Content — JerseyArts.com Feature Stories

On The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey's Outdoor Stage arrives an epic play with an equally epic title: Shipwrecked! An Entertainment—The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont (as Told by Himself).

Louis de Rougemont was the pen name for real-life raconteur Henri Louis Grin, who sold serialized stories of his imagined adventures to the British World Wide Magazine in the late 1800s. After he was exposed as a fraud, The World Wide Magazine went on to publish the quote: “Truth is stranger than fiction, but De Rougemont is stranger than both."

In 2009, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Donald Marguiles took the tales and re-imagined the 19th Century language and cultural awareness for a modern audience. His version of Louis de Rougemont is therefore a fictionalization of a fictionalization – an excited adventurer who recounts his fantastical journeys of sword fights, flying wombats, and a giant octopus for audiences eager to go along for the ride.

Jersey Arts speaks with actor Bruce Cromer, who plays the title character, and Doug West, director/co-scenic designer.

Jun 22

Jun 22 “Spring Awakening” Coming of Age Musical at Vanguard

Carolyn M. Brown

Article, Theater, Music, BIPOC Voices

Vanguard Theater will present the coming-of-age musical “Spring Awakening” from June 22 through July 16. A celebration of youth and rebellion, censorship and its consequences, “Spring Awakening” fuses issues of morality and sexuality with alternative rock music into an emotionally charged story.

“’Spring Awakening’ is really an exploration of what it means to live and love in a world that strives to keep you completely in the dark about such issues as sexuality,” says Janeece Freeman-Clark, the show’s Director and Vanguard’s Founding Artistic Director. “We're not going to talk about it in our homes. We're not going to talk about it in school. We're not going to talk about it in church. This musical shows what can happen if you withhold information from young people as they wrestle with adult issues.”

There will be talkbacks after the show on select dates, which will give audiences and cast members a chance to discuss the musical’s themes. This production is recommended for ages 12 and over.

Jun 8

Jun 8 “Songs for a New World” Highlights Life’s Decisive Moments

Article, Theater, Music

Jason Robert Brown, well-known for writing the Tony Award-winning stage adaptation of “The Bridges of Madison County,” wrote the music and lyrics for “Songs for a New World”—an impressive score that traverses multiple genres, including pop, gospel, and contemporary musical theater. Pioneer Productions will present a slightly reimagined production of this contemporary show, the weekends of June 9 and June 16. The performances will take place in the heart of Morristown in Fellowship Hall of the United Methodist Church.

“Songs for a New World" weaves together a collection of powerful songs, each showcasing characters through American history on the brink of a life-altering decisive moment. In the liner notes to the world premiere recording, Brown said, "It's about one moment. It's about hitting the wall and having to make a choice, or take a stand, or turn around and go back."

Brown’s compositions serve as the driving force behind the show's emotional impact.

Jun 1

Jun 1 1930s Dance Competitors Never Left the Stage

Shen Shellenberger

Article, Theater, Music

Long Beach Island's Surflight Theatre kicks off its 2023 season June 1 with Kander and Ebb's "Steel Pier: The Musical," on stage through June 17.

And what a story it is. Focusing on the world of dance marathons, "Steel Pier" explores what goes on during the fierce competitions and the less apparent happenings beyond the spotlights.

"It was the Depression, and the dancers were hoping to make money and get sponsorships," said Gail Anderson, Surflight's Associate Artistic Director. "Even if they didn't win, the sponsorships gave them things, like clothes. And they had a place to live at the marathons. They were fed at the marathons."

"There is a wide range of musical styles as well," she said. "Kander and Ebb are a phenomenal composing team, and the songs, especially the power ballads that the leads sing, really pull out the characters' internal struggles."

Jun 1

Jun 1 New Jersey Repertory Company Prepares for Pride Month Festival

Zachary Klein

Article, Theater, Visual Arts, LGBTQIA+

The New Jersey Repertory Company, or NJ Rep, will once again host a Pride month festival in the Monmouth County community of Long Branch. The festival will consist of theater, art and photography and is just one element of a larger event taking place throughout the city. NJ Rep is the largest presenter in this event and their showcases will last the majority of the month.

Jun 1

Jun 1 Mile Square Theatre Hits It Out of the Park With "7th Inning Stretch"

Gina Marie Rodriguez

As the birthplace of baseball, Hoboken is the perfect New Jersey city to celebrate our national pastime; and Mile Square Theatre, the perfect venue.

Annually, the Hoboken theater commissions seven playwrights to each write a 10-minute play involving the American game. This 19th year of “7th Inning Stretch” runs June 16th and 17th. The sentiment of the plays rounds the bases from heartwarming to hysterical; realistic to absurd.

Jersey Arts speaks to Mile Square Theatre’s Artistic Director, Kevin R. Free, and two of this year’s “7th Inning Stretch” playwrights, Michelle Tyrene Johnson and Tim J. Lord.

May 18

May 18 The 43rd Annual New Jersey Governor’s Awards in Arts Education To Honor Over 100 NJ Students and Educators

Carolyn M. Brown

Article, Festivals, Dance, Film, Music, Theater, Poetry & Literature, Kids & Family

Over 100 students and arts educators will receive the state’s most prestigious award in arts education at the 43rd Annual New Jersey Governor’s Awards in Arts Education celebration June 2 and will be livestreamed via YouTube, Facebook, and the Governor’s Awards website at www.njgaae.org. This event is free and open to the public.

Over the past four decades, the Governor’s Awards has highlighted New Jersey’s most talented youth. Students of artistic disciplines as varied as dance, music, poetry, visual arts, speech, debate and theater have walked across the awards stage to receive their medal.

This year, the annual Governor’s Awards ceremony will be held as the culminating event of the inaugural Arts Ed NJ Day which will also feature the first-ever Gathering Ground Arts Education Call to Collaboration (C2C), networking opportunities, award-winning performances on various stages, an interactive photo booth, alumni guest speakers, pop-up advocacy activities, Live Red Carpet Countdown to the Awards, and a statewide student visual arts exhibit.

The C2C will bring together over 250 educators, nonprofits leaders, artists, teaching artists, school board members, parents, students, businesspeople and legislators.

May 4

May 4 Whipped Cream and Other Delights: Drag Show Brunches

Article, Theater, LGBTQIA+, Comedy & Variety

Drag is an incredible pastiche of creative self-expression, fantastic outfits, LBTGQ+ identity, and the power of attitude. It celebrates self-acceptance, acceptance of others and carefree enjoyment of living. The shows are an eclectic mix of cabaret, burlesque and comedy.

Brunch needs no introduction. Breakfast foods at mid-day? Maybe an adult beverage mixed in? What’s not to love? Combine brunch and a drag show, and you get an unforgettable event that can satisfy in many ways. A quick search will show that drag brunches are having more than “a moment” right now. Here are two that may deliver on those many levels.

Apr 27

Apr 27 Penguin Project at Moorestown Theater Company

Article, Theater, Music

The Moorestown Theater Company is partnering with the award-winning Penguin Project to present “Annie JR.” April 29 and 30, capping off Autism Awareness Month. Fourteen neuro-diverse actors and six neuro-typical mentors will act the roles and join the chorus to sing standards like "It's a Hard-knock Life" and "Tomorrow."

Apr 27

Apr 27 Art House INKubator Festival of Six Brand-new Plays

Jesse North & Dave Tavani

Article, Theater

"And where are the new plays? The new directors?" - Elia Kazan, 1993

Are you looking for new, challenging theater that makes you think and feel something ... different? Sure, all theatre should probably do that, but a lot of long-run and revival offerings out there are as comfortable as an old shoe. Not necessarily a bad thing (I love old shoes), but nostalgia and familiarity are not the only flavors that can satisfy a palate. And some palates can only be satisfied by something really new. The 2023 INKubator New Play Festival is precisely what Hollywood giant Elia Kazan was looking for when he said that 30 years ago. Art House Productions brings you this festival of six brand-new plays by New Jersey-connected authors May 8-17.

Apr 27

Apr 27 McCarter’s “Blues for an Alabama Sky” Finds Life After the Harlem Renaissance

Video, Theater

Step back in time to 1930s New York. McCarter Theatre’s production of “Blues for an Alabama Sky” tells the story of a youthful group of friends facing a crossroads at the end of the Harlem Renaissance and the beginning of the Great Depression. Jersey Arts TV goes to rehearsals in Princeton to find out more about this American drama.

Apr 20

Apr 20 Luna Stage Explores NJ's Black History Through the Lens of Howe House

Podcast, Theater, BIPOC Voices

The historic James Howe House was home to a formerly enslaved man, abolitionist and Montclair's first African American homeowner. Thanks to a large-scale collaboration between historians, preservationists, artists, and the teams at Luna Stage and Crossroads Theatre Company, the story of Howe House over the last nearly 200 years will be told through the upcoming play "The Ground on Which We Stand."

Luna Stage artistic director Ari Laura Kreith and award-winning playwright and screenwriter Richard Wesley join JerseyArts to discuss this period of Black history in New Jersey as told through the lens of the historic Howe House.

Apr 6

Apr 6 "101 Humiliating Stories" Made Vivid

Gina Marie Rodriguez

Laura Ekstrand is the Producing Artistic Director of Vivid Stage in Summit, New Jersey, as well as its next leading lady. Starring in 101 Humiliating Stories by Lisa Kron, she will headline the first performance of Vivid Stage's Solo Series from April 13 to 16.

"In this one-woman show, the actor shares a series of humiliations past, present and future, including exquisitely detailed anecdotes like "Geeky Celebrity Encounters" and "How I Spent All the Petty Cash From My Office on Makeup." An invitation to perform at her high school reunion in Lansing, Michigan, triggers another series of anxiety-filled fantasies. How will she, a lesbian East Village performance artist, cope with her Midwestern classmates? 101 Humiliating Stories is evocative, moving and overall hilarious."

Jersey Arts speaks with Ekstrand about the relatable humor of 101 Humiliating Stories and learns more about what programming and opportunities Vivid Stage has to offer.

Mar 23

Mar 23 “The Shot” Reveals Historic Washington Post CEO Katharine Graham's Harrowing History

Gina Marie Rodriguez & Dave Tavani

During her tenure as President of The Washington Post, Katharine Graham published the Pentagon Papers, ran the Watergate story and served as the first female CEO of a Fortune 500 company, but her journey to career success was a traumatic one.

Robin Gerber’s play The Shot, coming to New Jersey Repertory Company April 6-23, reveals the harrowing events that led to Graham taking the helm, including a history of domestic abuse and her husband’s suicide.

Host Maddie Orton speaks with playwright Robin Gerber, director/dramaturg Michelle Joyner, and star Sharon Lawrence (Joe Pickett, On Becoming a God in Central Florida, NYPD Blue, Grey’s Anatomy) about creating The Shot.

Please note, this conversation includes a discussion of partner abuse and suicide, so listen with care.

Mar 9

Mar 9 Newark Artists and Prominent Actors to Celebrate Literary Legacy of Philip Roth During Weekend-Long Festival

Carolyn M. Brown

Article, Poetry & Literature, Comedy & Variety, Theater

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center in collaboration with the Newark Public Library will present Philip Roth Unbound, a weekend-long festival that celebrates the life, legacy and work of novelist and Newark native. Over the course of three days, beginning Friday, March 17 and concluding Sunday, March 19, 2023, NJPAC will host a series of events, featuring more than 40 prominent writers, actors, artists, journalists and intellectuals in the nation. Designed to appeal to audiences of all backgrounds, the festival will feature star-studded stage readings, panel discussions and a comedy showcase. The program is designed to explore the significance and impact of Roth’s unique literary legacy, using his writings as a springboard to explore broader questions about life in America today.

Mar 2

Mar 2 A Lightning Thief on The Growing Stage

Gina Marie Rodriguez

Podcast, Theater, Kids & Family, Music

“When teenager Percy Jackson discovers he’s a demigod, he and his friends embark on an epic journey to find Zeus’s missing lightning bolt and prevent a war among the gods.”

That is the synopsis for “The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical,” produced by The Growing Stage, The Children’s Theatre of New Jersey, in Netcong March 10-26, 2023.

The Growing Stage’s mission is to nurture the development of the performing arts through education, and to create, produce and perform works that engage the entire family.

Based on the novel by Rick Riordan, with a book by Joe Tracz and music and lyrics by Rob Rokicki, this rock musical is theater for the whole family to enjoy.

Jersey Arts speaks with “The Lightning Thief” vocal coach Melinda Bass O’Neill and actress Jeorgi Smith as they prepare to launch this production by The Growing Stage.

Mar 2

Mar 2 “Clean Slate” Marks a Fresh Start With World Premiere in Trenton, NJ

Video, Theater, Music

A rehabilitation camp for disaffected teens, a haunted wood plagued by lost souls, and a path to redemption for all — this is but a taste of the upcoming musical “Clean Slate.”

A co-production from Passage Theatre and Rider University, the musical will mark its world premiere in the Garden State.

A story of radical empathy, the piece explores the need to remember who we used to be in order to move forward.

Jersey Arts visits Rider University to speak to the creative team behind “Clean Slate,” which will run its encore performance at the Mill Hill Playhouse in Trenton March 10-12.

Feb 17

Feb 17 Axelrod Celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the Tony Award-winning Musical “Raisin”

Gina Marie Rodriguez & Dave Tavani

Video, Theater, Music, BIPOC Voices

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore—
And then run?

These words from the poetry of Langston Hughes served as the inspiration for the play “A Raisin in the Sun” and later its Tony Award-winning musical reimagining, “Raisin.”

Focused on the dreams and desires of a struggling Black family in 1950s Chicago, “Raisin” celebrates the persistence and resolve of a family at a crossroads.

Jersey Arts visits the Axelrod Performing Arts Center to speak with the creative team behind the show and learn more about its 50th Anniversary performance of “Raisin,” on stage Feb. 24 - March 12.

Feb 15

Feb 15 Bradley Gibson is Ready to "Go the Distance" as Hercules