#nj travels

[rndyounghowze]

The Fire This Time Festival 2024

This is an accessible version of the review posted on our instagram. To see the post go to @rndyounghowze.

NYC-4: What's Love Got To Do With It

Leelee Jackson wrote this piece for the millions of women who have had to constantly contend with the frailty of men who take up so much space in one’s life without giving one little scrap of it back. Jackson had all the women, most of the men, and all the rest of us eating out of the palm of her hand. We would encourage her to think of the forward momentum that she builds with the action of the play. It’s telling that our lead shows compassion to the man to tend to a wound that she gave him. Yet that moment pays off more when she leaves anyway. Anything keeping her from walking towards the door is delaying one of the best payoffs we’ve seen in a short play.

NYC-5: Mamas and Papas

We are big fans of stories of people having to create a family out of the ashes of disaster. Kamilah Bush is telling a gripping story about Charles who has to learn to be a father to Dottie a child he created when he was just a baby himself. She’s also telling the story of a Dottie who desperately needs stability after losing her mother who was her anchor. We felt that tension hanging over everything yet we were torn from the journey with moments that lagged (such as the father waiting for Billie Holiday to come over). We would encourage Bush to focus on distilling this amazing story into as few plot points as possible or expand them all into a full-length play. We connected enough with the characters and the premise that we will go in whichever direction that Bush decides to take us with the script.

NYC-6: It's Karen B****

This play is a wonderful illustration of how punchlines work. Many plays set up premises where the punchline seems like a subway car. You know that it’s coming eventually so you’re just sitting and waiting until it gets here so you can get to where you’re going. The best premises will take you on an unexpected and pleasant detour. Taylor A. Blackman’s detour was one that Dana the ex-honor student from a private PWI resonated with Niani immediately. What black “gifted” child hasn’t longed to “just” exist, to be mediocre, and NOT be placed on a pillar just to be knocked off the next time a Karen decides we are beneath her? We would beg Blackman to focus on pacing and refining the journey that the audience takes through the play when (or if) he decides to do a rewrite.

NYC-7: Ethel and Ethel

Joël René Scoville has an unfair advantage in that Ricky LOVES Ethel Mae Waters. We appreciated that Scoville gave us a script that lived in tenderness and caring. One of the things that was hard to understand was why they were holding themselves back. We are well aware of the realities of the time period but the play didn’t really talk about those nor did they seem as looming of a threat as they could have been. Case in point the calls from the gentleman caller did not feel like the looming threat to the relationship that Scoville intended them to be. The piece needed that ticking time bomb to make the gravity of their secret meetings hit home. That makes the payoff of the key to an apartment feel way more sweet and fulfilling. This piece is so good that we would love to see how far it could go with some more development.

NYC-8: Why Jamira Gotta Do All Da Werk?

Every time we feel the NYC cold chilling our bones Dana likes to recall one of their many escapades wearing next to nothing to avoid paying a coat check fee and playing mother hen to a gaggle of gal pals headed to one Hell’s Kitchen club or another. This play immediately rang a bell with them. Nia Akilah Robinson created two characters we understood immediately and acted like our handholds in the story. Jamira and Kiana were very real and endearing. Taking something as simple as hanging out in the club and adding emotional resonance to it is no easy feat. We’d love to see what Scoville does next.

NYC-9: The Mural

The greatest compliment that we can give Pappas-Williams is that there seems to be too much story going on to be contained in such a small package. Monique Pappas-Williams presents a piece with so many wonderful moments and images between Nia and Riz but we can tell she had way more story that she wanted to tell than what we saw. This will be the first time in RnD history that we will say (we think) we would love to see “Act Zero” as a longer version of this play. This is an interesting and dynamic story. We would love to see where it goes from here.

Nailah Carrie:

On top of New Work The Fire This Time Festival also featured the music of Nailah Carrie. Carrie started her music career doing an open mic at Frigid NYC. Opening for Fire This Time she regaled us with two pieces, one of them her original work called “Bad Girl”. This song immediately brought tears to Ricky’s eyes. We could feel the soul of her music as she set the mood. We hope to see her be even bolder and more powerful the next time we see her.

The Ensemble:

In our minds we see this cast as an ensemble. Even though each piece had different characters and extremely different parts that needed to be played this small handful of actors stepped up where they needed to be. Each one so seamlessly fit into each role that it was like a new person onstage every time.

Cezar Williams:

As the director, we can tell that Wlliams enjoys both character-driven drama and big visual statements. He’s not afraid of letting characters stand and talk while withstanding the tension that wants to pull them together or the sense of repulsion pushing them away. Then there are big character moments being highlighted with costumes, props, or huuuge rainbow banners on the walls. Williams brings practical guidance that perfectly matches artists debuting their new works for the first time. It’s one of those things that make Fire This Time Festival a perfect match for emerging writers.

In Closing:

We have attended several festivals before in-person and online and one of the things we like to talk about amongst each other is the festival's atmosphere. The minute we walked in the door of The Fire This Time Festival we noticed that the “fire” also could describe the warmth of the artists involved. Literary Manager AJ Mohammad is walking around, shaking hands, and scoops us up in a bear hug when he sees us. Director Cezar Williams is constantly greeting audience members as they enter to sit down. We can immediately tell that this is a place where long-time donors, fellow artists, and new audiences can gather and watch new works, sing out to the music, and cheer for our favorite characters. The Fire This Time Festival has been keeping these home fires burning for 15 years and with an atmosphere like this we hope that they’ll keep a blaze burning in winter for the next 50 years.

#theatre #nj #theatrelives #theatre review #nj travels #fringefestival #black theatre #fire this time #nyc #frigid nyc

[visit-new-york]

J Owen Grundy Park with Manhattan Skyline and One World Trade Center

#J Owen Grundy Park #Park #Manhattan #Skyline #One World Trade Center #Jersey City #Hudson River #NJ #New York City #new york #newyork #New-York #nyc #NY #urban #city #journey #outdoors #travel

[bellaso-bomb]

Rosa y Treinta 💕🎉

Pretty in pink

#ThisIs30 #birthday Travel #black excellence #black girl magic #dominican republic #PUNTA CANA #DR #NYC #BROOKLYN #NJ #bellaport #melanated #melanin poppin #melanin #travel blog #traveling #trips #ariesgang #ARIES #fire signs #black girls killing it #self love #self care #self comfort #pretty face #pretty in pink #black lives matter #melaninmagic #melaninpoppin

[lover-of-mine]

That's my emotional support goalie who stopped 45 shots in his 4th straight start this week including a back to back your honor

#my edit #nico daws #nhl #nj devils #new jersey devils #nhl stadium series 2024 #daws #devils ❤️ #he stopped 130 shots THIS WEEK #do you understand that?????? #ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY SHOTS STOPPED THIS WEEK #they had a back to back with travel in between and he started in all 4 games #im so obsessed with him is not even funny #like OH MY GOD #sorry schmid but why were we hiding him in the comets in the beginning of the season again???????? #insane #like INSANE #also hes adorable

[bandaidfingers]

Hi guys!

I’m gonna be tabling at Princeton Zine Fest this Saturday (March 16!), selling zines, stickers, and some of my original pieces. The festival will be from 12pm-5pm at Princeton Public Library, I hope you’ll come some hi and peruse some zines if you’re in the area ^__^ I’ve got eight zines for sale; two Dune-themed collections, a collection of my Noir Lesbian comics, two comics originally published by Level Ground Comics my sailor story “Lola”, my little fantasy story “The Rescue”, plus collections of my last few Hourly Comic Day comics, and inktober illustration sets.

Any leftovers will be in my shop later this month <3

#do I have any followers in New Jersey? lol #or anywhere near enough to travel to NJ? Im gonna be driving from Philly there to table hehe #original

[cathedraldecay]

if anyone is selling one (preferably pit) ticket to either of the nj shows please let me know!! i’m looking into going and would pay a good amount. this also works if u have an extra one bc a friend can’t make it or something, i would happily pay well to use it!!!

#IVE DECIDED I NEED TO GO #idc if i have to travel alone i need this so badly #i’ll also prob b looking for ppl who will also b there just so im not walking around nj alone as ive never been lol #mcr #my chemical romance #mcr tickets #boost #mcrnewark #newark nj

[tobbogan-13]

to the airport!!!!

GUTENBERGS TOMMOROW!!!!!!!!!!

today’s entertainment

that soundtrack has no right being this good

also have too much is not enough and self-confidence for actors (i really need to read that) in my bag

i was considering bringing uncle of the year but it’s a nice hardcover, and it’s signed, and it’s like my prized possession so i left it behind :(

and i’m going to new JERSEY cause i’m like visiting my grandparents or something 🙄 /j

i’m flying into ACY, and the airport is very evident of how no one wants to go to new jersey. The only airline that fly’s there is spirit, and there’s only like, 10ish gates. Mostly early morning flights. And it’s not like it’s some random small town airport or something, it’s atlantic city, which i think is pretty popular (as popular as a city in new jersey can be)

but ONE DAY UNTIL GUTENBERG!!!!!!!!!!

#i’m allowed to make fun of how no one wants to go there because i’m from there #new jersey #nj #atlantic city #new york #new york city #nyc #travel #broadway #broadway musicals #musical theatre #musicals #musical theater #gutenberg #gutenberg the musical #andrew rannells #andy randy #josh gad #theatre

[angelsdean]

the struggle of wanting to plop young dean down in new jersey like literally where i live for a fic but not wanting to say where i live sjkdfjsf 

#john rents out a cheap basement apartment and leaves them there for like almost a full school yr #while he takes on cases up and down the east coast #i'm thinking dean's like 17 post-nun burning and is gonna have a lil coming of age movie arc #they live close enough to the local schools that they can walk bc dean doesnt have the impala yet #and dean also takes the train (nj transit babeyyy. horrible awful transportation system) and goes to like asbury for punk shows #ends up at a gay bar and has a good honest eye opening chat with an older man (who may or may not be time traveling cas idk yet) #if it's Not part of my series of sort of interconnected time traveling cas one shots then maybe it could be an AU where cas is the same age #idk tho. im not rly that far into the details. just a broad dreamy sketch of the story #oh also they live close to a horse farm (there are. many around here) and dean goes for walks and passes it a lot and waves to the horses #and one day the guy who works there gets to talking w him and invites him to meet the horses and walk around the ranch (a girl can dream) #maybe he ends up getting a little job there cleaning the stables idk #and all throughout there's also this longing to go to the shore. and it's. very close by like they are not far from the beach #but it feels untouchable it feels like a place he can never go and it's all in his head and he's holding himself back and its a metaphor ofc #anyways yeah. i think putting him in jersey could fix him or give him new issues. one of those #vic.txt

[i-think-pictures]

Train Aalborg - Hirtshals, Denmark

#phoneography #mobiele telefoon fotografie #mobile phone photography #smartphoneography #smartphone fotografie #smartphone photography #travel #reizen #reisen #travel photography #reisfotografie #Denmark #Danmark #Dänemark #Hjøring #Hirtshals #Nordjyske Jernbaner #NJ #train #trein #tog #tren #Zug #Bahn #station #railway #railways #Scandinavia #Scandinavië #Europe

[admiralgiggles]

Dam, Bertha!

👇Speedwell Dam Morristown, NJ

#photo of the day #nikon photography #tamronusa #traveling witch adventure #jon carling #portriat #fall 2022 #speedwell dam #Morristown NJ #nature hike

[rndyounghowze]

February 11 at 11am join us on YouTube live as we announce our nominees for the fourth annual Young-Howze Theatre Awards!

#theatre #digital theatre #nj #nj travels #theatrelives #theatre review #youtube

[xcziel]

wow they decided to copy yoongi almost exactly: concert lovefest for army and then dip

#when namjoon started getting all sentimental on sm and vmin got huggy again i kinda knew #i figured nj was waiting to go in at the same time as jk and jm (no brainer that they'd be going in together) #and thinking on it i can't see why tae would want to do this by himself either #logically if they go in together that's the least amount of time they're 'separated' #and also ups the possibility of them being able to support each other within their service #like if one is busy there's others on hand *and* the hyungs are still in place to start them off with advice etc #not to be too cunical but after the thing with jin i just feel like they can't be too safe or guard their backs too much #lol as soon as i saw the full shot of jk's place in the gcf i was like: well that means he's not gonna be there much longer #also jm dyeing his hair bc he's just gonna shave it all off anyway makes a kind of sense #but this ALSO means all the stuff they've been talking and hinting about is gonna come out WHILE they're in #bc hobi's stuff is already on deck and he has a plan for as soon as he's out and the maknaes won't want to trample #on the newly released from service hyungs' projects so the travel show rm and jm's music jk's korean song??? #will all probably come next year and that after the fans have already had a docuseries christmas and new year #whew! #something about them sll going in together just hits me in the feels like ... just the closeness and protectiveness #and this way they can clock out of all the end of year ratings tallyings performances and comparisons! #bc they just deckared so they won't be going for a bit - they should have some time to settle things like yoongi did

[batubatubatuuu]

geçen gece yeni bir zevk icat ettim. ilk denememi yaparken bir melekle bir şeytan telaşla evime geldi. kapıda karşılaştıklarında yeni yarattığım zevkim üzerine kavgaya tutuştular..

biri bu günah diye bağırıyor diğeri ise bu erdem diye haykırıyordu

#illustration #church #art #photoblog #photografy #nature #travel #twiter #instagram #minimal #ilustracion #goodvibes #angel #plants #nj devils #ankara #istanbul #melek #black and white #notes #tumblr2022 #kitapaşkı #kitapsevgisi #booksbooksbooks

[about-usa]

Bay Head - New Jersey - USA (by Peter Miller) 

#Bay Head #New Jersey #NJ #US #USA #United States #North America #Nature #Landscape #Outdoor #View #Photography #Travelling #Traveling #Trravel #Tourism #Holiday #Urlaub #Reisen

[invoke-parlay]

#toad #amphibian #van life #Sea Bright NJ #travel #adventure

[thehubmiddletown]

Experience the epitome of comfort and luxury at The Hub Middletown, the best hotel in Middletown, New Jersey. Situated in the heart of the city, our boutique hotel offers a sophisticated and memorable stay for both business and leisure travelers. With its convenient location near Middletown, NJ, The Hub Middletown provides easy access to local attractions and amenities. Discover the perfect blend of modern elegance and personalized service at one of the finest hotels in Middletown, New Jersey. Visit our website at thehubmiddletown.com to book your stay today.

#hotels in middletown new jersey #boutique hotels in new jersey #luxury accommodation in middletown #hotels near middletown nj #best retreat hotel in nj #best hotel in middletown #hotel in middletown #best stay at jersey shore #best travel amenities in middletown #middletown hotel