Artist Spotlight: Joel de la Fuente
Born in New Hartford, New York, Joel de la Fuente is a well-known and talented New York-based professional actor who transitions from stage to screen at the drop of a hat and back again. Joel met his wife Melissa during Shakespeare in the Park, when he and her best friend were in the ensemble of, “All’s Well That Ends Well” and they started dating the following summer when they had all returned to the park. A Shakespeare fan in general, Joel says about meeting his future wife, “So that is one other reason I love Shakespeare!”
SOMA PRIDE June 2021 is for Everyone!
SOMA PRIDE 2021 is a time for South Orange and Maplewood residents to come together AS ONE in celebration of all LGBTQ+ identities and allies collectively united. As we shine a light on LGBTQ+ issues with books, films, discussions, performances, picnics and parties, we mark how far we have come and recognize how much more there is to do.
Artist Spotlight: Tracy Sham
Tracy Sham's passion for photography was ignited by her love of music. Watching her friends' bands perform in NYC clubs such as CBGB's and ABC-No-Rio had a massive effect on her. She was driven to document the raw emotions and energy in their performances. What started as simply snapping photos of bands became a lifelong career.
Tracy’s work can be described in three words—versatile, vibrant, and lively! Her versatility comes from having photographed across a wide range of disciplines including music, fashion, publishing, product imaging and corporate events. There is a unique vibrancy & energy in her work.
SOMA Celebrates Lavender Graduation 2021
As part of annual June Pride Month Celebrations across SOMA and Essex County, the Township of Maplewood and South Orange are again partnering with SOMSD and community partners to present SOMA Lavender Graduation 2021 to be held in person and virtually on June 3, 2021 at 6:30pm in the Columbia High School Auditorium in Maplewood, New Jersey. Special guests to be announced.
GUITARIST, COMPOSER AND TEACHER, STEPHANE WREMBEL, PRESENTS DJANGO A GOGO FESTIVAL 2021
MAPLEWOOD, N.J.—Stephane Wrembel is pleased to announce Django A Gogo Festival 2021 will be held Thursday, June 3rd through Sunday, June 6thcomprising 4 concerts and an intensive 2-day guitar workshop. This world class event celebrates the music and life of legendary musician and composer Django Reinhardt. The concert repertoire follows the Django canon and veers into reinterpretation, improvisation and interplay between artists from various backgrounds performed at the highest level of musicianship.
SOMA Celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month 2021
South Orange Village and Maplewood Township, together with SOMA Cross Cultural Works and the AAPI Community, unite to recognize and celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month 2021 with family-oriented events during the entire month of May.
How Maplewood kept its arts and culture vibe alive and thriving during the pandemic
Faced with the pandemic’s distinctive challenges, De Archuleta had a secret weapon: Maplewood’s progressive and talented community. She also wanted to expand on the town’s established tradition of diversity and make sure that the arts reflected and were accessible to all residents, from all backgrounds. It was time for her to connect the dots again. It helped that “because of the pandemic, artists are home, not on tour, not on location, and they’re looking for things to do.
Progressive Theater - Casting Call - The View Up Stairs
Casting "The View UpStairs," a free to low cost outing of theater under the starts for Essex County, NJ. Production states: "As you know, the entertainment industry has been greatly affected by the pandemic, and theater goers have had a year without live entertainment. In lieu of Pride month, we present 'The View Upstairs,' which tells the story of the 1973 arson attack on the a gay bar in New Orleans. The show is a musical so there will be a little movement on the stage."
Artist Spotlight: Melissa Citro
Melissa Citro — Opera Singer. Dramatic Soprano. Spinto. Actor. Performer.
World-renowned dramatic soprano/spinto soprano and Maplewood resident Melissa Citro has been singing professionally and internationally for 20 years. Most of her early work was in German and Czech opera, more recently Melissa has been trying her hand at Puccini. Tosca in Tosca and Minnie in La Fanciulla del West are her new favorite roles.
#SOMACelebratesWomen
Artist Spotlight: Josephine Dakers-Brathwaite
Josephine Dakers-Brathwaite — Fiber & Textile Artist. Creative Director. Felter. Quilter. Teacher.
Josephine approaches her craft with both the precision and professionalism of a seasoned expert and the inspiring enthusiasm of a dynamic artist. She draws her inspiration from a variety of sources including nature, colors, and other elements of everyday life. Josephine’s skillset as an artist encapsulates both learning and excelling in new art forms and teaching others through comprehensive workshops. #SOMACelebratesWomen
New Works/New Voices Playwriting Event
New Jersey Theatre Alliance presents American Theater Group’s (ATG) New Works/New Voices playwriting performance, streaming Tuesday, March 30th at 7pm. This free event is part of the Alliance’s Stages Festival, the state’s largest annual theater festival, which provides free and discounted theater events for all ages from March through May.
SOMA Celebrates WOMEN IN MUSIC Virtual Chamber Music Concert from SOPAC and The Woodland
The WOMEN IN MUSIC virtual concert will take place on Friday, March 26, 2021 at 7:30pm and is free to all with registration through SOPAC. WOMEN IN MUSIC 2021 is sponsored by Maplewood Division of Arts & Culture, Maplewood Township, South Orange Village, SOPAC, Pollock Properties Group, Keller Williams Premiere Properties and Matt Kean Guaranteed Rate.
The SHEroes of Maplewood and South Orange
Maplewood Township and South Orange Village Celebrate Female Essential Workers with a “SHEroes” window exhibit at the 1978 Arts Center on Springfield Avenue, as well as a “Meet The SHEroes of the Maplewood Police Force” Video.
Artist Spotlight: Marcy Thompson
Marcy Thompson has been mixing things up in Maplewood as a producer, writer, and performer for a good long time.
“Headphones off. Surrounded by people. Live events are the stuff of being human. There’s no end to the amazements of live performance; every laugh or gasp is a thrill. I specialize in defying expectations.” — Marcy Thompson
#SOMACelebratesWomen
Essex County Announces the 2021 Legacies Writing Contest
Seniors with a great story to tell can take part in Essex County's 2021 Legacies Writing Contest. County residents aged 60+ are encouraged to submit an original story about a special person, life-changing experience or a significant period in their life. Several South Orange and Maplewood residents have won awards in previous years, so we encourage everyone to share their stories!