Old City Hall Restoration Committee in Bordentown has announced a series of events featuring poetry, theater, conversations, and a celebration of Bordentown’s musical and literary role in the American Revolution.
The happenings at the Old City Hall building on Crosswicks Streets open Sunday, February 1, with the annual Fanny Parnell Poetry Reading.
The event spotlights historically important Irish political-poet Fanny Parnell’s connection to Bordentown.
Parnell is the sister of the important 19th century Irish Home Rule politician Charles Stewart Parnell. Her Bordentown-born mother was the daughter of Bordentown historic figure Naval Commander Charles Stewart (aka Old Ironsides).
Fanny Parnell died in 1882 at the Bordentown family estate where she had come to write and raise money for the Irish Land League.
The annual session, held this year on the Irish holidays of Imbolc and Saint Brigid’s Day, opens at 2 p.m. with New Jersey writer, Bordentown resident, Old City Hall Restoration Committee member, and Irish citizen Dan Aubrey reading works by Parnell and other Irish and Bordentown poets.
He will be followed by a reading by New Jersey poets Lois Harrod and Dan Zibman.
Harrod is the Hopewell-based educator and author of 16 books of poetry. She will be reading from her newly published book “The Bed the Size of a Small Country,” an examination of love and grief following the death or her husband.
Zibman, a poet, past semi-professional soccer player, and U.S. Army veteran who lives in West Windsor, will also explore the loss of a spouse through the use of poetry and music.
The event concludes with a reading of play version of major Irish writer James Joyce’s short story “Ivy Day in the Committee Room.” The story from Joyce’s 1914 book “Dubliners” highlights the importance of the Parnell name in Irish history. The one-act play was adapted by Aubrey, whose background includes work as a professional playwright and producer.
The OCH cultural series continues with three Sunday Soirees, monthly events where artists, cultural leaders, and community members come together to share ideas. Sessions take place at 4 p.m.
On February 8, past New Jersey State Council on the Arts Public Art Program Coordinator, Grounds For Sculpture chief curator, and Trenton resident Tom Moran leads a discussion on public art in New Jersey and elsewhere.
Multimedia artist, musician, veteran of the NYC Theater scene, and founder of The House of Robot recording studio in Wrightstown Bill Nobes presents “From Mysticism to Espionage: The Soviet Electronic Music Revolution and the Bizarre Story of Leon Theremin” on March 1.
Independent musician and songwriter, founding member of the band Alpha Rabbit, community activist, and Bordentown resident Jamie Parker discusses making music and the art scene in central New Jersey on April 5.
The spring series concludes with Francis Hopkinson Day on Saturday, April 25.
The American Revolution-at-250 event celebrates Bordentown’s Signer of the Declaration of Independence and the creative powerhouse recognized as the nation’s first composer — as well as poet and the designer of the American flag.
The day’s program includes a performance of Hopkinson’s music performed by celebrated Colonial-era musician and scholar John Burkhalter and a reading of poems written by Hopkinson and other era poets Annis Stockton (of Princeton and Fieldsboro), Thomas Paine (Bordentown), Philip Freneau (Freehold), and others.
The day also includes “The Revolution Continues” presentations featuring new music and poetry by state artists.
Old City Hall is located at 13 Crosswicks Street, Bordentown City. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/OldCityHallRestoration.
