Here are previews of plays taking place from September 12-18, 2023 including a look at productions starting this week, those continuing this week, and those closing this week. Click on the title to go to the full preview. New Jersey Stage covers Equity, community, college, and high school theatre. Check back every week for the weekly theatre preview. Be sure to check out our new Advanced Search areas for previews and events that let you search within a period of time, region of the state, and within one genre or multiple genres of your choice.
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FEATURED EVENT PREVIEWS
Wednesday, September 13, 2023 - McCarter Theatre presents "Bulrusher" (PRINCETON, NJ) -- McCarter Theatre Center opens their 2023-2024 Theatre Series with Eisa Davis' Bulrusher, a transformational coming-of-age story filled to the brim with passion, humor, and even a touch of magic; on stage in the Berlind Theatre from September 13 – October 7, 2023. This is a co-production with Berkeley Repertory Theatre, where the production will move after its run in Princeton. Click here for a feature article on the production.
Wednesday, September 13, 2023 - Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey presents "Waiting for Godot" (MADISON, NJ) -- The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (STNJ) continues its 2023 Main Stage season with Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot. Hailed "one of the true masterpieces of the century" by the New York Times, Godot has fascinated and infuriated audiences since it burst upon the world in 1953. This funny, cruel, moving, enigmatic metaphor is "theatre of the absurd" at its most breathtaking pinnacle. The production runs from September 13 – October 1, 2023.
Friday, September 15, 2023 - South Camden Theatre Company presents "Alabama Story" (CAMDEN, NJ) -- South Camden Theatre Company presents the New Jersey and Regional premiere of Alabama Story by Kenneth Jones, weekends from September 15 through October 1, 2023. This is a play based on a true story about book banning, a librarian, a state senator, and black and white bunnies. The production is directed by Connie Norwood.
Premiere Stages at Kean presents "Selling Kabul" (UNION, NJ) -- Premiere Stages at Kean University will present the New Jersey Premiere of Sylvia Khoury's Selling Kabul September 7-24 in Kean University's Bauer Boucher Theatre Center (Vaughn Eames Hall, 1000 Morris Avenue, Union, NJ). Directed by Taylor Reynolds, Selling Kabul will feature actors Atra Asdou, Anat Cogan, Afsheen Misaghi, and Zaven Ovian.
Plays opening this week
Tuesday, September 12, 2023 - Bergen County Players to Hold Auditions for "A Christmas Carol: The Musical" (ORADELL, NJ) -- What do you get when you combine Disney's greatest composer with Dicken's classic A Christmas Carol? You get the longest-running family holiday spectacular in Broadway history! Bergen County Players (BCP) is pleased to announce open auditions for A Christmas Carol: The Musical at the little Firehouse Theatre, 298 Kinderkamack Road in Oradell, NJ on Tuesday and Thursday, September 12th, and 14th at 7:30pm and on Monday, September 18th at 7:30pm.
Friday, September 15, 2023 - Dragonfly Multicultural Arts presents "India Pale Ale" - a play about family, pirates, and beer (PLAINFIELD, NJ) -- Dragonfly Multicultural Arts Center, a community theater in residence at duCret Center of Art, located at 1030 Central Ave, Plainfield, New Jersey, will present India Pale Ale, a drama about a Punjabi Indian family in Wisconsin. Directed by Priya Iyer, India Pale Ale will be presented on September 15th at 8:00pm, September 16th at 8:00pm, and September 17th at 3:00pm.
Saturday, September 16, 2023 - Billy Van Zandt & Friends to Reunite in Musical Celebration Evening to Benefit the Brookdale Performing Arts Center (LINCROFT, NJ) -- The Brookdale Performing Arts Center in Lincroft will present Billy Van Zandt & Friends in a very special musical evening celebrating songs from the library of Van Zandt/Milmore theatrical productions. All proceeds from the Saturday, September 16, 2023, one-night-only performance will benefit the Brookdale Performing Arts Center. The event begins at 8:00pm.
Saturday, September 16, 2023 - Skyline Theatre Company presents "Working the Musical" on Saturday (BLOOMFILED, NJ) -- Skyline Theatre Company, a 20-year-old professional theatre company previously calling Bergen County its home, will continue its 2023 season in Bloomfield on Saturday, September 16, 2023 at 7:00pm with a one-night-only NYC Encores-style concert production of "Working the Musical" at the Oakeside Bloomfield Cultural Center, 240 Belleville Avenue.
Sunday, September 17, 2023 - Sieminski Theater presents "Bette Davis Ain't for Sissies" (BASKING RIDGE, NJ) -- Prepare to be transported back in time to the golden age of Hollywood as the Sieminski Theater presents Bette Davis Ain't for Sissies, a captivating theatrical experience that chronicles the remarkable journey of Hollywood legend Bette Davis. The show is set to take place on September 17 at 2:30pm, featuring a riveting performance by actress and playwright Jessica Sherr.
Monday, September 18, 2023 - Jersey City Theater Center to present a reading of "Sibling Rivalries" by Marcus Scott (JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- Jersey City Theater Center will present a reading of Sibling Rivalries by Marcus Scott on Monday, September 18, 2023 at 7:30pm. This is a new play set at a fictional Ivy League school in the years following the Obama Administration. This political drama follows a diverse group of young black men, all members of a fraternity, who face shifting loyalties and eroded principles when they are forced to compete against one another for a prestigious fellowship.
Plays continuing this week
Classic American Tales presents "Tales at the Dormer House" in the fall (CAPE MAY, NJ) -- Listen to stories by Chester Himes, O. Henry, Katherine Anne Porter, and other well-known American authors while taking in the breeze on the porch of an historic bed and breakfast, drinking lemonade, and enjoying homemade desserts. It's all part of Classic American Tales' (CAT) popular "Tales at the Dormer House" in Cape May, NJ, every Thursday at 4:00pm from September 14 – October 12, 2023.
East Lynne Theater Company presents "Love Letters" with a Rotating Cast of Couples with a Connection (CAPE MAY, NJ) -- Before East Lynne Theater Company (ELTC) revs up its fall lineup, the curtain prepares to close on its summer 2023 Mainstage Season with a six-week run of A. R. Gurney's "Love Letters"– but with a twist. From September 6 to October 14, the play will be performed by a real-life couple with a connection each of the six weeks: three married couples, an engaged duo, and two pairs who share a romantic past.
Surflight Theatre presents "Grumpy Old Men: The Musical" (BEACH HAVEN, NJ) -- Surflight Theatre presents the romantic musical comedy, Grumpy Old Men: The Musical, September 6-September 24, 2023. The musical features a book by Dan Remmes, music by Neil Berg, and lyrics by Nick Meglin. Based on the movie of the same name, Grumpy Old Men is the story of two seasoned gentlemen, Max & John, neighbors who’ve been feuding for most of their lives.
Bergen County Players to Open Season with "Rent" (ORADELL, NJ) -- Bergen County Players (BCP), one of America's longest-running little theater companies, will open its 91st season on September 9 with Jonathan Larson's RENT, the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning rock musical that shaped a generation of audiences. Performances begin Saturday, September 9 and will run weekends through Saturday, October 14 at the Little Firehouse Theatre in Oradell with shows on Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00pm and Sunday afternoons at 2:00pm.
The Shawnee Playhouse presents "A Good Day" by Eric B. Sirota (SHAWNEE ON DELAWARE, PA) -- A Good Day, an original and uplifting musical, by NJ-based playwright/composer, Eric B. Sirota, will be presented by The Shawnee Playhouse from September 9th through September 24th. Directed by Midge McClosky, this authentic musical illuminates the therapeutic and healing powers of music, art and movement on the splintered and fragmented lives of two families that are intertwined through past loves and tragic losses. Each unforgettable scene, song and dance highlights the importance of creative expression on the human experience, as the characters attempt to navigate their fractured existences through the incessant ripple effects and impact that Alzheimer's Disease and the loss of a loved one have on those around them.
FEATURED
Wednesday, September 13, 2023 @ 7:30pm - Waiting for Godot at Shakespeare Theatre Of NJ - F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre, 36 Madison Avenue, Madison, NJ 07940
Wednesday, September 13, 2023 @ 7:30pm - Bulrusher at McCarter Theatre Center (Berlind Theater), 91 University Place, Princeton, NJ 08540
Thursday, September 14, 2023 @ 7:30pm - Bulrusher at McCarter Theatre Center (Berlind Theater), 91 University Place, Princeton, NJ 08540
Thursday, September 14, 2023 @ 8:00pm - Waiting for Godot at Shakespeare Theatre Of NJ - F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre, 36 Madison Avenue, Madison, NJ 07940
Thursday, September 14, 2023 @ 8:00pm - Selling Kabul at Premiere Stages - Bauer Boucher Theatre Center, 1000 Morris Avenue, Union, NJ 07083
Friday, September 15, 2023 @ 8:00pm - Waiting for Godot at Shakespeare Theatre Of NJ - F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre, 36 Madison Avenue, Madison, NJ 07940
Friday, September 15, 2023 @ 8:00pm - Selling Kabul at Premiere Stages - Bauer Boucher Theatre Center, 1000 Morris Avenue, Union, NJ 07083
Friday, September 15, 2023 @ 8:00pm - Bulrusher at McCarter Theatre Center (Berlind Theater), 91 University Place, Princeton, NJ 08540
Friday, September 15, 2023 @ 8:00pm - South Camden Theatre Company presents "Alabama Story" at South Camden Theatre Company, 400 Jasper Street, Camden, NJ 08104
Saturday, September 16, 2023 @ 2:00pm - Waiting for Godot at Shakespeare Theatre Of NJ - F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre, 36 Madison Avenue, Madison, NJ 07940
Saturday, September 16, 2023 @ 3:00pm - Selling Kabul at Premiere Stages - Bauer Boucher Theatre Center, 1000 Morris Avenue, Union, NJ 07083
Saturday, September 16, 2023 @ 7:00pm - Bulrusher at McCarter Theatre Center (Berlind Theater), 91 University Place, Princeton, NJ 08540
Saturday, September 16, 2023 @ 7:30pm - Waiting for Godot at Shakespeare Theatre Of NJ - F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre, 36 Madison Avenue, Madison, NJ 07940
Saturday, September 16, 2023 @ 8:00pm - Selling Kabul at Premiere Stages - Bauer Boucher Theatre Center, 1000 Morris Avenue, Union, NJ 07083
Saturday, September 16, 2023 @ 8:00pm - South Camden Theatre Company presents "Alabama Story" at South Camden Theatre Company, 400 Jasper Street, Camden, NJ 08104
Sunday, September 17, 2023 @ 2:00pm - Waiting for Godot at Shakespeare Theatre Of NJ - F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre, 36 Madison Avenue, Madison, NJ 07940
Sunday, September 17, 2023 @ 2:00pm - Bulrusher at McCarter Theatre Center (Berlind Theater), 91 University Place, Princeton, NJ 08540
Sunday, September 17, 2023 @ 2:00pm - South Camden Theatre Company presents "Alabama Story" at South Camden Theatre Company, 400 Jasper Street, Camden, NJ 08104
Sunday, September 17, 2023 @ 7:30pm - Waiting for Godot at Shakespeare Theatre Of NJ - F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre, 36 Madison Avenue, Madison, NJ 07940
Plays coming soon
The Black Box to present Sam Shepard plays, including U.S. Premiere of "Little Ocean" (ENGLEWOOD, NJ) -- The Black Box - NJ's incubator for new and under-produced works by world-class artists - is proud to present Sam Shepard's groundbreaking plays Action, The Unseen Hand, and the U.S. premiere of the unpublished Little Ocean, running from September 21 through October 8. For this 2023-24 Season opening fundraiser, limited tickets for 10 shows only are now on sale for performances on the 2nd floor of 8 East Palisade Avenue, Englewood, NJ.
MCCC's Kelsey Theatre to open season with "Beautiful: The Carole King Musical" [CUTLINE FOR PHOTO: Jennifer Fischer of Hamilton, N.J., as Carole King in “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Sept. 22 to Oct. 1 at the Kelsey Theatre on Mercer County Community College’s West Windsor, N.J., campus.]
WHATCo to present "Othello" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream" in September (WEST HUDSON, NJ) -- The West Hudson Arts & Theater Company (WHATCo) is bringing the Bard to West Hudson this September! Performances of Othello will take place Saturday and Sunday, September 23-24 at 7:30pm, while performances of A Midsummer Night's Dream will take place Saturday and Sunday, September 29-30 at 8:00pm. All performances take place at the WHATCo The Theater at WHATCo, 15 Frank E Rodgers S, Harrison, NJ.
Avenel Performing Arts Center presents "Thank You For Being So Dead" (AVENEL, NJ) -- The Avenel Performing Arts Center presents Thank You For Being So Dead, a murder mystery, from September 28-30, 2023. Miami, Miami... You've Got Murder! Eschewing the 55+ communities, four women move in together to eat cheesecake, reminisce about a town called St. Olaf and sit at a kitchen table that only seats three. But someone out there wants to tarnish these golden gals for good.
Jersey City's Classical Theatre Company to Re-Launch as The Curtain with "Romeo & Juliet" (JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- Shakespeare@, Jersey City's premier classical theatre, announced they will re-launch as The Curtain, with an all-new production of William Shakespeare's classic Romeo & Juliet. Directed and Adapted by Sean Hagerty, The Curtain's Romeo & Juliet will play the Nimbus Arts Center (329 Warren Street), in downtown Jersey City just steps from the PATH train, with performances from September 28 through October 22, 2023.
Have a Swashbuckling Good Time at the Ocean County Library Toms River Branch (TOMS RIVER, NJ) -- Ever wonder what it was like to be a real-life pirate in the 18th century? The Ocean County Library Toms River Branch will host American Historical Theatre as actor Jill Lawrence brings to life pirate Anne Bonny in an all-ages interactive show, "Swashbucklers and Sea Dogs," on Thursday, September 28, 2023. The event begins at 6:30pm.
World premiere play "Child Support" explores emotional and financial repercussions of playing the 'child support game' (CAMDEN, NJ) -- Urgent, searing and wildly inventive, the world premiere of Child Support by Desi P. Shelton uses humor and hypertheatricality to examine single parenthood and financial responsibility from the points of view of everyone impacted by a broken system. A site-specific, immersive experience set in a typical Camden row house, the action is scored by composer Jamal P. Dickerson and features a live band under the eye of musical director JoJo Streater. Barrymore Award-winner Ozzie Jones directs for an October 13 opening, with performances running through October 28 at Camden Repertory Theatre. Public previews begin September 28.
MPAC to open 29th season with Hitting New Heights starring Mandy Gonzalez and Javier Munoz (MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Mayo Performing Arts Center's 29th season officially begins on Friday, September 29, 2023 at 8:00pm with the Hitting New Heights, a celebration of Broadway, starring Mandy Gonzalez and Javier Muñoz two of Broadway's leading Hispanic performers. Tickets range from $39-$79.
Two River Theater announces Cast and Creative for "Hair" (RED BANK, NJ) -- Two River Theater has announced the cast and creative team for their highly-anticipated production of the American Love-Rock Musical, Hair, directed by Craig Noel Award winner James Vásquez (Under a Baseball Sky, American Mariachi) and with original choreography by Mayte Natalio (Love in Hate Nation), running September 30 – October 22, 2023, kicking off the theater's 30th Anniversary Season.
NJ Rep to Present the World Premiere of "Welcome To Matteson!" (LONG BRANCH, NJ) -- New Jersey Repertory Company (NJ Rep) will close out its successful season with the World Premiere of Welcome To Matteson! written by Inda Craig-Galván and directed by Dawn Monique Williams. It will begin performances on September 28 before its opening night on Saturday, September 30, and run through October 29, 2023.
