(BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ) -- The Wharton Community Players invite audiences to step into a world of magic, romance, and mischief with their upcoming production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Wharton Performing Arts School faculty member Lilli Markey. Performances take place across two weekends from June 12-21, 2026.
One of Shakespeare's most beloved comedies, A Midsummer Night's Dream follows a group of lovers and amateur actors as they wander into a forest ruled by mischievous fairies. Filled with mistaken identities, magical transformations, and moonlit chaos, the timeless tale explores the unpredictable nature of love with humor and heart.
"Wharton Community Players embody our commitment to lifelong learning and accessibility," said Debra Joyal, Director of the Wharton Performing Arts School. "By offering this program free of charge, we create opportunities for adults of all backgrounds and experience levels to connect, grow, and experience the transformative power of theater in a supportive community."
Performances will take place June 12, 13, and 20 at 8:00pm, and June 14 and 21 at 2:00pm at the Wharton Black Box Theater. Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for students and seniors. Tickets are available for purchase online. The theater is located at 60 Locust Avenue in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey.
Wharton Arts' mission is to offer accessible, high quality performing arts education that sparks personal growth and builds inclusive communities. Wharton Arts' vision is for a transformative performing arts education in an inclusive community to be accessible for everyone.
Wharton Arts is New Jersey's largest independent non-profit community performing arts education center serving nearly 2,000 students through a range of classes and ensembles. The 5 ensembles of the New Jersey Youth Chorus, an auditioned choral ensemble program for students in grades 3–12, encourage a love and appreciation of choral music while nurturing personal growth and creative development. The 15 ensembles of the New Jersey Youth Symphony, which serve over 500 students in grades 3–12 by audition, inspire young people to achieve musical excellence through high-level ensemble training and performance opportunities.
Based in Paterson, the Paterson Music Project is an El Sistema-inspired program of Wharton Arts that uses music education as a vehicle for social action by empowering and inspiring young people to achieve their full potential through the community experience of ensemble learning and playing. From Pathways classes for young children to Lifelong Learning programs for adults, the Wharton Performing Arts School has a robust musical theater and drama program and offers both private and group classes for instruments and voice for all ages and all abilities. With the belief in the positive and unifying influence of music and that performing arts education should be accessible to all people regardless of their ability to pay, Wharton Arts offers need-based scholarships.
Wharton Arts is located in Berkeley Heights, New Providence, and Paterson, NJ and reaches students from 12 counties. All of Wharton Arts' extraordinary teaching artists, faculty members, and conductors hold degrees in their teaching specialty and have been vetted and trained to enable our students to achieve their personal best.
