Published by New Jersey Stage
originally published: 06/09/2026
(MADISON, NJ) -- The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (STNJ) presents American Folktales, the next installment in the Theatre's popular Classics for Kids! series, on Saturday, June 13, 2026 at 11:00am at the F. M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre. The performance is appropriate for all ages.
Designed to introduce young audiences and families to the joy of live performance, American Folktales is a spirited, kid-friendly theatrical adventure celebrating the heart of American storytelling. This lively scripts-in-hand presentation invites audiences of all ages to experience larger-than-life heroes, legendary adventures, and unforgettable characters including Paul Bunyan, Calamity Jane, and more.
"These are the stories that many of us grew up with," says Artistic Director Brian B. Crowe. "Tales of perseverance, courage, ingenuity, and honest-to-goodness gumption that highlight our nation's rich and diverse cultural heritage."
UNEXPECTED, 2025 Classics for Kids! series. Photo by Brian B. Crowe
The cast features Terra Chaney as Sally Crockett, David Foubert as Paul Bunyan, Carolyne Leys as Molly Pitcher, and Lau'rie Roach as John Henry. The ensemble also includes the 2026 Shakespeare Theatre's Acting Apprentice Cohort, a group of thirteen emerging actors training with the Theatre this summer. Longtime company member Isaac Hickox-Young directs. Jackie Mariani stage manages. The show runs under an hour and kids are invited to meet the artists after the show.
"The Classics for Kids series," continued Crowe, "has proven an exciting opportunity for kids (and kids-at-heart) to experience engaging wonderful stories in a fun, safe, and family-friendly setting. The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey welcomes all – including our youngest patrons and their grown-ups – to experience the magic of live theatre."
The Classics for Kids! series is specially designed to make live theatre accessible and engaging for young audiences, offering exciting introductions to storytelling and performance in a welcoming environment.
Tickets are $15 for patrons 17 and under. Adult tickets are $20. For more information about the performance, please call the Box Office at (973) 408-5600 or visit ShakespeareNJ.org.
The 2026 Classics for Kids! series is generously sponsored by Stark D. Kirby, Jr.
UNEXPECTED, 2025 Classics for Kids! series. Photo by Brian B. Crowe
The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (STNJ) is one of the leading Shakespeare theatres in the nation, serving approximately 40,000 adults and children annually. It is New Jersey's largest professional theatre company dedicated to Shakespeare's canon and other classic masterworks. Through its productions and education programs the company strives to illuminate the universal and lasting relevance of the classics for contemporary audiences.
The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey's programs are made possible, in part, by funding from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional major support is received from the F.M. Kirby Foundation, The MacMillan Family Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, The Edward T. Cone Foundation, The Samuel H. Scripps Foundation, CTW Foundation, The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, The New Jersey Cultural Trust, The Hearst Foundations, Shakespeare in American Communities, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest, Union Foundation, John and Margaret Post Foundation, Provident Bank, Hyde and Watson Foundation, E.J. Grassmann Trust, Jack K. Ayre and Frank Ayre Lee Theatre Foundation, The John R. Eckel Jr. Foundation, Mimi Washington Starrett Foundation, Turrell Fund, the Merrill G. and Emita E. Hastings Foundation, and the Howard Gilman Foundation, as well as contributions from numerous other foundations, corporations, government agencies, and individuals.
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