Sparta Residents' Band to Debut CD

SteppingSTONE BAND is debuting 'I'll Be Coming Home' June 1st at the St. Moritz.

Teachers by day, musician by night. Three teachers are celebrating their CD with a release party at the St. Moritz in Sparta on June 1. Brad Marullo is a teacher at Thomas Jefferson and Sussex Avenue and plays guitar, keyboards and lap steel in SteppingSTONE BAND. He's looking forward to celebrating the release of their debut CD, I'll Be Coming Home in Sparta because his band has a strong presence in area. "We have played a number of clubs and bars in North Jersey including the Sparta Elk's Club, Beach 4, Krogh's and the St. Moritz," said Marullo. Sparta residents Ryan Schultz, who is a consultant with an energy conservation company in Oak Ridge, and Tommy Casperson, an art teacher in Mountain Lakes, are the local connection in …

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Monsters, Celebrities Take Over Sheraton Hotel

Debbie Gibson, Jerry Lawler, Patty Duke among stars at annual Chiller Theater event.

The Sheraton Hotel in Parsippany played host to all sorts of creatures, musicians and celebrities in the annual Chiller Theater event this weekend.  A constant flow of attendees from all over the area came to meet, be photographed with and get autographs from stars of television, movies and video.  Also on hand were numerous vendors selling everything from T-shirts to voodoo dolls to jewelry.  Some guests also dressed in costumes to share in the experience.

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Big Buzz For MCAW as the Hive Opens In Chester

Morris County Arts Workshop officially opens its storefront location in the Chester Springs Mall.

The Morris County Arts Workshop officially opened their Hive in Chester on Saturday, with a ribbon cutting ceremony that has been creating an appropriate amount of buzz over the last few months. Part gallery, part performing arts center the Hive is part of MCAW founder Jane Shatz's dream to provide a place for all in the community to have a space to create and experience art. The ribbon cutting in the Chester Springs Shopping Mall was the latest step in a series of leaps for MCAW. Their origami crane project and evening with Jim Breuer are only two of the recent programs the center has been involved in. Saturday's crowd of art patrons young and old began the day with a ribbon cutting ceremony by Chester Township Mayor Bill Cogger and …

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Jim Breuer: Building the Arts in Your Own Backyard

Chester resident, actor and comedian is working with the Morris County Arts Workshop to bring improv, film and comedy classes to the town he calls home.

Jim Breuer is known for his mimicry skills. The actor, comedian and former "Saturday Night Live Star" has a series of characters that everyone knows him for. But at his Evening with Jim Breuer fundraiser for the Morris County Arts Workshop at the Hive in Chester, it was his impression of MCAW director Jane Shatz that nearly brought the house down. “The arts are alive and they are here in Chester,” Breuer said, with a perfect imitation of Shatz’s European lilt and delivery. Breuer who is now on the board at MCAW, was bowled over by Shatz. “You might be wondering why you are here. You are here tonight because of the passion Jane has,” Breuer said. “I really feel we need to encourage the arts out here. This is why I started the Chester Family…

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Local Girl in Two Cannes Film Festival Entries

Jefferson's Chloe Elaine Scharf in films Folded Hope and God's Favor at the prestigious film festival.

The 66th annual Cannes Film Festival features some of the biggest names in the film industry, and among them will be 10-year-old Jefferson native Chloe Elaine Scharf. Scharf has not one, but two films being debuted at the festival which is scheduled to take place from May 15 to May 26 in Cannes, France. The festival kicks off with The Great Gatsby,directed by Baz Luhrmann and close with Zulu, directed by Jérôme Salle. In between, Scharf's films Folded Hope and God's Favor will premiere.  Folded Hope, is directed by Jenna Leung and director of Photography Steven Mastorelli is also a Jefferson native while God's Favor, by Ilay Ron has celebrity designed Kenny Davis serving as executive producer and production designer. Spartacus Films of …

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Sparta Student Finalist in Scholarship Competition

Violinist Kathryn Chamberlain in the running for $1,000 music education scholarship.

Sparta resident and violinist Kathryn Chamberlain has made it to the final round in Don Bosco Prep’s Young Artists’ Scholarship Competition with two qualifying performances in the contest. The Scholarship Competition committee has selected thirteen finalists to perform the final concert of Chapel Concerts on Saturday, April 20 at 7:30 p.m. in the music room of St. John’s Hall.  The finalists include: Of these, one winner will be selected to receive a $1,000 scholarship to be used towards music education. These young artists, from high schools throughout the area, have made it through two rounds of auditions. They are judged by a panel of experts on talent, technique, musicianship, skill, interpretation, presentation, presence. The …

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St. Pat's Parade Takes Over Hackettstown

Fifth annual celebration marched down Main Street Sunday.

Great Buzz Surrounds The Hive in Chester

Morris County Arts Workshop storefront offers place for all ages to create and experience art.

Jane Shatz has an enthusiasm and warmth that is infectious. The director of the Morris County Arts Workshop (MCAW) beams with pride when she discusses her arts programs, her colleagues and all of the local artists she deals with on a regular basis. Shatz has had much to be enthusiastic of late. She has been involved in the origami angel program for Sarah Stover, the Chester teen fighting cancer as well as the tealight tribute to the children of Newton, Conn. And MCAW recently had a fundraiser event held at the Hive in the Chester Springs Mall. What is the Hive? Well, it is a place that MCAW has secured as an indoor gallery and a place for people to come and make art. "Over the summer at the mall we saw young people were making a gum wall …

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First Night 'Battle of the Bands' Kicks Off Friday

Pre-event performances to be held at Morristown Deli, with big performance set for New Year's Eve.

For the second year, First Night Morris County is giving budding young musicians the opportunity to rock before the ball drops on Dec. 31. First Night's "Battle of the Bands" event begins at 5:30 p.m. Friday at Morristown Deli with the first of several pre-event performances, by local musician Ben Rhodes. On Dec. 21, Angry Politicians entertains, with two other acts to be scheduled. Upon completion of the pre-event performances the top bands are set to play New Year’s Eve. The winner will receive a $250 scholarship and free music lessons from “The Original Music School.” Voting will take place on First Night Morris County’s social media and web sites with video highlights of the pre-event shows. “The path to becoming a professional …

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