New Jersey Stage logo
New Jersey Stage Menu



The Growing Stage presents 2026 New Play-Reading Festival

Friday, April 24, 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Our festival is open to any unpublished and unproduced Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) scripts to be considered as one of four plays to be featured in the New Play-Reading Festival this coming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The New Play-Reading Festival is a wonderful opportunity for artists to have their unpublished works presented before an audience, in a play-reading scenario, by a cast consisting of both professional and amateur actors on two separate rounds during our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

UPCOMING EVENTS




 

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


 

EVENT PREVIEWS

(CAPE MAY, NJ) -- From June 4 through October 15, 2026 (except for July 2), Classic American Tales (CAT) once more presents Tales at the Dormer House in which guests are treated to lemonade and tasty treats while listening to stories written by noteworthy authors, read by a variety of performers. The schedule is 4:00pm every Thursday at the historic Dormer House Bed and Breakfast (800 Columbia Avenue) in Cape May, NJ. Performances are on the front porch, weather permitting.



2026-27

2026-27 Season Preview: Split Level Concerts at Jersey Shore Arts Center

(OCEAN GROVE, NJ) -- Split Level Concerts at the Jersey Shore Arts Center (JSAC) in Ocean Grove has announced the full concert lineup for its third season. All shows will take place beginning at 8:00pm in JSAC's Palaia Theater. The season lineup includes Willie Nile, John Gorka, Dan Bern, Catie Curtis and Band, Stephen Kellogg, Abbie Gardner, Heather Maloney and Band, and Kim Richey. As they have done in prior years, artists from the Asbury Park music scene will open many of the shows.



45th

45th Bi-Annual New Jersey Film Festival will Take Place September 4th through October 4th

(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- The 45th Bi-Annual New Jersey Film Festival will be taking place between September 4 - October 4, 2026. As they have been doing the last few years, the festival will be presented as a hybrid with select in-person screenings at Rutgers University and most of the films available virtually via Video on Demand for 24 hours on their show date. The festival also be offering an Audio-Visual Concert featuring the bands Lawns and Hanging Coats as well as two FREE Filmmaking Workshops.



Nearly

Nearly One-Third of the Philadelphia Fringe Festival Lives at Cannonball This September

(PHILADELPHIA, PA) -- Nearly one-third of the 2026 Philadelphia Fringe Festival comes to life at Cannonball Festival this September, as more than 100 artists present bold new work across five stages in a nonstop celebration of fearless live performance. Celebrating its sixth year, Cannonball is the largest hub of the Philadelphia Fringe Festival, championing a revolutionary artist-led model that prioritizes equity, experimentation, and community connection.



Barrymore

Barrymore Award-winning playwright James Christy brings his solo comedy to the 2026 Philadelphia Fringe Festival

(PHILADELPHIA, PA) -- Blending stand-up comedy and theatrical storytelling, James Christy's I Think Not comes to the Philadelphia Fringe Festival following its premiere at New York City's Algonquin Hotel this spring. The show will be performed at the iconic National Mechanics in Old City on September 11, 12, 25 and 26, 2026.












LATEST COLUMNS


BlowUpRadio.com's New & Notable NJ Music 8/10/26

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 with this column. This week Lazlo takes a look at new releases by Des & the Swagmatics, Bamberdost, Owen Lake and the Tragic Loves, Jonny Couch, Sean Henry Tonight!, and Ava LaMonte. Plus a look back at "Duluth" by Particle Zoo.




Makin Waves Song of the Week: "Soaked" by Kiaura Rose

The Makin Waves Song of the Week is "Soaked" from Kiaura Rose's debut seven-song debut album, "Vagrant."




Rock On! This Week's Sound Bites... 08/06/2026

"I am great! I was in California last weekend and just got back, I have the day off and I'm getting to chat with you so everything is great," says Monster Jam monster truck driver Angelina Nock as she let us in on the profession, her background and what we can expect when she gets behind the wheel of Megalodon at Newark's Prudential Center August 14 through 16.




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