(CAPE MAY, NJ) -- The 2024 season at Cape May Stage is highlighted by the World Premiere of The Gift of the Magi and the New Jersey Premiere of Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson. The season also includes Becoming Dr. Ruth, Stones In His Pockets, and a one week run of Rita Hayworth - The Heat is On!
The theatre company also announces their Broadway Series includes performances by Melissa Errico, NIC + DESI, and Abigail Rockwell; their 2024 Reading Series; and a trio of special events.
June 5th – June 30th Becoming Dr. Ruth by Mark St. Germain, Directed by Roy Steinberg. This compelling play chronicles the remarkable journey of Karola Siegel, who became best known as Dr. Ruth Westheimer, an iconic sex therapist. Filled with remarkable stories of Dr. Ruth’s escape from the Nazis as a child, her time as a sniper in Jerusalem, and her courageous pursuit of success in America as a single mother, “Becoming Dr. Ruth” delivers humor, honesty, and a triumphant spirit. Come along as Dr. Ruth takes the audience on an uplifting adventure through her one-of-a-kind life story. Wednesday – Saturday at 7:00pm; Sunday at 3:00pm.
July 6th - July 12th Rita Hayworth - The Heat is On! written & Directed by Carter Inskeep, Starring Quinn Lemley. This critically acclaimed show is about the life of Rita Hayworth, the star that built Columbia Pictures. It’s a humorous, heartfelt and heartbreaking look at The Golden Age of Hollywood, Me Too Movement, and the price of fame. It is also a celebration of a remarkable life told with humor, wit, and impeccable storytelling woven with music from The Great American Songbook and The Golden Age Of Hollywood. Starring Quinn Lemley, winner of the Bistro Award and two-time nominee for the MAC awards for achievements in cabaret, comedy and jazz. Nightly at 8:00pm.
July 17th – August 25th Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson - Apt. 2B by Kate Hamill, Directed by Roy Steinberg. This fast-paced, comedic, and modern reimagining of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous sleuth and sidekick explores the dynamic partnership of a new Holmes and Watson as they navigate a series of exhilarating adventures. This quasi dysfunctional odd couple emerge from a pandemic fog and come face to face with a cunning supervillain. Packed with non-stop laughs and hijinks galore, audiences of all ages will embark on a thrilling ride. Written by The Wall Street Journal’s Playwright of the Year, Kate Hamill. This will be the New Jersey premiere of the play, written in 2022. Tuesday – Sunday at 8:00pm.
September 11th – October 20th Stones In His Pockets by Marie Jones, Directed by Roy Steinberg. This award-winning play brings Hollywood to rural Ireland in a riotous clash of cultures. Set against the backdrop of a small Irish town, the story follows two local men cast as extras in a glamorous American movie. But when a famous actress takes a shine to one of the locals and tragedy strikes, chaos ensues, leading to a hilarious collision of harsh reality and Hollywood fantasies. Two talented actors play 15 different parts in this comedic play with a poignant undercurrent. WINNER – Olivier Award for Best New Comedy. Wednesday – Saturday at 7:00pm; Sunday at 3:00pm.
November 20th – December 29th The Gift of the Magi by Marisa Smith, Directed by Roy Steinberg. WORLD PREMIERE! Based on O. Henry’s “The Gift of the Magi,” a short story set in Victorian times, this modern adaptation updates the tale of love and sacrifice to the modern day. O. Henry wrote about disadvantaged young people living in New York City. In this version, Lucia and Rocky are a young married couple living in the city who love each other very much though they have different ideas of what to spend money on for this Christmas. This is a play celebrating love and sacrifice. Told with heart and humor, this is a real holiday treat. Wednesday – Saturday at 7:00pm; Sunday at 3:00pm.
In addition, their Broadway Series includes several one-night only performances.
Saturday, June 1st at 7:00pm Melissa Errico. A wonderfully emotional, sensual, and musical evening with Tony Award nominated Broadway star Melissa Errico telling her most personal stories about a life on Broadway, and singing of the dreams, dreamers and inspirations that shaped her.
Monday, September 23rd at 7:00pm NIC + DESI. Performers who sing, dance, and share their love story in this duo celebration of classic and contemporary Broadway! Following star turns on Broadway and in numerous nationally touring musicals, theatrical power couple Nicolas Dromard and Desireé Davar created this new duo act to be able to share their love of song and dance with venues worldwide.
Sunday, December 15th, at 7:00pm Abigail Rockwell. A ultry American jazz singer/songwriter. For the first time, Rockwell will share the magic and intimate recollections of her grandfather Norman Rockwell’s home at Christmas with original music and holiday classics. Her upcoming album, “A Rockwell Christmas”, will be released Christmas 2024.
Cape May Stage has also announced its 2024 Reading Series filled with timely plays performed by professional actors. All of our readings are free to attend as we look to share a curated list of new and diverse plays through one-night-only staged readings. Doors open 30 minutes before the reading for in-person events. No tickets required; donations accepted.
Monday, April 15 at 7:00pm - The Chinese Lady by Lloyd Suh; Directed by Penny Bergman. Virtual Reading Online. Free to Attend – All Donations will go to Stop AAPI Hate, a national coalition fighting against racism and racial injustice targeting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Inspired by the true story of the first Chinese woman to step foot in America, Lloyd Suh’s critically-acclaimed play, The Chinese Lady, is a tale of dark poetic whimsy and a unique portrait of the United States as seen through the eyes of a young Chinese girl. In 1834, 16-year-old Afong Moy sailed into New York Harbor and was immediately put on display for a paying public who were mesmerized by her exotic ways and horrified by her tiny bound feet. As audiences follow Moy’s travels through America as a living exhibit for decades, The Chinese Lady shares her impressions of a young country struggling with how to define itself. More information about how to attend will be released soon.
Thursday, May 16 at 7:00pm - National Playwright Symposium Readings by Various Playwrights; Directed by Roy Steinberg. In-Person Reading at the Robert Shackleton Playhouse. No Tickets Required – Free to Attend – Donations Accepted. The National Playwrights Symposium was created by Roy Steinberg and Shawn Fisher to bring Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning playwrights to work with mid-career writers each May in Cape May. The readings of work will be creations that did not exist prior to the week-long event. Sometimes, the readings you will hear were written that morning. It is a stunning and exciting event.
Monday, June 24 at 7:00pm - Tru by Jay Presson Allen; Directed by Roy Steinberg. In-Person Reading at the Robert Shackleton Playhouse. No Tickets Required – Free to Attend – Donations Accepted. Adapted from the words and works of Truman Capote, Tru takes place in the writer’s New York City apartment during the week before Christmas 1975. An excerpt from Capote’s infamous novel Answered Prayers has recently been published in Esquire and the author’s friends, recognizing the characters as thinly veiled versions of themselves, have turned their back on the man they once considered a close confidant.
Monday, August 12 at 7:00pm - Seacape by Edward Albee; Directed by Roy Steinberg. In-Person Reading at the Robert Shackleton Playhouse. No Tickets Required – Free to Attend – Donations Accepted. On a deserted stretch of beach, a middle-aged couple relaxes after a picnic lunch and converse idly about home, family, and their life together. She sketches; he naps. Then, suddenly, they are joined by two sea creatures, a pair of lizards from the depths of the ocean, with whom they engage in a fascinating dialogue. The emotional and intellectual reverberations of this bizarre conversation will linger in the heart and the mind long after the curtain falls–or the last page is turned. Seascape won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1975.
Monday, October 7th at 7:00pm - Native Gardens by Karen Zacarias; Directed by Roy Steinberg. In-Person Reading at the Robert Shackleton Playhouse. No Tickets Required – Free to Attend – Donations Accepted. You can’t choose your neighbors. In this brilliant hot button comedy, cultures and gardens clash, turning well-intentioned neighbors into feuding enemies. Pablo, a rising attorney, and doctoral candidate Tania, his very pregnant wife, have just purchased a home next to Frank and Virginia, a well-established D.C. couple with a prize-worthy English garden. But an impending barbeque for Pablo’s colleagues and a delicate disagreement over a long-standing fence line soon spirals into an all-out border dispute, exposing both couples’ notions of race, taste, class and privilege.
Cape May Stage also announces three special events starting with The History of Theater on Monday, March 25 at 7:00pm. This is a virtual lecture online. Roy Steinberg, Producing Artistic Director at Cape May Stage, takes us on an exploration of theatre history starting with the Orestia of Aeschylus. In particular, he will concentrate on theater in Cape May, from the 19th century opera and vaudeville through the 20th century star packages and summer stock to the creation of theater companies that exist today. The 21st century theater that exists today grew out of that history and we will discuss contemporary Cape May demographics, national trends, and union protocols.
Friday, May 3 at 7:00pm - The Ripple Effect: How Every Individual Shapes Bias-Free Classrooms. In-Person Lecture at the Robert Shackleton Playhouse. In partnership with Cape May MAC (Museums+Arts+Culture), Cape May Stage is proud to present this special lecture event. Join us for an enlightening evening with Janis Washington White, as she dives into her groundbreaking book “Erasing Bias From the Classroom: A Guide to Fostering Self-awareness, Open Dialogue and Advocacy”. Discover the transformative power we all possess as influencers in shaping the educational landscape for our youth. In this engaging event open to the general public, Janis will share her insights on the pivotal role each of us plays, transcending our connections to education. Be part of the conversation that empowers change and fosters inclusivity in our schools. Don’t miss this opportunity to be inspired and make a meaningful impact on the future of education.
Saturday, June 8 at 6:00pm - Cape May Stage 35th Anniversary Gala. ONE NIGHT ONLY at the Corinthian Yacht Club of Cape May. Make plans to join us at our annual spring fundraising event, the 35th Anniversary Gala, being held on Saturday, June 8, at the Corinthian Yacht Club of Cape May. Make plans to join us for this evening to remember. The festive night will be filled with live music by the Cape May Diamonds, delicious tapas dishes, a signature drink, a cash bar, and a live auction with amazing one-of-a-kind experiences. Plus the Yacht Club offers a safe, tented outdoor environment with spectacular water views. All to support live, professional theater in Cape May, NJ. Tickets and Sponsorships will be available to purchase on April 15, 2024.
Cape May Stage is located inside the Robert Shackleton Playhouse at 405 Lafayette Street in Cape May, New Jersey. Situated in the heart of historic downtown Cape May, the theater is easily accessible from anywhere in South Jersey.
Cape May Stage is Southern New Jersey’s premier Equity theater. They are committed to producing entertaining, and intellectually and emotionally provocative theater, while striving to achieve the highest level of artistic excellence. Cape May Stage is recognized as one of the Mid-Atlantic’s leading professional Equity theaters and most significant cultural assets. They are a place where audience members can experience plays with timely themes that resonate locally, nationally, and around the world. They inspire nationally recognized actors and artists to partner with them and perform on their stage, and they provide a dynamic incubator for the creation and staging of new works.
