EAST BRUNSWICK — Fans of Tina Turner and live outdoor concerts have something special to look forward to.
On Saturday, Simply the Best, a tribute to Turner’s music, will perform the firstever concert at the township’s new outdoor amphitheater at Heavenly Farms. The facility is part of the town’s Cultural Arts Center, the rest of which is still under construction.
Simply the Best is a full band, complete with backup vocalists and dancers. The star of the show is Suzette Dorsey, who bears a remarkable resemblance to “the queen of rock,” as Turner is known. The band will perform classics from the star’s 50-year career, with hits including “Proud Mary,” “Private Dancer” and “What’s Love Got to Do With It.”
Simply the Best has performed all over the world, and Dorsey has received rave reviews for her ability to “become Turner in every aspect.”
“We wanted to kick off the amphitheater with an end-of-the-summer concert,” said Jeffrey Litt, township recreation supervisor. “We are hoping people will get out and see the theater, and get familiar with the playing fields and dog park at Heavenly Farms.”
Those playing fields are multi-use synthetic fields and can be used for football, soccer, lacrosse and hockey. The dog park has two separate areas — one for large dogs, another for smaller ones.
Many residents are already enjoying the park, located off Dunhams Corner and Cranbury roads.
“Those fields are always in use,” said East Brunswick Township Council President Cathy Diem, who drives through the area often. “The other day there was a group with remote control airplanes, and the dog park gets a lot of traffic.”
The stage for the concert is located on the side of the Cultural Art Center. Visitors can bring their lawn chairs and blankets, and because of the slope of the hill, all will have a good view of the stage, officials said.
Litt expects that next summer all of the town’s outside concerts will be held there.
“We have been getting a great turnout for the events we have been having at the municipal center complex,” he said.
Work is still being done on the inside of the building, and is scheduled to be completed early next year. An interior theater, complete with professional lighting and rigging, and 195 seats, will be home to the local community theater troupe.
“This is a good first step in being able to take advantage of the Cultural Arts Center,” Diem said. “School will start this week, and on Saturday night we will have the concert. I just hope the weather is as good as it [was Labor Day weekend].”
“Heavenly Farms is one of the town’s greatest assets,” she added. “All different segments of the town population can enjoy it. Someone might not utilize the sports field, but they will enjoy the art center or go to the dog park. It’s really for everyone in the community.”
For more information about Simply the Best, visit the singer’s Web site www.suzettedorsey.com. For information about the concert, call 732-390-6797 or visit www.eastbrunswick.org.
The concert is free of charge and starts at 7 p.m. In the event of rain, it would be moved to Sept. 13.