There are about a zillion great reasons to work at Luna, but after careful consideration, meditation, reflection, and a good deal of pondering whilst drinking tea and gazing into the distance (and maybe one too many sports metaphors), I’ve narrowed it down to five.

5) The Food is Unbeatable

Working at Luna in the afternoons and being a college student (and unable to cook), I frequently bought lunch around town. Many of us in the office do this; Robin generally prefers the veggie burger at Mazzi’s, Cheryl and her kids like the Mazzi old-school hotdogs, Sahoua’s always jonesing for the Spanish place, Margot a combination of all that’s nearby. I liked the coffee at Lee’s, the burgers at Mazzi Dogs, and the chicken special at the Spanish place. I heard good things about Hat City too. But better than the delicious food, the proprietors of these restaurants are Luna’s neighbors, friends, and supporters. Many of the restaurants around town support Luna through promoting us in their establishment, offering special deals to our audience, and buying ads in our programs. The love is mutual, Valley Arts district eats. Food really does bring the family together.

4) The Staff is World-Class

Not only are they really nice and incredibly welcoming, the Luna leading ladies are an artistic force to be reckoned with. Founder of Luna, Jane Mandel, recently directed a fierce production of a brand new play, Reparation, as part of our mainstage season. She routinely directs in the Luna season while shaping the artistic direction of the company. Mona Hennessey, Managing Director, not only runs a tight ship but is also a renowned actress. Associate Artistic Director and Director of Play Development Cheryl Katz has a keen eye for new plays sharper than a baseball scout looking for lefty pitchers; that perceptiveness for talent and potential has led to the development of over fifty new plays under her watch. Robin Irwin, Director of Education & Community Outreach, comes to us with Broadway experience, teaching experience at top universities around the country, and real heart for community outreach. And to top it all off, these ladies are incredibly nice and funny and witty and caring. Not a bad lineup.

3) The Intern’s Appreciated

Because Luna has a relatively small staff, I as the intern felt appreciated, needed, and I got to do a lot of cool stuff. I mainly spent my time working for Cheryl reading script submissions and researching this and that for upcoming productions. I got to research grants and write a first draft of a grant proposal for Luna. I assisted at our monthly New Moon reading series, meeting the fascinating actors, playwrights and directors who come from all over New Jersey and New York to put the plays together. Sometimes I would help Sahoua in the office (there were more than a few paper casualties, but I eventually got the hang of it—I swear that copier had it in for me), or I would get the chance to hang out with our neighbors while promoting our new and upcoming events, hanging flyers around the block. There was always something exciting to do or read or see in the office with never a dull moment, never a day where I didn’t need to bring my A-game to the table. That’s a great place to work.

2) Who Needs New York for New Work?

Luna works with some of the most exciting new playwrights around: Ben Clawson, Gino DiIorio, Nikkole Salter, Bekah Brunstetter, and Ellen Margolis, just to name a few. And Luna doesn’t just produce a playwright once in our reading series and forget about them; Luna has a history of establishing relationships with playwrights who keep coming back because of the artistic support received here. After they’re workshopped, plays don’t just disappear into the ether; Luna consistently produces promising plays that have continued their development after their New Moon reading. Some examples are The Tallest Building in the World, Reparation, and The Dangers of Electric Lighting, all of which had their start in the New Moon series and then premiered in our mainstage season. Relationships in art are sometimes overlooked or overrated today, but I think Luna’s style of development is tried and true. Slow and steady wins the race.

1) You Can Always Come Home

The one thing I don’t like about Luna is that the time has come for me to leave. I’m going to grad school in the fall, so that’s a pretty legit reason to move on, but I sure will miss Luna and all that I’ve learned and experienced here. Without a doubt if I wasn’t moving to another city, I’d still come around Luna at the end of my internship as a volunteer, an usher, a patron, and a friend. The work done here is on par with work in the best theatres in the nation, and it’s right in our New Jersey backyard. Luna is a home for artists and audiences in New Jersey alike. I feel confident that the friendships I’ve made with the people at Luna will last, and that they’re as invested in my future as I am in the future of Luna. I sure will miss it and like Arnie says, I’ll be back.

Read a copy of Peter Filichia’s Star Ledger review…

http://www.talkinbroadway.com/regional/nj/nj524.html

http://www.examiner.com/review/review-copenhagen-fascinating-challenge-at-the-luna-stage

http://westorange.patch.com/articles/copenhagen-enthralls-at-luna-stage

http://www.baristanet.com/2012/05/copenhagen-is-the-bomb/

http://www.njartsmaven.com/2012/05/review-friendship-split-apart-in.html

http://www.qonstage.com/QOnStage_articles/2012/copenhagen-rase/index.html

The idea was conceived by Sahoua Gboizo, the Box Office Manager at Luna Stage. Gboizo, who has been with Luna Stage for two years, has brought a fresh new perspective to the theatre. “These comedy nights bring people to the theatre who wouldn’t necessarily be there, people of all different ages, colors and socioeconomic statuses.”

The shows are only $10, unlike comedy clubs in the city who charge at least $20 in entrance fees and even more for drinks.  The shows help to connect with the community, get them interested in Luna Stage’s mainstage productions, and get their feet wet if this is their first time at the theatre. For Gboizo the idea was a no brainer, “I love to laugh, I love comedy, and most people feel the same…”

The comedians are well established, and have been featured on Comedy Central, MTV and NBC, and many have performed at big name clubs in the city, like Caroline’s on Broadway. Hosted by Michael Che, one Comedy Central’s 2011 “Comics to Watch”, the lineup this week includes Mike Brown, Miguel Dalmau, Mara Herron, Kevin Joseph Garifo, The Lucas Bros, and Neruda Williams. The show is this Thursday 3/29 at 8pm, and there are plenty more to come this summer. If you’re in need of an inexpensive night out and a good laugh, Luna Stage is the place to go.

Written for Baristanet by Luna Intern, Margot Galant Levinson.

Click here to read more about the show…

Hi everyone! I’m Luna’s new literary intern, Kathleen Burke, and I’m a senior at Drew University focusing on playwriting and acting. I found out about Luna through the New Jersey Theatre Alliance and I was thrilled at the idea of a new works theatre right here in NJ; sometimes there’s this myth that dynamic new work only happens in New York, but here it is right in our own community. My main duties include doing research and script reading for Cheryl, Luna’s Associate Artistic Director and Director of Play Development.

This past Saturday night, we had a New Moon reading of Nicky Glossman’s newest play Legion, about a seemingly innocuous homework club that cleans up schools and encourages members to stay off drugs and stay in class. This “club,” called Legion, has grown to seven thousand members and the leader, Adam Kent, is now accused of ordering an assault on a neighborhood drug dealer. The play follows Adam’s tumultuous trial as secrets about the true nature of Legion are revealed and the boundaries of friendship and loyalty pushed to the brink. The reading was an exciting night, with the playwright acting as Adam Kent, his brother as Adam’s best friend, and his father, established director James Glossman, directing the reading. To quote Cheryl at the beginning of the night, “Nicky Glossman was an emerging playwright, but I think it’s safe to say now that he has emerged.” For me, our New Moon Reading Series is my favorite part of the job. That’s when you get to see all of the hard work pay off and on its feet. It’s one thing to be in the office, reading scripts and talking shop with Cheryl — that’s certainly rewarding, but then when you get to see the script you’ve been talking about for a while put up for an audience and come alive… well, that’s why we do theatre. Legion was a great play and Glossman’s got a long future ahead of him.

Watch a video clip from our West Orange Public Library Black History Month preview event with Frankie Faison and Gino DiIorio:

http://www.nj.com/entertainment/arts/index.ssf/2012/02/reparation_luna_stage.html

http://www.njartsmaven.com/2012/02/review-reparation-luna-stage.html

http://www.northjersey.com/arts_entertainment/theater/140105653_Slave_ships_and_Wall_Street_clash_at_Luna.html

http://www.examiner.com/theater-in-new-york/review-reparation-at-the-luna-stage-company-review

BIOGRAPHY

Deborah Caney has been a professional costume designer for over 20 years.  She has designed costumes at regional theaters all over the country, off Broadway and been an Associate costume designer for Broadway. She has designed costumes for big lavish musicals, period dramas, Shakespeare plays and modern comedies.

Originally, Deborah studied studio art. She has a fine arts degree from Wesleyan University and has studied painting, drawing and print making in schools in the South of France and Florence, Italy. She has always loved fashion and fabrics and has studied fashion design at The Fashion Institute of Technology, in New York. However, she has always had a passion for theater fostered by parents who took her to Broadway shows, both extravagant musicals and challenging dramas, from an early age. So, after college she attended Mason Gross School of The Arts, Rutgers University where she received an MFA in costume design.

For Deborah, theater is most exciting and fulfilling when a group of artists come together to create an artistic whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. Rather than painting alone in a studio, it’s much more meaningful to be part of a collaborative art. Costume design for her, is a way to help make the director’s vision, come to life. Her work adds layers to the actors’ performance, and helps the audience visualize the world of the play.

Another joy from her work is research. She loves delving into historical research, and discovering exactly what people wore in different eras. Research is the basis of all of her work, whether the play is set in the 17^th C. or the 1980’s. It’s fascinating to look at the different layers of clothing from period underwear and corsets to hats and shoes. Class differences also define the look and style of the character in a play. All of this is taken into account when she designs her costumes.

Deborah is very proud to be the costume designer in residence for Luna Stage. Working with Luna is especially satisfying artistically. She gets the pleasure of collaborating with other dedicated artists as well as the chance to work on exciting new plays. She enjoys the opportunity to go from a complex period drama such as Ben Clawson’s The Dangers Of Electric Lighting, to the bright colored fun of Mi Casa Tu Casa.

Deborah has two beautiful children, Zoe, 9 and Jacob, 7, who, are her other “job”. Her kids, love watching Mommy draw her designs, and often sit at the table beside her and draw as well. Her husband, Derek, makes her career possible, by being astoundingly supportive of her desire to be a professional working artist.

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SOME COSTUME REVIEWS

Review of Ain’t Misbehavin’ in NY Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/16/nyregion/review-crossroads-theater-companys-aint-misbehavin.html

Review of The Heiress in NY Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/06/03/nyregion/theater-review-watching-bitterness-transform-wallflower.html

Review of La Bete in NY Times:
http://theater.nytimes.com/mem/theater/treview.html?pagewanted=print&res=9F02EFD8173FF93BA15752C0A9679C8B63

SOME SKETCHES & PHOTOS OF CANEY’S COSTUME WORK

A costume sketch for Thomas Edison in Luna's production of "The Dangers of Electric Lighting"

Caney's Costumes for "Ain't Misbehavin'" at Crossroads Theatre

The costume sketch...

...the costume!

The costume sketch...

...the costume!

Just order your tickets for the reading and reception and add the amount above the ticket costs as a donation to Luna.  It will register in our system as a $500 order and we will add your name to our Underwriting Supporters.

Thanks so much!

http://westorange.patch.com/articles/all-star-cast-in-king-lear-benefit-for-luna-stage-january-7-8-only