(SUMMIT, NJ) -- Vivid Stage, in residence at Oakes Center at 120 Morris Avenue in Summit, is celebrating its 30th Anniversary season, marking decades of bringing contemporary theatre to audiences in the state of New Jersey. Coming up is the final episode of the original series, Gemstones, by Phoebe Farber. This episode, which will recap the entire season and wrap up the family's story, runs Saturday, June 21 at 8:00pm and Sunday, June 22, 2025 at 2:00pm.
This series blends the best storytelling qualities of mainstage performances with the exhilarating fun of improv. Gemstones is a structured, longform improvisation series that mixes comedy and drama. In this final episode, the characters will recap previous storylines so that new audience members can jump in without having seen any prior episode. Written by Phoebe Farber, the melodrama and camp of TV series from the 1980s blends with the freshness and excitement of live theatre.
In this episode, the family jewelry business is turning over a new leaf after months of upheaval and crisis. There’s a new leader at the helm, and fresh ideas emerging from the new design team. Members of the family who have been struggling strive to find their next chapter, and old conflicts are put to rest. This episode also features spoofs of pop songs that illuminate the characters’ conundrums and inner lives. Will everyone finally live happily ever after, or is there one more big reveal in store for the family?
The final episode features Noreen Farley (Clinton) as the matriarch Estelle, and Laura Ekstrand (Livingston) as her daughter Miranda. Harriett Trangucci (Summit) is cousin Norma, a jewelry designer, and Scott McGowan (Maplewood) is her unfaithful husband, the company’s accountant. Becca Landis McLarty (Montclair) is the wayward daughter Skye, Clark Carmichael (Hewitt) is Gary, the black sheep of the family, and Jason Szamreta (Long Branch) is Billy, the designer with the vision for the future. The episode is directed by Laura Ekstrand, with lighting design by Zach Pizza (Weehawkin) and Sound Design by Jeff Knapp (Montville).
The final episode of Gemstones will appear at the Oakes Center on Saturday, June 21 at 8:00pm and Sunday, June 22 at 2:00pm. Tickets are $33, $28 for seniors and $25 for students 25 and younger. For advance ticket purchases, go to the website. Oakes Center is wheelchair accessible; assisted listening devices and large print materials are available upon request.
Vivid Stage was founded in 1994 as Dreamcatcher Rep, and is a non-profit professional ensemble of actors who build community with the audience by sharing contemporary, life-affirming stories that challenge, energize and entertain. Their work has at its heart a belief in the essential goodness of people and the power of live performance to connect people through our shared humanity. They expose theatregoers to ideas and lives like and unlike their own with the intention of awakening their imaginations and creating empathy for others. They deepen the experience of all their patrons with personal contact through receptions, talkbacks, and interactive programs.
The company’s activities include mainstage productions, improvisational comedy and cabarets, new play readings and a variety of educational and senior outreach programs.
Vivid Stage’s programs are funded by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, and many other corporations, foundations and individuals. Vivid Stage is an Equity Producing member of the New Jersey Theatre Alliance.
Vivid Stage, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) corporation, incorporated under the laws of the State of New Jersey.
