(ASBURY PARK, NJ) -- Asbury Park Theater Company (APTCo) has announced that its first mainstage production under newly appointed Producing Artistic Director Nate Patten will be The Wolves, Sarah DeLappe's Pulitzer Prize finalist play that has captivated audiences across the country with its sharp wit, emotional honesty, and unforgettable portrait of young women finding their voices.
Running September 25 through October 4, 2026 and directed by Patten, The Wolves follows a high school girls' indoor soccer team as they warm up before their weekly games. Over the course of seemingly ordinary pre-game conversations, the team grapples with friendship, ambition, identity, loss, and the pressures of growing up. The production marks the beginning of a new artistic chapter for Asbury Park Theater Company under Patten's leadership and reflects the company's commitment to producing bold, contemporary works that resonate with today's audiences.
"When I read Sarah DeLappe’s The Wolves for the first time, I finished it in one sitting. I was all but knocked out by the humor, the complex characters, the intensity, and the dialogue. It is a brilliant script,” said Patten. "And I thought, what better year than one with the World Cup in our backyard to open with a play set on a soccer field? I cannot wait to direct this thrilling play."
Asbury Park Theater Company will hold open auditions on Monday, August 17 and Tuesday, August 18, from 6:00pm - 10:00pm, with invited callbacks on Wednesday, August 19, from 6:00pm - 10:00pm. The company is conducting a wide-reaching search for performers throughout New Jersey and the greater New York area and encourages actors of all backgrounds and experience levels to audition.
Sign up for an audition date at: asburyparktheatercompany.org/auditions
Performances of The Wolves will take place at the Jersey Shore Arts Center in Ocean Grove, New Jersey, just steps from Asbury Park. Performances begin September 25 and continue through October 4, 2026.
General admission tickets are $50, with discounted pricing available for students and seniors. The Wolves is recommended for ages 13 and up. Additional information regarding auditions, casting requirements, and tickets can be found at asburyparktheatercompany.org/the-wolves
Asbury Park Theater Company is dedicated to creating and providing powerful, invigorating, and transformative professional theater and theater arts education that inspires, celebrates, and enriches the community. From new works and reimagined classics to provocative, high-energy musical performances, Asbury Park Theater Company is home to established, emerging, and local professional theater artists. Recent acclaimed productions have included Always Patsy Cline, Our Town, Mad Dogs & Englishmen, and many more.
APTCo gratefully acknowledges the generous support of its season sponsors, PNC Foundation, Plangere Foundation, and HFA Public Accountants, whose partnership helps make these productions and educational programs possible.
