The Englewood Public Library will kick off its 14th annual Wednesday Night Summer Comedy Film Festival tonight [Wednesday, July 2] in the Library’s Mackay Room. The film will be "Juno."

The free Summer Film Festival, to be held at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday nights during July and August, is once more being hosted by David Schwalbe of the Library’s Programming Department. Before the start of each film, Schwalbe will give a short commentary about the film.

The remaining film schedule is as follows: July 9, "The Simpsons Movie"; July 16, "Night at the Museum"; July 23, "Big Momma’s House"; July 30, "A Night in Casablanca"; August 6, "Ice Age"; August 13, "Young Frankenstein"; August 20, "M*A*S"H*"; and August 27, "Dodgeball."

The Englewood Public Library is located at 31 Engle St., Englewood. Those under 18 are permitted to attend only when accompanied by a parent or guardian.

 

 

Black Film Festival continues tonight

"Back to Africa," a full-length feature film depicting the travels of a beautiful African-American woman on a quest to discover her roots in Africa, will be screened by the Newark Black Film Festival (NBFF) at The Newark Museum at 7 tonight, Wednesday, July 2.

The free screening will be followed by a presentation, Nollywood, Contemporary Filmmaking in Africa, led by Filmmaker/Director Anthony Abulu and hosted by Documentary Filmmaker Akili Buchanan, a member of the NBFF Selection Committee.

Additional venues will be the New Jersey State Museum, Trenton, June 26, and Asbury Park High School, Asbury Park, June 27.

All screenings are free and open to the public. Films in Newark and Asbury Park will begin at 7 p.m.  and at the State Museum in Trenton, at 6 p.m.  Seating for all screenings is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Produced by The Newark Museum, the NBFF is sponsored by Bank of America. The museum is located at 49 Washington St. in the Downtown/Arts District of Newark, just three blocks from NJPAC and 10 miles west of New York City. 

Since its introduction in 1974 by The Newark Museum, the NBFF has provided a forum for hundreds of emerging writers, directors, producers, performers, and film patrons who enjoy black cinema.

The goal of the festival is to present programs that reflect the full diversity of the black experience both past and present, encompassing a wide range of forums and formulas, from documentary to the avant-garde. 

In the past 33 years, the Newark Black Film Festival has screened 650 films to an audience of more than 147,000 adults and children from throughout the northeast region.

Once the theater is filled to capacity, additional seating will not be provided. Group seating is limited to two groups of 25 for each screening. 

 

Fairy tale staged by BCC students

Janus Varela of Bergenfield is in the cast of "The Princess and the Pea," being staged by the Bergen Community College summer theater workshop class for camps, school programs, hospitals and other organizations. 

The play is enacted by theater majors at the college and directed by Bergen professor Ken Bonnaffons. The group will perform eight already-scheduled shows and remains available for additional bookings. 

"The Princess and the Pea," a fairy tale driven by royalty – and a bad night’s sleep — will be performed outdoors and is free of charge for groups and participants. 

The college will host a final performance on Tuesday, Aug. 5, at 1 p.m. outside Ender Hall on Bergen’s campus, 400 Paramus Road, Paramus. The performance is free and open to the public.

To learn more about the production, or to schedule a performance, please contact Ken Bonnaffons at 201-447-9273 or e-mail kbonnaffons@bergen.edu.

 

Lecture chronicles Jewish-American musical masters

Artist, comedian and entertainer Doug Leblang will chronicle the contributions to the American music scene by great Jewish-American musical masters at 3 p.m. Monday, July 7, at Heritage Pointe of Teaneck.

The lecture, which includes dramatic photos and sound clips of classic compositions, is laced with interesting asides on the composers -- Leonard Bernstein’s father was opposed to his son’s musical career, and Benny Goodman learned to play the clarinet through a synagogue program are among them.

"Jewish-American composers and musicians have contributed enormously to classical music, including Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein and George Gershwin, and to popular music with greats such as Burt Bachrach, Irving Berlin, Neil Diamond, Bob Dylan, Art Garfunkel, Oscar Hammerstein, Richard Rogers, Neil Sedaka, Paul Simon, Stephen Sondheim and Kurt Weill," explains Kathryn Herrington, executive director. "Leblang’s lecture will provide an entertaining look at Jewish-American headliners on the stage, dance hall and records down through the years."

Seating is limited.

 

Shakespeare set in Hackensack park

The Hackensack Cultural Arts Center and The Hudson Shakespeare Company will present "King John" at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays, July 9 and July 16 and "Julius Caesar" at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays Aug. 6 and Aug. 13.

Performances will be in Staib Park, corner of Summit and Coles Avenues in Hackensack. Tickets are free. Audience members should bring a blanket or a beach chair. Picnicking is encouraged.

For more information, call The Hackensack Cultural Arts Center at 201-646-8042 or visit www.hackensack.org or www.hudsonshakespeare.org.