Nostalgia Is a Big Part of 'Newark Inside My Soul'

34 _ December 20, 20x2 — Union County LocaiSource ARTS & LEISURE Nostalgia is a big part of 'Newark Inside my Soul’ A reviewer can take a nostalgic journey through a lifetime of journalistic events mere ON THE SHELF ly by reading Barbara J. Kukla’s “Newark Inside My Soul. A 50-Year Memoir.” BY BEA SMITH This warm, heartfelt, inspiring book, writ ten by the West Orange author and published Years,” and “Rejoice! Newark Gospel Greats.” by Swing City Press in West Orange, has a ten She also serves on trustee boards of The Lea dency to bring back numerous memories of a guers Inc., New Jersey's largest Head Start reviewer’s hometown, its schools, environ program, the Newark Public Schools Histori ment, and its peoples. In addition, Kukla has cal Preservation Committee and the North opened up previously closed curtains toward Jersey Philharmonic Glee Club. And in personal adventures in major newsrooms dur “Newark Inside My Soul," she discusses every ing a period of skepticism in the 1950s and part of her life in full. The book is rich in 1960s of women employed in journalism. details and in photographs. She joined the Newark Star-Ledger in late She talks about many people in Newark, 1967, and following a period of time as a who influenced her and whom she had helped, reporter, created a weekly edition called including her adoption of a daughter, Dashan- “Newark This Week.” ta Faucette-Knight, who has since made her a During her years at the Ledger, Kukla not grandmother and to whom she has dedicated only covered general stories, but also had this book. Kukla even has a chapter about her served as the paper’s Sunday city editor. And association with Whitney Houston and her throughout her exciting career, she personally family. interacted with the inhabitants of Newark, Kukla retired from journalism in 2004 who greatly influenced her, and became seri after 43 years. This particular chapter in the ously involved in the city’s cultural and politi book has touched home once again, at least for cal life. In fact, Kukla created a scholarship me. For this reviewer, who has been in the fund in memory of a Newark-born community business of journalism for more than 61 years, activist, Connie Woodruff, for Newark public is now ready to turn off the computer, and school students, which is still going strong 15 retire with the new year. years later. Kukla offered a talk about her experiences This is her fourth book — she wrote “Swing in the newspaper world and her latest book on City: Newark Nightlife, 1925-50,” “Defying the the evening of Dec. 13 at West Orange Public Odds: Triumphant Black Women of Newark,” Library. “Newark Inside My Soul” was then and “Sounds of Music: The Dolores Collings placed in a special section on the shelf of this Benjamin Story,” a biography of the founder of reviewer’s book case. Nearby is an empty the North Jersey Philharmonic Glee Club. space awaiting the occupancy of a yet-to-be- She produced three calendars to benefit written book by Bea Smith, who with the new The Friends of Barbara J. Kukla Scholarship year begins a new life in retirement. Fund: “Remembering Connie: A Life Well- Happy holidays, and a have happy new Lived,” “Newark Songbirds: Jazz Through the year. With The Nutcracker’, the holidays are nearly complete By Bea Smith er.” Although the simple story rather loosely remained When Marie awakens, she finds herself by the family Staff W riter intact, Grigorovich took wide advantage of the incompara Christmas tree, clutching the unbroken Nutcracker doll. Christmas would not be a complete holiday here in New ble music of Tchaikovsky, changed some of the scenes and If the story sounds a little different, it is. Jersey without the celebration of a performance of Peter utilized adults in all of the roles, adding more elegant But the fabulous dancing by Nina Kaptsova as Marie, Ulyich Tchaikovsky’s classical ballet, “The Nutcracker.” movements, moments and charm to the Bolshoi’s excep and the display of energy by Artem Ovcharenko as the Nut No matter where it is staged, adults and children alike tional dancers. Even the name of young Clara was changed cracker/Prince, are worth the price of admission. look forward to its magic, its dancing, its fabled stoiy — and to Marie. The Bolshoi audience actually went wild with applause, most of all, its music. And for those who have found it, for In the beginning, the Christmas party at the Stahlbaum particularly while witnessing the ballet numbers by the example, at the Digiplex Cranford Theater, there is a spe home may not be as eloquent as the Clark version, but it is Harlequin, Vyacheslav Lopatin and Columbine, by Anna cial treat in store. This one is the Bolshoi Ballet version of appealing and entertaining. The Stahlbaum children, Marie Tikhomirova and the entire company, many of them male “The Nutcracker,” filmed live by Ballet in Cinema from and Fritz, welcome their godfather, Drosselmeyer, who is dancers. Emerging Pictures on the Bolshoi State Theater stage in disguised as a magician, to the party. He brings life-like Outstanding, however, was the magnificent perform Moscow, Russia, and it is absolutely exquisite. One could toys that perform, and Marie’s is a Nutcracker doll, which ance of Denis Savin, as Drosselmeyer. He is, without a n’t aSk for a more appropriate gift for the holidays. Fritz, in jealousy, breaks. doubt, one of the finest, breathtaking actor-dancers in the Some years ago, artistic director of the New Jersey Bal As a magician, Drosselmeyer makes the Christmas tree whole company. let Co., Carolyn Clark, presented her own splendid inter grow, and the toys come alive. But an army of mice appear, The Bolshoi Ballet’s production of “The Nutcracker,” pretation at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn during led by the Mouse King, who battles against a now grown which was shown at the Cranford Theater Monday the holidays. It was there, entertaining thousands annually Nutcracker doll, who has been transformed into a prince. Wednesday evening, will be shown tonight at 7 o’clock. As for many years, and this reviewer apparently became close Before long, Marie falls asleep, and dreams of adventures an added attraction for the holidays, the Cranford Theater ly acquainted with all that took place on that stage. in a wonderland of snowflakes, guided by her prince. will screen a film of a live performance of “The Nutcracker,” So, when the Bolshoi Ballet’s production was offered at They travel in a boat through a magical kingdom of snow staged by the Royal Ballet in England on Dec. 23 and Dec. the Cranford Theater Sunday afternoon, it appeared that a with the live dolls, and ultimately, the dolls perform various 27 at noon and Dec. 30 at 7 p.m. ballet afficionado, in astonishment, could relish and appre dances from various countries, including Spain, India, Whichever version a theater-goer attends, Bolshoi or ciate the many changes, thanks to Choreographer Yuri China, Russia and France. The dancers, in authentic cos Royal, it will certainly complete a perfectly festive holiday Grigorovich and his own interpretation of “The Nutcrack tumes, are truly overwhelming. season..

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