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Gilbert and Sullivan’s H.M.S. Pinafore

Friday, July 31, 2026 @ 7:00pm



Grunin Center - Main Stage
1 College Drive, Toms River, NJ 08754

Gilbert and Sullivan’s wildly popular operetta H.M.S. Pinafore has delighted audiences with a nautically tinged story of star-crossed lovers.

The gentlemanly Captain Corcoran of the good ship Pinafore has a daughter, Josephine, who is in love with a lowly but gallant sailor named Ralph “Rafe” Rackstraw. The Captain forbids the marriage, wanting to match Josephine instead with the well-bred Sir Joseph, First Lord of the Admiralty. In the meantime, the Captain finds himself in nearly the same position as his daughter: his former nanny, Little Buttercup, falls in love with him, but he hesitates to reciprocate due to his higher social rank. The whole situation is turned on its head when Little Buttercup reveals a game-changing secret she has kept for decades.

Come see the fully costumed and fully orchestrated Jersey Shore Light Opera production as tradition staged and newly produced.

Jersey Shore Light Opera (JSLO) is a veteran-managed company providing theater and musical performances and arts education to the local community. Our company operates as a Not-for-profit, tax-exempt, 501(c)3 organization. We have a close association with Our Lady of Perpetual Help Byzantine Catholic Church in Toms River, which includes rental of rehearsal and office space; however, JSLO is a separate non-sectarian and secular entity. Our goal is to produce the works of Gilbert and Sullivan, Operetta, and Golden Age Musicals in each season of the year. Soon, our community theater company will be supplemented by members of Actors’ Equity, the union for professional actors and stage managers. We are working to formulate a letter of agreement. JSLO will continue to employ union and non-union actors in the future.

Events marked as “Rental Presenter” are presented by a Rental Presenter – an individual and/or organization renting our theater. The presenter determines ticket prices, program content, and other event details.




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EVENT PREVIEWS

Princeton

Princeton Summer Theater Announces 2026 Season

(PRINCETON, NJ) -- Princeton Summer Theater has unveiled its 2026 subscription season which will run from June 11th to August 1st, featuring an exciting lineup of three mainstage pieces and a family-friendly musical. Productions include Barefoot in the Park, The 39 Steps, True West, and You're a Good Man Charlie Brown.



Crossroads

Crossroads Theatre Company presents "Sizwe Banzi Is Dead"

(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- Crossroads Theatre Company presents Sizwe Bansi Is Dead from May 19 - June 14, 2026 at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center. This is a powerful, funny, and deeply moving story about identity, survival, and the extraordinary ingenuity of ordinary people navigating an unjust system.



Zoopraxic

Zoopraxic presents "In the Devil's Hands" by Helen Banner

(LONG ISLAND, NY) -- In the Devil's Hands, Helen Banner's riveting new play will extend its run to 21 performances running between May 20 and June 14, 2026. Set in the Channel Islands in the 1940s, this intimate and immersive production will have its world premiere at the new micro theatre space Zoopraxic in Long Island City (first stop in Queens).



"Slanted

"Slanted Floors" returns to its Greenpoint Apartment

(NEW YORK, NY) -- Following critical acclaim and sold-out performances, Slanted Floors — hailed by the Daily Beast as "one of New York's most unique and exclusive pieces of theatre" — returns for a strictly limited five-week engagement in its original Greenpoint apartment setting. Performances will run May 26 through June 26, 2026, with 150 seats available.



Arden

Arden Theatre Company presents "Dear Evan Hansen"

(PHILADELPHIA, PA) -- Arden Theatre Company brings the Tony Award-winning musical, Dear Evan Hansen, to the F. Otto Haas Stage this spring. Featuring a book by Steven Levenson and music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the production is directed by Terrence J. Nolen and co-conceived by Jorge Cousineau and Nolen. Performances begin May 21, the show opens May 27, and runs through July 5, 2026.






 

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BlowUpRadio.com's New & Notable NJ Music 6/1/26

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This Week in Music

Here is a look at shows taking place this week along with our featured listings and a look at some upcoming shows. New Jersey Stage offers previews of concerts throughout the Garden State as well as select shows in New York City and Philadelphia areas