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Vivid Solos: Everything's Fine by Douglas McGrath

Wednesday, July 19, 2023 @ 6:30pm



Visual Arts Center of New Jersey
68 Elm Street, Summit, NJ 07901

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Vivid Stage presents this reading series on the lawn outside the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey.  Bring a comfy lawn chair and your favorite snack to enjoy a summer eve with us.

Everything's Fine by Douglas McGrath

Featuring Harry Patrick Christian; Directed by Laura Ekstrand

As Douglas McGrath remembers it, he had a pretty idyllic childhood. Growing up in Midland, Texas, in the 1970s, he rides his bike around town, hangs out with his best friend Eddie, and eats at Texas Burger every chance he gets. But once he starts eighth grade, his new teacher challenges his outlook on life and what he can expect from it. This moving, evocative memoir play explores how we grow up, how we understand each other, and how we offer grace to those who need it most.

Douglas McGrath began his career at Saturday Night Live in what was incontestably the worst year in the show's history. He co-wrote BULLETS OVER BROADWAY with Woody Allen; their screenplay was nominated for an Academy Award. He has written and directed his own films: “Emma,” “Company Man,” “Nicholas Nickleby,” and “Infamous.” His documentary “His Way,” about the legendary music promoter and movie producer Jerry Weintraub, debuted on HBO. He also directed “I Don’t Know How She Does It” starring Sarah Jessica Parker. He has written frequently about the arts and politics for The New Republic, the New York Times, the New Yorker and Vanity Fair.




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EVENT PREVIEWS

(UNION, NJ) -- American Theater Group (ATG) presents the East Coast premiere of Destroying David at the DMK Theater at Union Arts Center from October 9-18 and at the Sieminski Theater from October 23-25, 2026. Destroying David is a thrilling, witty and heartfelt solo show about the power of art to help us through our darkest hours. The play is written and performed by Emmy Award-nominee Jason Odell Williams. ATG's new Producing Artistic Director Charlotte Cohn will direct.



(NEWARK, NJ) -- The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation (Dodge Foundation) and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) announced that Dodge Poetry, North America's largest poetry festival, will return to Newark October 15-17, 2026.



(NEWARK, NJ) -- The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) has announced the highly anticipated Def Poetry Reunion, taking place exclusively at NJPAC during the renowned Dodge Poetry Festival. The festival will run from October 15-17, 2026, with the Def Jam Poetry Reunion scheduled for Saturday, October 17th at 5:00pm, promising an unforgettable evening for poetry fans and local communities.



(NEWARK, NJ) -- New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) proudly welcomes legendary poet, musician, author and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Patti Smith for a special performance during the Dodge Poetry Festival on Friday, October 16, 2026. Returning to her home state of New Jersey, Smith brings together poetry, music and storytelling in a performance by one of the most influential creative voices of the past half-century.



(NEWARK, NJ) -- New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) presents a night of comedy with acclaimed comedian Darren Fleet on Friday, October 23, 2026 at 8:00pm. Audiences are invited to experience the unique brand of humor that has made Fleet one of the most talked-about comedians on today's entertainment scene.












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