(CAMDEN, NJ) -- South Camden Theatre Company returns in April with the regional premiere of Terminus by Gabriel Jason Dean. The play will be directed by Connie Norwood. She is excited to be "back home" taking the reins of what the New York Times says is, "A tale of Southern Gothic horror where fantasy and reality, past and present, freely intermingle." Terminus opens April 22 and runs through May 8, 2022.
Terminus is the story of Eller, a white matriarch played by Equity actress Dawn Varava, and her mixed-race grandson, Jaybo, played by Oliver Feaster. They live together in a ramshackle house down by the railroad tracks in rural Georgia. Their unique love has seen them through, but when Eller’s mind begins to fade, her violent past in the segregated South haunts her from the very walls of the old family home. It’s a show that metaphorically asks, how are white Americans haunted by and continually complicit in the sustained trauma against black Americans?
South Camden Theatre Company's new Interim Artistic Director, Dawn Varava, an equity actor and former music and theatre teacher, has worked wonders pulling together their 17th season of productions in this post-pandemic period. She’s also excited to be appearing in the lead role in Terminus, under a special appearance contract through Actors' Equity Association.
Dawn stated, “I am delighted to be back at work, both as a member of the creative team and onstage with my cherished South Camden Theatre Company.” She also stated about her role in Terminus, “I am both honored and profoundly moved to be entrusted with such a thought-provoking and challenging role and to help launch future Equity appearances on our stage.”
Following the summer, South Camden Theatre Company returns to the stage in September of 2022 with the regional premiere of A Good Farmer by Sharyn Rothstein (By The Water, 2018). This moving drama is laced with humor and heartache. A Good Farmer is the story of two women — a farm owner and her unlikely best friend, an illegal Mexican immigrant, fighting to survive in a small town divided by America’s immigration battle. Scott Grumling will direct this story of love, friendship and finding the power to face what divides us. This show will be on stage September 9— September 25, 2022.
The season continnues with Incorruptible, a lightning-fast farce, rich in both verbal and physical humor by Michael Hollinger of Philadelphia, This piece was originally produced at the Arden Theatre. It’s a show that is even more in tune with the times today than when it world-premiered. Incorruptible will be directed by Drucie McDaniel and will run October 28 — November 13, 2022.
The company is also working to obtain streaming rights for The Brothers Size by Tarell Alvin McCraney. This is a tough and tender drama expressing what it means to brother and be “brothered.” Damien J. Wallace will direct this story filled with flights of poetry, music, dance and West African mythology. This contemporary tale explores the tenuousness of freedom and the need to belong somewhere, too something, and to someone.
Performances take place Friday & Saturday evenings at 8:00pm with Sunday matinée performances at 2:00pm. Learn more about each show at www.southcamdentheatre.org. Tickets are available for the full season now. General admission is $20. There is a Camden Resident ticket available for $5 thanks to a grant from Holman Enterprises.
South Camden Theatre Company is proud to call Camden home. When the company was founded in 2005, performances were held in the basement theatre of the Sacred Heart Church. They are now the proud owners of The Waterfront South Theatre, the first, free-standing theatre built for live theatre in Camden in more than 100 years.
South Camden Theatre Company was selected by PNC Bank to participate in PNC Arts Alive again for their next two seasons. Just over 40 organizations in the Philadelphia and Southern, New Jersey region, were selected for bold thinking around increasing arts access and engagement.
“We’ve long recognized just how vital the arts and cultural sector is to our community. The PNC team is once again excited to support the arts and cultural organizations visual and performing arts in the Delaware Valley,” said Joe Meterchick, PNC regional president for Philadelphia, Delaware and Southern New Jersey. “Arts and culture strengthen the local economy and have the power to bring people together. As we look forward to resuming everyday activities, we invite our neighbors to join us and be a part of art.” Read more here.
South Camden Theatre Company shows are also sponsored in part by Holman Enterprise Group, Camden County Cultural & Heritage Commission at Camden County College and Subaru.
The Waterfront South neighborhood is a growing arts community. Our arts neighbors now include Camden FireWorks, artist studio spaces, and gallery, The Nick Virgilio Writer’s House, Mighty Writers, Bee Still Studios, The Camden Shipyard & Maritime Museum, Camden Boat Works, and the Center For Environmental Transformation, along with The Heart of Camden, The Camden Sophisticated Sisters, and The Sacred Heart Church.
