New Jersey Stage logo
New Jersey Stage Menu



 

Vanguard Theater presents "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill"

originally published: 11/17/2023


(MONTCLAIR, NJ) -- To kick off their third Mainstage season in Montclair, Vanguard Theater Company (VTC) presents the Tony Award-winning musical play, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill. Vanguard Theater will be transformed into Emerson's, a seedy bar in South Philadelphia. Guests will be up close and personal, seated just a few short steps from the music and the history, to take in every word and note of this intimate portrait of the celebrated Lady Day. The production runs Thursdays through Sundays from November 30 through December 17, 2023.

Portraying one of the greatest jazz singers of all time, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill paints a portrait of a tortured yet brilliant Billie Holiday. Set in March of 1959 Holiday is performing in a derelict bar, and unbeknownst to her audience, they are witnesses to one of the last performances of her lifetime. Through her poignant voice and moving songs including “What a Moonlight Can Do,” “Crazy He Calls Me,” “Easy Living,” “Strange Fruit,” “Taint Nobody’s Biz-ness If I Do,” and “God Bless the Child”, Holiday shares her loves and her losses through salty, often humorous reminiscences; while becoming increasingly intoxicated and incoherent. Variety has described Lady Day as “Far from a simple songbook...the cumulative power comes in the unraveling of an addicted artist and her story at the end of her days.”

“The plot of Lady Day weaves a seamless story of substance abuse, race, gender, and identity politics through the complexity of living with and overcoming trauma,” says VTC Founding Artistic Director Janeece Freeman Clark. “Generational trauma shaped a culture that took an enormous toll on Billie Holiday. She sought and found freedom and eternal salvation in music. Four months after the action of the play, Billie Holliday would die of cirrhosis and heart failure in a Harlem hospital.”

Written by acclaimed playwright Lanie Robertson with musical arrangements by Danny Holgate, Janeece Freeman Clark is delighted to direct this Tony Award-winning Broadway play with music. Freeman Clark is fresh from her triumphant direction of When We Get There at the York Theatre in NY, and Spring Awakening at VTC. Actor, Director, and Playwright Tracey Conyer Lee, who has played the role of the late, legendary chanteuse across the country, makes her theatrical debut on the Vanguard Theater stage. Boston Globe says "Lee so closely channels the legendary songstress...she recreates a powerful one-woman show as the embodiment of Lady Day." Lee is a recipient of Carbonell, NAACP, and Barrymore Awards. Darnell White plays Billie’s accompanist, Jimmy Powers, and also serves as the Music Director. Set Designer Eric Marchetta, Costume Designer Terrell Jordan Jenkins, Lighting Designer David Heguy, and Production Stage Manager Michaella Craver round off the production’s team.

Opening November 30th, this three-week run goes through December 17th with performances at 8:00pm on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays and 1:00pm & 7:00pm on Sundays. Tickets start at $25. There is a $25 food and drink minimum for all Floor Premium and Floor seating at tables. A delicious soul food menu will be served. Tickets start at $25 and are available for purchase online or by emailing boxoffice@dreamvtc.org. Group sales are also available at discounted rates. Recommended for ages 13+




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



Vanguard Theater Company’s run of Lady Day At Emerson’s Bar & Grill marks Ms. Lee’s 8th production playing the role of Billie Holiday. Conyer Lee’s other acting highlights include original off-Broadway casts of Sistas, The Musical and Bedbugs!!! It’s a Musical as well as Carbonell, NAACP, and Barrymore Award winning work at regional theaters including Yale Rep, Baltimore Centerstage, Denver Center, Pittsburgh Public, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Portland Stage, Actors Theatre of Louisville, St. Louis Rep, Cincinnati Playhouse, Theatre of the Stars, Detroit Public Theatre, Laguna Playhouse, TheatreWorks, Delaware Theatre Co, Westport Playhouse, Merrimack Rep, Virginia Stage, Ogunquit Playhouse, Great Lakes, Cleveland Playhouse, Palm Beach Dramaworks, Pittsburgh CLO, Syracuse Stage, InterAct, Bucks County Playhouse, Weston Playhouse, national and international tours totaling more than 75+ productions.

Onscreen highlights include roles on “The Path”, “SMASH”, “L&O: Criminal Intent”, “Ed”, “All My Children”, and “Guiding Light”. Also a playwright, Ms. Lee’s plays have received development or production in New York, Boston, DC, Vermont and Chicago. Two of Conyer Lee’s plays, Rabbit Summer and Retreat, are in production in Chicago and New York, respectively.

Vanguard Theater has been lauded and awarded for its commitment to changing social and cultural narratives through theater. By bringing equity to the stage, telling relatable stories, and making theater financially accessible, VTC has quickly become a destination for great professional theater, with diverse voices, inspired community collaborations, excellent youth programming, and more.

In keeping with their mission and practice, VTC is partnering with area Jack & Jill Chapters with an inaugural, by invitation only, Black Women’s Theater Night, Out Montclair, Montclair/Bloomfield/Glen Ridge Kiwanis Club, Friends of the Howe House, Montclair African American Heritage Foundation, Cicely Tyson School of the Arts, Center for Social Justice/Montclair High School, Lifelong Montclair. and Jazz House Montclair. VTC extends thanks to the sponsors who have made this production, and our season, possible. Honorary producers for Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill are Midnight Theatricals.

Founded in 2015, Vanguard Theater Company is a 501(c)(3) committed to changing social and cultural narratives through theater dedicated to DREAM: Diversity, Reciprocity, Education, Activism & Mentorship. Founded to address the lack of true diversity in theater casting, training, producing, administration, creative teams, and audience, VTC brings equity to the stage, telling relatable stories, and making theater financially accessible. Located in Montclair's 4th Ward, historically the town’s most diverse neighborhood, Vanguard Theater has quickly become a destination for great professional theater, with diverse voices, inspired community collaborations, excellent youth programming, and more.

In 2023, VTC was hand-selected to receive a generous award from Michael Jordan and Jordan Brand’s Community Grant Program, an initiative of its Black Community Commitment (BCC), created in 2020. Grants were awarded to 48 grassroots, non-profit organizations that are driving action and leading sustainable solutions to improve Black lives in their neighborhoods. Vanguard Theater, with a local connection to the initiative’s four key focus areas of economic justice, education, narrative change, and social justice was the only recipient in New Jersey - and one of only two theater companies.

New Jersey Monthly has noted that Vanguard is shaking up social and cultural narratives. Reviewers have called Vanguard’s productions “an exhilarating experience”, and “Montclair’s best-kept secret” bringing Broadway flair West of the Hudson.




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



VTC looks forward to continuing its reputation for excellent theater and impactful community dialogue in its third full season in Montclair, NJ.


 

EVENT PREVIEWS

Players

Players Guild of Leonia to Hold Auditions for "Where The Time Goes"

​​​​​​​(LEONIA, NJ) -- The Players Guild of Leonia will hold auditions for Where The Time Goes on Tuesday, July 15 and Wednesday, July 16, 2025 from 6:00pm to 9:00pm each night at their theater. This is a World Premiere musical featuring the iconic songs of The Baby Boomer Generation.



Speranza

Speranza Theatre Company presents "Princess Pals"

(JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- Speranza Theatre Company, joined by students from Speranza Studio's Summer Acting Intensive, presents its summer stage production, Princess Pals, from July 11-19, 2025 outdoors at the Museum of Jersey City History at The Apple Tree House. Written and directed by Nick Radu-Blackburn. Happily Ever was just the beginning... turns out "after" isn’t all it's cracked up to be. Bored after their fairy tale endings, princess-frenemies embark on a mischievous adventure. Can they put their differences aside to save their kingdoms, all while dealing with an unexpected twist?



"RIFT"

"RIFT" Returns To Luna For Two Nights Only Before International Debut At Edinburgh's Traverse Theatre

(WEST ORANGE, NJ) -- Luna Stage's commissioned World Premiere play RIFT is headed to the Edinburgh Fringe for a four-week run at Traverse Theatre this August. On July 18-19, 2025 at 8:00pm each night, the powerful and timely new play returns to Luna for two benefit performances to support the company's travel to Scotland.



PHOTOS

PHOTOS from "Jesus Christ Superstar" at Pleasant Valley Productions

(WEST ORANGE, NJ) -- Pleasant Valley Productions (PVP) is presenting Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's iconic rock opera, Jesus Christ Superstar at the Oscar Schindler Performing Arts Center (OSPAC). The production runs July 11-12 and July 17-19, 2025. This groundbreaking musical, which revolutionized the world of theatre, tells the story of the final week of Jesus' life through the eyes of Judas Iscariot. Photographer John Posada was on hand to take photos.



Centenary

Centenary Stage presents Jimmy Buffet's Escape to Margaritaville

(HACKETTSTOWN, NJ) -- Centenary Stage Company presents Jimmy Buffett's Escape to Margaritaville from Thursday, July 10 through Sunday, July 20 in the Sitnik Theatre of the Lackland Performing Arts Center. Featuring a book by Greg Garcia and Mike O'Malley and music and lyrics by Jimmy Buffett, this play combines tropical vibes and feel-good humor with a collection of the singer-songwriter’s most beloved hits.



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.


Vivid

Vivid Summer Solos: My Name is Lucy Barton

Wednesday, July 16, 2025 @ 6:30pm
Visual Arts Center of New Jersey
68 Elm Street, Summit, NJ 07901
category: theatre


 

The

The Mallard

Thursday, July 17, 2025 @ 7:30pm
Premiere Stages - Bauer Boucher Theatre Center
1000 Morris Avenue, Union, NJ 07083
category: theatre


 

The

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

Friday, July 18, 2025 @ 7:00pm
Middletown Arts Center
36 Church Street, Middletown, NJ 07748
category: theatre


 

The

The Mallard

Friday, July 18, 2025 @ 7:30pm
Premiere Stages - Bauer Boucher Theatre Center
1000 Morris Avenue, Union, NJ 07083
category: theatre


 

Good

Good Riddance; A Gnarly Murder Mystery Dinner, Dude!

Friday, July 18, 2025 @ 6:00pm
Carteret Performing Arts Center
46 Washington Ave, Carteret, NJ 07008
category: theatre