Twenty Performances Within Twenty Miles

Twenty miles of driving is a small price to pay for a wonderful evening of theater, music, comedy–in fact, any of the performing arts. So, we've put together a handy list of live performances that range from close to home to just a few steps outside the Patch.

Morris Plains:
"Peter And The Wolf" at the Borough School Auditorium: The classic and much-beloved play  will be performed by the professional Pushcart Players Acting Company. This event is sponsored by the Morris Plains Municipal Alliance in partnership with the New Jersey Theatre Alliance's "Stages Festival and Family Week At The Theatre. Adults, $5, children under 18 & senior citizens, free. More information here.

Morris Township:
Getting Nice and Naughty at the : A gay movie star, a male prostitute and his girlfriend, and a ruthless Hollywood agent take center stage in "The Little Dog Laughed" at the Bickford Theatre in Morris Township until Feb. 13. The comedy by Douglas Carter Beane ran in New York both off-Broadway and on Broadway in 2006, and received a Tony nomination for Best Play. In the play, actor Mitchell Green is poised to become a Hollywood star, but is determined to come out of the closet, leading Diane, his agent, to do whatever it takes to keep him there. The production stars Liz Zazzi, Mark Irish, Scott Tyler and Cynthia Fernandez. Eric Hafen directs. For ticket information, call 973-971-3706 or go to the theater’s website. Also, see our full story on it here.

This Bull Won’t Fight: Hudson Vagabond Puppets will perform “Ferdinand the Bull” at the  in Morris Township Feb. 19. The story of the peaceful bull is told with giant puppets in a narrated ballet with a larger-than-life bull, masked dancers, and specialized mechanical figures. The presentation includes an on-stage demonstration of techniques to resolve problems without fighting. Find more information here.

Morristown:
Wintertime Blues: The  in Morristown will host Hot Tuna Blues, an evening of acoustic and electric blues, Feb. 10 at 8 p.m. The concert will feature Hot Tuna with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady, accompanied by blues icon Charlie Musselwhite on harmonica and guitar, and two-time Grammy winner Jim Lauderdale. Tickets cost $37-$57. Call 973-539-8008 or go to mayoarts.org for tickets.

Gotta Dance! Savion Glover will bring his latest creation, “SoLo in TiMe” to the , Feb. 11, 8 p.m. Glover and his company weave tap and flamenco traditions in this performance described by the ’s website as “a breathtakingly electric montage of speed, rhythm, and song.” Tickets cost $37-$87. Call 973-539-8008 or go to mayoarts.org for tickets.

Doobie Brothers Tickets on Sale: Tickes for The Doobie Brothers’ April 22 concert at the  are going on sale to the public Feb. 11. The legendary band’s hits include “China Grove,” “Takin’ It To the Streets” and “Jesus is Just All Right With Me.” Tickets cost $69-$109. For information, go to mayoarts.org or call the box office at 973-539-8008.

Love After 40: Celebrate love Valentine’s weekend when the off-Broadway smash “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change!” comes to the in Morristown Feb. 12 at 8 p.m. The musical comedy features four actors playing characters north of 40 in a revue of songs and comic scenes about the ups and downs that come with male/female relationships. Tickets cost $32-$57. Call 973-539-8008 or go to mayoarts.org for tickets.

Vienna Waits For You: Opole, Philharmonic of Poland will perform a “Vienna Gala Program” at the  in Morristown Feb. 18. It's an evening of the music of Vienna featuring the orchestral, violin and vocal music of composer Johann Strauss Jr., as performed by Poland’s leading symphony orchestra, and the show starts at 8 p.m. There is a free pre-performance lecture at 7 pm for ticketholders. Tickets are $37-$52. Call 973-539-8008 or go to mayoarts.org for tickets.

Feeling Folky: The  in Morristown will host an afternoon of folk music with The Second Annual Garden State Folk Festival Feb. 20, 3 p.m. The concert will feature the comedic songs of Carla Ulbrich, the 20-member all female a cappella group Hickory Tree Chorus, The Dirdy Birdies Jug Band and Roger Deitz. Tickts cost $20 and are available at 973-539-8008 and www.mayoarts.org.

Service With A Smile: Brad Zimmerman will present “My Son The Waiter, A Jewish Tragedy” at the  Feb. 24. In the show, the comedian shares the story of his struggle to make it as an actor in New York. Zimmerman has opened for Joan Rivers, Brad Garrett, Susie Essman, and was George Carlin’s regular opening act for two years. Tom Cotter is Zimmerman’s opening act. Tickets cost $25, for information, call 973-539-8008 or go to www.mayoarts.org

With a Banjo on His Knee: There’ll be nothing wild and crazy going on when Steve Martin comes to the . Tickets for his concert of bluegrass and banjo music are on sale now. The concert is June 28. Martin’s 2009 album, “The Crow: New Songs for the 5-String Banjo,” won the 2009 Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album. For information on all shows at the Mayo Center, go to mayoarts.org or call the box office at 973-539-8008.

Parsippany:
"The World Goes Round," You Go To Parsippany: The Women's Theater Company in Parsippany will produce "And The World Goes Round, The Songs of Kander and Ebb" starting Feb. 11. The revue features songs from "Cabaret," "Chicago," "Funny Lady," "Kiss Of The Spiderwoman" and other Broadway hits. Performances are Feb. 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26 and 27. Friday and Saturday performances are 8 p.m. Sundays are 3 p.m. The show is at the , 1140 Knoll Road, Lake Hiawatha. Tickets are $18, $15 for seniors and $12 for students. Call 973-316-3033 or e-mail info@womenstheater.org.

Madison
Celebrating Young Talent: The Madison Young Playwrights Festival will soon be taking reservations. It's a day-long festival celebrating work written by students in  Madison schools. Watch this space for more information. 

Chester:
A Night For Love: The Chester Theatre Group at the Black River Playhouse in Chester will present a Valentine’s special, the romantic comedy “Love Letters” by A. R. Gurney on Feb. 11 and 12, 8 p.m. The play follows the “near misses” of a relationship through a lifetime of letters between a man and a woman, played by Chester Theatre Group regulars Pat Sheffield and Robert Sackstein. Their friendship unfolds from what is written—and what is left unwritten—in 50 years of letters, from summer camps and boarding schools through college, war, career and relationships. All seats cost $10. Reservations recommended: 908-879-7304. The Black River Playhouse is located at the corner of Maple and Grove streets in Chester. For more information, go to chestertheatregroup.org.

Chatham:
Do You Have A Jersey Voice? The  group is seeking original, one-act plays, short musicals or original dance pieces, written by New Jersey authors, for the 17th annual "Jersey Voices." Play submissions of any genre, style and length up to 20 minutes maximum running time will be accepted through March 15. E-mail submissions in Microsoft Word or PDF format to: jerseyvoices@chathamplayers.org. For more information on the festival itself, see here. 

Dover:
Can We Talk?Dover Little Theatre will present a staged of reading of George Castellitto’s “Four Distant Conversations” Feb. 19 at 7:30 p.m. The reading will feature Clinton L. Scott, Tom Morrissey, Tim Murphy and Thom Florio, and will be followed by a talk back session with Castellitto and a wine and cheese reception. Tickets cost $5. Reservations are recommended. 973-328-9202; www.doverlittletheatre.org. 

Millburn:
How Do You Spell Quirky? The "25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" is continuing at the  through Feb. 13. From the theater's description, it's the story of "six quirky competitors and three oddball adults in search of spelling bee glory." It's a musical that tells its audience, "If you like to laugh, if you like to spell, you'll like this competition very well." 

West Orange:
 Have A Killer Time On Valentine’s Day: Luna Stage Company in West Orange is presenting a benefit reading of a David Wiltse’s “Murder Too” on Feb. 14. Billed as a “murder comedy,” the play is about an artistic director (played by Luna’s artistic director Jane Mandel), her best friend (Luna’s managing director, Mona Hennessy), her best friend husband (Mandel’s real-life husband and Luna board president Franki Faison, whose screen credits include "The Wire"), and a young actor (played by Dave Mason). Tickets cost $30 and include a light wine and cheese reception before the performance. Click here for information.

Summit:
Hollywood Ending: There’s no business like show business, especially when David Mamet’s writing about it.  will present Mamet’s 1988 play “Speed the Plow” Feb. 18 through March 5. Filled with Mamet’s trademark, rapid-fire dialogue, it focuses on the ruthless nature of Hollywood and the movie industry. With the writer’s dialogue and taught plotting the seemingly superficial depiction of two Hollywood producers looking for a big break finds deep meaning. The show stars Robert Barwick, from Wayne, as Bob Gould; James Sloan, from New York City, as Charlie Fox; and Danielle Pennisi, from Cedar Grove, as Karen. Trey Compton is the director. Tickets cost $20, or $15 for  students. For tickets: see here  or call 908-273-2192. Summit Playhouse is located at 10 New England Ave., Summit.

Netcong:
A Gala Evening: The Growing Stage children’s theater in Netcong will celebrate the 15th anniversary of the re-opening of the Palace Theatre with a gala on March 5. The evening includes cocktails, hors d ‘oeuvres, buffet dinner and dessert catered by the Black Forest Inn in Stanhope, a silent auction and performances by cast members of the theater’s production of “The Wizard of Oz.” Tickets cost $125, with proceeds benefiting The Growing Stages’ programs. RSVP by Feb. 19. Contact Managing Director Tom Romano at 973-347-4946 or mgdir@growingstage.com for reservations.