Year in Review • The Hudson Reporter • December 25, 2011 • 28
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after a decade-long hiatus. Executive producers Pat DeFerrari and Joan Kashuba brought it back at the request of Mayor Michael Gonnelli with a performance of “The Show Must Go On,” which included a humorous show tune about the town itself. Secaucus, Weehawken, and Guttenberg have also hosted free outdoor concert series for area residents, just as Hoboken and Jersey City do.
OTHER NOTABLE ART/ ENTERTAINMENT STORIES
• L oca l a r t ist s con t inu e t h e St u d io Tou r t r a d it ion . Jersey City and Hoboken continued their Artists Studio Tours, with Jersey City celebrating its 21st in October and Hoboken celebrating its 31st year in November. Residents are able to take twoday walking tours of local artists’ studios, group exhibitions, and public spaces. The events attracted thousands of spectators and featured hundreds of artists. Both events are sponsored in part by The Hudson Reporter.
North Bergen’s High Tech High School was the first school in New Jersey to perform the Broadway hit musical “Xanadu – the ‘80s Roller Boogie Musical” in November. In Secaucus, resident artist and teacher Melissa Dargan launched the town’s first rotating, curated art show. She collabENTERTAINMENT from page 27 orated with officials and renovated parts of Secaucus Town Hall North Bergen was also home to theatrical productions. This to prepare for the inaugural community-wide exhibition held in year marked a successful 27th year for their theater group, the March. North Bergen Players, lead by long time playwright, actor, and Secaucus also witnessed the revival of their community theater singer Maurena Luzzi. They produce two plays per year. group CAST (Community Arts Scholarship Theater) in October
• Nor t h Ber gen a r t ist R ob er t L ou gh lin p a sses away. Renowned fine artist Robert Loughlin – whom Andy Warhol dubbed “the Chairman” – was killed by a car while crossing Tonnelle Avenue in September after feeding stray kittens across the street from the trailer park where he lived. He is best known for his portrait of an iconic, square-jawed, smoking man called “The Brute.”
• H igh Tech H igh is f ir st t o p u t on ‘Xa n a d u ’ mu sica l. The county’s award-winning High Tech High School, based in North Bergen, was the first school in New Jersey to perform the Broadway hit musical “Xanadu – the ’80s Roller Boogie Musical” in November. Theatre Director Alex Perez was inspired to produce the show when he took his students to see the play in New York three years ago.
• W h a t ’s t o b ecom e of t h e J er sey C it y M u seu m ? Closed in December, 2010, the Jersey City Museum’s extensive (and expensive) art collection remains in the building as officials try to determine whom the artworks belong to – the museum board or the town. Jersey City Cultural Affairs Director Maryann Kelleher has been pushing to take inventory of the 10,000-piece collection. Earlier this year, Hudson County’s United Way expressed interest in purchasing the building and loaning back a portion to house the artwork, but they pulled out. Jersey City Medical Center also has expressed interest in the building, and would rent part of the space back to the museum.
• Ar t H ou se P r od u ct ion s a n d J C Fr id ays. Christine Goodman’s Jersey City-based Art House Productions celebrated its 10th year in September by once more organizing JC Fridays, a quarterly showcase of art-related events throughout the community. The event, which is sponsored in part by The Hudson Reporter, was initially created as a means to help locals grieve after Sept. 11, 2011. Since then, Art House has produced local theatrical performances, dance shows, visual art exhibits, and a weekly show on Comcast known as Art House TV.
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