Published by New Jersey Stage
originally published: 11/01/2024
Playwrights Lynn Marie Macy, Rosemary Parrillo, Joseph Vitale
(CRANFORD, NJ) -- Theater enthusiasts will have the opportunity to see staged readings of three new plays and share their reactions with the playwrights during the third of The Theater Project's "New Play Readings" on Saturday, November 16, 2024, at the Cranford Community Center. Admission is free, with no registration required. The event begins at 2:00pm.
“A reading by actors is an early, essential step in a play’s production,” said Mark Spina, The Theater Project’s artistic director. “A staged reading gives audiences some insight into how a play makes the long journey from the written word to the curtain call. In addition, by sharing their reactions with the playwright and cast, audiences serve as contributors to a play’s development.”
The November 16 staged readings will comprise the following works: Ruby in the Rough by Lynn Marie Macy, The Nature of the Stars by Rosemary Parrillo, and You’re Getting Sleepy by Joseph Vitale.
Ruby in the Rough by Lynn Marie Macy. December 31, 1929, is a New Year’s Eve three showgirls will never forget. As they prepare for a splendid night on the town, a shocking event will threaten their friendships and haunt them for the rest of their lives.
Macy is the author of five previous plays produced by The Theater Project. She translated Friederich von Schiller’s Intrigue and Love for Jean Cocteau Repertory in New York and Georges Sand’s Gabriel for New Perspectives Theatre Company, also in New York. As an actor, she has appeared in plays by Bertolt Brecht, William Shakespeare, and Lanford Wilson.
The Nature of the Stars by Rosemary Parrillo. The proprietor of a bookstore specializing in poetry is priced out of the neighborhood and must close her doors. As a handyman fumbles his way through a final maintenance task, a young customer arrives, offering the store owner an unforeseen opportunity to make peace with her misfortune and help the despondent teen discover the redemptive power of poetry.
Parrillo is a playwright and journalist. Her work has been performed at festivals and in community theaters across the United States and in Canada. The Nature of the Stars was a 2024 finalist for the Tennessee Williams One-Act Contest. Her post-9/11 play, The New Normal Trilogy, was a semifinalist in the 2017 Eugene O'Neill Theater Center National Playwrights Conference.
You’re Getting Sleepy by Joseph Vitale. A knavish night-club hypnotist, The Amazing Mallecho has a gig performing in a Cancun resort with this long-time (and long-suffering) assistant, Victoria. Mallecho hypnotizes two couples he’s brought on stage, but when he himself falls under the spell of a spiked drink, more is revealed about the characters than meets the eye.
Vitale, a finalist for 2020 – 2021 Joanne Woodward/Paul Newman Drama Award and a semi-finalist for the 2012 Eugene O’Neill Theater/National Playwrights Conference, is the author of a score of full-length and one-act plays that have been staged throughout the country. The Theater Project produced The Interpreter, his drama about the Nuremberg trials, in August 2024.
Cranford Community Center is located at 220 Walnut Avenue. The Theater Project is presenting the “New Play Readings” series in cooperation with the Friends of the Cranford Public Library.
Founded in 1994 and based in Union, The Theater Project introduces New Jersey audiences to new plays and supports rising playwrights and theater artists. It develops new audiences for theater by service to the community, providing programs for children, and using theater as a forum to address current issues.
EVENT PREVIEWS
The Montclair Theater Festival takes place on Saturday
(MONTCLAIR, NJ) -- The Montclair Theater Festival takes place Saturday, July 25, 2026 from 2:00pm to 8:00pm in Brookdale Park. Step into a day of theater magic, live performances, and community fun! Presented by Vanguard Theater, this vibrant one-day event features family-friendly shows like Suessical: The Musical and Shakespeare’s The Tempest, alongside performances from local artists, food trucks, and hands-on activities for all ages.
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.
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
