Page 16 Thursday, August 28, 2008 The Westfield Leader and The Scotch Plains – Fanwood TIMES A WATCHUNG COMMUNICATIONS, INC. PUBLICATION The B-52’s, Everclear Headline MusicFest CRANFORD – Next weekend, from Friday September 5, to Satur- day, September 6, MusicFest will re- turn to Nomahegan Park in Cranford with dual headliners Everclear, who will take the stage Friday, and the B- Westfield Shop Owner’s Acting 52’s, Saturday’s showcase band. Free to the public, the 11th install- ment of this annual event will feature more than 20 performers, among them Career is No ‘Publicity Stunt’ a contingent of rising musical stars By LAURA MORTKOWITZ to make this good.” bling for Goldie Hawn,” she said with from New Jersey on both days. Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times After a few successful shots, the a big smile. Last year, a single-day version of WESTFIELD — Amid the fine Ital- director came over to Ms. Over her 14-year career as a stunt MusicFest drew an estimated 50,000 ian shoes of Westfield store Sole lies Mastroianni and inadvertently put actor, Ms. Mastroianni has had the attendees to take in two stages of one of Westfield’s unique treasures: more pressure on her with one simple opportunity to work on everything music, making it one of the state’s store owner/stunt actor Anna compliment: “You’re a professional, from commercial voiceovers and premier entertainment draws. Mastroianni. that’s what we hired you for.” David Letterman skits to The Sopra- Beyond expanding to two days, The Westfield store serves as a means So, all throughout the day, she was nos and Spiderman 2 and 3. Photographer Weds Love this year’s event will feature even of paying the bills for the North expected to do harder and harder Some of her stunts included get- more musical entertainment on a third Plainfield native, whose acting career stunts. At one point, she had to drive ting hit by a car on The Sopranos and stage, a larger version of Kids King- started professionally in community straight at the camera and stop just performing a “ratchet.” A ratchet stunt Of Photography, Botany dom in a new location in the park, theaters in her late 20s and then took prior to smashing into it while the is one in which an explosion occurs, By MARYLOU MORANO Her botanical subjects include New additional food vendors, a market- an unexpected turn 14 years ago. producers, director and and the actor goes flying. Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times Jersey parks and gardens, the place and the return of the Love, Hope, “It feels like doing aerial gymnas- SCOTCH PLAINS – Some people Watchung Reservation and her own Strength charity walkathon, paired tics,” Ms. Mastroianni explained. may see a life devoted to both science flowerbeds. with a newly added 5k race. On The Sopranos, she had been and art as being a bit incongruous. “For me, science, in particular MusicFest ’08 will officially open cast as the double for Drea De Matteo, It does seem to challenge the right botany, has merged with art to pro- Friday, September 5, at 3 p.m. The who played Adriana La Cerva. She brain/left brain theory espoused by vide me a joint passion,” explained music will continue on Saturday, Sep- also doubled for Kate Winslet in the psychologists. Ms. DeCamp. tember 6, at 8 a.m. to coincide with movie Cigarettes and Romance. But Scotch One of her sig- registration for the Rock On “The actors are always nice,” Ms. Plains resident nature photo- Walkathon and 5k Rock N’ Run. Both Mastroianni said. “I think stunt people Ann DeCamp, a graphic tech- nights will close at 10 p.m. Lawn get a lot of respect on set. There’s that photographer who niques is “macro- chairs, blankets and picnic baskets mystique to what we do.” holds a doctorate photography” – are welcome. On the set of First Wives Club, her in organic chemis- magnifying her The Major League Baseball Trav- first big stunt double role, she had try, believes pho- subjects so that eling Road Show, which includes been nervous about how well she was tography and sci- they appear five to pitching and batting cages and video doing. Diane Keaton, on her own ence complement 10 times greater game kiosks, will return in 2008. initiative, kept going to the producer each other. than life size. In the event of rain, MusicFest will and director after Ms. Mastroianni’s A lover of plants “These close be held at Kean University; however, takes. She would then come back to – she majored in range photo- the Rock on! Walkathon and 5K Rock Ms. Mastroianni to tell her what they botany at the Uni- graphic explora- N’ Run will be held in Cranford. thought and offer insight. versity of Mary- tions often lead to For information on set times and According to Ms. Mastroianni, it land in College viewing the sub- directions/parking, see was rare when actors weren’t nice. Park prior to ject in an abstract ucmusicfest.com. “James Gandolfini is a doll. He’s switching to chemistry – Ms. DeCamp way,” she continued. Martin Sweeney for The Westfield Leader/Times so nice,” she said. “As a whole, on now translates her knowledge and “You see a lot of interesting pat- Summit Playhouse SOLE CALIBER…Sole store owner Anna Mastroianni poses with a few of her The Sopranos set, everyone was like love of plants to photographing them. terns, forms and colors with macro- store’s signature imported Italian shoes and handbags. a family. [Ms. De Matteo] was so nice The 17-year photography be- Holds Auditions Sept. 4 to me.” Scotch Plains resi- cause you are SUMMIT – Auditions will be held After taking classes in New York crewmembers sat just beyond its As of now, Ms. Mastroianni’s job dent became inter- Belgium looking at things for the Summit Playhouse’s Baby, a and studying at the William Esper reach. as storeowner of Sole is mostly a ested in photogra- really close up,” play by Maltby and Shire, on Thurs- School for Acting, she performed in “If I missed, I would have hit the support system to her acting career. phy at a young age. said Ms. DeCamp. day, September 4 ,at 7 p.m. Interested the Off-Broadway play Sweatshop. whole crew,” she said. “I want to dive back in [to acting] Her father, a Ms. DeCamp actors should come to 10 New En- During a stint as a waitress at the She didn’t miss; in fact, Ms. full time,” she said. newspaper re- also uses stones, gland Avenue in Summit. then-Northside Trattoria, family Mastroianni impressed everyone so Both acting and stunt acting hold porter and photog- water, ice and an The director, Vicki Tripodo, is look- friend Peter Bucossi, a stunt coordi- much that the producers all wanted to special places in her heart for differ- rapher, was sta- occasional sea ing for a male between the ages of 30- nator, found out Ms. Mastroianni was know what else she had done. ent reasons. As she describes it, stunt tioned in Japan in creature as 50 who is a very strong singer and pursuing an acting career. He had a “I didn’t want to lie, but I didn’t acting is an exciting, in-the-moment the 1940’s. subjects for mac- who can move well. Actors audition- unique opportunity for her. want to get Peter in trouble,” she said. experience that doesn’t require a huge He gave his rophotography. ing should bring an up-tempo piece “He needed an actress who could “Finally, I came clean and told them time commitment. However, acting daughter her first “The variation and a ballad. Ms. Tripodo is also drive,” she said. “New York actresses that it was sort of my first job.” is something that lets her reveal who camera, a of nature amazes looking for character actors for the usually don’t have licenses.” Mr. Bucossi offered her more jobs she is. Rangefinder with me,” said the art- ensemble who are at least 20 years However, when she accepted the job when he heard her story, the next of “Nothing is more amazing than which he had taken ist, who often re- old. at the soap opera “Another World,” she which was Independence Day. Al- when you’re on stage and it’s work- thousands of pic- ceives spiritual Production dates are October 31 noticed the contract listed her job de- most the entire New York stunt com- ing,” Ms. Mastroianni said. “When tures as a foreign fulfillment from and November 1, 6-9, 14 and 15. Call scription as “stunt driver.” All she was munity was involved with the movie. everything goes well, afterwards, it correspondent. her subject matter. (908) 578-6882 for more informa- supposed to do was pick up a hitch- “All I kept thinking was, ‘I have no all goes still while the audience takes Although she Ms. DeCamp tion. hiker, a new regular on the show, and idea what I’m doing,’” she said. it in for a moment before the ap- took photography takes most of her drive him home, so Mr. Bucossi did not “‘What am I doing on a $60 million plause.” classes in high photographs with Watchung Arts Center stick around to watch her performance. set?’” After starting to act in the fourth school, and loved a Nikon camera, Believing they had an experienced The opportunity to work in Inde- grade, putting it down for a few years taking pictures, she still majored in and produces archival prints on her Presents Film Society stunt actress on their set, the show’s pendence Day offered her something and picking it back up again, Ms. botany in college. own Epson 4000 printer using Epson WATCHUNG – The Watchung Arts director decided to ramp up her part of a shortcut in her career. Mastroianni has achieved something When it comes to photography, her Somerset Fine Art Velvet Paper. Center (WAC) will present the sec- for the press contingent that had come “[It] would have taken someone that few have. scientific training now expresses it- A complete gallery consisting of ond season of the WAC’s Film Soci- to watch the take. years to make all those connections, “It’s really hard, hard work on my self in unexpected benefits. hundreds of Ms. DeCamp’s prints, ety. The film society’s showings have Mr. Bucossi had no knowledge of [but] I met everyone in one day,” she part. I started from the ground-up,” “I see things that others tend to including some from her world travels, enriched the diverse calendar of events the director’s intentions, and neither said. she said. “I feel really privileged. I overlook,” she said. can be found at pbase.com/aedecamp. at the center. he nor Ms. Mastroianni revealed to Her next job was even bigger: she almost feel like someone charmed The array of films offered will ap- the producer and director that she doubled for Goldie Hawn in First me along the way. I can’t wait to see peal to a variety of tastes. The sched- had no experience as a stunt driver. Wives Club. what else is ahead.” Cranford Artist Presents New ule is as follows: Ms. Mastroianni remembered being “I went from not knowing what I Saturday, September 6 – Brazil, apprehensive, but thinking “I have was doing to, three jobs later, dou- See Ms. Mastroianni in action on page 15 starring Jonathan Pryce; Works at Watchung Art Center Sunday, September 14 – Dog Day CRANFORD – Cranford artist the range of geological stratifica- Afternoon, starring Al Pacino; Theodosia A. G. Tamborlane is pre- tions that support aboveground Friday, September 27 – Burnt By senting two new, provocative oil trees, streams, deserts, oceans and the Sun by Russia’s premiere film- paintings, “Ombrello’s World” and mountains reaching toward the sky. maker, Nikita Mikhalkov; New Jersey Youth Theatre “Coral’s Song,” at the Watchung “Coral’s Song” takes one under Friday, October 3 – This is Spinal Art Center’s fall show, “Artist’s the seas of Key West, Florida, where Tap by Rob Reiner; Music.” Ms. Tamborlane resided before es- Friday, October 17 – Lost Week- “1776” This show is presented by the tablishing her studio and her home end, starring Ray Milland; Contemporary Art Group, which has in Cranford. Plants and images of Sunday, October 26 – Easy Rider, over forty local area artist mem- animal life populate this dramatic starring Dennis Hopper and Peter bers. The Watchung Art Center is three-foot sea landscape. Fonda. located on the traffic circle in Ms. Tamborlane will also have a The films will be shown on a large Watchung. Opening reception for solo show of her paintings and three- screen in the upper gallery of WAC on “Artist’s Music” is Sunday, Sep- dimensional collages at the Simply selected dates at 7 p.m. A $7 donation tember 7 from 1 to 4 p.m. Gallery in Cranford in September. is suggested. Moviegoers can reserve Ms. Tamborlane created She is a member of the American seats by calling (908) 753-0190 or e- “Ombrello’s World” in tribute to Allied Artists and the Contempo- mailing [email protected]. For Professor Thomas Ombrello, who rary Art Group. upcoming shows or more informa- teaches horticulture and other sci- Her website is Tamborlane.com, tion, visit watchungarts.org. The ence courses at Union County Col- and she can be contacted by email at Watchung Arts Center is located at VOICE lege in Cranford. The piece depicts [email protected]. Watchung Circle on 18 Stirling Road. SCENE STUDY

the farmhouse store DANCE M USICAL THEA like no other store in Westfield TRE ACTING NEW JERSEY YOUTH THEATRE OFFERS CLASSES IN: Drama • Voice Dance • Musical Theatre Students Ages 8 to 18 Semester I Classes Begin October 14, 2008 NEW LOCATION 172 W. WESTFIELD AVENUE,ROSELLE PARK, NJ 07204 OPEN REGISTRATION: Wed., & Thurs. Sept., 3, 4, 24 & 25 • 4-8pm

JOIN US FOR FALL REGISTRATION Free Parking 221 North Ave East 908-654-0444 For info call: 908-233-3200 • Website: njyouththeatre.org www.TheFarmhouseStore.com