Published by New Jersey Stage
originally published: 01/07/2016
(WAYNE, NJ) -- On January 22 and 23, 2016, Aspire Performing Arts Company will present Children of Eden, by musical theater legend Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin, Godspell). Children of Eden features children and teens ages 6 through 18 from Wayne and the surrounding areas. Children of Eden is a joyous and inspirational musical about parents, children, and faith, not to mention centuries of unresolved family business. The show ultimately delivers a bittersweet but inspiring message: that "the hardest part of love... is letting go." The original production was produced here in New Jersey in 1997 at the Paper Mill Playhouse, starring Stephanie Mills and Adrian Zmed.
Stephen Schwartz is quoted as saying, "I think the work of which I am most proud is Children of Eden, for several reasons. To begin with, I think it's my best score musically. It also contains the song that is maybe my personal favorite of my songs from a purely visceral point of view, ‘Stranger to the Rain’; a song that embodies how I feel about parenting (which is very important to me), ‘The Hardest Part of Love’; and above all, the song that most espouses my philosophy of life and which, if I had one song to be remembered by, is the one I would choose: ‘In the Beginning.’"
Lisa Beth Vettoso, Aspire PAC’s Artistic Director, says “It has been a personal dream of mine to direct Children of Eden, and it has been on my ‘short list’ for about 10 years. What I love more than anything else about Children of Eden is how it speaks to the heart of what makes each of us human. And how, ultimately, we have free will, and with that comes the responsibility that we control our own actions and our own destiny - and what power and beauty lies in that. I am thrilled to give my actors the opportunity to share in a show that means so much to me, and provide them with a memorable experience to last a lifetime.”
Performances will take place on Friday, January 22 at 8:00pm and Saturday, January 23 at 3:00pm at Wayne Hills High School, located at 272 Berdan Avenue in Wayne, NJ. Children of Eden is directed by Lisa Beth Vettoso. Randi Seffinger serves as Associate Director and Rich Lovallo is Music Director.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.aspirepac.com.
Aspire Performing Arts was founded in January 2011 by Lisa Beth Vettoso. Ms. Vettoso has more than twenty years of experience in the performing arts and has been working with youth for more than a decade. Aspire Performing Arts Company’s mission is to provide educational workshops and full-length production opportunities for children and teens, offering them a professional arts experience in a friendly atmosphere. For more information on Aspire Performing Arts Company, please visit www.aspirepac.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/aspirepac
You can have your events appear here,
whenever someone reads an article about
WAYNE
click here for more information
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
Kean Department Of Theatre Presents "the Drowsy Chaperone"
Saturday, November 14, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Kean Stage - Bauer Boucher Theatre Center
1000 Morris Avenue, Union, NJMusic and lyrics by
Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison
Princeton’s Famous Triangle Show: Roswell That Ends Well
Saturday, November 14, 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!
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/when The Rainbow Is Enuf,
Saturday, November 14, 2026 @ 3:00pm
Middletown Arts Center
36 Church Street, Middletown, NJDunbar Repertory Company presents Ntozake Shange’s
FOR COLORED GIRLS Who have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf, the groundbreaking “choreopoem” – a spellbinding collection of vivid prose and free verse narratives about and performed by Black women. Directed by Darrell Lawrence Willis, SR.
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/when The Rainbow Is Enuf,
Saturday, November 14, 2026 @ 8:00pm
Middletown Arts Center
36 Church Street, Middletown, NJDunbar Repertory Company presents Ntozake Shange’s
FOR COLORED GIRLS Who have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf, the groundbreaking “choreopoem” – a spellbinding collection of vivid prose and free verse narratives about and performed by Black women. Directed by Darrell Lawrence Willis, SR.
Murder At The Palace
Saturday, November 14, 2026 @ 7:00pm
The Historic Palace Theatre
7 Ledgewood Avenue, Netcong, NJSave the date for an adults-only night out set in the Roaring ’20s, as the Historic Palace Theatre plays host to a Murder Mystery event that’s truly to die for!
EVENT PREVIEWS
The Growing Stage presents Murder at the Palace
(NETCONG, NJ) -- The Growing Stage presents Murder at the Palace - a roaring 20's murder mystery - on Saturday, November 14, 2026 from 7:00pm to 10:00pm. All proceeds benefit the artistic and educational programming of The Growing Stage.
SPQR Stage Co. presents "Pumpin' the Chihuahua"
(SOMERS POINT, NJ) -- SPQR Stage Co. presents Bill Sterritt's "Pumpin' the Chihuahua," an imaginative dark comedy running two weekends from November 14–22, 2026 at studio;space in Somers Point.
Moorestown Theater Company presents "9 to 5, the Musical"
(MOORESTOWN, NJ) -- Moorestown Theater Company presents 9 to 5, the Musical from November 18-22 at First Methodist Church. Three unlikely friends take control of their office and learn there is nothing they can't do, even in a man's world.
Raritan Valley Community College's Arts & Design department presents "The Laramie Project"
(BRANCHBURG, NJ) -- Raritan Valley Community College's Arts & Design department will present a student theatre production of The Laramie Project by Moises Kaufman and the members of the Tectonic Theater Project, November 18-20, 2026 at 7:00pm each night. The performances, which are free of charge and open to the public, will be held in the Welpe Theatre at the College's Branchburg campus.
Offbook Productions present "The Women of Congress 1776"
(MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ) -- Offbook Productions presents The Women of Congress 1776 on Wednesday, November 18, 2026 at the Trailside Nature & Science Center in Mountainside. Showtime is 6:30pm.
Cape May Stage presents "Murder For Two - The Holiday Edition"
(CAPE MAY, NJ) -- Cape May Stage presents Murder For Two - The Holiday Edition from November 18 through December 27, 2026. Directed by Roy Steinberg, it's a merry and musical whodunit!
Paper Mill Playhouse to open season with "Mary Poppins"
(MILLBURN, NJ) -- Paper Mill Playhouse presents Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins to open the company's 88th season. Performances begin Wednesday, November 18 ahead of a Sunday, November 22 opening night for a run that continues through Sunday, January 3, 2027. This is a spectacular musical filled with wonder, wit, and unforgettable songs.
Somerset County Vocational Technical High School Theater Arts Department presents "Come From Away"
(BRIDGEWATER, NJ) -- In a story about strangers becoming family and tragedy giving way to unexpected hope, one real-life couple's love story has given students at Somerset County Vocational Technical High School a personal connection to the musical they are bringing to the stage.
Centenary Stage Company to Close Out 2026 Fringe Festival with "Unseen"
(HACKETTSTOWN, NJ) -- Centenary Stage Company will conclude its 2026 Fringe Festival with Unseen, written and performed by Kimberly Prentice, November 19–22, 2026, in the Kutz Theatre. Blending physical comedy, rapid-fire character changes, and heartfelt storytelling, Unseen takes audiences backstage into the demanding, unpredictable world of Broadway's wardrobe crew, celebrating the people whose essential work often goes unnoticed.
The Road Company presents "Solid Gold: A Show-Stopping Cabaret"
(WILLIAMSTOWN, NJ) -- The Road Company presents Solid Gold: A Show-Stopping Cabaret, an original retrospective revue, from November 19 to December 5, 2026 at the Grand Theatre.
