In the
Arts

Ocean Grove presents free organ recitals in the Great Auditorium on Pilgrim and Ocean pathways, Wednesdays and Saturdays through Aug. 29. The concerts will feature resident organist Gordon Turk and special guest organists Peter Richard Conte (July 18), Paul Leddington Wright (Aug. 1), Roger Sayer and Charles Andrews (Aug. 8) plus young virtuosi from the Curtis Institute of Music Stephanie Liem, Nathan Laube and Joshua Stafford (Aug. 29). All shows will start at 7:30 p.m. except for July 7, 21, 28, Aug. 4, 11, 18, which will begin at noon. There will be no recital Aug. 15. A Founders Day concert celebrating the 300th anniversary of Charles Wesley will take place July 29. The concert will feature Conductor Paul Leddington Wright, choral director Jason Tramm, organist Gordon Turk and the Great Auditorium Choir and Brass Ensemble. Gordon Turk and Michael Stairs will perform a special encore concert Sept. 3. Details: (732) 775-0035 or www.oceangrove.org. The Great Auditorium pipe organ was inaugurated July 3, 1908, and built at an original cost of $27,000. One of the largest pipe organs in New Jersey, the instrument boasts over 10,000 pipes.

Poetry, featuring readings by published poets Laura McCullough and Bob McKenty, will be held at the Monmouth County Library Headquarters, 125 Symmes Drive, Manalapan, July 18 at 7 p.m. There is no charge.

Laura McCullough's second full length collection of poetry, "What Men Want" is due out in January. Her first collection, "The Dancing Bear," came out in 2006. She has master of fine art degree in fiction from Goddard College and has been a New Jersey State Arts Council Fellow twice. Her poetry and prose have been published widely in places such as Nimrod, The Portland Review, Poetry East, Slab, Gulf Coast, and Boulevard. She is a professor at Brookdale Community College.

Bob McKenty has been writing humorous verse since age 7. His poems have appeared in numerous periodicals, including The New York Times, Reader's Digest, and Light, the Quarterly of Light Verse, and in a number of anthologies (most recently The Poets of New Jersey) and a few textbooks. His book of baseball verses, "Fair Game: Open Season on Baseball," was published in 2005 by Doggerel Daze.

The reading will be followed by an open mic in which participants will be invited to share their favorite poem or work in progress. Poems of all genres and in all stages of creation are welcome.

Details: (732) 431-7220 or www.monmouthcountylib.org.

Calling all young artists! The Monmouth County Park System will host several sessions of Kids' Art at the Park throughout July. Youngsters are invited to create both representational and fantasy artwork inspired by nature. Students will focus on elements of design such as line, color, value, shape, texture and space. Classes will be held both indoors and outdoors the following days and locations from 9:15 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.: Dorbrook Recreation Area Visitor Center, Route 537, Colts Neck, July 9-13 (ages 7-9) and July 16-20 (ages 10-14), and Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park Activity Center, Ocean Avenue, Long Branch, July 23-27 (ages 8-14). The cost for each session is $205 per person plus a $7 supply fee. Details and registration: (732) 842-4000. (TTY/TDD number is 711).

The Brick Community Players' summer production will be the family musical "The Music Man." Professor Harold Hill and the sound of "Seventy Six Trombones" will march into Brick at 7:30 p.m. July 12 and 13 and at 3 p.m. July 14, at the Brick Civic Center, Brick Plaza, 270 Chambers Bridge Road.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and students and $8 for children ages 10 and under. For reservations call (732) 840-2015. Details: (732) 840-3515.

The Monmouth County Library will feature "Shakespeare on the Bricks" in the lower gallery auditorium in a two-part summer series in July and August.

The first performance, "Henry IV, Part 1," by William Shakespeare will be presented by the Next Stage Ensemble of the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey at 7 p.m. July 11 at the Monmouth County Library Headquarters, 125 Symmes Drive. In "Henry IV, Part 1," the king's hold on power is challenged by Harry Hotspur and his allies as his eldest son, Prince Hal, is gaining a notorious reputation on the London streets.

The second performance, "Twelfth Night," will be performed Aug. 9 at 7 p.m. As one of Shakespeare's most lyrical comedies, a twin brother and sister are separated by a disastrous shipwreck and cast ashore in the land of Illyria, each thinking that the other is dead. As they cross paths with scheming servants, a grieving beauty, and a wise fool, the result is a tale of unrequited love, newfound hope, and irrepressible festivity.

The Next Stage Ensemble, one of the divisions of The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey's Summer Professional Training Program, was created to foster the work of early-career actors. Participants take advanced classes in voice and movement, while working on hour-long productions of classic and contemporary plays.

Both performances are free and open to the public. Details: (732) 431-7220 or www.monmouthcountylib.org.