(LEFT to RIGHT) Jack Cibrian, Emily Ommerborn, Laura McDonough, Maureen Blair, Kelly Cibrian, Linda Jaffrey, Kamirah Owens, Mariano DiFabio, and Jordan Blake. Photo by Rebecca Bell
(NAVESINK, NJ) -- VIP Theatricals presents the World Premiere of CURTSEY – A Royal Comedy by David J. V. Meenan. Polite society takes a spectacular tumble in this fast, fizzy period farce set in the spring of 1939 at the impeccably proper — and wildly unprepared — Woman's Club of Red Bank, New Jersey. Performances take place across two weekends from February 21 to March 1, 2026 at The Navesink Library Theatre.
From the delightfully twisted mind behind Senior Moments – Big Beaver and the New York award-winning Camp, A New Musical, comes David J. V. Meenan’s newest original romp — inspired by actual events and featuring the unbelievable (but true!) story of what happened when the King and Queen of England visited the small town of Red Bank, New Jersey.
This is a crowd-pleasing, laugh-out-loud romp with modern bite, vintage flair, and just enough impropriety to make polite society very uncomfortable.
Freshly graduated and newly returned home, Bette English (Emily Ommerborn) expects a quiet reintegration into small-town life. Instead, she walks straight into a battlefield of starched linens, delicately balanced teacups, and women who absolutely believe they are better than everyone else in the room.
She is immediately swept into the orbit of a tightly wound sisterhood of club members led by club president Shirley Wyndham (David J. V. Meenan), a woman of unquestioned authority and unshakable confidence, and Vice President Roberta Foster (Maureen Blair), whose ambition is matched only by her impatience. As the women prepare an English tea for Abigail Lippincott (Laura McDonough) to celebrate the engagement of her daughter, Flora (Campbell Smith), to the well-to-do Pierce Davis the 3rd, appearances are everything — and everyone knows exactly where everyone else falls short.
When word of a possible royal visit hits the room, social order collapses faster than a poorly balanced tea tray. Old rivalries resurface, alliances form on the fly, and suddenly every woman believes she is the obvious choice to represent Red Bank to the Crown.
Eventually, the lace gloves come off — politely, of course. Accents are mangled, teacups rattle, and etiquette lessons taught by the formidable Madame Mabel (Louise Waterman) turn cutthroat. Competitive curtsying reaches alarming levels as status anxiety skyrockets, and Bette finds herself trapped between generations of expectations and the realization that, in a room full of women desperate to impress, being oneself may be the most rebellious act of all.
The cast includes: Emily Ommerborn (Bette English), Susan T. Bloir (Ethel English), Kamirah Owens (Catherine), Jordan Blake (Stanley), David J. V. Meenan (Shirley Wyndham), Maureen Blair (Roberta Foster), Laura McDonough (Abigail Lippincott), Campbell Smith (Flora Lippincott), Kelly Cibrian (Minnie), Cheryl Gaudette (Lillian), Linda Jaffrey (Thelma), Mariano DiFabio (Frank), Louise Waterman (Madame Mabel), and Jack Cibrian (Mayor Charles R. English).
The production is Directed by: Maximilian Oster; Costumes & Wig Design: William Goodman; and Set Design: Rebecca Bell.
Performances take place Saturday, February 21 at 1:00pm & 7:00pm; Sunday, February 22 at 1:00pm; Friday, February 27 at 7:00pm; Saturday, February 28 at 1:00pm & 7:00pm; and Sunday, March 1 at 1:00pm. Tickets are available for purchase online. The Navesink Library Theatre is located at 149 Monmouth Avenue in Navesink, New Jersey.
Packed with razor-sharp dialogue, physical comedy, and unapologetic gossip, CURTSEY – A Royal Comedy skewers small-town politics, social climbing, and the eternal fear of not measuring up — all while celebrating ambition, friendship, and the delicious chaos that erupts when appearances matter just a little too much.
Come for the tea. Stay for the power struggle. Try not to spill anything.
