Illusionist extraordinaire Mike Super materializes for an evening of large-scale prestidigitation at the Basie tonight.
Friday, October 25:
RED BANK: At the Count Basie Theatre — where a “ghost light” is kept burning for passing Lantern Tours and house phantoms — the newly minted tradition of “Harley-ween” is kickstarted with the theater-scale area debut of America’s Favorite Mystifier, illusionist Mike Super. Last seen in an appearance at Brookdale College, the winner of the NBC TV competition Phenomenon materializes on the Basie boards with a spectacular 8 pm show that promises a live murder-mystery round of CLUE, a demonstration of voodoo mind control, and an outright repeal of the law of gravity. Most potentially amazing is the fact that all ticketholders are eligible to ride away with “the vehicle that Mike will make appear on stage” — a little item from Harley-Davidson of Long Branch. Tickets ($39 – $69) right here.
Conductor Roy D. Gussman (left) leads the Monmouth Symphony Orchestra in its 65th season opener on Sunday, with cellist Jameson Platte among the guest soloists for an afternoon of Brahms and more.
Saturday, October 26:
LITTLE SILVER: Not too many communities can boast of having their own resident “food historian and tea specialist,” but here on the greater Green we’re often graced with appetizing presentations by Judith Krall-Russo, whose season-appropriate lectures and demonstrations illuminate the history, customs and culture of our ancestors from the vantage of their daily meals and festive occasions. The Fords resident visits the Little Silver Public Library for a 2 pm program entitled The Harvest Season — a detailed and even warmly humorous look at how our Garden State forefathers used homegrown apples, pumpkins and cranberries to prepare for the long winter ahead. Refreshments will be served; sign up at the library for this free event — and if you’re hungry for more, join Judith on November 24 at Middletown Township Public Library for a presentation on winter holiday celebrations.
RED BANK: It’s the first in a series of previews for “The Tricky Part,” the autobiographical one-man show written by and featuring actor, author and playwright Martin Moran. Going up at 8 pm, the Obie-winning solo opens on November 1 and continues at Two River Theater in repertory with Moran’s follow-up piece “All the Rage,” with the two plays presented under the banner “A Map of the Soul.” Take it here for tickets — and here for a full length Q&A with Martin Moran on redbankgreen.
Sunday, October 27:
MIDDLETOWN: Here in 2013, Monmouth County’s largest municipality is observing its 350th anniversary — and what birthday celebration would be complete without a soundtrack of golden oldies; specifically the tunes that were topping the charts circa 1663? Hosted inside the Community Room Middletown Township Public Library, “Music from Old Middletown” is a free concert of songs and dance music from the 17th and 18th centuries, presented as part of the library’s continuing series of collaborations with Red Bank’s Monmouth Conservatory Of Music. Performing on harpsichord and recorders, multi-instrumentalist and composer Timothy Broege is joined for the 2 pm program by acclaimed soprano Katherine Harris, and MCM associate director Irina Kovalsky on violin.
RED BANK: Just hours after violinist Vadim Gluzman joins Jacques Lacombe and the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra for a Saturday night program of Berlioz and Bernstein at the Basie, the Count Basie Theatre continues in a classical vein, as conductor Roy D. Gussman and the borough-based Monmouth Symphony Orchestra open their 66th season of quality concert experiences, with guest soloists Garry Ianco (violin) and Jameson Platte (cello) spotlighted on a 3 pm program featuring works by Brahms (Double Concerto in A Minor) and Rimsky-Korsakov (Scheherezade). Reserve tickets ($35) here.
