Weekend Evening Performances Forbidden Broadway SVU - A Musical Review Saturday, January 20, 2007 7:30 p.m. in the Ciccone Theatre Created in 1982 by unemployed actor Gerard Alessandrini to showcase his talents, Forbidden Broadway is a hilarious spoof of actual Broadway productions. Critics and audiences were wowed and it has since become New York’s longest running musical comedy revue. Forbidden Broadway has won Drama Desk, Obie and Outer Critics Circle awards. Most of its “victims” (stars and casts from original productions) make a point of stopping by to see what Gerard Alessandrini has done to them. Updated regularly, Forbidden Broadway has had several editions and countless revisions, but remains one of the hottest tickets on Broadway. The show has also become known for “uncovering” talented by as yet unknown actors, many of whom have gone on to stardom on Broadway, TV and the movies.   Tickets: $22; $20 - students & seniors (65+); $18 - All Bergen Community College C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band Zydeco Concert  Friday, February 16, 2007 7:30 p.m. in the Ciccone Theatre   Clayton Joseph Chenier, the son of the great King of Zydeco, Clifton Chenier, the first Creole musician to win a Grammy, was raised in a household steeped in music. C.J.’s earliest musical influences were an eclectic mix of funk, soul, jazz and Motown, and his first musical instruments were piano, tenor saxophone and flute. At the age of 21, he began performing with his father and his Red Hot Louisiana Band. After his father’s 1987 death, C.J. adopted the Red Hot Louisiana Band and recorded his debut album. More acclaimed recordings on several labels followed. In the autumn of 2005, the delta region was twice pummeled by vicious hurricanes. In the aftermath C.J. began writing and recording a collection of songs in stark contrast to the upbeat nature of his many past recordings. The result, The Desperate Kingdom of Love (2006) was his first solo album as a singer-songwriter. Although different in stylefrom earlier works, this recording, like all other C.J. Chenier recordings, leaves one with hope for the future and some great dance tunes. A self-described “road dog,” C.J. tours extensively in North America and Europe where he keeps audiences dancing. Presented in commemoration of Black History Month – call (201) 447-7428 for a detailed calendar of related events. Vaneese Thomas Women of Soul Friday, March 2, 2007 7:30 p.m. in the Ciccone Theatre    Vaneese Thomas performs a legacy of traditional R&B songs. Born in Memphis, TN and daughter of R&B legend Rufus Thomas, Vaneese is committed to preserving and passing on the musical traditions with which she grew up. The women to whom she pays tribute in this concert are important in the development of the southern folk tradition. Her soulful vocals and colorful stories entrance us and give us insight into the music we call R&B and Soul. Explore this rich history with her and enjoy an evening of roots music that you’ll never forget. Vaneese is a founder of Segue Records, the label of her latest release A Woman’s Love which perfectly displays her distinct brand of sultry vocals, tasteful arrangements, and outstanding song selection. Presented in commemoration of Black History Month & Women’s History Month – call (201) 447-7428 for detailed calendars of related events.   Tickets: $20; $18 - students & seniors (65+); $16 - All Bergen Community College  Just A Jersey Guy Friday, May 4, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. in the Ciccone Theatre   Brian Altano, the Raconteur of the Garden State, returns to the stage with more of his original Jersey Tales. His stories are irreverent, hilarious, and heartwarming, told in the vivid style of the world’s oldest narrative tradition. In “The Last Day on the Job,” he tells the tale of five neighborhood friends who get fired on the same day and wreak as much havoc as possible. In “At War with the Martyrs,” Altano describes how his mother’s banon toy soldiers almost set him apart as a future saint. These and other stories make for a wonderful evening of creativity as the simple “heroes” of New Jersey come leaping to life.   Tickets: $18; $16 - students & seniors (65+) $14 - All Bergen Community College   Bergen DanceMakers Connecting Flights  Saturday, May 12, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. in the Ciccone Theatre   The Bergen DanceMakers’ fresh new dances fly in to connect choreographers from Bergen County with their friends. Known nationally and internationally, the Bergen DanceMakers are usually found flying out to perform around the country, and beyond, but will return again to touch down here for Connecting Flights. Among the Bergen DanceMakers’ choreographers are Liliana Amador, Irving Burton, Nai-Ni Chen, Susan Cherniak, Elissa Machlin-Lockwood, Lynn Needle, Claire Porter, Renee Redding- Jones, Frances Rosario-Puleo, Jamie Sporn and Susan Thomasson.   Tickets: $20; $18 - students & seniors (65+);$16 - All Bergen Community College

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