ONCE UPON A TIME IN NEW JERSEY
Book and Lyrics by Susan DiLallo
Music by Stephen Weiner
Directed by Cara Reichel
WHEN: August 28 – September 15; Opening Night is Thursday, August 30 at 8 PM; Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 2 PM; Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 8 PM; Sunday 2 PM
WHERE: Surflight Theatre, 201 Engleside Avenue, in historic Beach Haven
TICKETS: Tickets are $36-$54. Youth Tickets (ages 12 and under) are ½ price with the purchase of a full-price adult ticket. Student Rush tickets are available one hour before performances with Student ID. Student Rush tickets are available one hour before performances with Student ID.
Tickets are available online at www.surflight.org.
Tickets may also be purchased in person at the Surflight box office, by phone at 609.492.9477.
For groups (15 or more) call: 609.492.9477 x201.
Surflight Theatre is proud to present the New Jersey premiere—an all-new and entirely original musical comedy Once Upon A Time in New Jersey (it’s “The Sopranos” meets “Happy Days”).
Winner of the coveted Kleban Prize and Richard Rodgers Award, Once Upon a Time in New Jersey is an Italian-American fairy tale set in Hoboken New Jersey, 1956. A funny, frantic and frenzied fairy tale about what we do for love. Sweet, shy deli clerk Vinnie switches lives with Rocco, the town stud, to win the heart of the woman he loves. An Italian-American farce about dames, games, foods, feuds, molls, dolls, thugs, lugs, switches, snitches, glitches and mistaken identities…and how a simple sandwich guy becomes a hero. You’ll be able to say you saw it at Surflight first!.
The Chicago Sun-Times praises Once Upon a Time in New Jersey's "delicious songs" and "huge audience appeal." BBC Liverpool calls it "An engaging, light-hearted musical in the tradition of Little Shop of Horrors." And The Daily Herald describes it as a "Tuneful, good-hearted, humorous and-most importantly-original show."
Surflight Theatre’s production of Once Upon a Time in New Jersey is directed by Cara Reichel with choreography by Christine O'Grady (associate choreographer, Broadway's Hair). The musical director is James Higgins. Scenic design and lighting design is by Kevin Allen. Sound design is by Alan Douches. Costume design is by Rachel Guifoyle. The production stage manager is Julie Watson and stage manager is Kevin Clutz.
Once Upon a Time in New Jersey was initially developed at The Muhlenberg Summer Music Theater Festival in Allentown, PA. Following a series of readings at The Director's Company, it played to sold-out houses at the Marriott Lincolnshire Theater in Chicago, the Village Theater in Seattle and the Liverpool Institute for the Performing Arts. Once Upon a Time in New Jersey was one of six musicals selected from across the globe for the Global Search for New Musicals Competition in Cardiff Wales. It received rave reviews at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival where it was performed by the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.
Surflight Theatre’s 2012 season continues with Steel Magnolias (September 19 – October 7), the long-running hit revue I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (touted as “Seinfeld set to music") (October 10 – 21), Neil Simon’s Barefoot in the Park (October 24 – November 4), and Irving Berlin’s White Christmas (November 23 – December 21).