2017 Season
Celebrate a Season of Groundbreaking New Plays!
"You could hear a pin drop as the rapt audience became immersed in this highly visceral play." - Simon Saltzman, Curtain Up
Jamil A.C. Mangan and Kana Hatakeyama in Quiara AlegrĂa Hudes's Water by the Spoonful, directed by Kel Haney (2016). Photo by Steve Hockstein.
Cover: Diomargy NuĂąez and Brian Sutherland in Vincent Delaney's Las Cruces, directed by John J. Wooten (2016). Photo by Mike Peters.
D
ear Friends of Premiere,
We are excited to share with you Premiere Stages’ most ambitious season to date. For the first time in our history we are offering expanded development to five plays, including two works that we commissioned specifically for Premiere.
Patricia Cotter’s fine play 1980 (Or Why I’m Voting for John Anderson) shows us that, while some families are born, many families are made. And the search for unity continues to be a common and powerful thread for the other plays that we will present. We are particularly pleased to welcome playwright Dominique Morisseau back to the Premiere fold. Skeleton Crew exemplifies our mission and we could not be more excited to share this richly topical play with our patrons. The emergence of Dominique as one of America’s leading playwrights makes the project particularly special.
In September, the winner of our annual Play Festival competition, Foster Mom by Chris Cragin-Day, makes its premiere with a warm and moving story about one woman’s quest to begin a family through fostering. And, as you will see in the pages that follow, it is complemented by two new commissioned projects that will be introduced to you through staged readings. Brick City, by Nicole Pandolfo, is the recipient of the 2017 NJPAC Stage Exchange Commission and continues our successful collaboration with the New Jersey Theatre Alliance. The new Liberty Live Commission, Martin Casella’s Black Tom Island, provides another excellent opportunity to partner with the Liberty Hall Museum through their WWI exhibit, Brothers in Arms: Memories of the Great War. As we embark on a season that’s written largely by women and almost half populated by characters of color, we’re proud to reaffirm our commitment to presenting diverse stories and underrepresented voices onstage.
Finally, it is fitting that the concept of family is so prominent this season as our success is based largely on the family of patrons who have helped us to reach a new plateau in this, our 13th year.
See you at the theatre! Sincerely,
John J. Wooten
Producing Artistic Director
Heather Kelley
Director of Audience Services
[2]
Courtney Little
Producing Associate
From left to right: Heather Kelley, John J. Wooten and Courtney Little
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FREE Staged Reading
June 16-18
Friday & Saturday at 7 p.m. Sunday at 3 p.m.
By Patricia Cotter Directed by Jessi D. Hill
In a country hungry for a new voice, an inspiring, independent contender emerges for president. Four very different (and slightly lost) campaign workers advocate tirelessly for their long-shot candidate, convinced he can change their country and their lives. 1980 (Or Why I'm Voting For John Anderson) is a contemporary comedy about class, race and the politics of hope.
Murphy Dunn Theatre, Vaughn Eames Hall
FREE! Reservations recommended.
Box OďŹƒce: 908-737-7469 www.premierestagesatkean.com
Listen, contribute and engage in the developmental process. Intimate discussions with the playwright follow each reading.
New Jersey Premiere
July 13-30
Thursday–Saturday at 8 p.m. Saturday & Sunday at 3 p.m.
By Dominique Morisseau Directed by John J. Wooten
In this compelling portrait of American workers struggling to hold on against the tide of technology, ambitions, secrets and conflicted loyalties threaten to destroy an automotive plant’s status as a sanctuary in a rough city. Faye, the matriarch of a small family of line workers, gives her all to keep her team employed in one of the last auto stamping plants in Detroit. Skeleton Crew is the third play in the award-winning Detroit Cycle by Dominique Morisseau, whose first play, Follow Me to Nellie's, was produced by Premiere in 2011.
Zella Fry Theatre, Vaughn Eames Hall
Box Office: 908-737-7469 www.premierestagesatkean.com
Talk-Back Series: Learn more about the themes explored in this play and engage in a dialogue with the artists, guest speakers, and your fellow audience members following select matinee performances.
Winner of the 2017 Premiere Stages Play Festival
September 7-24
Thursday–Saturday at 8 p.m. Saturday & Sunday at 3 p.m.
By Chris Cragin-Day Directed by Kel Haney
Leslie’s decision to adopt a child is complicated by two factors: a skeptical mother and an unexpected romance. As the relationship with the new man intensifies, so does her conviction about foster parenting. In the end, Leslie must choose between two things she wants desperately: the love of her life and the foster child she's never met.
Zella Fry Theatre, Vaughn Eames Hall
Box Office: 908-737-7469 www.premierestagesatkean.com
Talk-Back Series: Learn more about the themes explored in this play and engage in a dialogue with the artists, guest speakers, and your fellow audience members following select matinee performances.
2017 NJPAC Stage Exchange Commission
October 20-22
Friday at 7 p.m. Saturday & Sunday at 3 p.m.
By Nicole Pandolfo Directed by John J. Wooten
Jessie, a combative high school senior with a disability, and Darnell, the star player of his high school basketball team, find themselves together in extended study hall during the most important marking period of their lives. As Darnell inches dangerously close to throwing away a lucrative college scholarship, and Jessie a potential career as an artist, both discover that things aren't always as simple as they may seem.
Little Theatre, Miron Student Center
FREE! Reservations recommended.
Box OďŹƒce: 908-737-7469 www.premierestagesatkean.com
NJPAC Stage Exchange is a new play commission collaboration between Premiere Stages, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) and the New Jersey Theatre Alliance (NJTA).
2017/2018 Liberty Live Commission in partnership with Liberty Hall Museum
November 17-19
Friday at 7 p.m. Saturday & Sunday at 3 p.m.
By Martin Casella Based on an actual incident that took place in Jersey City in 1916, Black Tom Island explores the first documented terrorist attack on American soil through the lens of a fictionalized Slovak immigrant and his wife who may or may not be involved in the attack.
Little Theatre, Miron Student Center
FREE! Reservations recommended.
Box OďŹƒce: 908-737-7469 www.premierestagesatkean.com
Liberty Live is a unique partnership with the Liberty Hall Museum at Kean University that features a production of a new play that celebrates New Jersey history, tours of the museum, interactive displays, and talk-backs with local historians.
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING FOR STUDENTS PROFESSIONAL INTERNSHIP PROGRAM: Premiere Stages offers a summer internship program for
applicants who have an interest in pursuing a career in theatre arts. The program provides intense on-the-job training, educational seminars, and field trips to New York City. All internships are paid.
MASTERCLASSES: Guest artists teach carefully crafted masterclasses and participate in interactive question-
and-answer sessions with students and members of the campus community. Past artists have included Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage; Academy Award winners Richard Dreyfuss, Olympia Dukakis and Ellen Burstyn; and Tony Award winners David Henry Hwang, John Lee Beatty, William Finn and Norbert Leo Butz.
THE BAUER-BOUCHER AWARD: Named for longtime Premiere Stages supporters W. John Bauer and Nancy Boucher, the annual Bauer-Boucher Award showcases the work of a gifted Kean University student or alumni playwright with a professional reading. STUDENT AUDITIONS: Each spring, Premiere Stages offers Kean students the opportunity to audition for our professional summer season. All positions are paid, and Premiere offers students the opportunity to earn credits toward union affiliation in Actors’ Equity Association (AEA) through the Equity Membership Candidate (EMC) Program. KEAN ACTORS SHOWCASE: In collaboration with
Kean’s Theatre Conservatory, Premiere Stages produces the Kean Actors Showcase in New York. The showcase gives students the opportunity to audition for industry professionals, including agents, casting directors and artistic directors.
Playwright Lynn Nottage and Kean student David Paul.
ACADEMY OF TELEVISION ARTS AND SCIENCES:
Premiere Stages, in partnership with the New York Chapter of the Academy of Television of Arts and Sciences, offers Inside Television, an accredited class in which Kean students visit television studios and interface with industry professionals.
DISCOUNTED TICKETS: Premiere Stages offers
discounted tickets for current students and Kean alumni to all performances. With valid Kean ID, student tickets can be purchased for just $15 and alumni can receive $20 tickets.
Las Cruces "Pizza Preview" with the Kean Theatre Conservatory.
For more information, please call 908-737-4092, email premiere@kean.edu or visit www.premierestagesatkean.com. [8]
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Premiere's Play Factory Performance Series presents professional
theatre productions for children (Grades PreK - 4), which are open to the public as well as school, camp and community groups.
BrIgHT STar TourINg THEaTrE’S
THE VELVETEEN RABBIT
Wednesday, July 12 at 10:30 a.m. Wilkins Theatre
This literary classic is routinely named one of the top books for
children. A heartwarming story about a stuffed rabbit and its quest
to become real, The Velveteen Rabbit celebrates unconditional
love and true beauty with a strong anti-bullying message.
puSHCarT pLayErS’
STONE SOUP & OTHER STORIES
Wednesday, July 26 at 10:30 a.m.
Wilkins Theatre
A well-seasoned blend of folk tales from Africa, India, Eastern
Europe, and the United States, with a gentle emphasis on the
joy of reading.
yaTES MuSICaL THEaTrE’S
HANSEL & GRETEL/GOLDILOCKS & THE THREE BEARS Wednesday, August 2 at 10:30 a.m. Wilkins Theatre
A delight to the heart and to the senses, this is a double bill of
two cherished favorites. Colorful costumes and lively music and
dance bring the beloved characters to life before your very eyes,
complete with a witch, dancing bears, and resourceful children.
Standard Tickets – $15 / Group Tickets – $10
Single Tickets: 908-737-7469 For group sales, contact Heather Kelley at 908-737-4077 or hkelley@kean.edu. [9]
www.premierestagesatkean.com
Camp Premiere The perfect summer program for aspiring theatre artists!
Every summer, Premiere Stages offers two-week theatre arts camps for students entering Grades 6 - 12. Middle school students learn the elements of acting and playwriting while working collaboratively to translate their creative ideas into original performances for the stage, while high school students focus on the craft of acting, building performance technique and deepening their sense of self. Camps culminate in a public performance of the students’ work and a certificate presentation.
Theatremakers For students entering Grades 6-8
July 10–21 (Monday–Friday, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.) Final showcase: Friday, July 21
Tuition is $295. Camp programs are designed for returning campers and those who are attending for the first time.
Actors Studio For students entering Grades 9-12
July 24–August 4 (Monday–Friday, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.)
Register online at bit.ly/CampPremiere or contact Courtney Little at 908-737-4092 or colittle@kean.edu.
Both sessions take place at Kean University's Union campus.
Final showcase: Friday, August 4
Residencies
Premiere’s Play Factory residencies introduce playwriting
to classrooms, after-school programs, community groups/ organizations, and senior centers across the state.
Sessions focus on different aspects of playwriting to
create original scenes and short plays for the stage.
Residencies culminate in a public staged reading of the
participants’ work performed by professional actors.
Current partners include the Rahway School District,
Plainfield Public Schools’ 21st Century Community
Learning Centers Program, Kean University Learning
Adventures in Hillside, Matheny Medical & Educational Center’s Arts Access Program in Peapack, the Healing
Arts Program at Atlantic Health System in Morristown,
and Canterbury Village in West Orange.
Play Factory residencies are funded through a variety of partnerships and grants. If you are interested in bringing a residency or one-day acting/playwriting workshop to your school, senior center or community organization, please call 908-737-4092,
email premiere@kean.edu or visit www.premierestagesatkean.com for more information. [ 10 ]
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Premiere Stages 2017 Season $30 – Standard Tickets • $20 – Senior & Kean Alumni Tickets $15 – ADA & Student Tickets $65 – Opening Night Tickets + Pre-Show Reception (July 14 & September 8)
Show
Opens Closes
1980 (Or Why I’m Voting for John Anderson) 6/16
6/18
Skeleton Crew
7/13
7/30
8/2
n/a
The Velveteen Rabbit
7/12
Stone Soup & Other Stories
7/26
Hansel & Gretel/Goldilocks & 3 Bears Foster Mom Brick City
Black Tom Island
n/a
n/a
9/7
9/24
10/20
10/22
11/17
11/19
Performance Times
Fri. & Sat., 7 p.m.; Sun., 3 p.m.
Venue
Price
WT
$15
MD
Wed., 10:30 a.m.
Thurs., Fri. & Sat., 8 p.m.; Sat. & Sun., 3 p.m.
FREE
ZF
$15–$30
WT
$15
Wed., 10:30 a.m.
WT
Thurs., Fri. & Sat., 8 p.m.; Sat. & Sun., 3 p.m.
ZF
$15–$30
LT
FREE
Wed., 10:30 a.m.
Fri., 7 p.m.; Sat. & Sun., 3 p.m.
LT
Fri., 7 p.m.; Sat. & Sun., 3 p.m.
$15
FREE
MD = Murphy Dunn Theatre in Vaughn Eames Hall ZF = Zella Fry Theatre in Vaughn Eames Hall WT = Wilkins Theatre LT = Little Theatre in Miron Student Center
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
S M T W Th F S S M T W Th F S S M T W Th F S S M T W Th F S 1 2 3 1 1 2 1 2 3 4 5 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 25 26 27 28 29 30 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 27 28 29 30 31 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 * September 8 – Opening Night Reception * July 14 – Opening Night 30 31 Reception for for Foster Mom ($65) Skeleton Crew ($65)
OCTOBER
PATRON SERVICES
NOVEMBER
S M T W Th F S S M T W Th F S 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 29 30 31 [ 11 ]
All Premiere Stages facilities are wheelchair accessible. Large-print programs are available at all times. Publications are available in alternate formats with advanced notice. Sign-interpreted, audiodescribed and open-captioned performances are also available by request, at least two weeks in advance, by calling 908-737-4077. All shows are wheelchair accessible
Audio-described Performance
www.premierestagesatkean.com
Assisted-listening Devices available for all shows Open Captioning
Large print Playbills
Sign-interpreted Performance
Plan Your Visit BOX OFFICE INFORMATION Wilkins Theatre 1000 Morris avenue union, NJ 07083 908-737-7469 ticket@kean.edu
HourS Monday–Friday: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. WILL CaLL at VENuE 1 hour prior to performance.
oNLINE TICKET SaLES www.premierestagesatkean.com DISCouNTED group raTES Contact Heather Kelley at 908-737-4077 or hkelley@kean.edu.
SEASON PACKAGES
Purchase a 2017 Season Package and save! Opening Night Package: $110 (July 14 & Sept. 8 only; includes pre-show reception) Standard Package: $50
Senior/Alumni Package: $30 ADA/Student Package: $20
OPENING NIGHTS (July 14 & Sept. 8) attend an opening night performance and exclusive pre-show reception (6-7:30 p.m.) in Kean's North avenue academic Building for just $65!
AUDIENCE EXTRAS
CONCESSIONS We now offer rock 'n' Joe coffee, tea and assorted cold beverages for sale in our lobby.
INTERACTIVE LOBBY DISPLAYS Learn about the world of the play and how it affects you through our full-size, color lobby displays. PRE-SHOW TALKS Every Saturday night, join us in the lobby 30 minutes before performance for a pre-show exploration of the production led by one of our knowledgeable staff.
POST-SHOW DISCUSSIONS Following select matinee performances, engage more deeply with the issues raised in our free talk-backs with community leaders and local experts. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Interested in ushering for a show or volunteering your time in our office? Call 908-737-4077 or email hkelley@kean.edu.
DIRECTIONS
all theatres are located on Kean university's campus at 1000 Morris avenue, union, NJ 07083. For full directions and a campus map, please visit www.premierestagesatkean.com.
OUR VENUES
Murphy Dunn & Zella Fry Theatres Vaughn Eames Hall (1980, Skeleton Crew, Foster Mom)
Parking adjacent; make your first left from the Morris Avenue entrance.
Wilkins Theatre
(The Velveteen Rabbit, Stone Soup, Hansel & Gretel)
Parking adjacent; make your first right from the Morris Avenue entrance.
[ 12 ]
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Little Theatre
Miron Student Center (Brick City & Black Tom Island)
No parking immediately adjacent; about a 7-minute walk from the Wilkins Theatre parking lot toward the center of campus. Follow signs for the Miron Student Center, which is located by the clock tower and marked with a large American flag. It will be on your left after the Nancy Thompson Library (where the Human Rights Institute and Starbucks are located).
Come to Tropicana Diner for a friendly, cozy tropical island atmosphere! Great food, great prices, online and mobile ordering... it couldn't be easier!
OPEN 24 HOURS 545 Morris Avenue, Elizabeth, NJ 07208 (908) 351-7775 www.tropicanadiner.com [ 13 ]
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Support
Premiere Stages programming would not be possible without the generous support of our patrons and foundational sponsors. Whether it’s helping to make a playwright’s dreams come true, introducing a child to the magic of theatre, or launching the career of an aspiring theatre artist, your contribution ensures that Premiere Stages will
remain New Jersey’s foremost supporter of new play development.
PLAY FESTIVAL (PLAY DEVELOPMENT) Your gift to the Play Festival will support new play development right here in New Jersey and the greater metropolitan area. In just 13 seasons, Premiere has developed more than 60 new plays by more than 55 playwrights at various stages of their professional careers through our annual Play Festival competition and various commissions. Plays developed at Premiere have gone on to be published, win awards, and receive subsequent productions at prominent theatres across the country.
Playwright B.V. Marshall '73 (fourth from left), winner of the 2017 Bauer-Boucher Award, and the cast of his play, Incident at Willow Creek.
PLAY FACTORY (EDUCATION) Your gift to the Play Factory will give hundreds of students of all ages access to the arts through in-school and after-school residencies, community workshops, and our summer theatre camp. Our programs are designed to introduce students to theatre, enhance academic curricula through playwriting, teach creative expression to community groups, and preserve memories through storytelling workshops for senior citizens. Contributions also make it possible to offer affordable productions specifically for young audiences and discounted tickets for students to our mainstage performances. PREMIERE ARTISTS (TRAINING) Your gift to Premiere Artists will support the next generation of theatre artists through professional development opportunities, including our summer internship program, the Kean Actors Showcase, and masterclasses with industry professionals. Through these programs, young professionals are able to earn credit toward union affiliation in Actors’ Equity Association. Premiere Stages donors receive invitations to exclusive parties and events, reserved seats, and special recognition in our playbills. Because of patrons like you, our programming is accessible to a diverse community and each initiative truly makes a difference. Thank you! For further details about supporting Premiere Stages, joining the Ambassador Committee, or our annual benefit, please contact us at 908-737-4092. To make an online donation, please visit www.keanfoundation.org/premierestages. [ 14 ]
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Nonprofit Org. U.S. POSTAGE Morris Avenue, Union, NJ 07083
PAID KEAN UNIVERSITY
Box Office: 908-737-7469 www.premierestagesatkean.com CONNECT WITH US! #premiereStages /premierestages
/premierestageskean
Erika LaVonn and Joel Leffert in Deborah Brevoort's My Lord, What a Night, directed by Kel Haney (2016). Photo by Mike Peters.
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS Printed on recycled paper.
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