CENTENARY STAGE COMPANY SEASON SUBSCRIPTION & FLEX PASS PACKAGES NOW ON SALE FOR THE 2021/22 SEASON OF PERFORMING ARTS EVENTS

Centenary Stage Company, the not-for-profit professional theatre company, prepares a full schedule of professional theatrical performances for their 36^th season. 

Productions from the Professional Theatre Series, Fringe Festival, NEXTstage Repertory, and Women Playwright’s Series will make up the company’s 2021 – 2022 season. 

Early access to tickets and seat selection for the entire CSC season is now open to all returning and new Season Subscribers and Flex Pass holders. Season subscriptions can be purchased online at CentenaryStageCo.org, by calling the box office at (908) 979-0900, or by stopping by the box office in person. Box office hours are Monday - Friday from 1:00PM – 5:00PM and it is located at 715 Grand Avenue in Hackettstown.

Season Producer Pass

The Season Subscription package from CSC is called the “Season Producer Pass” and costs $200. This package offers patrons admission into all CSC events plus all NEXTStage Rep events during the CSC 2021-22 Season. This includes CeCe Teneal but excludes Hackettstown Rotary Fundraiser Concerts and NJCYB performances. The benefits for this subscription package include advance season renewal with preferred seating selection, no restrictions on the date or time of the performance selection, cost savings, and no order, exchange, or mailing fees.

CSC Encore Program

This year Centenary Stage Company is also bringing back a new benefit from last season, for Season Subscription package holders, called the “CSC Encore Program." The “CSC Encore Program” allows a Season Subscription package holder to see the same event for a second time for free with the purchase of another ticket for a guest to the same event on a different date.

Flex Pass

Centenary Stage Company is also offering patrons the option of purchasing a “Flex Pass.” “Flex Passes” provide patrons with discount ticket prices and the convenience of purchasing tickets at any time for each event. Patrons have the option of picking a “Series A Flex Pass” for any 6 tickets to be redeemed throughout the 2021-22 Season, or a “Series B Flex Pass” for any 3 tickets. CSC’s “Flex Pass Series” for the 2021-22 Season allows patrons to purchase the plan that best fits their lifestyle. Similar to Centenary Stage Company’s “Season Producer Package”, the “Flex Pass” allows patrons advanced season renewal with preferred seating selection, no restrictions on the date or time of the performance selection, discount on ticket prices, and no order, exchange, or mailing fees.

Note that patrons who wish to have specific seating for each event must provide dates and times when purchasing the “Flex Pass” by directly contacting the CSC Box Office. Otherwise, CSC cannot guarantee patrons will have their desired seats. “Flex Passes” do not carry over to the next season, and cannot be used towards CSC Curtain Up! Events, Hackettstown Rotary Fundraiser Concerts, or NJCYB performances.  

For more information, specific performance dates or ticket price details for individual ticket sales or any of the season subscription and flex pass packages, please visit centenarystageco.org or call the box office at (908) 979 – 0900. The box office is located in the Lackland Performing Arts Center on the campus of Centenary University at 715 Grand Ave. Hackettstown, NJ. The box office is open Monday through Friday from 1PM-5PM and two hours prior to every performance. Centenary Stage Company can also be found across social media platforms; Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Like and follow to receive the latest in Centenary Stage Company news and special offers.

Centenary Stage Company remains committed to the health and safety of our community and adheres to all requirements set forth by the State of New Jersey and Centenary University including, but not limited to; observing social distancing, COVID-19 Screening Questionnaires, and requiring masks or facial coverings. For more information regarding CSC COVID-19 policies, and policy updates, visit centenarystageco.org/faq.

The 2020-2021 season of performing arts events at the Centenary Stage Company is made possible through the generous support of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the NJ State Council on the Arts, the Shubert Foundation, the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, the Sandra Kupperman Foundation, and CSC corporate sponsors, including Premiere Season Sponsor The House of the Good Shepherd, Silver Sponsors Hackettstown Medical Center Atlantic Health System, Home Instead Senior Care (Washington), and Fulton Bank, and Centenary Stage Company members and supporters.

CENTENARY STAGE COMPANY’S 2021 SUMMERFEST CONTINUES WITH ALWAYS…PATSY CLINE

Centenary Stage Company’s Summer Musical Theatre Series continues with 

Always…Patsy Cline
by Ted Swindley. 

WHEN: July 29 through August 8. The performance dates and times are Thursdays, July 29 and August 5, at 7:30 pm, Fridays, July 30 and August 6, at 8:00 pm, Saturdays, July 31 and August 7, at 8:00 pm, and Sundays, August 1 and 8 at 2:00 pm.
WHERE: Sitnik Theatre of the Lackland Performing Arts Center at 715 Grand Ave., Hackettstown
TICKETS:  $25.50 to $29.50 for adults with discounts with discounts available for select performances for seniors, students, and children under 12. Additionally, Thursday evening performances are “family nights” with a special “buy one get one free” ticket promotion when purchased in person at the CSC box office beginning at 5:30 PM.  Buy One/Get One is not available for advance sales on-line or over-the-phone.
For more information or to purchase tickets visit centenarystageco.org or call the Centenary Stage Company box office at (908) 979 – 0900.

Based on a true story, Always…Patsy Cline tells a story of an unlikely friendship between the country music legend, Patsy Cline, and one of her fans from Texas, Louise Seger. This show is more than a tribute to the beloved country singer, and shows Cline and Seger’s friendship develop over years of correspondence up until Cline’s untimely death. Throughout the show Louise brings the audience on a journey through her memories with the letters they sent to each other accompanied by some of Patsy Cline’s greatest hits.

Co-directing and choreographing this production is Centenary Stage Company’s own Lea Antolini-Lid with Jillian Petrie.  Antolini-Lid serves as the program director for CSC’s Young Audience Series as well as producer for the NEXTstage Rep. Summer Musical Theatre Series. Petrie works at Centenary University as an adjunct professor, and her recent directorial and choreography credits include professional Off-Broadway productions (AEA), opera, regional theatre, film, and international concerts.

Always…Patsy Cline features CSC alumni Emily Bennett as Patsy Cline. CSC audiences may remember Bennett from such productions as The Merry Wives of Windsor, Beauty and the Beast and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Opposite Bennett, and making her CSC debut, is Kayla Chirip as Louise Seger. Chirip is a graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University and currently serves as Centenary Stage Company’s Theatre Office Manager.

For more information or to purchase tickets visit centenarystageco.org or call the Centenary Stage Company box office at (908) 979 – 0900.  The Centenary Stage Company box office is open Monday through Friday from 1 – 5 PM and two hours prior to all performances.  The box office is located in the Lackland Performing Arts Center on the campus of Centenary University at 715 Grand Ave. Hackettstown, NJ.  Centenary Stage Company can also be found across social media platforms; Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  Like and follow to receive the latest in CSC news and special offers.

Centenary Stage Company remains committed to the health and safety of our community and adheres to all requirements set forth by the State of New Jersey.  For more information regarding CSC COVID-19 policies and policy updates, visit centenarystageco.org/faq.

The 2020-21 season of performing arts events at the Centenary Stage Company is made possible through the generous support of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the NJ State Council on the Arts, the Shubert Foundation, the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, the Sandra Kupperman Foundation, and CSC corporate sponsors, including Platinum Season Sponsor The House of the Good Shepherd, Silver Sponsors Hackettstown Medical Center Atlantic Health System, Home Instead Senior Care (Washington), and Fulton Bank, and Centenary Stage Company members and supporters.

CENTENARY STAGE COMPANY’S FRONT PORCH SERIES KICKS OFF WITH BROADWAY THROUGH THE YEARS, A TWILIGHT CABARET 

Centenary Stage Company’s ever-popular Front Porch Series returns this summer with its first free performance of the season: 

Broadway through the Years, a Twilight Cabaret

WHEN:   Wednesday, July 21, at 7:00 PM
WHERE: Sitnik Theatre of the Lackland Performing Arts Center at 715 Grand Ave. 
ADMISSION: free to the public with donations appreciated
Seating is on a first come first serve basis.  Advanced reservations are encouraged. 
For more information or to make a reservation call the Centenary Stage Company box office at (908) 979 – 0900 or visit Centenary Stage Company on-line at centenarystageco.org

Broadway through the Years, a Twilight Cabaret will feature a selection of Broadway’s greatest hits, from the 1960’s to today.  The production will feature the vocal talents of Centenary University students, alumni, and Centenary Stage Company favorites. Some song selections include “Being Alive” from Company, “I Can Do Better Than That” from The Last 5 Years, and “Dance with You” from The Prom.

Centenary Stage Company’s Front Porch Series was developed as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic in order to continue offering family friendly performing arts programming to the community while adhering to state requirements during the height of the public health crisis.  After a successful first season of outdoor events the series quickly became a popular staple among CSC programming.

Centenary Stage Company remains committed to the health and safety of our community and adheres to all requirements set forth by the State of New Jersey.  For more information regarding CSC COVID-19 policies and policy updates, visit centenarystageco.org/faq.

The 2020-21 season of performing arts events at the Centenary Stage Company is made possible through the generous support of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the NJ State Council on the Arts, the Shubert Foundation, the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, the Sandra Kupperman Foundation, The John and Margaret Post Foundation, and CSC corporate sponsors, including Platinum Season Sponsor The House of the Good Shepherd, Silver Sponsors Hackettstown Medical Center Atlantic Health System, Home Instead Senior Care (Washington), and Fulton Bank, and Centenary Stage Company members and supporters.

CENTENARY STAGE COMPANY’S FOREVER PLAID ENTERS FINAL WEEK OF PERFORMANCES 

FOREVER PLAID
by Stuart Ross

WHEN: Thursday, July 15, at 7:30 pm, Friday, July 16, at 8:00 pm, Saturday, July 17, at 8:00 pm, and Sunday, July 18, at 2:00 pm.
WHERE: Sitnik Theatre of the Lackland Performing Arts Center at 715 Grand Ave. Hackettstown, NJ
TICKETS: range from $18.00 to $29.50. All Thursday evening performances are “family nights” with a special “buy one get one free” ticket promotion when purchased in person at the CSC box office beginning at 5:30 PM.  Buy One/Get One is not available for advance sales on-line or over-the-phone.
For more information or to purchase tickets visit centenarystageco.org or call the Centenary Stage Company box office at (908) 979 – 0900.

Considered one of the most popular and successful musicals in recent history, Stuart Ross’ Forever Plaid is the story of four guys (Sparky, Smudge, Jinx and Frankie) who discover that they share a love for music and then come together to become their idols—The Four Freshman, The Hi-Lo's and The Crew Cuts. They create their own quartet, calling themselves, “Forever Plaid”. 

On the way to their first big gig, tragedy strikes when the "Plaids" are killed in an accident with a school bus. All is not lost however, because while their lives may have ended, their story is just beginning. 

"Screamingly funny! Entirely enchanting, utterly entertaining, [Forever Plaid] will put a smile on your face, a hum in your throat and a tap to your feet." —New York Post. 

This musical revue is chock-full of classic barbershop quartet harmonies and pitch-perfect melodies featuring the nostalgic pop hits of the 1950s.

Centenary Stage Company remains committed to the health and safety of our community and adheres to all requirements set forth by the State of New Jersey. For more information regarding CSC COVID-19 policies, and policy updates, visit centenarystageco.org/faq.

The 2020-2021 season of performing arts events at the Centenary Stage Company is made possible through the generous support of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the NJ State Council on the Arts, the Shubert Foundation, the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, the Sandra Kupperman Foundation, and CSC corporate sponsors, including Premiere Season Sponsor The House of the Good Shepherd, Silver Sponsors Hackettstown Medical Center Atlantic Health System, Home Instead Senior Care (Washington), and Fulton Bank, and Centenary Stage Company members and supporters.

CENTENARY STAGE COMPANY OPENS THE FIRST 2021 SUMMERFEST MUSICAL FOREVER PLAID THIS WEEK

Centenary Stage Company’s NextStage Repertory’s annual summer musical theatre series returns with 

Forever Plaid

by Stuart Ross

WHEN:  July 8 through 18. Performance dates and times are Thursdays, July 8 and 15, at 7:30 pm; Fridays, July 9 and 16 at 8:00 pm; Saturdays, July 10 and 17, at 8:00 pm; Sundays, July 11 and 18, at 2:00 pm. 

WHERE: Sitnik Theatre of the Lackland Performing Arts Center at 715 Grand Ave. Hackettstown, NJ

TICKETS:  $18.00 to $29.50 with discounts available for seniors, students, and children under 12. Additionally, all Thursday evening performances are “family nights” with a special “buy one get one free” ticket promotion when purchased in person at the CSC box office beginning at 5:30 PM. Buy One/Get One is not available for advance sales on-line or over-the-phone. 

For more information or to purchase tickets visit centenarystageco.org or call the Centenary Stage Company box office at (908) 979 – 0900.

Considered one of the most popular and successful musicals in recent history, Stuart Ross’ Forever Plaid is the story of four guys (Sparky, Smudge, Jinx and Frankie) who discovered that they shared a love for music and then got together to become their idols—The Four Freshman, The Hi-Lo's and The Crew Cuts. They create their own quartet, calling themselves “Forever Plaid.” 

On the way to their first big gig, tragedy strikes when the "Plaids" are killed in an accident with school bus. All is not lost, however, because while their lives may have ended, their story is just starting. 

"Screamingly funny! Entirely enchanting, utterly entertaining, [Forever Plaid] will put a smile on your face, a hum in your throat and a tap to your feet." —New York Post. This musical revue is chock-full of classic barbershop quartet harmonies and pitch-perfect melodies featuring the nostalgic pop hits of the 1950s.

The production is co-directed and choreographed by CSC’s own Lea Antolini-Lid as well as award winning director and choreographer Jillian Petrie. Antolini-Lid last appeared on the CSC stage as Christmas Past in the CSC production of A Christmas Carol by Stephen Temperley. Petrie is currently the company choreographer for The Growing Stage. The cast is comprised of current CSC students as well as CSC favorites Jonathan Drayton (Beauty and the Beast, Jesus Christ Superstar), Na’jee Tariq (Jesus Christ Superstar), Luis Rodriguez (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, A Christmas Carol), and Christopher Hara (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, A Christmas Carol).

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit centenarystageco.org or call the Centenary Stage Company box office at (908) 979 – 0900. The box office is open Monday through Friday from 1 – 5 PM and two hours prior to all performances. The Centenary Stage Company box office is located in the Lackland Performing Arts Center on the campus of Centenary University at 715 Grand Ave. Hackettstown, NJ. Centenary Stage Company can also be found across social media platforms; Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Like and follow to receive the latest in CSC news and special offers.

Centenary Stage Company remains committed to the health and safety of our community and adheres to all requirements set forth by the State of New Jersey and Centenary University including, but not limited to; observing social distancing, COVID-19 Screening Questionnaires, and requiring masks or facial coverings. For more information regarding CSC COVID-19 policies, and policy updates, visit centenarystageco.org/faq.

The 2020-2021 season of performing arts events at the Centenary Stage Company is made possible through the generous support of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the NJ State Council on the Arts, the Shubert Foundation, the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, the Sandra Kupperman Foundation, and CSC corporate sponsors, including Premiere Season Sponsor The House of the Good Shepherd, Silver Sponsors Hackettstown Medical Center Atlantic Health System, Home Instead Senior Care (Washington), and Fulton Bank, and Centenary Stage Company members and supporters.

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR CENTENARY STAGE COMPANY’S YOUNG PERFORMERS WORKSHOP FOR SUMMER 2021 MUSICAL THEATRE INTENSIVE

CSC'S YOUNG PERFORMERS WORKSHOP

WHEN:  begins on July 19^th (registration deadline July 5^th) with the final performances scheduled for the weekend of August 13-15^th.
WHERE: in the Dance Studio in the Lackland Performing Arts Center on the Centenary University campus
TUITION: $795 per student, with a family discount of $695 for a second child with family discounts available for additional children, and the registration deadline is July 5^th. 

Centenary Stage Company's critically acclaimed Young Performers Workshop is now seeking new and returning applicants for the 2021 Summer Program. The Summer Session of YPW will run for 4 weeks starting July 19^th and ending August 15^th. The session will culminate with live a performance opportunity for the students to be performed in May. The show(s) that the YPW students will put together will be chosen based on the number of students and available talents once the program begins. (ABOVE: Godspell 2019)

The Summer Session will return to an “in-person” format, following last summer’s successful online workshop program which allowed the program to take place during the height of COVID-19. This summer with things “returning to normal” the program will once again be in person on the campus of Centenary University. The Summer session will give students the opportunity to work with program director and Broadway, film and television veteran Michael Blevins to develop technique in dance, singing, acting, and backstage experience that goes into a professional level musical production. On top of that, they will also work with leading industry professionals and take “class” electives in many aspects of theatre production. Electives are based on professor availability but can include classes in voice, box office management, graphic design, technical theatre, playwrighting, prop design, dance, and costume design. 

The Summer YPW program is an accelerated intensive, so students will attend class/rehearsal Monday through Friday between the hours of 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM. All of their work will come together to perform on Centenary Stage Company’s main stage in the Sitnik Theatre!

Hailed as "a state treasure" the Centenary Stage Company Young Performers Workshop (YPW) is a musical theatre training program for children 8 - 18 years old and operates under the auspices of the Centenary Stage Company, a not-for-profit Equity Theatre Company in residence at Centenary University. Dedicated to the enrichment of young lives through the use of theatre arts, the Young Performers Workshop is one of a few youth theatre programs to offer both formal training alongside practical production experience. Career-minded students can prepare for the rigors of a professional career; yet, students not aiming for a professional career benefit from the program, with its emphasis on discipline, self-worth and development of communication skills. 

As always, the YPW program has been designed to meet the needs of beginning, intermediate, and advanced performers. No experience is necessary to enroll; however, all applicants must schedule an interview with the program director prior to registration. Please call the administrative office at (908) 979-0900 or email the box office at boxoffice@centenarystageco.org.

Students will be put into groups to attend all the electives as well as rehearsals. Groups are created based on age and experience level, so siblings may not be grouped together. Students’ individual schedules may fluctuate based on electives taken.

Centenary Stage Company will adhere to all current and up-to-date CDC and state regulations regarding COVID-19 safety protocols and at the time of this release will be requesting that all students continue to wear masks while inside the university buildings.

A $75 non-refundable registration fee applied towards tuition is required. Tuition must be paid by the first class. The registration deadline is July 5^th and there is a $30 late fee for registration payment received after this date. Additionally, there is a $12 fee to be charged for any returned checks. The Centenary Stage Company return policy states that any refunds requested after the first YPW session has begun will result in a 75% refund and 50% after the second session. The registration fee is non-refundable and there will be no refunds offered after the third session. Children in the program may also elect to purchase a commemorative t-shirt for their session for an additional $15. 

For more information, to register visit centenarystageco.org, email the Centenary Stage Company box office at boxoffice@centenarystageco.org, or call the office at (908) 979 - 0900. The box office is open Monday through Friday from 1 - 5pm. Centenary Stage Company can also be found across social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Like and follow to receive the latest in CSC news and special offers.

CENTENARY STAGE COMPANY SEEKING APPLICANTS FOR THE 2021-22 PAID ARTISTIC INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

Centenary Stage Company, the not-for-profit professional theatre company in residency on the campus of Centenary University in Hackettstown, NJ, is seeking applicants for the 

2021-22 season Artistic Internship Program

• Qualified candidates will have successfully completed a bachelor’s degree from a four-year institution.  
• An arts-related degree is preferred however not required.  
• Interested candidates should exhibit a strong passion for the performing arts.  
• Basic knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite and the Adobe Suite a plus but not necessary.  
• Familiarity with social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter a plus.  
• Qualified candidates should exhibit an ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment, strong communication skills, a willingness to and ability to learn quickly, have a friendly customer service demeanor, and approach all assignments with energetic enthusiasm.  
• The internship program requires an hourly commitment of 30 – 35 hours per week (pending event scheduling) with weekend and holiday availability expected.  
• The internship is paid and provides a small monthly stipend.  Housing and transportation are not provided or reimbursed.  
• Qualified applicants should be local hire, have a car, and the ability to commute to and from the University.  
• The internship program runs for a one-year period from the time of acceptance to the program.  
• Interested applicants should submit a resume, cover letter & two letters of recommendation to CSC General Manager, Christopher Young.  
• Materials may be sent by via e-mail to christopher.young15@centenaryuniversity.edu or by mail to Attn: Christopher Young, Centenary Stage Company, (INTERNSHIP), 400 Jefferson Street, Hackettstown, NJ 07840.  
• Deadline to apply for the 2021-22 season is Monday, June 21, 2021 with a start date to be determined.

The Centenary Stage Company Artistic Internship offers qualified candidates the opportunity to serve as artistic interns for a full season with the professional Centenary Stage Company, and offers a monthly stipend for candidates who are accepted into the program. The program provides each intern the opportunity to explore all aspects of theatre and performing arts production, and is geared toward candidates who have completed their undergraduate training and are seeking to bridge the gap between an academic career and a career in the professional industry. 

The aim of the program is to provide young artists a place to build their early careers by arming interns with a clear understanding of how the business of theatre works on every level. Interns within the program gain real-world experience in a number of capacities using and learning a wide range of skills, while also offering performance and technical opportunities through the program.  Performance minded interns may be eligible to earn points toward their Actor’s Equity Association membership via the AEA Equity Membership Candidacy Program (EMC), if cast in a main-stage production. Additionally, interns are allotted the opportunity to work closely and network with visiting industry professionals from all over the country.

For more information about Centenary Stage Company’s 2021-22 Artistic Internship Program please visit www.centenarystageco.org/internship or call the Centenary Stage Company box office at (908) 979 – 0900. The box office is open Monday through Friday from 1 – 5 pm and two hours prior to every performance. Centenary Stage Company can also be found across social media platforms Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Like and follow to receive the latest in Centenary Stage Company news and special offers.

(Top image: Hitler's Tasters, 2018. Photo by Chris Young. Left to Right: Brianna Morris, Jennifer Robbins, Emaline Williams)

CENTENARY STAGE COMPANY’S SECOND ANNUAL DAY OF GIVING EVENT HAPPENING JUNE 15

Day of Giving

WHEN: June 15, 2021. From 12:00 am on the morning of June 15^th and end at 11:59 pm that evening
WHERE: CSC Facebook page

This special online event is set to kick off Centenary Stage Company’s Summer Musical Theatre Festival and the 2021-2022 season. To participate your tax-deductible contribution may be made on-line through the Centenary Stage Company secure on-line portal at centenarystageco.org or via PayPal.

During the company’s regular box office hours, from 10am-5pm their staff will be online on the company Facebook page, running the live Day of Giving activities. The Day of on-line giving will be filled with various drawings and prize giveaways for those who donate to the campaign during the day. Prizes will range from tickets to upcoming performances, gift cards to local restaurants and businesses, and theatre merchandise. As a not-for-profit organization every dollar earned goes right back into their mission of presenting the highest quality of music, theatre and dance events at affordable prices. Centenary Stage Company strives to make the performing arts a vital, accessible part of our community by presenting varied, dynamic, and professional programs and artists that entertain, inspire and educate.

Cancellations in the spring of 2020 due to the public health crisis, in addition to the lowered audience capacity restrictions this past season, means that the Stage Company have lost about $555,000 in ticketing revenue compared to regular seasons, the majority of which goes to their guest artists and production costs. Support of the Centenary Stage Company directly assists in attracting distinguished talent, such as, actors, designers and directors with national reputations, as well as a diverse array of professional musicians and dance companies.  

Contributions to the company also provides a platform for emerging women playwrights through the Women Playwrights Series to explore new perspectives and share their plays (many of which are Emmy, PEW, and PEN USA award winners), as well as, influences the growth and development of over 4,000 students annually through the critically acclaimed Young Performers Workshop, TYRO Acting Program, Young Audience Series Touring Company and the Folger Shakespeare Library in D.C.; Shakesperience: NJ. Additionally, Centenary Stage Company uses funds donated from the community to create artistic opportunity for all; from accessibility friendly programming to free events and beyond. 

For more information or to participate in Centenary Stage Company’s on-line Day of Giving on Tuesday, June 15 may visit centenarystageco.org/day-of-giving.

For more information about any of CSC’s upcoming events, visit centenarystageco.org or call the Centenary Stage Company box office at (908) 979 – 0900. The box office is open Monday through Friday from 1 – 5 PM and two hours prior to all performances. The Centenary Stage Company box office is located in the Lackland Performing Arts Center on the campus of Centenary University at 715 Grand Ave. Hackettstown, NJ. Centenary Stage Company can also be found across social media platforms; Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Like and follow to receive the latest in CSC news and special offers.

Centenary Stage Company remains committed to the health and safety of our community and adheres to all requirements set forth by the State of New Jersey including, but not limited to; observing social distancing, limited capacity, and requiring masks or facial coverings. For more information regarding CSC COVID-19 policies visit centenarystageco.org/faq.

The 2020-2021 season of performing arts events at the Centenary Stage Company is made possible through the generous support of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the NJ State Council on the Arts, the Shubert Foundation, the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, the Sandra Kupperman Foundation, and CSC corporate sponsors, including Premiere Season Sponsor The House of the Good Shepherd, Silver Sponsors Hackettstown Medical Center Atlantic Health System, Home Instead Senior Care (Washington), and Fulton Bank, and Centenary Stage Company members and supporters.

OUTSIDE THE LINES SITE SPECIFIC DANCE PROJECT TO PREMIERE AT CSC MAY 18th  

Outside the Lines Dance Project

WHEN: May 15, 2021, at 3pm (rain date May 16).

WHERE: on the Front lawn of Seay Building, 400 Jefferson Street, on the campus of Centenary University in Hackettstown

TICKETS: free to the general public with donations solicited.  Advance reservations require a $15.00 minimum donation. 
For more information or to reserve visit centenarystageco.org or call the box office at (908) 979 – 0900.

Co-founded by Centenary University dance and theater professors, Maureen Glennon Clayton and Lea Antolini Lid, Outside the Lines intention is to present immersive site-specific dance experiences throughout the state of New Jersey. Their idea of moving dance out of the theater and into the unique landscape of the Garden State, creates an imaginative way for audiences to view and think about dance. 

 

“In September of 2020, I approached Maureen with the idea for her company to do an outside concert at Centenary,” said Lea Antolini Lid. “We had done some successful outdoor vocal concerts and theater for Young Audiences performances, and I immediately thought why not dance as well!” The two professors brainstormed and put together a site specific dance concert featuring works choreographed and performed by Centenary students, alumni, dance faculty and professionals.

 

“We had an idea that came to fruition during a pandemic and now we want more.  I want our new site specific dance series to support dance companies, choreographers and dancers, by curating different site specific events throughout our gorgeous state of NJ. I want audiences to support dance and why not in front of beautiful landscapes and architecture that NJ has to offer?” said Glennon Clayton.

 

Outside the Lines will feature works from the following professional dance companies: moe-tion dance theater, XY Dance Project, Nikki Manx Dance Project, Freespace Dance , Ariel Rivka Dance, Art of Motion Dance Theatre, The Moving Architects, OR  dance project, and choreographers Alexandra Williamson and Heather Warfel Sandler.  

 

Centenary Stage Company remains committed to the health and safety of our community and adheres to all requirements set forth by the State of NJ including but not limited to, observing social distancing, limited capacity, and requiring masks or facial coverings. For more information regarding CSC COVID-19 policies visit centenarystageco.org/faq

For more information on the concert, visit Centenarystageco.org or all the Centenary Stage Company box office at 908-979-0900. You may also visit the Outside the Lines website at www.outsidethelinessitespecific.com for more information about the project.  

 

The 2020-2021 season of performing arts events at the CSC is made possible through the generous support of the Geraldine R Dodge Foundation , the NJ State Council on the Arts, the Shubert Foundation , the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, the Sandra Kupperman Foundation, and CSC corporate sponsors, including Premiere Season Sponsor the House of Good Shepherd, Silver Sponsors Hackettstown Medical Center Atlantic Health System, Home Instead Senior Care and Fulton Bank and Centenary Stage Company members and supporters.  

PAULINE DAVID-SAX’S COTTON’S TALE UP NEXT IN CENTENARY STAGE COMPANY’S WOMEN PLAYWRIGHTS SERIES

COTTON'S TALE
by Pauline David-Sax

WHEN: Wednesday, April 28^th at 7:30 PM
WHERE: Sitnik Theatre of the Lackland Performing Arts Center, 715 Grand Ave., Hackettstown
TICKETS: Admission to the WPS event is by donation and advance reservations are highly encouraged as seating is assigned and limited. A minimum $5.00 donation is required to reserve in advance. To reserve visit centenarystageco.org or call the CSC box office at (908) 979 – 0900. 

Centenary Stage Company will also offer a live streaming option accompanying the in-person performance. Live stream access is free to participate with donations appreciated. WPS live streams will be made available for viewing at www.centenarystageco.org 

The third reading in this spring’s Women Playwrights Series at Centenary Stage Company is Pauline David-Sax’s Cotton’s Tale. 

Set in a world where anthropomorphic animals coexist with humans, Pauline David-Sax’s Cotton’s Tale, is not your grandmother's Beatrix Potter! A delightful laugh-out-loud tale pitting whimsy against the persistence of one resolute rabbit in her quest to tell her real story. Come find out what really happened in the carrot patch that day from the perspective of a most well-known, bunny family.

Pauline David-Sax is a playwright, children’s book author and educator living in Brooklyn, NY. She has written several, full-length plays including: How We Survived, Exposure, Illusion of Control, Goldfish Have No Memory, and Cotton’s Tale. David-Sax’s primary interest as a writer is in (re)constructing missing or neglected perspectives in order to tell more complex stories. Her play How We Survived was awarded the 2020 Jane Chambers Prize and was selected for the 2020 Players Club of Swarthmore New Play Festival and it was also named a finalist for the 2019 HRC Showcase Theatre national playwriting contest. Another of her plays, Exposure, was a finalist for the 2018 Todd McNerney Playwriting Award. David-Sax’s work has been read and performed at Occupy the Stage (Women’s Theatre Festival), Nora Salon South & The Nora Salon (Nora’s Playhouse), The Bechdel Group, Tuesdays@9 (Naked Angels), and the Detention Series (ESPA/Primary Stages). Her picture book Everything In Its Place is due to be published by Random House in Spring 2022. David-Sax is a member of the Dramatists Guild, SCBWI and Honor Roll!, an advocacy group of women+ playwrights over 40. You can read more about Pauline and her work at https://newplayexchange.org/users/15126/pauline-david-sax.

Now in its 29^th season, Centenary Stage Company’s Women Playwrights Series has featured the work of more than 80 emerging playwrights. The program has also taken 18 plays to full production from the series.  Led by program director Catherine Rust, the Women Playwrights Series offers playwrights the opportunity to work with professional actors and directors in a workshop rehearsal process, and to hear their work in front of a live audience – a critical part of the development process.  Lively talk-backs with the playwright and cast follow each presentation, and one play is selected each year as the winner of the Susan Glaspell Award and receives a full production in the following main-stage season with CSC.

Centenary Stage Company remains committed to the health and safety of our community and adheres to all requirements set forth by the State of New Jersey including, but not limited to; observing social distancing, limited capacity, and requiring masks or facial coverings. For more information regarding CSC COVID-19 policies visit centenarystageco.org/faq.

The 2020-2021 season of performing arts events at the Centenary Stage Company is made possible through the generous support of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the NJ State Council on the Arts, the Shubert Foundation, the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, the Sandra Kupperman Foundation, and CSC corporate sponsors, including Premiere Season Sponsor The House of the Good Shepherd, Silver Sponsors Hackettstown Medical Center Atlantic Health System, Home Instead Senior Care (Washington), and Fulton Bank, and Centenary Stage Company members and supporters.

CENTENARY STAGE COMPANY’S NEXTSTAGE REPERTORY RE-IMAGINES THE SHAKESPEARE CLASSIC, A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
by William Shakespeare

WHEN: April 22 through May 2. Specific dates and times are; Thursdays, April 22 and 29 at 7:30 PM; Fridays, April 23 and 30 at 8:00 PM; Saturdays, April 24 and May 1 at 8:00 PM and Sundays, April 25 and May 2 at 2:00 PM
WHERE: Sitnik Theatre of the Lackland Performing Arts Center, 715 Grand Ave., Hackettstown. 
TICKETS: $15.00 for adults, $10.00 for students and children under 12 and $5.00 for Centenary University students. Live stream access links are $10 per link, with only one link needed per viewing device. For more details on how the live streaming works, please visit CentenaryStageCo.org or call the box office at 908-979-0900.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit centenarystageco.org or call the Centenary Stage Company box office at (908) 979 – 0900. The box office is open Monday through Friday from 1 – 5 PM and two hours prior to all performances. The Centenary Stage Company box office is located in the Lackland Performing Arts Center on the campus of Centenary University at 715 Grand Ave. Hackettstown, NJ.

Centenary Stage Company and Centenary University’s all student NEXTstage Repertory presents William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. 

Shakespeare’s beloved comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream follows the story of the four brawling lovers, caught in a dispute of increasingly magical proportions; a crew of keen mechanicals, determined to give it their all; and one roguish sprite, hell-bent on causing as much havoc as possible. Young love, cruelly denied, steals into the fairy woods, where all manner of mischief is waiting to meet the lovers and their pursuers. In this dream-like forest, the lives of the mortal and the immortal merge to create an enchanting world of love, magic, and misunderstanding. The NEXTstage Rep. cast will bring Shakespeare’s beloved raucous comedy to life with a brand new, contemporary re-imagining featuring themes from 1990s grunge and other modern eras.

The production is co-directed by Centenary Stage’s own Artistic Director, Carl Wallnau and YAS director, Lea Antolini-Lid. Wallnau has directed numerous productions at CSC including, most recently, Stephen Temperley’s new adaptation of A Christmas Carol this past winter, and Ghost Train by Arnold Ridley last season. Wallnau has also directed world premieres of Inventing Montana, The Tillie Project and The Poetry of Pizza at CSC in addition to several American and New Jersey premieres. In addition to his extensive directorial endeavors, Wallnau also has a long list of onstage credits at CSC including appearing as Scrooge in the aforementioned production of A Christmas Carol and as Willie Clark in last season’s Sunshine Boys. Wallnau also has many additional performance credits regionally.

Antolini-Lid co-directs and serves as Choreographer for A Midsummer Night’s Dream. She has served as the Director for the Young Audience Series as well as producer for the NEXTstage Rep. Summer Musical Theatre Series at CSC for several years. In addition to Antolini-Lid’s extensive performance credits her long list of directorial credits includes the CSC production of Turning by Darrah Cloud as well as summer productions of HAIR and Jesus Christ Superstar.  Antolini-Lid has performed professionally in NYC and in cities across the east coast including, among many, CSC on-stage performances, Antolini-Lid was most recently seen on the Sitnik stage as the Ghost of Christmas Past in the CSC 2021 production of Stephen Temperley’s A Christmas Carol.

Centenary University’s NEXTstage Repertory is the all student performance division highlighting the close partnership between the professionally producing Centenary Stage Company and Centenary University’s Theatre Department.  Under the guidance and direction of Centenary University faculty and Centenary Stage Company staff, all NEXTstage Repertory productions immerse Centenary University students in every aspect of production. From performance to design, NEXTstage Repertory productions serve as a greenhouse for cultivating the next generation of theatre artists by providing students with the opportunity for practical application while adhering to the professional standard of the Centenary Stage Company.

Centenary Stage Company can also be found across social media platforms; Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Like and follow to receive the latest in CSC news and special offers.

The 2020-2021 season of performing arts events at the Centenary Stage Company is made possible through the generous support of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the NJ State Council on the Arts, the Shubert Foundation, the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, the Sandra Kupperman Foundation, and CSC corporate sponsors, including Premiere Season Sponsor The House of the Good Shepherd, Silver Sponsors Hackettstown Medical Center Atlantic Health System, Home Instead Senior Care (Washington), and Fulton Bank, and Centenary Stage Company members and supporters.

CENTENARY STAGE COMPANY’S WOMEN PLAYWRIGHTS SERIES OPENS WITH DEBORAH YARCHUN’S ATLAS THE LONELY GIBBON

Centenary Stage Company’s Women Playwrights Series kicks off its Spring 2021 reading series with 

Atlas the Lonely Gibbon 
by Deborah Yarchun

WHEN: Wednesday, April 14, at 7:30 PM
WHERE: Sitnik Theatre of the Lackland Performing Arts Center. Admission to the WPS event is by donation, and advance reservations are highly encouraged as seating is assigned and limited. 
TICKETS: A minimum $5.00 donation is required to reserve in advance. To reserve visit centenarystageco.org or call the CSC box office at (908) 979 – 0900.
Centenary Stage Company will also offer a live streaming option accompanying the in-person performance. Live stream access is free to participate with donations appreciated. 
WPS live streams will be made available for viewing at centenarystageco.org. 

Atlas the Lonely Gibbon by playwright Deborah Yarchun is a darkly comedic thriller set in the future. Irene, a 28-year-old journalist, has recently had her job downgraded to editing AI (Artificial Intelligence)-generated articles. Her husband, David, is a cybercrime journalist who introduces more than enough technologies into their home, with unnerving consequences.  Atlas… explores where we’re heading as a society and the complex benefits and destructive possibilities of a fully wired world. It has just been announced that Atlas, the Lonely Gibbon is a finalist for the Neukom Institute’s Literary Arts Award for Playwriting.

A New York City Based playwright, Deborah Yarchun’s plays have been developed with numerous theatres across the United States and Canada including: the Civilians, Ensemble Studio Theatre, The New Harmony Project, Jewish Plays Project’s OPEN Festival, Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, The Playwrights’ Center, TheatreSquared’s Arkansas New Play Festival, the William Inge Center for the Arts, and Workhouse Theater Company. Her works have been produced numerous times as well, including performances at Amphibian Stage Productions, Fusion Theatre, Theater Master’s National MFA Playwrights Festival, EstroGenius Festival, the Minnesota Fringe, the Philadelphia Fringe, The Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Festival, Williams Street Repertory Theatre, and several others. Deborah’s play, Drive was also a part of the Women Playwrights Series readings that took place at CSC in November 2020, after it had been chosen in spring of 2020 and rescheduled to the fall due to the COVID-19 public health crisis.

Deborah has been honored several times throughout her career and has been awarded two Jerome Fellowships at The Playwrights’ Center, a Dramatists Guild Foundation Fellowship, an EST/Sloan Commission, Dartmouth’s 2020 Neukom Literary Arts Award for Playwriting, The Kennedy Center’s Jean Kennedy Smith Playwriting Award, the Kernodle New Play Award, the Richard Maibaum Playwriting Award, and Women in the Arts & Media Coalition’s 2019 Collaboration Award. Her play Great White was an Honorable Mention for the Relentless Award. She was recently a playwright-in-residence at the William Inge Center for the Arts and a member of the Civilians’ R&D Group. Deborah is a New Georges Affiliated Artist. She earned her M.F.A. from the University of Iowa where she was an Iowa Arts Fellow.

Now in its 29^th season, Centenary Stage Company’s Women Playwrights Series has featured the work of more than 80 emerging playwrights. The program has also taken 18 plays to full production from the series. Led by program director Catherine Rust, the Women Playwrights Series offers playwrights the opportunity to work with professional actors and directors in a workshop rehearsal process, and to hear their work in front of a live audience—a critical part of the development process. Lively talk-backs with the playwright and cast follow each presentation, and one play is selected each year as the winner of the Susan Glaspell Award and receives a full production in the following main-stage season with CSC.

The Women Playwrights series will continue with The Persuadables by Hallie Palladino, on Wednesday, April 21, at7:30 PM in the Little Theatre at 400 Jefferson Street in Hackettstown.

For more information or to reserve, visit centenarystageco.org or call the Centenary Stage Company box office at (908) 979 – 0900. The box office is open Monday through Friday from 1 – 5 PM and two hours prior to all performances. The Centenary Stage Company box office is located in the Lackland Performing Arts Center on the campus of Centenary University at 715 Grand Ave. Hackettstown, NJ. Centenary Stage Company can also be found across social media platforms; Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Like and follow to receive the latest in CSC news and special offers.

Centenary Stage Company remains committed to the health and safety of our community and adheres to all requirements set forth by the State of New Jersey including, but not limited to; observing social distancing, limited capacity, and requiring masks or facial coverings. For more information regarding CSC COVID-19 policies visit centenarystageco.org/faq.

The 2020-2021 season of performing arts events at the Centenary Stage Company is made possible through the generous support of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the NJ State Council on the Arts, the Shubert Foundation, the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, the Sandra Kupperman Foundation, and CSC corporate sponsors, including Premiere Season Sponsor The House of the Good Shepherd, Silver Sponsors Hackettstown Medical Center Atlantic Health System, Home Instead Senior Care (Washington), and Fulton Bank, and Centenary Stage Company members and supporters.

CENTENARY STAGE COMPANY AND CENTENARY UNIVERSITY’S NEXTSTAGE REPERTORY OPENS SWEAT BY LYNN NOTTAGE NEXT WEEK

Centenary Stage Company and Centenary University’s NEXTstage Repertory presents 

Sweat 
by Lynn Nottage

WHEN: March 25–29, Thursday, March 25 at 7:30 pm; Friday, March 26, at 8:00 pm; Saturday, March 27, at 8:00 pm; Sunday, March 28, at 2:00 pm; and Monday, March 29, at 7:00 pm. Centenary Stage Company will also offer a special free live stream of the Saturday, March 27 8:00 PM performance.  The live stream will be made available at centenarystageco.org/nextstage-rep-sweat.
WHERE: Little Theatre at 400 Jefferson St. on the campus of Centenary University.
TICKETS: $15.00 for adults, $10.00 for children under 12, and are available on-line at http://centenarystageco.org or by phone at (908) 979 – 0900.

The NEXTstage Repertory program is made up of Centenary University theatre students. These students are the cast, crew, and the creative team. The program with works in conjunction with the professional, Centenary Stage Company, gives students the opportunities to create high quality theatrical pieces, all while learning about and becoming a part of, every facet of producing theatre. The production is directed by Stephen Davis, an Associate Professor of Theatre Arts at Centenary University who has extensive professional theatre credits outside of Centenary as well as onstage with CSC. He was most recently seen playing Timothy Cratchit in Stephen Temperley’s, A Christmas Carol, this past winter. The cast includes current Centenary Students, Kamirah Owens, Jack Epstein, Malachi Bobien, Jeremy Ashton, Luis Rodriguez, Emily Bennett, Kylah Wilson, Serena Buchan, James Brandes, and Alumni of C.U. Ameer Copper.

Set near the playwright’s hometown of Reading, PA, Pulitzer prize winning SWEAT details the life of a close-knit group of friends who have been affected by their factory closing, ending the only way of life the town has known for generations.

Hailed as, “Lynn Nottage’s best work.” by the New Yorker, “She offers a powerful critique of the American attitude toward class, and how it affects the decisions we make. Sweat has fraternity at its heart, but also the violence, and the suspicion that can result from class aspirations”. In one of the poorest cities in America, Reading, Pennsylvania, a group of down-and-out factory workers struggle to keep their present lives in balance, ignorant of the financial devastation looming in their near future. Based on Nottage’s extensive research and interviews with residents of Reading, SWEAT, is a topical reflection of the present and poignant outcome of America’s economic decline and a nuanced yet powerful drama that reminds audiences of the stacked deck still facing workers searching for the American dream.

Lynn Nottage is the recipient of two Pulitzer Prize Awards for Drama for SWEAT (2017) and Ruined (2009). She is the first woman playwright to be honored twice. 

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit centenarystageco.org or call the Centenary Stage Company box office at (908) 979 – 0900. The box office is open Monday through Friday from 1 – 5 PM and two hours prior to all performances. The Centenary Stage Company box office is located in the Lackland Performing Arts Center on the campus of Centenary University at 715 Grand Ave. Hackettstown, NJ. Centenary Stage Company can also be found across social media platforms; Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Like and follow to receive the latest in CSC news and special offers.

Centenary Stage Company remains committed to the health and safety of our community and adheres to all requirements set forth by the State of New Jersey including, but not limited to; observing social distancing, limited capacity, and requiring masks or facial coverings. For more information regarding CSC COVID-19 policies visit centenarystageco.org/faq.

The 2020-2021 season of performing arts events at the Centenary Stage Company is made possible through the generous support of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the NJ State Council on the Arts, the Shubert Foundation, the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, the Sandra Kupperman Foundation, and CSC corporate sponsors, including Premiere Season Sponsor The House of the Good Shepherd, Silver Sponsors Hackettstown Medical Center Atlantic Health System, Home Instead Senior Care (Washington), and Fulton Bank, and Centenary Stage Company members and supporters.

REVIEW: CSC'S WORLD PREMIERE TURNING ADDRESSES ANTIPATHY TOWARD WOMEN IN OLYMPIC SPORTS

By Jane Primerano

The latest result of the Centenary Stage Company’s Women Playwrights Series made its world premiere in a socially-distanced Sitnik Theater at Centenary’s Lackland Center on Feb. 25.

While it was strange to sit in the Sitnik at less than half capacity and surrounded by yellow caution tape, the unusual circumstances didn’t take anything away from Darrah Cloud’s Turning.

Turning in this case is a term for gymnastics that this reviewer had to look up. Turners were members of German-American gymnastics clubs called turnverein. The clubs existed from the early 19th Century and helped German immigrants assimilate in the New World.

These “turners” were three young women on their way to Germany. They were the first US Olympic Gymnastic Team.

Women in sports were pretty much invisible until Babe Didrikson, one of history’s best all-around athletes, burst onto the scene in the early 1930s.

Cloud was commissioned to write a play about some resident of Hackettstown and, when she discovered Ada Lunardoni, she also found just how little information exists on women in athletics.

When she did find out more about Lunardoni, she realized her story is an immigrant’s tale. Here is a young woman remembering her voyage west from Italy. Remembering coming through Ellis Island in her Easter dress. Now, she is sailing back to represent her adopted homeland during a time of Depression and upheaval.

Today, we think of Olympic athletes traveling across the country to train as almost a full-time job. These young women had regular jobs, Ada was a seamstress and had to train after work in backyard gyms in Newark. These women knew their sport was not going to lead to fortune. It didn’t even lead to lasting fame. Cloud had to talk to Lunanrdoni’s family and the families of the other athletes to fill out their stories.

One particular anecdote stuck with her and formed the basis for the play.

When Americans today think about the 1936 Olympics, they think of Jesse Owens.

At the Olympics Hitler believes would showcase the superiority of the Aryan race, Owens won four gold medals. A bad day for the Nazis, to say the least.

The anecdote Ada Lunardoni told her grandchildren is the basis of the second half of this one-act play, and it is the best reason to see it.

Much of the play involves the three young women at the Captain’s Ball on the ship, pointing out the young men they wish would ask them to dance, obsessing over their routines, complaining about having to wear high heels.

Ada and Jennie are Italian, and they let you know it: loud, occasionally semi-profane and very much girls of their time. The third teammate, Mary, is Irish Catholic and still emotionally under the thumb of the nuns who educated her.

The girls punctuate their discussions with cartwheels, flips and splits, as well as with rather a lot of gin.

Taylor Congdon is Ada. She’s believably a Jersey girl who works hard and plays hard and says what she thinks. Ally Morgstrom is Mary Wright (Centenary Stage regulars will recognize her from Hitler’s Tasters). She plays the timid, ridden-with-Catholic-guilt “turner” with precision. Emily Williams is Jennie Caputo, who may or may not be gay (queer in the jargon of the day). Her tough act is performed really well. (Right: Ally Borgstrom as Mary, Taylor Congdon as Ada, Deonté Griffin-Quick as Jesse Owens, and Emily Williams as Jennie. Photo credit  Christopher Young.)

The only other character is Deonte Griffin Quick’s Jesse Owens. He spends the early portion of the play running on the deck and silently noticing the girls, sometimes with quite a bit of curiosity. But later, he becomes an integral part of the crossing and the play.

All the actors were perfectly cast—and not just because of their athletic prowess. The three women interact flawlessly, and Quick is believable as the athlete Owens.

The set is spare compared to previous Michael Imhoff designs. It’s the deck, with a rail, lights and chairs. But it fits the show flawlessly, as Imhoff’s sets always do.

The gymnasts talk a lot about wanting to dance with the male athletes, and eventually, they dance to choreography by Director Lea Antolini-Lid with an assist from local ballroom dance instructor Joshua Belverio. The elegant dance moves that don’t interfere with the dialogue.

Almost everything at CSC is worth seeing, but Turning is particularly relevant. It not only tells the story of a former Hackettstown resident whose life is unknown to most people there but it also tells a story about how society has changed. And some ways it hasn’t.

The show runs through March 7.  For information and tickets, go to http://www.centenarystageco.org.

NOTE: This review has been updated on March 3, 2021, to reflect the role of Lea Antolini-Lid as the production's choreographer with an assist from ballroom dance coach Josh Belverio.