Premiere Stages at Kean brings life back to the live theater community with their production of Fannie Lou Hamer, Speak on It! The show is an opportunity to once again experience live theater but do it in a CoVid safe environment. It was thrilling to go out to the grounds of the Liberty Hall Museum which is on the other side of Morris Avenue from where Premiere Stages usually performs. The transformation to outdoor theater was thoughtfully done with remarkable results.... READ ON

“In the year 2000, I moved to New York to be an actor.” So begins “Rent Control,” Evan Zes’ one-man comedy about how an Upper East Side two-bedroom he lucked into the day he arrived in the city changed his life. Only $918 a month, Zes describes finding one of the last rent-controlled apartments in New York as akin to “discovering plutonium.” He then takes the audience on a fast-paced trip through what happened next – a tale replete with shady landlords, comic roommates, and an ill-advised AirBnB scheme that almost derailed his acting career.... READ ON

Like the rest of the theatre world, East Lynne Theater Company (ELTC) in Cape May could only watch from the sideline as the season they had planned for 2020 was shelved due to the pandemic.  But they refused to go quietly.... READ ON

While the pandemic shut down theaters, companies throughout the Garden State have been presenting online play readings and productions and in front of limited audiences in recent months.  Here's a look at some shows from theatre companies throughout the state. ... READ ON

According to Chris O’Connor, founder and artistic director of Mile Square Theatre, in acting, “given circumstance” means the conditions affecting a scene. For instance, is a play taking place during a deadly pandemic? A given circumstance for theatre right now is that it usually takes place on Zoom. ... READ ON

In March of 2020, the art world came to a virtual standstill. As COVID-19 continues to affect many aspects of our lives, the theatre industry tries to figure out what the future looks like. We dropped in on Nicole Vanessa Ortiz, who was set to star in Paper Mill Playhouse's production of "Sister Act" right when the pandemic hit. We talked to her about how she's stayed creatively active during this time and what she sees for the future of theatre.... READ ON

The Hudson Theatre Works Virtual Festival kicked off earlier this month, and, so far, there’s no end in sight. Founded in 2012, Hudson Theatre Works is a Weehawken-based, nonprofit Equity theatrer committed to nurturing new voices. Their Virtual Festival is currently presenting readings of new short plays by contemporary playwrights, giving them and the actors involved an opportunity to share their work during the COVID-19 pandemic. ... READ ON

All those who thought dreamy summer evenings devoted to the Bard of Avon surrounded by outdoor greenery would be little more than a fond memory this year are in for a pleasant surprise. Thanks to timely and welcome artistic teamwork by the Englewood-based Black Box Performing Arts Center and the Old York Cellars winery in Ringoes, NJ, Shakespeare will be alive and well in a setting of lush farmland surrounded by a verdant vineyard. ... READ ON

A few weeks ago, I watched a virtual performance of The Weir produced by the Irish Repertory Theatre. It still is resonating well in my thoughts because it was such a good experience. Watching this production made me feel like I had attended a new and effective method of presenting quality plays. ... READ ON

“It must be nice… It must be nice… to have Washington on your side.” Millions of people have had that ear worm ringing through their households during the pandemic thanks to the Disney+ film of “Hamilton.” For 17 performing arts centers, including Millburn’s Paper Mill Playhouse, the man who portrayed George Washington in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s revolutionary show will be on their side with “Christopher Jackson: Live from the West Side” - a livestream concert taking place on Saturday, August 15 at 8:00 p.m.... READ ON