The New Jersey Play Lab presents All Exits! - A statewide play reading series which will take place in Cape May, Beach Haven, and Milford from October to November 2026.
The mission of All Exits! is to serve playwrights who are outside the major urban areas of NYC or Philadelphia by providing these playwrights with professional support for their playwriting pursuits.
For this inaugural 2026 All Exits! Statewide Play Reading Series, three plays have been selected to have dramaturgical support and a professional reading at one of three professional theatres: Surflight Theatre Company (Beach Haven), Cape May Stage (Cape May), and River Union Stage (Milford).
On Monday, October 12 at Cape May Stage (405 Lafayette Street in Cape May), honeysuckle, brutal & breaking by Brandon Monokian will be read at 7:00pm. This play follows a group of teens sitting on top of a hill in Southern New Jersey in the year 2000, smoking cigarettes and drinking beer, as the annual summer carnival plays out below. The play examines the consequences of the suppression of desire as we see childhood games of spin the bottle meet whiskey soaked confessions as they each test the limits of what they will do to get what they want, causing their relationships to become brutal battlegrounds as they seek to come into their own as 18 year old adults.
Brandon Monokian is an Ocean City, New Jersey based playwright. His play Let’s Summon a Demon at Debbie’s has enjoyed productions throughout the US and UK, including a sold out run at the 2024 Twin Cities Horror Festival. The play is published by 1319 Press. His play Echo & Narcissus Blast Third Eye Blind Outside a Diner in New Jersey at 2AM had a run in New York for The Tank’s PrideFest and is also published by 1319 Press. He wrote and appeared in the feature film Happy Yummy Chicken. His creative work is dedicated to Suzzanne Douglas.
On Saturday, October 24 at Surflight Theatre (201 Engleside Avenue in Beach Haven), One Great Song by Hope Kobus will be read at 7:00pm. This is a coming-of-age story about the struggle of being true to one’s family while trying to be true to oneself at the same time. At the height of the rock music era, 20-year-old Missy dreams of becoming a musician. She and her childhood best friend Jimmy form a musical partnership, but when disaster strikes the family, Missy feels she must choose between her dreams and her responsibilities.
Hope Kobus is an actress and writer based in Toms River, New Jersey. A recent graduate of Belmont University, she obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis in Theater Performance. Outside of her theatrical endeavors, Hope has performed with a popular Jersey Shore band throughout the tri-state area. Hope is passionate about all forms of storytelling. She strives to create compelling narratives that evoke a deep emotional connection between her characters and her audience. She is excited for her play One Great Song to debut with the New Jersey Play Lab’s AllExits! Statewide play reading series.
On Saturday, November 7 at River Union Stage (34 Bridge Street in Milford), Dubai Chocolate by Sarah Congress will be read at 7:00pm. This new work follows Holly, a former runway model turned influencer, who falls in love with her neighbor Wesley, a furloughed airline pilot. As their relationship develops, the play explores issues of cancel culture, in-person dynamics, and intimate relations in the age of AI, political turmoil, and economic uncertainty.
Sarah Congress is a comedic playwright and script doctor for film/TV represented by Anthony Tall. Her vampire comedy Not Gucci was selected as a “top 30 play” for Centre Stage’s 24th Annual New Play Festival in Greenville, South Carolina. Her romantic period piece Last Sunrise was produced by NYLon Fusion Theatre Co. in their Gilded Cage play festival June 2025 at TADA theatre. In 2023, Sarah’s play Overdose won 2nd place for BEST SHORT at Playwrights Horizons in the Downtown Urban Arts Festival. She is a proud Jersey Girl and delighted to be a part of All Exits! NJPL Statewide Play Reading Series!
Submissions for the 2027 ALL EXITS! will open in late spring/early summer of 2027. Please see guidelines below.
Playwrights who reside in the counties surrounding each venue will be eligible to apply for the series.
(If you are a playwright who resides in Atlantic County, please choose the venue that is closest to you.)
NJ Playwrights of any experience level are welcome to apply. Selected playwrights will be provided with dramaturgical support through the collective at New Jersey Play Lab and a minimally rehearsed, in-person reading with semi/professional actors. In-person readings will be followed by a dramaturg-led talk back, designed to help the playwright take the play to the next level.
For more information visit https://njplaylab.org/all-exits/
The New Jersey Play Lab is a collective of dramaturgs who are committed to collaboration, methodology, and excellence in their work.
Join acclaimed New York Knicks broadcasters Mike Breen and Walt “Clyde” Frazier for a conversation moderated by Alan Hahn about their more than 25 years as broadcasting partners, featuring behind-the-scenes stories, reflections on the Knicks’ magical 2026 championship run, a preview of the upcoming season, and their take on the state of the NBA. A must for all basketball fans!
Few artists have traveled as many musical roads—or done so with as much authenticity—as Maria Muldaur. Best known for her Grammy-nominated 1974 hit “Midnight at the Oasis,” Muldaur's remarkable career spans more than six decades and encompasses blues, folk, gospel, jazz, jug band music, R&B, and Americana. Emerging from the vibrant Greenwich Village folk scene of the early 1960s, she performed with the Even Dozen Jug Band and the Jim Kweskin Jug Band before launching a successful solo career.
Lonestar is a celebrated American country music group that captured global attention with their timeless ballad “Amazed,” a crossover sensation that spent 9 weeks at No. 1 on the country charts and 2 weeks at No. 1 on the pop charts. Known for blending heartfelt storytelling with a polished pop-country sound, the band—comprised of Dean Sams, Michael Britt, Keech Rainwater, and Drew Womack—has left an indelible mark on the genre boasting a staggering 22 top ten singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, including 10 that reached No. 1.
One of the greatest Motown and R&B / funk artists of all time, The Commodores have influenced artists both young and old, and in all genres with their classic songs. With a brand that is bigger than ever, The Commodores continue to blaze trails all over the world. One of the most successful vocal groups of all time, The Commodores continue to thrill audiences with their Greatest Hits Tour – Live!
Blues-rock powerhouse Kenny Wayne Shepherd celebrates 30 years of his groundbreaking debut Ledbetter Heights with a milestone tour coming to State Theatre New Jersey. In this electrifying live experience, Shepherd and his band perform the landmark album in full, along with a second set of career-spanning favorites that showcase his signature blend of fiery guitar work, blues tradition, and rock energy.
