By Denis J. Kelly
Some 40 students, teachers and staff shared poems, musical performances and dance interpretations at a “Coffee House” on Thursday, Jan. 14, at Watchung Hills Regional High School.
To affect the sensation of being a 1960s era Coffee House, the stage area of the school’s Performing Arts Center (PAC) was darkened and bathed in blue light. A smaller stage area was set up at one end of the stage, with its exposed barebrick wall and metal studs as a backdrop. The audience were invited to gather on the cozy, transformed stage, and either sit in a limited number of folding chairs, or at small tables and chairs, or at standing happy hour coffee bar tableettes. An array of happy hour snacks were on a side table and delivered by mingling student “wait staff.” The Coffee House audience filled the stage.
(above) Among the students who played music at the Coffee House are, Senior Owen DiDonna, left, of Millington, who sang and accompanied himself on guitar, and Junior Josh Soni of Gillette who performed a medley of songs on guitar.
