Goo Goo Dolls Give Powerful Performance, Candid Interview
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Page 18 Thursday, August 10, 2006 The Westfield Leader and The Scotch Plains – Fanwood TIMES A WATCHUNG COMMUNICATIONS, INC. PUBLICATION WF Teen Attends Paws, Claws, Scales and Acting Conservatory WESTFIELD – Westfield resident Tales Presents Plays in FW Connor Davis is participating in the Rutgers Summer Acting Conserva- By BRIDGET CORNWELL budget and friends of the library. Par- Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times tory (RSAC), pursuing his dream of ents of the children in the play provide becoming a professional actor. FANWOOD – On July 24, the Paws, props, costumes, and backgrounds. RSAC, described as “a boot camp Claws, Scales and Tales Summer Read- In the first play, Who Will Bell the Cat Goo Goo Dolls Give Powerful for actors,” is a four-week residency ing Club at Fanwood Memorial Li- , nine girls performed: Katherine program run through July 30 on the brary had its eighth annual perfor- Celardo, Ashley Kayalo, Emma Sherry, New Brunswick campus and offers mance at Forest Road Park in Fanwood. Josie Dunning, Sonali Kamath, Caroline students an intense pre-professional At 3:30 and 7 p.m., the 17 girls, Culp, Theres Sigona, Rachel Zucker Performance, Candid Interview Who and wide-ranging acting and theater entering grades 5-10, acted out and Marina Dugan. This story of a town curriculum. Will Bell the Cat and Puss-in-Boots. of mice that had to outsmart a cat to live By CHRISTIE STORMS Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times Connor, a Westfield High School The club presented the plays for younger “teaches lessons to the younger kids,” (WHS) student, has performed in children but welcomed parents, too. said Caroline Culp, who played a grain AREA – Twenty years is a long time to maintain success at any career many area productions, including This year, Camille Sigona produced vendor in the mouse town. Jesus Christ Superstar Evita Puss-in-Boots and can prove even more challenging , and the plays. Two of her daughters per- , which the children Plain and Fancy. He spent two years formed in this year’s plays. Mary enjoyed, had 12 girls performing: in the ever-changing youth dominated field of rock music. But when the at the Westfield Summer Workshop Everson and Ann Minski, who each Katherine Minski, Rosie Everson, for the Fine and Performing Arts and had daughters performing, co-directed. Alyssa Provenzano, Cassie Segulin, Goo Goo Dolls recently burst onto the stage at the PNC Bank Arts Cen- was awarded the Mark Hardy Schol- Parents helped out behind the scenes. Kaitlyn Magnus, Rose Sigona, Emma arship Award. Conner also runs track Paws, Claws, Scales, and Tales is a Sherry, Sonali Kamath, Josie Dunning, ter in Holmdel, with their energetic new hit “Stay with You,” the sold-out and field at WHS. club that all children can join. “The Caroline, Trisha Magnus and Mariel Stacie Lents, Connor’s acting program is free,” Ms. Everson said. “It Mital. crowd was instantly on its feet and cheering. teacher, said, “He is constantly push- doesn’t cost the kids anything, so we The girls rehearsed three days a week ing himself in his acting work and feel good about that.” throughout the summer. “You learn how Co-founded by bassist/vocalist Robby Takac and guitarist/vocalist widening his emotional range. He is The program gets its “small” bud- to cooperate,” said Katherine Minski. simply a joy to teach.” get, according to Children’s Librarian “They’re like our best friends now,” John Rzeznik in 1986, the group has evolved from an alternative punk band “The hard work doesn’t seem hard and Summer Staff Program Director said Rosie Everson of the girls with because it’s so much fun,” said Susan Staub, from the reading club whom she performed. to mainstream rock musicians with platinum albums and hit after hit land- Connor. ing on Billboard’s Top 40 charts. Aleta Nadolny Receives And while the Goo Goo Dolls con- cert set featured several songs from Marc Hardy Scholarship their newly released album, Let Love WESTFIELD – Cranford resident In, they performed plenty of old fa- Courtesy: Warner Brothers Records, Melanie Nissen Aleta Nadolny, a seventh grader, was vorites such as “Slide,” “Iris,” and A BAND NAMED GOO...The Goo Goo Dolls’ Robby Takac, far right, spoke to the Westfield Leader and The Times about his tenure with the band, and his love for Pez. awarded the Marc Hardy Scholarship “Broadway” that drew a huge re- by the Westfield Summer Workshop. sponse. During the softer ballad night Show with Jay Leno.” Last fall, Rzeznik penned the sen- The presentation was made after “Black Balloon,” the crowd gently “I sleep four feet from them on the timental “Better Days,” for a Target/ the final performance of the WSW wafted dark balloons back and forth bus, I play four feet from them on NBC Christmas album released in Theater production of Seussical on to the familiar melody that dates back stage, I’m four feet from them in the 2005, but the song became a huge July 27 at the Edison Intermediate to 1999. dressing room,” Takac explained sensation when CNN quickly picked School auditorium. Aleta played the In a phone interview with The from his hotel room overlooking it up as their anthem for Hurricane role of the Sour Kangaroo. Westfield Leader and The Times, the Manhattan. “Yesterday, I didn’t see Katrina’s recovery efforts. The Marc Hardy Scholarship, cre- charismatic, down-to-earth Takac re- anyone I travel with at all. Not be- “John wrote that song like in one ated in 1991, honors the memory of a NERDY…The Nerds will perform a free concert on Wednesday, August 16, at flected on his two decades with the cause I’m mad at anybody or any- evening, which is kind of cool,” Takac talented individual. The scholarship 7:30 p.m. in Echo Lake Park, on the border of Westfield and Mountainside. The Goo Goo Dolls. thing. But here, I get to throw my reported. “Very rarely can you sum was named for Marc Hardy, an ex- concert by The Nerds is part of the Union County Summer Arts Festival concert “It’s been a long process,” Takac suitcase all over and hang stuff from up an entire situation in 10 or 12 ceptionally talented young man from series. For more information call the Union County Department of Parks, said. “I don’t think there was ever a the lamps and do whatever I want for sentences, so there’s a lot of filling in Westfield who attended the Westfield Recreation and Facilities at (908) 527-4900. moment where I went, ‘Wow, I’m a a little while.” the blanks going on. It was sort of a Summer Workshop. He later became rock star.’ We’ve been lucky to keep The band also hires supplemental bigger example of what probably hap- a member of the Screen Actors’ Guild, our feet in it.” musicians for its performances. Cur- pens with most songs. It wasn’t writ- and appeared in the Cosby Show and The Nerds Rock Echo Lake He also realizes that it takes more rently, guitarist Brad Fernquist and ten for Katrina, but it seemed to fit it several television commercials. than just talent to keep the trio, which keyboardist/guitarist/saxophonist so well.” Recipients of this scholarship are consists of Takac, Rzeznik, and drum- Korel Tunador are on board for the The Goo Goo Dolls also hit the selected on the basis of talent, hard Park With Free Concert mer Mike Malinin (who replaced Let Love In tour, which features the mark with their newly released cover work, positive attitude, and the abil- WESTFIELD – The Union County the air-conditioned auditorium at original drummer George Tutuska in band performing at outdoor amphi- of Supertramp’s “Give a Little Bit.” ity to work well in a theater group. All Summer Arts Festival concert series Cranford High School, on West End 1995), together. theaters throughout the summer with “John sung that a few years ago in of these were qualities that Marc continues on Wednesday, August 16, Place off Springfield Avenue in Cranford “You have to respect people’s The Counting Crows. a GAP commercial, and we started Hardy himself displayed throughout with a performance by The Nerds, the at 7:30 p.m. For up-to-date concert/rain needs. It’s healthy to stay away from “The first time, we just hired our using it as an encore song,” Takac his performances and rehearsals. The popular Jersey cover band that enter- information call the Parks and Recre- people at times,” Takac said. friends. We’ll never do that again,” said. recipient of this honor is given a mon- tains music lovers from Cape May to ation hotline at (908) 352-8410 after 3 That may be considered easier said jokes Takac. “I think we’re a little The band performed it during a etary award to use in the pursuit of Carnegie Hall. The Union County Board p.m. on the day of the concert. than done when some of the band’s smarter now and know we have a very rainy concert for their 2004 “Live in further theater arts education. of Chosen Freeholders, led by Chair- For more information call the tours have comprised of more than specific need to fill. These two guys Buffalo” DVD, and it was so well The Westfield Summer Workshop man Alexander Mirabella, invites the Union County Department of Parks, 400 live shows as well as television fit that perfectly.” received, they decided to record it in is a division of the New Jersey Work- public to attend this free concert, which Recreation and Facilities at (908) appearances, which recently included Rzeznik and Takac write a major- the studio for their new CD.