(SUMMIT, NJ) -- Vivid Stage presents Summer Solos readings on Wednesdays from July 6-27 at 6:30pm at the Visual Arts Center of NJ at 68 Elm Street in Summit. In its ninth year, the series provides audiences with an opportunity for entertainment at an affordable price, while also introducing them to highly personal works performed by professional actors.  Performances in the series will take place on the lawn of the Arts Center. Patrons are invited to bring chairs or blankets and a picnic dinner. The rain location for all performances is the Oakes Center at 120 Morris Avenue, Summit, NJ.  

On Wednesday, July 6, 2022 at 6:30pm, Harriett Trangucci will perform Accidentally Brave by Maddie Corman. Courageous, daring, and unflinchingly honest, this is an inspiring true story about discovering a new normal when the familiar world falls apart, a must-see examination of what it means to navigate a world with no certainty. This profoundly personal play challenges perceptions, captivates audiences, and sparks an emotionally charged discussion that will leave you wondering: What would I do?

The following Wednesday, July 13, 2022 at 6:30pm, Daria M. Sullivan will perform Hopper by John Maclay. A storyteller arrives to tell a story about a one-legged girl, true love, and a virus. It's an unusual ride filled with humor, heart, and tragedy. The right play for right now.

On Wednesday, July 20, 2022 at 6:30pm, Scott McGowan will perform Polar Bears by David Templeton. A father, sorting through boxes in his attic at Christmas time, spontaneously recalls one whopper of a true story (based on the playwright's life), involving his lifetime obsession with Santa Claus, his desperate attempts to keep his kids believing after a tragedy strikes his family, and his realization that sometimes lies, even those told in love, can backfire in unpredictable ways.

On Wednesday, July 27, 2022 at 6:30pm, Emaline Williams will perform Bible Adventure Park by Erin Mallon. In this unorthodox adventure, a 17-year-old tour guide, Muriel, leads the audience on an immersive journey at a religious theme park. Audience members become the guests on the tour as they experience all the park’s adventures inspired by stories from the Bible in what will be an alternately fun and disturbing ride.

Tickets for all Summer Solos are $20 and can be purchased in advance at https://www.vividstage.org/2022-summer-solos. The Visual Arts Center of NJ is located at 68 Elm Street in Summit, and free parking is available. All shows begin at 6:30pm, and the rain location is the same date and time at Oakes Center.  

Vivid Stage, in residence at Oakes Center at 120 Morris Avenue in Summit, was founded in 1994 as Dreamcatcher Rep.  It is a non-profit professional ensemble of actors who build community with the audience by sharing contemporary, life-affirming stories that challenge, energize and entertain. Their work has at its heart a belief in the essential goodness of people and the power of live performance to connect people through our shared humanity. They expose theatregoers to ideas and lives like and unlike their own with the intention of awakening their imaginations and creating empathy for others. They deepen the experience of all our patrons with personal contact through receptions, talkbacks, and interactive programs. The company’s activities include mainstage productions, improvisational comedy and cabarets, new play readings and a variety of educational and senior outreach programs.

Vivid Stage’s programs are funded by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, and many other corporations, foundations and individuals.  Vivid Stage is an Equity Producing member of the New Jersey Theatre Alliance.

Vivid Stage, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) corporation, incorporated under the laws of the State of New Jersey.

Image by Yolanda Fundora