Waterfront South Camden » Uncategorized

South Camden Theatre Company Is Happy To Welcome Their New Interim Artistic Director, Dawn Varava

August 11, 2021

The theatre company would like to thank retiring Artistic Director Raymond Croce, Sr. for serving the Company since June of 2016

The Board of Directors of South Camden Theatre Company is excited to announce that they have chosen an Interim Artistic Director to replace Raymond Croce, Sr., our retiring Artistic Director. Raymond served the company since mid-June of 2016. His creative direction brought us a full season specifically written by female playwrights, the laugh-out-loud play “Ripcord”, Quiara Alegria Hudes’ “Water By The Spoonful”, a season of two-character plays, and he guided us through three highly successful video productions during the 2020 pandemic. One of the videos was a powerful Black Lives Matter video collection pulled together as our first pandemic production in August of 2020. You can watch this video for free here: youtu.be/MD3Sbm0txXs

The new Interim Artistic Director position becomes effective immediately and will be filled by actor, director, musician, and former teacher Dawn Varava. Dawn is a graduate of the Hartt School of Music and also Rowan University for her Theatre degree. She is currently an Equity actor and has performed on our stage in several past productions, including two highly-rated shows, “The Savannah Sipping Society” and “Gemini”.

Dawn’s new creative energy and guidance will be key as we embark on our first post-Covid live, in-person productions. She told us, “I’m very excited to be taking over the reins of South Camden Theatre Company. I’ve always held a very special place in my heart for the Company, its mission in Camden, and for the professional work they bring to their stage.”

Outgoing Artistic Director, Ray Croce, was very excited to nominate Dawn at the Company’s August board meeting where her nomination was accepted and approved by the full board of directors. Immediately following the vote at the end of the meeting, Ray escorted Dawn to our second-floor offices to show her where she would be working.

Board President, Robert Bingaman is very excited about the company’s new direction. “With the addition of Dawn to our Board and specifically as Interim Artistic Director, we have opened the doors to a new direction for the theatre company.” “Raymond’s creative thought processes helped us to refocus our energies on providing art on stage that fit our company’s mission and vision.” Bingaman continued, “Dawn intends to help us further that mission, bring more family programming to our stage, create an improv comedy group, and work to expand our use of Equity actors in our shows.”

We’re hopeful that our patrons will be as excited as we are to come back to the theatre to enjoy some of the highest quality, professional productions available in South Jersey.

We’re proud of our Camden roots and to be the owners of the first theatre built in Camden in more than 100 years.

Visit our website to learn more about upcoming shows, Daphne’s Dive and The Brothers Size, Covid-19 directives and where you can purchase tickets.

Broadstreet Review’s Take on Pipeline at South Camden Theatre Company

April 12, 2021

Pipeline, Dominique Morisseau’s compelling exploration of the modern education system and those it does and doesn’t privilege, showcases the pluck and polish of South Camden Theatre Company (SCTC). The 16-year-old company, based across the river from Philadelphia in Camden’s Waterfront South neighborhood, delivers one of the strongest streaming productions I’ve seen from a local theater since the pandemic shutdown.

Nya (Sasha Allen) confronts a system that doesn’t serve people who look like her and her son (Brian Neal.) (Photo courtesy of SCTC.)

Morisseau’s work has been well-represented on area stages in recent years, particularly at People’s Light in Malvern, which hosted the world premiere of her brilliant Mud Row is 2019. Pipeline, which debuted at New York’s Lincoln Center Theater in 2017, in a production that was later shown on PBS, receives its regional premiere here. It’s gained a fair amount of traction on regional stages since its first appearance, likely due to the timely social issues it addresses.

The power of education?

The title refers to the “school-to-prison pipeline,” a well-established concept that connects harsh educational policies with a tendency to criminalize young people, especially those from marginalized communities. Morisseau considers the issues from two sides. Nya Joseph (Sasha Allen), her protagonist, is a passionate public-school English teacher. Although not ignoring the systemic disadvantages that her students face, she believes in the power of education as a force for social good.

Nya also sends her son Omari (Brian Neal) to a predominantly white boarding school several hours away from their home community. The play’s inciting incident, described but not seen, involves Omari lashing out at a teacher for making a comment he perceived as racist. As Omari faces expulsion, Nya confronts how the system she works within does not support students who look like her son, or herself, regardless of their location or prestige.

Big-picture drama

When I first saw Pipeline several years ago, I found it thought-provoking and sincere, though somewhat lacking in dramatic thrust. That feeling remains. Morisseau’s focus sits squarely with the big-picture elements of the story, sometimes to the detriment of character development. Even though Nya and Omari are given significant stage time, they can feel somewhat thinly drawn; other supporting characters, like Nya’s distant ex-husband (Nathan Alford-Tate) or Omari’s well-meaning girlfriend (Shawneka Ponder), are even less fleshed out. Laurie, a foul-mouthed colleague of Nya’s who remembers the days of corporal punishment with fondness, verges on caricature, despite a restrained performance from Libby White.

The play clocks in at 85 brisk minutes, and it’s the rare case of a recent dramatic work that could benefit from some extra length. Morisseau’s best writing shows that she is capable of addressing the macro- and micro-elements of this issue with equal finesse, as in a tense scene between Omari and his estranged father. And when Nya gives a lesson on Gwendolyn Brooks’s “We Real Cool,” we sense her skill at reaching students, even though it largely unfolds as a monologue.

Seamless and engrossing

Despite my reservations about the play, SCTC’s production, under Raymond Croce’s tense direction, is virtually faultless. Allen conveys Nya’s enthusiasm and her world-weariness, often adding layers that aren’t in the script. She and Neal communicate a strong parental bond. And when Neal finally gives voice to the episode that led to Omari’s breaking point, his performance is heartbreaking.

The production itself was filmed on the stage of SCTC’s longtime home, the Waterfront South Theatre, and it felt so welcome to see the performers interacting together inside an auditorium. An SCTC spokesman told BSR that the rehearsal process began virtually before moving to masked, socially distanced in-person run-throughs and that all personnel received rapid Covid tests on the day of filming.

The cinematography and editing create a seamless, engrossing experience. Morisseau wrote projections into her script, and they are rendered here as interstitial montages, which add context and clarity to the surrounding scenes. I don’t know SCTC’s budget, but I came away more impressed on a technical level than I have from offerings by other, more well-established companies.

The success of Pipeline bodes well for SCTC’s other planned digital productions, which include Daphne’s Dive—a Philly-set play by locally born writer Quiara Alegría Hudes—and The Brothers Size, by Academy Award-winner Tarell Alvin McCraney. It also serves to remind audiences they should always keep an eye on what the smaller theaters in our region are getting up to. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Why long overdue Glassboro-Camden Rail Line would be a big boost for economic development in South Jersey

November 30, 2020

Christina Renna is CEO and president of the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey. – File photo

The Delaware River Port Authority recently held public hearings on the Environmental Impact Study of the long-anticipated Glassboro Camden Rail Line, which is the next step in the decades-long journey to establish a rail line that runs to and from these beacons of economic development for the region.

The Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey was proud to lend a voice of support during these hearings for a simple reason: South Jersey needs the GCL now more than ever.

The region has been void of sufficient public transportation options for decades, passed over by legislators, governors and Congress, which instead prioritized projects in our northern brethren.

The simple fact is that South Jersey has consistently struggled in getting its fair share and lacks the public transportation to support its residents and businesses.

However, South Jersey is fortunate to have several political leaders at various levels of government who assured transportation infrastructure projects were not forgotten. This includes Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-West Deptford), who has been nothing short of a champion for these projects in the region, including the Port of Paulsboro and Repauno and the incredible economic growth stimulated by the development of Rowan Boulevard between Rowan University and the city of Glassboro.

These two projects alone are spurring considerable economic growth for South Jersey, including the new Inspira Hospital that opened in 2019. This is further proof that an investment in infrastructure as significant as the GCL will positively impact the community in more ways than one.

Increasing mobility along this corridor will certainly improve business by providing a better connection between people, employers and attractions in the region. South Jersey’s educational institutions will also experience direct economic benefits from the GCL, as it will help connect Rowan University, Rutgers University-Camden, Camden County College, Cooper University Hospital and Inspira Hospital, among others.

As a result, the region will see student enrollment continue to increase, creating a stronger demand for connections between the two campuses. It will also make it possible for those who do not own a car, or for those wishing to reduce dependence on their car, to have access to parts of the region that were formerly accessible only by driving. The increased use of public transit via the GCL will reduce congestion, pollutants, and greenhouse gases.

As the CEO and president of the largest and most influential chamber of commerce in the region, I and the CCSNJ continue to support this important project, and we are elated at the possibilities it brings. The process to make the GCL a reality has been a long one, but one that will pay dividends to the residents and businesses of South Jersey once completed.

Christina Renna is CEO and president of the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey.

Beyond Haiku – Writers House Expands its Mission

November 30, 2020

CAMDEN — The normally neat Nick Virgilio Writers House was in a state of disarray.

Boxes sat on the hardwood floors. Books were piled high on shelves, tables, chairs. On a cold, raw November day, the windows were closed, but Robin Palley and Henry Brann, board members, sat on folding chairs, masked and socially distanced, to talk about how the nonprofit’s mission has changed dramatically since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

“We were truly worried we’d have to shut down,” said Palley.

The house, a red brick structure on the corner of Broadway and Jasper Street in South Camden, isn’t hosting writers’ roundtables, poetry readings or Mighty Writers sessions with children and teens. There are few people going inside, but it’s not exactly empty.

And its board members’ fears have not come true; the Nick Virgilio Writers House has not shut down. Grants from the Cooper Foundation and Camden County Cultural and Heritage Commission combined with PPP funds and private donations have kept it going, Palley said.

“We’re wrapping the physical house we can’t really use right now into our other services,” she said.

Those services now include a lot more than nurturing writers, poets and readers: It’s hosted online contests that have received entries in the favored genre of its namesake, haiku, from poets all over the world. It’s become a more vital part of its South Camden community, hosting frequent food, diaper and book giveaways. And it’s playing test kitchen, with instructional videos that highlight healthy recipes using ingredients in the boxes Mighty Writers, gives away, and items recipients can find at their corner bodega.

Writing as a coping mechanism

Its core mission remains poetry, and haiku in particular. Its namesake was a Camden native who specialized in the simple Japanese form. Virgilio stretched the bounds of the simple 5-7-5 syllabic structure and went beyond the traditional natural themes. His influence on the form remains strong, as does his connection to Camden — he’s buried in Harleigh Cemetery, not far from the neighborhood where he once lived.

A screen shot shows the Nick Virgilio Writers House YouTube channel, which includes mindfulness walks and simple cooking demonstrations.

“Haiku, as an exercise in mindfulness, is getting a boost during the pandemic,” Palley said. “It’s inspiring people to write as a stress reliever, and to cope with this strange time.”

Monday Mindfulness online workshop and Haiku in Action have drawn readers and contributors far from Camden. The latter uses prompts posted weekly on the house’s Instagram feed: “The agony and bliss of waiting”; “Fall 2020: Your sights, hopes and dreams of a modern Autumn”; and “Lies, Truth and Power: Scenes from a post-fact world” are some of the topics meant to inspire poets.

And they have: Palley said the prompts have elicited responses from poets and aspiring writers from as far away as Uzbekistan and India. Each week, winning haiku are shared as well; entry is free but a small donation is welcomed.

“It’s been a really unexpected response, with about about a third local, a third national and a third global,” Palley said. “We’re serving an audience that has one foot here in Camden and one foot across the world.”

It’s been a bit of a learning process, she admitted, as they’ve had to pivot from in-person poetry events and workshops to the virtual realm. “We’ve learned a few things, like that there’s an appetite for virtual, Zoom, Facebook and Instagram engagement. We’re trying to keep the programming engaging for the people who are present and the ones who are distant.”

Local poet Cassie MacDonald hosted a video “Ginko Walk” through South Camden, reading poems and stopping by neighborhood landmarks. Palley and Brann walked through a waterfront park in another video.

Volunteer Tiffany Veliz sets up a table with free children's books and information about Mighty Writers programs.

For the ones who are near, the writers house has teamed with Mighty Writers to give away food, books and diapers to families in need. But they wanted to go a step further, not just giving away food but helping people make the most out of what they receive.

Feeding the body and the soul

To that end, they’re working on YouTube videos featuring Chef Carla Norelli, as she creates easy-to-make recipes featuring ingredients found in the food boxes Mighty Writers distributes, as well as ingredients people might find at their neighborhood bodega — an important nod to those who don’t have access to their own transportation, and to Camden’s status as a food desert.

The Art Unboxed videos, shot in a third-floor kitchenette at the writers house, are meant “to maximize the products in the (food distribution) boxes, because sometimes you don’t know what you’ve got in there,” said Norelli.

There are sometimes unfamiliar ingredients, or some that people simply don’t know how to prepare in a tasty, nutritious way, like kale, she explained.

“We wanted to find a way to help people amplify and extend those ingredients, not just to what’s in the box but also what they can get at the corner store or bodega, or wherever they can use their EBT cards.”

The videos offer a nod to writing, as well, encouraging the creativity that’s innate to cooking and to writing, with prompts inspired by the recipe for haiku or other poems.

The goals are not only to promote nutrition and reduce food waste, but also to reduce the stigma around hunger and food insecurity, Norelli noted.

“There is a need and there is an interest,” she said. “We want to take the stigma out of getting a CSA box or going to a food bank; we want this to be something fun, something where people can get the kids involved and have a creative outlet.”

Though Mighty Writers operates independently of the Nick Virgilio Writers House, its Camden program director Catherine Buck recalled a week when Mighty Writers was “in the lurch with our donations.”

“Their team really stepped up and helped us get food to give away,” she said.

Mighty Writers intern AJ Maiorana brings out crates filled with diapers for families in need.

Plans are in the works for translations into Spanish and Mandarin as well, Palley said, and the writers house is in discussions with Heart of Camden and Rodeph Shalom, a Philadelphia synagogue, for more collaborations.

The videos, Palley said, are “longer than a TikTok but shorter than a Food Network show,” enough to grab and keep the attention of kids in particular, so they can help prepare meals with their parents.https://1b28d2159302313c9c622bb792adbe9a.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html

Buck said the distributions will continue for the foreseeable future, and they welcome any help, from the writers house and anyone else.

“The need is definitely going up as it gets cold and (COVID-19 case) numbers are going up,” she said.

Police Walk The Beat

November 30, 2020

‘We are out of the car’: South Camden residents take notice of new police walkthrough strategy

n early spring, Camden police officers began walking around the Waterfront section of the city in pairs, attempting to build relationships with residents and change the perception that they are only available for emergency calls.

Residents of this South Camden area say they’ve noticed the difference.

For the past four years, Charles Brown has lived off of Broadway and Ferry Avenue. This year, he has witnessed a decline in the amount of drug deals that occur in his largely Black neighborhood when the police patrol by foot.

“The drug trafficking, it cuts it down tremendously,” said Brown, who worries often about the safety of the neighborhood where he raises his 2-year-old son. “What they are doing is good for the community. They’re very warm, very positive, and what they seem to be doing is helping.”

Dan Keashen, the spokesperson for Camden County, acknowledged there’s room to improve police-community relations.

“We want to ensure that our officers ultimately know exactly who lives here, how they can help. They are going to be able to take on a hands-on approach to being a support mechanism for residents and not just meeting them when there is an emergency,” Keashen told WHYY.

Building relationships with the community became a focus of the Camden Police Department after an unprecedented overhaul in 2013. The prior year, Camden — a city of roughly 74,000 residents — recorded 67 homicides and 172 shootings. Bestowed upon the city during that time was an unflattering title: America’s most dangerous city. However, the retooling of the Camden Police Department has resulted in lower crime.

Lieutenant Gabriel Rodriguez, who joined the Camden Police Department in 2003, remembers how he and others worked before the overhaul.

“I was one of those officers that patrolled in a police car, and you wouldn’t see me outside of the police car, because that was the culture then. We were built to respond and react, not build relationships with the community,” admitted Rodriguez, who has served the South Camden area for the past four years.

Rodriguez praised the shift in culture, noting that he and his colleagues are actively listening to residents’ complaints and reacting to them. He further said: “Now, we are out of the car and more approachable. We want to introduce ourselves.”

Officer Juan Torres and Officer Sophia Grandinetti are both rookie officers who patrol the Fourth Street neighborhood. They believe building relationships with residents is key.

“If you give respect, then you’ll get respect,” explained Grandinetti, who’s been patrolling the South Camden area for only a year.

Torres tells WHYY that the neighbors “love seeing us in this area, walking around some of the side streets that people don’t go through, like Filmore.”

Camden police officers Juan Torres, Sophia Grandinetti, and Lieutenant Gabriel Rodriguez. (Chantale Belefanti)

One of the people less happy to see the police is Ayinde Merrill, the president of Camden Arts for Change and a vocal critic of the police department. In June, the 25-year-old activist served as a key organizer of a march to the Chief J. Scott Thompson Camden County Police Administration Building, where demands of the police were read aloud. Merrill said the police walking around the community doesn’t make much of a difference.

“Residents don’t know the names of the police officers. Most are rotated and don’t make a genuine connection with people anyway. Residents feel like they’re being patrolled,” he said.

Merrill is advocating for less police patrol and for a police force that reflects the demographics of Camden residents. Echoing his concerns about the diversity of the police force is Tawanda Jones, who runs a local drill-team called Camden Sophisticated Sisters.

“I feel like our officers need to look more like us. I think that would help a lot. There’s a huge disconnect with a lot of these officers that are coming from the [Jersey] shore,” said Jones, who touts a good relationship with only a handful of the officers who patrol her neighborhood.

Category: Uncategorized

The theatre company would like to thank retiring Artistic Director Raymond Croce, Sr. for serving the Company since June of 2016

Writing as a coping mechanism

Feeding the body and the soul