VIDEO: Hamilton’s Phillipa Soo Helps NJ Arts Through Benefit Concert

"Hamilton” star Phillipa Soo recently lent her talents to a cause close to her heart: protecting the arts community. Her April 16 virtual concert through Rowan University benefited The New Jersey Arts and Culture Recovery Fund (NJACRF) Correspondent Maddie Orton talks with Soo about the pandemic’s impact on the theatre community, the exciting releases of "Hamilton" on Disney+ and "Over the Moon" on Netflix, the importance of cultural representation in her work, and her upcoming benefit concert.

NJACRF was created by a coalition of New Jersey funders, aligned to ensure a coordinated approach to sector support with a commitment to best practices in grantmaking. NJACRF will provide financial support to catalyze an equitable statewide recovery and build cultural sector resilience. The Fund is hosted by the Princeton Area Community Foundation.

 Subscribe to JerseyArts TV and follow us for more Jersey Arts content: Facebook; Instagram; Twitter.

Discover Jersey Arts is a multifaceted program dedicated to increasing the awareness of and participation in the arts in New Jersey. For more information, visit www.JerseyArts.com.

Jersey Arts TV is presented by ArtPride New Jersey in partnership with the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Additional support provided by the National Endowment for the Arts.

EVENT PREVIEWS

Paper Mill Playhouse Announces 2026 Rising Star Awards Nominees

(MILLBURN, NJ) -- Paper Mill Playhouse has announced the nominations for adjudicated production categories of the 31st Annual Rising Star Awards for Excellence in New Jersey High School Musical Theater. Often referred to as New Jersey's version of the Tony Awards for high school musical theater, the Rising Star Awards recognize outstanding achievement in performance, direction, design, choreography, music direction, and overall production.

---

Studio Garage presents "Chekhov's People" at HACPAC

(HACKENSACK, NJ) -- Studio Garage presents Chekhov's People at Hackensack Performing Arts Center on June 8-9, 2026 at 8:00pm each night. Performed in Turkish. The play explores the human condition through a blend of Anton Chekhov's The Good Doctor and his short plays The Bear and A Marriage Proposal.

---

The Maplewood Strollers to present a Broadway Karaoke Party on June 12th

(MAPLEWOOD, NJ) -- The Maplewood Strollers present a Broadway Karaoke Party on Friday, June 12, 2026 at the Burgdorff Center for the Performing Arts. The event, which serves as a fundraiser for the theater company, begins at 7:30pm.

---

Mile Square Theatre presents "An Evening in the Woods: Musical Selections from Into the Woods" on June 13th

(HOBOKEN, NJ) -- Mile Square Theatre will hold its first-ever Education Program Fundraiser, An Evening in the Woods: Musical Selections from Into the Woods in Concert, on Saturday, June 13, 2026 at 7:00pm, with a preshow reception beginning at 6:00pm.

---

The Growing Stage presents round 2 of the 2026 New Play Reading Festival on June 13th

(NETCONG, NJ) -- The Growing Stage presents round 2 of the 2026 New Play Reading Festival on Friday, June 13, 2026 at 4:00pm. The plays include Snapped, The Wind in the Wildflowers, Timmon and the Magic Shoes, and My Tree.

---

Players Guild of Leonia presents The Marshall Playwright Showcase from June 12-14

(LEONIA, NJ) -- The Players Guild of Leonia presents The Marshall Playwrights Showcase from June 12-14, 2026. Named in honor of their long-time PGL member, Helene Marhsall, the showcase includes five original one-acts making for an unforgettable night! Works are by Keith Whalen, Conor Casey, Michael Gage Costa, and Chris Widney.

---

Studio Players' Reading Series presents "The Laramie Project 10 Years Later" on June 14th

(MONTCLAIR, NJ) -- Studio Players' Reading Series presents a Staged Reading of "The Laramie Project 10 Years Later" on Sunday, June 14, 2026 at 7:00pm. Written by Moises Kaufman and Leigh Fondakowski, this is a powerful and deeply moving epilogue to the groundbreaking original. The reading is directed by Thomas J. Donohoe II.

---

The Company Theatre Group presents a Staged Reading of "Final Day, the Musical" on June 16th

(HACKENSACK, NJ) -- The Company Theatre Group presents a Staged Reading of Final Day, the Musical in the Ruth Bauer Neustadter Gallery at Hackensack Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, June 16, 2026 at 3:00pm & 7:00pm. Set on the final day of World War II in Germany, Final Day follows prisoners awaiting liberation as they confront a camp commandant under orders to execute them all.

---

interACT Theatre Productions presents "Psycho Beach Party"

(MAPLEWOOD, NJ) -- interACT Theatre Productions presents Psycho Beach Party by Charles Busch presented as part of OUT IN MAPSO PRIDE 2026 with two performances June 19-20 at The Burgdorff Center for the Performing Arts.

---

Magnolia Productions presents "The Vagina Monologues"

(ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS, NJ) -- Magnolia Productions presents "The Vagina Monologues" across two weekends from June 12-20, 2026 at the Navesink Library. A whirlwind tour of a forbidden zone, Eve Ensler's Obie Award-winning play features personal monologues from women of various ages, races and sexualities.