and Bulls for a public game on the farmhouse lawn. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Princeton Canal Walkers Turning Basin Park, Alexander Road, Princeton. 3 mile walk on the towpath, weather permitting. Free. Register to canalwalkers@googlegroups.com for notices of weather-related cancellations. 10 a.m.

The Art of Olmsted’s Landscape, Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie, Cadwalader Park, Trenton, 609-989-1191. www.ellarslie. org. Guided walk led by David Bosted, urban planner and Trenton Museum Society trustee, and Mark Witmer, birding expert and advocate. Attendees receive a free bird identification book. Bring binoculars and comfortable walking shoes and experience the natural splendor of Frederick Law Olmsted’s urban vision. Take in the landscape, plantings, walkways, and more, including the birds that nest in Cadwalader Park or make it a migratory stop. Free for TMS members; $5 for non-members. 11 a.m. to noon.

Socials

Open House: Washington Crossing Radio Control Flyers Association Hopewell Library 245 Pennington-Titusville Road, Pennington, 609-799-0462. www. mcl.org. Variety of model aircraft on display throughout the library. Members available to answer questions about building and flying model aircraft, as well as any inquiries about the association. 10 a.m. to noon.

Sports

Princeton Triathlon, , 380 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.trisignup.com/Race/NJ/Princeton/ PrincetonTriathlon. Communitydriven event offers a variety of race formats, including the SuperSprint Triathlon, SuperSprint Aquabike, Youth Triathlon, and relay options. Register. 7 a.m. Trenton Thunder, Arm & Hammer Park, Route 29, Trenton, 609-394-3300. www.trentonthunder.com. Frederick Keys. $12. 6 p.m.

Sunday

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June 8

Live Music

Weekend Music Series Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road, Princeton, 609-924-2310. www. terhuneorchards.com. Live music from 1 to 4 p.m. by Mark Miklos Duo. Lunch fare, homemade treats, ice cream, and wine by the glass available. Noon to 5 p.m.

Ronnie Brandt, Working Dog Winery, 610 Windsor Perrineville Road, East Windsor, 609-3716000. www.workingdogwinerynj. com. Live music plus food truck by Legends Grille. 1 to 5 p.m.

A Little Bit Off Hopewell Valley Vineyards, 46 Yard Road, Pennington, 609-737-4465. www. hopewellvalleyvineyards.com. Bluegrass/folk. 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Pop Music

Sondheim in the City, Princeton Festival, Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, Princeton. www.princetonsymphony.org. Melissa Errico’s cabaret-style tribute to Broadway’s greatest songwriter, Stephen Sondheim, offers an outward-driven, kaleidoscopic street fair of New York scenes and moments – summoning back to life the poetic vision of a man who once confessed that his entire creative life had been spent in a twenty-block radius of Manhattan. $35 to $100. 4 p.m.

Architecture

University Chapel: An Inside Look, Princeton University Chapel. chapel.princeton.edu. Tour the nearly 100-year-old Princeton University Chapel, designed by renowned Gothic Revival architect Ralph Adams Cram, and explore its rich history, stained-glass windows, furnishings, and memorials. Binoculars are welcome. Free, tour limited to 24 participants. To reserve your

spot or for more information, contact steveyacik@optonline.net. 10 to 11 a.m.

On Stage

Fiddler on the Roof, Kelsey Theatre, Mercer County Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor, 609-570-3333. www.kelseytheatre.org. As Tevye, a poor dairyman, tries to hold onto his religion, his Russian-Jewish traditions, and his five daughters while eluding the difficult future that looms ever nearer, he learns that life is “as shaky as a fiddler on the roof.” $26. 2 p.m.

Alibi: An Agatha Christie Story, Bristol Riverside Theater, 120 Radcliffe Street, Bristol, Pennsylvania. www.brtstage.org. Master detective Hercule Poirot has just retired and is hoping for some peace and quiet in a bucolic small town where no one knows who he is. Fate would have it otherwise. His new neighbor, Sir Roger Ackroyd, appears to have been a man who knew too much. Ackroyd knew that the woman he loved poisoned her first husband. He knew she was being blackmailed – and now he knows she is dead. But just before he learns the identity of the mystery blackmailer, he too collapses dead – stabbed through the neck in his own study. Whodunnit? Surely the funny new neighbor, Poirot, can figure it out. 3 p.m.

Hair Music Mountain Theater 1483 State Route 179, Lambertville. www.musicmountaintheatre. org. The American tribal love rock musical celebrates the sixties counterculture in all its barefoot, long-haired, bell-bottomed, beaded and fringed glory. $35. 3 p.m.

Literati

Book Brunch: Molly Jong-Fast with Diana Weymar, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.princetonlibrary.org. Political writer and podcaster Molly Jong-Fast dis-

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Headline

Model railroading is an imaginative endeavor. It appeals to the mechanical, scientific and creative mind. Building the world surrounding the train tracks is a fun challenge. The train can run through cities, small towns and countryside.

There is a model railroading club in Rocky Hill, that has been steaming down the tracks since 1964, meeting at least once a week and building towns, bridges, tunnels and mountains.

In a basement of a Cape Cod house in Rocky Hill, the Pacific Southern Railway Club has been a home base for model railroad enthusiasts. The 30-member club meets weekly and hosts periodic open houses for the public to see their miniature world of transportation.

The club was nearly wiped out last fall when the owner of the house, Carlton Pate, died after a long illness. His widow Anne, wished to move out of state to be closer to family, and the home with the model railroad looked likely to be sold.

When word of the plight of the railway club reached a certain local couple, everything changed. The railway has been more than saved. It has been enhanced.

Comedic actor and writer James Murray and his wife, Melyssa, happened to be looking for space in the Princeton area for Melyssa’s her burgeoning handmade candle business. After they read a story about the Pacific Southern Railway in the Wall Street Journal, they went to have a look at the home.

Murray is a lifelong model train aficionado, and, after seeing the layout in the basement he knew this would be a great fit. Melyssa’s younger brother is also a train enthusiast, so she was familiar with the lure of model railroading.

“When I saw the railroad layout in the basement, I was floored,” James says. “I mean it just kept going. The basement is bigger than the home! There is no way that the railroad could be moved. Relocation was not an option, as it would have destroyed 90% of the layout.”

The couple agreed to purchase the house. They took possession in April, but they did not wait until then to inject new life into the club. Since they became involved, the club has launched a new website as well as a new membership program.

“Murr” is known as one of the stars of the long-running TV show Impractical Jokers. The Jokers are lifelong friends who do sophisticated improvisational comedy on camera with unsuspecting bystanders. Many of the bits have one or a pair of Jokers follow distinct instructions of the other Jokers who

by Thomas Kelly

are off camera, relaying hilarious orders through a hidden earpiece.

Melyssa and James met in New York, where Impractical Jokers often filmed. They settled in Princeton 6 years ago, and were married in 2020. Melyssa was about to start a new job in her field of nursing when the pandemic struck, and the opportunity disappeared.

“I had to pivot, as we had no idea what was going to happen,” she says. She ended up starting a company called 95 Candles. The candles are soy based, which she says have no toxins and burn very cleanly. They are sold at stores in New Jersey, street fairs and festivals around the state. (Web: 95candles. com.)

And now thanks to the success of that business, the Murrays have become a major part of the Pacific Southern Railway Club, which was founded in the 1950’s by Bob Latham, then the home’s owner, who began with an O-scale layout. He later converted his basement setup to an HO-scale railroad.

The next owner of the home was Geoff Green, also one of the founding members. Green made a huge expansion by removing one of the basement exterior walls and adding a space of 30 by 45 feet. This doubled the space for the train layout.

“The club has their own workshop also in the basement. They cut and carve wood. They create their own track, with metal rail and handmade ties,” says James. “The rails are held down with thousands of tiny spikes! It really is incredible.”

Model railroading is a hobby with clubs like the Pacific Southern Railway throughout the state. In Hamilton there is the Jersey Valley Model Railroad, which is not as old as the Pacific Southern Railway, but still has a base of loyal members. It was founded in 1978, and its HO-scale train display has been based in Kuser Mansion on Newkirk Road ever since. The trains are on display every Christmastime as part of the holiday festivities hosted by Hamilton Township at Kuser Mansion.

For a decade, Bordentown City hosted an annual holiday model train display of its own, in Old City Hall. Locals including Joe Malone and Zig Targonski put their heart into it each year. The coronavirus pandemic put a hold on that tradition, though it has returned in recent years.

Krissy Chiarello of Trains and Things, a model railroading store in Ewing, says that there are roughly 25 model train clubs in the state.

“Since the pandemic, model railroading is a year-round thing now,” Chiarello says. “This is our 47th year, and we are growing. This

cusses her just released memoir “How to Lose Your Mother” with Diana Weymar. Doors open at 10:30 am. Register. 11 a.m. Exhibition Tour, Princeton University Library, Firestone Library, Princeton University. library.princeton.edu/lapidus2025. Curator-led tour of “The Most Formidable Weapon Against Errors: The Sid Lapidus ‘59 Collection & the Age of Reason,” which documents the new conceptions of human liberty, political order, and scientific reasoning that emerged in the Anglo-American intellectual world between the 17th and 19th centuries and celebrates the collecting achievements of Sid Lapidus, Class of 1959. 1 p.m. Fairs & Festivals

NJ Renaissance Faire, Burlington Fairgrounds, 1990 Jacksonville Jobstown Road, Columbus. njrenfaire.com. Set in the perilous days when pirates ruled the seas

week I am shipping to Hawaii and Nebraska. We have customers as far away as Australia.”

As for the Pacific Southern Railway, there are still original members in the club. They meet every Wednesday evening, but also stop in at other times, always work to be done in model railroading.

The club is a nonprofit that also raises funds for good causes. Using entrance fees raised during open houses, the club donates to the Rocky Hill Fire Department and First Aid Squad. To date, the club has donated more than $250,000 to local fire and EMT workers.

The Murrays’ enthusiasm has been exciting for club members to see. They say they have breathed life into the club with a different outlook and modern marketing ideas. The website has recently been redone, and now features videos, history and offers merchandise with the club’s logos.

“Every time I am here, I see something new,” James says. “The other day I noticed there is a tiny figure ziplining! There are figures doing every activity imaginable.”

There are indeed untold hours of handwork and artistic know-how in this railroad. The models are steeped in American history, but operated in a very modern way. The layout covers 5,000 square feet, and there is more than 12,000 feet of operating track. Up to 15 trains can run simultaneously, controlled by computer technology and code written by a club member specifically for the railroad.

“The club members are all very learned. They are scientists, engineering and technology people,” says James. “They have been building and refining this railroad for 60 years.”

There are 30 to 40 members who are active and involved. “People need community. We all need to be engaged and active,” Melyssa says. “Doing hands-on work with others to a mutual goal or purpose keeps

and King George I offered clemency to those who surrendered, this year’s storyline immerses you in the dramatic struggle of the Republic of Pirates. Family-friendly festivities include sword fighting, fire breathing, comedy, live music, and a merchant village. $30 admission. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Wellness

Yoga in the Garden, Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, Princeton. www.morven.org. All-level yoga flow class, accompanied by live music, appropriate for ages 10 and up. Register. Free. 9 a.m. Free Class, Yoga4Sobriety, Plainsboro Municipal Building, 641 Plainsboro Road, Plainsboro. Yoga4Sobriety.com/schedule. Free 12 step-based yoga class. Beginners welcome; no experience required. Bring a mat and an open mind. No registration required for in-person attendance; visit website for access via Zoom. 9 to 10:15 a.m.

For Families

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us focused. The club members connect here. They really enjoy their time here.”

In addition to needing space for 95 Candles, the Murrays needed space for the work they do for charity. James’ father died from complications related to Alzheimer’s last year, and the couple host an annual gala and other events to raise funds and awareness for Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers. To date they have raised more than $250,000 for the Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research, based in New York City.

This year, 95 Candles 4th annual Alzheimer’s Charity event will be held on Oct. 25. The website is 95charityevent.eventbrite.com.

The Murrays hope that the club will also benefit from Impractical Jokers fans worldwide. There is a virtual membership now available on the website, with plans to offer bi-weekly videos from Murr showing updates to the railroad, interviews with club members and highlights of the layout. The virtual membership also includes two tickets to the Holiday Open House, where the public will be invited to enjoy the railroad in person. Active and Junior memberships are also offered.

This year’s open house is scheduled for Nov. 21 and 22. With new star power, the Pacific Southern Railway appears to be in great shape. And it’s not alone.

Jersey Valley Model Railroad club president Sean Simon says thousands come by to see the holiday train display each year. The club meets on Wednesdays and has a wide age span. The club was founded in 1969, and most of the

Community Day Princeton Festival, Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, Princeton. www.princetonsymphony.org. Festival farmers’ market, instrument petting zoo, community drum circle, musical storytime, conducting booth, magic show, and more. Free. 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Lectures

Online Meeting Astrological Society of Princeton, 732-970-3709. www.aspnj.org. Bruce Scofield Discusses “Episodes of Public Shock in US History.” Register. $20; $5 members. 2 p.m.

Honoring Ancestors: Reflecting on Generations of Resilience, Ewing Library, 61 Scotch Road, Ewing, 609-799-0462. www. mcl.org. A reflective event combining genealogy and storytelling to honor the resilience of African American ancestors. Pre-

members are local.

Simon himself joined the club at age 16. The club is unique, as several members are real life railroaders. Simon is employed as a locomotive engineer with Norfolk Southern Railroad, and has been very active in the leadership of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union.

In Bordentown, Zig Targonski and former city mayor Joe Malone started up the annual display using their own personally model train collections. Targonski died in 2021.

When the show was offline, people often asked his wife, Nancy Targonski, if the exhibition would ever return. And over the last few years it has been slowly but surely returning, a trend Targonski expects it to continue this holiday season.

Whether in Hamilton, Bordentown, Ewing or Rocky Hill, traditions of the past and missions for the future appear to be going full steam ahead. Though not as historic as driving the golden spike that connected the first East-West transcontinental railroad, the chance meeting of the Murrays and the Pacific Southern Railroad Club may feel just as important to club members.

Murr says: “There is very little mystery left in this world. We are so connected to news, technology and the fear of missing out. Down here in the train room, you can disengage, get on board and follow the twists and turns of this railroad. We are thankful to be able to help people achieve this.”

sented by the African American Cultural Collaborative of Mercer County. Register. 2 p.m.

Sports

Trenton Thunder Arm & Hammer Park Route 29, Trenton, 609-394-3300. www. trentonthunder.com. Frederick Keys. $12. 1 p.m.

Sports for Causes

Firecracker 5K Fun Run, YWCA Princeton, Veterans Park, 2206 Kuser Road, Hamilton, 609-497-2100. www.ywcaprinceton.org/firecracker5k. Run or walk the certified 5K trail. 50- and 100-yard dashes for children ages 3 to 8. Register. $40; $45 race day. Proceeds benefit the Pearl Bates Scholarship Fund, which helps children and

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Bristol Riverside Theatre Review: ‘Alibi’

More than three hours in length, and busier at times than a rush hour intersection, Ken Kaissar’s production of “Alibi” at Bristol Riverside Theatre satisfies in a smooth, effortless way because it concentrates on what matters most, the mystery at hand.

Acting might be uneven, the frequent choreographed realignment of the set may make you mutter, “Too much, hurry up,” and a theatrical device or two might be more distancing than engaging, but Kaissar always keeps you involved and listening for clues to figure out two crimes, a murder and blackmail that coaxes a character to suicide.

The building of suspense and maintaining a deep atmosphere of mystery is important because the trend in recent decades has been to make light of mystery and to concentrate or comedy or eccentric characters. It was pleasing to watch a play that had you calculating and guessing along with the detectives and town gossips to figure out whodunnit.

Bristol’s “Alibi” is a genuine mystery, with all the familiar elements of the genre, including my favorite, the gathering of all the suspects in a room, ending with the criminal culprit being revealed.

Except here there is a twist.

All possible felons are assembled, but naming the guilty party is deferred to a later scene that offers more impact and surprise.

by Neal Zoren

are well-served. Benjamin Lloyd, Danny Vaccaro, Johnny Fernandez, Lea De Marchi, and Scott Langdon display the wit and intensity in their roles to make up for some weaker portrayals. The musical-chairs set becomes amusing rather than a distraction, A welcomely old-fashioned thrill of mystery and delight in detection is preserved.

In another tribute to the Kaissars’ overall deftness, the three hours and 20 minutes “Alibi” takes to unfold was barely noticed until I looked at the clock in my car as I started for home. Between being involved in the action and enjoying several of the sarcastic retorts Amy Kaissar provide some characters, the time, for me, went by breezily and without any concern whether this play would ever end.

Even in my contentment, there were aspects of Ken Kaissar’s production that made me wonder.

Control Alt J for rule options -- pull guote with space on sides

It’s worth waiting for. The delayed climax and the desire to hear it is a testament to the canny writing of Amy Kaissar who adapted Agatha Christie’s novel from the 1920s, ‘The Murder of Roger Ackroyd,” with clarity and the right amount of evidence at the right time to refocus on a complicated case following a tumultuous scene change or odd moment when the acting did not keep up with Mrs. Kaissar’s script.

In general, the Kaissars combine for a success. Christie and her story

One was that mobile set. Shawn Lewis cleverly designed both large pieces — bookcases, secretaries, curiosity walls — and furniture — desks, sofas, chests — that could be flexibly configured to look like different rooms in different houses. The concept is fun, and eventually earns acceptance, but the execution can be cumbersome and not quite as entertaining as I guess was intended. At least 15 minutes of the 3:20 could be shaved if the set moved more simply.

Just as curious was the music played during the set changes. “Alibi” is set in 1935, but the moves were underscored by a tinkly ragtime piano that is associated with an earlier period and doesn’t gibe with the general mood of Mr. Kaissar’s production, guided by the shrewd, at times droll, yet straightforward performances provided by Vaccaro and Lloyd.

Then there’s a theatrical conceit suggested by the play’s title, “Alibi.” Most of the characters, all suspects in the murder, and one or two

Organic Garden State

in the blackmail, give their excuses for not possibly being in the right place or time frame to commit such destructive crimes while standing, usually upstage right, under a bright white light, like one that might be shined during a detective’s grilling in a ‘40s potboiler. They also look straight forward and eschew any facial expression or emotion in a manner that seems unnatural.

In a Brechtian way, this offsets the testimony and makes you pay extra attention to it. In another context, it’s off -putting. “Alibi” is set the small “veddy” English village of King’s Abbott, where all hundred or so residents know each other and would respond more directly and conversationally, even to detectives, one they know well, one who comes by request to the fore, asking them where they were, what they saw, and when they saw it on the evening of the murder. I give Ken Kaissar points for having an intriguing idea, but in theatrical effect, it backfires. It interrupts cohesiveness and a certain familiarity between characters that seems crucial to “Alibi,” especially considering its length.

Another time-saver, or different use of time might be trading some narrated scenes, made plausible by the gambit that Vaccaro’s character, a town doctor, is taking notes to write a book about the Ackroyd case and shares some of his insight, for a direct playing of them. Showing instead of telling.

Those cavils are noted because as engaging as “Alibi’ is, it could be stronger if the directness that governs it most of the way was nonstop instead of being paused for scene changes, an odd lighting device, and mostly unneeded narration.

The assets of Amy Kaissar’s script, so well-crafted and designed to bring you into Christie’s mystery, and Ken Kaissar’s staging, tight where it counts, especially in encounters between Lloyd and Vaccaro and Vaccaro and Fernandez, outweigh any criticisms.

Benjamin Lloyd is a local actor you want to see more frequently. His portrayals are always so precise and entertaining. (A “Scapino” he did a decade or so ago for Philadelphia’s Lantern Theater remains among the highlights in regional theater history.)

In Alibi, he plays Christie’s meticulous, perspicacious Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot with care of which M. Poirot would approve. Lloyd doesn’t exaggerate

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Poirot’s famous tics, and Amy Kaissar forgoes having Poirot speak about “little gray cells” in her text, but Lloyd finds droll, subtle ways to make Poirot individual.

In “Alibi,” the famous detective has come to King’s Abbott to retire. He wants to give up investigation and garden what turns out to be a rough patch of land in peace and anonymity.

Those intentions come under the category of fat chance. A niece of the murdered Roger Ackroyd is aware of who Poirot is and that he is attempting an incognito existence in King’s Abbott. She has another character enlist him, and Poirot succumbs to the plea.

Lloyd handles Poirot’s reluctance to return to intrigue as deftly as he disguises the tricks Poirot uses to elicit information. Lloyd emphasizes Poirot’s cleverness as the smartest one in the room while conveying a sense of modesty and comme il faut talent in the character.

It is another smart, amusing yet businesslike performance by actor who has made a habit of giving them.

n contrast, Danny Vaccaro has trod the Bristol stage as much as anyone, but less in recent years. It was a delight to see him return as King’s Abbott’s valued doctor who has to take his medical bag on social call lest a woman with child suddenly needs his services.

Vaccaro deftly treads a fine line of a man who is stricken by the loss of two of his closest friends, the widow who blackmail drivers to suicide and a fellow leading citizen of King’s Abbott, and one who is excited to be in the thick of solving those crimes and possibly getting a lucrative book deal after using his notes to compose a novel about them.

Vaccaro exemplifies the solid village burger who relishes a change of pace and the chance to use a different kind of ingenuity to diagnose a blight to his community. Watching Lloyd and Vaccaro collude and spar is a treat, one compounded in scenes Vaccaro has with Johnny Fernandez as the doomed Roger Ackroyd.

Those scenes between Vaccaro and Fernandez galvanize “Alibi” and set it in favorable motion. Fernandez rivets with the strength of his character, especially when he exhibits Ackroyd’s strong will and equally strong attitudes about the people who surround him, especially his family.

Fernandez gives Kaissar’s production depth, especially as he adroitly marks himself as one who is ripe for murder yet is so winning and forthright, you don’t want to see him killed.

Lea De Marchi sets herself apart early when she endows her character, a maid in Ackroyd’s home with an intensity that makes you notice her from within a pack.

Peter Kendall is fine as two distinct characters, one the heir to Roger Ackroyd’s estate, the other a Canadian visitor who makes an untimely visit to Ackroyd’s home.

Another local stalwart, Scott Langdon, exudes menace while speaking common sense as Ackroyd’s secretary. Carl Wallnau provides comic relief in the serious of a local detective who is quick to take credit for what Poirot discovers. Beethovan Oden gives gravitas to the production as a reasonable guest at Ackroyd’s home.

“Alibi” was this year’s occasion when Bristol Riverside enlists members of its immediate community to be part of a production. The group did well, particularly Zlatin Ivanov who stood out for his excellent, well-judged performance as one of Ackroyd’s footmen.

Shawn Lewis’s set took on a Rube Goldberg quality as actors schlepped it here, there, and everywhere. Conor Mulligan’s lighting accented key moments that added to both the mystery and Poirot wanting to garden in the unwilling British sun.

Alibi: An Agatha Christie Story, Bristol Riverside Theatre, 120 Radcliffe Street, Bristol, Pennsylvania. Through Sunday, June 15. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday, and 3 p.m. Sunday. $52 to $66. www.brtstage.org or 215-785-0100

Pride Month Comes to Central New Jersey

The month of June is all about pride, and Mercer County communities are holding a range of events and celebrations of the LGBTQ+ community.

Mercer County

The 2025 Mercer County Pride Flag Raising takes place at Mercer County Park Marina & Boathouse in West Windsor on Wednesday, June 4, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

The Mercer County Office of LGBTQIA+ Affairs offers a presentation titled “Bias, Prejudice, and Stereotypes” on Saturday, June 21, from noon to 2 p.m. at the Mercer County Office Park, 1440 Parkside Avenue, Ewing. The presenter is Dave D’Amico, chief investigator for the Middlesex County Department of Corrections. Contact LGBTQIA@mercercounty.org or 609-503-9895 for more information.

Mercer County hosts its inaugural Equity Gala on Saturday, June 28, from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Social Profit Center at 1 North Johnston Avenue in Hamilton. Jeannine LaRue, senior vice president of the Kaufman Zita Group, will be honored. Performers at the event include Lady Celestina and DJ Boogie. Formal attire requested. Tickets are $95. Register via TicketLeap.

Pride in the Capital City

A range of Pride-related events are coming to the city of Trenton, starting on Thursday, June 5, with a Pride Happy Hour at Cooper’s Riverview from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. From there, it’s just a short walk over to the Trenton Thunder’s Pride Night game against the Williamsport Crosscutters. First pitch is at 7 p.m., and fireworks follow the game. For tickets, visit www. trentonthunder.com.

A Flag Raising takes place at Trenton City Hall on Friday, June 6, from 4 to 5 p.m., followed by a casual mixer at Tracey’s Kitchen, a

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counter-service soul food restaurant at 241 East Front Street.

The Trenton Pride Festival takes place Saturday, June 7, from noon to 7 p.m. in Mill Hill Park. The day begins at 11 a.m. with a solidarity march starting at the State House Annex, passing by Trenton City Hall, and ending at Mill Hill Park.

Opening ceremonies at noon are followed by live music, drag performances, DJ sets, dancing, and more. Food trucks, vendors, and artists will be on site. Free parking for the event is available in the Liberty Commons Garage at 16 East Front Street, and attendees are encouraged to bring blankets or lawn chairs.

For more information, visit www.trentonpridecenter.org/trenton-pride.

New Jersey Young Democrats host a Pride Month Mixer at Cooper’s Riverview on Wednesday, June 11, from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Connect with young Democrats across the state and celebrate the contributions of the LGBTQ community. Register via EventBrite for the free event.

Pride on the Plaza

“Pride on the Plaza,” a community disco dance party featuring live music, takes place Friday, June 6, from 7 to 10 p.m. on Hinds Plaza to kick off Pride Month in Princeton.

The event is the fifth annual cel-

families access childcare and summer programs at the YWCA Princeton. 8 a.m.

Monday June 9

Good Causes

Arm In Arm Mobile Food Pantry, Mercer County Library, Lawrence Headquarters Branch, 2751 Brunswick Pike, Lawrenceville. www.arminarm.org. Food and personal care products made available to those in need. No registration required. The Lawrence Township Health Department, the Mercer County Board of Social Services and the Mercer County Nutrition Program will have informational tables. 2 to 4 p.m.

Lectures

Why Do We Believe the Big Bang Theory?, Center for Modern Aging Princeton, Nancy S. Klath Center for Lifelong Learning, 101 Poor Farm Road, Princeton. www. cmaprinceton.org. Scientists use the word “theory” in a very different way than the general public. In this talk aimed at nonscientists, Tony Rothman discusses the main pillars of the Big Bang theory, including the expansion of the universe, element formation, the cosmic background radiation, the beginning of galaxy formation, as well as questions left unanswered by our current theory. Register. In person or via Zoom. 1 p.m.

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ebration of LGBTQ Pride by the library and its community partners and the first to be presented in this format. “The Pride Picnic exceeded our expectations right from the beginning,” said adult program manager Janie Hermann, who has coordinated the event each year. “We know the dance party will also be a wonderful success and are looking forward to another year of celebrating Pride with our community.”

“Pride on the Plaza,” an all-ages event, coincides with the 50th anniversary of the disco era and features music by the EAMC Disco Funk Machine. Attendees are encouraged to wear clothing inspired by the era. The event will also feature an appearance by drag artist Divinity Banks, who will host a contest for best outfit in three categories: pride, disco era and disco/ pride mashup.

“Pride on the Plaza” is co-presented by the library, the Municipality of Princeton, the Arts Council of Princeton, McCarter Theatre Center, HiTops and Princeton University’s Gender + Sexuality Resource Center.

In the event of rain, “Pride on the Plaza” will be moved to the Community Room.

PRIDEfest in Lawrence

Lawrence Township will host its

Tuesday June 10

Dancing

Tuesday Night Folk Dance, Princeton Folk Dance, Christ Congregation, 50 Walnut Lane, Princeton. www.princetonfolkdance.org. No partner necessary. $5. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Benefit Galas

Leadership Awards Celebration, Mercer Street Friends Foodbank, 3 Graphics Drive, Ewing. www.mercerstreetfriends. org. Honorees are Bank of America, Phyllis Stoolmacher, and Dan Rodgers. Register. $100. 5 to 7 p.m.

Health

Prostate Health: Understanding BPH & PSA Testing, Mercer County Library www.mcl.org. Join Jamison S. Jaffe, Medical Director of Urology at Penn Medicine Princeton Health, for a talk about two key aspects of men’s health: Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) and Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) testing. Learn how to spot the signs of an enlarged prostate, what PSA testing can reveal about your prostate health, and how early detection can make all the difference. Register for link to pro-

first-ever PRIDEfest on Sunday, June 15, with a morning of events celebrating love, diversity and community spirit.

Organized by Lawrence Neighbors Together — a coalition of local individuals and organizations dedicated to respect, compassion and justice — the free festival will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the side parking lot of the Lawrence Shopping Center, near Burlington Coat Factory.

The day begins with the inaugural Pride Walk Run Roll, a threemile event open to people of all abilities. Participants are encouraged to wear rainbow colors and festive attire. A group warm-up is scheduled for 8 a.m., followed by the race’s 8:30 a.m. start.

Throughout the morning, visitors can enjoy family-friendly activities, live entertainment, food and refreshments for purchase, and a variety of vendors and exhibitors.

“This is an opportunity for our community to come together in a demonstration of compassion and commitment to each of our neighbors,” said organizer Martha Friend.

“At the festival, after the Fun Run Walk & Roll, we have the added benefit of highlighting local businesses in the Lawrence Shopping Center and throughout Lawrence,” she said. “This festival will demonstrate why Lawrence Township is simply the best place to

Princeton’s pride parade takes place Saturday, June 14, followed by a party at the YMCA.

live.”

Lawrence PRIDEfest will take place at 2495 Brunswick Pike. For more information or to register for the Pride Walk Run Roll, visit Lawrence Neighbors Together on Facebook.

Parade & a Party

The Princeton Pride Parade and After-Party hosted by the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice takes place Saturday, June 14, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The parade starts at the municipal building at 400 Witherspoon Street and proceeds up the street and through the Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood to the YMCA on Paul Robeson Place for the after-party. For more information visit www.rustincenter.org/ pride.

Pride at PJ’s

The Allentown, West Windsor, and Robbinsville Democratic Clubs host a joint pride celebration on Saturday, June 28, from 2 to 4 p.m. at PJ’s Pancake House & Tavern at 17 Main Street, Robbinsville. Pride attire is encouraged but not required.

gram. 7 p.m.

Wellness

Breathe, Relax, & Focus: Guided Meditation & Relaxation, West Windsor Library, 333 North Post Road, Princeton Junction. www.mcl.org. Be in the present moment and experience the joy of mindfulness, facilitated by Nila Satpute, a 13-year practitioner of Rajyoga. 7 p.m.

History

Spring Talk Kingston Historical Society Kingston Firehouse, 8 Heathcote Road, Kingston. www.khsnj.org/talk. Presentation by Carrie Fellows, executive director of New Jersey’s Crossroads of the American

Revolution Association. The association was founded in 2002 as the only state-wide non-profit organization established to offer a forum for new citizen initiatives on education, historical interpretation, site use and heritage tourism, and to raise popular appreciation of the historical significance of the American Revolution in New Jersey. Free. In person or register to attend via Zoom. 7:30 p.m.

Kids

Stuff Read and Pick: Cherries, Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road, Lawrence, 609-924-2310. www.terhuneorchards.com. Read books highlighting cherries followed Continued on following page

U.S. 1 ClassiFieds

by an educational component. Everyone picks a small container of cherries. Register. $12 per child includes all materials. 9:30 and 11 a.m.

Lectures

Power Up: The Truth About Solar Panels & Avoiding Scams, Center for Modern Aging Princeton, Suzanne Patterson Building, 45 Stockton Street, Princeton. www.cmaprinceton.org.

Thinking about going solar? Unlock the potential of clean energy and learn how to navigate the world of solar panels with confidence. Presented by Sustainable Princeton. Register. In person or via Zoom. 2 p.m.

Music That Tells a Story, Princeton Festival, Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, Princeton. www.princetonsymphony.org. Opera Delaware company artists join Princeton University Professor Rochelle Ellis and the lead of Tosca for a fun-filled day of music. Workshop attendees learn about opera voices and vocal health, and participate in acting exercises to explore the methods vocalists use to develop their characters. Register. Free. 3 to 8 p.m.

Wednesday June 11

On Stage

2 and 7:30 p.m.

Film

Hollywood Summer Nights, Princeton Garden Theater, 160 Nassau Street, Princeton, 609279-1999. www.thegardentheatre.com. O Brother, Where Art Thou. $13.50. 7 p.m.

Good Causes

HIP at the Ivy Inn, Housing Initiatives of Princeton, Ivy Inn, 248 Nassau Street, Princeton. www. housinginitiativesofprinceton.org. Food, drinks, live music by East Coast Ambush, and a chance to connect with HIP staff and board members to learn how neighbors are helping neighbors avoid eviction, homelessness, and drive systemic change in housing policy. 5 to 7 p.m.

Ocean Resin Wine Glasses Fundraising Event, Working Dog Winery, 610 Windsor Perrineville Road, East Windsor, 609-3716000. www.workingdogwinerynj. com. Register for craft activity. $55. Food and wine available for purchase. Portion of proceeds benefits NJ Boxer Rescue. 6 to 8 p.m.

Wellness

Outdoor Yoga Historical Society of Princeton, Updike Farmstead, 354 Quaker Road, Prince-

ton. www.princetonhistory.org.

Gratitude Yoga offers donationbased Vinyasa Flow classes. All ages and skill levels are welcome. 6 to 7 p.m.

History

Researching Your Pre-May 1848 New Jersey Ancestors, New Jersey State Library. www. njstatelib.org. Vital records are a critical resource for any genealogist, but they are not always easy to find, especially as your travel farther up your family tree. May 1848 marks the start of New Jersey’s State Vital Records (birth, marriage, and death) collections, the most authoritative source of personal information about your ancestors. So, how do we find and research our ancestors who lived before then? Join Regina Fitzpatrick, Genealogy Librarian at the State Library, to find out more. Free webinar. Register. Noon to 1 p.m.

Hidden Gems of New Egypt, New Egypt Historical Society, Plumsted Municipal Building, 121 Evergreen Road, New Egypt. Monthly program invites residents to join and share their memories and experiences of the town. 7 p.m.

Lectures

Essential Estate Planning, Lawrence Library, 2751 Brunswick Pike, Lawrenceville, 609-7990462. www.mcl.org. Adam Lipps, Senior Staff Attorney at Central Jersey Legal Services, presents on essential estate planning documents such as wills, living wills, powers of attorney, and trusts. Register. 3 to 4:15 p.m.

New Jersey Shipwrecks: Off the Jersey Shore with Dan Lieb, Robbinsville Library, 42 Robbinsville-Allentown Road, Robbinsville, 609-799-0462. www. mcl.org. Dan Lieb is a founding member and president of the New Jersey Historical Divers Association, Inc. For over 30 years, he has mapped shipwrecks in and around New Jersey. Many of the shipwrecks he explored remained unidentified for decades until he and others set about to properly name them and bring their histories to light. Lieb’s presentation includes various shipwrecks such as Morro Castle, Amity and John Minturn and covers a span of nearly 300 years. Register. 6:30 p.m.

Affordable rates for all our monthly publications. Or post your online-only ads for free at

Cadwalader Lecture Series, Princeton Battlefield Society, Washington Crossing Park, 1112 River Road, Washington Crossing, PA. www.pbs1777.org. Historian Rick Atkinson, who has just released “The Fate of the Day: The War for America, Fort Ticonderoga to Charleston, 1777-1780,” the second book in his trilogy of the American Revolution, talks about the war from shortly after the Battle of Princeton through the middle years of the War. Register. $40; $65 with book. 7 p.m.

Socials

Jersey Art Meetup Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.artscouncilofprinceton.org. Princeton Comic Makers presents: JERSEY ART MEETUPS (JAM), a weekly social event connecting creatives within the greater Central Jersey area through a shared passion for sequential art and new media. At-

tendees may use this open workshop space to draw, write, and develop their own artwork, with an opportunity to receive peer review and feedback from other members if desired. Illustrators, animators, writers, and generalists are all welcome to join and discuss their art and career goals, share learning resources, promote current projects, or find friends and collaborators. Must be 16+ to attend. Free. 7 to 9 p.m.

For Seniors

Potluck Lunch, Plainsboro Senior Citizen Club, Municipal Building, 641 Plainsboro Road,

June TK

PRE VIEW

Reocking and Rolling at Robbinsville Community Day

by Richard Skelly

To be sure, multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter Tom Reock is resourceful. He knew his vocational path would have to involve rock, jazz, and blues music by the time he was 10.

By combining his passion for audio engineering and producing in the studio with live shows, Reock, born and raised in the Kendall Park section of South Brunswick — known as “Pumpkin Land” in the 1970s and ’80s — has been able to make his living in music for most of the last five decades. Like Ernie White, Joe Zuccarello, Paul Plumeri, Andrew Hudak, and other prominent musicians around the Trenton-Princeton scene, he was around in the late ’70s and ’80s when playing in clubs from New Hope to New Brunswick could amount to a lucrative income.

Reock has organized a one-of-akind show for Robbinsville Day, slated for Saturday, June 7.

“Everybody starts off as a guitar player at first,” Reock recently explained from his home studio, Squirrel Ranch in Hamilton Township.

“Then I switched to bass and drums around age 10, and then I went back to guitar, and I was so bad at all of that, I decided I would learn how to play piano because nobody was playing piano. I’ve been self-taught on everything,” he explained of his formative days off of New Road in Kendall Park. He formed his first band, This Was, with older guys from the neighborhood when he was 12. Other bands followed, including Last Exit, Wizard, and perhaps the band he’s best known for, The Down To Earth Band, “which went through many metamorphoses until the early 1990s, when we finally split up.” The band was invited to several overnight concerts at Rutgers’ WRSU-FM New Brunswick studios in the early 1980s and frequented clubs like the Tin Lizzie Garage on Route 27 in Kingston, City Gardens in Trenton, and large and small original music venues around Princeton, Hamilton, Trenton, and New Brunswick. His father, Ernest Reock, worked for the Bureau of Government Research at Rutgers University, and his mother, Jeanne, was always involved in education and worked for New Jersey School Boards Association in Trenton. His decision not to attend college did not disappoint his parents too much, he recalled proudly.

“They never ever pushed me to do the academic thing; they kind of knew from a very early age what I was going to do,” he recalled. “Back then I was going to go to California and get signed to a record deal, but then I chickened out, and I’ve been here ever since.”

He graduated from South Brunswick High School in 1976, sharing an alma mater with Steely Dan keyboardist Donald Fagen, who graduated from the same high school in

the mid-1960s.

Reock is proud of his niece, who alternates with Bucks Countybased singer-songwriter Lisa Bouchelle at Reock ‘n’ Roll Revue concerts.

“She’s been very lucky she didn’t have to do many years of $75 club gigs; she’s already playing in country clubs and big halls and is much better paid as a performer than I was at her age,” he said. “I don’t know if these kinds of gigs spoil a person or deter you from what you really want to do with your career. But Lindsay is her own person, and she’s going to make her own way, one way or another. She’s got an exceptional voice, and she has since I first heard her sing when she was eight years old.”

Since he has always played a little bit of guitar, bass, drums, and a lot of keyboards, it worked in his favor once he founded Squirrel Ranch Recording Studios in Hamilton 20 years ago.

“I’ve always recorded my songs my entire life, but I really did not take it seriously until about 2005,” he said of Squirrel Ranch. He said it has always been challenging running a studio, given the investments needed to stay on top of the game in a time of transition from analog [recording tape, tube amplifiers] to digital [computer-based] recording techniques.

“I procrastinated for many years going into computer land — the digital world — with my recording, but now I utilize the computer a lot, but still record in the old fashioned way.”

To that end, he encourages beginning and intermediate musicians to rehearse, rehearse, and rehearse some more before setting foot in Squirrel Ranch. Sometimes they follow his advice and sometimes they don’t. When they don’t, it ends up costing the band more money to make their recordings.

“Everything is digital; they don’t even make tape anymore,” he explained, “but the way I go about recording with my clients is very much the same way they recorded back in the 1960s and 1970s and ’80s, before all this digital technol-

ogy came into play.”

He describes Squirrel Ranch as a very laid-back studio.

“When I started out my goal was to work closely with singer-songwriters, so we work on the material together and often piece the music together. I don’t get a lot of bands coming in here; a lot of the recordings are built up and pieced together over a period of weeks.”

In the last two decades, Reock’s reputation for presenting superb live concerts has grown as he began presenting multi-media tribute concerts at the Kelsey Theater at Mercer County Community College. The Reock ‘n’ Roll Revue concerts began at the now-closed Hopewell Theater as a vehicle for him to play more of his original music, he said.

“Eventually, of course, you find out that [original music] doesn’t always get over in the bars, so then we started doing this eclectic mix of songs by artists that people knew but they didn’t really know these songs and you wouldn’t always hear them in a bar setting,” he explained of his popular Reock ‘n’ Roll Revue concerts.

Caption: Info.

Kelsey Theater.

At Robbinsville Day on June 7, he’ll be leading a band featuring vocalists Lisa Bouchelle and his niece, Lindsay Jordan. Reock ‘n’ Roll Revue includes a four-piece horn section, two drummers, a percussionist, and several guitarists, keyboardists, and bassists. He spends most of his time at the keyboards and is assisted by his wife, Fiona, who serves as stage manager and who works for Princeton University’s Index of Medieval Art.

“You’re going to see a great class of musicians playing phe-

255 NASSAU STREET PRINCETON

LOCATED IN THE HEART OF WALKABLE PRINCETON …ADJACENT TO PRINCETON UNIVERSITY’S CAMPUS

“One day, somebody at rehearsal started playing ‘Back in the USSR’ from The Beatles, and at the end of that, we started going down the rest of the album. Then I said, why don’t we rent a theater out and see if we can’t do ‘The White Album’ from start to finish?” His concept turned out to be a success, and a few years later, they moved the annual concerts to the Kelsey Theater at Mercer County College.

The show for Robbinsville Day is modeled after what he’s done at MCCC, but without the video screens, film clips, and vintage photos as a backdrop to what the musicians are doing on stage. Since 2011, he and his backing musicians from the area have put on engaging tribute shows devoted to Sly and the Family Stone, Bonnie Raitt, Eric Clapton, Jackson Browne, and others, always with superb sound. In early March of this year, Reock and his troupe paid a nod to John Lennon’s solo career, post-Beatles, with three sold-out concerts at the

nomenal music from the 1960s and ’70s,” he said of his 14-piece band. “That’s what this whole project was about, trying to do studio recordings in a live setting.”

Reock ’n’ Roll Revue with Lindsay Jordan and the Gypsies, 44th Annual Robbinsville Community Festival, Robbinsville Community Park, 15 West Manor Way, Robbinsville. Saturday, June 7, 2 to 9 p.m. (Rain date: June 8). www.robbinsville.net/recreation

GOURMET KITCHENS QUALITY FINISHES

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BALCONIES