JANUARY 2008

The Puffin and Garage Theatre Group Present
SoloFest 2008
We are partnering with Fairleigh Dickinson University's resident theater group to present the third annual SoloFest. This festival features theatrical works presented by solo artists in both locations during the two weekends of January 11-13 and 18-20. With a few exceptions, there are two opportunities to attend each performance. Below is the complete schedule of performances and their descriptions. For directions to the Garage Theatre Group in Becton Theater at FDU visit their website. All tickets are only $10! Reservations can be made by calling 201-569-7710 or online via the Garage Theatre website. We look forward to the terrific performances we have lined up for this first year of what will be a long and productive partnership!

SoloFest 2008 Schedule:

Friday, January 11, 8:00 p.m.
at Garage Theater: Motherhood and Other Desperate Acts
at Puffin: It Goes Without Saying

Saturday, January 12, 8:00 p.m.
at Garage: Jesus Rant
at Puffin: Gamers

Sunday, January 13, 3:00 p.m.
at Garage: Reading the Water
at Puffin: Whale Music

Friday, January 18, 8:00 p.m.
at Garage: It Goes Without Saying
at Puffin: Reading the Water

Saturday, January 19, 8:00 p.m.
at Garage: Gamers
at Puffin: Iraqi Blues Café

Sunday, January 20, 3:00 p.m.
at Garage: Whale Music
at Puffin: Motherhood and Other Desperate Acts

Friday, January 11, 8:00 p.m.
SoloFest: It Goes Without Saying
A uniquely crafted autobiographical tour-de-force in which Bill Bowers shares funny, heartbreaking, and unbelievable true stories from his career as an actor and mime, and his life-long exploration of the role silence plays in our lives.
Garage Theatre performance: Friday, January 18, 8:00 p.m.

Saturday, January 12, 8:00 p.m.
SoloFest: Gamers
Meet Steve Jaros (Brian Bielawski) - overqualified, underpaid, and forced to answer tech-support calls while dodging his Medusa-like boss. Little does anyone know Steve is about to save an entire kingdom from death at the hands of a bloodthirsty army - online.
"This is the kind of show that makes attending FringeNYC totally worthwhile, and is a flat-out riot from start to finish." - Josh Sherman, nytheatre.com. Writers: Brian Bielawski & Walter G. Meyer, Director: Wes Grantom
Garage Theatre performance: Saturday, January 19, 8:00 p.m.

Saturday, January 12, 8:00 p.m.
Garage Theatre Only
SoloFest: Jesus Rants - Religio-Comic Ravings of a Former Christian
New York storyteller H.R. Britton comically skewers his fundamentalist upbringing, rails against religious hypocrisy, and delicately sketches a portrait of the historical Jesus. 50% humor, 30% soul-searching, & 20% pure ranting.

Sunday, January 13, 3:00 p.m.
SoloFest: Whale Music
Deep in the sea the whales of the world are singing incomprehensible songs. What better way to try to figure them out than to play along with them? David Rothenberg presents a one-man show of music and stories based on his adventures traveling the globe trying to make music live along with humpback, beluga, and killer whales, from the waves of Hawaii to the wilds of the Russian arctic.
Garage Theatre performance: Sunday, January 20, 3:00 p.m.

Friday, January 18, 8:00 p.m.
SoloFest: Reading the Water
Monica Hunken tries to understand her father (who died when she was an infant) by interviewing the people at the research laboratory where he worked and presents these colorful characters on stage.
"Her journey is colored by strong movement and clear directing by Laura Newman. Reading the Water is touching and interesting and very successful in stirring our feelings as, by the end, we feel like we know this man as much now as his daughter does." - Robert Attenweiler (July 31, 2007)
Garage Theatre performance: Sunday, January 13, 3:00 p.m.

Saturday, January 19, 7:00 p.m.
Art Opening: Consequences/Incriminations
artists of conscience protest the war in Iraq
Insatallations by three artists of conscience: Diane Efsic - Blankets of Sorrow (depicted), Katie Selden - The Iraq War Books, and Selma Waldman - Wall of Perpetrators V. January 19-March 16. Regular gallery hours: M-F, 1-5 pm

Saturday, January 19, 8:00 p.m.
Puffin Cultural Forum Only
SoloFest: Iraq Blues Cafe
Alaska's "fiddling poet," Ken Waldman, backed by two stellar mainstays of the NY folk scene Charlie Shaw and Eli Smith, will ignite the Puffin stage with music and spoken word performances drawn from Waldman's acclaimed CD & book, As the World Burns, of political sonnets, many in the voice of George W. Bush. “A one-man Prairie Home Companion.” - Sheppard Express Weekly, Milwaukee

Sunday, January 20, 3:00 p.m.
SoloFest: Motherhood & Other Desperate Acts
A humorous look at children, marriage, middle age, malls, telemarketers, and other horrors of life in a New Jersey suburb. Written & performed by Deborah Maclean. Directed by Paul E. Murphy.
Garage Theatre performance: Friday, January 11, 8:00 p.m.

Wednesday, January 23, 7:00 p.m.
FILM: Sir! No Sir!
This feature-length documentary focuses on the efforts by troops in the U.S. military during the Vietnam War to oppose the war effort by peaceful demonstration and subversion. This is the story of one of the most vibrant and widespread upheavals of the 1960's - one that had a profound impact on American society yet has been virtually obliterated from the collective memory of that time. (2005, 85 min.)
Feature is followed by a 15 minute film of a play called “Happy New Year,” in which best friends who fought together in Iraq reunite in a VA Hospital to candidly discuss their post-war futures. There will be a discussion afterwards with writer K.Lorrel Manning and actor Michael Cuomo. The film also stars Will Oliver Watkins (Law and Order). Free and open to the public.

Before the film meet at the the National Guard Armory (Teaneck Road and Liberty Road) for a Bring the Troops Home NOW! Vigil, 4:30–6:00 p.m. and then a pizza party at the Puffin, 6:30-7:00 p.m.

Friday, January 25, 8:00 p.m.
TEEN EVENT: Poetry Slam
Slam Global Enterprises presents the fourth monthly Youth Poetry Slam at the Puffin. MC Big Mike from Slam Global. Teen poets, rap artists and spoken word performers are invited to participate in this competitive spoken word performance event. Or just come and help the judges determine the evening’s best performers. Poets can also sign up for our pre-slam Performance Poetry Workshop with Slam Global beginning today.

$5 suggested donation.

Sunday, January 27, 4:00 p.m.
CLASSICAL CONCERT: Ani Kalayjian
For the third On the Rise concert, we present cellist Ani Kalayjian with piano accompaniment by Sam Armstrong, plus a special guest performance by the Thurnauer School of Music's Cello Ensemble conducted by Yari Bond. The program will include sonatas for piano and cello by Mendelsshon, Beethoven and Barber, with contemporary works by John Tavener and Bohuslav Martinu.
Pre-concert talk with Ani at 3:00 p.m.

Ticket prices:
Single Concert: $15 adults; $12 seniors & students; Children under 13 free.
Single Concert Family Plan: $25 for 2 adults and children (under 18).
Reservations Suggested.

Subscription Formats:
Full Season Subscription: $70 for all 6 concerts.
Half Season Subscription: $40 for 3 concerts
of your choice.
*Subscriptions include premium reserved seating, OTR Newsletters, and a “Best of Season” On the Rise CD concert recording.

Wednesday, January 30, 7:00 p.m.
FILM: Winter Soldier
For three days in 1971, 30 former US soldiers who were in Vietnam testify in Detroit about their war experiences. The gathering was called the "Winter Soldier Investigation" and was the first such public testimony ever to have occurred in connection with the Vietnam war. Images from the war illustrate the testimony; there's a side discussion among veterans about racism and a couple of interviews about the soldiers' self-realization. (1972, 96 min.)

Free and open to the public.

Before the film meet at the the National Guard Armory (Teaneck Road and Liberty Road) for a Bring the Troops Home NOW! Vigil, 4:30–6:00 p.m. and then a pizza party at the Puffin, 6:30-7:00 p.m.