SEASIDE HEIGHTS – Bringing art, music, fun and food to the area was the aim of the fourth TV Party 2020 event that was recently held at the borough’s American Legion Post 351.
The event was sponsored by Roaming Dingo Productions in cooperation with American Legion Post 351 and Navy Lakehurst Historical Society.
The collaborative effort is an ongoing local Ocean County celebration of art, music and film, showcasing local talent, subjects and people. The latest event highlighted music by two musical groups, Johnny Nameless and Sleeping in the Sun.
There were intermittent screenings of local films in progress and shorts, including segments from Roaming Dingo Productions local series Jersey Shore Veteran Stories and Titans of Toms River.
The event also served as a fundraiser for Jersey Shore Veteran Stories, a series that seeks to preserve local veteran legacies along with the rich history of the Jersey Shore.
Jennifer Suwak, who served as event coordinator and head of Roaming Dingo Productions, noted that TV Party 2020 provides “a great opportunity to socialize with local musicians, artists and filmmakers and to see the creative side of Ocean County.”
Also present was Stephen Abruzzese who was photographing and recording the performances of the evening and handling the screening presentations during breaks.
“The Jersey Shore Veteran Stories began with Frank Parese, a WWII veteran we met at our first TV Party 2020 event on December 29, 2019, in Seaside Heights. Johnny Nameless played with artist Susu Pianchupattana at the time,” Suwak said. “We interviewed Frank several times and went to see where he grew up in Paterson, New Jersey.
“We finished the 20-minute short documentary in the summer of 2020 and had it screened at several film festivals, including the Southside Film Festival in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania where it won the audience award for “Best Short Film,” she added.
“Frank was so happy when they announced it. Since then, we have made another short documentary about WWII veteran and philatelist Phil Schreiber who now lives in Highland Park. He is an amazing guy with so many interests, and so much knowledge. He turned us into philatelists because he makes it so exciting – the history and all of the events that have had postal covers,” Suwak said.
Suwak said, “we are currently in production of a third episode, which we hope to have finished and screen in the next couple months, and we hope to continue to make more episodes highlighting the lives of vets in our area.”
The name TV Party 2020 comes from the TV Party that came out of New York City in the late 70s and early 80s that showcased local artists and mostly but not all punk bands. Those events were hosted by Debbie Harry from the popular New Age band Blondie.
“It was really a great way for artists of all kinds to meet and showcase their work,” Suwak added.
Johnny Nameless is a local band out of Seaside Heights that had played in the region for years. Sleeping in the Sun is a group of friends from Toms River who have been jamming since about 2019, she added.
Suwak said Sleeping in the Sun played that night for the first time at TV Party 2020. Both bands have made movie scores for their films, including Jersey Shore Veteran Stories.
“We hope that events like TV Party 2020 can continue and showcase local art in the region. We would like to livestream the events, get local sponsors, and provide complete local entertainment with local artists, local food and local brands,” she said.
“We plan on making and showcasing more Veteran Stories as we have quite a large population of aging veterans who need their story told before it’s too late and it’s lost forever,” Suwak said.
TV Party 2020 events include music, film screenings, additional micro-film interviews and highlights of Ocean County throughout the evening. There is also music and art for sale, a cash bar, and free food items available. The cost of admission is a $10 donation.
For information about future TV Party 2020 events, email roamingdingoproductions@gmail.com or call 732-552-9699.
