Monday, May 7, 2012
Trying something new can be therapeutic. Sometimes.
The media often bombards us with data on the biggest stressors in the lives of 21st-century Americans. Some of the usual culprits include divorce, job insecurity, money woes, ill health, loss of a loved one, carpenter bees and Miley Cyrus. My own personal list would include centipedes and getting mown down by a BMW whilst traversing Main Street in search of chocolate. Job interviews are also very scary and stress-inducing, but I think it’s safe to say auditioning for a musical, which is a kind of job interview, is not something the majority of Mo’towners are stressing about at this very moment. And for once, neither am I. When I was living in Chicago, auditioning for shows was part of my daily grind. If there wasn’t a play to audition for…
Monday, March 19, 2012
Recent town council appointments smack of revenge or, at the least, an unwillingness to bend.
Get out the liquor licenses and let’s all rejoice! ABC claims to have a “hit” show this season called Revenge. I put quotation marks around the word hit because it is ABC that's touting the show’s hit status. I’ve asked around and nobody seems to be watching it. The program is set in some steamy, wealthy place where everyone is steamily attractive as they push forward their steamy agendas. Sounds a little bit like Moorestown these days, what with the balmy weather and the town council meltdown. Obviously, this is not a television program about good neighbors, harmony or the gastric explosion known to afflict us snowbirds when in Mexico. It is also not a show about politics in Mo’town or the upcoming Republican slate for town council. …
Monday, December 12, 2011
MoorArts showcases more than 100 pieces of student artwork.
The third floor of the Moorestown Recreation Center was transformed into a festive gallery and performance space at the MoorArts Holiday Arts Festival Saturday, Dec. 3. More than a hundred pieces of art created by students at Moorestown district schools were displayed on professional art racks and tables designed to showcase three-dimensional pieces. Curated by MoorArts board member and former Moorestown High School art teacher Kathy Aubert, the work included pastels, self-portraits, photography, sculpture, interpretations of ethnic and medieval art, pottery and other unique art forms. Younger visitors were invited to participate in make-and-take craft stations, where they applied creative energy to holiday keepsakes. Festival patrons were…
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Wednesday, November 30, 2011
The Lions Club Holiday Parade, now in its 51st year, is expected to draw thousands of people to downtown Moorestown Saturday.
- HOLIDAY GUIDE
- Rob Scott
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Wednesday, November 30, 2011
It’s been more than a half century since the Moorestown Lions Club began marching its parade down Main Street. And yet, in an age when such community-uniting events seem to no longer be in vogue, the parade still brings out nearly half the town, according to organizer Peter Thorndike. “So many of the people who are lining the sides of the street, watching it, were in the parade themselves,” he said, “and they’re watching their kids. There’s a continuity there. It’s one of the few events in town where everyone’s brought together.” The town will once again come together this Saturday, for the 51st annual Lions Club Holiday Parade. Thorndike said the parade will be led by the MacGregor Pipe Band (bagpipe players), followed by three Mummers …
Monday, November 21, 2011
Family, friends, a great town and adoring readers. What are you thankful for?
In the mighty world of merchandising, Thanksgiving is just an unfortunate speed bump on the retail road between two very profitable holidays: Halloween and Christmas. In most temples of retail, the Christmas decorations are hauled out as soon as the costumes and leftover skeletons get schlepped back into storerooms, but it’s not until Thanksgiving that the full onslaught of Christmas overkill begins. Any moment now, we can expect the coming of the Christmas inflatables. But I ask you: Are there no Thanksgiving inflatables out there? No pilgrims humbled by famine? No huge turkeys? Or what about a nice, silvery six-foot alewife to decorate your lawn? Honestly, I am somewhat relieved the Thanksgiving inflatable-thing has not caught on. It’s…
Friday, July 8, 2011
Catchy tunes and flashy dance moves coincide with a change in social norms in 1960s Baltimore.
MoorArts’ Hairspray begins its six-show run tonight, bringing the big hair and bigger social shifts of the ’60s to Moorestown High School. The production “features an extra-large cast befitting the story of a plus-sized teen out to vanquish stereotypes and prejudice,” a MoorArts release reads. Director Jeanne Haynes double-casted three leading roles: Anne Kessler and Emily Duncan will play heroine Tracy, a plus-sized teen with dreams of making it big on the local dancing show. Erin Brogan and Samantha Maliha alternate as Tracy’s best friend, Penny, while Rachel Smith and Courtney Halpin both play Tracy’s scheming nemesis, Amber. The Hairspray cast includes thespians from many local communities, including Moorestown, Haddonfield, Mt. Laurel…
Monday, June 27, 2011
A backstage look as MoorArts' "Hairspray" comes together.
- OPINION
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Monday, June 27, 2011
My mother always told me that the best way to stay young was to hang around with young people. She also called me an idiot on more than one occasion, so I’m happy to report that I am following her advice by surrounding myself with young performers AND feeling idiotic as we prepare for MoorArts' Hairspray. Set to open on July 8 for six performances, the cast is in mad rehearsal mode with less than a month to go. Being the oldest cast member (again!) gives me an insight into a process that might be of interest to sane readers who have never been in a theatrical production. Henceforth, my look behind the scenes of a community theater production, edited to protect the innocent, the divas and the teenagers who never, ever stop talking. May 24…
Monday, June 20, 2011
Pay to participate public hearing, Hairspray tickets and animals at the library are all on tap this week.
1. The Board of Education will have a second reading and public hearing Tuesday on a "pay to participate" policy. The policy would charge a fee to students to participate in extracurricular activities. The meeting is at 7:30 p.m. at William Allen Middle School, 801 North Stanwick Rd. 2. The zoning board will meet Tuesday, also at 7:30 p.m. at William Allen Middle School. 3. Are you "brave enough to wink at a wallaby, get cozy with a coatimundi or pair up with a pot-bellied pig?" The library is kicking off its summer of adventures with animals Thursday at 2:30 p.m. Visit or call the library at 856-234-0333 to register for Wallaby Tales Traveling Zoo Presents: One World, Many Animals. 4. Buy your tickets Thursday in-person for MoorArts' …
Friday, June 10, 2011
Fred's Emporium will offer a large selection of goods and raise money for MoorArts.
For 15 years, Fred Binter has been lending a hand to theater productions at Moorestown High School. His first production was Oklahoma in 1996 when his two sons–Fred III and Eric–were cloggers in the production. “Having fairly good design and carpentry skills, I went on to help with the set construction department,” said Binter. He was set designer and master carpenter for 35 shows. Binter will be working on his 13th MoorArts production this summer when he does sound for Hairspray. It is his 44th production overall. “I decided that the theater sound department needed major improvement,” he said. “I purchased equipment and became the sound designer and engineer ever since.” His wife, Lee was a costume designer for MoorArts, making hundreds …
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Looking for something to do this weekend? We've got some ideas.
Looking for something to do this weekend? Patch is here to help. A Toast to the Past: Celebrating Evergreen Lawn’s Centennial Where/When: Moorestown Community House, 16 E. Main St., Moorestown; June 10 at 7 p.m. Why Go: Come enjoy a beer tasting that will feature pre- and post-Prohibition brew selections that would have been available in the early 1900s when Evergreen Lawn was built. Learn about the history of area breweries, bid on auction items that include handmade beer steins and other items by local artisans, and enjoy live ragtime, blues and jazz music. Proceeds from this event will support major facility upgrades for Perkins Center for the Arts Moorestown buildings and the ongoing arts education programming and scholarships …
Mark Morgan
10:09 am on Monday, May 14, 2012
Marsia, Thanks for the shout out for the Moorestown Theater Company! I certainly understand the 'anguish of auditioning' and the 'joy of performing'. Any time you want to join us, we would love to have you! Thanks and keep up the funny columns! Mark Morgan, Leader Moorestown Theater Company 'Gang' more ›