![MPAC Presents "Arts In The Community" - Events Throughout Morristown This Summer](https://www.newjerseystage.com/events2018/GreatestShowman.jpg "MPAC Presents "Arts In The Community" - Events Throughout Morristown This Summer")
(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Imagine salsa dancing under the stars.or joining in on a poetry slam.or bringing your family out for a free movie or taking a break from your work day to enjoy a reggae band. Free events such as these are part of MPAC's exciting new initiative entitled "Arts in the Community" which brings free concerts, movies and more beyond the walls of the Theatre and out throughout Morristown.
Throughout this summer, MPAC will present free events at a variety of venues beyond their main stage, including the 70 South Gallery (70 South St.), The Morristown Green and the Vail Lawn (Adjacent to MPAC). Over 20 events will be scheduled.
Arts in the Community is based on the best practices of Creative Placemaking, an evolving field that leverages the power of the arts, culture and creativity to serve a community's interest, while driving a broader agenda for change, growth and transformation in a way that builds character and quality of place.
"With our Arts in the Community program, we expand our commitment to providing creative arts programming to spaces outside of the Theater," said Kadie Dempsey, MPAC's Community Engagement Director. "We strive to be inclusive and to provide opportunities for local and emerging artists to perform and express themselves."
Each venue will have a particular vibe. The Morristown Green is home to MPAC's and Morris Arts' annual world music lunchtime concert series Music Beyond Borders. 70 South Gallery will be an arts incubator, and host edgier events targeted toward millennials such as poetry slams, documentaries and music. The Vail Lawn will provide evening music from diverse artists for diverse audiences. MPAC will host free movies and more. Additional events will be added in the future.
With this program, MPAC hopes to encourage the development of community arts, foster growth of local artists, provide community arts activities for people to enjoy, promote the inclusion of all members of our community and make arts experiences available to everyone. "Our aim is to serve as the central hub and platform in the Morristown area for local artists, residents and visitors to celebrate the arts in our diverse community," Dempsey added.
Advance ticketing is only required for free movies and the free August 24 concert. Tickets for movies will be available in July.
The Lineup and locations:
Tue., June 5: Music Student of the Month Recital - MPAC at 7:00pm. Area students honored as Music Students of the Month throughout the 2017-2018 season showcase their talent.
Wed., June 6: Chris Rockwell & Friends - 70 South Gallery at 7:30pm. Chris Rockwell has been performing hip-hop music and spoken word poetry for the last ten years. He is a two-time nationally competing slam poet, and in 2010 he was named Poet Laureate of Asbury Park.
Wed., June 20: Sane Insane - 70 South Gallery at 7:30pm. Featuring members from Mexico and Colombia, Sane Insane features elements of rock, blues, jazz, among others to form a unique and insane sound.
Thu., June 21: Brynn Stanley - Vail Lawn at 7:30pm. Soulful jazz singer Brynn Stanley has been charming audiences on both coasts with her smooth, silky take on the standards, contemporary music and original compositions.
Tue., June 26: Random Test Reggae - Morristown Green at 12:30pm. Random Test Reggae Band has been rocking the Jersey Shore with music heavily coated in Caribbean traditions. With members hailing from all over the Caribbean, the group brings a cache of authentic reggae and calypso rhythms in true West Indian fashion. Random Test takes you on a musical journey that pays tribute to pioneers in reggae and soca music, staying true to the real roots and culture.
Tue., July 10: BALAM Dance Theatre - Morristown Green at 12:30pm. BALAM Dance Theatre performs contemporary world dance inspired by Balinese theatre, fusing diverse traditional movement styles from different time periods.
Wed., July 11: Mama D & The Vexations/Annelyse Agostino & Scott Jung - 70 South at 7:30pm. Mama D & The Vexations is a high-energy cover band from Morristown with a soulful edge that performs powerful renditions of hits from the 60s through today. Annalyce D'Agostino and Scott Jung are twentysomething singer-songwriters from New Jersey with a passion for performing and storytelling, featuring music ranging from rock to pop to country - an even a little Irish!
Tue, July 24: Eco Del Sur - Morristown Green at 12:30pm. Eco Del Sur consists of South American artists from Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru who perform ancient Andean music as well as contemporary music from different Latin American regions.
Tue., July 24: Carlos Pavan - Vail Lawn at 7:30pm. Classical guitarist Carlos Pavan is a performer and composer of contemporary classical music (guitar, strings, wind, brass and chamber). He has performed at well-renowned venues such as Lincoln Center, New York City Center, Tango USA and Merkin Hall.
Wed., July 25: Christian Schuller - 70 South at 7:30pm. Documentary filmmaker Christian Schuller discusses the process of filmmaking. Joining him will be composer Aedan McEvoy, who will perform and talk about how to write a soundtrack for a film and the collaboration between composer and filmmaker.
Thu., July 26: The Greatest Showman - MPAC at 10:30am and 7:30pm. Hugh Jackman leads an all-star cast in this bold and original musical filled with infectious showstopping performances inspired by the story of P.T. Barnum's rise to fame. Co-starring Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson and Zendaya. Rated PG
Tue., August 7: Tavche Gravche - Morristown Green at 12:30pm. Hailing from New York City's bustling streets, Tavche Gravche merges Macedonian and Mediterranean melodies, both traditional and original, with dynamic improvisational elements; all the while maintaining the explosive danceable rhythms and energy of Balkan music.
Wed., August 8: Broadway Unbound - 70 South at 7:30pm. A Broadway style review like you've never experienced - as you might participate yourself.
Mon., August 13: Sing! - MPAC at 10:30am (Sensory Friendly). A koala impresario stages a gala singing competition in order to save his theater, and the contest attracts the attention of such musically inclined animals as a harried pig mom, a teenage gorilla, a shy elephant and a punk porcupine. Featuring the voices of Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlane, Scarlett Johansson and John C. Reilly. Rated PG
Mon., August 13: Ghostbusters - MPAC at 7:30pm. Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Sigourney Weaver star in this classic comedy about unemployed parapsychologists who devise a system for neutralizing ghosts when New York City comes under attack from supernatural demons. Rated PG (language)
Tue., August 14: Salsa Under the Stars - Vail Lawn at 7:30pm. Come out for the ultimate summer dance party! Featuring music from the Newark Arts High Latin Band, Salsa Under the Stars is a chance to enjoy a beautiful summer evening dancing the night away. Free dance lessons provided!
Wed., August 22: Coco -- MPAC at 10:30 am and 7:30pm. A boy journeys into the Land of the Dead to seek forgiveness from his ancestors and lift a curse. Rated PG
Thu., August 23: Frontline Arts - 70 South at 7:30pm. An arts program by veterans. More information TBA
Friday, August 24: End of Summer Party with Project Grand Slam -- MPAC at 7:30pm. The brainchild of acclaimed bassist/composer Robert Miller, Project Grand Slam is a jazz rock fusion band with a twist of classic rock and Latin that defies genres, languages and geographic boundaries. With influences as diverse as Jimi Hendrix, The Kinks, Afro-Cuban rhythms and Celtic folk, Project Grand Slam delivers a sound like no other.
Mayo Performing Arts Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, presents a wide range of programs that entertain, enrich, and educate the diverse population of the region and enhance the economic vitality of Northern New Jersey. The 2017-2018 season is made possible, in part, by a grant the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as support received from the F.M. Kirby Foundation and numerous corporations, foundations and individuals. The Mayo Performing Arts Center has been designated a Major Presenting Organization by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Mayo Performing Arts Center was named 2016 Outstanding Historic Theatre by the League of Historic American Theatres, and is ranked in the top 50 mid-sized performing arts centers by Pollstar Magazine.
Mayo Performing Arts Center is located at 100 South Street in Morristown, New Jersey.
