By Karen Nowosad
originally published: 10/27/2019
George Street Playhouse opened their 2019 – 2020 season on Friday, Oct. 25th. This was more than the normal start with the excitement of a new season. After a two year residency in a theater on College Farm Road, George Street Playhouse is now in their new home in the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center. Located at 11 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ, George Street is one of four major arts groups to take residence in the new facility. The new building is a triumph in planning, design, and completion. In addition to toasting the new location, it was also a night to celebrate the premiere of a new musical, Last Days of Summer.
For me, the evening started by finding good parking in the new NBPAC parking garage at 60 Bayard Street. By using the elevator closest to the buildings, I was able to walk down an inside corridor to another door that opened right onto Livingston Avenue. This is a very short walk from the front door of the New Brunswick Performing Arts building. Upon entering, a large lobby area served as the gathering place for theater goers to chat and renew acquaintances. A nicely set up bar area was available for refreshments including Signature Cocktails. Some seating was available at small tables throughout the lobby.
Photo comes from George Street Playhouse’s account on Instagram and shows the Elizabeth Ross Johnson Theater on Opening Night of Last Days of Summer
When it was time to get seated, theater goers entered the Elizabeth Ross Johnson Theater, one of two major theaters in the complex. It has 463 seats and is designed to accommodate musical theater, dance, opera, and dramatic theater. An orchestra pit seats the musicians. State of the art theatrical systems are available and the sound in the theater is fantastic. The blue seating is comfortable and well spaced to allow good legroom. Many people remarked that it doesn’t look like there is a bad seat in the house.
Friday night’s Opening Night show was sold out and the crowd was enthusiastic as George Street Playhouse’s Artistic Director, David Saint, took the stage to provide opening remarks. His heartfelt speech demonstrated the depths of gratitude he has for the successful completion of this project. He praised the development of the new PAC. He also praised regional theater on the whole saying that it is very much needed in order to keep new works coming. He continued by saying “You build a great new home, you need to fill it with artists.” And thus the commitment of George Street Playhouse to the arts was reinforced as they begin this new chapter in their history.
As he concluded his remarks, Mr. Saint said something that made a deep impression on me: “The birth of a new theater is something you’ll never forget. . . Relish it.” And with that, the show began.
At the conclusion of the evening’s performance, the audience was treated to champagne, coffee, and marvelous desserts. The lobby was again filled with people enjoying the event and discussing the show they had just seen.
I grew up in Middlesex County and continued to live there for a number of years. Although I now reside in North Jersey, Middlesex still feels like home. I was very proud to be able to attend this event. Seeing the support for the arts makes me happy to be a small part of what it does for people and the culture it develops. I will be doing a separate article on Last Days of Summer. But for now, I wanted to share the excitement and joy of the evening I spent at Opening Night. It is one I will always relish.
Top photos courtesy of George Street Playhouse Social Media Pages
About the author:
Let's Go to the Theater helps people learn more about about live theater and develop appreciation for this art form. Karen M. Nowosad is the founder of the site. The enjoyment Karen gets from going to the theater is something she wants to share with others.
George Street Playhouse Presents Vicki Lawrence & Mama: A Two-woman Show
Friday, November 13, 2026 @ 7:30pm
New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC)
11 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJWritten by and starring
Vicki Lawrence Two Performances Only
Vicki Lawrence, the legendary actress, comedian, and singer, brings her signature wit and charm to the stage in Vicki Lawrence and Mama: A Two-Woman Show. Best known for her iconic role as Thelma Harper, or "Mama," from The Carol Burnett Show and Mama’s Family, Lawrence delivers a hilarious and heartfelt performance that takes audiences on a journey through her extraordinary career. From her Emmy-winning years alongside Carol Burnett to her chart-topping hit, “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia,” she shares behind-the-scenes stories, comedy, and music—all with her trademark humor. Whether reminiscing about her Hollywood adventures or embodying the feisty Mama, Lawrence proves that laughter is timeless.
Kean Department Of Theatre Presents "the Drowsy Chaperone"
Friday, November 13, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Kean Stage - Bauer Boucher Theatre Center
1000 Morris Avenue, Union, NJMusic and lyrics by
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Princeton’s Famous Triangle Show: Roswell That Ends Well
Friday, November 13, 2026 @ 8:00pm
McCarter Theatre Center (Matthews Theatre)
91 University Place, Princeton, NJIf you’re feeling all alone in the universe – or even if you’re not – Triangle’s newest musical comedy is for you! Join us as Triangle explores what it means to have friends in high – or should we say “sky”? – places. Extraterrestrial visitors, crazy conspiracy theories, and intergalactic shenanigans power this year’s annual laugh-fest of witty jokes, lavish production numbers, and, of course, Triangle’s famous kickline. Can interplanetary goodwill blossom in the dystopian desert of our current times? Get your Triangle tickets now and learn if
Roswell That Ends Well!
George Street Playhouse Presents Vicki Lawrence & Mama: A Two-woman Show
Saturday, November 14, 2026 @ 2:00pm
New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC)
11 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJWritten by and starring
Vicki Lawrence Two Performances Only
Vicki Lawrence, the legendary actress, comedian, and singer, brings her signature wit and charm to the stage in Vicki Lawrence and Mama: A Two-Woman Show. Best known for her iconic role as Thelma Harper, or "Mama," from The Carol Burnett Show and Mama’s Family, Lawrence delivers a hilarious and heartfelt performance that takes audiences on a journey through her extraordinary career. From her Emmy-winning years alongside Carol Burnett to her chart-topping hit, “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia,” she shares behind-the-scenes stories, comedy, and music—all with her trademark humor. Whether reminiscing about her Hollywood adventures or embodying the feisty Mama, Lawrence proves that laughter is timeless.
Kean Department Of Theatre Presents "the Drowsy Chaperone"
Saturday, November 14, 2026 @ 2:00pm
Kean Stage - Bauer Boucher Theatre Center
1000 Morris Avenue, Union, NJMusic and lyrics by
Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison
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NJ Rep presents Theatre Brut Short Play Festival 2026: "Through The Window"
(LONG BRANCH, NJ) -- What happens when we look through a window? Do we see the world as it really is, the world as we wish it could be, or something we never expected? New Jersey Repertory Company (NJ Rep) invites audiences to discover the unexpected with NJ Rep presents Theatre Brut Short Play Festival 2026: "Through The Window" a festival of eight original short plays presented over two weekends, November 13–15 and November 20–22, 2026 at the West End Arts Center in Long Branch.
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(MAPLEWOOD, NJ) -- The Maplewood Strollers present Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street weekends from November 13-22, 2026. Attend the dark, witty and Tony Award-winning tale of love, murder and revenge set against the backdrop of 19th century London.
Readington Community Theatre presents "Anatomy of a Murder"
(WHITEHOUSE STATION, NJ) -- Readington Community Theatre presents Anatomy of a Murder by Elihu Winer across two weekends from November 13-22, 2026 at Rockaway Reformed Church. In a quiet town in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, a small-time lawyer is pulled into a sensational case that quickly grips the entire community.
The Barn Theatre presents Roald Dahl's "Matilda, the Musical"
(MONTVILLE, NJ) -- The Barn Theatre presents Roald Dahl's Matilda, the Musical weekends from November 13 to December 5, 2026. The story of an extraordinary girl who dares to take a stand and change her own destiny.
Villagers Theatre presents "The Last Days of Judas Iscariot"
(SOMERSET, NJ) -- Villagers Theatre presents The Last Days of Judas Iscariot in The Andrew Russoniello Black Box weekends from November 13-21, 2026. Set in a time-bending, darkly comic world between heaven and hell, the play reexamines the plight and fate of the New Testament’s most infamous and unexplained sinner.
Holmdel Theatre Company presents "Love, Loss, and What I Wore"
(HOLMDEL, NJ) -- Holmdel Theatre Company presents Love, Loss, and What I Wore from November 13-15, 2026. Told through a series of personal stories and monologues, Love, Loss, and What I Wore reveals how the clothes we wear often become intertwined with who we are and the moments we never forget. The show celebrates the humor and heartbreak of everyday life, reminding audiences that while fashion trends may come and go, the experiences that connect us are timeless.
