J'burg troupe to present 'Ellis Island' symphony

BY VINCENT TODARO
Staff Writer

JAMESBURG - The borough's Historical Association and its theater group, Lakeview Players, will tell the story of Ellis Island this weekend with help from an esteemed composer.

Peter Boyer, whose symphony, "Ellis Island: Dream of America," was nominated for a Grammy award last year, has been working closely with the association and its youth performers to produce a performance of the narrative sections of his symphony.

The show, "Ellis Island In Words and Music," will take place at 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Presbyterian Church of Jamesburg, Church Street and Gatzmer Avenue.

Between 1892 and 1954, nearly 12 million people came to Ellis Island in search of freedom and opportunity, and 2,000 of them would later take part in the Ellis Island Oral History Project, recording the stories of their trip to America. Boyer chose seven of those stories for his symphony.

"Boyer wove these stories into a narrative describing the hopes, the dreams and the struggles, and composed dramatic and evocative symphonic music that frames and amplifies these stories," Jamesburg Historical Association President Ron Becker wrote in a press release.

Becker said he heard the symphony on a public radio station and was so impressed that he bought the compact disc. It also gave him an idea.

"I thought our young people could do this," he said.

Bring on the Lakeview Players, the youth theater group based at the historical Buckelew mansion. The players consist of high school and college-age students.

Becker consulted with some colleagues and contacted Boyer, who agreed to allow the use of his work. Grant money from the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Middlesex County Cultural Heritage Commission paid for the music royalty rates.

This marks the first time Boyer has allowed this type of performance.

Boyer's stories range from sad to moving to funny.

"They express the dreams of the people who came to the U.S. as the land of opportunity," Becker said.

Each of the people in the seven stories came to America for a different reason, but they all sought freedom and "all saw America as the land of opportunity."

Because a symphony orchestra was not practical, Boyer gave the Players a recording of the score.

The performance is all part of the association's mission to make people more aware of history.

Tickets for this weekend's shows are $5 and available only at the door. For more information, call (732) 521-2040 or visit the Web site at www.jamesburghistory.com.