DAVID CROW
Free theater workshops will be among the offerings in the Stages Festival, which takes place all over New Jersey throughout the month of March.
The 20th annual Stages Festival is underway, and will continue throughout the month of March, with about 80 theater performances and programs for children and adults, all free or significantly discounted.
The festival is presented by the New Jersey Theatre Alliance, along with its partners and funders, and many events require advance registration. For information, visit stagesfestival.org.
“New Jersey is a wellspring of great theatre experiences, and The Stages Festival makes them accessible to all,” said Nick Paleologos, executive director of New Jersey State Council on the Arts, in a press release.
New Jersey Theatre Alliance executive director John McEwen described the festival as a way “to ensure that everybody, regardless of age, income, location and level of ability, has access to professional theatre.”
Here is a complete listing of the remaining events and, below them, a map.
March 3, 7 p.m.: New play reading: David Lee White’s “Rocket Sex Magic” at Bickford Theatre at Morris Museum, Morris Township.
March 3-4, 8 p.m. and March 5, 2 p.m.: “Shipwrecked! An Entertainment — The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont (as Told by Himself)” at Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre, Summit. One child free with full-priced adult ticket.
March 4, 3 p.m.: “Miss Nelson Has a Field Day” at Ocean County Library, Toms River.
March 4, 7 p.m.: New play reading: Oded Gross’ “Tragedy” at Bickford Theatre at Morris Museum, Morris Township.
March 5, 5 p.m.: New play reading: Lia Romeo’s “Ghost Story” at Bickford Theatre at Morris Museum, Morris Township.
March 6, 3:30 p.m.: “Miss Nelson Has a Field Day” at Ocean County Library, Island Heights.
March 6, 7 p.m.: “New Works, New Voices” at Hamilton Stage at Union County Performing Arts Center, Rahway.
March 7, 1 p.m.: “Miss Nelson Has a Field Day” at Middle Township Performing Arts Center.
March 7, 6 p.m.: “Miss Nelson Is Missing” at Vineland Public Library.
March 8, 3:30 p.m.: “Gabi Goes Green” at Long Beach Island Grade School, Surf City.
March 8, 7 p.m.: New play reading: Rosemary McLaughlin’s “Paterson Falls” at Merseles Studios at Jersey City Theatre Center.
March 9, 6 p.m.: Gerald Fierst, Jewish storytelling program at Ocean County Library, Jackson.
March 9, 7 p.m.: Spring Reading Series: Chris Cragin-Day’s “Foster Mom” at Vaughn Eames Hall at Kean University, Union.
March 10, 3:15 p.m.: “Austin the Unstoppable” at Richmond Avenue School, Atlantic City.
March 10, 4:30 p.m.: “Character Creation for Kids” (elementary school students) at Cape May Lutheran Church.
March 10, 5:30 p.m.: “Character Creation for Kids” (junior high schoolers) at Cape May Lutheran Church.
March 10, 7 p.m.: Spring Reading Series: Jessica Moss’ “Cam Baby” at Vaughn Eames Hall at Kean University, Union.
March 10-11, 7:30 p.m.: “Hamlet in Action” (workshop adaptation of “Hamlet) at Snyder Academy of Elizabethtown, Elizabeth.
March 11, 10:30 a.m.: “Ellis Island: Gateway to America” at Waretown Library.
March 11, 10:30 a.m.: “Making and Performing With Puppets: A Workshop for Children” at ARTETC, Newton.
March 11, 2 p.m.: “Miss Nelson Is Missing” at Ocean County Library, Point Pleasant.
March 11, 7 p.m.: Spring Reading Series: Patricia Cotter’s “Why I’m Voting for John Anderson” at Vaughn Eames Hall at Kean University, Union.
March 12, 3 p.m.: “Senior Player Workshop” by The Courageous Acting Company at Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn.
March 12, 3 p.m.: Spring Reading Series: Sarah Gancher’s “Seder” at Vaughn Eames Hall at Kean University, Union.
March 13, 10 a.m.: Breakfast at Paper Mill (theater salon and discussion grou) at Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn.
March 15, 5:30 p.m.: “Revolution!” at West Cape May Elementary School. Staged readings of student plays about the Revolutionary War.
March 15, 7 p.m. and March 18, 2 p.m.: “Julius Caesar” at Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Madison. For children 11 and older.
March 16, 7 p.m.: “NJPAC Stage Exchange: The 2017 Commissions Sneak Peek” at Parsonnet Room at NJPAC, Newark. Preview with playwrights Joel Stone, Nicole Pandolfo and Pia Wilson.
March 16, 7 p.m.: New play reading: Stacie Lents’ “Run-On Sentence” at Merseles Studios at Jersey City Theatre Center.
March 16, 7:30 p.m.: Readings From the Edge: Eugène Ionesco’s “Rhinoceros” at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Weehawken.
March 17, 2 p.m.: “Peter and the Wolf” at Ocean County Library, Lakewood.
March 17, 7:30 p.m.: Original Musical Workshop: “Unbelievable” at Fair Lawn Community Center.
March 17-18, 8 p.m.: “Detectives Holmes and Carter” at East Lynne Theater Company, Cape May.
March 18, 11 a.m.: “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Madison. For all ages.
March 18, 2 p.m.: “Peter and the Wolf” at Ocean County Library, Barnegat Township.
March 18, 7 p.m.: New play reading: Phoebe Farber’s “The Messenger” at Merseles Studios at Jersey City Theatre Center.
March 19, 1 p.m.: “Peter and the Wolf” at Investors Bank Theater at Horseshoe Lake, Succasunna.
March 19, 2 p.m.: “Detectives Holmes and Carter” at Mahwah Public Library.
March 19, 3 p.m.: Victorian Magic by Robert Aberdeen at Frank Guaracini Jr. Fine and Performing Arts Center, Vineland.
March 19, 4 p.m.: Dialogue on drama with playwright Ken Ludwig after performance of his “Murder on the Orient Express” at McCarter Theatre Center, Princeton.
March 19, 5 p.m.: Meet “Sarah Vaughan” at Crossroads Theatre Company, New Brunswick. Post-show Q&B with “The Voice” contestant Tamar Davis, who is starring in the theater’s production of “Sarah Sings a Love Story.”
March 20, 6:30 p.m.: “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at Manchester Township High School. For all ages.
March 20, 6:30 p.m.: “Miss Nelson is Missing” at Ocean County Library, Brick.
March 21, 7 p.m.: Staged reading of James Rana’s “A Year in the Trenches” at Bickford Theatre at Morris Museum, Morris Township.
March 22, 3:30 p.m.: “Peter and the Wolf” at Woodbury Public Library.
March 22, 6 p.m.: “Miss Nelson Has a Field Day” at Warren H. Wolfe Elementary School, Brick Township.
March 22, 7 p.m.: New play reading: Vita Morales’ “Diagonal Trilogy” at Merseles Studios at Jersey City Theatre Center.
March 23, 7 p.m.: “Stone Soup and Other Stories” at Morris Plains Borough School.
March 23, 7:30 p.m.: Readings From the Edge: “1984” at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Weehawken.
March 24, 1 p.m.: “At Ninety-Three” at Cranford Senior Housing. New adaptation of the poetry of Jan Slepian.
March 24, 7 p.m.: “Ellis Island: Gateway to America” at Stony Brook Elementary School, Pennington.
March 25, 11 a.m.: “Family Day at the Theater: A Salute to Our Military Women and Men” at Two River Theater, Red Bank. Letter writing (to military women and men), patriotic arts and crafts, face painting and theater games.
March 25, noon: “Jake and the Humongous Pear” at Hammonton Family Success Center.
March 25, 2 p.m.: Victorian Magic by Robert Aberdeen at Ocean County Library, Lacey.
March 25, 2 p.m.: “Stone Soup and Other Stories” atWheaton Arts and Cultural Center, Millville.
March 25, 2:30 p.m.: “Miss Nelson is Missing” at Ocean County Library, Stafford
March 25, 3 p.m.: Paper Mill Playhouse Broadway Show Choir at Ocean County Library, Upper Shores.
March 25, 6 p.m.: “Plays by People” at Matheny Medical and Educational Center/Robert Schonhorn Arts Center, Peapack. Staged readings of short play written by playwrights in Matheny’s Arts Access Program.
March 26, noon: “Stone Soup and Other Stories” at Shea Center for Performing Arts at William Paterson University, Wayne.
March 26, 2 p.m.: “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at Appel Farm Arts and Music Center, Elmer. For all ages.
March 26, 2 p.m.: Victorian Magic by Robert Aberdeen at Wyckoff Public Library.
March 27, 9 p.m.: Victorian Magic by Robert Aberdeen at Tuckerton Library.
March 29, 6 p.m.: Gerald Fierst, Jewish storytelling program at Ocean County Library, Plumsted.
March 29-30, 7:30 p.m. and March 31, 8 p.m.: “Million Dollar Quartet” at Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn. $20 rush tickets for students.
March 30, 3:45 p.m.: “Miss Nelson is Missing” at Ocean County Library, Point Pleasant.
March 30, 6 p.m.: Conversation Club for “Million Dollar Quartet” at Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn.
March 30, 6 p.m.: “Stone Soup and Other Stories” at Ocean County Library, Little Egg Harbor.
March 31, 6 p.m.: “Magic, Mystery and Mayhem: Shake It Up Shakespeare” at Burlington County Library.
March 31, 7 p.m.: “Healing Voices OnStage: Caregiver Stories” at Bickford Theatre at Morris Museum, Morris Township.
March 31, 7 p.m.: “Equal Access” at Luna Stage Company, West Orange. Showcase of works-in-progress by playwrights with disabilities.
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