It was an fantastic day from beginning to end. A day full of tremendous energy, as Two Towns, Maplewood and South Orange, New Jersey, celebrated it's spirit of community and kinship. It was celebrated with musical and theatrical performances by local artists, artwork, and cultural activities. Local businesses and service organizations were also there meet with locals, and join in sharing this family day of festivities and fun.
Hundreds of people also joined in the celebration including spectators, participants, and volunteers who worked and planned for two and a half years to make this day possible. The day culminated with an astounding performance of the world premiere of An American Dale, Becoming A Place For All People by Janet Albright , a musical piece for Orchestra, Chorus and Children's Chorus, written about and commissioned specifically for this celebration of the Two Towns.
It is difficult to express how phenominal the whole day was. Having been a Maplewood resident for five years, and in South Orange for two, I have always felt, and have tried to be a part of the spirit of the two towns. But this event truly epitomizes the feeling of unity, sharing and togetherness. I spent the day roaming the grounds enjoying the sunshine, talking to many people, and experiencing the culture, diversification, talent and friendliness within our two towns. To try to capture some essence of the experience, I had videoed most of the acts as well as took pictures throughout the day. I also captured some of An American Dale, although the video clips pale in comparison to the awesome live experience. My hat goes off to all of those who gave of themselves to make this unbelievable event a reality. A special thanks goes out to Janet Albright, Composer of Two Towns In Harmony, whose tireless work and contibution made this celebration possible, and to Barbara Heisler Williams, Executive Director of the Coalition, who thought up the project, found funding for it and saw it through to reality. (Click Project Team to see a list of the main organizers of the event.)
This web page is given to you in the same spirit in which it was conceived. I have included here a variety of media including pictures from the festival, art, and videos of at least one performance by each of the local acts. I have prepared a slideshow, with 50 pictures set to the musical performance of America The Beautiful. Please visit the Two Towns In Harmony website for a lot more information and pictures.
All videos are in Windows Media format. For those of you who are on Macs, you can download a free copy of Windows Media Player here. Please click around and enjoy. I welcome feedback.
