Agape Marks 50th Show at Maple Glen Center

Editor's Note: Wayne Robbins of "Inside Fair Lawn" was at Maple Glen Center for the performance on Saturday.

The Agape Road Show, a 15-member group of volunteers who entertain residents in hospitals and nursing homes across northern New Jersey, performed its 50th show in the past five years at  on Saturday.

The Fair Lawn-based Agape troupe regaled the nursing home residents with a St. Patrick's Day program that included sing-along songs, jokes, skits and famous Irish blessings.

Soloists Stephanie Zaentz, Louis Milgrom and Irene Slawenski sang “Danny Boy,” “Molly Malone” and “My Wild Irish Rose," and the Agage performers put on an original comedy skit that involved pirates battling leprechauns for their pot of gold.

Maple Glen administrator Ken Bittman said he particularly wanted to congratulate the troupe on their 50th show.

"It's a wonderful achievement," said Bittman, who's been privy to the past two-and-a-half years of Agape shows since he came to Maple Glen.

"We have other entertainers, but not as far as a group like that that comes on a very regular basis."

Bittman said the nursing home residents have really taken to Agape's monthly shows. Between 40 and 50 attend each month.

"They look forward to it and they genuinely enjoy it," Bittman said. "[The performances] certainly are unique and original every single time they’re here. They come up with little surprises and the residents genuinenly appreciate their efforts."

People of all ages and talent levels are welcome to join Agape. The volunteer group includes both children and adults, mostly from local church choirs. 

If you'd like to join the next performance, call Agape Director Cornell Christianson at 310-985-1024 or email him at cornellchristianson@gmail.com.