Published by New Jersey Stage
originally published: 05/07/2026
First show in their new home: Theater Project to start new season with Gail Lou and Daaimah as Bessie and Sadie Delany in "Having Our Say"
(UNION, NJ) -- The Theater Project has announced that the Douglas Michael Krueger (DMK) Black Box Theater will serve as the new home for its mainstage summer theater series. The DMK Theater is located in Union Township's new Arts Center and Library complex at 1980 Morris Avenue in Union.
Because of the venue’s proximity and the company’s long collaboration with local libraries, The Theater Project will present four plays and events this summer, including Alabama Story, which is a tribute to America’s librarians fighting censorship.
“Union is proud to welcome The Theater Project to the Union Arts Center this summer,” said Mayor Patricia Guerra-Frazier. “For more than 30 years, The Theater Project has been a cornerstone of New Jersey’s arts community, and we are excited to provide a new home where that tradition can continue to thrive. Their presence will not only enrich our local cultural scene, but also draw visitors to our downtown, supporting local businesses while giving our residents access to outstanding live performances close to home.”
“Coming to the DMK Black Box Theater feels like coming home,” said Mark Spina, artistic director of The Theater Project. “It’s the culmination of a decade of our working to be part of the exciting changes in Union’s downtown. We look forward to bringing new and old patrons to the Union Arts Center and this beautiful new space.”
Spina noted that live theater has faced many obstacles over the last few years, but “our audience has grown steadily since we resumed in-person performances in 2022, producing plays featuring the area’s rising actors and playwrights.”
The 2026 summer season will comprise four shows: Having Our Say; Too Fat for China; Kaleidoscope Kabaret; and The Alabama Story.
June 11-21, Having Our Say, Emily Mann’s drama about Sadie and Bessie Delany, both over 100 years old, who recount their family’s history from slavery to the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s and beyond. The play, which ran on Broadway in 1995 and received a Tony Award nomination, is an adaptation of the New York Times-bestselling book by the Delany sisters, written in collaboration with journalist Amy Hill Hearth.
July 17-19, Too Fat for China, Phoebe Potts’s poignant and funny one-woman show in which she delves into her experiences as a middle-class Jewish woman navigating the ins and outs of international adoption.
July 24-26, Kaleidoscope Kabaret, an annual festival of songs and short plays by participants in The Theater Project's Playwrights Workshop and Young Playwrights Competition.
August 6-16, The Alabama Story by Kenneth Jones, a drama in which an Alabama librarian and two reunited childhood friends, encounter the forces of censorship and segregation during the American civil rights movement.
Tickets for all four shows are available for purchase online.
Victoria Duncker, arts director for the Union Arts Center, said, “We are honored to have The Theater Project on our stage and look forward to building a strong and lasting partnership together.”
Founded in 1994 in Union, The Theater Project introduces New Jersey audiences to new plays and supports rising playwrights and theater artists. It develops new audiences for theater by service to the community, providing programs for children, and using theater as a forum to address current issues.
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EVENT PREVIEWS
George Street Playhouse presents "Good Witch Bad Witch" on Thursday
(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- George Street Playhouse presents Good Witch Bad Witch on Thursday, June 25, 2026 with performances at 3:00pm & 7:30pm. Gravity-defying vocal acrobatics from Broadway's former Glinda and Elphaba as they sing hit songs of the stage.
Shakespeare Theatre's Acting Apprenticeship Company presents "Love's Labour's Lost"
(MADISON, NJ) -- The Acting Apprenticeship Company at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey presents Love's Labour's Lost on Friday, June 26, 2026 at 7:30pm in the K.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre. Fall under the spell of Shakespeare's sparkling comedy of romance, wit, and unexpected desire.
"Golden Girls - The Tribute Show!" comes to Kelsey Theatre on June 27th
(WEST WINDSOR, NJ) -- Drag Events Unlimited presents Golden Girls - The Tribute Show! on Saturday, June 27, 2026 at the Kelsey Theatre. This is an evening of hilarious fun with your favorite Sassy Seniors! Live Scenes, Trivia, Games, Musical Performances, Sing-Alongs, and more! Showtime is 8:00pm.
State Theatre New Jersey presents Monty Python's Spamalot
(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey presents the national tour of the Tony Award®-winning musical comedy, Monty Python's Spamalot, for four performances from June 27-28, 2026. First seen on Broadway in 2005, the original Broadway production was nominated for 14 Tony® Awards and won three, including Best Musical. It features a book & lyrics by Eric Idle and music by John Du Prez and Eric Idle.
The Premier Theatre Company presents "1776"
(RUMSON, NJ) -- The Premier Theatre Company presents the musical 1776 in the Rumson School District Auditorium from June 26-28, 2026. Witness the birth of a nation as our forefathers struggle to craft the Declaration of Independence.
The Artist Collective Troupe presents "Once Upon A Mattress"
(HOLMDEL, NJ) -- The Artist Collective Troupe presents their summer musical, Once Upon A Mattress from June 26-28 at The Villas of Holmdel. Winnifred the Woebegone is just a simple swamp princess looking to win the heart of Prince Dauntless. But can she pass the impossible test Queen Aggravain has in store for her?
The Summit Playhouse's Kaleidoscope Youth Theatre presents "Beetlejuice, Jr."
(SUMMIT, NJ) -- The Summit Playhouse's Kaleidoscope Youth Theatre presents Beetlejuice, Jr. with two casts from June 25-28, 2026. Based on the blockbuster motion picture turned Broadway show, Beetlejuice Jr. tells the story of a strange and unusual teenager named Lydia Deetz, still grieving the loss of her mother, and obsessed with death.
OffBook Productions presents "Assassins the Musical" at HACPAC
(HACKENSACK, NJ) -- OffBook Productions presents Assassins the Musical from June 25-28, 2026 at the Hackensack Performing Arts Center (HACPAC). This is a dark and clever musical from Stephen Sondheim (music and lyrics) and book written by John Weidman.
Liberty Arts Theatre presents "The America 250 USO Tour" featuring a star-studded cast from Abraham Lincoln to Thomas Jefferson with music, dance, comedy and after party!
(LEONIA, NJ) -- Liberty Arts Theatre will keep us all rockin' in the free world with the high-octane celebration America 250 USO Tour - where Vaudeville meets American history – featuring a star-studded cast from Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson to George Patton, a live orchestra, song-and-dance numbers and comedy sketches. The America 250 USO Tour will march into the American Legion Post #1 (399 Broad Street) in Leonia on Thursday, July 2, 2026 at 7:00pm.
American Theater Group and Union Arts Center present Spotlight on NJ: Play Reading Event
(UNION, NJ) -- American Theater Group (ATG), in partnership with the Union Arts Center, will present a three-day Spotlight play reading event featuring works by New Jersey playwrights at the DMK Black Box Theater at the Union Arts Center from July 6-8, 2026 with performances at 7:00pm each night.
