New Jersey Stage logo
New Jersey Stage Menu



The Growing Stage presents 2026 New Play-Reading Festival

Thursday, April 23, 2026 @ 7:30pm



The Historic Palace Theatre
7 Ledgewood Avenue, Netcong, NJ 07857

THIS EVENT HAS PASSED

Our festival is open to any unpublished and unproduced Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) scripts to be considered as one of four plays to be featured in the New Play-Reading Festival this coming season at The Growing Stage Theatre – The Children’s Theatre of New Jersey.

The New Play-Reading Festival is a wonderful opportunity for artists to have their unpublished works presented before an audience, in a play-reading scenario, by a cast consisting of both professional and amateur actors on two separate rounds during our season (Spring/Summer 2021).  

Plays include:

Thursday, April 23 at 7:00pm -> Snapped by Martin Follose | Oregon; directed by Nikole Rizzo

Friday, April 24 at 7:30pm -> The Wind In The Wildflowers by Grace Ward & Elke Myers | Idaho; directed by Jeorgi Smith

Saturday, April 25 at 4:00pm -> Timmon and the Magic Shoes by Jeff Jenkins | Illlinois; directed by Natalie Kane

Saturday, April 25 at 7:00pm -> My Tree by Samara Siskind | Florida; directed by Sara Giacomini

After each reading, there is a dialogue among the audience, performers and playwright, if present. After 2nd Round of play readings, one of the four scripts are then selected to be presented as a fully mounted production in The Growing Stage’s 2021-2022 season!

Admission: Suggested Donation $10

Our New Play-Reading Festival features four brand new plays for young audiences, chosen from the over 100 submitted works biennially. Each piece is carefully read by a select committee comprised of directors, performing and teaching artists, educators and young people. The four finalists are provided two readings during the season, read by professional and community artists in a casual setting. Following each reading a discussion of the work with our professional team and the playwright. Lastly, one of the four plays will be selected to become a fully mounted production the following season.




For information on how your event can be listed, click here



 

Advertise with NJ Stage for $50-$100 per month,
click here for info


 

EVENT PREVIEWS

The

The Barn Theatre presents Monty Python's "Spamalot"

(MONTVILLE, NJ) -- The Barn Theatre presents Monty Python's Spamalot weekends from May 15 through June 6, 2026. King Arthur's legendary quest for the Holy Grail gets a hilarious twist in this uproarious musical, lovingly ripped from the 1975 classic Monty Python and the Holy Grail.



Music

Music Mountain Theatre presents "Disaster!"

(LAMBERTVILLE, NJ) -- Music Mountain Theatre presents Disaster! weekends from May 15 through June 7, 2026. Earthquakes, tidal waves, infernos and the unforgettable songs of the '70s take center stage in Broadway’s side-splitting homage to classic disaster films.



Princeton

Princeton Summer Theater Announces 2026 Season

(PRINCETON, NJ) -- Princeton Summer Theater has unveiled its 2026 subscription season which will run from June 11th to August 1st, featuring an exciting lineup of three mainstage pieces and a family-friendly musical. Productions include Barefoot in the Park, The 39 Steps, True West, and You're a Good Man Charlie Brown.



Shakespeare

Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey presents "Private Lives"

(MADISON, NJ) -- The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey presents Private Lives by Noël Coward from May 16 to June 7, 2026 in the F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre. A razor-sharp comedy of manners, Private Lives crackles with Coward's signature wit and elegance.



Crossroads

Crossroads Theatre Company presents "Sizwe Banzi Is Dead"

(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- Crossroads Theatre Company presents Sizwe Bansi Is Dead from May 19 - June 14, 2026 at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center. This is a powerful, funny, and deeply moving story about identity, survival, and the extraordinary ingenuity of ordinary people navigating an unjust system.






 

Advertise with NJ Stage for $50-$100 per month,
click here for info




LATEST COLUMNS


Makin Waves Song of the Week: "Junky Eyes" by Greg Amici

The Makin Waves Song of the Week is "Junky Eyes," the latest video from Central Jersey-based singer-songwriter Greg Amici's 2025 solo debut LP, "Tragicomic."




Rock On! This Week's Sound Bites... 06/04/2026

"I am absolutely wonderful," laughed the always gracious and warm Bill Medley. "How are you doing? We're out here doing our thing, enjoying it, having a ball. I can't figure it out; well I know why people are showing up, they want to hear those songs." 




BlowUpRadio.com's New & Notable NJ Music 6/1/26

Lazlo, founder of BlowUpRadio.com (an online radio station based around New Jersey artists), shines a light on some of the many new releases from NJ based musicians each week with this column. This week Lazlo takes a look at new releases by Songbird, Allison Strong, Hexagon Cat, Sleep Station, and Lily Vakili. Plus a look back at "Everything Explodes" by Joshua Van Ness.




This Week in Music

Here is a look at shows taking place this week along with our featured listings and a look at some upcoming shows. New Jersey Stage offers previews of concerts throughout the Garden State as well as select shows in New York City and Philadelphia areas