Coasting - Millville’s Historic Levoy Theatre  | Coasting | News & Views

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Coasting - Millville’s Historic Levoy Theatre 

Plus Princess Inc. Needs New Home After Sandy, the Album of the Week and Drew Toonz

By AC Weekly Staff

Add Comment | Comments: 1 | Posted Jan. 9, 2013

Southside Johnny

Millville’s Historic Levoy Theatre 

By Lori Hoffman 

Built in 1908 by William “Pop” Somers of Atlantic City and Somers Point, the Levoy Theatre’s long history includes life as a home for vaudeville shows, silent movies and talking pictures. After decades of changes, renovations and being designated as a structure of historic value by the State of New Jersey, the theater is part of the renaissance of downtown Millville in the Glasstown Arts District on High Street. The Levoy (126-130 N. High St., Millville. 856-327-6400. levoy.net) is currently presenting a robust schedule of plays and musical performers including in January, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, the Harry Potter spoof Potted Potter and the Gin Blossoms. Here are the details:

• Jan. 23, noon, 7:30pm:

Potted Potter, $38, $43.50, $25 student rate. Olivier Award nominated Potted Potter — The Unauthorized Harry Experience — A Parody’ by Dan and Jeff takes on the ultimate challenge of condensing all seven Harry Potter books (and a real life game of Quidditch) into seventy minutes. Written and performed by Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson Turner, Potted Potter is perfect for ages six and up.

• Jan. 25, 8pm:

Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, $39.50, $44.50. One of Asbury Park New Jersey’s favorite sons, Southside and the band have been on the national music scene since they were formed in 1974 by singer Johnny Lyon and guitarist/songwriter “Miami” Steve Van Zandt.

• Jan. 30, 7pm:

Gin Blossoms, $34, $37. The GB’s hits include “Hey Jealousy,” “Found Out About You, “Til I Hear It From You,” and “Allison Road” among many others.

Princess, Inc. Needs New Home 

By Casey Harper 

Princess, Inc. is a nonprofit organization based in Atlantic City and composed of female mentors who volunteer their time with the goal of cultivating a better lifestyle for young women in the region, namely Atlantic City and Pleasantville. Providing at-risk girls of color from ages 13-22 with a safe and positive environment, Princess, Inc. has become a widely supported and respected program within the community. Due to severe damage following Hurricane Sandy this past fall, the ladies’ former meeting space, the Atlantic City Police Athletic League (PAL) Building, was made unusable, and the group needs a new home. Having contacted local schools, the Atlantic City Free Public Library, and other public community buildings, Princess, Inc. has yet to find a new venue to house the group. The women meet twice a month (sometimes three times) on Thursdays from 5:30-8pm, and the only requirement is that they be allowed to bring food as they serve the girls nutritious dinners at each meeting. Automne Bennett, CFO and co-founder of Princess Inc., along with Indra Lyn Owens, are avid believers in the importance of giving these local young women trusting relationships within the group that is in a way “its own family,” according to Bennett. The group aspires to strengthen citizenship, assist with college and career planning, and educate on women’s health through a series of workshops and open discussions. “We have received great support from the community,” Bennett says of the group, whose success is evident in the 100 percent of its members having moved onto the next grade level, graduated, or been accepted to at least one college or university. If you have information on a possible meeting space available for these princesses, contact Bennett at 892-9544 or Owens at 287-4235. It’s important to support this positive force in our local community as it continues to change young women’s lives.

Nightlands 

‘Oak Island’ (Secretly Canadian) 

The sophomore effort from Dave Hartley’s band Nightlands, Oak Island, out Jan. 22 on Secretly Canadian, comes and goes like a dream. The sounds are lush and tranquil, best suited for nighttime listening with its 10 lilting and somber tracks. Hartley is the bassist for the fantastic Philly band War on Drugs and has also played sideman to Sharon Van Etten, Sondre Lerche and other notable outfits. On Oak Island, it’s apparent Hartley, the son of a genetic engineer, has been having a blast in his own lab, mixing acoustic and digital elements and distorting them, layering sounds with such instruments as trumpets and dulcimers, all while coating each tune with a retro-pop frosting. It’s mighty tasty, but not in the kid’s birthday party kind of way. — Jeff Schwachter  