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Readings 2004200320022000-20011999-20001998
Journal |
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 has
been a banner year for NJ Rep. We opened the doors to our new theater
at 179 Broadway in Long Branch and presented staged readings of 18 new
plays. Here’s a brief description of our past glory. |
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May
17, 1998 |
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May
31, 1998 |
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June 28, 1998 . . .
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"North Fork" written by Mark Dunn and directed by SuzAnne Barabas, is a comedy that whirls around one disastrous holiday weekend in the lives of the Beckle family. From kidnaping to emotional psychodrama, to household mishaps, the family must pull together to save itself from self-destruction. Our staged reading starred Rozie Bacchi, Dana Benningfield, Steve Carroll, Teri Furr, Meryl Harris, Johnny Kitt, Alison Lenox, and featured Doris Dunigan as narrator. This comedy will have its East Coast premiere as our third MainStage production. | |
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June
14, 1998 |
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| "Feliz Navidad" written by Staci Swedeen and directed by SuzAnne Barabas starred Cindy Carver as a harried shopper searching for the perfect last minute Christmas gift and Shannon Haragan as the saleswoman who doesn’t speak a word of English. |
July 24, 1998 |
July
24, 1998
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"Maggots" written by H.M. Killinger and directed by SuzAnne Barabas starred Philip Lynch, Alison Siegel, Chris Tomaino, and Dale Webb in a gallows-humor glimpse into the claustrophobic, desperate world where alienation and chaos reign in a small Greenwich Village apartment. |
| "Dancing With Harry" written by James Armstrong and directed by SuzAnne Barabas. A macho, self-centered, washed-up nobody tries to gain the affections of a cold-hearted waitress. A play about last chances and trying to get that one last dance. It starred Marian Akana, Paul Binotto, Harlan Tuckman and featured cameos by Chris Anthony and Steve Carroll. |
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"Zoë’s Story" written by Nancy Wright and directed by Arlene Schulman is a seamless, fast-paced drama about a missing exotic dancer and mother who yearned to be a writer. Everyone who knew Zoë had a story about her, but no one could tell Zoë's story. This featured Dave DeChristopher, Tammi Clayton, Kurt Elftmann, Michael Johnson, Emma Laurence, Steven Lloyd, Marianne Maltese, Dick Schulman, and Kendal Ridgeway as Zoë. |
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| "Ends" written by David Alex and directed by SuzAnne Barabas is a socio-political drama set in 1967. A white Vietnam veteran seeks refuge from a storm in the secluded cabin of an African-American man who has remained isolated from civilization for 18 years. The world premiere of this play will kick off our 1999 season. We are very pleased to be able to present this powerful new work. Reprising their roles will be Johnny Kitt and Philip Lynch. Stewart Fisher will be directing. |  |
. . . October 11, 1998 |
October 17, 1998
"Remember Me" written by Lewis Gardner and
directed by Stuart Vaughan.
This charming and poetic memory play starred Kim Hunter and
Bob Emmett and featured Marian Akana as the narrator.
This work was performed as a benefit to help raise funds for renovation.
| October 25, 1998:
"Some Place on the Road" written by Julius Galacki and directed by Midge Guerrera starred Dana Benningfield, Jim Donovan, Rick Nicely, and John Ring. A poetry salesman who sells the words of "the best dead people", stops at a lonely diner, and finds he has one last chance to make a moral choice. |
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October 25, 1998--"A Haunted World" written by Julius Galacki and directed by SuzAnne Barabas starred Chris Anthony as a young man who tells a coming-of-age story about working in a haunted house. With ironic humor, he confronts our common mortality. Cameo appearances by Marian Akana, Lena Moccia, and Lindy Regan. |
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-- November 1, 1998 -- |
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"Taking Off" written by Terri Campion and directed by Julie Gillis starred Jeanette Hartunian and Nathan Parker. A couple's attempts to make love is frustrated by the woman’s concerns that she is losing her no longer girlish figure. |
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"Past Palpable" written by Dave DeChristopher and directed by Stewart Fisher is a dark, surreal, comedy that takes place in a Vietnamese restaurant in Hoboken, NJ. This battle of the sexes in the strange realm of memory starred Marian Akana, Philip Lynch, Alyssa Polecsek and Bob Vaccaro. |
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"The
Pennysaver" written by Staci Swedeen and directed by Emma
Laurence. A bed, a couple, a kid, and a cat all play a part in this
purr-fectly comedic look at life in the suburbs, which starred Jeff
Bryan, Doris Dunigan, Kurt Elftmann, Arlene Schulman, Jody Strimling,
and John Wenz.
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| NJ Rep was pleased to sponsor The Dunbar Repertory Company in "The Meeting" by Jeff Stetson, starring GeorgEric as Malcolm X and Darrell Lawrence Willis Sr. as Martin Luther King, Jr., and featuring Ramon J. Morris as Rashad. The play was directed by Mark Henderson. As a result of the production, Dunbar Repertory was invited to perform at the National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in August, 1999. |
November 7-8, 1998 |
November 21, 1998
"Greytop in Love"
written by Alan Brody and directed by Stuart Vaughan. Our second benefit performance
starring Kim Hunter and Bob Emmett also starred company members, Steve Carroll,
Emma Laurence, and featured Philip Lynch as the narrator.
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December 6, 1998
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"The Elephant Graveyard" written by Jean-Paul Daumas, translated by Phyllis Zatlin and directed by Cindy Carver. Five elderly women in a "Sun coast" resort, find themselves shut in by rain and fear. In moods that alternate between comic and sad, and poetic and realistic, the women engage in role-playing that eventually unveils their secrets. It starred Meryl Harris, Betty Hudson, Marilyn Roberts, Lindy Regan, and Leslie Wheeler. |
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"Homing Penguins" written by Bryan Williams and directed by Arlene Schulman. Earl (Nathan Parker) and Fran (Sara-Page Chalakani) embark on an adult, civilized divorce, until their kids (Kurt Elftmann and Jenette Kozak) return to the nest and feathers fly. When young admirers of the divorcing couple (Diana Devlin and Chris Tomaino) move in as well, pandemonium reigns. The Parent Trap meets The Simpsons in this zany comedy of no manners whatsoever. |
December 13, 1998
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In addition to all these wonderful plays, NJ Rep offered two acting workshops. "Advanced Acting Workshop" was taught by William Martin, who is teaching another workshop this winter, "Comedy Scene Study". Stuart Vaughan presented a "Shakespeare Workshop". These weekend workshops were well attended and enthusiastically received. We hope to be able to continue to bring such talented teachers to our theater to share their gifts with students, actors, directors, and educators.  |
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Thanks for a great 1998 season!
