South Orange Department of Recreation & Cultural Affairs May 8 5-8PM Swing Into Spring: A Social Night for Active Adults: For adults 55+, enjoy a delicious spread, challenge yourself in a trivia showdown and hit the dance floor with a lively mix of classic and contemporary tunes DETAILS Baird Community Center, 5 Mead Street, South Orange; 973-378-7754, southorange.org (registration required) Class Act Performing Arts Studio May 8-10 VARIOUS TIMES The Wizard of Oz: The timeless story in which young Dorothy Gale travels from Kansas over the rainbow to the magical Land of Oz features a cast of 70 singing some of the most beloved songs of all time DETAILS South Orange Performing Arts Center, One SOPAC Way, South Orange; classactpas.com Django à Gogo Music Festival May 13 8PM Guitarist, composer and musical director Stéphane Wrembel honors the enduring legacy of Django Reinhardt with Django New Orleans plus special guests May 14 8PM Night of the Gypsies plus special guests DETAILS The Woodland, 60 Woodland Road, Maplewood; djangoagogo.com The Maplewood Strollers May 14-24 2PM Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare: See this beloved tale come to life, from the sharp-tongued battle of wits between Beatrice and Benedick to the tangled romances, mischievous plots and laugh-out-loud antics DETAILS The Burgdorff Center for the Performing Arts, 10 Durand Road, Maplewood; 973-761-8453; themaplewoodstrollers.org South Orange Performing Arts Center May 15 7:30PM All-female, rock powerhouse Zep parella transforms the music of Led Zeppelin into an electrifying live experience May 21 7:30PM Emeline Michel is an internationally- acclaimed Haitian singer celebrated for her dynamic fusion of pop, jazz, blues and traditional rhythms May 28 7:30PM Low Cut Connie, led by Adam Weiner, delivers a wild, gritty love letter to rock & roll and all its beautiful outsiders June 5 7:30PM The Music of ABBA, the ultimate live tribute to the legendary pop group featuring stunning vocals and timeless hits feature story / 43 Fall Events That Matter Spring The Wizard of Oz Low Cut Connie Social Night for Active Adults Django à Gogo Much Ado About Nothing T wenty years may seem like a short or long time, depending on your perspective. For residents who remem ber the groundbreaking for the South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC), and its growth as a desti nation to experience live performance, arts educa tion and community con nection, it’s a blink of an eye. For others who moved here after 2006, it has been a mainstay anchoring their mental landscape of South Orange. SOPAC is celebrating this milestone with “Gala 20” on June 12. At this in teractive evening, emceed by comedian Liz Glazer, guests will move through cocktail hour, dinner, performance, silent auction and a dance party. “It’s go ing to take over the building,” says SOPAC development director Molly Marinik. “We’re going to have festiv ities taking place on all three floors. And we’re going to have art and per formance infused throughout the evening in exciting ways.” The big draw for the gala is Max Weinberg’s Jukebox, led by Bruce SOPAC Celebrates 20 Years with Gala Immerse yourself in comedy, art and auction BY ELLEN DONKER Max Weinberg's Jukebox is the featured perform er. The band will play audience requests from a video menu of more than 200 songs. ABBA
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