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This Week in Theatre: Previews for Plays Taking Place October 29 to November 5, 2024

originally published: 10/29/2024

Here are previews of plays taking place from October 29 to November 5, 2024 including a look at productions currently being presented and those coming soon. 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. Jump to Featured Events, Event Previews, Event Listings, Coming Soon.

Send press releases to info@newjerseystage.com to have your events previewed at New Jersey Stage. There is no cost for preview articles. Featured listings are found in the NJ Stage calendar, reserved for advertisers, and provided with individual event pages for every performance. Event pages are also available for $10 per event (multiple performances count as a single event). Event pages are also included with every banner ad purchase. Banner ads run from $50-$100 for a full month of coverage.

FEATURED EVENTS

Axelrod Performing Arts Center presents "Fiddler on the Roof" starring Bruce Sabath  (DEAL PARK, NJ) -- The Axelrod Performing Arts Center in Deal Park presents an exciting new production of the classic musical Fiddler on the Roof, the 1964 winner of 9 Tony Awards, from November 1-24, 2024. Based on Yiddish author Sholem Aleichem's stories, with a book by Joseph Stein, the musical boasts a celebrated score by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick.

Jersey Arts TV: 'Gruesome Playground Injuries' Leaves Its Mark on Art House Productions  When you think of the word injury, what springs to mind? Theater, right? Maybe not but perhaps it should. "Gruesome Playground Injuries" is a play written by Ravi Joseph. A fast-paced, intense, and darkly comic play, it tells the story of Kayleen and Doug, two friends whose lives are intertwined through a series of injuries that bring them together. Joseph highlights the complexity and messiness of life, reminding us that it becomes a bit easier with someone by our side.




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Jersey Arts Podcast: American Theater Group Celebrates Family and Heritage with 'My Italy Story'  "My Italy Story," written by Joseph Gallo, directed by Charlotte Cohn, and starring Michael Notardonato, is a nostalgic exploration of family, heritage and the ties that bind us. Spurred by pleas to help reunite his fractured family, a young man quits his job as a New York account executive and travels to Vallata — the tiny Italian town of his ancestors. Not until he returns home, however, does he discover a secret that unlocks his past.

EVENT PREVIEWS

Paper Mill Playhouse presents "Jersey Boys"  (MILLBURN, NJ) -- Paper Mill Playhouse presents Jersey Boys, the first show of Paper Mill's 2024-2025 season. Directed by Michael Bello (We Are the Tigers, associate director of The Who's Tommy and Jersey Boys UK/US tours and off-Broadway), Jersey Boys begins performances on Wednesday, October 2 ahead of a Sunday, October 6 opening night. The run continues through Sunday, November 3, 2024 at Paper Mill Playhouse.

Manhattan Theatre Club presents World Premiere of "Vladimir" by Erika Sheffer  (NEW YORK, NY) -- Manhattan Theatre Club has announced full casting for the world premiere of Vladimir, written by Erika Sheffer (Russian Transport) and directed by Tony Award winner Daniel Sullivan (MTC: Proof, Lillian Hellman's The Little Foxes). Vladimir runs from September 24 to November 10, 2024 at New York City Center Stage I (131 West 55th Street).

PHOTOS from "Macbeth" at The Curtain  (JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- The Curtain, Jersey City's premier classical theatre, has released promo photos for their upcoming adaptation of William Shakespeare's Macbeth, featuring West End and Royal Shakespeare Company actor Jamie Ballard (Harry Potter in The Cursed Child on the West End) in his American stage debut as Macbeth, Aria Shahghasemi (Broadway's Prayer for the French Republic, upcoming "The Penguin") as Macduff and Christianna Nelson (The Curtain's Romeo & Juliet) as Lady Macbeth.

Shakespeare Theatre of NJ presents "Macbeth" on the Main Stage for the first time in two decades  (MADISON, NJ) -- When three mysterious strangers confront a noble general on a barren heath, the fate of a nation is changed forever. Ambition, power, and madness drive Shakespeare's thrilling masterpiece, Macbeth, appearing this fall on the Main Stage of the acclaimed Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (STNJ) for the first time in two decades. The strictly limited run plays at The F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre on the campus of Drew University from October 16 through November 17, 2024.




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Art House Productions Presents "Gruesome Playground Injuries" by Rajiv Joseph  (JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- Art House Productions in collaboration with Half-Light Productions, is thrilled to announce the upcoming presentation of Rajiv Joseph's compelling play, "Gruesome Playground Injuries," directed by Catriona Rubenis-Stevens. In a time when empathy and understanding are more crucial than ever, this play seeks to foster connection and dialogue. Performances run weekends from October 18 to November 10, 2024.

Luna Stage presents the NY premiere of "Mrs. Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library"  (NEW YORK, NY) -- Luna Stage proudly presents the New York premiere of Jenny Lyn Bader's Mrs. Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library, directed by Ari Laura Kreith, running Off-Broadway October 18 – November 10, 2024 for 25 performances in a limited engagement at 59E59 Theaters, Theater B, located at 59 East 59th Street in New York City. Previews begin October 18 for an October 24 opening.

Haunts Come alive as The Ritz Theatre Company presents "Dracula"  (HADDON TOWNSHIP, NJ) -- The Ritz Theatre Company presents Dracula, dramatized by Hamilton Deane and John L. Balderston, from October 18 to November 3, 2024. This captivating adaptation of Bram Stoker's classic novel brings an exciting take on the legendary tale of the undead, promising a spine-tingling experience that will leave audiences on the edge of their seats.

American Theater Group presents "My Italy Story" by Joseph Gallo  (RAHWAY, NJ) -- NYC-based actor Michael Notardonato, soon to be featured in a new Netflix series, will star in American Theater Group's (ATG), endearing play My Italy Story by NJ playwright Joseph Gallo. The 2024-25 Season Opener will be directed by Charlotte Cohn, who most recently helmed ATG's world premiere Canned Goods. The one-man show will run October 24-27 at Hamilton Stage in Rahway, and November 1-3, 2024 at the Sieminski Theater in Basking Ridge.

Centenary Stage Company's NEXTStage Repertory presents "Soul Samurai" by Qui Nguyen  (HACKETTSTOWN, NJ) -- Centenary Stage Company's NEXTStage Repertory presents Soul Samurai by Qui Nguyen from October 24 - November 3, 2024. After avenging the death of her lover, a young samurai girl named Dewdrop, along with her faithful sidekick Cert, must now battle through vampire-infested Brooklyn to make it back home. A classic Qui Nguyen play, Soul Samurai blends a spaghetti western with vampire-infested Brooklyn, adding in martial arts, puppetry, and comic book camp.

Theater League of Clifton presents "The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940"  (CLIFTON, NJ) -- The Theater League of Clifton will present its main stage production of The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 in the newly renovated Clifton School No. 3 auditorium, located 365 Washington Ave. in Clifton (adjacent to Paulison Avenue). Performances run October 25-27 and November 1-3, 2024.

Dragonfly Multicultural Arts Center presents "Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors"  (PLAINFIELD, NJ) -- Get ready for a spine-tingling blend of laughs and thrills as Dragonfly Multicultural Arts Center presents Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors, written by Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen. This fast-paced version of Bram Stoker's classic tale will run from October 25 to November 2, 2024 at duCret Center of Art, located at 1030 Central Avenue in Plainfield, NJ.

The Broadway Theatre of Pitman presents "Kinky Boots"  (PITMAN, NJ) -- The Broadway Theatre of Pitman presents Tony Award-winning hit Kinky Boots weekends from October 25 to November 17, 2024. Based on the 2005 film and inspired by a true story, Kinky Boots follows Charlie Price, an aspiring young businessman who is forced to give up his dreams of living the London city life in order to save his late father's family business in Northern England.

Bridge Players Theatre Company presents the Hauntingly Beautiful "Jekyll & Hyde"  (BURLINGTON, NJ) -- Bridge Players Theatre Company, the Burlington City-based community theatre group, continues its 2024-2025 "Season of Change" with the haunting musical Jekyll & Hyde. Opening October 25 and continuing weekends through November 9, this spine-tingling spectacle features a special Halloween performance October 31, 2024.

South Camden Theatre Company presents "God of Carnage"  (CAMDEN, NJ) -- South Camden Theatre Company presents God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza across three weekends in November 2024. Using a translation by Christopher Hampton, the production of the 2009 Tony Award winning play is directed by Connie Norwood.




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Sara Koviak and Anne O'Sullivan to Star in "Your Name Means Dream" at NJ Rep  (LONG BRANCH, NJ) -- New Jersey Repertory Company (NJ Rep) will continue its 27th Season with a presentation of Your Name Means Dream, written and directed by Academy Award-nominated José Rivera. This production will star Sara Koviak (New York: The Hours are Feminine) and Anne O' Sullivan (Broadway: Blythe Spirit), who both originated these roles when it debuted at the Contemporary American Theater Festival in 2023. It will begin performances on October 31, with its opening night on November 2, and run through November 24, 2024.

Halloween Spirits to Haunt Kelsey Theatre with "Blithe Spirit"  (WEST WINDSOR, NJ) -- Two wives, one dead and one alive, combine for a spooky, laugh-filled experience this Halloween when Theater to Go presents Noël Coward's classic comedy "Blithe Spirit," October 31-November 3, 2024 at the Kelsey Theatre on Mercer County Community College's West Windsor Campus.

Lewis Center for the Arts' Program in Theater & Music Theater presents "Anon(ymous)" by Naomi Iizuka  (PRINCETON, NJ) -- The Lewis Center for the Arts' Program in Theater and Music Theater at Princeton University presents Anon(ymous) by award-winning playwright Naomi Iizuka, a poetic and action-packed retelling of Homer's The Odyssey with a modern twist that explores displacement, the search for belonging, hope and resilience, and the power of friendship. The production is directed by faculty member Bi Jean Ngo. Performances are November 1, 2, 7, 8 and 9 at the Berlind Theatre at McCarter Theatre Center. Showtime each night is at 8:00pm.

Get into the Holiday Spirit with "White Christmas" at Music Mountain Theatre  (LAMBERTVILLE, NJ) -- Music Mountain Theatre (MMT) in Lambertville presents a three-weekend run of White Christmas from November 1–17, 2024. White Christmas, the Irving Berlin musical based on the 1954 Paramount film starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen, will be the fourteenth mainstage show of MMT’s 2024 season, and the perfect way to usher in the holiday season!

Playhouse 22 presents "School of Rock" in November  (EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- School of Rock - The Musical, featuring music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Glenn Slater, and a book by Julian Fellowes comes to Playhouse 22 weekends from November 1-17, 2024.

EVENT LISTINGS

Click on the title to go to the event page for complete information on the show.

Thursday, October 31, 2024 @ 12:30pm - WP Music Department presents Hunchback of Notre Dame Dress Rehearsal at William Paterson University - Shea Auditorium, 300 Pompton Rd, Wayne

Friday, November 1, 2024 @ 7:00pm - Sugar Skull! A Dia de Muertos Musical Adventure at Count Basie Center for the Arts, 99 Monmouth Street, Red Bank

Friday, November 1, 2024 @ 7:00pm - Fiddler On The Roof at Axelrod Performing Arts Center, 100 Grant Avenue, Deal Park

Friday, November 1, 2024 @ 7:30pm - WP Music Department presents Hunchback of Notre Dame at William Paterson University - Shea Auditorium, 300 Pompton Rd, Wayne

Friday, November 1, 2024 @ 8:00pm - Anon(ymous) at McCarter Theatre Center (Berlind Theatre), 91 University Place, Princeton

Saturday, November 2, 2024 @ 1:30pm - Fiddler On The Roof at Axelrod Performing Arts Center, 100 Grant Avenue, Deal Park

Saturday, November 2, 2024 @ 7:30pm - WP Music Department presents Hunchback of Notre Dame at William Paterson University - Shea Auditorium, 300 Pompton Rd, Wayne

Saturday, November 2, 2024 @ 7:30pm - Girls Night: The Musical at Grunin Center, 1 College Drive, Toms River

Saturday, November 2, 2024 @ 7:30pm - Fiddler On The Roof at Axelrod Performing Arts Center, 100 Grant Avenue, Deal Park

Saturday, November 2, 2024 @ 8:00pm - Anon(ymous) at McCarter Theatre Center (Berlind Theatre), 91 University Place, Princeton

Sunday, November 3, 2024 @ 3:00pm - WP Music Department presents Hunchback of Notre Dame at William Paterson University - Shea Auditorium, 300 Pompton Rd, Wayne

Sunday, November 3, 2024 @ 3:00pm - Late Night Catechism at Grunin Center, 1 College Drive, Toms River

Sunday, November 3, 2024 @ 3:00pm - Fiddler On The Roof at Axelrod Performing Arts Center, 100 Grant Avenue, Deal Park




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COMING SOON

County College of Morris presents "In The Heights"  (RANDOLPH, NJ) -- The Marielaine Mammon School of Music, Performing Arts and Music Technologies at County College of Morris (CCM) presents this fall's musical "In The Heights" from November 6-9, 2024. The play is set in the lively Latino neighborhood of Washington Heights, Manhattan—where sweet coffee flows from corner bodegas, windows are always open and the air resonates with the rhythm of three generations of music.

Avenel Performing Arts Center presents Back to the 80's The Murder Mystery  (AVENEL, NJ) -- The Avenel Performing Arts Center presents Back to the 80's The Murder Mystery from November 7-9, 2024. Dive into the 80s with our interactive murder mystery show! A perfect mix of humor and mystery awaits as you put your detective skills to the test. Engage with familiar characters, uncover clues, and enjoy a night of suspense and laughter. This is not just entertainment; it's your chance to solve the ultimate whodunit. Get ready for an unforgettable and "totally rad" adventure!

Centenary Stage Company's Fringe Festival 2024 takes place in November  (HACKETTSTOWN, NJ) -- Centenary Stage Company's Fringe Festival 2024 will begin its portion of CSC's 2024-2025 season with Dr. Glas, My Buddy, and Courage. Performances will take place in the Kutz Theatre of the Lackland Performing Arts Center of the Centenary University campus at 715 Grand Ave, Hackettstown, throughout November.

Centenary Stage Company to Kick Off 2024 Fringe Festival with "Dr. Glas"  (HACKETTSTOWN, NJ) -- Centenary Stage Company's Fringe Festival 2024 will begin with Dr. Glas adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher. Performances take place November 7-10, 2024. Daniel Gerroll is Dr. Glas in this adaptation of the classic Swedish novel by Hjalmar Soderberg. The play tells the tale of an aloof Swedish physician who gradually unburdens his soul with the story of his obsession for another man's wife and the murder he plots to win her heart.

Lewis Center for the Arts' Program in Theater & Music Theater presents "A Life Worth Living"  (PRINCETON, NJ) -- The Lewis Center for the Arts' Program in Theater and Music Theater at Princeton University presents A Life Worth Living, a new dramatic-comedy musical by Princeton senior Jeffery Chen. Performance take place November 8-9 and November 14-16, 2024 in the Wallace Theater at the Lewis Arts complex on the Princeton campus.

Catalyst Theater Company presents "Bat Boy: The Musical" in November  (PLAINFIELD, NJ) -- Catalyst Theater Company presents Bat Boy:The Musical across two weekends (November 8-17, 2024) at duCret Center of Art. The inspiration for Bat Boy was drawn from a 1992 story in Weekly World News, known for publishing bizarre, satirical tales. This American Horror Rock Musical/Comedy captures the unique blend of horror, camp, comedy, and tragedy of the original tabloid story.

SPQR Stage Company presents "Freezing Antarctica"  (SOMERS POINT, NJ) -- SPQR Stage Company, the Jersey Shore's "Original" theater company, will present Freezing Antarctica across two weekends (November 15-16 and November 22-23, 2024) at Studio;Space in Somers Point. The play is written and directed by SPQR's Artistic Director Bill Sterritt.

Pioneer Productions presents powerful drama: "Dinner with Friends" by Donald Margulies  (MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Pioneer Productions presents "Dinner with Friends," the Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Donald Margulies, from November 15-24, 2024, at The Stage at Fellowship Hall in the Morristown United Methodist Church (50 South Park Place) in Morristown. The play explores the complexities of modern relationships through the lives of two couples whose friendships are tested by unexpected revelations and personal crises.

Playwright Wants to Challenge and Delight Audiences with 'Freezing Antarctica' at SPQR Stage Company  (SOMERS POINT, NJ) -- SPQR Stage Company, the Jersey Shore's "Original" theater company, will produce Freezing Antarctica, written and directed by SPQR's Artistic Director Bill Sterritt, November 15-16, and November 22-23, 2024 at Studio;Space in Somers Point. The plot revolves around Russian meteorologist Nikita Alexandra Romanov, who is on a desperate dash to the South Pole to save the world when she meets an American adventurer Jack Kennedy Armstrong Earhart on the way.

FEATURED EVENTS

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Sherlock

Sherlock Holmes: The Baker Street Irregulars

Thursday, January 30, 2025 @ 7:30pm
The Historic Palace Theatre
7 Ledgewood Avenue, Netcong, NJ 07857
category: theatre

Click here for full event listing

 

George

George Street Playhouse presents "Small"

Thursday, January 30, 2025 @ 7:30pm
New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC)
11 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
category: theatre

Click here for full event listing

 

Here

Here There Are Blueberries

Thursday, January 30, 2025 @ 7:30pm
McCarter Theatre Center (Matthews Theater)
91 University Place, Princeton, NJ 08540
category: theatre

Click here for full event listing

 

Sherlock

Sherlock Holmes: The Baker Street Irregulars

Friday, January 31, 2025 @ 7:30pm
The Historic Palace Theatre
7 Ledgewood Avenue, Netcong, NJ 07857
category: theatre

Click here for full event listing

 

George

George Street Playhouse presents "Small"

Friday, January 31, 2025 @ 2:00pm
New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC)
11 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
category: theatre

Click here for full event listing

 

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EVENT PREVIEWS

Fund

Fund for Irish Studies at Princeton University presents a Conversation with Ireland's Abbey Theatre

(PRINCETON, NJ) -- Princeton University's Fund for Irish Studies continues its 2024-2025 series with a conversation with members of Ireland’s Abbey Theatre: Literary and New Work Director Ruth McGowan and well-known Irish actor and Associate Artist Derbhle Crotty will discuss writing and performing in Ireland and perhaps offer readings from some Irish plays. Fund for Irish Studies co-chair and director of the Program in Theater and Music Theater Jane Cox will moderate the conversation on Friday, February 7, 2025 at the James Stewart Film Theater at 185 Nassau Street. The event begins at 4:30pm.



Algonquin

Algonquin Arts Theatre presents "The Diary of Anne Frank"

(MANASQUAN, NJ) -- Algonquin Arts Theatre presents four performances of The Diary of Anne Frank from February 15-22, 2025. Embark on a poignant journey through history with one of the most powerful and enduring stories of resilience, family, hope, and the human spirit. Anne Frank's eloquent and deeply moving words leap from the pages of her diary to the stage.



Centenary

Centenary Stage Company's NEXTStage Repertory presents Shakespeare's "The Tempest"

(HACKETTSTOWN, NJ) -- Centenary Stage Company's NEXTStage Repertory presents William Shakespeare's The Tempest adapted and directed by Stephen Michael Davis from February 6-10, 2025. The Tempest is Shakespeare's comedy about betrayal, ill-treatment, and the development of magical arts, all set against the backdrop of a plot for revenge.



Small

'Small' Brings Big Energy to George Street Playhouse

When thinking about occupations kids say they want when they get older, a list comes to mind – doctor, superhero, firefighter, etc. But not many would find their passion at the horse racing track and say they want to become a jockey. In "Small," an autobiographical play written and performed by Robert "Bobby" Montano, the story follows Montano as he races and fulfills his dream on the horse racing tracks of Long Island, New York. It does not stop there, however. The 90-minute play is a story of love, loss and more as Montano grapples with some difficult life decisions.



Luna

Luna Stage presents "A Case for the Existence of God"

(WEST ORANGE, NJ) -- Luna Stage presents the NY Drama Critics' Circle award-winner for Best Play, A Case for the Existence of God by Samuel D. Hunter from February 20 - March 16, 2025. Directed by Luna Artistic Director Ari Laura Kreith, this is a heartrending yet hopeful play about two men’s parallel desires to build a secure foundation for their families.