PHOTO: left to right: Tessa Gori of Sparta and Colin O’Sullivan of Hopatcong. Photo by Tessa Gori, SCCC student
It’s the second day of creation, and the angels are hard at work creating plants, animals, fish, birds and . . . Insects. . . and every creeping thing. There’s a problem with the food chain! How do the celestial beings solve this crisis before the seventh day?
Alpha Arts Players at Sussex County Community College, the student performance group at the college, is excited to present the new play "And Every Creeping Thing," written by New Jersey Playwright Eric Craft, in development with the NJ Play Lab, and directed by Professor Allison Ognibene of Sparta. The show runs Thursday, August 3, at 7 p.m.; Friday, August 4, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, August 5, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Sussex County Community College's Student Center Theater, located in Building D. Sussex County Community College is located at One College Hill Road in Newton, NJ. Tickets are $10 for general admission and $5 for students and seniors. Tickets can be purchased online at https://sussex.simpletix.com or at the door. Please note there is use of profanity.
"And Every Creeping Thing” takes place during the first seven days of Creation. In the beginning, the angels are hard at work designing and managing logistics for Creation, but in the Department of Beasts, an unbalanced food chain threatens to destroy the world before it even starts. One little angel’s passion project may just hold the key to saving Creation, and the creatures that may just be the world’s secret hope -- Bugs. In this office comedy of biblical proportions, corporate politics clash with spiritual and artistic fulfillment in a story from before time itself.
left to right: Colin O’Sullivan and Nicolas Galloza of Hopatcong. Photo by Tessa Gori, SCCC student
This is the first summer production that Alpha Arts Players are involved with and are creating for the pure art of performing and using their skills that they learned during the past year of learning at SCCC. While Professor Allison Ognibene guided the students with different production roles, Professor Tim O’Connor helped students navigate the new projector and sound system in the student center theater. In addition to acting in the show, the Alpha Arts Players at SCCC took on the responsibilities of the different theater production positions. SCCC students involved in the production include:
Hopatcong residents Colin O’Sullivan (Entiel) and production manager, Nicolas Galloza (Terriel) and properties manager; Emily Rennie (Marina) and marketing, and Jess Dooley, graphic artist;
Lafayette resident Nicole Mezack, sound designer and operator;
Sparta residents Tessa Gori (Arachne) and social media coordinator and assistant director, Chris Fiegel (Ariel – lion, performing on Saturday matinee) and assistant stage manager;
Stillwater residents Dana Nigro (Ariel - human / eagle) and technical director, Leo Watson (Ariel – Ox) and projection designer and operator;
Vernon residents Isabella Cruz (As Empyrean) assistant director and costume designer and Catarina Cruz, lighting designer and light board operator, Michele Dester (as Ariel – lion) and stage manager.
“Sussex County Community College provides a great start for theater students and allows them to explore their craft in a beautiful setting with state-of-the art facilities,” remarked Ognibene.“One of the most significant aspects of this summer workshop was the SCCC college students met with playwright Eric Craft and asked pertinent questions pertaining to the play and his vision. What an incredible way for the students to spend the summer at SCCC!”
Eric Craft holds a B.A. in Theater Students from Montclair State University is a playwright, director, and actor proudly based in New Jersey. He has written two full-length plays and a full-length musical, “The Blank Page”, for which he wrote the book and lyrics and self-produced out of college. His play “And Every Creeping Thing” was selected for a residency with the New Jersey Play Lab in 2022. He has multiple one-act plays and monologues for young actors, including his plays “Finding the Root” and “The Struggle Bus”, among other plays.
Sussex County Community College Fall registration is open! Register for classes and get involved with the Alpha Arts Players in the Theater department! Learn more about the college by visiting https://sussex.edu.
left to right: Isabella Cruz of Vernon, Nicolas Galloza of Hopatcong and Colin O’Sullivan of Hopatcong. Photo by Tessa Gori, SCCC student
The legendary Rhode Island multi-platinum rock’n’roll group JOHN CAFFERTY & THE BEAVER BROWN BAND began their career in 1973 and achieved mainstream success in the 1980s with the “Eddie & The Cruisers – Motion Picture Soundtrack”. The hit single “ON THE DARK SIDE” held the “#1” position on the Billboard Rock charts and the MTV video charts for five consecutive weeks.
Celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary with New Jersey Ballet in a powerful evening of dance that captures the spirit, energy, innovation and resilience of the nation through the language of ballet. Red, White and Blue brings together iconic masterworks and bold contemporary voices in a program that reflects the many dimensions of the American experience while honoring New Jersey’s essential role in the fight for independence and the shaping of the nation.
“If you are looking to be blown away by raw talent, then look no further than Griffin House.” —American Songwriter
Written by and starring Vicki Lawrence
Two Performances Only
Vicki Lawrence, the legendary actress, comedian, and singer, brings her signature wit and charm to the stage in Vicki Lawrence and Mama: A Two-Woman Show. Best known for her iconic role as Thelma Harper, or "Mama," from The Carol Burnett Show and Mama’s Family, Lawrence delivers a hilarious and heartfelt performance that takes audiences on a journey through her extraordinary career. From her Emmy-winning years alongside Carol Burnett to her chart-topping hit, “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia,” she shares behind-the-scenes stories, comedy, and music—all with her trademark humor. Whether reminiscing about her Hollywood adventures or embodying the feisty Mama, Lawrence proves that laughter is timeless.
Music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison
If you’re feeling all alone in the universe – or even if you’re not – Triangle’s newest musical comedy is for you! Join us as Triangle explores what it means to have friends in high – or should we say “sky”? – places. Extraterrestrial visitors, crazy conspiracy theories, and intergalactic shenanigans power this year’s annual laugh-fest of witty jokes, lavish production numbers, and, of course, Triangle’s famous kickline. Can interplanetary goodwill blossom in the dystopian desert of our current times? Get your Triangle tickets now and learn if Roswell That Ends Well!
Catch the next generation of great jazz artists who hail from New Jersey. High school performers from across the state have been selected through a competitive audition process to participate in the NJMEA All-State Jazz Band and All-State Jazz Choir. They’ll show off their jazz prowess in this intimate (and exciting) concert co-presented by NJPAC and the New Jersey Music Educators Association.
Experience “a jazz singer of thrilling presence, a booming baritone with a gift for earthy refinement and soaring uplift” (New York Times). Gregory Porter sings with passion — and compassion — on studio albums including Liquid Spirit, Nat King Cole & Me and All Rise. This year, the two-time GRAMMY® winner celebrates a decade of his album Take Me to the Alley. It was an instant classic in 2016, jammed with gems like “Holding On,” “Don’t Lose Your Steam” and the indelible title track.
FLOYD PINK is a Pink Floyd tribute band from the New York metro area, celebrating the music of Pink Floyd.
Multi-platinum selling, Grammy nominated singer/songwriter Geoff Tate is best known for his 30-plus years as the creative and driving force behind the progressive metal band Queensryche. Since its inception with Geoff at the helm, Queensryche has sold over 20 million albums worldwide and has performed in upwards of fifty countries. Geoff is regarded as one of the most skilled vocalists in the genre with hundreds of modern, popular artists citing him and his former band as a major influence. Combining social consciousness and expertly crafted lyrics with high-energy, melodically complex music, Queensryche with Geoff Tate at the forefront became internationally recognized as the thinking man’s rock band. The band’s first three albums — their self-titled EP (1983), The Warning (1984) and Rage for Order (1986) — all hit gold status selling over 500,000 units each.
(WAYNE, NJ) -- Two hundred and fifty years ago, a group of opinionated, stubborn and deeply divided delegates gathered in Philadelphia and somehow managed to create a new nation. This November, the Theater League of Clifton brings their story to the stage with 1776, the Tony Award-winning musical about the tumultuous days leading to the Declaration of Independence. Directed by Maren Sugarman, the production will be presented November 13–15, 2026, at the Wayne Community Center.
(BOONTON, NJ) -- Lomotion Live presents Etiquette, a timely and biting comedy by playwright David Lee White, directed by Lauren Moran. The production will run November 13–15, 2026 at Lomotion Live at Parsippany Arts Center in Boonton.
(LONG BRANCH, NJ) -- What happens when we look through a window? Do we see the world as it really is, the world as we wish it could be, or something we never expected? New Jersey Repertory Company (NJ Rep) invites audiences to discover the unexpected with NJ Rep presents Theatre Brut Short Play Festival 2026: "Through The Window" a festival of eight original short plays presented over two weekends, November 13–15 and November 20–22, 2026 at the West End Arts Center in Long Branch.
(BURLINGTON, NJ) -- Bridge Players Theatre Company presents The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical weekends from November 13-28, 2026. In this musical adaptation of the funny and touching holiday classic, The Herdmans – widely known as the "worst kids in the history of the world" – crash Sunday School lured by the promise of free snacks and end up hijacking the annual church Christmas pageant!
(BRIDGETON, NJ) -- For the Whim Productions presents William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream from November 13-20, 2026 at the Ashley McCormick Theatre in the Hopeloft in Bridgeton. A whimsical comedy where fairies, lovers, actors, and our audience collide in an enchanted forest, blending magic, romance, and mischief. The production is directed by Heidi Dugan.
