The BOX: Music & Spoken-Word Closes JCTC Truth Series

JCTC (Jersey City Theater Center) presents The BOX: Truth Edition - an evening of music, spoken-word, poetry, dance and other performances exploring the many forms and meanings of Truth -April 7th at Merseles Studios, 339 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07302.

The BOX - named for the 'black box' theater at Merseles Studios - concludes JCTC's latest thematic series: Truth. JCTC selects topics global in scope, yet relevant to the community then explores that theme using visual arts, theatre, dance, monologues, play readings and other performances.

The BOX: Truth Edition also marks a milestone for this unique performance showcase. JCTC solicits submissions for The BOX through social media and notices in theatre publications and entertainment & theater blogs. A panel, headed by Dan Pieraccini, Manager, JCTC - who is also the curator for The BOX: Truth Edition - reviews and selects submissions.

The BOX: Truth Edition inspired a mix of submissions from first-time and returning performers as well as an original music piece by Anthony Wills developed specifically for the showcase. The performances will be grouped together in two acts and in addition to multiple emcees commenting on the theme of Truth and moving the entertainment along, interspersed throughout both acts of The BOX: Truth Edition are featured performances by Alex Pergament & the After School Orchestra and Summer Dawn Reyes, a playwright and actress, who will be performing excerpts from her acclaimed theatre piece -Thinking In Full Color: Empowering Women of Color.

Other performers include spoken-word artists and poets - Benedicto Figueroa, former poet laureate of Union City and famed Hudson County spoken-word artist & activist Rescue Poetix - as well as Wendelin Regalado, and Katelyn Halper - and some of the hottest musicians in Hudson County: Sylvana Joyce of Sylvana Joyce & The Moment; Gary Van Miert of The Sensational Country Blues Wonders; Carol Lester; Carlos Haase; Max DiBiaggio; Richard Jedrzejek ; John Paul Garcia; Freddie Moises; Kenny Jaworski and Tiphanie Doucet.

"What's most exciting about The BOX: Truth Edition is the sheer amount of volume of submissions and interest it's gotten," said Pieraccini. "It's allowed me as a curator to start thinking ahead and recognizing performances that are still in their working stages to be developed for a later show, and to group artists together in collaborative projects."

While the curated yet free-form feel of The BOX has been retained, the showcase has underwent many subtle and some not-so-subtle tweaks for the Truth show. The changes not only ensure a fresh and unique version of The BOX, but also indicate an ongoing evolution of this signature JCTC event.

"I'm most curious to see how new format of two acts and two featured artists and rotating emcees change the dynamics," said Pieraccini. "The Box continues to grow at and we at JCTC are determined to give it room to change and evolve - not too quickly or erratically so that it becomes unrecognizable - only enough that folks know it's going to be new and exciting every time."

The BOX: Truth Edition also closes the Truth Art Show in the gallery at Merseles Studios, curated by Lucy Rovetto, Visual Arts Coordinator, JCT. Bang Chau. Marketing Design Associate, JCTC, served as assistant curator of the Truth Art Show. The gallery is open during all JCTC events and The BOX is the last opportunity to view the Truth exhibition, which includes site-specific installation pieces and works by more than a dozen individual artists.

The Box: Truth Edition
Saturday/April 7

Doors: 7:00/Show: 7:30
$5 (Suggested Donation)

For more information, visit: www.JCTCenter.org

Jersey City Theater Center
Merseles Studios
339 Newark Avenue
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(201) 795-5386

Funding for Truth was made possible by generous support from the Hudson County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs/Tourism Development, Thomas A. DeGise, Hudson County Executive and the Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.

Truth was also made possible through the generosity of Ben LoPiccolo Development Group, JCTC's Board of Directors, private donors and local Jersey City businesses.

Jersey City Theater Center, Inc. (JCTC) presents programming at Merseles Studios and White Eagle Hall. JCTC is a nonprofit, 501c3 arts organization committed to inspiring conversations about the important topics of our times through innovative and progressive performing and visual arts that celebrates diversity, bringing communities closer together and enhancing the quality of life.

Photo credit: Photograph by Bang Chau

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