(MADISON, NJ) -- The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (STNJ) presents a scripts-in-hand presentation of beloved fairytales in the Classics for Kids! production of UNEXPECTED: The Stories of Hans Christian Andersen on Saturday, June 14, 2025 at the F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre. The presentation is the second production in the Theatre’s 2025 Classics for Kids! Series. STNJ company member Isaac Hickox-Young directs the whimsical and lively presentation that features well-known stories such as The Ugly Duckling, The Emperor’s New Clothes, and The Nightingale.

The Stories: The Emperor's New Clothes, a fable published in 1837, satirizes vanity, deception, and the human tendency to unquestioningly obey authority. The tale centers on an emperor fixated on new attire. Deceived by two swindlers claiming to create fabric invisible to the foolish, the emperor puts on quite the public performance in his imaginary clothes. Andersen's The Ugly Duckling, a cherished fairy tale first published in 1843, follows the journey of a young duckling shunned for his unusual looks. As he grows, his appearance changes, revealing his true identity. The tale highlights themes of self-acceptance, perception, and the value of embracing individuality. The Nightingale, published in 1844, is a fairy tale about a Chinese empress who favors a jeweled, mechanical bird over a real nightingale. However, when confronted with death, it is the song of the living bird that brings comfort and renewal. The story delves into the theme of authentic beauty versus artificial beauty.

The Cast: A winning cast of four actors will portray various characters throughout the presentation. Emily S. Chang returns to The Shakespeare Theatre for a third season, and she will star as the titular role in The Nightingale. Chang was previously seen in STNJ’s A Christmas Carol as the Ghost of Christmas Past last season. Ryan N. Murray, a member of this season’s Shakespeare LIVE! touring company, steps into the role of Ugly Duckling in The Ugly Duckling. Murray will be seen again in the Theatre’s Fall production of Romeo and Juliet. James Michael Reilly, last seen in STNJ’s A Child’s Christmas in Wales in 2021, will take the stage as the Emperor in The Emperor’s New Clothes. Aurea Tomeski portrayed Lady MacDuff in the Theatre’s acclaimed production of Macbeth last season. Tomeski will charm audiences once again as Mother Duck in The Ugly Duckling and the Empress in The Nightingale.

The Director: Isaac Hickox-Young is in his eighth season with The Shakespeare Theatre. He has directed two Shakespeare LIVE! productions at the Theatre within the past two years — Julius Caesar and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Hickox-Young has also appeared onstage in numerous STNJ productions including The Book of Will, A Midwinter Night’s Dream, The Rose Tattoo, The Caretaker, and A Child’s Christmas in Wales. Additionally, Hickox-Young is a Lead Teaching Artist and is currently one of the educational lecturers in the Theatre’s Summer Professional Training Program. He is a proud graduate of the Acting Program at the University of Cincinnati: College-Conservatory of Music.

Tickets are $15 for patrons 17 and under. Adult tickets are $20. For more information about The Shakespeare Theatre’s Classics for Kids! performances, please call the Box Office at (973) 408-5600 or visit ShakespeareNJ.org.

The 2025 Classics for Kids! Series is generously sponsored by Stark D. Kirby, Jr.

2025 Classics for Kids! Series 

Saturday, June 14 — 11:00am | UNEXPECTED: The Stories of Hans Christian Andersen. Script by Isaac Hickox-Young; Based on the stories by Hans Christian Andersen

Saturday, September 27 — 11:00am | Perseus and Medusa | A Tanglewood Marionettes Production

Saturday, December 13 — 11:00am | Merry, Merry Mischief: Holiday Classics

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (STNJ) is one of the leading Shakespeare theatres in the nation, serving approximately 75,000 adults and children annually. It is New Jersey's largest professional theatre company dedicated to Shakespeare's canon and other classic masterworks. Through its productions and education programs the company strives to illuminate the universal and lasting relevance of the classics for contemporary audiences.

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey’s programs are made possible, in part, by funding from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as contributions from numerous other foundations, corporations, government agencies, and individuals.