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Bernie Wagenblast talks with playwright Mike Burdick on Cranford Radio podcast

Published by New Jersey Stage

originally published: 06/04/2023

(CRANFORD, NJ) -- Bernie Wagenblast talks with playwright Mike Burdick on an episode of the Cranford Radio podcast. His creation, Mike Burdick’s Stages of Madness, will be at Cranford Dramatic Club (CDC Theatre) for performances June 15-17, 2023.

The last production put on at the Cranford Dramatic Club was the popular In the Heights. This show, which will have a much different feel, is a two-act production.  The first show is Mercy Killing, described as a dark comedy. The second act is Rock, Paper, Scissors and a Simple Twisted Fate, a comedy farce.

Click here for the podcast.

Mike Burdick

Note: The tone of this production stretches from dark comedy to absolutely absurd. May not be suitable for all audiences.

Mercy Killing - This dark comedy tells the tale of a successful contract killer leading a double life who must come to terms with her actions through an excruciating interaction with her dysfunctional family. The cast includes Jill Mesonas (GIRL), Hannah Federman (OTHER), Leslie Williams Ellis (MOM), and Jim Walsh (GUY).




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Rock, Paper, Scissors and a Simple Twisted Fate - In this deliciously absurd comedy, a man sentenced to death for making a negative comment on the internet attempts to escape his fate and ends up suffering a demented and hilarious journey through a reimagining of Dante’s Inferno. The cast includes Sean E. Lough (TEMPLETON), Debra Lynch (MISS BLACK/CAT), Joe Leo (BARNABY THE A.T.D./GREEN FOX/DISGRUNTLED STAGEHAND), and Sean Kelly (BUCK/DOG/THE GREAT PENGUIN).

Tickets to the CDC Theatre production are available for purchase online. CDC Theatre is located at 78 Winans Avenue in Cranford, New Jersey.




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EVENT PREVIEWS

(METUCHEN, NJ) -- Ferrell Studios Community Theatre, a nonprofit theatre organization serving Central New Jersey, announces its upcoming production of Merrily We Roll Along, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth. The production will close the company's 2025-26 season, themed "Our Time," with five performances at St. Luke's Episcopal Church Auditorium in Metuchen, NJ from August 20-23, 2026.

Ritz Theatre Company presents 2026 One-Act Play Festival

(HADDON TOWNSHIP, NJ) -- The Ritz Theatre Company presents their 2026 One-Act Play Festival from August 28-29. The festival features one-act comedies from practicing and promised playwrights from around the world!

Brundage Park Playhouse presents "Anything Goes"

(RANDOLPH, NJ) -- Brundage Park Playhouse presents Anything Goes across two weekends from August 21-30, 2026. Set sail aboard the S.S. America before the end of summer with a dazzling production of the classic musical comedy.
McCarter Theatre presents the Octopus Theatricals Production of "All The Devils Are Here"

McCarter Theatre presents the Octopus Theatricals Production of "All The Devils Are Here"

(PRINCETON, NJ) -- McCarter Theatre presents the Octopus Theatricals Production of All The Devils Are Here from August 19-30, 2026.  Learn how Shakespeare invented the villain in a play created and performed by Patrick Page. The production is directed by Simon Godwin.

George Street Playhouse presents "Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares"

(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- George Street Playhouse presents Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares - a comedy show with original songs from August 26-30, 2026. Direct from an acclaimed run at Edinburgh Fringe and two sold-out Off-Broadway engagements comes this one-woman comedy show from the mind of Tony Award® winner Laura Benanti.
Surflight Theatre presents "1776, the Musical"

Surflight Theatre presents "1776, the Musical"

(BEACH HAVEN, NJ) -- Witness the birth of a nation as our forefathers struggle to craft the Declaration of Independence when Surflight Theatre presents 1776, the Musical from August 18-30, 2026.

Spring Lake Theatre Company presents "Last Out: Elegy of a Green Beret"

(SPRING LAKE, NJ) -- Spring Lake Theatre Company presents two performances of Last Out: Elegy of a Green Beret from August 29-30, 2026. This is a one-act play from the experiences of America's longest war, blending heartfelt storytelling with a unique cast of combat veterans and military family members.
Bell Theater at Bell Works presents Broadway Sings for Aaron Lazar on August 31

Bell Theater at Bell Works presents Broadway Sings for Aaron Lazar on August 31

(HOLMDEL, NJ) -- In 2022, as the world was finally coming out of COVID-19, Aaron Lazar was invited to return to the stage to lead the cast of The Bridges of Madison County, playing opposite Kate Baldwin at the Axelrod Performing Arts Center in Deal. Just days into rehearsal, Lazar received a diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, a progressive neurological disease with no known cure. Thus began Lazar's "extraordinary" journey.
Light Opera of New Jersey to Hold Auditions for "Amahl and The Night Visitors"

Light Opera of New Jersey to Hold Auditions for "Amahl and The Night Visitors"

(BASKING RIDGE, NJ) -- Light Opera of New Jersey will hold auditions for Amahl and the Night Visitors, a heartwarming holiday opera, on August 27th and September 3rd from 7:00pm to 10:00pm. Callbacks will be on September 5th from 2:00pm to 5:00pm. Auditions will be in Basking Ridge. Registrants will be advised of exact location after registering. All roles are opened and paid.

Haddonfield Plays & Players presents "Marrying George Clooney: Confessions from a Midlife Crisis"

(HADDONFIELD, NJ) -- What happens when fantasy meets 50-something reality? Find out when Haddonfield Plays & Players presents Marrying George Clooney: Confessions from a Midlife Crisis from September 4-6, 2026. This is a sharp-witted, satirical play written by Amy Ferris and adapted from her best-selling memoir.
 

FEATURED EVENTS


All The Devils Are Here

Wednesday, August 19, 2026 @ 7:30pm
McCarter Theatre Center (Berlind Theatre)
91 University Place, Princeton, NJ


All The Devils Are Here

Thursday, August 20, 2026 @ 7:30pm
McCarter Theatre Center (Berlind Theatre)
91 University Place, Princeton, NJ


All The Devils Are Here

Friday, August 21, 2026 @ 7:00pm
McCarter Theatre Center (Berlind Theatre)
91 University Place, Princeton, NJ


All The Devils Are Here

Saturday, August 22, 2026 @ 2:00pm
McCarter Theatre Center (Berlind Theatre)
91 University Place, Princeton, NJ


All The Devils Are Here

Saturday, August 22, 2026 @ 7:30pm
McCarter Theatre Center (Berlind Theatre)
91 University Place, Princeton, NJ



 

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