Union Leader - November 2022

& Paul

‘Certain Aspects’ captivates audiences

By Daniel Jackovino Staff Writer

The third and final play of the Premiere Stages 2022 season opened on Thursday, Oct. 13, at Kean University, and its title, “Certain Aspects of Conflict in the Negro Family,” says a lot about it. Written by TyLie Shider and directed by Othell J. Miller, the work is an examination of four characters; while it’s not plotless, their stories are without conclusions. This is no problem. Assumptions must sometimes be made, but character motivations are clear, and the result is entertaining.

The time of the action is July 1967, during the Newark riots, and the place is the front porch of a tidy Plainfield home. The riots are a peripheral element in a universal story of aspirations, at least until the final scene, when shots are fired at the four, huddled characters: Peach, a divorced hairdresser played by Diane L. Parker, whose front porch is the play’s setting; her unfaithful, but still loving ex, Clif, played by Eddie Gouveia Blackman; her unemployed son, Junior, played by Kena Anae; and the virginal Ruth, played by Nicole Prothro.

But the characters nearly being shot was probably more troubling to the audience than it was to them, as, afterward, they posed for a group photograph. There is an unspecified time lapse between these scenes, and between other scenes as well, a disconnect, as it were, which underscores an examination of the “aspects” of these people’s lives. There are also two effective monologues, by Clif and Ruth, when they are stopped by the police after leaving Peach’s front porch.

“We’re not angry; we’re intolerant,” Ruth says to the unseen, unheard police officer.

The front porch, by the way, by scenic designer Bethanie Wampol Watson, is perfect.

The chemistry between the former husband and wife is warm, funny and angry, with Clif usually showing up on the

front step of Peach’s home to woo her from a window seat, for breakfast at a diner or to return with him to Georgia.

A parallel relationship is played out between Junior, a guitarist with active hormones, and Ruth, the pastor’s daughter and a singer, as they work on what they hope will be a hit record.

But Junior is a dreamer, much like Clif, his father, who had aspirations of his own singing career. There is real emotion when father and son have the stage to themselves, with Clif admonishing Junior for quitting his job at a record store because the owner would not sell a record he made.

“Singing is hard work,” Clif tells Junior. “My father told me, if something starts to control you, leave it.”

Nonetheless, Clif tells his son to be honorable with Ruth.

“Try to give her something to hold on

to,” he said. “And if you fail, fail fast and keep on trying. I tried.”

But Clif acknowledges that when he tried to get into the music business, he was overmatched, and it was like “fighting fire with a twig.” He presses dollar bills into his reluctant son’s hand, telling him not to let it burn another hole in his pocket.

It is in this scene that Junior tells his father that he hates his half-brother, a professional musician. This is not the only example of how we think we know everything about a character, only to learn we did not know enough.

The scene between father and son ends with Junior running away and Clif calling out.

“A man gets knocked down and he gets up and you think he’ll win this fight and he gets knocked down again and you think he’ll lose and he gets up again. That’s you son, that’s you, and I’m rooting for you.”

Photo Courtesy of Mike Peters Nicole Prothro, at left, as Ruth, and Diane L. Parker, as Peach, appear in the Premiere Stages production of ‘Certain Aspects of Conflict in the Negro Family.’

Official goes to Indonesia to assess law enforcement

Jerome Hatfield, Kean University acting associate director of public safety, went to Indonesia with a federal team to assess that country’s police force’s emergency management.

The team assessed the Indonesian National Police’s incident management capabilities, facilities and training for natural disasters, Hatfield said, as well as the INP’s finance administration, hazard mitigation and more.

Indonesia asked the State Department for an assessment of the country’s emergency response capabilities. Hatfield was chosen for the team through his association with the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, a national mutual aid system. He has done previous assessment work in Kenya.

“They were looking for someone who had an understanding and the ability to assess homeland security, law enforcement and emergency management, and I have all three,” Hatfield said.

He formerly served as a regional administrator for the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency and is a retired deputy superintendent of the New Jersey State Police.

“I’m looking forward to it, to be able to be a part of a process that fortifies best practices,” Hatfield said before the trip. “I have a passion for being part of this process. We can make a difference.”

Working with representatives of the Indonesian government, national police and

military, the team also studied operational planning and public information operations. Hatfield said he believeed the trip would positively affect his work at Kean with the 45member Kean Department of Public Safety.

“It will expose me to policing in another country,” Hatfield said. “I will be looking at different ways they engage the community.”

An archipelago made up of thousands of islands, Indonesia has faced challenges such as earthquakes, flooding and the massive 2004 tsunami that killed more than 227,000 people in the region.

Hatfield’s experience with responding to natural disasters includes having taken part in the mutual aid response in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, while with the New Jersey State Police.

The six-member assessment team includes representatives from the Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. military, the U.S. Agency for International Development and other agencies. It will provide the Indonesian government with a written assessment and recommendations. Whether Indonesia acts on the recommendations is up to them, Hatfield said.

Hatfield left on Friday, Sept. 23, for the 10-day trip.

“They are open to an objective assessment and they prefer it is done by the United States,” he said. “There is an understanding that the United States can provide support that is accepted internationally while assessing the capabilities of countries.”

Jerome Hatfield, Kean University acting associate director of public safety, was in Indonesia recently with a federal team to assess that country’s police force’s emergency management.

Photo Courtesy of Kean University

book talk

Bestselling author George M. Johnson met with Kean students and faculty on Oct. 11, National Coming Out Day, for a reading and discussion of Johnson’s memoir-manifesto, “All Boys Aren’t Blue.” The book was this year’s Common Read selection at Kean.

A prominent LGBTQ activist whose book was banned by dozens of school districts across the country, Johnson spoke of their personal story and its impact on individuals. Johnson uses the pronouns they/them/their.

“It was really exciting to know it was going to be on a college campus, read by students and reviewed,” said Johnson, who is from Plainfield. “It could shape the lives of so many students. It made it full circle.”

The author spoke at Wilkins Theatre on Kean’s Union campus, where they

answered questions

from students. One student came up to Johnson after their talk to thank the author and activist.

“That’s what I do this for,” Johnson said.

Kean’s Common Read, in its second year, encourages all students across campus to read the same book. It works to build community, celebrate diversity and share an intellectual experience.

Common Read coordinator Abriana Jetté, a lecturer in Kean’s School of English Studies, said the book was selected through a “diplomatic, beautiful” process involving a survey of faculty, staff and students.

A list of 200 suggestions was winnowed to five books, and the book was chosen with a final vote.

“I think we now have a spotlight on the diverse intersectional community that

makes up our campus,” Jetté said. “This program has given voice to students who feel pushed to the side. Our program combines the importance of personal growth and academic growth.”

Johnson began by taking questions from students about the writing process and about current topics such as critical race theory. Students also gave their reactions to the book.

“I’ve gotten messages from fathers and mothers, saying the book has changed the way they’re parenting,” Johnson said. “I heard from parents trying to ban it, so I knew there was going to be support from the other side.”

Johnson read from the chapter about their grandmother, Nanny, who has passed away.

“I had a home because Nanny ensured it,” Johnson read. “The way I grew up always knowing that I would have a friend in Nanny is the way I hope black queer boys, who may never meet me but will hear and see my words, know they already have a friend in me.”

The event was organized by Kean’s School of English Studies; Human Rights Institute; Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; College of Liberal Arts; and General Studies. The Iota Rho Chapter of the fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha presented Johnson with a certificate of recognition, and members of the fraternity performed.

Students said they got a sense of community in the Common Read and found the book inspirational.

“No matter the trauma they went through, they just kept going. It was eye-opening to see someone come out the other side,” said Adam Samet, a senior English writing major from North Brunswick. “It wasn’t a book I felt like I had to keep reading; I enjoyed picking it up.”

Senior Brittney Kennedy of Union, an elementary education/English major, read the book with her grandmother, Sheila Kennedy of Newark, and

Bestselling author George M. Johnson

‘All

copies

their

Aren’t Blue,’

at Kean University on National Coming Out

was accompanied by her grandmother at the reading.

Melody Guerra, a freshman medical technology major from Haledon, said the event was important.

“Kean University is a very diverse school, so it’s good to hear others’ perspectives. Everyone comes together, and you need to be comfortable with the diversity,” Guerra said.

The book was featured in a filmed dramatic reading, available on Amazon Prime Video, that received the GLAAD Media Award. It is also in development as a series, Johnson said.

In the audience were many of Johnson’s family members, including the writer’s parents, Kaye and Gregory Johnson of Plainfield. Kaye Johnson said the author “always spoke up,” even when young.

“I’m so proud,” Kaye Johnson said. “I never imagined it would go to this level.”

Photo Courtesy of Kean University

At left, Peter Yarrow and Noel Paul Stookey play guitar and sing together.

At right, Aaron Tveit will be performing in the Enlow Recital Hall in November.

Two shows have

Grammy winners Peter Yarrow and Noel Paul Stookey of acclaimed folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary will perform at Enlow Recital Hall on Saturday, Nov. 5, at 7:30 p.m. The trio performed together for nearly 50 years, won five Grammy Awards, and produced 13 Top 40 hits. They had eight gold and five platinum albums, all the while continuing a centuries-old tradition of people raising their voices in song for the sake of freedom and social justice. Peter Yarrow and Noel Paul Stookey carry on the proud tradition of their iconic folk group, performing classic hits such

as “Leaving on a Jet Plane,” “Puff, the Magic Dragon,” “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “If I Had a Hammer.”

Tony Award–winning actor Aaron Tveit performs at Enlow Recital Hall on Saturday, Nov. 12, at 7:30 p.m.

Tveit, an American theater, television, and film actor, earned a Tony Award leading the cast of the world premiere production of “Moulin Rouge! The Musical,” a stage adaptation of Baz Luhrmann’s critically acclaimed film.

His credits include “Schmigadoon!” on Apple TV+, “Graceland” on USA, Broadway’s “Catch Me If You Can” and the Pulitzer Prize–winning Broadway musical “Next to Normal.”

These added shows join the previously announced “Hitting New Heights” with Mandy Gonzalez and Javier Muñoz on Saturday, Oct. 15; Chanticleer on Saturday, Dec. 3; José Feliciano on Thursday, Dec. 18; Step Afrika! on Sunday, Jan. 22; Canadian Brass on Saturday, Jan. 28, 2023; and the Kingdom Choir on Saturday, March 11, 2023. Additional winter and spring shows will be announced at a later date.

Tickets can be purchased online at keanstage.com or by contacting the box office at 908-737-7469. The box office is open Monday and Tuesday, from 10 a.m.to 5 p.m., and Wednesday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Photo Courtesy of APA Agency

Photo Courtesy of CAA

Safe Place Initiative is launched in Union County

By David Jablonski Managing Editor

Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel and Union County Sheriff Peter Corvelli, in partnership with the Union County Board of County Commissioners, have launched a countywide community initiative designed to assist in making Union County a safer place to live, work and visit called the Safe Place Initiative. This program represents an active partnership between local police departments, businesses, social organizations and schools to further New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin’s statewide efforts to combat bias, hate and violence.

Safe Place participants will display a decal designating their establishment a “safe place” for any individual to enter and call law enforcement should they feel unsafe. This initiative began in Seattle, Wash., as an effort to reduce LGBTQ+ bias incidents and hate crimes, but has grown exponentially since its inception and includes all forms of hate and bias incidents, as well as student bullying.

“When Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin hosted a multistate coalition that would expand and strengthen federal protections against discrimination, we were inspired by that,” said Lauren Farinas, public information officer for the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, in an

Photo Courtesy of Lauren Farinas

Representatives from Union County’s government, its police departments and Kean University stand together at Kean University during the ceremony launching the Safe Place Initiative in the county on Thursday, Oct. 13.

interview with Union County LocalSource on Thursday, Oct. 13.

According to a Union County Prose-

cutor’s Office press release, with all 25 law enforcement agencies in Union County committed to participating in the

program, 23 of them being certified as of the rollout, Union County is the first county worldwide to execute the program collectively.

“The Union County Prosecutor’s Office heard what was happening in Seattle and decided to do it here,” said Farinas. “The program began in 2015 and has been growing since, and the Union County Prosecutor’s Officer decided to implement it into each municipality. So it will have a community liaison who will initiate the process. The program involves having a decal placed in a school, church, store or place that is marked as a safe place. So if an individual feels unsafe, they can go into this establishment and tell the owner that they are being subjected to a bias incident, who will contact the police. The local municipality would deal with this, most likely the local police department. If it’s in a school, instead they will go through its normal procedures, based on the school’s anti-bullying policy.”

“Our Union County Safe Place program is designed to assist all victims of hate, bullying and bias offenses that include, but are not limited to, race, color, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, national origin or ethnicity,” said Daniel in a press release. “Any individual who sees a Safe Place logo will know

bias, hate and violence

that the establishment displaying the decal will provide a safe place where victims of these offenses can seek refuge while the police are notified and arrive to assist them.”

Officer Dorian Korieo of the Seattle Police Department, the event’s keynote speaker, explained the origins of the Safe Place program and the statistics that support the benefits of the program. He also recognized Union County for having the most law enforcement agencies bring this program to fruition and Kean University for being the first university to be certified in New Jersey. After Korieo served as keynote speaker at the Safe Place rollout in Union County, he was scheduled to be in Dallas later in the week, where he was to be honored by the International Association of Chiefs of Police as the worldwide winner of the Association’s Humane and Civil Rights Award.

“The concept of this program is simple, and I think that every municipality across the board in Union County should get involved,” said Commissioner Chairperson Rebecca Williams, who was also in attendance at the launch of the countywide community initiative, in a press release. “If a crime victim enters a place of business that is marked a Safe Place location, they know that they are guaranteed help from the owners or staff at that site. Everyone should feel safe,

no matter their age, identity, culture or sexual orientation, and this is an easy way to show our solidarity and ensure Union County continues to be a great place to live, work or visit.”

“A lot of the time, biased crimes typically go unreported, and it is important for our residents to know that our local police departments do take these hate crimes seriously,” said Union County Commissioner Alexander Mirabella in a press release. “When the Safe Place Initiative was brought to my attention, I knew I wanted to be a strong advocate in making this happen here in Union County. It is so important for our residents to be aware of safe places they can go if they are ever in need of help, and this program is a great way to do so. I would like to thank our Prosecutor’s Office for putting together this kickoff event and making this program come to fruition in Union County.”

Law enforcement agencies throughout Union County are committed to the safety of all Union County residents and visitors. Safe Place sends a message to victims of bias and hate crimes that they will be treated with care, dignity and respect from the establishments they enter, as well as from the police officers who respond to investigate. The Safe Place program is currently in more than 300 municipalities in the United States, Canada and Europe.

Photo Courtesy of Lauren Farinas Those in attendance watch the screen during the presentation of the Safe Place Initiative in an auditorium at Kean University.

County seniors are award winners in NJ State Art Show

The Union County Board of County Commissioners has announced that 10 Union County artists have been selected as award winners in the 56th annual New Jersey Senior Art Show. The exhibit includes works of art created by both professional and nonprofessional artists, ages 60 and older, from all 21 counties across the state.

To qualify for the statewide exhibit, artists first had to have participated in juried exhibits in their own counties and received a first-place award in their media category.

“On behalf of the commissioner board, I thank everyone who participated in the Union County Senior Art Show last spring and congratulate the awardees who are exhibiting in the statewide show. We are all enriched by the creativity and insights of the senior members of our community,” said Union County Commissioner Chairperson Rebecca L. Williams.

The Union County awardees are:

• Joe Manzella, of Cranford. First place, digital art by a nonprofessional artist, for “Listen To Your Heart.”

• Elizabeth Gillin, of Westfield. First place, oil painting by a nonprofessional artist, for the painting “Amanda Gorman, My Favorite Poet.”

• Sam Awad, of Summit. Second place, photography by a professional artist, for “Pit Stop.”

• Michelle Thompson, of Union. Third place, mixed media by a nonprofessional

Above, ‘Listen To Your Heart,’ by Cranford resident Joe Manzella, was awarded first place for digital art by a nonprofessional artist in the 2022 New Jersey Senior Art Show.

artist, for “Finding Beauty in a World of Chaos.”

• Marianne O'Neill, of Rahway. Honorable mention, craft by a nonprofessional

artist, for “Birdhouses & Buttons.”

• Lynda Dubois-Jackson, of Plainfield. Honorable mention, craft by a professional artist, for “Grandma & Friends.”

• Joseph J. Schott, of Fanwood. Honorable mention, oil by a professional artist, for the painting “Snyder Hunt Club.”

• Barbara Uhr, of Westfield. Honorable mention, pastel by a professional artist, for “Along the Banks.”

• Carol Sussman Skalka, of Springfield. Honorable mention, sculpture by a nonprofessional artist, for “Caress.”

• Kim Eckstrom, of Fanwood. Honorable mention, watercolor by a professional artist, for the painting “House With Turret.”

The 2022 New Jersey Senior Art Show can be viewed online at njseniorarts.com/gallery/.

To see the exhibit in person, visit the main building of Meadow Lakes Senior Living, 300 Meadow Lakes, East Windsor. The public can view the artworks, free of charge, Monday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Groups of six or more should contact Meadow Lakes in advance by calling 609-448-4100. Directions can be found on the Meadow Lakes website at meadowlakesonline.org/.

The show is on display at Meadow Lakes through Thursday, Oct. 27.

The New Jersey Senior Art Show is a co-sponsored project of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and Mercer County’s Division of Culture & Heritage, funded by the Council on the Arts, with additional support from Mercer County and the New Jersey Association of Area Agencies on Aging.

Photo Courtesy of Tina Casey

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NJ native to star in play at Soho Playhouse in NYC

By David Jablonski Managing Editor

A’ndre Davis will be starring in “Man of the House” throughout October, every Saturday at 2 and 5 p.m. and every Sunday at 2 p.m., at Soho Playhouse, 15 Vandam St., New York City.

The multitalented artist could revel in the opportunity to present one of his own creations in Manhattan, but for him and his team, it’s also an opportunity to relay a message to the public about domestic violence.

“They’ve already previewed it a few times at college campuses and had a good response,” said Cynthia M. Horner, the publicist for this production and the chief executive officer of Right On Digital, in an interview with Union County LocalSource on Monday, Oct. 3. “Afterward, the college students talked and said people have to be more respectful to other people.”

The play premiered in West Orange in August 2014 and sold out for four consecutive shows. Since then, it has been performed throughout the tristate area.

“Man of the House” is a dramedy that revolves around one man’s struggle to save his relationship and get his life on track, while the woman in his life runs the house and everything in it. He is a victim of domestic violence; though there is comedy in the play, it never centers on the abuse.

Davis plays the lead male role, in addition to having written, produced and directed the play.

“The production tackles domestic abuse, but in this one, the man is the victim instead of the abuser. It’s a different angle that we don’t hear about a lot,” said Davis in an interview with LocalSource on Monday, Oct. 3.

“For this go-around of the play, I wanted to make it in conjunction with National Domestic Violence Awareness Month,” said Davis. “We’ve been running it since 2014. We normally do it four times a year. I wanted to do it in New York City.”

Performing in New York City is a big deal to Davis, and he is quick to explain why.

“New York City is the mecca of theater,” he said. “We’ve gone to Bloomfield College several times, as well as Rahway, and people said we need to do New York City.”

Davis has spent his life in Essex and Union counties.

“I’m originally from Newark,” he said. “I moved to Irvington, settled in South Orange, and I have a residence in West Orange and the business is in Union, ADiamond Entertainment.”

“As far as stage plays, ‘Man of the House’ was my first,” continued Davis.

“Since then, I’ve launched two one-act

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Photo Courtesy of Cynthia M. Horner

A’ndre Davis will be starring in ‘Man of the House’ throughout October, every Saturday at 2 and 5 p.m. and every Sunday at 2 p.m., at Soho Playhouse, 15 Vandam St., New York City.

Local talent starring in self-penned ‘Man of the House’

stage plays. ‘Is This What We Paid For?’ is usually run through Black History Month. It asks, If civil rights activists who died during the struggle were able to come back to present days to see how we as African Americans lived, would they think that what they sacrificed for was worth it or that it was all in vain.”

“My other one-act stage play is titled ‘The Breakdown,’ and it was written to go into schools,” said Davis. “Maybe for parents to watch it with their children after school. It says the breakdown in the home between parents and their children is a direct catalyst for these children falling into things like gangs and substance abuse and bullying, all three of which we address in this piece.”

Davis recognizes the advantage of having a captive audience for his productions, as it gives him the opportunity not just to entertain but to educate and elicit a response.

“Most of the productions that I currently have, they all do the same thing,” said Davis. “I have a short film also, ‘Attacked From All Angles,’ written during the COVID-19 pandemic. I knew I was going to move into film anyway. The George Floyd incident happened. I came across an article about the deadly weekend that they had in Chicago. It’s a short film that addresses Black Lives Matter and expanding the Black Lives Matter

movement to not just include what happens at the hands of the police, but what’s happening in our communities as well.”

Here, he admitted he treads on risky ground, as people don’t always want to address what those who disagree with them might be thinking. But he said he sees it as an opportunity not just to point the finger at others but to turn the lens around and examine the community itself.

“When I think of some of the writers I look up to, particularly Spike Lee with ‘Get on the Bus,’ it was to show both sides of the coin,” said Davis. He says he sees problems with both violence by police against blacks and violence by blacks against one another. “They’re both valid. We need to attack both of the angles with the same intensity. We did win Best Short Film in the Kwanzaa Film Festival (for ‘Attacked From All Angles’ in 2021). It was pretty well-received.”

Right now, however, Davis said his focus is on his first and current play.

“‘Man of the House’ has evolved from

2014,” said Davis. “I’ve added new characters along the way, but the message is maintained to be the same. … We just finished the first weekend at the Soho Playhouse and it’s just as well received as in 2014.”

Davis says he has greater aspirations, as well as future plans for this play.

“On the play/film front, after this run in October, the plan for ‘Man of the House’ is to do a national tour,” said Davis. “We’ve used it at colleges and universities. We’ve used it as a way to present the topic. This Thursday, we’re going to Coppin State (University) in Baltimore.”

“Next year, we will stop at colleges and universities during the week and then, on the weekend, do a show for everyone,” continued Davis. “I’ve already written the film adaptation, and we’ll start filming in early spring 2023, and the plan is to be in the movie theaters by October 2023. I’m going to be the lead. I will resume my role. I do plan on using a lot of the people that I’m using right now. The guy who

plays my best friend is now on Nick Cannon’s ‘Wild ’n Out,’ C. King. Monifah, who’s an R&B singer from the ’80s and ’90s, will also be in it. There are 12 of us in the cast.”

The play also features Pretty Ricki Fontaine. Featured celebrity guests in past performances have included singer Christopher Williams; J Boog of B2K; and Willie Taylor of R&B group Day 26, “Love & Hip Hop” and “Chocolate City: 3.”

As for Davis, he’s just looking for more avenues in which he can demonstrate his talents.

“I also sing,” said Davis. “Actually, we just opened the CAP Jazz Fest in the Hard Rock Cafe in Atlantic City on Sept. 17. I’ll be doing some more shows in between. I’m having so much fun right now. There was a time when one suffered because of the other, but now it feels as if God has literally opened the door for me to be able to do so much.

“I’m really enjoying the journey. I’m blessed to be able to do this. As indie creators, you’re pushing so hard that you forget to enjoy it. Acting, singing, directing, writing: I love it. The producing part is like, Where do I get this money from, how do I get people in these seats? It’s just a new space for me, and I like this space.”

To purchase tickets for “Man of the House,” visit sohoplayhouse.com or call 212-691-1555.

‘The production tackles domestic abuse, but in this one, the man is the victim instead of the abuser. It’s a different angle that we don’t hear about a lot.’

— A’ndre Davis

National Geographic

An art exhibition featuring 50 images captured by some of the world’s finest photographers is bringing viewers face to face

landscapes and heirlooms rarely seen by human eyes.

Brought to Kean University’s Liberty Hall Academic Center gallery by the National Geographic Society, the exhibit, titled “Rarely Seen: Photographs of the Extraordinary,” will run through Wednesday, Nov. 23.

“By transporting us to far corners of the globe, these stunning photos open us up to what’s possible,” Kean President Lamont O. Repollet said. “They give us a greater understanding of the people, places and animals that share our world, and they might just move us to affect meaningful change.”

The exhibit is designed to connect art with sustainability, as will all 14 exhibits at Kean’s seven galleries this year, said Lynette Zimmerman, executive director of the Galleries at Kean. The theme is consistent with the mission of the galleries: building awareness of critical global issues.

“What you’re seeing in each photo is a moment in time that may or may not be visible today due to climate change,” Zimmerman said. “It's important for us all to reflect on that, because to live in a sustainable world means we have to be aware of the root causes of humanity’s issues and willing to do our part to make the world a better place.”

of rarely seen

The exhibit, which greets visitors with a large image of a white tiger, fills two spaces at the center: the gallery and the adjacent exhibition hall. During tours, guides highlight challenges to sustainability at some of the photographed sites.

The guides include Kean students, who fill numerous roles at the university’s galleries. Two of those venues are dedicated to displaying student work, and Kean offers additional creative opportunities through multidepartmental projects for

those pursuing liberal and fine arts.

“In connection with the National Geographic exhibit, we have a storytelling program for students enrolled in the English and communication depart-

Photos Courtesy of Kean University

‘Rarely Seen: Photographs of the Extraordinary’ is on display at Kean Universty’s Liberty Hall Academic Center gallery until Wednesday, Nov. 23.

ments,” Zimmerman noted. “After

Another collaboration brings a new internship opportunity to Kean for students studying liberal or fine arts. The Creative Economy Experience Internship Pro-

gram, announced by Repollet during the opening reception, will match students with arts and cultural institutions including the National Geographic Society. The Galleries at Kean and the Office of Career Services will work with 15 Kean students, who will receive guidance in writing resumes and submitting applications for internships. Students can also receive help with the costs of transporta-

tion, food and housing during internships.

“By giving them a taste of professional life, the program will expose those students to a world of possibilities,” Repollet said. “That’s fitting, because broadening our perspectives is really what education and art are all about.”

Other opportunities to delve into art at Kean — including artists’ talks and workshops offered in conjunction with gallery

exhibits — are open to everyone. For instance, the National Geographic exhibit will be complemented by a workshop on Thursday, Nov. 3, on enhancing photographs with post-processing software. A nominal fee is charged.

“Rarely Seen” is open Tuesdays through Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door.

Photos Courtesy of Kean University

Thousands attend Jazz & Roots Music Festival

Kean University’s Jazz & Roots Music Festival drew a crowd of more than 4,000 to the lawn at Enlow Hall on Saturday, Sept. 24, for an evening of jazz, blues and reggae music, featuring NEA Jazz Master Dianne Reeves and other performers.

The audience, more than twice the size of last year’s inaugural festival, brought chairs, blankets and picnic baskets, and settled in for the music under a sunny, autumn sky.

“At Kean University, we talk about community, we talk about family and we talk about service,” Kean President Lamont O. Repollet told the crowd. “Today’s an example of that. We take the arts seriously at Kean, and we want to welcome you every year to this music festival. It’s our way of saying, thank you very much.”

Five-time Grammy Award winner Dianne Reeves headlined the concert. Putting her improvisational vocal skills on full display, she sang a welcome as part of her opening number, Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams.”

“You all look so colorful in your easy chairs,” she sang, and the audience erupted in applause.

Producer Mike Griot also performed as part of the band Blues People. He said Kean’s music festival is unique.

“It has different types of music, and that brings different types of people together to sit next to each other,” he said. “We need that diversity and sense of community.”

Also performing were Big Fun(k), and Josh David & Judah Tribe.

The university’s focus on health and well-being was evident at the festival, as concertgoers were able to purchase massages and health products from vendors whose tents were lined up around the lawn.

Dr. Colleen Hawthorne, a psychiatrist and life coach and a sponsor of the event, gave wellness advice from the stage.

“Is this not the epitome of a healthy healing environment?” she asked. “Cer-

See

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Photo Courtesy of Kean University

Thousands attend the Kean University Jazz & Roots Music Festival, a free outdoor concert on the lawn at Enlow Hall.

Sara Bost, of Barnegat, came to the concert with her daughter and granddaughter.

“I traveled … to get here,” she said. “It’s a fantastic event — good music; good people; a nice, diverse crowd and a beautiful day for it.”

Derek Gali Martinez, a Kean freshman from Roselle studying environmental science, was with four Kean friends.

“We all love jazz,” he said. “It is one of the pluses about going to this university. The festival shows that Kean is not only about getting students; it’s about the community.”

The Jazz & Roots Music Festival is expected to return next year.

“Stay tuned,” Griot said. “It’s going to get bigger.”

Photos Courtesy of Kean University

Above left,

Kean University Jazz & Roots Music Festival features a performance by Grammy Award winner Dianne Reeves.

to the lawn at Enlow Hall on Saturday, Sept. 24, for an