Town Journal: Week of Nov. 21-28

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RBR Theatre Company Presents ‘Much Ado About Nothing’
LITTLE SILVER – The Red Bank Regional (RBR) Theatre Company will bring its modern-day interpretation of the classic and timeless Shakespearean play on the battle of the sexes, “Much Ado About Nothing” to Red Bank Regional.
Performances, which began at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 20, will continue at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 21-22, and then at 3 p.m. Nov. 23.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and senior citizens. (RBR students are free.)
Red Bank Regional is located at 101 Ridge Road.
The main roles of combative lovers, Benedick and Beatrice, are played by junior Patrick Monaghan of Little Silver and senior Katherine Kennedy of Avon-by-the-Sea. Both are drama majors in RBR’s Visual & Performing Arts Academy. The academy attracts students from towns throughout Monmouth County.

ESU to Celebrate an Old World Christmas
RUMSON ­­– The Monmouth Chapter of the English Speaking Union (ESU) will hold its annual Old World Christmas Dinner at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5, at the Rumson Country Club.
The evening will feature music, drink, camaraderie and joy, accompanied by English and American composers’ holiday music played on the harp and violin.
Invitation is open to all. Black tie is optional. A wine pull auction will be featured.
Reservations can be made online until Friday, Nov. 28, at shirleyadler@me.com.
The cost is  $70 per person for ESU members; $75 for nonmembers.
Additional information about the Monmouth County Chapter of the English Speaking Union is available by visiting www.esuus.org/branches/monmouthcounty.

Mater Dei to Hold Open House for New Students Nov. 23
MIDDLETOWN – Mater Dei Prep is holding an open house from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 23 at its 538 Church St. campus.
The day’s events will include student-guided campus tours, meeting the administration and information sessions on Catholic identity, academics, its College Advantage Program, athletics and performing arts.
Mater Dei Prep (MDP) is an identifiably Catholic college preparatory school located on a 32-acre campus. The school offers challenging academic opportunities and a strong Catholic community. It draws students from more than 30 parochial, private and public schools in New Jersey.
MDP’s academic curriculum provides students the foundation they need to achieve their goals. Beginning sophomore year, MDP’s College Advantage Program grants students the opportunity to take Seton Hall University and/or Brookdale Community College classes on the MDP campus. On average, students graduate with 13 college credits.
In addition, MDP offers a range of advanced placement classes. These opportunities save students time and money in college.
At MDP Catholic identity is a crucial part of the campus community. Students worship together and put their faith in action through Christian service. On a daily basis, the community prays together before classes, extracurricular activities and athletic events. Upon graduation, students have completed four years of religions education and on average completed more than 100 hours of Christian service.
On campus, students also have the opportunity to explore their personal interests through athletics, performing arts, clubs and academic teams. Ninety-seven percent of the MDP students participate in a varsity sport or extracurricular activity.
MDP’s students have a 100 percent college acceptance and 20 percent higher SAT scores than national, state and local average. The school is ranked No. 1 in the Diocese of Trenton for collegiate scholarships with each student earning  $35,317 per collegiate and students graduate, on average, with 13 college credits, saving money and time in college.
Henry Hudson Regional Presents ‘Yes, Virginia The Musical’
HIGHLANDS – This holiday season, Henry Hudson Regional will stage a performance of “Yes, Virginia The Musical,” an original production based on a true story of 8-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon, who wrote a letter to the New York Sun newspaper in 1897, inquiring about the existence of Santa Claus.
The school musical program debuted last year as part of Macy’s holiday “Believe” campaign and was performed by elementary and middle schools nationwide.
Henry Hudson will welcome the holiday season with a special performance of “Yes, Virginia The Musical.” The play, which began with a 7 p.m. performance on Thursday, Nov. 20, will continue at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 21-22 with a final performance at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 23 and a special 1 p.m.  appearance of Santa.
During a time of financial setbacks for many educational arts programs, Macy’s offered the script and score for “Yes, Virginia The Musical” royalty-free to all participating schools, helping Henry Hudson Regional to stage its production. The retailer also created a free, digital toolkit on yesvirginiamusical.com, which includes an interactive script, production reference materials, videos from experts and celebrities sharing insider tips and a full performance video. One hundred schools also received grants from Macy’s as part of this program.

Monmouth Museum Holds Gift Gallery
LINCROFT – The opening reception for Monmouth Museum’s 2014 Gift Gallery will be held 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21, at the museum on the campus of Brookdale Community College.
The festive holiday showcase will feature one-of-a-kind gifts including distinctive jewelry, books, artwork, ceramics and more.
The gift gallery will be open through Jan. 11.
The Monmouth Museum, founded in 1963, as a Museum of Ideas, presents changing art, history and science exhibitions to educate and entertain while providing a destination for creative expression and lifelong learning to the diverse community it serves.
Additional information is available by visiting www.monmouthmuseum.org.

About Town

ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS
The Second Story Art Gallery will present a closing reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29, for “Endangered Beauty” with artist Sabrina Fadial.
The free evet and exhibition is at the gallery, located at 78 First Ave.
At first glance, Fadial would seem an unlikely candidate for an artist who works over a hot forge and swings hammers onto hot steel. However, it’s just that dichotomy that infuses her work and gives it so much meaning and beauty.
“As an artist, nature is my muse,” she said. “Inspiration comes from my personal life experience. The work of art is a byproduct of the creative process, which is life itself. I am a collector of seed pods, corks and rusty bits (treasures from scrap yards, industrial detritus).”
Additional information is available by visiting www.secondstoryart.com.
FAIR HAVEN
George Armistead, field guide and naturalist, will present “Ornithology: The Birds and the Birds and the Bees” at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 10, at the Monmouth County Audubon Society meeting at the Church of the Nativity on Ridge Road
The public is welcome; admission is free.
There are 10,000 species of birds in the world, and some of them have some pretty odd and unusual breeding strategies. Armistead has birded on seven continents, both on his own and as a leader for Field Guides, Inc., and thus has witnessed some pretty unusual bird behavior. His description of things that birds do in order to leave more little birds on the planet is sure to be informative as well as entertaining.
Armistead is a lifelong birder and since April 2012 has been the events coordinator for the American Birding Association. He spent the prior decade organizing and leading birding tours for Field Guides, Inc. Based in Philadelphia, he is an associate at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia and spends much of his free time birding the coast between Cape May and Cape Hatteras, N.C.
Further information can be obtained by visiting the organization’s website at http://www.monmouthaudubon.org, or emailing to  info@monmouthaudubon.org.

LINCROFT
The Monmouth County Park System will hold its annual Creative Arts Center Student/Instructor Show and Sale Dec. 6-7 at the Thompson Park Creative Arts Center.
The event celebrates the original artwork of students and instructors. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6, and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7. Gifts and home accent pieces, from small trinkets to treasures, can be found for all budgets. Purchases can be made using cash or check only.
The Creative Arts Center hosts a variety of fine arts and craft classes throughout the year including ceramics, pottery, jewelry, and painting.
Additional information about the Creative Arts Center or the park system is available by visiting www.monmouthcountyparks.com or calling 732-842-4000. Persons with hearing impairment may use the park system’s TTY/TDD number, which is 711.
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Award-winning novelist Julia Alvarez will give a rare public talk from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 25, at Brookdale Community College.
The discussion will center on Alvarez’s bestselling novel “In the Time of Butterflies,” which was read by thousands of Monmouth County students and adults this fall as part of The Big Read 2014.
Alvarez, a Bura Pulpre Award winner and two-time National Book Critics Circle Award finalist, will also answer questions and discuss the book’s themes of human rights, equality and freedom.
The talk, which is part of the college’s Visiting Writers Series and The Big Read, will be held in the Collins Arena. Those attending should park in lots 6 and 7.
Brookdale Community College is located at 765 Newman Springs Road.
LITTLE SILVER
All seniors of Monmouth County are invited to join the Seniors of Little Silver at its noon Tuesday, Dec. 16, holiday luncheon.
The gathering will take place at the Woman’s Club, 111 Church St.
Choral entertainment will be provided by The First Presbyterian Church at Tower Hill, Red Bank.
The menu will include chicken francaise, baked ziti, eggplant rollatini, salad and desserts for $12.
Attendees are asked to bring a wrapped grab bag gift, worth from $5 to $10; those who do will receive a gift.
Reservations are required by Monday, Dec. 1 and may be made by calling Elaine Malnati at 732-842-4005 or Lois Symons at 732-842-4960.
MIDDLETOWN
Poricy Park Conservancy will hold its traditional favorite, Historic Murray Farmhouse Candlelight Reception, from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 27, at Poricy Park at 345 Oak Hill Road.
Attendees can enjoy a cup of warm apple cider while listening to the sounds of minstrel Tony Sloan.
The program is appropriate for all ages but children must be accompanied and supervised by an adult.
Walk-ins welcome, yet registration is highly encouraged. Registration can be made by visiting www.PoricyPark.org or calling 732-842-5966.
The program is free but donations are greatly appreciated.
Poricy Park Conservancy is a nonprofit, 501 (c) (3) organization, located in Middletown.
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Poricy Park Conservancy will be holding its Hike and See nature hike and Historic Murray Farmhouse Tour starting at 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 28, at the 345 Oak Hill Road park.
Visitors will be able to walk away from their Thanksgiving leftovers and enjoy a relaxed nature hike through peaceful Poricy Park trails. Hikers will look around and see what is “left over” from the growing season and discover nature’s seasonal wonders. The hike will end at the authentic 1770s Murray Farmhouse where visitors can get a guided tour.
Those attending can then visit the 27th Annual Holiday & Craft Gift Shop in the annex.
Walk participants are asked to dress for the weather. The activity is appropriate for all ages, though children must be supervised by an adult.
Registration is required in advance and can be made by calling 732-842-5966 or visiting www.poricypark.org.
The trail hike will take place from 10 to 11 a.m. and the farmhouse tour will be 11 to 11:30 a.m.
SHREWSBURY
The Community YMCA and the YMCA of Western Monmouth County will host its 26th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Breakfast on Monday, Jan. 19, at Branches Catering at 123 Monmouth Road in West Long Branch.
The breakfast will be held from 8 to 10 a.m. and will include speakers, musical selections and high school essay contest winners.
Tickets are $30 for adults, $10 for youth or $250 per table of 10, and are available for purchase by contacting Tricia Tilly at ttilly@cymca.org.
Seating is limited, so those wishing to attend should RSVP by January 9 to ttilly@cymca.org.