Theatre & Dance
Spring 2022
THE LATEHOMECOMER
Wednesday, May 18, 10:00 a.m.
Virtual event with a filmed performance and live post-show talkback
Literature to Life presentation of
The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir
By Kao Kalia Yang
Performed by Gaosong Heu
Adapted by Aurea Tomeski & Elise Thoron
Directed by Elise Thoron
Based on the novel The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir by Kao Kalia Yang, © 2008, published by Coffee House Press
The story follows her journey from a quiet, reticent student struggling to speak English while facing racial discrimination, to a self-empowered young woman claiming her voice to tell the untold story of her people.
Appropriate for elementary, middle, high school, and college ages | Study guide available upon request.
Past Events F21-S22
Friday, November 19, 2021 at 8:00 P.M.
Saturday, November 20, 2021 at 8:00 P.M.
Sunday, November 21, 2021 at 3:00 P.M.
Location: West Side Theatre
General Admission: $25 | Students/Seniors: $10
MDT Students Free
**All Tickets Must be Purchased in Advance.**
***All attendees must adhere to the NJCU Theater COVID-19 Protocols***
One of the most infamous and dark musicals ever written, Sweeney Todd is the unsettling tale of a Victorian-era barber who returns home to London after fifteen years of exile to take revenge on the lecherous judge who framed him, ravaged his young wife, and ruined his life. When revenge eludes him, Sweeney swears vengeance on the entire human race, murdering as many people as he can, while his business associate Mrs. Lovett bakes the bodies into meat pies and sells them to the unsuspecting public. Perhaps composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim’s most perfect score, Sweeney Todd is lush, operatic and full of soaring beauty, pitch-black comedy, and stunning terror. It’s one of the signal achievements of the American musical theater of the last fifty years, and it’s the high watermark of Sondheim’s six remarkable collaborations with director Harold Prince.
Interested in more musical productions? Keep up to date with our latest productions on Instagram and Facebook!
Past Dates: November 12, 13 & 14
Sweeney Todd Company
Principal Cast
Sweeney Todd: Jordan Owens
Mrs. Lovett: Caylen Enriquez Montemayor
Anthony Hope: Damon Porter
Johanna: Jessica Garcia
Tobias Ragg: Justin Reed
Judge Turpin: Byron Flores, Jr.
The Beadle: Joshua Rosenthal
Beggar Woman: Emily Tunney
Adolfo Pirelli: Jason Concepcion
Jonas Fogg: Adam Halecki
Ensemble
Moses Garcia
Manuel Encarnacion
Qawiyya Haqq
Katie Harrigan
Jonathan Jarvis
Sarah Kay Russell
Kaileen Santiago
Ryanne Soriano
Gabby Stanowski
Olivia Ventura
Production Team
Director: Marc G. Dalio
Musical Directors: Amy Duran and John DiPinto
Costume Designer: Deanna Smith
Scenic and Lighting Design: Maruti Evans
Sound and Projection Design: Paul Gargiulo
Technical Director: Duane McDevitt
Assistant to the Director: Danette Sheppard-Vaughn
Production Stage Manager: Emily Niemeyer
Assistant Stage Managers: Linda Gomes and Ivelisse Segovia
Social Media Officer: Simone Briscoe
Weekend 1:
Friday, March 25, 2022 at 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 26, 2022 at 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, March 27, 2022 at 3:00 p.m.
Weekend 2:
Friday, April 1, 2022 at 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 2, 2022 at 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 3, 2022 at 3:00 p.m.
Location: Margaret Williams Theater
There's magic to do when Pippin learns the true meaning of glory, war, love, and fulfillment in Stephen Schwartz's iconic and unforgettable award-winning musical masterpiece. Winner of four 2013 Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival, this updated version of Pippin continues to captivate and appeal to the young at heart throughout the world.
Pippin is in search of the secret to true happiness and fulfillment. Lead by the Leading Player and a troupe of actors, dancers and performers, Pippin is guided through the glories of the battlefield, the temptations of the flesh and the intrigues of political power. In the end, though, Pippin finds that happiness lies not in extraordinary endeavors, but rather in the unextraordinary moments that happen every day. Fulfillment comes not in 15 minutes of fame, but in living one’s life in the present and sharing that life with those who matter.
PIPPIN CAST
PRINCIPALS
Leading Player: Qawiyya Haqq
Pippin: Damon Porter
Charlemagne: Jordan Owens
Fastrada: Jenna Rotondo
Lewis: Byron Flores, Jr.
Berthe: Danette Sheppard-Vaughn
Catherine: Sydney Fournier
Shadow: Daniela Guido
Shadow: Aliya Jonov
Shadow: Laura Mendes
Ensemble
Aydan Alpdyildiz
Simone Briscoe
Alex Builes
Emily Chiasson
Jason Concepcion (U/S Pippin, Lewis)
Manny Encarnacion (U/S Charlemagne)
Caylen Enriquez-Montemayor
Jessica Garcia
Moses Garcia
Katie Harrigan
Kennedy Kandi
Bersabe Martinez (U/S Fastrada)
Lexylee Martinez
Perla Martinez
Joshua Rosenthal
Sarah Kay Russell (U/S Berthe)
Faith Shover
Ryanne Soriano (U/S Catherine)
Gabby Stanowski
Kayla Stewart (U/S Leading Player)
SWINGS
Taylor Eckerman
October Gomes
Kaileen Santiago
Emily Tunney
Juliette Vanneste
Olivia Ventura
Tuesday, April 26, 2022 at 10:00 a.m.
Virtual event with a recorded performance and live post-show talkback
Literature to Life stage presentation of
THE BRIEF WONDROUS LIFE OF OSCAR WAO
Based on the novel by Junot Diaz
Adaptation and Direction: Elise Thoron
Performed by Kelvin Grullon
Purchase Tickets | Tickets: $8 single | $50 for full class | $Pay what you can*
*It is our goal to share arts programming with our community. We thank you for any support you are able to give.
Tickets can also be purchased by contacting Boxoffice@njcu.edu
This thrilling adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel chronicles the life of Oscar, an overweight science-fiction enthusiast who dreams of becoming the Dominican J. R. R. Tolkien.
Appropriate for high school and college ages | Study guide available upon request.
Past Events F19-S21
Thursday, September 26, 2019 at 9:45 a.m.
Margaret Williams Theatre
$8 for all students and adults (including teachers)
CONTACT: boxoffice@njcu.edu, 201-200-2429
GRADES: 1–6
Mexico Beyond Mariachi performs SUGAR SKULL! A Dia De los Muertos Musical Adventure! A heartfelt story following young Vita on a magical adventure where she discovers the true meaning of Day of the Dead with the help of a candy skeleton who suddenly springs to life. It’s an entertaining, educational show that takes you on a historic and geographical journey through traditional Mexican music and dance.
Thursday, November 7, Friday, November 8 & Saturday, November 9, 2019 at 8:00 p.m.
West Side Theatre
Tickets: $25, Students: $5
When Denitra loses the charter school lottery
for her daughter, she must find another way to escape from their underperforming neighborhood school. The answer seems like a risk well worth taking, but may end up requiring a bigger sacrifice than she ever could have imagined. Set in 2010 in Essex County, NJ - over a half-century after Brown Versus The Board of Education, LINES IN THE DUST questions how far we’ve come and more importantly, where we go from here. (Luna Stage Commission)
Margaret Williams Theatre
Thursday, January 23, 2020 at 9:45 a.m.
$8 for all students and adults (including teachers)
Grades 4-12
To purchase group tickets please contact: boxoffice@njcu.edu or (201) 200-2429
A celebrated body of compositions that merge live dance, multimedia presentation and interactive dialogue to honor faith, survival and renewal as the cornerstones of her Eastern European roots and Jewish heritage. As a child of Holocaust survivors, Dorfman reveals her heritage through dance stories that interweave the common threads of our humanity. In honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day, the show explores the rich tapestry of human experience and tradition through interdisciplinary and intercultural collaboration.
Digital Event
Saturday, May 9, 2020 at 2pm
Stephanie Chaiken, Director, NJCU Center for the Arts, moderates a demonstration and Q&A with Joseph Cashore, creator of the acclaimed Cashore Marionettes.
Joseph Cashore has been designing and performing his remarkable marionettes for over 30 years. His achievements include:
Henson Foundation Grant – to promote puppetry to adult audiences
UNIMA Citation of Excellence – highest honor a US puppeteer can receive
Pew Fellowship for Performance Art – based on artistic accomplishment
PennPAT Roster Artist – PennPAT roster artists “maintain the highest standards of artistic quality and professionalism”
Saturday, July 11, from 2pm - 3:30 pm
Digital Event
In this interactive and inspiring event, NJCU Center for the Arts Director, Stephanie Chaiken, will interview acclaimed dancer, choreographer, educator and curator - Edisa Weeks, and Edisa will present a workshop Exploring the Personal and Political.
Using personal memories and political events as source material, participants will explore methods for delving into movement and text to generate socially relevant and gutsy theatrical work. Participants are encouraged to tap into their theatrical and kinesthetic imagination and ability.
Level: Open to All
Please have ready for the workshop:
Plain Paper (3 or more pages)
Pen or pencil
One or more of the following: Crayons, Magic Markers, Colored Pencils
Edisa Weeks has had work performed in venues ranging from Aaron Davis Hall, Alfred University, Emory University, the Guggenheim Museum, Harlem Stage, Jacob's Pillow, The Kennedy Center, to The National Black Arts Festival, Summerstages Dance Festival, and The Yard. She has also performed in swimming pools, senior centers, sidewalks, and storefronts to living rooms in Berlin, Germany, as part of Haus der Kulturen der Welts 50th anniversary celebration.
Raised in Uganda, Papua New Guinea and Brooklyn, NY, Weeks holds a BA from Brown University an
Saturday, August 22, 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Digital Event
Join us for an interactive talk and workshop with Arlene Chico-Lugo and Eric Aviles, co-founders of the Liberation Arts Collective. These critically acclaimed actors/teaching artists/writers have dedicated their lives to the pursuit of stories being told, including roles examining the Latino experience in the United States. This program is part of our Creative Process Series and will explore Aviles' play Where You From? What You Be About? and discuss turning real-life experiences into a play, independent producing, responding to a global pandemic through online presentations, and the nature of artistic collaboration.
Thursday, October 22, 11:00 A.M. -12:20 P.M.
Free Virtual Event
Stephanie Chaiken, Director of the NJCU Center for the Arts, moderates a panel and workshop with Benjamin V. Marshall and Julie Weinberg of the 9th Floor Playwrights Collective, and Marc Dalio, NJCU - Area Coordinator of Musical Theatre Studies & Professor of Voice.
This panel and workshop will teach about structure for criticism from multiple perspectives when you have a draft of a new play -- and how to work with a group for feedback to lead you to a next draft
Live Outdoor Event
Location: The Lawn @ The GSUB Patio
Friday, April 30, 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 1, 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 2, 3:00 p.m.
Total Event time is approximately 3 Hours
Please dress appropriately for outdoor weather
Written by David Gonzalez with Cecilia Ortega-Cano, Dance & Music by Mexico Beyond Mariachi
Saturday, June 12, 2 p.m.
Virtual Event
Link will be sent 2 hours prior to the show
30 minute filmed show
15 min live Q&A with the artist
“Why is there fire in the woods? Where did the water go?” The world is out of balance, and we must work together to bring the world, and ourselves, back into balance. Our Indigenous storyteller, Cecilia, guides us on a journey that starts with the magical Danzante and leads to an impossible challenge. Or is it? All along the way dancers and musicians from all parts of Mexico bring their glorious traditions to life. Featuring dances from Veracruz, Guerrero, Michoacán, and more, Agua Es Vida is a dance and storytelling adventure that celebrates Mexican culture with ALEGRIA!
