SUMMER FUN & FINDS PAGE 26 theconnectionsnj.com Mark your calendars! This summer isjam-packed with great opportunities to expose your family and friends to the arts - for free! Whether it is comedy, musicals, or dancing and live music under the stars- it is right in your backyard and a wonderful way to enjoy a summer evening outdoors with family and friends. “Without our traditions, our lives would be as shaky as a fiddler on the roof!” So says the beloved family musical, Fiddler on the Roof Fiddler on the Roof. One tradition that is going strong is the Plays Plays in the Park at the amphitheater in Pleasant Valley Park in Basking Ridge. In its 37th year, this long-standing tradition of presenting open-air theater free of charge is continuing with Trilogy Repertory Company’s productions, Fiddler on the Roof Fiddler on the Roof and Shakespeare in Shakespeare in Hollywood. The series is funded by donations, Bernards Township Parks and Recreation, and a grant from the Somerset County Cultural and Heritage Commission. Fiddler on the Roof will be performed on July 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, and 20. This classic musical is sure to enthrall people of all ages with its endearing story set in a Jewish village in pre-revolutionary Russia. A poor milkman, determined to find good husbands for his five daughters, consults the traditional village matchmaker. His daughters have their own ideas on the subject. Its messages about struggle and tradition versus change are still relevant today. What will really captivate the audience, though, is the music. Songs like “Matchmaker, Matchmaker,” “If I Were a Rich Man” and “Do You Love Me?” will have you smiling, tapping your feet, and humming the tune for days afterward. No one does it better than the award-winning Trilogy Repertory, with its talented cast, live orchestra, and the direction of Jaye Barre. On July 26, 27, and August 1, 2, and 3, the fun will continue with Ken Ludwig’s Shakespeare in Hollywood. Produced by Peter Curley, this hilarious farce is a tale that finds two characters from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Oberon, king of the fairies, and Puck, his right-hand man, lost in time on their way back to the Arden forest. They find themselves smack-dab in the middle of a Hollywood set in the 1930s. As Puck would say, “Lord what fools these mortals be!” as chaos ensues including mistaken identities, mismatched couples, romances gone awry, and a dizzying swirl of characters running amok - all making for laugh-out-loud fun for the whole family. These shows are presented on an outdoor stage in Pleasant Valley Park. They begin at 8 pm. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis, on a sloping lawn in front of the stage. Bring lawn chairs and blankets, snacks, and bug spray (this is New Jersey in the summer after all!). Although the park is well-lit, it is helpful to have a flashlight for when you are exiting, and, if you have little ones, glow necklaces help to make them easy to spot!! How about live music? If you love live music, you do not have to pay a fortune for tickets at PNC or MetLife. Check your town’s Parks and Recreation website. Most towns sponsor live music from really talented cover bands. If your town does not, chances are that one of your neighboring towns does. These open-air concerts are a great date night, get-together with friends, or a place to let the kids run around, dance, and burn off some energy before dropping into bed! Like the Plays in the Plays in the Park, you should come early with your own chair or blanket and bring your own refreshments. Although there might be an ice cream truck stopping by, there are not likely to be any other vendors. Check with the sponsoring Parks Department for details. So scope out dreamy, midsummer entertainment offered by our local towns. Young or old, single, part of a couple or a family, you should get out there this summer and enjoy our area’s tradition of free outdoor theater and music! Plays in the Park By Joanne Kleinle FAMILY ADVENTURES Check your town’s Parks and Recreation website. Most towns sponsor live music from really talented cover bands. If your town does not, chances are that one of your neighboring towns does. APlma7358@gmail.com Is your car ready for summer travel?
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