Red Bank Theater Watch: Free Movie and the Sounds of the NJ Symphony Orchestra

If your wallet suffered a series blow thanks to the holidays, but you still need some entertainment to help get you out of that post holiday slump, can help.

This week, the free film series returns with a free showing of the 1980’s classic Desperately Seeking Susan. Also on the agenda this week are the smooth sounds of the NJ Symphony Orchestra when they return to Count Basie with the Best of: Playing with Fire.

On Tuesday, Jan. 10, catch a free showing of the 1980’s classic Desperately Seeking Susan. An instant 80's cult hit, Desperately Seeking Susan stars Madonna and Rosanna Arquette. The movie follows the story of a young, suburban housewife named Roberta (Arquette) who is fascinated with a woman she knows about by reading messages to and from her in the personals section of a New York City tabloid.

Intrigued, Roberta responds to the ad and shows up at a proposed rendezvous in Battery Park, hoping to get a glimpse of the woman whose life she is so fascinated by. Instead, she gets more than she bargained for when a series of events involving mistaken identity and amnesia thrust her head first into the wild world she was so curious about.

The movie features one of Madonna’s biggest hits, Into the Groove, which, interestingly enough, was not featured on the movie’s soundtrack, but instead appeared on the re-release of her 1985 album Like a Virgin. The movie showcases the feel and attitude of the underground New Wave scene of NYC in the early to mid 1980’s. 

The movie earned Rosanna Arquette a BAFTA Award, and she was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical. The film was an instant classic, and has been called one of the ten best films of 1985.

On Saturday, Jan. 14, Count Basie welcomes the back to the stage for the Best of Playing with Fire.

The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra is made up of some of the country’s finest musicians. Their mission is to offer “artistic excellence, innovative programming and community engagement” to the people of New Jersey. To widen their audience, the orchestra brings its programs to seven different venues throughout the state.

Jacques Lacombe currently serves as Music Director and Neeme Jarvi is the Conductor Laureate.  Lacombe has served as the Principal Guest Conductor of the Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal, and served for three years as Music Director of both orchestra and opera with the Philharmonie de Lorraine in France. He also has been Music Director of the Orchestre Symphonique de Trois-Rivieres since 2006.

Neeme Jarvi is considered one of modern day’s best and most respected maestros. He is a prolific recording artist and has a discography of more than 450 recordings.

Saturday’s performance will bring a series of “deviled scores” to the stage, as they tell the story of characters—a philosopher, a composer and a love stricken poet—who make a deal with the devil.

Schedule:

Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012: Desperately Seeking Susan, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012: NJ Symphony Orchestra, 8 p.m.