‘Arts and Rhythm Roundtable’
coming to Freehold April 24
By clare MARie celano
Staff Writer
FREEHOLD — If you’re looking for a place to showcase your art, music or poetry, your search may be over.
The Cornerstone Caffe, at the corner of West Main and South streets, is providing a venue for local talent on April 24 at 7 p.m.
The "Arts and Rhythm Roundtable" is sponsored by Plague Productions, Free-hold, coordinated by borough resident Rodney Staton. It promises to offer something unique in the borough — a place for local thespians and entertainers to display, read or perform their craft in an evening of entertainment.
Staton, 31, who will be the event’s master of ceremonies, said the showcase will make it possible for artists to show their work, whether it be on cards, on poster or in a portfolio, and to set up their work so others may view and experience it as well.
The participant’s fee is $10. Art may be exhibited or worked on, Staton said. Set-up time will be 6:30 p.m. The participation fee must be paid by April 18. For more information call Staton at (732) 431-4389 between 9-11 p.m.
Artists and poetry readers will display their work and read their words while DJ Alex plays background music.
"The Poetry Power Hour" will kick off the evening’s events. A dozen poets will read their words between 7:05-8:05 p.m. Each poet will read for five minutes.
Next up on the agenda will be musical entertainers, rapper Dupreem, rock-a-billy singer Greg Phoenix and rapper MC Revelations.
At 8:35 p.m. the open mic kicks in so that rappers, singers and musicians get their turn on the hit parade. Each participant will get five minutes of open mic time.
Staton spends a good deal of his time organizing projects and preparing plans for programs to help the youth in his community.
He said he knows what it’s like to drift through adolescence. He also knows there are two roads that can bring a person to adulthood — the right one and the wrong one.
Connecting himself by volunteering to help with events for young people held by the YMCA Community Center, Center Street, and working as a DJ for organizations like the St. Rose of Lima Christian Youth Organization, (CYO) is one method Staton employs to help keep members of the youth community on right side of the law.
Staton has been on both sides of the law and was incarcerated for two years for what he said were the "stupid" things he did.
His goal in life now, besides being a good father to his two children, Joseph Anthony Vannell, 8, and Nicole Ashley Staton Vannell, 5, is to give young people things to do to help keep them off the streets and away from things that could tempt them to tread down that wrong "fork’ in the road.
An accomplished singer in his own right, Staton spent many years singing in his church choir at the Faith Tabernacle Church of Christ, Somerset. He graduated to directing his own as well as other choirs at other area churches.
He takes this knowledge and talent with him to the youth community and to the streets as well, to help young people steer clear of the pitfalls that plagued his own life.
He calls his volunteering to help the youth of the borough, "chicken soup for his soul."
"I grew up here. This community means everything to me," he said, adding that this time around, he wanted to "give back what he took from the community years before."
Staton said half of the proceeds from the upcoming event will be donated to the YMCA Community Center.