Photo by Kayla Chirip
(HACKETTSTOWN, NJ) -- Centenary Stage Company enters the last weekend of its run of the dark comedy, The Receptionist by Adam Bock. The play focuses on a seemingly ordinary office. Beverly, the cheerful and efficient receptionist, keeps things running smoothly—answering phones, gossiping, and managing daily tasks. But as the day unfolds, subtle cracks appear in the routine, hinting at something far more sinister lurking beneath the surface. The production will finish its run March 5-9, 2025 in the Sitnik Theatre.
A darkly comedic thriller, The Receptionist shifts from lighthearted office banter to unsettling suspense, exploring themes of power, complicity, and the unseen forces that shape our lives. The New York Times called it, “Mr. Bock's poisoned Post-it note of a play."
The small cast stars: Mary McLain as Beverly Wilkins, Gemma Berg as Lorraine Taylor, Eli Ganias as Edward Raymond, and Christopher J. Young as Martin Dart. Directing the production is Centenary Stage Company’s own Artistic Director, Carl Wallnau.
Photo by Kayla Chirip
Performance dates and times include Wednesday, March 5 at 2:00pm; Thursday, March 6 at 7:00pm; Friday, March 7 at 8:00pm; Saturdays, March 1, and 8 at 8:00pm; and Sunday, March 9 at 2:00pm. Tickets range from $25.00 - $30.00 for adults depending on the performance, with discounts available for students, Seniors (65+), and Children (12 and under) on select performances with special Buy One Get One tickets available for Thursday evening performances. BOGO tickets can be purchased on the day of the performance at the box office in person beginning at 5:00pm.
The team at Centenary Stage Company has added an additional performance on Wednesday, March 5 at 7:00pm which will highlight performances from the Centenary University students who are serving as understudies for the leading roles. Tickets for this performance are only $5 and if any ticketholders who have seen another performance of The Receptionist, they may bring their ticket to the door and see the understudy performance for free.
Director Wallnau has directed and starred in countless productions regionally and at Centenary Stage, most recently seen on stage as the titular character in Tartuffe, and before that directing and appearing in The Ladykillers. He has worked at numerous regional theatres including Paper Mill Playhouse, Second Stage in NYC, York Theatre in NYC, People’s Light, The Lark Theatre, The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, Hartford Stage, Forum Theatre, Bristol Riverside Premiere Stages, Orlando Shakespeare Company, Theatre 1812, Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, Foothills Playhouse and 14 months on the road with the First National Tour of TITANIC. He has directed over sixty productions including The English Bride, which had its NY premiere at 59e59 and the world premieres of Poetry of Pizza, Inventing Montana and The Tillie Project and New Jersey premieres of Below the Belt, Square One and Marvin's Room. He has been cited for outstanding direction in productions of Springtime for Henry, Engaged, The Ladies Man, Deathtrap and Pygmalion and has directed in numerous regional theatres including Hartford Theatre Works and Musical Theatre Works. He received his MFA from Rutgers University Mason Gross School of the Arts and is married to his favorite actress Colleen Smith Wallnau for who he wrote the play MARY TODD A WOMAN APART that had a successful off Broadway run in 2004.
The Receptionist is presented with special agreement with Concord Theatrical / Samuel French Inc.
For more information, visit centenarystageco.org or call the Centenary Stage Company box office at (908) 979-0900. The Centenary Stage Company box office is open Monday through Friday from 1:00-5:00 pm and two hours prior to performances. The box office is located in the Lackland Performing Arts Center on the campus of Centenary University at 715 Grand Ave. Hackettstown, NJ. Centenary Stage Company can also be found across social media platforms; Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Twitter. Like and follow to receive the latest in CSC news and special offers.
The 2024-25 Season of Performing Arts events at the Centenary Stage Company is made possible through the generous support of our sponsors and grantors like the NJ State Council on the Arts, the Shubert Foundation, the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, the Sandra Kupperman Foundation, the John and Margaret Post Foundation, the CSC corporate sponsors, including Explore Warren, the House of the Good Shepherd, Hackettstown Medical Center Atlantic Health System, Heath Village, Visions Federal Credit Union, and Fulton Bank, and Centenary Stage Company members and supporters.
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