The local Berkeley Heights community has demonstrated a continued dedication to the arts at all levels, from arts education in schools to well-attended traveling shows. Stagestruck Theater, located nearby in Providence, provides an outlet for local talent in quality performances ranging from off-Broadway performances to ballet and drama. Governor Livingston High School also performs a number of shows each year which have been well received by the community.
As a result of the rich arts culture in the city, a number of well-known performers and critics hail from the city, including Al Aronowitz, a leading music critic. Aronowitz managed the Velvet Underground, and befriended Bob Dylan, who wrote “Mr Tambourine man” while staying with Aronowitz in Berkeley Heights. Extending the city’s musical influence into modern rock, the band Bed Light for Blue Eyes originated int he city. Early playwright Bertha Runkle also hails from the city, along with writers PF Kluge, Scott Gimple, Chris Durang and MacKinlay Kantor. The city is home to a number of well known actors including James Cagney and Dennis Boutsinkaris, among others. For a city of under 15,000 people, Berkeley Heights is home to a wide number of well known performing artists.
