'And a Nightingale Sang' Looks at War Affecting Family Life

by Karen Nowosad - published 2023-07-22
Now playing at the Shakespeare Theatre Of New Jersey (STNJ) is the play And a Nightingale Sang. Written in 1977 by British playwright C.P. Taylor, it has been seen both as a play and a film. The play is about a family living in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England during World War II. It has some humor to help balance out some very intense scenes about the war and what it is doing to the Scott family. This production includes songs from that era played by a family member on the home piano

Yasmina Reza's Tony-Award-Winning Play "Art" at Cape May Stage

by Chris Lillja, JerseyArts.com - published 2023-07-20
Yasmina Reza's play "Art" is a thought-provoking and hilarious exploration of the complexities of friendships, the subjective nature of art, and the impact of individual perspectives on relationships. Premiering in Paris in 1994, "Art" quickly became a worldwide sensation, translated into and produced in 30 languages, receiving numerous awards, including the prestigious Tony Award for Best Play in 1998.

State Theatre's 2023-24 Broadway Season

(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- Tickets for State Theatre New Jersey's 2023-24 Broadway Season, featuring Tony® Award-winning Broadway artists and Broadway hit shows, go on sale on Friday, July 21 at 10:00am.

This Week in Theatre: Previews for Plays Taking Place July 18-24, 2023

Here are previews of plays taking place from July 18-24, 2023 including a look at productions starting this week, those continuing this week, and those closing this week. New Jersey Stage covers Equity, community, college, and high school theatre. Check back every week for the weekly theatre preview. Click on the title to go to the full preview.

PHOTOS from "The Sound of Music" at Algonquin Arts

by John Posada - published 2023-07-18
(MANASQUAN, NJ) -- Algonquin Arts Theatre is currently presenting The Sound of Music weekends through July 30, 2023. Join Maria, Captain Von Trapp and his children in one of the most beloved musicals of all time. The production is directed and choreographed by Jessica O'Brien. Photographer John Posada was on hand to take photos.

REVIEW: "Satellites" at Premiere Stages

by Gary Wien - published 2023-07-17
​​​​​​​Satellites by Erin Breznitsky is a visually stunning new play that takes an interesting look at marriage from the perspective of distance - both physical distance and years apart from one another.  The play recently made its debut at Premiere Stages at Kean University where it is being presented through July 30, 2023.

PHOTOS from "Assassins" at Music Mountain Theatre

by John Posada - published 2023-07-17
(LAMBERTVILLE, NJ) -- Music Mountain Theatre presents Assassins weekends from July 14-30, 2023. Assassins is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by John Weidman, based on an original concept by Charles Gilbert Jr. It combines Sondheim's signature blend of intelligently stunning lyrics and beautiful music with a panoramic story of our nation's culture of celebrity and the violent means some will use to obtain it. Photographer John Posada was on hand to take photos

A Big, Big Story in a Small, Small Play

by Bruce Chadwick - published 2023-07-16
It is early in World War II in the town of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England. Just about every night the citizens are terrified by Nazi bombing raids in the harsh war just underway. There are bombs dropping everywhere. The shrill, whistling sound of the bombs hurtling down from German airplanes are as scary as the explosions themselves. In one of the homes in the town are gathered members of the Stott family, boyfriends and friends. The play opens with the sounds of bombs and the family huddled together by resident George Stott, who is also the neighborhood Civil Defense warden. One bomb tumbles through the sky with a long shrill whistle but does not yet hit the ground. The Stotts wait, and wait, and wait. Everybody looks around quizzically and are stunned to discover that it was not a bomb that they heard, but a tea kettle whistling that its water was ready. They all give a nervous smile.

PHOTOS from "A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder" at Light Opera of New Jersey

by John Posada - published 2023-07-15
(SOUTH ORANGE, NJ) -- Light Opera of New Jersey continues its 27th Season of operetta and musical theatre with a production of 2014 Tony award-winning A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder at South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC). The play is based on the 1907 novel Israel Rank: The Autobiography of a Criminal by Roy Horniman. Performances take place July 15-16 and July 22-23. Photographer John Posada was on hand to take photos.