A WATCHUNG COMMUNICATIONS, INC. PUBLICATION The Westfield Leader and THE TIMES of Scotch Plains – Fanwood Thursday, May 12, 2001 Page 23 POPCORN™ Town & Country Lenny Kravitz CONTINUED FROM PG 24 father’s financial backing, to get signed to a Neither Here Nor There record label, Kravitz was told that his music style By Michael S. Goldberger was not “black enough” to make it in the biz. At this time, Kravitz (he called himself Romeo One Popcorn, Poor • Two Popcorns, Fair • Three Popcorns, Good • Four Popcorns, Excellent Blue) was rocked himself by the divorce of his 1 popcorn failed shtick in town or country, this parents, his romantic involvement with Bonet, movie isn’t even in the vicinity of and his career which started to flourish upon If you happen to see a movie stum- meeting recording engineer Henry Hirsch. It was bling down the street, dazed, con- entertaining. Hirsch who helped take “Let Love Rule” to the fused, and desperately in search of a top of the charts. plot, odds are it’s director Peter Bonet and Kravitz, although currently on Chelsom’s Town & County. The pic- amicable terms, separated in 1991. They di- Get Outta ture is lost. Take pity. But don’t be vorced two years later. Speculation swirling taken in. Tough love is called for if about Kravitz’ involvement with other women we are to dissuade filmmakers from was too much for the bond to bear. Daughter Zoe the House churning out such innocuous drivel. Kravitz, born in 1988, remains the love of his life. By CAROL F. DAVIS But you must do your part. For Out of deep pain, great art is born. This lesson Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times held true for Kravitz, who produced his second If you let them know you are starters, don’t pay to see this film in a album “Mama Said” with tracks that wailed and theater. Don’t rent it when it becomes wept for Bonet. The somber and soothing ballad coming by tomorrow, May 18, available on tape and don’t make the “It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over” hit the top 10. you can attend this limited- call when it goes on Pay-Per-View. Be In 1995, Kravitz spawned another kind of seating free comedy event at sure not to soften with time. music with his third album, “Circus,” which was The Chelsea at Fanwood As- When it plays HBO, avoid it like almost the antithesis of “Mama Said.” It was in sisted Living Residence on the plague. If it’s offered on a plane, this album that he proclaimed in a lead track, South Avenue. On Tuesday, skip it; get the earphones only if “Rock and Roll Is Dead.” The death of his mother May 22, at 7 p.m., enjoy Com- you’re planning to listen to music, that year broke more of Lenny’s heart. edy At its Best — an evening but make sure the passengers around Kravitz took shelter in the Bahamas, where he of laughs and fun. The special you know you’re not buying them for was joined by his grandmother, daughter and guest comedienne will be intermittently visited by Bonet. There, Kravitz Leighann Lord, who you may the film. And finally, two or three recouped and revitalized his love for music. years down the line when they show Again, pain produced beautiful art in his latest know from numerous stand- it on regular TV, don’t forget to miss album, “5” with a tribute to Roxie entitled, up comedy shows on HBO, Town & Country. Perhaps a Post-it “Thinking of You” and one for his daughter, VH-1, Lifetime, NBC and note judiciously placed on your tele- “Little Girl’s Eyes.” Kravitz has collaborated Comedy Central. Go ahead and vision now will serve as a reminder. successfully with heavy hitters like Madonna, break up your work week, help You can’t be asked to do any more. Aerosmith, Curtis Mayfield, Vanessa Paradis bring some joy into the lives of Maybe one day the American Film and Mick Jagger. others and bust a gut. Call them Institute will recognize you for your More recently and minus the dreadlocks, we at (908) 654-5200 to reserve passive resistance in the name of know that Kravitz has broken the tired mold of your spot. Guess Who’s “American Woman” for the better filmmaking. • • • • • • • • • • • Still, in all fairness, it isn’t so soundtrack of Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. He’s also steamed up the music For a lovely evening of much that Town & Country is bad as video screens with the hit single, “Again.” chamber music, the Mostly it is hapless. Utterly hapless. Noth- SCOTCH PLAINS-FANWOOD HIGH SCHOOL MUSIC STUDENTS TAKE OVER DISNEY WORLD...Over 300 SP- Funkadelic far beyond his years, Kravitz’ Music Chamber Music Series ing works. There are moments when F high school students representing Marching Band, Symphonic Band, SP-F Jazz Band, Moonglowers Jazz Band, Wind voice is full of fire because his soul, broken and will present a performance at you kind of get an idea of what Ensemble, Concert Choir, and Sensations Show Choir provided entertainment to packed audiences throughout the course healed, has fueled every lyric and every song he of their participation in Disney’s “Magic Music Days” from Friday, April 6, to Tuesday, April 10. Temple Emanu-El in Westfield director Chelsom is trying to do in belts out with boundless talent and bravado. on Sunday evening, May 20, this would-be comedy about adulter- at 7:30 p.m. The performers ous spouses. But you’re never cer- will be Ani Kavafian and Rob- tain. However, what is for sure is the SPFHS Music Students ert McDuffie on violin, Robert waste of talent. Rinehart on viola, Carter Brey An all-star cast featuring Warren Westfield Student Art Show on cello, and Sherry Sylar play- Beatty, Diane Keaton, Goldie Hawn CONTINUED FROM PG 24 ing the oboe. You will be and Gary Shandling seems to be toil- Perform in Disney World treated to the sounds of oboe ing in another dimension, as if un- enth graders Kayla Vandervort and in Art IV student Sean McCabe’s SCOTCH PLAINS – Students Sunday’s performances at Epcot Caitlin Mahoney, who created eraser acrylic of a baseball game. quartets by Mozart and Britten, aware of the terribly misfortunate and a Beethoven string trio. film that surrounds them. The laugh from the Scotch Plains-Fanwood included the Symphonic Band, Con- stamp prints. Different patterns and Fran Re, an Art IV pupil, made a High School (SPFHS) Music Pro- cert Choir and Sensations Show colors were coordinated well. dancer swirl with motion in her Tickets range from $13 to $20. production is nil. The group is warming up ear- And in an attempt to remedy this gram recently returned from a trip to Choir. These talented groups per- Jocelyn M. Arlington, Art IV stu- acrylic piece. The background, in dent, gave a screwdriver incredible hues of red and burgundy slipped lier in the day with the same situation, the filmmaker changes di- Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla. formed an array of popular Disney concert at another location, so rectorial style and plot impetus on that included performances at the and Broadway tunes in an open-air detail with her pastel piece. Jocelyn, into orange and ochre – portraying they should be primed for your the run, without thought given to Magic Kingdom, Epcot and the Future World setting that made hun- who has studied under the mentorship gracefulness and force all at once. listening pleasure. If there is ebb, flow or continuity. Resultantly, Downtown Disney Marketplace. dreds of Disney World visitors stop of Westfield artist Francesca Azzara, One mixed media entry, a decora- an opportunity for discussion, matters get worse. All of which un- Over 300 SP-F high school stu- and applaud their spirited instrumen- has grown and flourished in this still tive box composed of blue glass chips ask Robert McDuffie about his happily illustrates that there’s some- dents representing Marching Band, tal and choral renditions. life. She shows perseverance and and mirror chips, was offered by Art violin. thing terribly uncomfortable about Symphonic Band, SP-F Jazz Band, On Monday, the Wind Ensemble III student Kristin Anston. an unfunny movie that strains to be Other mixed media pieces de- • • • • • • • • • • • Moonglowers Jazz Band, Wind En- concluded the SP-F performance funny. Town & Country’s inept pur- serve honorable mention, but Celebrate the season with suit of our collective funny bone will semble, Concert Choir, and Sensa- schedule with an inspiring medley of The Madrigal Singers, directed Kristin’s belonged at a craft by Elaine Fiorino, in their pre- have you squirming. tions Show Choir provided enter- songs at the Dock Stage in the Down- show. Now, this paragraph (in a review tainment to packed audiences town Disney Marketplace. sentation of Songs of Spring Fourth graders Will John on Saturday, May 19, at 8 p.m. that pans the movie in question) is throughout the course of their par- During their four-day trip, the and Nicholas Hawkins exhib- generally reserved for kindly reser- ticipation in Disney’s “Magic Music SPFHS students were provided with This is a program of sacred and ited circles of flowers crafted secular music of the European vations despite the overall severity Days” from Friday, April 6, to Tues- a considerable amount of free time to of the critique: i.e—the scenery was from Craypas. Very good for Renaissance, with a cappella day, April 10. enjoy Disney World’s Magic King- the age level involved. motets and madrigals (forms of “travelogue quality,” one particular The SP-F and Moonglowers Jazz dom, Epcot, MGM and Animal King- actor “almost single-handedly saved Several pieces of furniture polyphonic music from as far the day,” or the special effects were Bands kicked things off with electri- dom theme parks in between per- were displayed intermittently back as 1250), with poetry se- “cutting edge.” However, since there fying performances on Saturday, forming or cheering on their class- throughout the WHS gymna- lections read by Judy Sullivan. are no such exceptions in this case, April 7, in the Magic Kingdom’s mates. sium/museum. Eighth grader From William Blake’s poem we’ll save column space and return Cosmic Rays Starlight Café, with As Disney performers, they also Jackie Burns created a keep- on penitence and sorrow to to the thrashing this film rightfully the stage rising up from Disney’s had the privilege of experiencing sake chair with a seat painted some joyous and spiritual deserves. underground control center. The some of the behind-the-scenes Van Gogh style and a back pieces, it should be quite a beau- But first a bit about the characters, Marching Band then led Disney’s magic that helps make Disney with spindles in gradations of tiful experience. The event will be held at Holy Trinity Roman just on the off chance that someday SpectroMagic parade later that World the ultimate vacation spot. blues and purples and greens. one of their names is the million Kathy Yang, also an eighth Catholic Church, 336 First evening, winding their way from The conduct of the students Street in Westfield. Donations dollar question on “Who Wants To Main Street to Frontierland in an throughout the trip was exemplary, grader, seized the spirit of Geor- Be A Millionaire?” You can say you will be collected at the door. emotional experience that brought earning them as well as the SP-F gia O’Keefe with her floral saw it here. furniture piece. An enormous • • • • • • • • • • • Leading the brigade of mid-life tremendous pride to the Scotch Music Directors, parent chaper- Plainfield’s spectacular Crescent Plains-Fanwood parent chaperones, ones and participants many black flower set before a shaded crisis adulterers despite the fact that background of violet. Avenue Presbyterian Church will families and staff that helped line the complements from the Disney he is well into his 60s, Beatty is Finally, Christine Pecoraro, present A Celebration of Sea and Porter Stoddard. He’s a successful streets of the Magic Kingdom. staff. who excelled with her graph- River Music to end their season on architect (if you don’t mind the cli- ite piece, captured six differ- Sunday, May 20, at 4 p.m. Fea- che), a wealthy possessor of a Park dedication to her craft and she is ent perspectives of a face in an ink tured works will include compos- Avenue apartment (if you can stand Recitals for Piano Students eager to learn. ers such as Handel and Copland in another cliche in the same sentence) drawing. Sarah Caprario, Art I, Charcoal drawing is a challenge stippled a perky daffodil in a beauti- a concert devoted to water music and the faithful-up-until-now spouse for many budding artists. You can’t favorites, including international (if you believe it) of Keaton’s mildly ful pen and ink piece. folk music, American impression- Scheduled in May, June fake a knowledge of shading or an There is no doubt in my mind that ditzy but still not funny or interesting ability to manage the charcoal to ism, contemporary music, an- Ellie Stoddard. WESTFIELD – Piano students of Henry Kaye, Gillian McGovern, Westfield is home to some of the most thems, and spirituals. The acous- Their best friends are Griffin Mor- achieve the detail necessary. Art IV creative minds. Catch these marvels the Carolyn Klinger-Kueter Piano Stu- Jared Moloshok, Ashton Golembo, student Jennifer Korecky did a tre- tics in the church are terrific. Let’s ris (Shandling), an antique dealer of dio in Westfield will perform in one of Kaitlin McGovern and Rachel on display if you can today, the last mendous job with her floral piece, see who is left sitting during the obvious means, and his wife, Mona, six recitals scheduled from Tuesday, Moloshok. day of the show, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. grand finale, “Down by the River- who, as best can be discerned, has May 29, to Wednesday, June 6. The next to last recital will in- which emerges from the darkness side.” The cost ranges from $5 to made a career of bemoaning her pe- Students in the first performance clude: Alison Antonelli, Lauren with strength. Truly commendable. $15, and the church is handicapped rennial dissatisfaction with every- are: Nicholas Serratelli, Neeraj Oberlander, Katherine Fox, Emily Suda proved that a lot of accessible. thing. Hence when she discovers that thought went into her pencil draw- Shekhar, Matthew Kephart, Ned Caroline Bertoni, Drew Storcks, • • • • • • • • • • • old Grif is cheating, Her Royal Petu- Allen, Jack Kephart, Jack Allen, Sara Shields, Colin McKevitt, Bobby ing. The Art II student captured the lance finally has a raison d’etre. The emotion of her subject, an elderly Citizen Kane was not Orson Taylor Anderson, Michael Oster, Oberlander, Colin Fitzhenry, Mat- Welles’ only great film. He did it role is beginning to look a little tired Caitlyn Oster, Emily Sawers, Taylor thew Albano, Connor Shields, woman – looking beyond the me- on Hawn. dium and uniting it with the subject. again, in The Lady From Shang- Shepard, Eliza Delaney, Aris Charles Bucci, Mary McKevitt, hai. This classic offbeat film noire Of course, we all have a bunch of Altomare, Alex Serratelli, Ann Allison Oberlander, Jensen Richert, Other than this piece, I was not well-to-do friends with last names thriller, starring Rita Hayworth, is a Maguire, Emma Partridge, Alexandra Sisto, Elizabeth terribly impressed with any of the bizarre murder mystery with a rivet- for first names like Porter and Grif- Catherine Maguire, Derek Ander- Antonelli, Mark Bucci, George pencil drawings. fin, and so it’s a snap to conjure ing climax — a chase through San son, Christopher Svoboda and Diana Bucci, Rebecca Brachman, Kristin Except for…Christine Pecoraro’s Francisco’s Chinatown followed by empathy for these readily identifi- Svoboda. Aguero and Dania Aguero. (Art III) graphite piece with some able types. Not! In fact, as this oddly a shoot out in a carnival hall of The following evening’s perfor- The final recital will spotlight: tired looking shoes. She gave per- mirrors. The underlying theme is the misconceived mess drones on, our mance will include: Christina Zachary Baum, Claire Rothfelder, sonality to an inanimate object. This curiosity about its failings is aroused. story of Welles and Hayworth, and Gulla, Chloe Williams, Zachary Chondrae Francis, Christine one stood out. their doomed marriage. Welles, the We are diverted from the dull go- Botos, Katharine Jaruzelski, Max Diafotis, Eric Mikalauskas, Jenni- Art IV student Ricardo Roig gave ings-on. It becomes more interesting director, producer, screenplay writer Ingrassia, Alex Goldschmidt, Alex fer Wolak, Christine DeRoux, Alex motion to acrylic in his abstract piece and actor, liked to get involved with to speculate why this motion picture Ingrassia, Rebecca DiGiacomo, Rothfelder, David Athenson, All photos by Fred Lecomte for turned out so poorly. And the para- brilliant with color. Art III pupil his leading ladies. The production is Jessica DiGiacomo, Benjamin Catherine Verdic, Olivia Scrofani, The Westfield Leader and The Times part of Friday Night at the Movies at noid in us even wonders if Beatty and Fine, Gordon Arnold, Jake Emily Goodman, Kristin Modoski, Jonathan Williams did a noteworthy job with his acrylic painting featur- Pictured, top left, furniture painted the Fanwood Memorial Library. The company are having a bit of sport at Sussman, Claire Harris, Thomas Jack Tonges, Diana Goodman, by eighth graders, and above, Emily our expense. Y’know, purposely ing three friends fishing. A free film starts at 7:30 p.m. on May Purcell, Edward Purcell, Eliza- Caitlin Jennings, Caroline Powell, Suda offers a pencil drawing. 18. Bring a snack and a friend. showing us the emperor’s new beth Purcell, Patrick Purcell, Ilya Austin Baum and Chelsea Baum. photorealistic vision came through clothes...... simply because they can. Sabnani, George Bucci, Kyler But that supposition is more chari- Boyd, Nick Kasten and Jennifer table than perceptive. Ordelt. The sad truth is, Town & Country Performing in the third recital will is a wannabe. Sadder yet, it doesn’t be Gina Jadelis, Halley Daniels, know what it wants to be. Kathleen McCutcheon, Michaela Rumor has it this project lan- Nies, Shannah Conway, Stephen guished for many months due to Milewski, Daniel Kennedy-Moore, script trouble. Trouble? Did the Ti- Jorie Richlin-Zack, Charlotte tanic have trouble? Director Mullan, Olivia Dawson, Lily Chelsom’s attempts at screwball Payvandi, Nicole DiBenedetto, Evan comedy flounder. And when he Bilheimer, Rachel Mooney, Jessica switches gears to venture some Lee, Amadi Thiam and Condi Thiam. Woody Allen-like urbanities, the On June 4, the following students hardly glib dialogue comes off flat- will perform: Hannah Moloshok, ter than a flounder. But even more Meghan Heine, Nicholas Gilligan, sinful, the street scenes of New York Molly Luppino, Joey Papandrea, look like stock footage. Christopher Joyce, Frannie In short, it becomes obvious there Kenajian, Megan Papandrea, Isabel is no love here, no romance and no Anreus, Emily Luppino, Scott Can- real artistic feel for the material. Just tor, Charlie Tripp, Tara Iauruzio, a job. And thus whether plying its Sara Dankosky, Samantha Fincke, CYAN YELLOW MAGENTA BLACK