THEATRE FEATURES

A Special Reading of "Whittier," New Docudrama by TyLie Shider, Inaugural Playwright in ArtYard Artist Residency Program

by Christopher Benincasa, JerseyArts.com
published 2022-05-16
This Saturday, May 21, theatergoers are invited to join ArtYard in Frenchtown for a reading of Whittier, a new docudrama by TyLie Shider. Whittier is a neighborhood in Minneapolis, close to where the murder of George Floyd took place. Shider’s new play follows residents of Whittier grappling with that tragedy, as well as the stresses of life during the lockdown of 2020. A playwright, poet, and journalist, TyLie Shider is also the inaugural playwright in ArtYard’s artist residency program, curated by Deonté Griffin-Quick. We spoke with Shider, Quick, and director Andrew Binger about bringing Whittier to the stage.

A Frightening, Thrilling and Highly Pleasing Ride through a Theatrical Amusement Park in Princeton

by Bruce Chadwick
published 2022-05-16
When was the last time you went to the Six Flags amusement park, or New York’s Coney Island? Or any amusement park anywhere? The last time you rode a roller coaster that whipped you up into the sky and back down again, your mouth wide open in a high-pitched scream, your hands and arms waving mightily in the air? All of your nerves tingling and jangling?

"A Walk on the Moon" in the Summer of 1969

by Karen Nowosad
published 2022-05-13
There continues to be new joys each week as live theater comes back. Such is the situation at New Brunswick’s George Street Playhouse where a wonderful new show is now playing through May 21, 2022. A Walk on the Moon is a musical based on the 1999 movie of the same name. The story takes you back to the summer of 1969 when two significant events occurred as America’s involvement in the Vietnam War was still taking place.

Get to know the artists behind "Whittier"

by Tylie Shider
published 2022-05-13
(FRENCHTOWN, NJ) -- ArtYard presents a staged reading of Whittier by Tylie Shider at its McDonnell Theater on Saturday, May 21, 2022 at 4:00pm. Whittier is a contemporary docudrama that follows a diverse community of neighbors quarantined in Whittier, Minneapolis, days after the murder of George Floyd. This multimedia docudrama is inspired by the graffiti, lawn signs, and murals created in protest of Floyd’s murder. The piece is adapted from focus groups, interviews, and small talks the playwright conducted with neighbors, small business owners, and community leaders of faith during the 2020 uprisings in his neighborhood.

Review of "A Walk on the Moon" at George Street Playhouse

by Charles Paolino
published 2022-05-10
If you’ve wondered what is possible for the George Street Playhouse in its new home, wonder no more. A Walk on the Moon, the final show of the season, answers the question to a fare-thee-well.