(TRENTON, NJ) -- Passage Theatre Company presents Teen Dad by Adrienne Dawes from September 18 to October 11, 2026. In the play, Abby, a precocious emo-goth teenager, orchestrates a surprise reunion for her mother Tanya and birth father Tom, with the help of her mom’s fiancé/healer John.
Hoping to provoke long-lasting reconciliation between her parents before her high school graduation, Abby’s plans completely derail when Tom arrives with his new girlfriend Alisha.
Can this family confront their past traumas, “deal and heal?” Teen Dad subverts popular regional theatre “kitchen-sink beach house dramedy” to share a heartfelt, comedic exploration of generational trauma and recovery in a mixed race Black and Latinx family.
The production is directed by C. Ryanne Domingues and Richard Bradford.
Tickets are available for purchase online. The theater is located at 205 E Front Street in Trenton, New Jersey.
Playwright Adrienne Dawes (she/her) is a Brooklyn-based playwright, screenwriter, and producer (originally from Austin, TX). Her plays include AM I WHITE (B. Iden Payne Award, David Mark Cohen New Play Award), TEEN DAD, HAIRY & SHERRI, and THIS BITCH.
Adrienne received her BA from Sarah Lawrence College and studied sketch & improv at the Second City Training Center in Chicago. Recent awards and fellowships include: Mid-America Arts Alliance Artists 3/60 Practicing Artist Grant, Arkansas Arts Council Individual Fellowship Award, Walter E. Dakin Fellow at the Sewanee Writers’ Conference, Alice Judson Hayes Fellow at Ragdale Foundation, Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center NPC Finalist, Princess Grace Award Semi-Finalist, and artist residencies with Colt Coeur, PlySpace, and Crosstown Arts.
Her work has been presented by or developed with Great Plains Theatre Conference, The Road Theatre Company, Theatre Bedlam, New Harmony Project, The Fire This Time Festival, Theatre Lab at FAU, Stages Repertory Theatre, Teatro Milagro, National Black Theatre, and English Theatre Berlin, among others. She is a proud member of the Writers Guild of America (WGAw) and a company member of Salvage Vanguard Theater.
Adrienne is also a teaching artist experienced with both in-person and remote instruction. She taught playwriting and theatre appreciation at the University of Arkansas, arts entrepreneurship with Mid-America Arts Alliance, & coached bands for Girls Rock! summer camps in Austin, Oklahoma City, and Chicago.
Ellis Paul doesn’t just write songs; he’s a guitar-carrying reporter who covers the human condition and details the hopes, loves, losses of those he observes, turning their stories into luminous pieces of music that get under your skin and into your bloodstream. And much like the artists who have influenced him, everyone from Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and Paul Simon to the singer-songwriter who is undoubtedly his greatest inspiration, Woody Guthrie, Paul weaves deeply personal experiences with social issues and renders them as provocative works that are as timely as they are timeless. Born and raised in Maine, Paul attended Boston College on a track scholarship and in the evenings became a fixture on the city’s open mic circuit. After winning a Boston Acoustic Underground songwriter competition, he caught the ear of folk luminary Bill Morrissey, who produced his indie album Say Something in 1993. This led to a sevenalbum contract with Rounder Records and the 1994 album, Stories.
Samara Joy has emerged as one of the most captivating new voices in jazz, bringing a fresh perspective to a beloved tradition. With a sound that feels both rooted in history and uniquely her own, she has quickly drawn the attention of audiences and critics alike. Experience the artistry, warmth, and unmistakable brilliance of a true rising icon—live and in person.
To welcome Fall, renowned organist Ian Fraser will play a selection of Halloween inspired pieces on UCPAC’s “Biggest Little Wurlitzer,” our 1928 organ that is original to our beautiful Main Stage theater, in Illumination – A Haunted Concert by Candlelight!
The 45th Bi-Annual New Jersey Film Festival will be taking place between September 4-October 4, 2026. The Festival will be a hybrid as we will be presenting it online as well as doing select in-person screenings at Rutgers University. Almost all the films will be available virtually via Video on Demand for 24 hours on their show date. VOD start times are at 12 Midnight Eastern USA. Each General Admission Ticket or Festival Pass purchased is good for both the virtual and the in-person shows when both are offered.This program is only available Online for 24 hours on this show date!
Musician and historian Bobby Horton combines storytelling, musicianship, history, and a genuine love for the people who settled this nation, fought for our future, and created a new nation in Patriot Songs of the American Revolution.
(PLAINFIELD, NJ) -- Music lovers are invited to experience the artistry of the Wharton Performing Arts School (PAS) faculty at a free Faculty Recital on Sunday, October 4, 2026 at the Plainfield Performing Arts Center (724 Park Avenue) in Plainfield. Showtime is 3:00pm.
(CLARK, NJ) -- Waves of Education's 6th Annual Run Toward a Better Future 5K & Family Fun Event will take place on Sunday, October 4, 2026 at Oak Ridge Park in Clark.
(HACKETTSTOWN, NJ) -- Centenary Stage Company will welcome internationally acclaimed Indian classical musician Ustad Shafaat Khan to the Kutz Theatre at the Lackland Performing Arts Center on Sunday, October 4, 2026 at 2:00pm.
(NEW YORK, NY) -- NiCori Performing Arts Academy celebrates the next generation of musical theatre and cabaret talent on Sunday, October 4, 2026 at Triad Theater. The NiCori Youth Cabaret Showcase features an extraordinary group of young performers sharing songs that inspire, challenge, and tell their unique stories. The event begins at 2:00pm.
(HOBOKEN, NJ) -- Mile Square Theatre presents a New Play Reading Series from October 5-14, 2026. Plays include Neither Snow Nor Rain by Erin Mallon; The Halal Brothers by Alaudin Ullah; and Sunshine Madness by Lori Fischer. Admission is free, but tickets are required.
(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey presents Compagnie Hervé Koubi in Sol Invictus on Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at 7:30pm. Sol Invictus is a contemporary dance work combining acrobatics, street dance, hip-hop, capoeira, and martial arts with powerful imagery and inspired choreography.
(TOMS RIVER, NJ) -- It's time to ditch the same boring recipes and bring big, playful creativity back into your kitchen! Join Top Chef finalist, Food Network star, and author Joe Sasto to explore his bestselling cookbook Breaking the Rules: A Fresh Take on Italian Classics in a virtual discussion on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, presented by the Ocean County Library. The event begins at 2:00pm.
(RED BANK, NJ) -- The Count Basie Center for the Arts welcomes Tony Award-winning actor, author and advocate Ali Stroker for a Community Conversation exploring mental health, well-being and the power of the arts on Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at The Vogel. The event begins at 7:00pm.
(NEWARK, NJ) -- World-renowned artist Bisa Butler and Grammy Award-winning artist Durand Bernarr will headline the 2026 Newark Arts Festival, returning October 7–11 for five days of exhibitions, music, performance, artist conversations, family programming, open studios and late-night arts experiences across Newark.