New Jersey One Act Play Festival
2025-04-04 20:00 - 2025-04-06 22:00 UTC | duCret Center of Art, 1030 Central Avenue, Plainfield, NJ, 07060, United States
he New Jersey One Act Play FestivalJoin us for an unforgettable weekend of theater as we present Chance & Other Meetings — a collection of original one-act plays exploring unexpected encounters, twists of fate, and the moments that change everything.
Performances:April 4th at 8 PMApril 5th at 8 PMApril 6th at 3 PM
Discover the magic of chance — where every meeting tells a story.

Click Here for Tickets

The Garden State Singers: A Night of Gabriel Faure
2025-04-17 19:00 - 21:00
Garden State Singers Present: A Night of Gabriel Fauré
Experience an enchanting evening as the Garden State Singers pay homage to the illustrious French composer Gabriel Fauré. This special performance will showcase a selection of Fauré’s most celebrated works, . The ensemble’s rich harmonies and emotive interpretations promise to bring Fauré’s timeless melodies to life.​
Join us for this captivating tribute, where the Garden State Singers illuminate the depth and beauty of Fauré’s musical legacy.
Tickets at the door only:
$10 adult
$5 student/senior

Silent Movie Night: Buster Keaton
2025-05-02 19:30 - 22:00
Adult Tickets: $20.00

17 and under Tickets: $10.00

Join us on Friday, May 2nd, 7:30 PM at the duCret Center of Art in Plainfield, NJ, for a unique experience! See a movie the way people did before the advent of the talking picture with a screening of Buster Keaton’s classic 1923 silent comedy “Three Ages”!
Enjoy this screening (and free popcorn!) featuring its original score performed live by award-winning organist and Plainfield resident Ian Fraser (https://ianfraserorganist.com) on his touring digital theatre organ.
Preceding the film, Ian will perform a historical presentation/concert “Sounds of the Silents” highlighting popular music that was written for and/or used in silent films.
About the Film:
The first feature Keaton wrote, directed, produced, and starred in, he structured the film like three inter-cut short films.
Three parallel plots in three different historical periods — prehistoric times, Ancient Rome, and modern times (the Roaring Twenties) — are intercut to prove the point that love has not significantly changed throughout history!

The Art of Community Exhibition
2025-05-03 18:00 - 20:00
Join us on May 3rd from 6 PM to 8 PM at the historic duCret Center of Art in Plainfield, NJ for the opening reception of The Art of Community Exhibition. Featuring the vibrant and diverse works of 26 local artists, this special evening celebrates creativity, connection, and community. Mingle with artists, explore thought-provoking artwork, and enjoy light refreshments in a welcoming, art-filled atmosphere. Whether you’re a seasoned collector or love to be inspired, this is a night you won’t want to miss!

Lecture: Amedeo Modigliani - Bohemia Died With Modi
2025-05-10 15:00 - 17:00
Amedeo Modigliani was fiercely proud of his Jewish heritage and Italian identity, beginning his artistic training under Macchiaioli painter Guglielmo Micheli. In 1906, at just 21, he arrived in Montmartre, Paris — handsome, talented, and free-spirited — and quickly immersed himself in the bohemian world of the avant-garde, rubbing shoulders with artists like Picasso at the famed Bateau Lavoir. Known for his striking looks and flamboyant personality, Modigliani was often seen carrying Dante’s Inferno, indulging in heavy drinking, and behaving with extravagant flair. His nickname, “Modi,” was a playful abbreviation of his name and a nod to the French word maudit — cursed.
While many artists aligned with established movements, Modigliani followed his path, leaving behind a remarkable legacy of sculpture, caryatids, expressive portraits, and sensual nudes. But his life was marked by struggle; tuberculosis and substance abuse ultimately claimed him at the age of 34 in 1920. The tragedy deepened when, the day after his death, his beloved partner Jeanne Hébuterne — pregnant with their second child — took her own life. In many ways, the passing of Modigliani marked the end of Paris’s bohemian age, though his art continues to inspire and enchant.

TICKETS

The Field Poetry Series
2025-06-16 19:00 - 22:00
Join us for the second installment of the Field Poetry Series, an evening that celebrates powerful voices and shared expression. This event will feature acclaimed poets Adele Kenny and Michael T. Young,
In addition to our featured readers, we are offering 10 open mic slots on a first come basis. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just finding your voice, this is your chance to step into the spotlight and connect with a vibrant poetry community.
Bring a friend, bring a poem, and be part of the conversation.
Free and open to the public.Light refreshments will be served.

Our Town - Porch Play
2025-07-05 08:00 - 2025-07-14 17:00
Dragonfly Multicultural Arts Center presents Our Town, Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize-winning classic that captures the simple beauty and profound truths of small-town American life. Set in the fictional town of Grover’s Corners, the play explores themes of love, daily life, and mortality through the lives of ordinary people, reminding us to cherish every moment.
Join us for this timeless production:

July 5 & 6 at St. Luke’s Church, Metuchen, NJ

July 11, 12 & 13 on the front porch of the duCret Center of Art, Plainfield, NJ

Experience this moving story in unique community settings, under the stars and close to home.

Dragonfly presents the play "Fade"
2025-09-12 20:00 - 2025-09-14 18:00
Fade by Tanya Saracho is a sharp, witty drama about class, culture, and identity in the entertainment industry. It follows Lucia, a Mexican-born television writer, who befriends the Latino janitor at her studio. As their conversations deepen, power dynamics shift, revealing unexpected truths and blurred lines between personal and professional worlds.

September 12th at 8 pm
September 13th at 8 pm
September 14th at 3 pm

Stained Glass Workshop - Cat
2025-09-13 09:00 - 12:30
Stained Glass Workshop – One Day Only!
Discover the art of stained glass in this hands-on, one-day workshop! In just 3.5 hours, you’ll learn the basics of cutting, foiling, and soldering glass as you create your very own colorful stained glass piece to take home. Perfect for beginners, this workshop includes all tools and materials—just bring your creativity!
No experience necessary. All supplies included. Leave with a finished stained glass project!

Maura Donahue Small Bites Opening Exhibition
2025-09-13 15:00 - 17:00
Small Bites at the duCret Center of Art, located at the intersection of Union, Somerset, and Middlesex Counties in New Jersey, features artist Maura Donahue’s vivid paintings on food, body image, and identity. This New Jersey art exhibition invites audiences to explore themes of indulgence, shame, and self-expression, making it a must-see event in Central New Jersey.
In this body of work, the artist turns an unflinching gaze on her relationship with food, its pleasures, stigmas, and its complicated emotional weight. Through self-portraits of eating, still lifes of food, and paintings of discarded packaging, she confronts insecurities tied to consumption and indulgence head-on. What might otherwise be a source of shame is transformed into something luminous and unapologetic. By rendering these moments in vivid, colorful paintings, the artist rewrites the narrative on her own terms, allowing her to shift vulnerability into something more. Themes of indulgence and overindulgence are explored not as quiet confessions but as bold visual statements, challenging viewers to confront their own associations with overindulgence, stigma, and societal ideas of shame.
Open to the Public – Free
Reception Date: September 13th
Time: 3pm-5pm

Fall Class Registration
2025-09-15 08:00 - 17:00
Class Registration is open for the Fall Session. Session starts on September 15th. New Class and Workshop offerings – Explore

MKW Presents "Married but not Engaged"
2025-09-26 20:00 - 2025-09-27 23:00
See Cameron and Veronica, who are married, but don’t have the same picture of what marriage looks like. Because of the differences, there will be arguments, secrets exposed, and choices to be made.
Veronica and Cameron are Married but they are not Engaged.
Come check out Charity and her crazy self, Jamal who is always over Cameron’s house, and how can we forget Mr. Gabe always having a word of wisdom.
See all of them and a few more characters on Sept. 26th or 27th at 7:30 pm – Purchase tickets online or at the door

Halloween Tea Towel
2025-10-08 18:00 - 21:00
Halloween Tea Towel Workshop: No Experience Needed
Learn the basics of machine sewing and appliqué in this fun, Halloween-themed project. Choose a ghost or bat design to appliqué onto pre-cut cotton fabric, then finish your tea towel with hemming and trim. You’ll learn how to thread and operate a sewing machine—perfect for true beginners or anyone needing a refresher.
All supplies are included, with a selection of Halloween fabrics to choose from. Sewing machines and tools are provided in the classroom.

Watercolor Leaves Workshop
2025-10-11 09:00 - 12:00
Watercolor Leaves – A Fall Workshop
Celebrate the beauty of autumn in this relaxing 3-hour watercolor workshop focused on painting fall leaves. You’ll explore techniques for capturing the rich colors, delicate textures, and graceful shapes of leaves using transparent layers and expressive brushwork. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to refine your skills, this class offers a fun, seasonal project to inspire your creativity.
All supplies are included—just bring your love for fall and a willingness to play with color!

Stained Glass Workshop - Pumpkin
2025-10-11 09:00 - 12:30

Jazz and Art Fundraiser
2025-10-18 07:00 - 23:00
Tickets and Information

Explore creativity

duCret Center of Art

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Phone
(908) 757-7171

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Email
info@ducret.edu

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Address
1030 Central Ave, Plainfield, NJ 07060

Macbeth - presented by Dragonfly
2025-10-24 20:00 - 2025-11-02 17:00
Macbeth is a tragic play by William Shakespeare that explores ambition, power, and guilt. It follows the story of Macbeth, a brave Scottish general who encounters three witches predicting that he will become king. Driven by ambition and spurred on by his wife, Lady Macbeth, he murders King Duncan and takes the throne.
Consumed by paranoia and guilt, Macbeth becomes a tyrant, committing more murders to secure his position. Eventually, his cruelty leads to rebellion and his own downfall. The play reveals how unchecked ambition can destroy both the individual and everyone around them.
Oct 24th & Oct 25th at 8 PM
Oct 26th at 2 pm
October 31st and November 1st at 8 PM
November 2nd at 2 PM

Stained Glass Workshop - Bat
2025-10-25 09:00 - 12:30

Legacy of Light - Play
2025-11-07 20:00 - 2025-11-16 17:00
What is the science of love?
In present-day Princeton, an astrophysicist is discovering new planets while dreaming of starting a family. In 18th-century Paris, Émilie du Châtelet—physicist, mathematician, and muse to Voltaire—is racing against time before the birth of her unexpected child. Across centuries and under the same star-filled sky, their stories intertwine in this witty, moving, and intellectually rich play.
In Legacy of Light, Zacarías connects two brilliant women through their struggles with love, science, motherhood, and ambition. The script features an ensemble of six actors portraying nine characters—including two historical figures—and explores how passion for knowledge and family can transcend time.
“A deliciously quirky, entertaining new comedy with subtle ironies, wry humor, and intellectual depth.” — Variety
November 7th and 8th at 8 pm; November 9th at 2 pm
November 14th and 15th at 8 pm, November 16th at 2 pm

Stained Glass Workshop - Feather
2025-11-15 09:00 - 12:30

The duCret Salon: Artist Mixer
2025-11-22 18:00 - 22:00
The duCret Salon: Artist Mixer
Calling all artists! Visual artists, performance artists, makers, potters, writers, fine artists, photographers, designers, and more! duCret Center of Art invites you to our first-ever Artist Mixer! A night of community, creativity, and conversation. Share your work, spark new collaborations, become part of a growing community of artists. duCret is where creativity thrives.

Enjoy refreshments
Explore duCret’s studios, gallery, and art spaces
Meet & connect with fellow artists and creatives

If you’d like to bring a piece of work to display and share who you are as an artist, please email Joe.Coccia@ducretarts.org so we can ensure adequate space in the gallery.
This event is free to attend, but we welcome you to register on our website at ducretarts.org to help us plan accordingly.
Saturday, November 22nd | 6-10PM duCret Center of Art | 1030 Central Ave, Plainfield, NJ 07060

Click here to Register

Play: BREATHE
2025-11-22 19:00 - 2025-11-23 23:00
BREATHE is about an adult autistic woman who, after encountering a clown and a soothsayer at a carnival with her caretaker father, wakes up the next morning without autism. The father calls in his estranged wife, who left the home to pursue a relationship with another woman, to address the seeming miracle. While the father tries to track down the clown and soothsayer, the mother gets to know her daughter as a non-autistic person, who is experiencing a new and exciting engagement with the world. When the father returns without answers, he must confront his daughter’s changed outlook and her newfound willingness to experience life, and come to terms with his redefined role in her life. The father and mother also address their failed relationship, and their roles in each others’…

Saturday: November 22nd at 7:00 PM and Sunday November 23rd at 2:00 PM

The Field Poetry Reading Series
2025-12-05 19:00 - 22:00
The Field Poetry Reading SeriesCelebrate the power of words at The Field Poetry Reading Series, a free community event showcasing poets and spoken word artists.
Enjoy featured readings, then take the stage yourself during our open mic session—with 15 slots available for poets eager to share their voice.
It’s an evening of creativity, connection, and inspiration open to all lovers of language and art.

Within These Walls - Art Exhibition
2025-12-06 15:00 - 17:00
Within These WallsJoin us on Saturday, December 6th, from 3–5 pm for the opening reception of Within These Walls, a vibrant showcase of artwork created by duCret’s instructors and resident artists. This exhibition celebrates the creativity, skill, and dedication of the artists who shape our community every day.
If you can’t make the reception, the exhibition will remain on view through December 31st—stop by and experience the talent that lives within these walls.

Silent Movie: The Phantom of the Opera
2025-12-06 19:00 - 21:00
The Phantom of the Opera – 100th Anniversary Screening
Experience the magic of silent cinema with live organ accompaniment by Ian Fraser (https://ianfraserorganist.com/), bringing The Phantom of the Opera (1925) to life as it celebrates its 100th anniversary.
Starring Lon Chaney in his unforgettable role as the masked Phantom, this haunting classic weaves mystery, romance, and horror within the grand halls of the Paris Opera House.
A century later, its timeless power and artistry still captivate audiences around the world.

$20.00 Free Popcorn

Stained Glass Workshop - Poinsettia
2025-12-13 09:00 - 12:30

Artists Mixer Jan 30th
2026-01-30 18:00 - 20:30
Free Artist Mixer — January 30
Calling all artists! Join us on January 30 for a free, relaxed artist mixer where creatives from the area can meet, connect, and talk art. Share what you’re working on, swap ideas, and get inspired by fellow painters, photographers, sculptors, makers, and creatives of all kinds. No agenda, no pressure—just good conversation and community. Come as you are and bring your curiosity. Light Refreshments

Stained Glass Workshop - Snow Mountain
2026-01-31 09:00 - 12:30

Stained Glass Workshop - Heart
2026-02-07 09:00 - 12:30

Ceramic Workshop: Rustic Bells
2026-02-08 10:00 - 12:30
Ceramic Rustic Winter Bells Workshop
Celebrate the season by creating your own rustic winter bells in this hands-on ceramic workshop. With their round forms, carved designs, and soft tink-tink sound, these bells bring charm to the crisp winter air and warmth to any space—indoors or out.
You’ll craft beads and a clapper, learn how to assemble them on a cord, and choose a glaze finish. We’ll handle the glazing and firing, and in 3–4 weeks your unique bells will be ready to take home or give as a heartfelt handmade gift.
No experience is necessary and all supplies are included—just bring your creativity and enjoy a seasonal project that will warm the soul.
