Broadway bounds into Millstone
MPAC schedules opening night gala and fundraiser
BY JENNIFER KOHLHEPP Staff Writer
The neon lights are bright on the Great White Way where there's always magic in the air. But when the stars of Broadway take the stage in Millstone, it's bound to be a showstopper beyond compare.

SCOTT FRIEDMAN Millstone's Andrew sisters, (l) Asyia, 14, and Destinee, 13, sing "Our Prayer" from "The Color Purple" during their audition for "One Night on Broadway" in the Millstone Performing Arts Center on May 15.

The Millstone Performing Arts Center (MPAC) has scheduled a one-night extravaganza to officially open the new $3.1 million theater on Dawson Court to the community. The Sept. 20 show will be the theater's first professional production featuring Broadway and local talent.

"One Night on Broadway" will contain highlights of song-anddance numbers from classic shows such as "Les Miserables," "The Phantom of the Opera," "The Secret Garden," "West Side Story," and "The Lion King."

Production on the show has already started with Director Laurie Edwards, of Millstone, holding open auditions in the 1,200-seat theater last week.

SCOTT FRIEDMAN Amy Lane, 14, of Millstone, dances to "Ease on Down the Road" from "The Wiz" during her audition for "One Night on Broadway" at the Millstone Performing Arts Center on May 15.

"It's amazing that right here in Millstone we have such an incredible theater," Edwards said. "People in the community can see a great show at a fraction of what it costs to go to Broadway."

She continued, "It's great for our kids and the community to have a working space that is so professional.And it's great that we can have production values as professional as the space is."

Edwards grew up on Broadway. Her family ran Local B183, a union of usherettes, and she started working in Manhattan's theater district at the age of 14. She later became a producer for Phoenix Productions, which organizes shows for the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank. When she moved to Millstone, she volunteered to help the school district with its productions of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" and "Grease."

"We had a ball," she said of the student productions. "When we did 'Grease,'we actually had a car on stage that worked."

Edwards said that even though the stage in the former elementary school can't compare to the new state-of-the-art auditorium, the children ofMillstone have always been lucky to have a stage.

"Growing up I lived in the Bronx where there was no theater," she said. "To have that stage [in the primary school] and now this one, which rivals Count Basie, is really just so fantastic."

The director said the community will be surprised to see what happens on its new stage in September.

"People are going to be pretty stunned by what they see," Edwards said, adding that there will be a cast of 50, platforms, an orchestra and "surprises flying in and flying out."

"It will be fantastic," she said. "We will have a lot of fun and it will be a very good experience for everyone involved. They will all be really proud of what they put on here."

Millstone's GinaMorrone, a member of the MPAC Council, which is a group of community volunteers that has been working for the past two years to get the new arts center up and running, said, "I'm very excited that it's finally here. We're getting prepared for our big opening night."

Her daughter, Gabriella, 13, took the chance to audition for Edwards on May 22. After performing, "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" from "The Phantom of the Opera," Gabriella said, "I think this is an amazing opportunity to work with people outside of the school and it would be a great experience to work with people on Broadway if I make it."

Millstone's Jane Pasquito, who tried out singing "On My Own" from "Les Miserables" had similar sentiments.

"This was a great experience," Pasquito said as she left the stage. "I can't wait to see the show. This theater is beautiful and an amazing thing to have inMillstone."

The local talent chosen for the performance will be notified this week. Edwards will hold at least 14 rehearsals over the summer to prepare for opening night.

MPAC Coordinator Barbara Schulze said she hopes to fill the auditorium for the gala.

"We hope people will come out to enjoy an evening of Broadway here in Millstone," Schulze said. "We hope people will support the arts."

Schulze, Morrone and council members such as Paula Kinsey, Lisa Marie Cappuzzo, Patricia Coffey, Melanie Napp and Superintendent of SchoolsMaryAnne Donahue have spent a lot of time researching the arts in Monmouth County.

"There is great potential for growth out here," Schulze said. "A lot of people currently go to Count Basie and eastern Monmouth County to see good quality shows. Now western Monmouth County has a venue for the arts and we have a great opportunity to bring in good quality shows."

To continue bringing in top-notch performances, the arts center will use "One Night On Broadway" as a fundraising event for the MPAC. After the show, the council will host a meet-and-greet, dessert, raffle and silent auction.

Proceeds from the event will help the MPAC in its mission to act as a conservatory of the performing and visual arts for the Millstone Township community, provide opportunities for people to come together to appreciate the arts, and welcome thousands of guests each year from across New Jersey and beyond.

VIP tickets for seating in orchestra rows A-H and dessert cost $75. All other seats cost $30. Student and senior tickets can be purchased for $20. The MPAC will also offer dessert-only tickets for $25.

For production information, tickets, and advertising and sponsorship opportunities, contactMPAC@millstone.k12.nj.us.