New Jersey Stage logo
New Jersey Stage Menu


?>

 

Rider Theatre To Present "The Good Person Of Setzuan"

originally published: 10/12/2017


(LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ) -- Rider Theatre will present Bertolt Brecht’s comic moral fable The Good Person of Setzuan in the Bart Luedeke Center Theater on the campus of Rider University in Lawrenceville from October 25 through October 29. One of Brecht's most popular works, it involves gods coming to earth in search of a thoroughly good person, they encounter Shen Teh, a goodhearted but penniless prostitute, who offers them shelter. Rewarded with enough money to open a tobacco shop,  Shen Teh soon becomes so overwhelmed by the demands of people seeking assistance that she invents a male alter ego, Shui Ta, to deal ruthlessly with the business of living in an evil world. 

“Brecht’s examination of the quality of goodness in a world where one must surely give it up in order to survive raises more questions than it answers,” says Goldberg. “Is it possible to remain good in a world where evil is celebrated? Is goodness even a quality worth pursuing in modern civilization? It has been such a joy to watch our Rider students grapple with these questions during what is arguably one of the most idealistic chapters of their lives. The journey has been rewarding, indeed.”

A preview performance will be Wednesday, October 25 at 7:30 p.m., and performances will be Thursday, October 26 at 7:30pm; Friday, October 27 at 7:30pm; Saturday, October 28 at 2:00pm and 7:30pm; and Sunday, October 29 at 2:00pm. The production, directed by Louis F. Goldberg, will be performed by Rider University students.

Louis F. Goldberg is an adjunct assistant professor in the Musical Theater program. At Rider he has directed the musical revue Cole, and he has served as musical director for The Wedding Singer, The Light in the Piazza and Rent. He has conducted more than 300 musicals across the United States and Europe, including tours of Man of La Mancha starring Hal Linden, CabaretChicago and 42nd Street. At the Zurich Opera House, he conducted Man of La Mancha, directed by the original director, Albert Marre, and starring the original Aldonza, Joan Diener.

Rider University’s Theatre program has a rich tradition of preparing students for successful careers in all aspects of the theatre. Graduates of the program are working with national theatre companies, in film and on television. Our campus productions have earned critical praise for more than 50 years and offer the community the opportunity to see aspiring actors in the early stages of their careers.




New Jersey Stage provides affordable advertising for the arts, click here for info



Tickets for The Good Person of Setzuan are $20 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. They can be purchased at the door, through the box office at 609-896-7775 or online at www.rider.edu/arts. General admission preview tickets are $9 and are only available at the door.  For more information, visit rider.edu/arts. Rider University is located at 2038 Lawrenceville Road in Lawrenceville, N.J.

PHOTO:  Mariah Lotz is Shen Te and Brandon Walters is Sun in The Good Person of Setzuan.





New Jersey Stage provides affordable advertising for the arts, click here for info


FEATURED EVENTS

ART | COMEDY | DANCE | FILM | MUSIC | THEATRE | COMMUNITY

To narrow results by date range, categories,
or region of New Jersey
click here for our advanced search.


The

The Wizard of Oz

Saturday, July 12, 2025 @ 2:00pm
Algonquin Arts Theatre
60 Abe Voorhees, Manasquan, NJ 08736
category: theatre


 

A

A Broadway Tour of America

Saturday, July 12, 2025 @ 7:30pm
Grunin Center - Black Box Theater
1 College Drive, Toms River, NJ 08754
category: theatre


 

A

A Broadway Tour of America

Saturday, July 12, 2025 @ 2:00pm
Grunin Center - Black Box Theater
1 College Drive, Toms River, NJ 08754
category: theatre


 

The

The MAC players at the Middletown Arts Center present "Hairspray"

Saturday, July 12, 2025 @ 7:00pm
Middletown Arts Center
36 Church Street, Middletown, NJ 07748
category: theatre


 

The

The MAC players at the Middletown Arts Center present "Hairspray"

Sunday, July 13, 2025 @ 2:00pm
Middletown Arts Center
36 Church Street, Middletown, NJ 07748
category: theatre


 



Advertise with NJ Stage for $50-$100 per month, click here for info





 

EVENT PREVIEWS

Brookdale

Brookdale Summer Shakespeare presents William Shakespeare's "Macbeth"

(LINCROFT, NJ) -- Brookdale Performing Arts Center's Summer Shakespeare returns for its 23rd season with a free production of one of William Shakespeare's most gripping and haunting tragedies, Macbeth. This annual outdoor event continues to be a beloved tradition, offering free, high-quality theater to the community in the scenic setting of the college's Great Lawn. Performances run July 10-13 and July 17-20, 2025.



Monmouth

Monmouth University Center for the Arts presents National Theatre: Broadcast in HD - "A Streetcar Named Desire"

(WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ) -- Monmouth University Center for the Arts presents the National Theatre: Broadcast in HD of A Streetcar Named Desire on Thursday, August 7, 2025 in the Pollak Theatre. From visionary director Benedict Andrews, this acclaimed production was filmed live during a sold-out run at the Young Vic Theatre in 2014. Showtime is 7:30pm.



The

The Artist Collective Troupe presents "The Trail to Oregon"

(POINT PLEASANT, NJ) -- The Artist Collective Troupe presents The Trail to Oregon from August 1-2, 2025 at the Woman's Club of Point Pleasant.  Based on the nostalgic video game, the musical follows a dysfunctional all-American family on the ultimate road trip down the Oregon Trail.



PHOTOS

PHOTOS from "42nd Street" at Surflight Theatre

(BEACH HAVEN, NJ) -- Surflight Theatre presents 42nd Street from July 8-27, 2025. Surflight's adaptation of the 1980 staged musical 42nd Street, based on the book by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble, directed and choreographed by Paula Hammons Sloan, takes us on the journey of Peggy Sawyer as she attempts to make her mark in the big apple. Photographer John Posada was on hand to take photos.



This

This Weekend – Vanguard Theater & Essex County Launch the First-Ever Montclair Theater Festival: Once Upon a Stage!

(MONTCLAIR, NJ) -- The inaugural Montclair Theater Festival: Once Upon a Stage makes its highly anticipated debut this Saturday, July 12, 2025, at Glenfield Park in the heart of Montclair's historic Fourth Ward. Brought to life by local creative powerhouse Vanguard Theater in partnership with the Essex County Board of Commissioners, this one-day celebration promises an unforgettable blend of live theater, interactive activities, family fun, and local flavor for people of all ages.