By Karen Nowosad
originally published: 06/26/2020
Every year, the Mile Square Theatre (MST) holds the 7th Inning Stretch. The fund raising event is named to honor the first official baseball game played in Hoboken back in 1840’s. The event has become a Hoboken tradition and is in its 17th year.
It seems very appropriate this year that a collection of stories about baseball would be a good pick. After all, it is our national sport and we aren’t getting any right now! So why not turn to the theater for a little pick-me-up until that shortened season begins in July.
Mile Square Theatre’s 7th Inning Stretch traditionally is made up of seven new 10-minute plays which are commissioned about baseball. Although the focus of the plays is baseball, there are other things that come out as a tale is told.
This year provided a unique challenge to the theater organization as they adapted the event to make it virtual. A variety of sketches were used in the design of the program. There are split screen actors talking with each other, cartoons, monologues, and short plays. The result is a unique program that comes from the theme of baseball. However, similar to the results other years from the 10-minute plays, unique things about life are also told. The virtual video runs approximately one hour.
A few examples of presentations include one from NY Yankee Adam Ottavino that shows through his narration and pictures how he came to play for the team and acquire the number zero (0) on his shirt. Another very emotional presentation is given by Joseph Gallo who describes his friendship with AJ and their mutual admiration for Phil Rizzuto. But there is more to the story as Mr. Gallo talks about his mother and her final days in a very touching tribute.
Mile Square Theatre did an outstanding job putting this year’s 7th Inning Stretch together. Any baseball lover and/or theater lover can enjoy what the video shows. According to notes from the Theatre, a number of people are featured on this video including:
- Matt Bittner (Present Laughter on Broadway)
- Michael Emerson (Person of Interest)
- Joseph Gallo (MST’s My Italy Story, Long Gone Daddy)
- Gary Kroeger (SNL)
- Ellen Lancaster (The Visit on Broadway)
- Matilda Lawler (The Net Will Appear @ MST, The Ferryman on Broadway)
- Matt Lawler (Circle Mirror Transformation @ MST, ABC’s “The Family”)
- Thomas Lennon (Reno 911)
- Raymond McAnally (Daily Fiber, “Modern Family”)
- Ames McNamara (ABC’s “The Conners”)
- Adam Ottavino (New York Yankees)
- Barbara Pitts McAdams (MST’s Vanya and Sonia, Tectonic Theatre’s Laramie Project)
- Catherine Porter (Next to Normal on Broadway) and Jim Vallance (Summer of ’69, What About Love)
- Kevin Short (Metropolitan Opera’s Porgy and Bess)
- Shannon Michael Wamser (Importance of Being Earnest at Orlando Shakespeare Theatre)
About Mile Square Theatre
Mile Square Theatre (MST) was founded in 2003 as a non-profit professional theatre. Their mission is to enrich and engage the region through the production of professional theatre and innovative arts education. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit, they rely on donations from generous people to keep their ticket prices and class tuition accessible for all. Donations goes toward keeping the arts alive in the community. In turn MST is able to educate, entertain, and inspire our audiences and students with professional productions and high-quality performance classes. While the 7th Inning Stretch fundraiser is over, you may still make a donation online at any time.
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
Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison
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
EVENT PREVIEWS
Theater League of Clifton presents "1776" in November
(WAYNE, NJ) -- Two hundred and fifty years ago, a group of opinionated, stubborn and deeply divided delegates gathered in Philadelphia and somehow managed to create a new nation. This November, the Theater League of Clifton brings their story to the stage with 1776, the Tony Award-winning musical about the tumultuous days leading to the Declaration of Independence. Directed by Maren Sugarman, the production will be presented November 13–15, 2026, at the Wayne Community Center.
Lomotion Live presents "Etiquette" by David Lee White
(BOONTON, NJ) -- Lomotion Live presents Etiquette, a timely and biting comedy by playwright David Lee White, directed by Lauren Moran. The production will run November 13–15, 2026 at Lomotion Live at Parsippany Arts Center in Boonton.
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.
Bridge Players Theatre Company presents "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical"
(BURLINGTON, NJ) -- Bridge Players Theatre Company presents The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical weekends from November 13-28, 2026. In this musical adaptation of the funny and touching holiday classic, The Herdmans – widely known as the "worst kids in the history of the world" – crash Sunday School lured by the promise of free snacks and end up hijacking the annual church Christmas pageant!
For the Whim Productions presents William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream"
(BRIDGETON, NJ) -- For the Whim Productions presents William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream from November 13-20, 2026 at the Ashley McCormick Theatre in the Hopeloft in Bridgeton. A whimsical comedy where fairies, lovers, actors, and our audience collide in an enchanted forest, blending magic, romance, and mischief. The production is directed by Heidi Dugan.
The Maplewood Strollers presents "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"
(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.
