From left: Mahaney, Kesselman sign agreement. Photo by Tyler Hienkel.

Michael Kool. Photo by Tyler Hienkel.

Mayor Mahanney. Photo by Tyler Hienkel.

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VILLAS — With a vote of City Council Thur., Jan. 26 and the signatures of Mayor Edward J. Mahaney Jr, and Harvey Kesselman, executive vice president of Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, Cape May’s new Convention Hall will have summer of concerts and children’s theater.
Stockton College will bring eight concerts to Cape May’s new 970-seat facility.

The line up of concerts:
• July 9 — Jay & The Americans
• July 16 — Dave Mason
• July 23 — The Lettermen
• July 30 — Gerry & The Pacemakers
• August 6 - "Ricky Nelson Remembered" starring Matthew and Gunnar Nelson & The Stone Canyon Band
• August 13 — The Association
• August 20— Gary Puckett

In addition: Stockton's Children's Summer Playhouse has found a new home in Convention Hall. In partnership with Greater Ocean City Theatre Company, children’s musical theater has been scheduled:

• July 11— “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.”
• July 18— “The Three Bears”
• July 25— “Red Riding Hood's Woods”
• August 1— “Charlotte's Web”
• August 8— “The Fabulous Fable Factory”

Mahaney said by partnering with colleges and universities, the city obtains cutting edge technology from professors and staff and is able to work with undergraduate students seeking to apply the knowledge they have learned in the classroom. He said the agreement between Cape May and Stockton College “marks the start of a wide ranging and comprehensive partnership.”

Mahaney said the partnership would give the city the opportunity to set a standard in the first year of the operation of the new Convention Hall, to show what the facility is able to do with its space, technology and its performing talent. He said the hall would continue to serve as a community center for the city.

Kesselman said one of the most important responsibilities of the college was to develop “cooperative relationships with the surrounding towns and communities that support us year in and year out.”
He said performances in Convention Hall were the perfect compliment to “everything that makes summer great in Cape May.”

Michael Cool, director of Stockton College Performing Arts Center, said “Stockton Goes to the Beach,” was a program begun years ago to make sure there was entertainment for the area that fit in with the idea of cultural tourism. He said the city was already receiving calls inquiring about tickets for the shows.

Stockton Performing Arts Center Marketing Director Suze Dipietro said summer concerts were held for five years in Ocean City with research showing Cape May has a similar demographic.She said they looked at their most successful shows. The acts booked for Cape May sold out their shows in Ocean City, with the exception of Gerry and the Pacemakers, which has not previously played here.

Mahaney said the 2012 summer series of concerts, which emphasizes the 1960s, did not represent the only period of music, which will be presented in Convention Hall.

Cool said tickets would go on sale in mid February. For concerts, show time is 8 p.m. Tickets are priced at $30. Tickets may be ordered online at www.stockton.edu/pac or by calling the Box Office at (609) 652-9000. The Box Office is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Tickets for children’s theater will be priced at $8 each.