Published by New Jersey Stage
originally published: 07/03/2026
(UNION, NJ) -- Kaleidoscope Kabaret (that's Kabaret with a K), The Theater Project's annual festival of live music and short comedic plays, will liven up the stage of DMK Black Box Theatre in Union Township's new Arts Center from July 24-26, 2026.
Members of The Theater Project’s Playwrights Workshop and a winner of its Young Playwrights Competition will put their skills on display for three performances in the company’s new summer home, located at 1980 Morris Avenue.
“We lovingly call Kaleidoscope Kabaret a vaudeville of new work,” said Mark Spina, artistic director of The Theater Project. “But it’s really a showcase for our community’s incredible theatrical talent. Our workshop members have produced their plays throughout the country, and our young playwrights are guiding us into the future.”
There will be two evening performances, at 7:30pm on Friday, July 24, and Saturday, July 25, and one matinee, at 2:00pm on Sunday, July 26. Tickets are $35 for general admission, $28 for senior citizens, and $20 for students. A discounted rate of $20 per tickets is available for groups of 10 or more. For further information and to order tickets, click here.
The following playwrights will take part in this year’s Kaleidoscope Kabaret:
* Natalie Boyd, Young Playwrights Competition winner, and a 2026 graduate of Park Ridge High School;
* Thomas M. Copeland, writer, actor, and producer based in Edgewater, currently working on a feature film in Michigan;
* Lynn Marie Macy, playwright-in-residence at Theater 2000 in Brooklyn, and contributor to the On Her Shoulders project which highlights the 1,000-year history and value of women's contribution to the theatrical canon;
* Rosemary Parrillo, a playwright and journalist, whose works have been staged at festivals and community theaters in the United States and Canada;
* Joseph Vitale, the author of many plays, including The Interpreter, produced by The Theater Project in 2024.
Kaleidoscope Kabaret 2026 is made possible in part by funds from the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, a partner of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, and by the generosity of many sponsors and donors, especially Ms. Stephanie Fein.
Founded in 1994 and based 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.
EVENT PREVIEWS
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.
Live On Stage Productions presents "Together Off-Broadway: Merman & Martin in Concert" at Cape May Stage
(CAPE MAY, NJ) -- Live On Stage Productions presents Together Off-Broadway: Merman & Martin in Concert at Cape May Stage from July 4-10, 2026. This show celebrates the remarkable bond between Ethel Merman and Mary Martin — two of Broadway’s brightest stars.
Gateway Playhouse presents Neil Simon's "London Suite"
(SOMERS POINT, NJ) -- Gateway Playhouse presents Neil Simon's London Suite with three performances from July 11-12, 2026. Witty, charming, and unmistakably Neil Simon, London Suite invites audiences into a series of hilarious and heartfelt encounters set in the same London hotel room.
The Light Opera of New Jersey presents "H.M.S. Pinafore" at the Sieminski Theater Cultural Arts Center
(BASKING RIDGE, NJ) -- The Light Opera of New Jersey presents H.M.S. Pinafore from July 11-12, 2026 at the Sieminski Theater Cultural Arts Center. This is a comic operetta by Gilbert and Sullivan that satirize the British class system.
Misfits Theatre Co. presents "She Loves Me"
(MATAWAN, NJ) -- Misfits Theatre Co., a community theater organization dedicated to producing bold, entertaining, and accessible theater for audiences of all ages, presents its inaugural book musical production, She Loves Me at Matawan Regional High School from July 10-12, 2026.
Dragonfly Multicultural Arts Center presents "Sense and Sensibility" outside duCret Center of Art
(PLAINFIELD, NJ) -- Dragonfly Multicultural Arts Center invites audiences to experience Jane Austen's beloved classic Sense and Sensibility in a charming outdoor production this summer at duCret Center of Art in Plainfield. Performances take place July 10-12, 2026.
Howell PAL Theater Company presents "Grease"
(OCEAN GROVE, NJ) -- Howell PAL Theater Company presents the classic musical Grease weekends from July 10-12, 2026 at the Jersey Shore Arts Center. Grease is a love song to the 1950s and a cornerstone of the American musical comedy form.
Pioneer Productions presents encore run of "What the Constitution Means to Me" in Chatham Borough
(CHATHAM, NJ) -- Pioneer Productions is thrilled to announce encore performances of their production of Heidi Schreck's "What the Constitution Means to Me." Following a sold-out run of the show in downtown Morristown earlier this year, the original cast and production team have partnered with Chatham Borough to present an encore weekend July 11-12, 2026 at the Stanely Center.
Skyline Theatre Company presents Shakespeare on the Porch with "Much Ado About Nothing"
(BLOOMFIELD, NJ) -- Skyline Theatre Company presents Much Ado About Nothing with performances July 17-18, 2026 as part of its Shakespeare on the Porch series. The Bard's ultimate rom-com comes to life on the porch of the Oakeside Mansion.
The Montclair Foundation and Studio Players will present Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" at Van Vleck House and Gardens
(MONTCLAIR, NJ) -- The Montclair Foundation and Studio Players will present Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing outside at Van Vleck House and Gardens across two weekends from July 10-18, 2026. This is no ordinary stage production, it’s an immersive theatrical experience.
FEATURED EVENTS
