"Ninety minutes of fun and done." That's what musical director Robert Cohen is calling the 2011 CHS All School Musical, "The Drowsy Chaperone," which opens this Friday March 11.  “It is a perfect musical to present in a high school,” enthused Cohen.  "It has a lot of really good roles ... and you're going to love the show." Drowsy Chaperone captured the 2006 Tony Awards for Best Score and Best Book (book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar and music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison). Conceived as a tribute to the Jazz Age musicals of the 1920s and '30s, the story is advanced by a …

At 10:00 p.m. on Thursday January 6, there were about 230 smiling and proud faces on the risers and stage at Columbia High School, performing their concert finale — "America the Beautiful." The CHS Winter Concert and Art Show may have been delayed 16 days, but for the students in the CHS band, orchestra, choral and art programs, as well as the passionate audience members, the wait seemed well worth it. The event was both a musical and technical success and was one of the first salvos in Director of Fine Arts Anthony Mazzocchi's efforts to raise the bar for South Orange-Maplewood School …

It takes guts and fortitude to stand up in front of a crowd and read your own words, share your own thoughts, feelings and emotions. More than a dozen Columbia High School students did just that at the Guildscript Open Mic Night held on Thursday, December 16, at the CHS Black Box Theater. Cash and food donations were collected at the door to benefit the Community Food Bank of New Jersey in Hillside. Guildscript is the CHS literary and art magazine. It features student-generated  content that can include short dramatic sketches, essays, poems, short stories, humorous pieces and art work. …

The Columbia High School Winter Concert and Art Show, featuring the work of the CHS Band, Orchestra and Choral groups, as well as the work of CHS art students is scheduled for Tuesday, December 2t at 7:00 p.m. The show promises to draw a large crowd since the format being utilized is a marked change from past years. Why the change? The story is an interesting one. Traditionally, the three performance groups at CHS presented their winter concerts on separate evenings. In fact, this year's original schedule had the CHS Choirs performing on Wednesday, December 15, followed by the CHS Band on …

What started during the heat of August on Ritzer Field at Columbia High School, ended on a cold, sleety, rainy and, yes, even snowy day at Lynn V. Profeta Field, as the CHS Marching Band wrapped up an exciting and exhausting season. The band gave the final on-the-field performance of its 2010 Program "Spanish Fantasy" at the Football team's November 13 playoff game against Bridgewater-Raritan. The band members battled in their final competition at the Northern States Competition in Allentown, PA on November 7. They also took the time to celebrate their season and friendships at their 2010 …

Anyone fortunate enough to be at the Columbia High School Black Box Theater last Saturday night couldn't help but walk away impressed and moved. The CHS Parnassian Society presentation of Thornton Wilder's "Our Town" touched both the mind and heart. This production of Our Town — with its final two performances this Friday and Saturday night — is directed by Steven Stubelt and produced by Janet Bustrin. The three-act play is set in small town Grover's Corners, New Hampshire in the early 20th Century. Industrialization and immigration are ramping up and the townsfolk are trying to make sense of…

Two Columbia High students will be singing with the best high school students in the state this Sunday at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark. The New Jersey All State Mixed Chorus performs their final concert this Sunday November 14, at 3:00 p.m. at NJPAC. CHS' Tyler Pease and Jake Rothenberg are part of this select and talented group. Pease and Rothenberg are two of only 340 students in the entire state to have been selected to the All State Mixed Chorus, which is a vocal group comprised of New Jersey High School Vocal Music students. The group is administered under the …

It's eight days before opening night and Producer Janet Bustrin is busy finalizing  costume selections for her cast. Unsatisfied with the footwear of a character Bustrin queries, "Does your mom have less trendy boots?" Upon hearing one of her performers express some concern about the tightness of her dress Bustrin quips, "Don't eat any french fries before the 20th." All of this is part of a days work as Bustrin and show director Stephen Stubelt (who also doubles as Bustrin's husband) prepare their troupe for the Columbia High School Parnassian Society fall production. This year's show is …

A sold-out crowd of elementary age and pre-school children, with dutiful guardians in tow, filled the Columbia High School Black Box Theater at 11:00 a.m. on the Saturday before Halloween. They were there to see CHS Vice Principal and Magic Club Advisor Michael Healy present his annual Magic Show. The show was the first of two (a second show was held at 1:00 p.m.) and proceeds from the performances help fund the yearly activities of the CHS Magic Club. According to Healy, this past week was National Magic Week, and, yes, you can look it up if you believe you are being tricked. Students in the…

The Columbia High School Italian Cultural Club presented their 18th Italian Dinner-Music Night this past Friday night. Held in the CHS cafeteria, the program featured Italian music, dance, poetry, acting and puppetry, presented by CHS students, parents and faculty.  This year's event was dedicated to the island of Sicily. Italian Cultural Club President and CHS Senior Lucas Cohen acted as master of ceremonies, introducing the performers.   Guests included a healthy sprinkling of parents, students, CHS faculty, and members of local Italian cultural organizations including the Father Vincent …

Columbia Marching Band Director Peter Bauer had to quote Agent 99 Maxwell Smart to clearly convey how close Saturday's Mt. Olive Marching Band competition truly was. "Missed it by that much," stated Bauer, as Columbia took second place. "The judges basically said that when two bands are so close, it's a coin toss," commented Bauer, adding, "if anyone knows about statistics you have to know that eventually that coin will land with the other side facing up!"  Nutley High School took first place in the competition by the slim margin of six tenths of one point.  Trying to pinpoint what the …

By the time they hit the North Brunswick High School football field at 7:15 p.m. on Saturday night, the Columbia High School Marching Band had more than 10 hours of practice, performance and effort under their belt for the day. Resting, however, was not on anyone's mind as the Cougars gave an award-winning performance, capturing  first place in Division III A at the United States Scholastic Band Association (USSBA)-sanctioned North Brunswick Marching Band competition. Marching Band Drum Majors Jonathan Schneider and Deshawn Gray, High Woodwind Section Leader Carly Rosenblatt and Saxophone …

The 72-member-strong Columbia High School Cougar Marching Band is heating up just as the weather is cooling off. The Cougars completed their second competition this past weekend and captured 2nd Place overall at Randolph High School's 37th Annual "Under The Stars" competition. The Cougars placed 4th the previous week in the Pequannock Marching Band competition. The Color Guard section of the marching band is red hot, having captured 1st place for best Color Guard in both the Pequannock and Randolph contests. The Cougars missed first place by a miniscule 1/4 of one point, falling to …

"I keep pinching myself. I'm so dorkily excited," exclaimed Jamie Bunce, the newly hired Director of Choral Activities at Columbia High School. You can forgive Bunce (the "e" is silent) for taking artistic license with the English language. If you get a chance to spend a few minutes talking to her, it's readily apparent that she is motivated to take the Columbia High School Choral Program to new artistic heights. Bunce a 2007 graduate of the Rutgers University-Mason Gross School of the Arts, with a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education (Voice), is replacing Matthew Russell. Russell …

Columbia High School has a strong reputation as a school that supports and develops the artistic talents of its student body—whether students are playing in a band or orchestra, singing in a chorus, or performing in a musical, drama, comedy or dance production. There are quite a few stories to be told about Columbia performing arts achievements and that is why I am excited to assume the role of "High School Performing Arts Correspondent" for Maplewood Patch and South Orange Patch.  My passion for performing arts at Columbia was nurtured by the opportunities and experiences that my son Quinn, …

While many high schoolers have been spending the last few weeks of summer vacation at the beach, lake or hanging in town, more than 70 Columbia High students reported back to "school" on August 19. The students in question—members of the CHS Marching Band—are stepping to the beat of their own drummer....and flutist and saxophonist. Under the guidance of director Peter Bauer, the Marching Band's efforts were on display this Friday, August 27, as the band presented a first run preview of its 2010 Fall Show. Students attended Marching Fundamentals Training on August 18, 19 and 20 from 8:00 a.m. …

Anthony Mazzocchi is living proof that you can go home again. When he graduated from Columbia High School in 1991, his goal was to be a professional trombonist. "Teaching did not interest me in the least," Mazzocchi said. The events that transformed Mazzocchi into an educator make a fascinating story and have ended up with him assuming the position of Director of Fine Arts K-12 for the South Orange/Maplewood School District (SOMSD). He assumed the post on Monday, August 16. As Director of Fine Arts K-12, Mazzocchi will be responsible for all SOMSD Music and Arts Instruction. Mazzocchi is a …