Centenary Stage Company to Present Ken Waldman: Portrait of an Artist, 11/13-16

Just in time to get a jump on the Holidays, Centenary Stage Company will present Ken Waldman, Alaska's Fiddling Poet: Portrait of an Artist as Santa Claus as part of the Kutz Theatre Series. Waldman brings a show that is one part Appalachian - string band concert, one - part riveting storytelling, one - part poetry reading, and one - part early Christmas gift exchange to the Edith Kutz Theater from November 13th through the 16th. The Edith Kutz Theater is located in the David and Carol Lackland Center on the campus of Centenary College in Hackettstown, New Jersey.

Ken Waldman is a writer with six full-length poetry collections, a memoir, a children's book, and nine CDs that combine Appalachian-style string-band music with original poetry and Alaska-set storytelling. A former tenure-track college professor with an MFA in Creative Writing, since 1995 he's made his living as a freelance writer, musician, performer and teacher, often touring as Alaska's Fiddling Poet.

Aside from some of the standards Waldman likes to perform, he will "change it up" each night promising that no two performances will be alike! Waldman will be joined by multi - instrumentalist Brian Vollmer, a much praised banjo player, fiddler and guitarist. Waldman's tales of Alaska, which includes surviving a plane crash, have been highly praised. Some lucky audience members will even walk - away with giveaways by the artist.

Alaska's Fiddling Poet: Portrait of an Artist as Santa Claus tickets are $27.50 for adults with discounts for seniors, students and children under 12 on Saturdays. Tickets for matinees and Fridays are $25 for adults with discounts for seniors, students and children under 12. Thursday evening's performance tickets are $25 for all seats, with a two for one Family Night rush discount when purchased at the door.

Tickets, as well as, may be purchased on-line at centenarystageco.org, at the CSC Box Office in the Lackland Center at 715 Grand Ave. in Hackettstown, NJ or by calling (908) 979 - 0900. The Box Office is open Monday through Friday 1 - 5 p.m., and two hours prior to performance times. CSC also has a Box Office open during the main season at 217 Main Street in Hackettstown open Monday through Friday from 3 - 6 p.m.

The 2014-15 season of performing arts events at the Centenary Stage Company is made possible through the generous support of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the NJ State Council on the Arts, the Shubert Foundation, the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation and CSC sponsors, including Premier Sponsor Heath Village Retirement Community, Silver Sponsors Hackettstown Regional Medical Center, The Holiday Inn in Budd Lake, Fulton Bank, and Centenary Stage Company members and supporters.