I was in a full body cast from neck to hips and it was very difficult to sit and enjoy the show, until an usher was nice enough to allow me to stand in the isle near the front of the stage to see the concert. The Persuaders were singing “I Am Comin’ Home To You” and I didn’t realize one of the singers noticed me. During intermission time he came to see me from back stage before signing autographs and he kissed me, gave me a free tape, as well sang the chorus of “I Am Coming Home to You” and as well told me he hope I felt better and enjoyed the rest of the show. I felt so good that I actually had a sway to my walk and was able to sit awhile to see the [finale] of the show. I as well got back my self esteem and the pain seemed as if it disappeared even if only for one night. I still have much love for the Persuaders and through the love I received I was inspired and I have since got rid of the body cast and now walk and sit with a new attitude.

Well, I have two memories of Newark Symphony Hall. The first is going on a class field trip in the ‘60s to see Duke Ellington and, to my surprise when we arrived at the venue, Mr. Ellington was hanging out in the vestibule shaking our hands as we came in. He was such a pleasant man. Then, watching him play the piano live. The second is going my first Will Downing concert in the late ‘80s. I have always been a fan of his and when he came to Symphony Hall I had to be there. I am also a basketball fan and at that concert I sat right behind Bernard King. I got two treats that night for the price of one.

My fiancé and I had a wonderful time in March listening to Blue Magic, The Whispers, etc.  It was truly an extremely wonderful experience.  I would recommend Newark Symphony Hall to anyone.

My fondest memories are always going to see a gospel play whether it is Tyler Perry or David E. Talbert. I like the fact that the people who show up for the plays or musical event are always pleasant. So far I haven't seen anyone get out of hand or anything like that. And seeing the oldies but goodies like Blue Magic. Every time I go to the Newark Symphony Hall for any event it is always a memory for me. So, since I can't really pick one great memory, I will just say every time I go there is a memory to me.

My girls and I went to see "Men, Money and Golddiggers." I must say it was funny, and we were able to relate to some of the situations, in one way or another. It is surely a must see!

My greatest memory was going to see James Brown with my mother at Symphony Hall. Now mind you this was in the late ‘60's early ‘70's. I was a teenager and my mother use to take my sister and myself to see James Brown. He sure knew how to put on a show. He came out singing “This is a Man's World,” then the band would play. I remember Masceo playing his horn, we're going to have a funky good time. Then James would do his dancing, he was all sweated up, they would bring him his cape and lead him off the stage. I remember those days. I loved to see him perform. We had so much fun hanging out with my mom at Symphony Hall. This is my memory.

My best memory was when I saw the hardest working man in show business, the late Mr. James Brown in 1975. I was 13 years old. I will never forget that day. My mother and her best girlfriend took me and her daughter (who I am still best friends with today) to see this wonderful performer. We were so excited and could not sit down the entire concert. To this day, we still talk about that show and how we had such a wonderful time!

Several years ago I was invited to one of Tyler Perry's Madea plays. What stood out the most for me was the fact that me being a plus-size woman the sitting was accommodating. The young lady that had invited me purchased tickets for seats on the ground floor (I don’t [know] the proper name for the seating area). I was very impressed.

I remember the colorful, reviving gospel concerts that the Newark Symphony Hall has managed to bring to a city anxiously awaiting a wake-up call. I enjoyed local talent as well talents from a world away - Lee Williams and the Canton Spirituals is what comes to mind. I remember parking only feet away from the door and being sprinkled by a light rain as I ran to find a seat inside. Like the rain, the music massages my tired muscles and made me feel inspired.

I remember in the late eighties before my husband and I were married, we use to come to "The Hall" to see the Whispers and Angela Bofield and the Whispers and Phylis Hyman. We've seen the Temptations, Blue Magic, The SOS Band and many of the Ebony Fashion shows. We've attended my now brother-in-law’s high school graduation in 1983. My best memory is when I myself performed on stage when I attended Marie Wiley Dance School in many of the recitals that were held there. It felt great being in the dressing rooms, standing back stage waiting to go on and finally on stage performing in the bright lights and a dark audience (so as to not make us too scared). Boy what such great memories!

In the early to mid fifties I was on Junior Frolics with Uncle Fred two times and my sister, Carol, was on as the winner of the Weston Cookie contest when she wrote and submitted a little ditty about their sponsor. Another sponsor was Costa's French Ice Cream. Uncle Fred would narrate the silent b/w old cartoons that were played on the air and on monitors in front of the kids in attendance. The animation was primitive and the themes often had racist themes although they were not thought of such then. Uncle Fred (Sales?) also made a personal appearance in Chatham, NJ at the Dolly Madison/Costa Ice Cream shop - and I went and got a free dixie cup from him. I was a little bummed at the time because Uncle Fred did not remember me from being on the show. Such naivety!

In the mid fifties I saw Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two perform at the Terrace Ballroom. It was an overflow crowd and kids were invited to sit on the floor of the stage during the performance. I sat at stage right at the feet of the performers. I was about 11 yrs. old. Opening act was Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs. I think the concert was sponsored by Newark Country and Western DJ Don Larkin's station. I would love to know the date of that performance to include in a book I am writing.

In 1948, when I was six years old, I was one of five students from the first and second grade at Berkeley Terrace School in Irvington who appeared on-stage at the Mosque Theater on the radio show "Art Linkletter's House Party." We were interviewed by Art Linkletter and got a few laughs from the audience. As a memento we were all given a gold CBS microphone pin and a 78 rpm recording of our portion of the program. In later years, I remember seeing the Kingston Trio at Symphony Hall in the '60s, and attending a film production of "Slow Dancing in the Big City" in the late '70s.

In the ‘50s the biggest thing for a child in the Newark area was to be on Junior Frolics with Uncle Fred, a live children's afterschool show live from the Mosque Theater on Broad St, Newark. It featured kids sitting in bleachers Uncle Fred called his 'peanut gallery'. We were given a snack and drink as we watched cartoons on a screen along with the kids at home on tv. That was such a special event for me as a kid that I never forgot my first trip to the 'Mosque'.

I remember back in the ‘50s watching the horse races in Weequahic Park and having picnics by the lake and going roller skating at Twin City and the wonderful aromas from Burry Biscuits.

I've attended many events at Symphony Hall over the years and each one of them has been very special. My most memorable experience at Symphony Hall was actually performing there. When I was eight years old I took dance lessons at the Marie Wildey School of Dance in East Orange. Each year Miss Wildey would have a dance recital at Symphony Hall. Dancing on the Symphony Hall stage made me feel like a real ballerina. It was an amazing and overwhelming experience that I will remember for the rest of my life.

#1 - I grew up on Hillside Ave. and when I was 8 or 9 in the 1930s my father took the family to see a fun show at the Mosque Theater headed by the hilarious Ed Wynn. At one point in the show he made a funny remark that made himself and the girl he was talking to burst into laughter that stopped the show for ten minutes before they could compose themselves. #2 - During the 1930s I was taken to the Mosque Theater to see a performance of AIDA. I can remember being amazed at the number of spear carriers that came onto the stage and the real white horse that was led across the stage. #3 - In later years I was discussing the great acoustics of the Mosque Theater with a gentleman who considered himself an authority on everything, and he thought little of the way sounds carried in the theater. It was then that I reminded him that the great Arturo Toscanini had visited the theater and given the acoustics a great thumbs-up rating.

One of my fondest memories of Newark Symphony Hall was that my class, Malcolm X Shabazz Class of 1972, was the first Newark high school to hold its graduation at the auditorium. It was a bold move for us and an experience that I will never forget. In addition, I attended a Gospel Concert featuring Shirley Ceasar. Ms. Ceasar was late that evening and shortly after the M.C. made the announcement that she was on her way, in came Ms. Ceasar running down the isle and onto the stage, bellowing out her song as she made her way to the stage. That show was one of the best!

My fondest memory of Newark Symphony Hall is back in the early 1980s dancing in The Nutcracker, with the Garden State Ballet. It was my first performance in a ballet and when I found out I had been picked to do a small solo dance I was elated! I did my best Chassé across the stage for everyone in the audience, friends and family included. I will never forget Garden State ballet or my first dance at Newark Symphony Hall.

My memories of Newark Symphony Hall are the times I spent there with my grandmother, Ruth Byrd, who was on the committee that organized the Ebony Fashion Fair Shows each year. At age 14 or 16 I was old enough to be an usher. Today, when I look back on my newly-purchased usher outfit, I wonder 'what was I thinking?'

My fondest memory of Newark Symphony Hall is during the time when I used to go to see Bernie Mac when he came to Newark every year. That was also during the time when the original Def Comedy Jam was touring, and I frequented those shows also. I also remember seeing Tommy Davidson and was surprised that he could sing as well as he could.

I love to laugh, and I definitely got my fill during those times. Along with Bernie Mac and Tommy Davidson, I had the opportunity to see Arnez J, Ricky Smiley, Ms. Laura Hayes, Adele Givens. among others. Those were just times that I really enjoyed, and Newark Symphony Hall made it happen!

Now, Newark has a reputation for being a tough place, even by those who live in Brooklyn and uptown Manhattan, so it was some anxiety that I jumped on the PATH train, and then boarded Newark’s city buses. What I saw and experienced when I finally arrived surpassed all expectations. First, Newark Symphony Hall is physically a very attractive setting, a very comfortable place to see a show. And, I loved the bar where you could have a few drinks while waiting for the show to start. But, what impressed me most was the friendliness of the people, how I was made to feel at home, to be part of the community, even though it was obvious that I originally came from another culture. While the Manhattans were performing, the woman beside me (I didn’t know her, she wasn’t part of our group) struck up a conversation and explained that the lead singer then on stage was her boyfriend and that she was the group’s business manager. When I explained that I had an incredible R&B record collection and had all of the Manhattan’s recordings from the late ‘60s, she asked if I had any 45s recorded by her brother, Tyrone Davis. So, sitting in the audience, not only did I experience one of the best entertainment experiences of my life, for a short period I came face to face with personalities that I only knew from publicity photos and album liner notes.

One of my fondest memories at Symphony Hall was when you had Russell Simmons Def Comedy Jam there. It was a good show because a lot of the comedians were from Jersey and I didn’t know that this whole comedy thing started in New Jersey. I was proud because I been living in Connecticut for over forty years but I was born and raised in Newark and when there is a good concert at Symphony Hall I will come to Newark to see it because I love the vibes from Newark!

My first memory is of attending a puppet show in the fourth grade. Also taking in an Alvin Ailey Dance Troupe with my oldest daughter. Then there was a concert featuring the R&B group, The Boys. I fondly remember how much my daughter and others like her enthusiastically enjoyed the show.  I can't forget the Garden State Ballet training my youngest daughter was involved with. Newark Symphony Hall has been an icon that I hope will be around for many more years.