Here are previews of plays taking place from January 9-16, 2024 including a look at productions currently being presented and those coming soon. 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. Jump to Event Previews, Event Listings, Coming Soon.
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Playhouse 22 presents "Eleemosynary" by Lee Blessing (EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- Playhouse 22 presents Eleemosynary, a play by Lee Blessing, across two weekends from January 6-14, 2024. The play probes into the delicate relationship of three singular women: a strong-willed eccentric grandmother; her brilliant daughter, who has fled the stifling domination of her mother; and her granddaughter – a child of exceptional intellect.
Theatre 68 presents "I'm Not a Comedian... I'm Lenny Bruce" at NBPAC (NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- Theatre 68 presents I'm Not a Comedian... I'm Lenny Bruce at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC) January 11-13, 2024 with performances each night at 8:00pm. Written by and Starring critically acclaimed actor Ronnie Marmo, with the blessings of Kitty Bruce (daughter of the late Lenny Bruce), along with the Lenny Bruce Foundation. The production is directed by Tony Award-winning stage and television star, Joe Mantegna. Click here for a feature on the play.
Kelsey Theatre and Tomato Patch Workshops Presents "Legally Blonde The Musical JR." (WEST WINDSOR, NJ) -- Harvard's favorite blonde will be center stage in the fun, upbeat production of Legally Blonde The Musical JR., presented by Tomato Patch Workshops at Mercer County Community College's Kelsey Theatre, January 12-14, 2024. Based on the award-winning Broadway musical and the smash hit motion picture, this is a fabulously fun journey of self-empowerment and expanding horizons. The show's instantly recognizable songs are filled with humor, wit and sass — leaving cast members and audiences alike seeing pink!
Music Mountain Theatre presents "Lend Me a Tenor" (LAMBERTVILLE, NJ) -- Music Mountain Theatre opens their 2024 season with the Tony award winning comedy, Lend Me a Tenor, weekends from January 12-28, 2024. The play is set in September of 1934 and we see the Cleveland Grand Opera Company's gala season opener, centered on world-famous tenor Tito Morelli, performing as Canio in "Pagliacci," his greatest role. But the opera is jeopardized when Morelli falls into a drunken stupor.
Westfield Community Players Presents "God Of Carnage" (WESTFIELD, NJ) -- The Westfield Community Players presents "God of Carnage", a dark comedy with five performances from January 13-27, 2024. After an altercation between two young boys results in an injury, the two sets of parents get together with the objective to discuss and resolve the incident in a civilized manner. As the evening progresses, however, the parents become more childish, the "civilized" meeting devolves into utter chaos.
Old Library Theatre to Open the 2024 Season with "Vintage Hitchcock: A Live Radio Play" (FAIR LAWN, NJ) -- Old Library Theatre (OLT), Fair Lawn Recreation Department's resident theatre company, will present Vintage Hitchcock: A Live Radio Play, for two performances – Saturday, January 13th at 7:00pm, and Sunday, January 14th at 2:00pm. Written by Joe Landry, this takes three early films directed by Alfred Hitchcock and presents them as a 1940s radio broadcast.
WHATCo to Hold Auditions for "Deadly Dessert Championship" (WEST HUDSON, NJ) -- The West Hudson Arts & Theater Co (WHATCo) will host open auditions for its annual dinner theater fundraiser, Deadly Dessert Championship, an original murder mystery written and directed by local award-winning playwright, author, and WHATCo Board Member Allyssa Hynes. Auditions will be held in person at the Theater at WHATCo, 15 Frank E. Rodgers Blvd. South, Harrison, NJ on Tuesday, January 16th and Wednesday, January 17th from 7:00pm to 9:00pm. Call backs (if needed) will be January 19th.
Edward Albee: From A to Zoo Series at Black Box Starts Off 2024 with "The Lady From Dubuque" (TEANECK, NJ) -- In association with The Estate of Edward Albee, Black Box PAC presents 1980's The Lady From Dubuque on Wednesday, January 17, 2024 at Debonair Music Hall: 1409 Queen Anne Road b/w State Street and Walraven Drive in Teaneck. This performance kicks off 2024 with the monthly staged reading event Edward Albee: From A To Zoo, An Exclusive Stage Reading Series of Edward Albee's Plays.
Tuesday, January 9, 2024 @ 7:00pm - Disney’s Finding Nemo Jr. at Count Basie Center for the Arts, 99 Monmouth Street, Red Bank, NJ 07701
Wednesday, January 10, 2024 @ 7:00pm - Disney’s Finding Nemo Jr. at Count Basie Center for the Arts, 99 Monmouth Street, Red Bank, NJ 07701
Tuesday, January 16, 2024 @ 8:00pm - George Street Playhouse presents "Ibsen's Ghost" at New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC), 11 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Haddonfield Plays & Players to Presents Monty Python's "Spamalot" (HADDONFIELD, NJ) -- Haddonfield Plays & Players will present Monty Python's Spamalot weekends from Friday, January 19 to Saturday, February 3, 2024. Spamalot tells the legendary tale of King Arthur's quest to find the Holy Grail. Inspired by the classic comedy film, Monty Python and the Holy Grail. With a mashup of several Monty Python bits, this show will not only delight the Monty Python enthusiast, but any fan of musical comedies.
Aspire PAC presents "Into The Woods" (FAIR LAWN, NJ) -- The cow as white as milk, the cape as red as blood, the hair as yellow as corn, the slipper as pure as gold…these are the things you must remember to find as you go Into the Woods, which will be presented by Aspire Performing Arts Company from January 19-21, 2024 at the Fair Lawn Community Center.
Algonquin Arts Theatre presents "DEATHtrap" (MANASQUAN, NJ) -- Algonquin Arts Theatre presents DEATHtrap, a murder mystery by Ira Levin, from January 19-28, 2024. Sidney Bruhl would do anything to publish the next great play. He would even kill for it. This dark comedy, thriller will have audiences laughing one moment and screaming in terror the next as Sidney discovers he may not be the only murderer in the room.
American Theater Group Continues Free Monday Night Play Readings with new play "Des Trucs" (RAHWAY, NJ) -- American Theater Group (ATG), a professional theater company in Central New Jersey, will continue its free Monday night play readings on January 22, 2024 with Des Trucs by JD Scalzo at Hamilton Stage in Rahway at 7:00pm. This will be first public reading of the drama.
NiCori Studios & Productions to present NJ premiere of "CATS: Young Actor's Edition" (BLOOMFIELD, NJ) -- NiCori Studios & Productions will be the first in New Jersey to produce "CATS: Young Actor's Edition", the brand new, one-hour adaptation of the world renowned Andrew Lloyd Webber TONY Award winning musical on Thursday through Sunday, January 25, 26 and 27, 2024.
"Senior Moments - Big Beaver" to Have World Premiere in Middletown (MIDDLETOWN, NJ) -- From the team that brought you the award winning Off-Broadway production Camp, A New Musical; Dealing, The Musical; and Accidentally On Purpose comes their brand-new original comedy, Senior Moments - Big Beaver which has its World Premiere at the Middletown Arts Center with a limited engagement from January 26-28, 2024.
National Tour of "Hairspray" comes to MPAC (MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Hairspray, Broadway's Tony Award®-winning musical comedy phenomenon, comes to Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC) for three performances Friday, January 26 at 8:00pm; and Saturday, January 27 at 2:00pm & 8:00pm. This is the story of 16-year-old Tracy Turnblad in 1960s Baltimore as she sets out to dance her way onto TV's most popular show. Can a girl with big dreams (and even bigger hair) change the world?
Paper Mill Playhouse presents "After Midnight" (MILLBURN, NJ) -- Paper Mill Playhouse presents After Midnight from January 31-February 25, 2024. Conceived by Jack Viertel (former Artistic Director of City Center Encores!), this Jazz Age rhythm and dance extravaganza is an electrifying musical revue that transports you to the Cotton Club of the Harlem Renaissance, an unparalleled time in New York City when jazz and swing were king. The production is co-directed by Dominique Kelley and Paper Mill Playhouse’s Associate Artistic Director Jen Bender and choreographed by Kelley.
Count Basie Center for the Arts presents "All Things Equal – The Life and Trials of Ruth Bader Ginsburg" (RED BANK, NJ) -- Count Basie Center for the Arts presents All Things Equal – The Life and Trials of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Rupert Holmes on Thursday, February 1, 2024 at 7:00pm. Over the course of ninety fascinating and often funny minutes, the play presents an intimate portrayal of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a true American original.
Passage Theatre Company presents World Premiere of "Ghetto Gods in Divineland" (TRENTON, NJ) -- In celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, Trenton's only professional theater company is paying homage to the Poor Righteous Teachers. Trenton's first superstar hip-hop group—the philosophers and messengers for good and for the 'hood—inspired Passage Theatre Company's upcoming show Ghetto Gods in Divineland, a brand-new play co-written by Richard Bradford and Anthony Martinez-Briggs and Directed by Ozzie Jones. The production runs from February 8-25, 2024.
Luna Stage presents the World Premiere of "RIFT or White Lies" (WEST ORANGE, NJ) -- Luna Stage presents the World Premiere of RIFT or White Lies by Gabriel Jason Dean, directed by Ari Laura Kreith, from February 8-March 3, 2024. Two brothers--one a progressive novelist, the other a convicted murderer and high-ranking member of a white supremacist prison gang–are united through their traumatic childhood. Now adults, these men navigate the edges of their brotherly bond. Are they truly so different? Is it possible to love someone whose beliefs you hate? RIFT is a story of estrangement, ideological divide, and the fight to change one another.
Ocean County College Repertory Theatre Company presents "Rabbit Hole" (TOMS RIVER, NJ) -- The Ocean County College Repertory Theatre Company presents Rabbit Hole across two weekends (February 16-18, February 23-25). The play by David Lindsay-Abaire was the recipient of the 2007 Pulitzer Prize. Performances take place in the Grunin Center for the Arts' Black Box Theater.
Vivid Stage presents "Gone Missing" (SUMMIT, NJ) -- Vivid Stage presents Gone Missing from February 22 through March 3, 2024 at the Oakes Center in Summit. Featuring a Book by Steve Cosson and Music and Lyrics by Michael Friedman, this is a wry and whimsical documentary musical of loss devised from interviews with real-life New Yorkers by The Civilians, the acclaimed New York-based company.
"The Life and Music of George Michael" comes to bergenPAC (ENGLEWOOD, NJ) -- From the producers of the highly acclaimed "The Simon & Garfunkel Story," comes a new concert-style show that chronicles the amazing journey George Michael had with music and his fans. "The Life and Music of George Michael" captures the performance and sound of one of the biggest international stars of our time--with concert style staging and lighting--from his early hits with Wham! and his illustrious solo career. The show comes to Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergenPAC) on Tuesday, March 5, 2024 at 8:00pm.
