in the arts

Put on your dancing shoes and head for Brookdale Community College in Lincroft July 12 and Aug. 9 when two outdoor summer concerts will reprise the music of bygone eras.

"Hit Parade of Music Under the Stars" will take place July 12 from 7-9:30 p.m. and will feature the 18-piece Brookdale Big Band performing music by Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Glenn Miller and other bands of the 1930s and ’40s.

On Aug. 9, the six-piece Brookdale Wolverines will present a concert of Dixieland-style music, also from 7-9:30 p.m.

Performances will take place on the lawn next to Larrison Hall; parking is most convenient in lots 2 or 3. Bring a blanket or lawn chair and picnic supper. In case of rain, the performances will be held in the Performing Arts Center.

Admission for each event is $10 in advance; $12 at the door. Call (732) 224-2315 to register or for more information.

As it embarks on its 10th anniversary season, the Two River Theatre Company is preparing to break ground for a new, state-of-the-art 300-seat theater in Red Bank.

The new theater will be located on the current site of Blaisdell Lumber Co. on Bridge Avenue, close to the Red Bank Train Station. Groundbreaking is slated for summer with completion anticipated in fall 2004. The new theater will have a thrust stage with seats no more than 40 feet from the performers.

The theater company, presently based at the Algonquin Arts Theatre in Manasquan, has launched "Two River’s Rising: Building an Intimate Home for the Arts," a $15 million capital campaign. Theater company founders have pledged $5 million, with a challenge to match funds raised by the community up to an additional $5 million. To date, more than $1 million has been raised. For more information about the TRTC Capital Campaign, call Cindy Carroll at (732) 345-1400.

The Monmouth Conservatory of Music will present Choral Arts, a chamber choir devoted to the music of Bach and other classical masters, in a performance of Joseph Haydn’s "The Seasons." The June 22 concert will feature Kathleen Berger, soprano, Jacob Feldman, tenor, and Steven Fredericks, bass-baritone. The concert will take place at 4 p.m. at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 150 River Road. A goodwill offering will be taken, and audience members are invited to meet the performers at a reception following the performance.

The Children’s Opera Chorus of the Monmouth Conservatory of Music will present its season finale concert June 26 at 7:30 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center at Brookdale Community College, Lincroft. The chorus will present a program of music by Purcell, M. Haydn, Britten, Rutter and others. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for seniors and children under 12.

The Two River Theatre Company will hold its annual celebration of wine, food and music June 27 at 7 p.m. "Tastes of the Mediterranean," a benefit to support the county’s leading professional theater company, will be held at Navesink Hills, the historic 22-acre Widener estate in Middletown. Fine cuisine, featuring the culinary creations of Chef Nicholas Harary of Restaurant Nicholas, will be the fare. The event will also feature live music by the Steve Calafati Trio, a live and silent auction, and a raffle for his and her Cartier Tank watches, limited to 300 tickets at $100 each. A pre-event VIP wine class at 6 p.m. for $500 per person will be presented by Len Pickell, president of the James Beard Foundation. Benefit ticket price is $150, and attendance at the event is limited to 250. Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, call (732) 530-1115.

The Monmouth Conservatory of Music is offering "Acting for Singers," a summer workshop open to teens and adults. Workshop participants will explore the skills needed by singing actor/actress with faculty member Diane Fox, vocal teacher and professional stage artist. Designed for both novice and more advanced students, the workshop will be offered in one-week intensive sessions. Morning sessions will be offered 9 a.m. to noon, July 14-18 or Aug. 11-15, and an evening session will be offered 6-9 p.m. Aug. 4-8. Tuition is $150 per session. For registration information, call (732) 741-8880.