Here are previews of plays taking place from January 13-19, 2026 including a look at productions currently being presented and those coming soon. New Jersey Stage covers Equity, community, college, and high school theatre. Check back every week for the weekly theatre preview. Click on the title to go to the full preview. Jump to Featured Events, Event Previews, Event Listings, Coming Soon.
Most of the preview articles found here were created by New Jersey Stage, but you can send press releases to [email protected] to have your shows considered for previews. There is no cost for preview articles. Featured listings are found in the NJ Stage calendar, reserved for advertisers, and provided with individual event pages for every performance. Event pages are also available for $10 per event (multiple performances count as a single event). Event pages are also included with every banner ad purchase.
The National Tour of Chicago, the Musical comes to Mayo Performing Arts Center (MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- The National Tour of Chicago, the Musical comes to Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC) with four performances from January 16-18, 2026. Chicago is still the one musical with everything that makes Broadway shimmy-shake: a universal tale of fame, fortune, and all that jazz, with one showstopping song after another and the most astonishing dancing you’ve ever seen.
Algonquin Arts Theatre presents "Same Time, Next Year" (MANASQUAN, NJ) -- Algonquin Arts Theatre is delighted to open the new year with one of the most beloved romantic comedies of the American stage, Same Time, Next Year, running for six performances only from January 17-25, 2026.
Youth Performers Find Their Voice in ShowKids Invitational Theatre's "High School Musical" (GLEN GARDNER, NJ) -- ShowKids Invitational Theatre (SKIT) brings the high-energy Disney favorite High School Musical to the stage this winter, featuring a double cast of talented young performers at Voorhees High School in Lebanon Township. The production runs for two weekends, January 17–25, 2026, and celebrates friendship, teamwork, and the courage to break out of the expected.
Vivid Stage to Celebrate MLK Jr. Day with a Reading of "Pretty Fire" on January 18th Saint John's Lutheran Church of Summit is located at 587 Springfield Avenue in Summit, New Jersey
Arden Children's Theatre presents "A Wrinkle In Time" (PHILADELPHIA, PA) -- This winter, Arden Children's Theatre invites families to journey across time and space with an exciting adaptation of Madeline L'Engle's beloved book, A Wrinkle in Time. Adapted by John Glore, winner of the Newbery Medal, A Wrinkle in Time has inspired generations of readers, and even a major motion picture, since its publication. Now, the Arden brings this timeless classic to its stage for the first time. The production runs from December 3 through January 25, 2026.
Manhattan Theatre Club presents "Bug" by Tracy Letts (NEW YORK, NY) -- Manhattan Theatre Club (MTC) presents the Broadway premiere of Bug, written by Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winner Tracy Letts (August: Osage County, The Minutes) and directed by Tony Award winner David Cromer (Prayer for the French Republic at MTC, The Band's Visit). The production begins performances on Wednesday, December 17, 2025 at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street). Opening night is Thursday, January 8, 2026.
The Ritz Theatre Company presents "Company" by Stephen Sondheim and George Furth (HADDON TOWNSHIP, NJ) -- The Ritz Theatre Company presents Company by Stephen Sondheim and George Furth weekends from January 9 to February 1, 2026. The musical asks the question: what does it mean to be alive, alone, and in love in the city that never sleeps?
Music Mountain Theatre presents "Grease" (LAMBERTVILLE, NJ) -- Music Mountain Theatre presents Grease weekends from January 9 through February 1, 2026. With a hip-shaking rock 'n' roll score featuring hits like "Summer Nights," "Greased Lightnin'" and "We Go Together," Grease celebrates 50s high school, romance, and coming of age.
Westfield Community Players presents "Time Stands Still" by Donald Margulies (WESTFIELD, NJ) -- Westfield Community Players presents Time Stands Still by Donald Margulies across three weekends from January 10-24, 2026. The play focuses on Sarah and James, a photojournalist and a foreign correspondent trying to find happiness in a world that seems to have gone crazy.
Bergen County Players presents "Seascape" by Edward Albee (ORADELL, NJ) -- Escape the cold and head to the sunny sand as Bergen County Players (BCP) raises the curtain on Seascape, which earned playwright Edward Albee his second Pulitzer Prize in 1975. The limited run of only five performances is directed by Dottie Fischer of Tenafly. The show runs from January 10-18, 2026 at the Little Firehouse Theatre in Oradell.
Nutley Little Theatre to Hold Auditions for "True West" by Sam Shepard (NUTLEY, NJ) -- Nutley Little Theatre will hold auditions for True West on Sunday, January 11 from 2:00pm to 4:00pm and Tuesday, January 13, 2026 from 7:00pm to 9:00pm. This American classic by Sam Shepard was nominated for the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The production will be directed by John Fraissinet.
Bergen County Players to Hold Auditions for "The 39 Steps" (ORADELL, NJ) -- Bergen County Players (BCP) will conclude its 2025-26 season on its main stage with The 39 Steps, a fast-paced frenzy of espionage and murderous mayhem based on Alfred Hitchcock's 1935 classic film, with a dash of Monty Python's zany humor. This two-time Tony and Drama Desk Award-winning, laughter-filled treat will be directed by Steve Bell of Hackensack. Open auditions will take place from January 13th through January 19th.
Doughboy Foundation to present a One-Night-Only Event Created by and Starring Tony Award Nominee Melissa Errico - "The Story of a Rose: A Musical Reverie on the Great War" (NEW YORK, NY) -- Broadway favorite and Tony Nominee Melissa Errico will present a special one-night-only public presentation of The Story of a Rose: A Musical Reverie on the Great War on Tuesday, January 13, 2026 at New World Stages. The event is presented by Doughboy Foundation, dedicated to preserving the legacy and memory of World War I. Showtime is 7:00pm.
Count Basie Center Turner Academy of the Arts presents "All Shook Up" (RED BANK, NJ) -- Count Basie Center Turner Academy of the Arts presents All Shook Up from January 13-14, 2026 with performances at 7:00pm each night. This is a hilarious and heartfelt musical with an original book by Joe DiPietro, creator of the Tony Award®-winning musical Memphis.
Ruth Stage presents "At Home at the Zoo" (OCEAN GROVE, NJ) -- Ruth Stage is roaring back to the Jersey Shore Arts Center with a theatrical event of rare significance: Edward Albee’s At Home at the Zoo — the complete and fully realized version of The Zoo Story, presented with the approval of the Edward Albee Estate. Performances take place January 15-17, 2025 at the Jersey Shore Arts Center.
The Barn Theatre presents "Misery" (MONTVILLE, NJ) -- The Barn Theatre presents Misery weekends from January 16 to February 1, 2026. The play by William Goldman is based on the novel by Stephen King in which a romance novelist is kidnapped by his obsessed fan, Annie Wilkes, who demands he write a new Misery novel.
Shakespeare 70 presents "Arms and the Man" at Kelsey Theatre (WEST WINDSOR, NJ) -- Shakespeare 70 presents Arms and the Man by George Bernard Shaw weekends from January 16-25, 2026 at the Kelsey Theatre. One of Shaw's most enduringly popular comedies follows a hunted soldier who, seeking refuge in a young lady’s boudoir, starts in motion a series of unlikely comedic events.
Somerset Valley Players presents "Drinking Habits" (HILLSBOROUGH, NJ) -- Somerset Valley Players presents Drinking Habits by Tom Smith weekends from January 16 through February 1, 2026. Accusations, mistaken identities, and romances run wild in this traditional, laugh-out-loud farce.
Haddonfield Plays and Players presents "Shrek, The Musical" (HADDONFIELD, NJ) -- Haddonfield Plays and Players presents Shrek, The Musical weekends from January 16-31, 2026. Everyone's favorite ogre is back in the hilarious stage spectacle based on the Oscar-winning, smash hit film.
Villagers Theatre presents "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" (SOMERSET, NJ) -- Villagers Theatre presents The Mystery of Edwin Drood across two weekends from January 16-25, 2026. Based on Charles Dickens' final unfinished novel, this hilarious whodunit by Rupert Holmes invites the audience to solve its mystery by choosing the identity of the murderer.
The Broadway Theatre of Pitman presents "Merrily We Roll Along" (PITMAN, NJ) -- The Broadway Theatre of Pitman presents Merrily We Roll Along weekends from January 16 through February 8, 2026. Sondheim's semi-autobiographical musical turns back the clock on friendship and the high price of success. It is a spirited and moving cautionary tale for anyone who has ever pursued a dream.
Bergen County Players to Host Post-Show Q&A with Executive Director of the Edward F. Albee Foundation on January 16th (ORADELL, NJ) -- Bergen County Players (BCP) will host a special post-show talkback with Jakob Holder, Executive Director of the Edward F. Albee Foundation. The Q&A with audience and cast members will follow the Friday, January 16, 2026 performance of Albee's Pulitzer Prize-Winning Seascape. The play features a recently retired couple who are debating the future when they are suddenly joined by a pair of human-sized lizards.
Magnolia Productions presents "Becky's New Car" by Steven Dietz (ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS, NJ) -- Magnolia Productions presents Becky's New Car by Steven Dietz from January 16-18, 23-24, 2026 at the Navesink Library. The play asks the question: have you ever been tempted to flee your own life?
Playhouse 22 presents "Yes, Virginia" (EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- Yes, Virginia, a heartfelt comedy by Stan Zimmerman and Christian McLaughlin, the creative minds behind many episodes of "The Golden Girls", "Gilmore Girls", "Roseanne" and "Married with Children", is coming to Playhouse 22 for performances across two weekends from January 16-25, 2026.
Two River Theater's A Little Shakespeare presents "As You Like It" (RED BANK, NJ) -- Two River Theater's signature arts education program, A Little Shakespeare, adapted and directed by Noelle Marion returns to the helm with As You Like It. Now in its 13th year, A Little Shakespeare engages young artists with the work of the Bard, in an abridged production directed and designed by theater professionals, and performed and supported backstage by high school students. This year's production runs from January 17-25, 2026.
Philadelphia Theatre Company presents "Havana Hop" - A Family-Friendly, Interactive Celebration of Music, Movement, and Heritage (PHILADELPHIA, PA) -- Philadelphia Theatre Company (PTC) continues its 51st season with Havana Hop, a high-energy, one-woman performance written, choreographed, and performed by Paige Hernandez, a multidisciplinary artist acclaimed as a performer, director, choreographer, and playwright. The show features original music by Nick "Nick tha 1da" Hernandez and Kris Funn. Directed by Danielle Drakes, there are three performances from January 17-18, 2026, at PTC's Suzanne Roberts Theatre.
The Theater Project presents a Staged Reading of a new play by Lynn Aylward (CRANFORD, NJ) -- The Theater Project's Playwrights' Workshop will launch its winter/spring series of New Play Readings series on Saturday, January 17, 2026 at Cranford Community Center's 110-seat theater. The script-in-hand staged readings are free to the public, and they include post-performance conversations with audience, author, cast and director. Showtime is 2:00pm.
Click on the title to go to the event page for complete information on the show.
Friday, January 16, 2026 @ 8:00pm - Chicago the Musical at Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC), 100 South Street, Morristown
Saturday, January 17, 2026 @ 2:00pm - Same Time, Next Year at Algonquin Arts Theatre, 60 Abe Voorhees, Manasquan
Saturday, January 17, 2026 @ 2:00pm - Chicago the Musical at Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC), 100 South Street, Morristown
Saturday, January 17, 2026 @ 2:00pm - ShowKids Invitational Theatre presents "High School Musical" at Voorhees High School - Auditorium, 256 County Road 513, Glen Gardner
Saturday, January 17, 2026 @ 7:30pm - ShowKids Invitational Theatre presents "High School Musical" at Voorhees High School - Auditorium, 256 County Road 513, Glen Gardner
Saturday, January 17, 2026 @ 8:00pm - Chicago the Musical at Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC), 100 South Street, Morristown
Sunday, January 18, 2026 @ 2:00pm - Chicago the Musical at Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC), 100 South Street, Morristown
Sunday, January 18, 2026 @ 2:00pm - ShowKids Invitational Theatre presents "High School Musical" at Voorhees High School - Auditorium, 256 County Road 513, Glen Gardner
Sunday, January 18, 2026 @ 3:00pm - Same Time, Next Year at Algonquin Arts Theatre, 60 Abe Voorhees, Manasquan
The Road Company presents "Groundhog Day: The Musical" (WILLIAMSTOWN, NJ) -- The Road Company presents Groundhog Day: The Musical weekends from January 22 to February 7, 2026. Critically acclaimed on both the West End and Broadway, Groundhog Day revels in one man's journey of self-discovery, day after day.
Arden Theatre Company presents the Philadelphia Premiere of "Good Bones" (PHILADELPHIA, PA) -- Arden Theatre Company presents the Philadelphia premiere of Good Bones, the newest play by Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright James Ijames (Fat Ham), about gentrification and the consequences of change in a neighborhood and in a family. Directed by Philadelphia-based award-winning actor Akeem Davis, the production begins performances January 22, opens January 28, and runs through March 8, 2026.
The Maplewood Strollers presents "Narnia, the Musical" (MAPLEWOOD, NJ) -- Four children—siblings—stumble upon (and through) a wardrobe into the magical kingdom of Narnia. Relieve this magical story when The Maplewood Strollers presents Narnia, the Musical across two weekends (January 23 - February 1, 2026) at The Burgdorff Center for the Performing Arts. The production is directed by Beth Seales-Hanson.
The Players Guild of Leonia presents "Blithe Spirit" by Noël Coward (LEONIA, NJ) -- The Players Guild of Leonia presents Blithe Spirit by Noël Coward weekends from January 23 to February 8, 2026 in the Civil War Drill Hall. In Noël Coward’s sparkling classic, a well-intentioned séance conjures up far more than anyone expected.
Chatham Players presents "Any Night" by Daniel Arnold & Medina Han (CHATHAM, NJ) -- Chatham Players presents Any Night by Daniel Arnold & Medina Han weekends from January 23 to February 1, 2026. The writers/performers of the international hit Tuesdays & Sundays are back with a contemporary Hitchcockian thriller.
Burlington County Footlighters presents "Calendar Girls" (CINNAMINSON, NJ) -- Burlington County Footlighters presents Calendar Girls by Tim Firth weekends from January 23 through February 7, 2026. It is based on the true story of eleven Women's Institute members who posed nude for a calendar to raise money for the Leukaemia Research Fund.
Chatham Players Black Box Series presents "Any Night" (CHATHAM, NJ) -- The Chatham Community Players' Black Box Series presents Any Night by Daniel Arnold and Medina Han across two weekends from January 23 - February 1, 2026. It tells the story of Anna, a troubled dancer who is looking for a fresh start. Patrick is her helpful upstairs neighbor. As the pair falls for each other, Anna's sleepwalking and night terrors put them both in danger. Sleep is anything but peaceful in this gothic thriller that blurs dreams and reality.
"Kim's Convenience" comes to McCarter Theatre Center (PRINCETON, NJ) -- McCarter Theatre Center welcomes the new year with Kim's Convenience, the award-winning comedy about a Korean family-run corner store that inspired the hit CBC television series later distributed internationally on Netflix. Running in the Berlind Theatre from January 23 through February 15, 2026, the play brings heart and humor to the stage as it explores family, identity, and resilience in a rapidly changing world.
Aspire Performing Arts Company presents "Spring Awakening" (FAIR LAWN, NJ) -- Aspire Performing Arts Company, an award-winning performing arts company based in Wayne, will present the groundbreaking rock musical Spring Awakening from January 23-25, 2026 at the Fair Lawn Community Center.
North Star Theater Company to hold Audition Workshop for High School Students (OGDENSBURG, NJ) -- North Star Theater Company will offer a one-day Audition Workshop designed to help high school students build confidence and sharpen their audition skills on Saturday, January 24, 2026. The event runs from 10:00am to 12:00pm at North Star Studio.
Passage Theatre presents the World Premiere of "Muleheaded, or Zora and Langston Write a Play" (TRENTON, NJ) -- Passage Theatre, the only professional theatre company in Trenton, presents the World Premiere of David Robson's Muleheaded, or Zora and Langston Write a Play from January 29 through February 16, 2026. The play is based on a seldom told true story between literary giants Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes. Robson had previously written Passage Theatre's fall 2022 production of Blues in My Soul.
Avenel PAC presents "Death Do Us Part" (AVENEL, NJ) -- The Avenel Performing Arts Center presents Death Do Us Part from January 30-31, 2026 with performances at 6:00pm each night. Death Do Us Part is a wedding murder mystery by Tony Ardolino.
Heidi Schreck's "What the Constitution Means to Me" is Coming to Morristown (MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Pioneer Productions is excited to announce a special, limited-engagement run of Heidi Schreck's What the Constitution Means to Me, coming to Morristown in early 2026. The play will run for five performances only, weekends from January 31 to February 8, 2026 at the Stage at Fellowship Hall in Morristown.
The Triad Theater presents selections from The Rock Musical "Soul Searching" in concert (NEW YORK, NY) -- The Triad Theater presents Selections from The Rock Musical Soul Searching in concert on Saturday, January 31, 2026 at 9:30pm. This special performance highlights almost twenty numbers from this sung-through show and features a soon-to-be-announced stellar cast from Broadway, Off Broadway and national tours as well as a live rock band.
Gateway Playhouse To Host A Musical Fundraiser on January 31st (SOMERS POINT, NJ) -- Gateway Playhouse will host a special one-night-only musical fundraiser titled "Old Friends: A Night of Songs and Stories" featuring Debby Jenkins and Brian Conover on Saturday, January 31, 2026 at 7:00pm. Proceeds for the event go directly to Gateway Playhouse.
MPAC to hold auditions for Disney's Frozen (MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Let it Go! Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)'s 2026 spring production will be Disney's Frozen. Based on the Academy Award-winning animated feature film, this musical includes all the film's beloved songs by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, along with new music written exclusively for the stage. The show will be directed by Cathy Roy. Music Direction by Charles Santoro.
Broadway Bound Kids to Hold 4th Annual Benefit Concert: Empower State of Mind at City Winery (NEW YORK, NY) -- Broadway Bound Kids (BBK) will hold its Fourth Annual Benefit Concert, Empower State of Mind on Monday, February 2, 2026 in the mainstage at City Winery. The evening will celebrate the empowering impact of arts education in young lives as well as their community. The dazzling night is in exaltation of the influence of the "city that never sleeps" and New York City's greatest contribution to theater – Broadway. Showtime is 7:30pm.
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