By John Posada
originally published: 07/06/2023
(MAPLEWOOD, NJ) -- “No matter how old you get, love, longing, jealousy, and hope remain constant” -- Sunset Park by award-winning writer Joseph Vitale kicks off the Summer Season at The Theater Project, a leading incubator for rising talent and a showcase for New Jersey artists. The company is returning to Maplewood’s Burgdorff Cultural Center, with a packed schedule of new and lesser-known work. Photographer John Posada was on hand to take photos.
Sunset Park, performing July 6-16, consists of four intertwining stories about growing older and coming to terms with the changes in our lives. The play was a finalist in the 2022 NY Theatre Festival, with cast members Michael Bias (Bergenfield, NJ) and Sue-Ellen Mandell (Nyack, NY) receiving nominations for best actor and actress.
“It is said that childhood is its own country,” said Vitale, “and in many ways so is getting older. We cross an invisible barrier of sorts and suddenly have to deal with things we’ve never had to deal with before, physically and emotionally. I wanted to write a play about what changes in the human spirit as we age and what remains the same.”
The cast also includes Valerie Stack Dodge (Morris Township), Gary Glor (Union), Becca McLarty (Montclair) and Jack Coggins (Hoboken). The play is directed by Theater Project artistic director Mark Spina (Union).
“We are very proud to count Joe Vitale among our workshop member playwrights,” said Spina.
Vitale, a finalist for the 2020 Woodward-Newman drama prize and recipient of a NJ Council on the Arts fellowship in playwriting, is the author of a number of plays, including Dragons in the Crease, which was performed at New York’s Hudson Guild Theater in 2019. Murrow, a one-man show about the life of Edward R. Murrow (called “a dramatic masterpiece” by the Huffington Post), was performed Off-Off Broadway in 2016. His one-acts have been performed around the country, and his play The Interpreter, about the Nuremberg Trials, was produced by The Theater Project. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild.
Tickets range from $20-$32 and are available for purchase online. The Burgdorff Center for the Arts is located at 10 Durand Road in Maplewood, New Jersey.
Made possible by funds from the Essex County Division of Cultural Affairs, and the New Jersey Arts and Cultural Renewal Fund, show times are Thursday-Saturday at 8:00pm with a 2:00pm Sunday matinee. Sunset and Miss Abigail will feature post-show ‘talkbacks’ each Friday night while Kabaret will have meet-and-greets after each performance.
Here are more photos from the production.
The Theater Project, which received another prestigious National Endowment for the Arts grant in 2021, has gained regional and national recognition for its ongoing projects including its annual Young Playwrights Competition, ARK (Actors Reading with Kids) program, the Think Fast short play competition—which attracted writers from throughout the county.
The Theater Project—a 501(c)3 non-profit, professional theater producing off-Broadway quality shows for New Jersey audiences—is offering a multi-show FlexPass as well as discounted pricing for students and seniors. Single ticket prices are $32 for general admission, $25 for seniors and students. Senior Sunday prices—the first Sunday of each play performance—are $20. FlexPasses are $75 for a three-play pass and $55 for a two-play pass
About the author: John Posada is a New Jersey based photographer specializing in photographing live theatre and music performances. Currently, John has spent the last 6 years concentrating on photographing almost 400 theater productions at over 70 different NJ theatres. Click here for John's website.
EVENT PREVIEWS
Nutley Little Theatre presents "The Worst Fairy Tale Ever"
(NUTLEY, NJ) -- The Narrator is ready to start the show, but how is that supposed to happen when nobody else in the cast has read the script and the costumes haven't even arrived yet? Children, families, and the young at heart will find out when Nutley Little Theatre presents The Worst Fairy Tale Ever by Todd Wallinger July 25-26, 2026.
The Theater Project presents Kaleidoscope Kabaret
(UNION, NJ) -- Kaleidoscope Kabaret (that's Kabaret with a K), The Theater Project's annual festival of live music and short comedic plays, will liven up the stage of DMK Black Box Theatre in Union Township's new Arts Center from July 24-26, 2026.
Aspire Performing Arts presents Disney's "Descendants: The Musical"
(MONTVILLE, NJ) -- Aspire Performing Arts Company, an award-winning performing arts company based in Wayne, will present Disney's Descendants: The Musical from July 24-26, 2026 at the Barn Theatre in Montville. The production features two casts of young performers and is directed by Joey Nasta with musical direction by Shannen Lynn and choreography by Charlize Dominguez.
Mile Square Theatre presents "Urinetown: The Musical"
(HOBOKEN, NJ) -- Mile Square Theatre (MST) is proud to present its first-ever Pre-Professional Theatre Program production, Urinetown: The Musical, book and lyrics by Greg Kotis, music and lyrics by Mark Hollmann. The entire production is led by a team of professionals - the assistants and cast are all young artists ages 18 to 25, based in Hudson County and from across North and Central New Jersey. The production runs from Friday, July 24 through Sunday, July 26, 2026.
Country Gate Players presents "The Addams Family Musical" (Youth Production)
(BELVIDERE, NJ) -- Country Gate Players presents The Addams Family Musical (Youth Production) from July 24-26, 2026. This is the spectacular culminating production of their 2026 Summer Youth Performance Workshop.
Award-Winning "5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche" Returns for One-Day Fundraising Preview Before Edinburgh Fringe Debut
(GARWOOD, NJ) -- Before taking their award-winning production to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland this August, Cheese Platter Productions will present one final hometown performance, and one final opportunity for audiences to help send the company overseas.
Woodbridge Community Players present "9 to 5, The Musical"
(WOODBRIDGE, NJ) -- The Woodbridge Community Players present 9 to 5, The Musical from July 23-26, 2026 at The Theater at Woodbridge Middle School. Three unlikely friends take control of their office and learn there is nothing they can't do, even in a man's world.
The 1964 Civil Rights Act Takes Center Stage with "All The Way" at Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey on July 27th
(MADISON, NJ) -- The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (STNJ) continues its acclaimed Revolutionary Voices play reading series with Robert Schenkkan's Tony Award-winning drama All the Way on Monday, July 27, 2026 at 7:30pm at the F. M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre on the campus of Drew University. This special one-night-only event brings together an exceptional cast to dramatize one of the most pivotal periods in American history.
Mystic Vision Players presents "Seussical, the Musical"
(LINDEN, NJ) -- Mystic Vision Players presents Seussical, the Musical across two weekends from July 24 through August 1, 2026 in the Susan L. Hudak Auditorium inside Linden High School. The musical features a Book by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty; Music by Stephen Flaherty; and Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens. It was Co-Conceived by Eric Idle and Based on the Works of Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss).
The Road Company presents "The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition"
(WILLIAMSTOWN, NJ) -- The Road Company presents The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition from July 30 through August 1, 2026. This is a 60-minute, kid-friendly stage adaptation of the classic 1939 film. It follows Dorothy Gale and her dog Toto as a tornado sweeps them to Oz. Joined by new friends, Dorothy must outsmart the Wicked Witch to ask the Wizard for a way home.
FEATURED EVENTS
