Jersey Girls premier . . .

By Gerry Clare
Roving Reporter
January 30, 2018 4:00 p.m.

To be honest, I am not talking about opening night of a new musical in our area, based on “Jersey Boys.” It was not even a play, although it could have been one. At times funny, serious and dramatic, this show opened at the Northampton Golf Club on Thursday night, January 25th with a sterling cast over 20 gals from New Jersey and surprisingly, a few locals who found us intriguing.

Jersey girls gather! Pictured on first row, second from right is organizer Lisa Sourli Kovac.

It all started on Amelia Island-Fernandina Beach Network, a group on Facebook, when Lisa Sourli Kovac, put up a challenge to get gals from Jersey to get together for a dinner and some sharing of experiences. Yes, we are unique, but then I guess so are gals from the other states in our nation as well. You have to grow up as the stepchild of New York City and enjoy the challenges that New Jersey presents just to survive the traffic, congestion and life in the Garden State.

Although there were about 10 that couldn’t make it that night, there was a hint of future get-together or individual follow-ups friendships in the making, when it was all over. Young and older, mothers and grandmothers, working and retired, we all connected over a great Italian buffet. Afterwards each person stood and shared a little of her journey from Jersey to Nassau County.

In this season of women’s ability to use their power and make their voices heard, the meeting was especially poignant. Several times, someone yelled, “oh, I know that place,” or “I went to that school, too,” or” my mom knew your mom” and, “that’s why we moved here, too.” Some admitted to personal struggles and their hopes and dreams.as well.

And that is the way it went: Jersey girls seemed to share the qualities of independence, hard work, and a good sense of humor from growing up in New Jersey to their arrival in this fabulous place in northeast Florida. This play will certainly have act two or three and maybe even more.

As this and two other Fernandina Observer reporters were at the Amelia Musical Playhouse Sunday watching a fantastic performance of Neil Simon’s Prisoner on Second Avenue, it occurred to me that Jersey Girls would make a great play for an enterprising author.

Gerry Clare.jpg 2Editor’s Note: Gerry began free lance writing for fun and is the author of a published book (available on Amazon and at Books Plus) about funny real estate experiences. Gerry is a longtime member of our local American Business Women’s Chapter, a volunteer cancer driver and church deacon who loves to read, travel and meet interesting people.

3 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

gerry clare
gerry clare(@gerrycclaregmail-com)
6 years ago

Lisa Soluri Kovacs was the organizer of the group.

sandra barron
sandra barron (@guest_50393)
6 years ago

Tell me more — I’m a Jersey girl — Baby in Jersey City, Asbury Park HS , Douglass and then Princeton.
The sight of grits makes me ill —

gerry clare
gerry clare(@gerrycclaregmail-com)
6 years ago

Douglass and RU gal ’65. Check the AI FB network group for possible March meeting…