The Westfield Leader Newspaper
The Times of Scotch Plains-Fanwood

CYAN YELLOW MAGENTA BLACK

Proposed Cultural Arts, Community Center Placed On Back Burner As Town Council, Board of Education Hammer Out Budgets

ARTIST OF THE WEEK

“Tete Bleue et Oiseau Fleche” by Joan Miro

Joan Miro (18931983)

Spanish surrealist painter and sculptor Joan Miró, drew his inspiration from pure fantasy, imagination and illusions during the 20th century.

The Barcelonaborn artist began his studies at the Barcelona School of Fine Arts and the Academia Gali. He quickly became a student of vibrant colors, cubist forms, flat, twodimensional figures and fresco painting.

However, it wasn’t until his move to Paris at the age of 37, that Miró formulated a signature technique of combining dreamlike visions and strange shapes and ideas, using the hues of yellow, red, blue, green and black.

Miró once shared of his vision, “The spectacle of the sky overwhelms me. I’m overwhelmed when I see, in an immense sky, the crescent of the moon, or the sun. There, in my pictures, tiny forms in huge empty spaces. Empty spaces, empty horizons, empty plains — everything which is bare has always greatly impressed me.”

Prior to his death in Majorca, Spain, Miró extended his artistry to different forms of media such as ceramic sculpture, collage, watercolor, pastel and painting upon metals and stone.

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A portion of the auditorium at the Elm Street Building

Arts & Entertainment

Continued on Page 21

Venue for Function Ten Production Causes Group

To ‘Miss the Mark’

By KERRIANNE SPELLMAN CORT

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times

WESTFIELD – Cupid’s arrows were flying recently at The Theatre in Elizabeth, as Function Ten, Inc., a Westfield theater group,

presented Valentine 2000, the fifth installment in their series of musical variety shows.

Margaret N. Fontana, and Westfield native Audrey F.

Continued on Page 21 Aimee Mann

Oscar’s Nominees for Best Original Song Should Be Tough Choice Minus South Park

Pen and Ink

By MICHELLE H. LePOIDEVIN

Sarah McLachlan Gloria Estefan

Phil Collins

SMASHING SUCCESS... The Washington School Players announced that their 52nd annual production held earlier this month, On With the Show, was widely acclaimed and well attended. The fullscale musical production involved over 150 parents and faculty members, while serving as the school’s primary fundraiser.

Sketching and Painting Planned on Wednesdays

By SP Recreation

Please send all Arts/Entertainment Press Releases to : Michelle H. LePoidevin

at michelle@goleader.com

By 4 p.m. on Fridays

Look for Oscar Picks and Previews By Michael Goldberger In An Upcoming Issue!

By MICHELLE H. LePOIDEVIN

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times

WESTFIELD – While municipal government and the Westfield Board of Education place their budgets under the microscope,

the proposal to turn the auditorium of the board’s Administration Building on Elm Street into a community/ cultural arts center will be briefly tabled.

Board of Education President Darielle Walsh told The Westfield Leader and The Times of Scotch PlainsFanwood that although architectural plans for the space have been eyed by the Liaison Committee, both the school board and the Town Council will need to “catch their breaths” before proceeding any further.

“It is better to proceed slowly than to try and do so much at once,” Ms. Walsh noted.

An article in the January 27 edition of the Arts & Entertainment

section revealed that the auditorium inside of the Administration Building has been utilized as a storage facility, when in fact, Westfield may benefit from holding cultural or community events there instead.

The architectural information, Ms. Walsh advised, is not yet available for public consumption. However, she said that when both school board and municipal budgets are ready to be presented for vote, the architectural information will be reanalyzed.

Ms. Walsh also stated that additional architectural information will be required by the school board’s Facilities Committee and after that analysis, the full school board and Town Council will examine the information.

Mayor Thomas C. Jardim told

The Leader and The Times, “It’s so preliminary right now. I agree with Darielle that we have to get into our own budget processes first” before proceeding.

Mayor Jardim confirmed that preliminary drawings done when the school board discussed renovations to the lavatories and other parts of the building hang in the office of Board Secretary and Business Administrator Robert A. Berman.

The school board president also reported that an ad hoc committee, comprised of residents, and representatives from community and cultural arts organizations,

would take a hard look at all information.

Mayor Jardim added that such a “citizens advisory group” could be put together as early as March. Examining the feasibility of the

project and gathering public input and reaction would be the top priorities of the group, according to the mayor.

Making the dream of a cultural arts and community center a reality requires a serious look at funding possibilities, according to both Ms. Walsh and Mayor

Jardim. “This is not something that the school district would finance,” Ms. Walsh said, adding that while the board would “absorb a portion” of the cost, the remainder would have to be funded through outside sources.

Downtown Westfield Corporation Executive Director Michael La Place reported that KeyesMartin – The Bruno Group of East Hanover is seeking grant money for the space on Elm Street.

Ms. Walsh confirmed that a representative from The Bruno Group, Jorge Cruz, has attended some preliminary meetings to take a look at the space.

However, after several telephone messages were left for Mr. Cruz, he finally reported to The Leader and The Times that he did not feel authorized to speak about the matter.

Mr. La Place added that when he gave the new Town Administrator Thomas Shannon a tour of the auditorium, he recalled that Mr. Shannon was “very excited about the potential” of the space.

Mayor Jardim stated, “No money has been applied for yet.” He added that every level of

Schindler together produce and direct original plays and revues for Function Ten Inc., with Ms. Fontana serving as musical director. Ms. Fontana is also a composer and much of her original

THE FUNCTION TEN CAST included Producer and Director Margaret N. Fontana at the piano, Rhonda Mc Bee, Sonia Owchariw, Stephen Christen, Ron Capik, Peter Lampradkos, Ramona Whittle, Bonnie White and Marie Comerford.

music was featured in the Valentine spectacular. These two women are clearly passionate about their work and it would be nice to see the fruits of their labor placed in the appropriate arena, but this time, unfortunately, they missed the mark.

There was clearly some talent on this stage, and some of Ms. Fontana’s original music was showcased nicely. However, a revue such as this belongs in a piano barenvironment or an openmike night, so to speak.

With varying levels of talent and professionalism onstage, it is hard

Continued on Page 21

SCOTCH PLAINS – Sketching and painting sessions will be offered for children in grades 4, 5 and 6 by the Scotch Plains Recreation Department.

Registration will begin on Wednesday, March 1, at the Recreation Office.

The classes will be conducted in the art room at Brunner Elementary School in Scotch Plains from 3: 30 to 4: 45 p. m. on Wednesdays through May 3.

The sessions cost $20 for residents and $25 for nonresidents. For more information, please call (908) 3226700.

WITH KERRIANNE SPELLMAN CORT Take the Stage

When the Oscar 2000 nominations were released last week, I had my pen poised for evaluation and critique. But, I have to be honest with you. With the exceptions of

Sleepy Hollow, The Hurricane, Toy Story 2

and Magnolia, I really did not feel magnetized toward the Rialto Theater. Therefore, I’ve decided to follow a simple rule I have: “Talk about what you know.” Hence, I’ve decided to poise my magnifying glass on the toughtochoosefrom nominations for Best Original Song.

First, I must say that I am literally frightened that anyone could consider giving an Oscar for “Blame Canada” for South Park’s movie, Bigger, Longer and Uncut.

All of Cartman’s cuteness aside, the movie was a travesty and an overdrawn extension of the Comedy Central television show. Why perpetuate this with a theme song? If we are going to be this ridiculous and nonsensical about Oscar picks, why didn’t we resort to nominating Lionel Richie’s version of “Brick House” from Muppets in Space?

Turning to reality, Gloria Estefan and ‘N SYNC’s gorgeous ballad, “Music of My Heart” for the movie Music of My Heart hit the radiowaves like a freight train – spanning different genres from the Lite FM set to Z100. Everybody loved it and it got an audience. Teenyboppers screeching outside of ‘N SYNC concerts were tickled pink and Estefan fans were happy to hear from Gloria again. Does it deserve the golden nod from Oscar? Stay tuned.

I didn’t expect to get any tearjerking moments out of Toy Story 2, but I must admit that I was touched by Sarah McLachlan’s tender offering “When She Loved Me.” McLachlan’s haunting voice has always had the strength to soar with the angels when it is not falling prey to drastic amounts of radio overplay. The first Toy Story picture received high acclaim for “You’ve Got A Friend in Me.” Will Oscar let it win again? Does McLachlan have the Midas touch? Hmmm….

Phil Collins has been out of sight and out of mind for too long in the music industry. His flair in the 80s might have stereotyped him, however, Collins has made a stupendous comeback by recording “You’ll Be in My Heart” for Disney’s Tarzan. His innovative approach to the piece is definitely Oscarworthy.

“I went around the studio bashing things with my hands and with the drumsticks,” Collins told Disney executives. “Everybody was looking at me like I was crazy. Eventually I hit myself on the forehead with my fists, and they said, ‘That’s it! ’ We only did a couple of takes, but the next day my head was all red. In the next session, we sent some guys to go out and get some pots and pans for the drum duet where a couple of gorillas are challenging each other. It was great fun,” Collins stated.

Michelle H. LePoidevin for The Westfield Leader and The Times

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