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"The Shot" Reveals Historic Washington Post CEO Katharine Graham's Harrowing History


By Maddie Orton, JerseyArts.com

originally published: 03/24/2023


During her tenure as President of The Washington Post, Katharine Graham published the Pentagon Papers, ran the Watergate story and served as the first female CEO of a Fortune 500 company, but her journey to career success was a traumatic one.

Robin Gerber’s play The Shot, coming to New Jersey Repertory Company April 6-23, reveals the harrowing events that led to Graham taking the helm, including a history of domestic abuse and her husband’s suicide.

Host Maddie Orton speaks with playwright Robin Gerber, director/dramaturg Michelle Joyner, and star Sharon Lawrence (Joe Pickett, On Becoming a God in Central Florida, NYPD Blue, Grey’s Anatomy) about creating The Shot.

Please note, this conversation includes a discussion of partner abuse and suicide, so listen with care.




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About the author: Maddie Orton is an Emmy-winning journalist and documentary filmmaker. She has worked on several PBS shows including: "Take on Fake," "NJTV News," "MetroFocus," "WLIW Arts Beat," and "Treasures of New York." A life-long theater lover, Maddie created the documentary "I Can't... I Have Rehearsal," exploring New Jersey's arts education through high school musicals. She studied theater and American Studies at Rutgers University, and lives in the great Garden State with her husband and kiddo.

Content provided by Discover Jersey Arts, a project of the ArtPride New Jersey Foundation and New Jersey State Council on the Arts.




EVENT PREVIEWS

(HACKETTSTOWN, NJ) -- Centenary Stage Company presents a staged reading of Big Money by Lauren Ferebee on Wednesday, April 1, 2026 at 7:00pm in the Sitnik Theatre as part of its Women Playwrights Series (WPS). This is a sharp and timely new play that dives into the high-stakes world of advertising, ambition, and moral compromise.
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Who Is Karen Andre? Ruth Stage Brings Ayn Rand's "Night of January 16th" to Asbury Park!

(ASBURY PARK, NJ) -- Ruth Stage continues its residency at the Jersey Shore Arts Center with Night of January 16th, presented from April 2-4, 2026. This follows the company's acclaimed productions of Edward Albee's The Zoo Story and At Home at the Zoo. In Ayn Rand's gripping courtroom drama, Karen Andre stands accused of murdering her powerful and enigmatic lover, Bjorn Faulkner.
Passage Theatre Company to Hold Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for The Larry Hilton Stage on April 8th

Passage Theatre Company to Hold Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for The Larry Hilton Stage on April 8th

(TRENTON, NJ) -- Passage Theatre Company is proud to host the naming of the Mill Hill Playhouse stage, to forevermore be known as "The Larry Hilton Stage," in honor of great donor, patron, producer and friend of the company Lawrence M. Hilton. Mr. Hilton was a beacon for Passage Theatre for nearly 40 years and a steward for all art, music, theater, and education in his hometown of Trenton, NJ.
Lewis Center for the Arts

Lewis Center for the Arts' Program in Theater & Music Theater presents "The Comeuppance" by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins

(PRINCETON, NJ) -- The Lewis Center for the Arts' Program in Theater and Music Theater at Princeton University presents The Comeuppance by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning playwright and Princeton alumnus Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Class of 2006. Performances take place April 3-4 and April 10 at 8:00pm and April 11 at 2:00pm & 8:00pm at the Berlind Theatre at McCarter Theatre Center.
"It

"It's Never Too Late," A New Musical Exploring Hope and Second Chances, Debuts at Kelsey Theatre in April

(WEST WINDSOR, NJ) -- The power of hope, reinvention, and second chances takes the stage when Theater To Go presents the world premiere, limited engagement of the new Lou DiPietro musical It's Never Too Late, across two weekends from April 3–12, 2026 at the Kelsey Theatre on the Mercer County Community College West Windsor Campus.
Brundage Park Playhouse presents "Titanic, The Musical"

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(RANDOLPH, NJ) -- Brundage Park Playhouse presents Titanic, The Musical from April 9-12, 2026. Epic and majestic, with moments of heartbreaking intimacy, Titanic captures the triumph and tragedy of the hopeful passengers on the ill-fated Ship of Dreams.
Roundtable Theater Company presents "Jagged Little Pill"

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(FAIR LAWN, NJ) -- Roundtable Theater Company presents the Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical Jagged Little Pill from April 9-12, 2026 at the George Frey Center for Performing Arts in the Fair Lawn Community Center. Set in modern-day Connecticut, this contemporary musical utilizes the genius of Alanis Morissette's 1995 album of the same name to tackle some of today's most important issues.
Centenary Stage Company presents 2026 Women Playwrights Series in April

Centenary Stage Company presents 2026 Women Playwrights Series in April

(HACKETTSTOWN, NJ) -- Centenary Stage Company presents the 2026 Women Playwrights Series (WPS) across three Wednesdays from April 1-15. This year's series will feature staged readings of Big Money by Lauren Ferebee; Breeders by Megan Campisi; and Not It! by Kathleen Coudle-King.
RVCC to Present Student Theatre Production of "The Wolves"

RVCC to Present Student Theatre Production of "The Wolves"

(BRANCHBURG, NJ) -- Raritan Valley Community College's Arts & Design department will present The Wolves by Sarah DeLappe, April 15-17, 2026 at 7:00pm each night The performances, which are free of charge and open to the public, will be held in the Welpe Theatre at the College's Branchburg campus.
Bridgewater-Raritan High School Theatre Arts presents "Little Shop of Horrors"

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(BRIDGEWATER, NJ) -- Bridgewater-Raritan High School Theatre Arts presents Little Shop of Horrors from April 16–18, 2026, in the Bridgewater-Raritan High School Auditorium. This cult-favorite musical comedy features a book and lyrics by Howard Ashman and music by Alan Menken, and tells the delightfully dark story of a shy flower shop assistant who discovers a mysterious plant with an insatiable appetite.

 

UPCOMING EVENTS






 

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