Crossroads Performance Of FLY Featured At Inaugural Virtual New Brunswick HEART Festival

Crossroads Theatre Company's contribution to the first New Brunswick HEART Festival is a tap presentation from the play FLY performed by Omar Edwards that will close out the festival.

The production, directed and co-written by Crossroads Co-Founder Ricardo Khan was given rave reviews when it was performed at Crossroads Theatre in 2016, and in the following year received the NAACP award for best production of the year.

The festival was created to celebrate the vibrant arts and history that New Brunswick and Middlesex County has to offer. It is being held virtually on Saturday, August 15 from 3pm to 7pm. It will be hosted by New Jersey Radio Hall of Famer Bert Baron and Co-Founder of CPRLive, Sharon Gordon. It will stream live on YouTube at tinyurl.com/NBHEARTFestival. The New Brunswick HEART Festival is being presented by the State Theatre New Jersey, New Brunswick Cultural Center, New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC), and Above Art Studios.

The online festivities will include music, dance, and spoken word performances; a behind-the-scenes look inside the local theater and visual arts scene; a close-up of Middlesex County's history; interviews with artists and arts and community leaders; a craft-making session; yoga; and more!

"Crossroads Theatre Company has a rich and storied 41 year history providing quality theatre performances and we are delighted to be a partner to help kick off this wonderful inaugural mélange of the arts scene in our home city and county," said Khan. Omar Edwards will be performing during the 6pm to 7pm portion of the virtual festival schedule.

In addition to Omar Edwards tap performance from Crossroads FLY, other performers include 123 Andrés, the Latin Grammy-winning duo of Christina and Andrés, presented by the State Theatre; New Brunswick band, Sonido Latino, led by Manuel Castaneda, Director-Community Health from New Brunswick Tomorrow /Live Well Vivir Bien; jazz group Jerry Weldon Quartet, presented by New Brunswick Jazz Project; Silent Knight, local emcee from the Band Called Fuse; spoken word poet Justan Mitchell; classical singer Elise Brancheau; Grammy-winner emcee DRKBXT; and the New Brunswick Chamber Orchestra.

Additionally, New Brunswick HEART Festival community partner MCFOODs (The Middlesex County Food Organization and Outreach Distribution Services) will be holding a food drive at the East Brunswick Mall from 11am-5pm to receive for nonperishable foods and necessities to distribute to a network of over 120 partner organizations throughout Middlesex County. Items can be dropped off at the East Brunswick Mall at 755 NJ-18. Once you arrive, follow the signage for directions. Monetary donations can also be sent to www.FeedingMiddlesexCounty.org

For more information on the New Brunswick HEART Festival visit www.NewBrunswickArts.org or call 908-917-2862.

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