In Robert Kaplow’s screenplay for “Blue Moon,” the lyricist Lorenz Hart doesn’t want to be earthbound. He wants his work to be transcendent — and it is. His writing habits, however, are less exemplary.
Consistency isn’t the most glamorous quality for those with an artistic temperament. But Kaplow did the unshowy, patient work of refining and rewriting “Blue Moon” over the course of a decade. The result is a dazzling, witty, and sardonic film — one that earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay and helped secure Ethan Hawke a nomination for Best Actor.
In this issue, writer Sarah Parr connects with Kaplow — who taught English, creative writing, and film studies at Summit High School for 34 years and now serves as editor and publisher of “The Metuchen Times,” a local print-only newspaper — about the experience of making the film and the surreal journey to the Oscars. Kaplow has had an unusual career: Richard Linklater adapted his novel “Me and Orson Welles” into a film starring Claire Danes and Zac Efron, and he reunited with Kaplow on this labor of love.
“Artists persist in their quest to open minds,” says Grace Shackney of the Friends of Metuchen Arts, which recently presented “Cutting Their Own Path,” an exhibition featuring the work of groundbreaking Metuchen artists Joan Arbeiter, Edith Hodge Pletzner, and Helen M. Stummer. “And this happens every day, with no fanfare, when just one person hears a piece of music, views a painting, or experiences a performance that suddenly strikes a chord deep within them.”
That idea — persistence in the service of a greater vision — is the unofficial theme of this issue.
The muralist Olga Muzician transformed a once-overlooked wall into a meeting place, a conversation piece, and a photo opportunity. Murals “intrinsically unify,” she says, because when one is made, it has “people talking about the same thing.” Her philosophy involves pushing herself and taking on projects outside of her comfort zone, so that her style evolves.
For more than a century, American Legion Post 65 has served as a cornerstone of the community. Through its support of veterans, youth programs, and local initiatives, the post embodies a different kind of creativity: the work of caring for and honoring others.
And Suite Metuchen, an event space that can be used for parties and celebrations of all kinds, is another venue that brings people together, and that’s part of the allure, according to Derek Moore, who runs the space with his wife, Trekita. He now enjoys that his business is a social enterprise that’s about connection and good times.
My takeaway from these stories is that consistency and dedication — along with endurance and patience — are a big help in creating something great. Our steady efforts can add up to something substantial. And ironically, staying grounded actually makes the transcendent possible.
