This Week in Theatre: Previews for Plays Taking Place February 20-27, 2024

Here are previews of plays taking place from February 20-27, 2024 including a look at productions currently being presented and those coming soon. New Jersey Stage covers Equity, community, college, and high school theatre. Check back every week for the weekly theatre preview. Click on the title to go to the full preview. Jump to Featured Events, Event Previews, Event Listings, Coming Soon.

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CDC Theatre presents "The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940"  (CRANFORD, NJ) -- CDC Theatre presents The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 across three weekends from February 9-24, 2024. ​This is an ingenious and wildly comic romp by playwright John Bishop. Poking antic fun at the more ridiculous aspects of "show biz" and the corny thrillers of Hollywood's heyday, the play is a non-stop barrage of laughter as those assembled (or at least those who aren’t killed off) untangle the mystery of the "Stage Door Slasher."

Bridge Players Theatre Company Returns to Its Home Stage With "Be More Chill"  (BURLINGTON CITY, NJ) -- Bridge Players Theatre Company is thrilled to announce its long-awaited return to its home stage at Broad Street United Methodist Church.The first presentation in its regular space since February 2020 will be the exciting pop musical Be More Chill, across three weekends from February 9-24, 2024.

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.

Algonquin Arts Theatre presents "Misery"  (MANASQUAN, NJ) -- Algonquin Arts Theatre presents Misery by William Goldman, based on the novel by Stephen King. The show runs from February 24 through March 3, 2024. Made popular by the Kathy Bates, James Caan film, Misery becomes stranger than fiction when an acclaimed romance novelist wakes up in the home of his "Number One Fan."

George Street Playhouse presents the World Premiere of "The Club"  (NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- Everyone wants to belong to the club, but what will it cost you? That's the question in The Club by Chris Bohjalian, which is being presented by George Street Playhouse from February 27 to March 17, 2024. The Club is rich with biting wit and startling twists as it explores racism, marriage, and the lies we tell ourselves daily. And though the play is set in 1968, it's eerily timely.

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.

Two River Theater presents the World Premiere of "The Scarlet Letter" by Kate Hamill  (RED BANK, NJ) -- A new year, and a world premiere! Riding the wave of its 30th anniversary season, set in motion by audience sensation Hair this past fall, Two River Theater has announced the cast and creative team for its second production of the season: the world premiere of The Scarlet Letter by Kate Hamill (Pride and Prejudice, Little Women), one of the American theater’s most widely produced contemporary playwrights, and directed by Shelley Butler (Beautiful: The Carol King Musical, A Doll’s House Part 2).

Bergen County Players presents "Pride and Prejudice"  (ORADELL, NJ) -- Heed the invite from some of the most memorable characters in fiction! Bergen County Players (BCP), one of America's longest-running little theater companies, will open its first mainstage production of the new year with a comedic retelling of Jane Austen's great romantic tale Pride and Prejudice. Performances run weekends from February 3-24, 2024 at the Little Firehouse Theatre in Oradell.

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.

Theater League of Clifton presents "A Tribute to Carol Burnett"  (CLIFTON, NJ) -- The Theater League of Clifton will present its dinner/theater production of "A Tribute to Carol Burnett" beginning on Saturday, February 10, 7:30pm, at Mario's Restaurant, 710 Van Houten Ave., Clifton. The show will recreate favorite comedy skits from the popular Carol Burnett Show, which aired for 11 seasons (1967-1978) on the CBS television network and won numerous Emmy awards.

WHATCo presents Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None"  (WEST HUDSON, NJ) -- The West Hudson Arts & Theater Co (WHATCo) brings the classic mystery And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie to its Main Stage for a six performance run across two weekends (February 16-18 and February 23-25). This tells the story of 10 strangers who are summoned to a remote island and accused of misdeeds. When the weather cuts them off from the mainland one by one, the guests are killed in accordance with a sinister nursery rhyme. They must find the killer if they hope to survive.

Lewis Center for the Arts' Program in Theater & Music Theater presents "Love Type Beat"  (PRINCETON, NJ) -- The Lewis Center for the Arts' Program in Theater and Music Theater at Princeton University will present Love Type Beat, a partly immersive new play conceived and directed by Princeton seniors Nica Evans and Tanéyah Jolly. The work explores Black women and femmes' relationships with different types of love through a series of vignettes, some of which invite audience interaction and participation. Performances are on February 16, 17, 22, 23 and 24 at 8:00pm in the Wallace Theater at the Lewis Arts complex on the Princeton campus. The show is free and open to the public, however due to the immersive nature of the show attendance at each performance is limited to 30 and advance tickets are required through University Ticketing.

Ocean County Library Toms River Branch to Present Guild Theatreworks in "Belles"  (TOMS RIVER, NJ) -- The Ocean County Library Toms River Branch is pleased to present the Guild Theatreworks production of Mark Dunn's bittersweet dramatic comedy Belles in Mancini Hall on Wednesday, February 21. Showtime is 6:30pm. Considered Dunn's most popular play, Belles features six sisters who try bridge the distance between them via telephone through the course of a weekend and in the process come to terms with their fragmented family history.

Pushcart Players to present "Lift Every Voice: A Letter to the Editor" at The Levoy Theatre  (MILLVILLE, NJ) -- Pushcart Players, New Jersey's Emmy-nominated and award-winning touring theatre for family audiences, will present "Lift Every Voice: A Letter to the Editor" on Thursday, February 22, 2024 at the The Levoy Theatre in Millville. Founded in 1974, Pushcart is celebrating 50 years of stirring up serious fun for young people nationwide.

The Summit Playhouse presents "Agnes of God"  (SUMMIT, NJ) -- The Summit Playhouse presents Agnes of God by John Pielmeier. The production runs during the weekends from February 23- through March 9, 2024, at The Summit Playhouse. Summoned to a convent, Dr. Martha Livingstone, a court-appointed psychiatrist, must assess the sanity of a novice accused of murdering her newborn.

Bordentown Thespians presents the musical, "The Addams Family"  (BORDENTOWN, NJ) -- The Addams Family, with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa and book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, will be presented on February 23rd at 7:30pm and February 24th at 2:00pm & 7:30pm at the Bordentown Performing Arts Center. This musical, featuring the iconic characters created by Charles Addams, will be performed by the award-winning theatre students of Bordentown Regional High School.

NJRep presents the World Premiere of "ESSPY"  (LONG BRANCH, NJ) -- New Jersey Repertory Company (NJRep) will kick off its 27th season with the world premiere of Nandia Shenoy's ESSPY, directed by Peter J. Kuo, beginning February 22, with its opening night on February 24 and running through March 17, 2024. ESSPY is a comic-drama about a young medical student embarking on a journey he never expected.

RVCC Holocaust Institute presents a Staged Reading of Play Based on Experiences of Anne Frank, Martin Luther King, Jr.  (BRANCHBURG, NJ) -- The Institute of Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Raritan Valley Community College will present a staged performance of Letters from Anne and Martin, Monday, February 26 at 10:00am. The event, which is free of charge and open to the public, will be held in the Nash Theatre at the College's Branchburg campus. The performance may be attended in-person or watched virtually.

American Theater Group continues free Monday Night Play Readings with new legal drama, "Sanctity"  (RAHWAY, NJ) -- American Theater Group (ATG), a professional theater company in Central New Jersey, will present the legal drama Sanctity by Kerr Lockhart as part of its free Monday Night Play Reading Series on February 26, 2024 at Hamilton Stage in Rahway. The event begins at 7:00pm.

Holmdel Theatre Company presents a Staged Reading of "Call Me Isaiah"  (HOLMDEL, NJ) -- On Monday, February 26, 2024, the Holmdel Theatre Company in partnership with the New Jersey Creative Arts Collaborative presents a staged reading of "Call Me Isaiah" by Jared Kelner. The reading is directed by Diane L. Parker. Admission is free with a $5 suggested donation. The reading begins at 7:00pm. After the reading, stay for a discussion with the playwright and cast members.

Thursday, February 22, 2024 @ 8:00pm - Vivid Stage presents "Gone Missing" at Oakes Center, 120 Morris Avenue, Summit, NJ 07901

Friday, February 23, 2024 @ 7:30pm - Rabbit Hole at Grunin Center, 1 College Drive, Toms River, NJ 08754

Friday, February 23, 2024 @ 8:00pm - Bridge Players Theatre Company presents "Be More Chill" at Broad Street United Methodist Church, 36 E Broad Street, Burlington, NJ 08016

Friday, February 23, 2024 @ 8:00pm - Hilarious Whodunit Coming to CDC Theatre in Cranford at CDC Theatre, 78 Winans Avenue, Cranford, NJ 07016

Friday, February 23, 2024 @ 8:00pm - Vivid Stage presents "Gone Missing" at Oakes Center, 120 Morris Avenue, Summit, NJ 07901

Saturday, February 24, 2024 @ 2:00pm - Rabbit Hole at Grunin Center, 1 College Drive, Toms River, NJ 08754

Saturday, February 24, 2024 @ 7:30pm - Rabbit Hole at Grunin Center, 1 College Drive, Toms River, NJ 08754

Saturday, February 24, 2024 @ 8:00pm - Misery at Algonquin Arts Theatre, 60 Abe Voorhees, Manasquan, NJ 08736

Saturday, February 24, 2024 @ 8:00pm - Bridge Players Theatre Company presents "Be More Chill" at Broad Street United Methodist Church, 36 E Broad Street, Burlington, NJ 08016

Saturday, February 24, 2024 @ 8:00pm - Hilarious Whodunit Coming to CDC Theatre in Cranford at CDC Theatre, 78 Winans Avenue, Cranford, NJ 07016

Saturday, February 24, 2024 @ 8:00pm - Vivid Stage presents "Gone Missing" at Oakes Center, 120 Morris Avenue, Summit, NJ 07901

Sunday, February 25, 2024 @ 2:00pm - Rabbit Hole at Grunin Center, 1 College Drive, Toms River, NJ 08754

Sunday, February 25, 2024 @ 2:00pm - Vivid Stage presents "Gone Missing" at Oakes Center, 120 Morris Avenue, Summit, NJ 07901

Sunday, February 25, 2024 @ 3:00pm - Misery at Algonquin Arts Theatre, 60 Abe Voorhees, Manasquan, NJ 08736

Tuesday, February 27, 2024 @ 8:00pm - George Street Playhouse presents "The Club" at New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC), 11 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901

Black Box PAC presents a Staged Reading of "Everything In The Garden"  (TEANECK, NJ) -- In association with The Estate of Edward Albee, Black Box PAC presents 1963's Everything In The Garden on Wednesday, February 28th, 2024 at Debonair Music Hall. From the masterworks to the rarely seen, this curated monthly series began in May 2023 and has presented staged readings of works such as The Sandbox, The American Dream, Finding The Sun, The Man Who Had Three Arms, Malcolm, Counting the Ways, Listening, Fragments (A Sit-Around), The Play About The Baby, and The Lady From Dubuque. Admission is free.

Chatham Players presents "The Beauty Queen of Leenane"  (CHATHAM, NJ) -- The Chatham Community Players presents the gloriously funny; wickedly amusing play, The Beauty Queen of Leenane by Martin McDonagh from March 1-16, 2024 at The Chatham Playhouse. Set in the mountains of Connemara, County Galway, this play tells the darkly comic tale of Maureen Folan, a plain and lonely woman in her early forties, and Mag, her manipulative aging mother, whose interference in Maureen’s first and possibly final chance of a loving relationship sets in motion a train of events that leads inexorably towards the play’s terrifying dénouement.

Dragonfly Multicultural Arts Center presents 3rd Annual One-Act Play Festival  (PLAINFIELD, NJ) -- Dragonfly Multicultural Arts Center, the nonprofit community theater, housed within the historic duCret Center of Art in Plainfield, presents its third annual one-act play festival from March 1-3, 2024. Set to showcase the vibrant talents of New Jersey playwrights, this year's festival will feature an eclectic line-up of five captivating productions, including four world premieres and one New Jersey premiere.

MAC Players at the Middletown Arts Center presents "Jesus Christ Superstar"  (MIDDLETOWN, NJ) -- The MAC Players at the Middletown Arts Center presents the timeless, rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar over two weekends, March 1–3 and March 8–10, 2024. The first musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice to be produced for the professional stage, Jesus Christ Superstar has wowed audiences for over 50 years!

"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.

Regional Premiere of "Rabbit Summer" at Mile Square Theatre  (HOBOKEN, NJ) -- Mile Square Theatre proudly announces the regional premiere of Rabbit Summer, a play written and directed by multi-hyphenate performer, playwright and director, Tracey Conyer Lee. This production marks a historic moment as the first time the playwright will direct her own work. Starring Steven St. Pierre as Wilson, Tsebiyah Mishael Derry as Claire, and Ricky Lyne'e as Ruby, Rabbit Summer is a thought-provoking and emotionally charged production. Performances run from March 6-30, 2024.

Tony Award-Nominee Kate Baldwin to star in American Theater Group's "A Little Night Music"  (BASKING RIDGE, NJ) -- Broadway's Kate Baldwin will star as Desiree in American Theater Group's (ATG) upcoming season premiere of Stephen Sondheim's beloved A Little Night Music. The production will run March 7-10, 2024 at the Sieminski Theater in Basking Ridge and March 14-24, 2024 at Hamilton Stage in Rahway. Baldwin will share the stage with her husband Graham Rowat (Broadway: Dear Evan Hanson, Sunset Boulevard) as Fredrik.

Graham Phillips and Talia Suskauer lead cast of "Sunday in the Park with George" at Axelrod PAC  (OCEAN TOWNSHIP, NJ) -- The Axelrod Performing Arts Center, in collaboration with Grind Arts Company, presents a bold new production of Stephen Sondheim's Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece Sunday in the Park with George from March 8-24, 2024. The show is directed and choreographed by Eamon Foley (Broadway's Gypsy, Assassins, 13: The Musical) and starring TV and film star Graham Phillips (CBS's The Good Wife, CW's Riverdale) and Broadway's Talia Suskauer (Wicked's Elphaba). Music director Nate Patten (Broadway's Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, School of Rock) will conduct the 11-piece orchestra.

The Artist Collective Troupe presents 3rd Annual "Wish Upon a Song" to Benefit Make-A-Wish New Jersey  (POINT PLEASANT, NJ) -- The Artist Collective Troupe will present its 3rd Annual "Wish Upon a Song," an animated movie musical revue benefitting Make-A-Wish New Jersey, in Point Pleasant on Friday, March 8 and Saturday, March 9. Join all your favorite fairytale characters including princes, princesses, heroes, villains, and more for a musical journey that celebrates the power of stories, magic, and belief!

EVENT PREVIEWS

The Mainstage Center for the Arts presents "High School Musical 2 JR."

(BLACKWOOD, NJ) -- The Mainstage Center for the Arts presents High School Musical 2 JR. on June 4-5, 2026 in the Dennis Flyer Memorial Theater. The Wildcats are back for an unforgettable summer at Lava Springs Country Club!

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Mile Square Theatre presents "7th Inning Stretch" with a twist

(HOBOKEN, NJ) -- Mile Square Theatre's beloved annual fundraiser, 7th Inning Stretch, returns with a new look for this year inspired by the World Cup coming to New Jersey. This year’s edition takes place on Saturday, June 6, 2026 and trades baseball for soccer, featuring seven original short plays celebrating the passion, humor, intensity, and culture of the game.

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The Broadway Theatre of Pitman presents "A Century on Stage: 100 Years in the Making"

(PITMAN, NJ) -- The Broadway Theatre of Pitman presents A Century on Stage: 100 Years in the Making from June 5-7, 2026. Join them for a once-in-a-century theatrical event as they celebrate 100 years of music, memories, and moments that have shaped The Broadway Theatre of Pitman, Broadway in New York City, and American culture itself.

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Premiere Stages at Kean University Announces Semi-Finalists for 2026 Play Festival

(UNION, NJ) -- Premiere Stages, the professional theatre company in residence at Kean University, has announced the 2026 Premiere Play Festival Semi-Finalists. The Play Festival panel and literary staff reviewed 894 submissions, an increase of 89 submissions from the previous year, before choosing the 65 Semi-Finalists. An eclectic mix of plays, the Semi-Finalists explore a wide range of topics in a variety of genres.

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Maurer Productions to Hold Auditions for "Midnight at the New Dawn" June 6-7

(WEST WINDSOR, NJ) -- Maurer Productions OnStage and the newly formed Maurer TheaterWorks have announced a special co-production partnership — in association with Kelsey Theatre — for the world premiere of Midnight at the New Dawn. The ensemble comedy, written and directed by Dan Maurer, will hold open auditions on June 6-7, 2026.

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Bergen County Players to present "Kodachrome"

​​​​​​​(ORADELL, NJ) -- Bergen County Players (BCP) will conclude its 93rd season with Kodachrome, a delightful and deeply moving one-act comedy by Adam Szymkowicz. Running as part of BCP's Second Stage for three exclusive performances on Saturday, June 6 and Sunday, June 7, 2026, this production invites audiences to find extraordinary magic within ordinary lives.

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Paper Mill Playhouse Announces 2026 Rising Star Awards Nominees

(MILLBURN, NJ) -- Paper Mill Playhouse has announced the nominations for adjudicated production categories of the 31st Annual Rising Star Awards for Excellence in New Jersey High School Musical Theater. Often referred to as New Jersey's version of the Tony Awards for high school musical theater, the Rising Star Awards recognize outstanding achievement in performance, direction, design, choreography, music direction, and overall production.

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Mile Square Theatre presents "An Evening in the Woods: Musical Selections from Into the Woods" on June 13th

(HOBOKEN, NJ) -- Mile Square Theatre will hold its first-ever Education Program Fundraiser, An Evening in the Woods: Musical Selections from Into the Woods in Concert, on Friday, June 13, 2026 at 7:00pm, with a preshow reception beginning at 6:00pm.

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Chatham Players presents "Things I Know to Be True"

(CHATHAM, NJ) -- Chatham Players presents Things I Know to Be True by Andrew Bovell across two weekends from June 5-14, 2026. In the play, Bob and Fran Price have worked their fingers to the bone, and with their four children grown and ready to fly the nest, it might be time to relax and enjoy the roses. But, as each season brings changes, it becomes clear that life never works out as planned.

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Jackson Arts Ministry presents "Seussical Jr." and "Les Misérables School Edition"

​​​​​​​(JACKSON, NJ) -- This June, audiences are invited to experience two unforgettable musical productions as Jackson Arts Ministry (JAM) transforms their outdoor stage into a celebration of music, storytelling, and student talent with performances of Seussical Jr. from June 6-7 and Les Misérables School Edition from June 11-14, 2026.