(CHATHAM, NJ) -- The Chatham Community Players (CCP) will host its 31st annual Jersey Voices One-Act Festival with six performances between July 25 and August 3, 2025. This year's production will include eight original short plays written by New Jersey playwrights.
This year's Jersey Voices features pieces by local New Jersey playwrights exploring relationships – estranged family members, new loved, old loves, strangers, and that within ourselves. The evening is a great opportunity to see brand new stories brought to life by talented members of our NJ theater community. In the 31 seasons of performances, Jersey Voices has brought the work of over 125 playwrights to live on the stage.
“Over the years, Jersey Voices has established a strong community of passionate risk-takers and receptive audiences,” says producer and stage manager Aaron Kellner of West Orange. “For many, participation in some capacity has become an eagerly anticipated summer tradition. It is a privilege to be able to spotlight so many talented local artists and continue a legacy of quality that is the hallmark of CCP.”
“This year we have a great mix of new to Chatham playwrights, as well as some returning favorites.” Adds producer Jessica Phelan of Montclair. “One of the my favorite parts of working on Jersey Voices has been the relationships we develop with our playwrights and the amazing support of the playwriting community in New Jersey.”
Performance dates are July 25, 26, 31, August 1 and 2 at 8:00pm and August 3 at 3:00pm at the Chatham Playhouse (23 North Passaic Avenue) in Chatham, New Jersey. Tickets are $20 and available for purchase online or by calling the Box Office at (973) 635-7363.
Here are the plays at this year's festival.
DisConnected by Susan Brown-Peitz of Avenel, Directed by Lauri MacMillan of Hackettstown, Assoc. Kayla Fiore of Scotch Plains. When Ellie gets a call from the 9th Precinct, she never expected she'd have to bail out her mom! Will their already strained relationship be further tested or can this crisis bring them closer together? The cast includes Gloria Lamoureaux of Succasunna as Claire; Jackie Jacobi of Metuchen as Ellie; and Nick Foil of Bridgewater as Officer Kenny.
Der Fröhliche Wanderer by Stephanie Buckley of Montvale, Directed by Giovanna DiSanto of Green Brook: Boy and Girl are having relationship problems, which are complicated by the fact that they are automatons in a chalet style cuckoo clock. The cast includes Robert Colon of Ridgefield Park as Boy and Erin Feith of Florham Park as Girl.
With This Ring by Caroline Grant of Brooklyn, Directed by Brooke Harrsch of Bethlehem. At a suburban country club’s poolside on a stormy summer day, Jim, a man determined to forge his own path, confronts his overbearing mother who is intent on rekindling old ties through plans for a wedding he never wanted. Long-buried family secrets and past regrets come crashing into the present, forcing both to face the consequences of misplaced "tough love." The cast includes Yves Turgeon of Wharton as Jim and Holly Hampton of Maplewood as Mother.
Sidequest by Steven Hayet of Springfield, Directed by Ann Pattan of New Providence. First dates are always awkward. Two young people navigate their specific quirks using video game avatars to find a comfort zone. The cast includes Nick Foil of Bridgewater as Daniel; Dawn Collet of Madison as Gemma; Karen Koronkiewicz of Chatham as Blue Sphynx - AKA BlueSphynx3641; Jessie Thiele of East Rutherford as Alpaca Fan - AKA AlpacaFan47; and Jonathan Wilcox of Chatham as Waiter.
The Old Church by John AC Kennedy of Springfield, Directed by Sarah Pharaon of South Orange. A man pushes his way through a thicket, waist-high and neglected for years, and emerges into a clearing. "A sensible person would turn back. Or just sit down for a bit." The cast includes Pierce V. Lo of East Rutherford as Desmond and Michael Sasso of Newark as Brian.
Ponce de León and the Old Dog by Alexis Kozak of Ocean, Directed by Jeanne Johnston of High Bridge: When an older professor clashes with a young college student over the use of AI, who wins? The cast includes Eric Williams of Mount Tabor as Jim and Lori Smith of Montclair as Rita.
Keeper of the World by Akhir Stewart of Highland Park, Directed by Leslie Ellis of Florham Park. A whimsical, allegorical, poetic journey. Keeper of the World is a meditation on the trials and pitfalls of Womanhood as seen through the underbelly of a Fairy Tale. Featuring Tasha R. Williams of Union as The Keeper of The World.
Two Birds, One’s Stoned by Jonas Wilcox of Chatham, Directed by Emma Schwartz of Westfield. Two strangers meet at a train station - waiting for a train from Maine to Boston. Their worlds are generations apart, until their similarities reveal that the synchronicity of their meeting is inevitable and healing. The cast includes Jodi Freeman Maloy of Cedar Grove as Bea and Anna McCabe of Morristown as Nat.
The Chatham Community Players has been entertaining residents of Morris County and the surrounding area since 1922. The organization’s mission is to produce high-quality theater for a diverse audience, while elevating its standard of excellence and providing a creative outlet with educational opportunities and outreach programs. For more information, including details of CCP’s upcoming 2025-2026 season, visit www.chathamplayers.org.
Funding has been made possible in part by Morris Arts through the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.
