Theatre Preview: May 2018

New Jersey Stage takes a look at shows coming to stages around the Garden State with our monthly theatre preview in NJ Stage Magazine.  Issue 46 also contains features on The Nerd at George Street Playhouse and Turning Off The Morning News at McCarter Theatre.  The magazine is available for free at www.NJArtsMag.com and readable on any PC, tablet, or smartphone.

Issei, He Say at New Jersey Repertory Company, 179 Broadway, Long Branch.  NJ Rep presents the World Premiere of Issei, He Say by Chloé Hung.  The play was the winner of an Edgerton New Play Award. Directed by Lisa James and starring  Stan Egi, Kathleen Kwan, Fenton Li, Christina Liang, Issei, He Say is a story about family, told with humor and pathos, about being the first generation in a new country, the ups-and-downs of fitting in, the history they carry with them, and the prejudices that follow them. Performances run now through May 20th in Long Branch.

The Underpants at HPAC, 102 State Street, Hackensack. Theobald Maske has an unusual problem: his wife’s underpants won’t stay on. One Sunday morning they fall to her ankles right in the middle of town--a public scandal! Mortified, Theo swears to keep her at home until she can find some less unruly undies. Amid this chaos he’s trying to rent a room in their flat. The prospective lodgers have some underlying surprises of their own. In The Underpants, Steve Martin brings his comic genius and sophisticated literary style to Carl Sternheim’s classic 1910 farce. The Company Theatre Group presents this through May 6.

The Nerd at George Street Playhouse, 103 College Farm Road, New Brunswick. George Street Playhouse closes out their season with The Nerd by Larry Shue. When an unexpected party guest turns into an unwanted house guest, Willum executes an elaborate plan to rid himself of the wacky nuisance. Aided by a rag-tag team that includes friends, a would-be lover and an oblivious boss, creative acts of desperation quickly dissolve into utter mayhem and merriment. The twists and turns of this madcap comedy lead to an ending that leaves you feeling happily hoodwinked! Performances run April 24 through May 20. For more on the play, click here for our interview with Colin Hanlon in the latest issue of NJ Stage magazine.

Turning Off The Morning News at McCarter Theatre, 91 University Place, Princeton. From the same pen that gave you the Tony Award®-winning best play Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike comes a decidedly dark and daring comedy that takes hilarious aim at today’s absurd and dangerous world. Christopher Durang is back with a new cast of eccentric characters—starting with Cliff and Salena, whose across-the-street neighbors are at best peculiar—and at worst, stark raving mad. Directed by Emily Mann, the play runs May 4 through June 3 in the Berlind Theatre. For more on the play, click here to learn more about the long-standing relationship between Mann and Durang in this issue of NJ Stage magazine.

The Producers at Algonquin Arts Theatre, 60 Abe Voorhees Drive, Manasquan. The plot is simple: a down-on-his-luck Broadway producer and his mild-mannered accountant come up with a scheme to produce the most notorious flop in history, thereby bilking their backers (all “little old ladies”) out of millions of dollars. Only one thing goes awry: the show is a smash hit! With a truly hysterical book co-written by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan (Annie) and music and lyrics by Mr. Brooks, The Producers skewers Broadway traditions and takes no prisoners! Performances run May 11-May 20th at the Algonquin.

Tartuffe at Shakespeare Theatre of NJ, 36 Madison Avenue, Madison. “Tartuffe, the consummate con man, hypocrite, and womanizer, meets his match under Moliere’s deft pen. A masterpiece of biting social commentary brilliantly enclosed in a swirl of witty verse, outrageous characters, and delightful machinations; you’ll laugh and wince simultaneously as you hear how familiar the 17th century family sounds to our 21st century ears.” The classic play was written by Moliere and will be directed by Bonnie Monte. Performances run May 16 through June 3 at the Shakespere Theatre of New Jersey.

Remember to add your play performances to the NJ Stage events calendar.  Listings are free and may lead to feature articles or placement in the monthly preview.