(MADISON, NJ) -- The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (STNJ) continues its acclaimed Revolutionary Voices play reading series with Robert Schenkkan's Tony Award-winning drama All the Way on Monday, July 27, 2026 at 7:30pm at the F. M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre on the campus of Drew University. This special one-night-only event brings together an exceptional cast to dramatize one of the most pivotal periods in American history.
Set in the turbulent months following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, All the Way follows President Lyndon B. Johnson as he navigates the passage of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 while balancing the political realities of an election year. At the heart of the play is the uneasy alliance between Johnson and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as both men fight to shape the future of a nation divided by race, power, and ideology.
Veteran stage and screen actor Sherman Howard returns to STNJ in the role of President Lyndon B. Johnson. Howard has appeared in numerous Shakespeare Theatre productions, including The Cherry Orchard, Life of Galileo, and the 2014 production of The Tempest. He is widely recognized for his film and television work, including Dawn of the Dead. Opposite Howard, R.J. Foster (Broadway: Home, Fat Ham, The Lehman Trilogy) portrays Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The ensemble cast includes Raphael Nash Thompson (Broadway: The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window) as Reverend Ralph Abernathy, John Little as Senator Richard Russell, Gerrard James as Bob Moses, Angela Della Ventura as Lurleen Wallace, Robert S. Gregory as Strom Thurmond, Michael Stewart Allen as J. Edgar Hoover, Paul Henry as Robert McNamara, and Clark Carmichael as Cartha "Deke" DeLoach.
The reading is directed by Chris Hietikko.
Single tickets for All the Way range from $20 to $35 and are available for purchase online or by calling the Box Office at (973) 408-5600. The Theatre offers a variety of other cost-saving opportunities, including a limited number of Pay What You Will tickets for every performance on a first-come, first-serve basis. Other discounts are available including 10% discounts for members of Seniors, PBS/Thirteen, Active Military, Madison Loyalty Club card holders, and AAA members. STNJ also honors the Family First Discovery Pass for families receiving benefits through SNAP, WIC, or Work First New Jersey. The theater is located at 36 Madison Avenue in Madison, New Jersey.
All the Way is the third installment of the Theatre's Revolutionary Voices play reading series, a season-long celebration of America's 250th anniversary that examines the people, ideals, and conflicts that have shaped the nation. Through compelling theatrical readings, the series invites audiences to engage with pivotal moments in American history and reflect on their lasting impact today.
Revolutionary Voices is sponsored in part by a generous grant from the F. M. Kirby Foundation.
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. As New Jersey's largest professional theatre company dedicated to Shakespeare's canon and other classic masterworks, STNJ's productions and education programs illuminate the enduring 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 provided by the F.M. Kirby Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, The Edward T. Cone Foundation, The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, CTW Foundation, The Samuel H. Scripps Foundation, Union Foundation, E.J. Grassmann Trust, Hyde and Watson Foundation, Jack K. Ayre and Frank Ayre Lee Theatre Foundation, The John R. Eckel Jr. Foundation, Turrell Fund, The Merrill G. and Emita E. Hastings Foundation, the Howard Gilman Foundation, and numerous other foundations, corporations, and individuals.
