‘Halftime with Don’ will Premiere at the Jersey Shore

Posted on June 16, 2017 by Karen Nowosad

New Jersey Repertory Company presents the National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere of Halftime with Don.  Written by Ken Weitzman, this show will play in Long Branch between June 22 – July 30, 2017.

As summer gets into full swing, New Jersey shore visitors should plan on checking out this production. There is always a good show at NJ Rep and visitors will delight at the easy location this theater is to many of the shore’s most popular destinations.

Press notes describe the play as follows:

Don Devers may not have been the biggest name in the NFL, but his heart and his charisma were unrivaled on the field. Known for helping every opponent he knocked down get back onto their feet, Don has been brought to his knees by the cruel legacy of his high-impact heyday. Ed Ryan, a demoralized fan who idolized Don all his life, arrives at his door searching for inspiration. Instead Ed finds his hero shut off from the world, attempting to stave off the encroaching offensive of traumatic brain damage with Pringles, pills and Post-It notes.  Stephanie, Don’s pregnant, tough-as-nails daughter, is sure she knows why he refuses to see even her. But she’s wrong. What she discovers, what they all discover through the mirror of Don’s decline, is an unpredictable, remarkable perspective on hope and strength in the clinch of being merely human.

Kent Nicholson serves as Director.  The cast includes Malachy Cleary as Don, NJ Rep regular Susan Maris as Sarah Ryan and newcomers Lori Vega and Dan McVey play Stephanie Devers and Ed Ryan.

Show Information:

Previews kick-off Thursday, June 22, with a complimentary game-day buffet of chili, chips and beer following the performance. Opening night with reception is Saturday, June 24.

Performances are Thursdays and Fridays at 8pm; Saturdays at 3pm and 8pm; and Sundays at 2pm. Tickets are $46 and are available at 732-229-3166 or online at njrep.org.

The New Jersey Repertory Company theater is located at 179 Broadway, Long Branch, NJ.

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‘The Government Inspector’ Delivers Laughs Galore

Posted on June 14, 2017 by Karen Nowosad

Mary Testa, Michael McGrath, Michael Urie, and Talene Monahon in ‘The Government Inspector’ Photo Credit: Carol Rosegg

Update:

Since publishing this article, an extension and move for this show were announced. The Government Inspector will complete its run at the Duke Theater on June 24, 2017. It will reopen on July 5 and run through August 20th at New World Stages. To purchase tickets for performances at New World Stages, visit Telecharge.com, call (212) 239-6200, or visit the New World Stages box office (daily, after 1pm). 

A Show Well Worth Going to See

People will ask me “what’s a funny show to go to see?” If that’s what you’re looking for, I recommend that you head over to The Duke Theater on 42nd Street and see The Government Inspector. Presented by Red Bull Theater, this hilarious show features an outstanding company of actors who play out a story written over 180 years ago. The setting is in old world Russia when the Tsar was still in charge. However, take out that information and you might think you are in present day. Yes, issues that haunted government back then are pretty universal and so they are also seen today.

Originally written by Nikolai Gogol, The Government Inspector was brought to the attention of the Tsar.  He liked it so much that he requested the first theatrical production of the play in 1836. Modern day writer Jeffery Hatcher adapted the play in 2008 and this is the version in use for the Red Bull production. Funny dialog brings the story to life. The wacky characters take center stage which brings out the conflict. All combined, this play shines with a humorous tone.

Photo Credit: Carol Rosegg

Directed by the Red Bull Theater’s Artistic Director, Jesse Berger, The Government Inspector centers around a town in the “middle of nowhere” someplace in old world Russia. For the most part, it is a poor existence that most of the people live with the exception of the Mayor and his family. No one seems very concerned about their station in life. They seem to accept it and live their lives.

The Postmaster reads everyone’s mail making him the most current source of news. He has discovered that a government official is being sent out to their town to investigate something. He informs the Mayor and his staff and also adds that the official is traveling incognito and has already been in the town for awhile. The Mayor makes major attempts to hide problems that are in the town such as a hospital that was built with room and doorways too small. So it is converted into a children’s hospital complete with brand new patients placed there for show.

All eyes turn to Ivan who has been staying in a less then adequate rooming house with his servant, Osip. He is wined, dined, bribed, and put up on a pedastal all in an attempt to win him over. As the mistaken identity continues, Ivan realizes he has landed in a sweet deal and he rolls right along with it.

Photo Credit: Carol Rosegg

Finally, the identity of the inspector is disclosed which provides a surprising ending. But along the way, the cast, led by Michael Urie as Ivan, provides many laughs. Michael McGrath plays the Mayor with Mary Testa as his wife and Talene Monahon in the role of his daughter.  Other parts are played by Arnie Burton, Stephen DeRosa, Ryan Garbayo, Kelly Hutchinson, David Manis, Ben Mehl, , Luis Moreno, James Rana, Mary Lou Rosato, Tom Alan Robbins, and Ryan Garbayo.

About the Show:

Running Time: Approximately 2 hours with one intermission

Location: The Duke Theater on 42nd Street, between 7th and 8th Avenues, NYC

Performances: This show will play until June 24, 2017 and then move to New World Stages. See information in Update above.

Contact for Info and Tickets: Red Bull Theater website

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2017 Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards

Posted on June 7, 2017 by Karen Nowosad

The 2017 Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards Presented by the Investors Foundation ceremony took place at Paper Mill Playhouse on Tuesday, June 6. The event featured presenters from Broadway and beyond. The ceremony was broadcast live on television and online through Paper Mill Playhouse video partner, Hometowne Television, of Summit, New Jersey.

Eastern Regional High School in Voorhees Township took home the top prize of Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical for their production of Les Misérables: School Edition, along with two other trophies. Union High School and Gloucester County Institute of Technology each took home three trophies at this year’s awards.

Other awards presented included:

  • Five $1,000 cash scholarships to outstanding individual students who plan to continue studying theater performance or technical theater in college.
  • A prize of $500 to Fair Lawn High School who received the 2017 Educational Impact Award. This award acknowledges a school that successfully connects the musical to the district’s curriculum, using the production as a teaching tool for the greater student body and local community.
  • The Rising Star “Theatre for Everyone” Inclusion and Access Award was presented to Morristown High School.  This cash award of $1,000 is provided in a partnership with The Cultural Access Network of New Jersey, a project of the New Jersey Theatre Alliance and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. It recognizes excellence in the promotion and practice of creative inclusion of students and adults with disabilities as performers, designers, musicians and production staff. Additionally, this award seeks to recognize and reward a school that takes steps to ensure their performances are accessible to audiences with disabilities.
  • Students receiving final nominations in the lead and supporting acting categories receive a scholarship to Paper Mill Playhouse’s competitive Summer Musical Theatre Conservatory.  This professional training program, along with advanced classes in singing, acting and dance, offers the nominees an opportunity to perform onstage at Paper Mill Playhouse in the season finale concert, “New Voices of 2017: Everyone Loves an Underdog!” on July 28 and July 29.

For a complete list of recipients, consult the Paper Mill Playhouse website at their Rising Star page: http://papermill.org/education/rising-star-awards/award-recipients.html

Previous Nominees and Recipients

A number of past Rising Star nominees and recipients recently appeared on Broadway. The list includes: She Loves Me (Laura Benanti), Noises Off (Rob McClure), and  American Psycho (Morgan Weed).   Also, Aladdin (Josh Dela Cruz, Jonathan Schwartz, Kathryn Allison), Les Misérables (Nikki M. James), Disney’s The Lion King (Jelani Remy), Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Julia Knitel), Jersey Boys (Russell Fisher), and The Phantom of the Opera (Julia Udine).

The list continues with London’s West End production of The Book of Mormon (Jared Gertner); the Public Theater’s Grounded (Anne Hathaway). and Shanice Williams, star of NBC’s The Wiz Live.

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