January 25 - February 2

Mother/Son at RVCC,
Jan. 28, 29

Fetch Clay, Make Man at McCarter Theatre

Potato Soup

Getting folks off the couch and away from their flat screens is no easy task, but there are lots of people out there trying. Local professional theaters manage to satisfy a widely diverse audience, sometimes with as much drama off as on the stage.

Presenting theaters like The Theatre at RVCC, The Community Theatre at Mayo Center for the Performing Arts in Morristown, the McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, the State Theatres in New Brunswick and Easton, PA, devote full professional staffs and endless resources to the search for talent. Booked well in advance, troupes of acrobats, clowns, comedians, dance companies and elaborate stage productions roll into town, ready and able to please.

You’ll find professional equity theater productions at Centenary College in Hackettstown, the Tri-State Actors Theatre in Sussex, Bickford Theatre at the Morris Museum, and the Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey in Madison.

Jay Leonhart's All Star Sextet, wraps up Jazz in January

Winterfest at the Sherman

Folkfest in Morristown.

Musical performance is the glue that ties the strands together. No flavor is ignored. Jazz, blues, classical, popular, Latin, Celtic, American folk, and children’s tune smiths spice up the coldest winter day.

The Jazz In January series wraps up this Saturday (1/30) in the Whitney Chapel Dome at Centenary College in Hackettstown. Bassist Jay Leonhart will open your ears with his All Star Sextet, featuring the talents of Harry Allen on tenor sax, Wycliffe Gordon on trombone, Russ Kassoff on piano, Dennis Macrel on drums, and Arthur Acevedo on bongos. For tickets, click or call 908/979-0900. The concert takes place at 400 Jefferson Street in Hackettstown. (map)

Also on Saturday, the NJ Jazz Society and the NJ Folk Project will sponsor a Big Band and Swing Dancing event featuring the big band music of Reeds, Rhythm and All That Brass at the First Presbyterian Church, 14 Hanover Road in East Hanover. Your admission will contribute to jazz student scholarships. 908/591-6491.

In Stroudsburg, PA, the Sherman Theater has been building a solid reputation for superb sound, comfort, and a historic feel. Built in the 1920s, the recently renovated theater is well-equipped, complete with full bar and restaurant. This Sunday, Winterfest '10 will feature the Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band along with seven more national and local bluegrass acts. The music runs from noon to 10pm. 524 Main Street in Stroudsburg. 570/420-2808.

Jersey folkies congregate on Sunday afternoon (1/31) at the Garden State Folk Festival at Morristown's Community Theatre at Mayo Center for the Performing Arts. Pickers and strummers will include Brian McArdle and Wry Toast, Andy Goessling with Sara Milonovitch and Lindsey Horner, and special guest host Roger Deitz. Guitar wizard Alan Holdsworth stops by the Community on Wednesday at 8pm. 100 South Street; 973/539-8008

And on Monday, Feb 1, Herb Gardner reconvenes his Underground All-Stars to welcome the Groundhog at the Morris Museum Bickford Theater in Morristown, 973/971-3706

Heart Throbs

It’s not too early to start thinking about
Valentines Day. In fact it’s just about the right time. Don’t look now, but this time next week we’ll be out of January. You’ll find our own discounted Get Lost Getaways very appealing! You can book a romantic dinner and deluxe overnight package at the Olde Mill Inn and Grain House Restaurant right here. Or a warm winter getaway at the Inn at Millrace Pond in Hope, a restored Moravian Gristmill with 17 perfectly appointed guest rooms, each with private bath.

The Whistling Swan

Or take a look at the the Whistling Swan Bed and Breakfast Inn in Stanhope where you can get a "Be Mine" romantic package with dinner, chocolates, champagne, a massage for two...

Read about more area bed and breakfasts, follow the links or dial the numbers and see what you can come up with for a special night out.

The serene atmosphere at Peters Valley invigorates a diverse community of artists.

My Summer Eduvacation

Dreaming of warm summer days? Start planning ways to make the best of them! How about a class at Peters Valley? One of only six craft schools of its type in the country, and unique to Northwest New Jersey, it has grown from a small artists' collective in the early 1970s to a nationally recognized center for craft education. Here's what happened last summer...

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Northwest New Jersey and destinations just beyond those borders, in Pennsylvania and New York, are equally intriguing and convenient offer colorful ways to get out and enjoy the pleasures of the season. Keep an eye on our calendar for great things to do all the time! And we've got a bundle of stories to help you on your way.

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