In the Arts

Manalapan Parks and Recreation will host its second annual Asian Heritage Festival celebrating the rich and varied Asian cultures representing seven countries. Live performances by four Chinese schools will take center state to perform the tradition Dance with the Dragon, Lion Dance, and Drum Dance. This lively event will take place May 5, 1-5 p.m. at Manalapan High School located on Church Lane in Manalapan.

The cultural exhibition booths will demonstrate Chinese opera face painting, Chinese brush painting, Japanese origami, Chinese paper cutting, Chinese knotting and "make a Chinese name" bookmark. A well-known touring hand puppet group will be performing excerpts from the famous folk tale," Journey to the West - the Monkey King" in the exhibition area.

The Asian Heritage Festival is sponsored by the Manalapan Arts Council. Details: (732) 617-1815, (732) 687-8527 or www.twp.manalapan.nj.us.

New Jersey's own American Repertory Ballet (ARB) will keep audiences on their toes when they present an evening of contemporary dance works choreographed by Twyla Tharp, Elisa Monte and Graham Lustig at the State Theatre in New Brunswick May 10 at 8 p.m. Elisa Monte Dance will join ARB in this performance. Tickets range from $20 to $55 and group, student and senior discounts are available. For tickets and further details, call the box office at (732) 246-SHOW (7469) or visit www.StateTheatre NJ.org. Tickets may also be purchased directly at the box office located at 15 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick.

The Princeton Symphony Orchestra will perform at the Richard P. Marasco Theatre for the Performing Arts, 1629 Perrineville Road, Monroe, May 5 ant 8 p.m.

The orchestra will perform Schubert's "Unfinished Symphony No. 8," Beethoven's "Pastorale Symphony No. 6," and Vaughan William's "The Lark Ascending."

According to a press release from the Monroe Township Cultural Arts Commission, the orchestra, founded in 1980 as the "Little Orchestra of Princeton," has been hailed by critics as New Jersey's virtuoso orchestra.

Mark Laycock is celebrating his 20th year as music director of the orchestra. Under his leadership the orchestra has been shaped into a nationally recognized ensemble that has received two citations of excellence from the New Jersey State Council of the Arts.

Tickets are available in advance at the Monroe Township Senior Center, 1 Municipal Plaza, and the Monroe Township Community Center, 120 Monmouth Road, Monroe Township. Tickets may also be purchased at the door two hours prior to the performance. General admission: $20, $18 for patrons, and free to students through college with current identification. Details: (732) 521-4400, ext. 134.

Brookdale Assistant Professor of Art, Marie Maber, Tinton Falls, is exhibiting a selection of her works at the Brookdale Western Monmouth Branch Campus, Freehold, Gallery, 3680 Route 9, Freehold Township. Her show, "Marie Naples Maber: Selected Works 1972 - 2007," will conclude May 30. The community is invited to a "meet the artist" reception May 5, 3-5 p.m. Light refreshments will be served. A special invitation is extended to middle and high school students to attend the reception and speak with the artist about her work.

A highlight of her selected accomplishments, "Inside/Out," is the culmination of 23 years of work. The subject of "Inside/Out," as well as several of Maber's paintings, is the view outside a Cape May beach house kitchen window.

Maber's showing will also include the work of a dozen students from Professor Uffer's current Desktop Publishing II class. The students were given the assignment to design a brochure for Maber's exhibit and the final design creations showcase their individual interpretations of the presentation.

The free exhibit will be displayed in the Art Gallery, Room 101, and may be viewed Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Fridays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Details: (732) 625-7005.

The Georgian Court Community Chorale will present "From Madrigals to Manhattan Transfer: A Spring Concert," May 5 at 7:30 p.m. All are invited to attend the concert, which will feature a wide variety of genres including church music, swing, a cappella classics and more, at the Casino building on the Georgian Court campus, 900 Lakewood Ave., Lakewood. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for students Light refreshments will be served. Details: (732) 458-9439.