SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Last year South Orange was host to South by South Orange, a “creative collision” of ideas, with approximately 700 people taking part in a diverse array of panels, concerts and other programming; this year that concept returns to the village with the SouthNext festival, though the 2016 edition will feature an even larger schedule of activities.
SouthNext will offer 52 programs on topics ranging from art to technology to government and beyond when it is held in the village this weekend from June 17 through 19. Anyone who purchases a festival wristband from www.southnextnj.com is gains access to almost every activity, which will be held in venues throughout South Orange, including the Gas Light Brewery and Restaurant, the Above Restaurant and Bar, and the South Orange Performing Arts Center. The only exception is this year’s headline concert at SOPAC — a performance by the popular ’80s power pop group the Smithereens — which people can attend by purchasing tickets from http://www.sopacnow.org/smithereens/.
And South Orange Trustee Stephen Schnall is sure every resident will find at least one program of interest, telling The Villager that SouthNext will have “something for everyone.” Schnall, who spearheaded the festival this year after originating the idea in 2015, said that the event is a testament to the “incredible talent base” found in the South Orange-Maplewood area. It also reflects the rich diversity of views found in the SOMA community, which is why SouthNext will continue to be held, he said.
“The mission is perennial — it’s about embracing the various perspectives that our community has,” Schnall said in a June 2 phone interview. “What makes this festival unique is that we don’t run away from these types of collisions and conversations. We actually embrace them. And that’s something that, as far as I can see into the future, we’re always going to do.”
Schnall is particularly excited about many of the programs being offered this year, including a live recording of a satirical podcast from local arts group Studio B in the SOPAC Loft on June 18. He also mentioned that current and former community leaders from SOMA and the surrounding area — including South Orange Village President Sheena Collum, Maplewood Mayor Vic DeLuca and former Maplewood Mayor Jerry Ryan — will once again debate why “my town is better than your town” inside an actual boxing ring at D&I Fitness on June 18.
Another successful show from last year that’s making its return is the (Tech)ing Ball, a unique concept in which a technologist creates art on a large screen for a live band to respond to musically. This year that band will be led by South Orange-based blues musician Mike Griot, who told The Villager that he looks forward to the creative challenge. And while some might think technology and music are too dissimilar to mesh, Griot said the two actually have a lot in common.
“There is the idea that music and mathematics/technology are all engaging the same side of the brain and, in theory at least, summoning the same sort of instincts for problem-solving and analysis,” Griot said in a June 3 phone interview, adding that the (Tech)ing Ball and SouthNext as a whole highlight the compatibility between them. “This smashing of media and disciplines and genres, if done properly, could very well expose to the audience those sweet spots that these disciplines share.”
Griot, who will perform in the SOPAC loft with his Creative Collision band June 17, is certainly no stranger to blending different styles. At last year’s festival, Griot and his bandmates put on a concert that embraced multiple genres, for which he still receives compliments. Griot said he has Schnall’s vision for SouthNext to thank, as the festival provides the opportunity to experience culture clashes not found anywhere else.
South Orange actor-screenwriter Richard Stephen Bell also had high praise for SouthNext after participating in the festival last year. Bell described the occasion as a great way for the community to exchange ideas and connect across common interests. Above all, he called it a “celebration” of everything that SOMA is about.
Bell’s own contribution to the event this year is the panel “Excuse Me … Where Do I Pick Up My Oscar?” — a discussion on the impact new technology has had on filmmaking. As co-founder of the nonprofit Cinema Ed, an initiative that allows at-risk students to learn through making movies, Bell said he has seen firsthand the benefits that the Internet and other devices have had on the film world. Years ago aspiring directors would have to fork over a lot of money to afford cameras and film, but today he said anyone can record quality footage on their iPhone.
And considering that everyone can now post their work on websites like YouTube for millions of people to discover, Bell said entering the movie industry is easier than ever before.
“The more level the playing field it is for everybody, the better,” Bell, whose panel takes place June 18 in the SOPAC Loft, told The Villager in a June 3 phone interview. “You don’t have to have a relative in Hollywood or you don’t have to have dumb luck to get a break.”
But no such discussion could take place without the talent or interest from the community to take part in the panel or watch from the audience, Bell acknowledged. He said the fact that SouthNext has been able to find so many people to host programs and attend the festival demonstrates just how much of a “creative hub” the South Orange-Maplewood area has become, as actors, writers, artists and musicians continue to relocate here from nearby New York City. And he said being in such an environment is a key reason he loves living here.
Maplewood improv performer Lulu French has also witnessed the creativity of the SOMA community. French told The Villager that she has no shortage of students for her improv classes at the South Orange-Maplewood Adult School — and sometimes even has to squeeze people in — while an attempt to start a class for Madison’s adult school fell through due to a lack of participants. She said that shows how willing SOMA creatives are to take risks and put themselves out there in the pursuit a new skill.
SOMA residents will soon be able to see the final result of French’s classes when her adult students put on an improv show in the SOPAC loft on June 17. Additionally, her tween students from the Theater Project Classroom will have their own performance in the Creative Midway on June 18.
Both productions will feature the students engaging in comedic short-form improv games similar to what is seen on the television series “Whose Line is it Anyway?” so French said audience members should be prepared to laugh. She said the humor will vary depending on who is performing, with adults typically choosing to play a more diverse set of characters while children are usually sillier. French encouraged the SOMA community to come out in support.
“They’re not professional actors and performers, but maybe they can be your neighbor,” French said in a June 2 phone interview. “And they’re going to put on a show.”
French added that the shows are the perfect opportunity to check out what improv is all about, for those thinking about trying it. The same could be said for any of the other events SouthNext is offering in 2016. This year’s schedule features numerous a variety of programming for residents to experience and look into after the festival ends.
And attendees will certainly have a lot to choose from; as Schnall pointed out, the festival does not lack variety.
“What makes the festival unique is the integration of intellectual pursuit with just good old-fashioned summer entertainment,” Schnall said.
Photos Courtesy of Stephen Schnall