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Arts & Entertainment

Monroe Center Opens Its Doors on Sunday

The public is once again invited to experience the Center's growing arts scene from noon to 6 p.m.

From painters and potters to live performers, creative people from the local area and New York will show their work at the , 720 Monroe St., during its Open Studio Day this Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. Adults and kids are welcome; admission is free.

The center, which opened in 1990, hosts about three of these events a year. “It’s been the mission of the Monroe Arts Center to have Open Studio Days,” said Godfrey Pereira, the events director. Over the years, the crowd and the variety of artists on the roster has grown. “It’s a mix of everything,” he said.

In addition to the exhibits, local drama groups will perform. The Theater Company will host Coffeehouse, an open mic event from noon to 5 p.m. Refreshments will be served and members of the public will be invited to share their own work, poetry, comedy and music.

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“It’s going to be a fun afternoon,” said David Zimmerman, producing artistic director of the Theater Company, which moved to the Monroe Center less than a year ago. Zimmerman said the group is adjusting just fine. “We really like being part of the whole community at Monroe and the mixture of artists,” he said. He added that the company is hoping to attract a bigger audience with this weekend’s event and looking to start a weekly open mic night.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to participate in a play. The Hoboken Children’s Theater is hosting an open-door rehearsal of its performance of the award-winning musical comedy "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee." “It’s very, very funny,” said Chase Leyner, the theater’s director. Four members of the audience will be chosen to get up on stage and spell. Actual performances by the theater’s kids, ages 13 through 18, will be held from Thursday, June 2, through Sunday, June 5, at various times; tickets are $12 for adults and kids.

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Also this weekend, the Mile Square Theatre will have an open house from noon to 4 p.m. for its Summer Youth Drama Camp for ages 4 through 10. “We have really wonderful teachers,” said Chris O’Connor, the group’s artistic director, who started the non-profit in 2002. He added that there will be two sections of the creative drama program, one for 4- and 5-year-olds and another for first- and second-graders, which will have a new theme each week. Older kids (third- through fifth-graders) will prepare a Shakespeare comedy and perform it in front of an audience at the end of the season.

“It’s a very holistic program,” said O’Connor. “They really experience a lot.”

Other groups, like Urban Arts, which offers arts classes for ages 2 and up, and Monroe Street Movement Space, which has dance and yoga classes for kids, will also participate in Sunday’s event.

“The Monroe Center has always stood by Hoboken and the community for the arts,” said Pereira, noting that the event is a good way for emerging artists to get exposure. “There are not too many venues in New Jersey that are having exhibitions,” he said. “And if they do, it’s extremely expensive.” The Center charges artists a $20 exhibition fee, much cheaper than at other arts venues, said Pereira, and lets the artists keep all the proceeds from their sales.

“We try and help the artists,” he said. “It’s important for the artists to come out and show their work and for people to see their work.”

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