Culture
Thursday, July 27, 2017
Let us feature your arts or community group!
>>> arts@montclairlocal.news
United Way rescues opera
Opera Theatre of Montclair
finds a new old space
by GWEN OREL
orel@montclairlocal.news
Mia Riker-Norrie was sitting
at home, stressing about the lack
of space for Opera Theatre of
Montclair’s upcoming produc-
tion of “Cinderella.”
Riker-Norrie was stressing
because four days earlier, St.
Luke’s Episcopal Church had
cancelled the group’s use of
their space for the production,
although it had been scheduled
since November.
The local opera company, en-
tering its third year of full pro-
ductions, had been resident at St.
Luke’s since January.
It was a bad weekend for Rik-
er-Norrie.
This production would be the
first one in which the soprano
performed with the company, as
well as produced: she was set to
play a wicked stepsister, wearing
a hat with rubber chickens.
In an email to the Local, the
Rev. John Mennell said that
the church’s space and priori-
ties needed to focus on its core
mission of “spreading the good
news and love of Jesus,” adding
that as Toni’s Kitchen expanded,
there was less space available for
outside organizations.
But for Opera Theatre of
Montclair, losing the space was
a crisis. They were just about to
send out publicity for the show.
Now, it looked as though the
show might not go on.
She posted the dilemma on
the Facebook group Montclair
Watercooler Connections, and
got more than 50 leads.
Then Riker-Norrie got a call
from Elaine
Molinaro, chair
of the arts ad-
visory commit-
tee, which she
founded in 2015.
The committee
serves as a liai-
ELAINE son between the
MOLINARO artistic commu-
nity and the township council.
“Mia, what are you doing,” she
recalled Molinaro saying, and
“Can you get over here?”
Molinaro said she had been
meeting with the board of di-
rectors from United Way at their
building at 60 South Fullerton
One day of music isn’t enough
8th annual
festival
‘ramps up’
by GWEN OREL
orel@montclairlocal.news
“Jazz is America’s home-
grown music,” Melissa Walker
told sponsors and guests at a
kick-off event for the Montclair
Jazz Festival this past Thurs-
day. Walker, a celebrated singer,
founded Jazz House Kids, which
presents the Festival, 15 years
ago.
This summer the Jazz Festi-
val will have more music in it
than ever: it will include a two
week ramp-up, Chief Operat-
ing Officer Lynne Toye told the
guests standing outside on a
steamy night. “One day just isn’t
enough.”
The big day will be on Sat-
urday, Aug. 12. “No tickets re-
quired,” Jazz Festival buttons
declare; as always, the eighth
annual festival will be free. It will
take place at Nishuane Park from
Ave. , and “they are very inter-
ested in helping you.”
In addition to heading the arts
advisory committee, Molina-
ro is working on an initiative to
form an arts alliance, modelled
on local arts alliances such as the
Downtown Brooklyn Arts Alli-
ance, or ART New York (The Al-
liance of Resident Theatres). The
alliance would offer “structural
support to the arts, space, mar-
keting training. Space is a real
issue for local not-for-profit arts
groups,” Molinaro said.
So Molinaro, a local director,
had been keeping an eye out for
opportunities for space rentals.
At the meeting with John
Franklin, the CEO of United Way
Northern New Jersey, she shared
OTM’s plight and asked if they
might have a space.
The general reaction was, “Oh
wow, ‘Cinderella’ here,” Molin-
aro recalled with a laugh. “They
said, ‘Get us a proposal immedi-
ately.’”
“We were talking about mak-
ing better us of
the auditorium,”
Franklin said.
When he heard
that the opera
company was
in a bind, Unit-
ed Way made a
JOHN quick accom-
FRANKLIN modation.
Riker-Norrie threw on shoes
and hurried over.
The building is “right next
door to the library. There’s a
beautiful garden in back,” Rik-
er-Norrie said. But she’d never
looked at the space. She’d heard
there was a rug on the floor,
which was bad for acoustics.
“As I entered the building, I
had an incredibly positive feel-
ing about it.
“As I entered the auditorium, I
started to cry.
“It’s perfect.”
The proscenium space has 215
seats, and that rug she’d feared
actually helps dampen the ex-
tra-ringiness of the space.
“She got up on stage and sang
one note to test it,” said Molin-
aro. “It’s wonderful to hear this
beautiful opera sound.”
United Way, Riker-Norrie
said, is “Cindrella’s” knight in
shining armor.
COURTESY CHRIS DRUKKER FOR JAZZ HOUSE KIDS
Jazz House Kids’ Founder and President Melissa Walker describes the coming
Jazz Festival.
noon to 9 p.m.
But first, “Jazz in Focus,” a
photography exhibit with work
from Richard Conde, Patrick
Hilaire, and the late Ed Berg-
er, opens tonight at The Gallery
at Hillside Square, and will run
through Oct. 27.
Tomorrow, Friday, July 28,
there will be an Old School Funk
+ Soul party, spun by “D.J. Broth-
CLASSICAL MUSIC
Mia Riker-Norrie, general director of Opera Theatre of Montclair, tests the acoustics at the United Way building.
The proscenium of the United Way theater fits the style of “Cinderella.”
Franklin said “It’s a nice fit be-
tween us and the arts. Often the
arts raise awareness of issues,
and help us communicate mes-
sages.”
United Way wanted to make
better use of their auditorium,
and reach out to community or-
ganizations, he explained.
Riker-Norrie said that after
talking to Franklin about United
Way’s ALICE program, an acro-
nym that stands for “Asset Lim-
ited, Income Constrained, Em-
ployed,” she realized “you know,
that’s most of our singers.
“Most of them. There are
singers of mine that sleep on
people’s couches.
“One of them wants to buy a
JAZZ FESTIVAL
er Mister,” who, Walker said,
“looks a lot like Christian Mc-
Bride.”
From July 31 through Aug. 10,
McBride, who is the festival’s
artistic director and a Gram-
my-award winning bass player,
curates a mid-day summer con-
cert + symposium series at the
Cali Schol of Music’s Leshowitz
Hall, at Montclair State Univer-
Facebook.com/MontclairLocal
van and park it someplace. We’re
a perfect partnership.”
“A family of four in New Jer-
sey needs $64,000 just to get by,”
Franklin said. “The federal pov-
erty level is $23,000 to get by.
That’s a huge gap. It’s hard to get
by and be recognized as being in
need, even though you are work-
ing.”
After a talk-back at an ear-
lier theatrical production held
at United Way, Franklin said he
also realized that most artists are
ALICE.
Hosting “Cinderella,” he said,
“brings new life into the build-
ing. It creates more awareness of
the space, and an opportunity to
serve the community.”
sity, as part of Jazz House Kids’
summer camps.
On Saturday, Aug. 5, “Jazz
across Montclair” will feature
Jazz House Kids’ student ensem-
bles performing in seven loca-
tions on Church Street, including
Center Stage, from 2 to 10 p.m.
For Walker, the achievement
of the festival, which started
“with 300 people sitting on the
grass,” to a free, nine-hour event
with 50 vendors and two stages,
is a personal triumph. Growing
up the child of an interracial
marriage in Michigan, she found
many doors closed to her.
Her mother, “who’s right
here,” and her father, told her the
difficult situation was an oppor-
tunity to make a difference.
“This is the dream of that little
girl that just felt shut out,” Walk-
er said.
An ensemble of Jazz House
Kids students had been playing
for the guests. During the festi-
val, 10 Jazz House Kids student
ensembles and vocal groups, in-
cluding more than 160 students,
will perform.
“When you bring young peo-
ple together, and give them skills
Page B-3
Twitter: @MontclairLocal
PHOTOS BY DEBORAH ANN TRIPOLDI/STAFF
‘Cinderella’
‘La Cerentola’
By Gioacchino Rossini
Opera Theatre of Montclair
Sept. 15, 16, 22, 23
United Way
60 South Fullerton Ave.
Operamontclair.org
And, he said, “I happen to love
opera.”
Will he attend “Cinderella?”
“Absolutely,” Franklin said. “And
I may be taking my granddaugh-
ter.”
Montclair Jazz
Festival
Saturday, Aug. 12
Noon-9 p.m.
Nishuane Park (High Street)
Free
montclairjazzfestival.org
and tools and inspired teaching,
they can go on to great heights,”
Walker said.
She praised the community
for allowing Jazz House Kids to
thrive.
Local politicians came to sup-
port the event, including New
Jersey Assemblyman Thomas
Giblin, Essex County Freeholder
Brendan Gill, Montclair Town-
ship Council members Bill Hur-
lock, Rich McMahon, and Renée
Baskerville.
In an interview, Baskerville
said that she loves that the festi-
val “provides the entire commu-
nity with top notch jazz. Maybe
some of those people wouldn’t be
able to afford to go to the city for
See JAZZ, B-5
Page B-4 Culture Thursday, July 27, 2017

LITFEST

Looking through the eyes of Arab-Americans

by LILY BRYAN
Lily Bryan’s untitled story was the 10th-grade
winner in the first Montclair Literary Festival
Short Story Contest, held this spring. Arianna
Donas and Ellie Whittam were runners-up for
that grade. The contest received 77 entries from
Montclair High School students.
“Now, you can clearly infer that Jane
does not care about the societal expecta-
tions placed upon her, yet she—
“Sam Peters, if I see that phone one
more time!” I sigh under my breath, and
the familiar sound of Mrs. Williams yell-
ing at Sam automatically reduces to the
same buzz that I have taught myself to
push to the back of my mind. I pick up my
pencil, and soon the words flowing in my
mind are all I can hear. As usual, the poem
begins to write itself. I have soon become
so concentrated that I do not notice the
buzzing in my ear has stopped and not a
student is with pencil in hand, until I hear
a new voice. I look up, and Mr. James, the
president of the high school, is standing at
the doorway. I feel the rush of fear I always
do when an official is in my presence.
“May I please speak with Karam Arian
for a quick moment?”
My head jerks up at the mention of
my name. The rush of fear immediately
turns into a full-blown panic. I push back
my chair and stand up, my legs shaking.
As usual, the class erupts into the usual
“oohs,” but this time I cannot join them.
As I follow Mr. James down the hall, I
run through in my mind everything I was
taught to say if anything like this were to
happen.
My name is Karam Arian. I was born
in Boston, Massachusetts. I now live in
Montclair, New Jersey. I am 16 years old. I
am legal.
Those last three words bounce around
my skull, like a mantra I can’t seem to
shake. I am legal. I am legal. I am legal.
We enter Mr. James’s office, a room I
have always looked upon with a sense of
Lily Bryan was the 10th-grade winner of the Montclair Literary Festival Short Story Contest.
dread. He settles in his desk chair, while I
sit across from him. I feel my heart franti-
cally beating against my rib cage, and find
myself unable to look up.
“Mr. Arian? This is nothing bad, you
know.” I look Mr. James in the eye, unable
to believe what I’m hearing.
“N-nothing bad?” I stammer. He smiles
and shakes his head. “Karam, do you know
your writing is something exceptional?
It’s unlike anything I’ve ever read, years
and years above your grade level. Mrs. Wil-
liams sent me a few pieces of yours, and I
can’t quite explain what it is, but there is
something so powerful about your writ-
ing. From what I can infer, writing is some-
thing you very much enjoy. Is this true?”
This is more than true. Writing is my
everything; the only way I keep myself
sane. To not be able to write would be to
not be able to feel, to think. I cannot possi-
bly express this to Mr. James, so I keep my
answer simple:
OOURTESY CANDY COOPER
“It’s my passion.”
Mr. James smiles. “Well, I’m glad. Please
keep writing, I don’t come across many
students with such an exceptional abili-
ty. I would strongly advise you pursue a
writing career.” I nod my head swiftly and
reach across the desk to shake his hand, in
complete and utter disbelief of his words.
The puddles splash my jeans as I walk
home, but I don’t notice. I can’t stop con-
templating Mr. James’ words. I would
strongly advise you pursue a writing ca-
reer. The thought has never even crossed
my mind, but now I can’t get it out. Writing
makes me happy, and the thought of doing
something I love for the rest of my life fills
me with warmth.
The door is open when I arrive. I throw
my backpack down on the kitchen table
and sprint upstairs. I had heard a new vid-
eo game was being released today, and I am
eager to find out which one. I am halfway
to my room when I hear my name called.
“Karam Arian, how many times must I
ask you not to leave your backpack on the
kitchen table?” I sigh.
“Sorry, Mom!” I sprint down the stairs,
grab my bag and place it by the door. I went
to go back upstairs, but my name being
called once again stopped me.
“Not so fast. How was your day?” My
mother never fails to ask me this question.
I look up at her. She is truly a force to be
reckoned with, someone I would never
think of crossing. She is of Syrian descent
and proud to be so. It is evident in me as
well, and not something I’ve ever been
ashamed of.
“It was good. Can I go upstairs now?”
She sighs and nods.
My eyes fly open to a pitch black. I fum-
ble around until I find my alarm clock and
squint at it. 3:42 in the morning? What
woke me up? I hear a yell, definitely the
cause of my awakening. More yelling. I feel
frozen under my covers; unable to move a
muscle. I know I should go downstairs and
find out what is happening, but I just can’t.
The only thing I can do is squeeze my eyes
shut and pray that this is a dream, some
type of bizarre nightmare, and that when I
wake up in the morning everything will be
as it always is.
Three years. It’s been three whole years
since everything. Three years since my
mother was deported. Three years since
I’ve seen my father really and truly smile,
the kind that goes all the way up to your
eyes. Three years since I’ve had a room
to myself. Three years since I’ve willingly
picked up a pencil. But things are starting
to change. I’m beginning to seeˆ nature
and people surrounding me the way I used
to. New ideas for poetry pieces are begin-
ning to pop into my head, and I am starting
to listen to them instead of pushing them
away. As I look out the classroom window
at what used to be my beautiful house be-
fore the move, I realize. I realize that I can-
not let what has happened to me and my
family change the way I learn, or the edu-
cation I am here to receive.

Kids Corner
Thursday, July 27, 2017
CULTURE IN BRIEF
Art wanted for ‘celebration’
by Studio Montclair
To celebrate its 20th
anniversary, Studio Montclair
invites submissions of art that
“celebrates celebrating.” SMI
writes that they are “interested
in work inspired by victories
and achievements, like the
joy of a job well done, the
gratitude and anticipation of
moving forward, or commem-
orating a personal milestone.”
Raise your local voice
Local Voices is a forum for
residents’ essays about issues
and subjects that affect them.
For serious issues, such as
voting or the environment,
submit an essay for a Town
Square to letters@montclair-
Send us your summer snaps
We’re keeping it local
and neighborly — what are
you doing on your summer
vacation? Send us one of your
favorite pics of you and the
family (furry family included)
enjoying the summer. We’ll
Deadlines for Culture section
Montclair Local Culture wel-
comes your news. Please send
listings one week in advance
and story ideas at least two
weeks ahead of publication.
We also welcome pictures
of coming events or of events
Christian McBride spins tunes
by GWEN OREL
orel@montclairlocal.news
The spirit of James Brown will
hover over one of the first events in
the ramp-up to the Montclair Jazz
Festival on Aug. 12 is the Old School
Funk + Soul party spun by DJ Brother
Mister, aka Jazz House Kids’ Artis-
tic Director Christian McBride. The
party will take place on Label Street
(not far from the Walnut Street train
station) on Friday, July 28. We caught
up with McBride to talk to him about
“DJ Brother Mister,” vinyl, and the
goodness of soul.
Montclair Local: Talk to me
about the name.
McBride: “Brother Mister” is
a prefix that James Brown used
when he really got to know you
well. He called everyone “mister”
no matter how well he knew you.
In those rare moments of just
being informal, he would call
you “Brother Mister.”
When I got to work with Mr.
Brown he called me that one
time.
I’ll never forget it. That let me
know he felt really comfortable
Jazz
from page B-3
a night out.
“And I love Dee Dee Bridge-
water.”
The Tony and Grammy
award-winning Bridgewater
is one of the headliners of the
festival. She will appear with
her band Memphis Soulphony.
Actress S. Epatha Merkerson
will again be Master of Cere-
monies.
Other musicians that will
appear include keyboardist
Cyrus Chestnut, trumpeter Ted
Chubb, Louis Prima Jr. , and A
Christian McBride Situation. A
Whether you’re
Buying, Selling or Looking
for a Great Agent
Selected artists may be asked
to participate in a panel dis-
cussion, which would include
questions from the audiences
and slides of the artist’s work.
No entry fee. Curator is Mary
Z. Scott. Deadline is Aug. 20.
For information and an entry
form, visit studiomontclair.
org/call-for-entries-celebra-
tion/.
local.news. Got something
to say? Submit an idea for a
series, with a writing sample,
or submit an individual essay,
to culture@montclairlocal.
news.
add a gold star if you’re
holding a Montclair Local! Let
us know where you are and
when, and who’s who, left to
right. Remember, to run in
Thursday’s paper we need pics
the Friday before.
that have just happened.
Please include caption infor-
mation (people identified, left
to right, photo credit). Ideal
photo size is 150KB to 3MB.
Send to arts@montclairlocal.
news.
A DJ with a familiar face
with me
Montclair Local: How long
have you been doing this?
McBride: For about three
years. I started DJ-ing seriously
in 2014, mostly because I went to
Tipitina’s in New Orleans to play
a big birthday bash for DJ Soul
Sister, a number one DJ in all of
New Orleans.
She had a James Brown-
themed birthday party. They’d
put together an all-star band
that I played in. Leading up to
our set she spun her usual DJ set.
I’d never seen anybody in like
20 years do a whole DJ set only
on vinyl. She had everybody
dancing and screaming. There
was no digital. No nothing. it was
straight vinyl.
My assistant at the time had
a lot of ins to some clubs in
Brooklyn. I said, “Hey man, see
if you can get me a DJ gig on the
down-low.”
I got a gig in a club called Spike
Hill in Williamsburg. I put out
not a whole lot of press. I wanted
to not make a fool of myself, get
it under my feet. The word got
out and next thing I know The
Christian McBride Situation is
the name bass player McBride,
who is the artistic director of
Jazz House Kids, uses for any
eclectic group of musicians he
brings together, according to a
release.
George Hayes, director of
development at Montclair Co-
operative School, said that
“music is a very big part of our
curriculum. It’s so in line with
the way we think and what we
want to accomplish.”
Local contractor Tom Mind-
en, who grew up in Montclair,
said that “it’s amazing to see
the talent [Jazz House Kids]
can bring here. I like seeing the
performers being themselves.”
MONTCLAIR
Real Estate Page
Culture
ABCs of summer fun
It’s the most wonderful time of
the year for our children. Months of
summer vacation to enjoy. Endless
hours with nothing to do. That was
great for a few weeks, then boredom
set in. We’re exploring the town
from morn till night in search of fun
things to do.
A is for awake. We’re awake
by 6 a.m. The Boys like to watch
“the earth get up.” As many
times as I explain that the
earth can get up without their
assistance, it falls on deaf ears.
A walk around Glenfield Park,
115 Bloomfield Ave. We mosey
down Maple Avenue and take
a few laps around the field,
then play for a few minutes
in the wonderfully renovated
children’s area.
B is for breakfast at
Marlboro Bakery, 133 Grove
St. Good old-fashioned and
delicious sweet or savory
choices. No, I don’t let the
kiddies eat cake for breakfast.
That’s reserved for me, as an
independent adult. We pack
fruit and yogurt to take with us,
and settle into our usual tables
for two. It’s the simple things
they love, like plain long rolls
without butter served to them
with plate and napkin. I sip
some of the best coffee in town
for under $2, large cup.
C is for camp. Geyer Family
YMCA, 159 Glenridge Ave. ,
has wonderful choices for day
JAZZ FESTIVAL
DJ Brother Mister spins old soul and funk.
‘It begins and ends pretty much with
James Brown.’
Roots showed up, my homies
from Philly. Everybody showed
up.
DJ Soul Sister flew in.
Montclair Local: why is vi-
nyl having a resurgence?
McBride: With vinyl you
have to pay attention. You don’t
have the option to walk around
and work out or jog or get on
public transportation. When
you’re listening to a record you
Local
Voices
Robin Ehrlichman
Woods
camp on site. The Boys are
attending Explorers Camp here
and there, a specialty camp
for ages 8-12. Drop them off
at 8:30 a.m. , pick them up at
3:30 p.m.
Swim, gym,
art, science,
outdoor play
and trips
twice a week.
Pack them
a nut-free
lunch with ROBIN
beverage and EHRLICHMAN
they’re good to WOODS
go. It’s so much
fun greeting the counselors
dressed in festive sparkly tutus
each morning.
D is for drop in at Montclair
Public Library, 50 South
Fullerton Ave. , or Bellevue
Avenue Branch, 185 Bellevue
Ave. We all signed up for
Summer Reading Club 2017,
and are enjoying books from
“Charlotte’s Web” to “Middle
School: Get Me Out of Here!”
Use the computers for an hour
or so, then go back downstairs
to the café area to pick up a
free lunch provided by Toni’s
Kitchen , 73 South Fullerton
COURTESY TREVOR SMITH
—Christian McBride
really pay attention. Frankly I
think it sounds better.
Montclair Local: Analog vi-
nyl, not digital pressed on vinyl.
McBride: Exactly. And
there’s cover art, and label logos.
There are always a lot of stories
inside the story.
Montclair Local: Why soul
and funk?
McBride: Because when soul
music was at its peak it was on
Page B-5
Ave. , for children up to the
age of 17, Monday through
Friday, noon to 2 p.m. until
Sept. 3. First come, first served
but there are at least 60 bag
lunches ready to enjoy each day
with a simple and nutritious
sandwich, fruit and a sweet
treat. Vegetarian option also
available in small quantities.
Please be aware that lunches
are not nut- or gluten-free. The
wonderful volunteers at the
kitchen make lunches from
daily donations. We avoided a
meltdown about cheese on the
sandwiches by letting the kids
swap out what they didn’t like
with each other. Negotiating
skills lesson to boot.
The day is barely done, and
I have a list with so much fun
to share in the future. Free
kids movies, township pools,
Montclair History Center,
Montclair Art Museum and a
bit of mystery. Hang in there,
parents! Remember to check
which sippie cup you put in
with lunches for the kids, if
need be. Not that I accidentally
packed my cup with an adult
beverage in one of their bags,
but better safe than sorry.
That’s my story and I’m stick-
ing with it.
Robin Ehrlichman Woods is a
writer living in Montclair. For Local
Voices, she writes about things to
see and do in town.
‘DJ Brother Mister’
spins tunes
Old school funk and soul
dance party
Friday, July 28, 8 p.m. - 12 a.m.
18 Label St.
18label.com,
montclairjazzfestival.org
973-744-22743
vinyl. The thing about dance mu-
sic, you think of music played by
musicians playing instruments.
I have no problem with studio
wizardry. There are genius pro-
ducers and artists. Somebody
like Prince. He also played an
instrument. He didn’t have to go
digital to get down.
There was a sweet spot in
dance music from 1966 to 1986.
I don’t care what your culture is,
what you are into.
Dance music from that period
will make you get up.
Montclair Local: Give me
an example?
McBride: James Brown. It
begins and ends pretty much
with James Brown.
No one on the planet made
more people dance worldwide.