(TRENTON, NJ) -- In anticipation of its forty-first season providing socially conscious live theater in the New Jersey state capital, Passage Theatre Company is excited to share further details of programming, theme, and scheduling coming this fall and beyond.
Season 41: Not Afraid marks a bold declaration of identity, resilience, and artistic ambition for Passage Theatre Company. In a time when the world feels adrift and institutions everywhere face uncertainty, Passage stands firm—not waiting to be rescued, but forging its own way forward. Season 41 draws its title and spirit from the song "Not Afraid” by The Suffers, echoing a defiant refusal to be silenced or sidelined.
From the brink of closure just two years ago, Passage has emerged stronger than ever—expanding its community partnerships, rebranding its core programs, and deepening its commitment to Trenton’s most underrepresented voices. As always, Passage strives to make professional theatre accessible and relevant to the disenfranchised populations of Trenton and greater Mercer County, centering the stories, struggles, and triumphs of communities too often left out of the American stage.
The season opens with a radical new staging of Amiri Baraka’s groundbreaking plays Dutchman and The Slave, presented as Act I and Act II of the same play, under the direction of longtime collaborator and Passage artist-in-residence Ozzie Jones. These provocative works examine the descent of Western civilization into madness, exploring race and identity across time, space, and relationship—from the fevered intensity of youth to the raw aftermath of divorce.
They close the season with Muleheaded, or Zora and Langston write a play, a vibrant world premiere by David Robson, author of Blues In My Soul, that brings to life the brilliant but turbulent creative friendship between Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes. Both a love story and a cautionary tale, Muleheaded challenges us to consider how we heal after the dream is deferred and the history is rewritten.
Season 41: Not Afraid, Passage Theatre invites audiences to confront the past, reimagine the future, and walk through uncharted waters together with courage—not only to bear witness but to believe.
Passage’s mainstage performances in Season 41 will run Wednesday through Sunday at the Mill Hill Playhouse in downtown Trenton, with matinee performances at 2:00pm on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday and evening performances at 7:00pm on Thursday and Friday. Dutchman and The Slave will run October 30 through November 16, 2025 and Muleheaded will run for 3 weeks in February.
Season subscriptions to Passage Theatre’s 41st Season include admission to both of the mainstage performances, as well as additional programming to be announced throughout the year. The first of this additional programming included with a season subscription is a pop-up performance of Because You’re Mine—a two-night concert of iconic country duets and love songs by Matt Cusack and Allison Kelly on August 1 and 2, 2025, beginning at 7:00pm both nights.
Tickets are available for purchase online.
Passage Theatre Company is committed to creating and producing socially relevant plays and arts programming that deeply resonate with and reflect their community. Through professional productions, educational programs, and community engagement, we present diverse voices that inspire audiences and invigorate the art of live theatre.
