Save at the Stage this Memorial Day Weekend!

Memorial Day weekend is bearing down upon us!  The summer season is just starting, but Cape May Stage’s season has already been in full swing for a few weeks.  If you haven’t been down to the Robert Shackleton Playhouse yet, get there soon!

Dominic Hoffman as the Artist in "Uncle Jacques' Symphony"

Uncle Jacques’ Symphony is a hit with audience members, and Cape May Stage has several ways for you to see this melodic gem at a reduced price.  This Sunday, May 27^th, is our Half-Price Senior Matinee.  For seniors 62 and over, tickets are only $15 – that’s 50% off the regular senior price of $30.  Tickets go quickly for these matinees, so get yours soon. 

Not quite yet a senior?  That’s okay – Cape May Stage has ticket specials for everyone.  Make it a memorable night out with one of our Dinner and a Show packages!  We have deals with nine of Cape May’s world-renown eateries: whether it’s a $25 show ticket with every entrée, or a low-priced prix-fixe dinner, we have something available for every wallet and palette.  Check out the Dinner & A Show page at capemaystage.org for details.

Rapp appears on July 2

Speaking of savings, there’s still time to subscribe to the season and save!  This season boasts several different subscription options: something to fit every budget and schedule.  Our 7-show ($255) and 3-show ($127.50) Opening Night Series allows you to experience all the excitement of opening night – including mingling with the cast and crew at our exclusive after-parties.  Our 7-show ($196) or 3-show Flex Pass ($94.50) gives you the liberty to choose any dates in the run of the show.  We also have subscriptions for our acclaimed Broadway Series: see such stars as Anthony Rapp, Christine Ebersole, and Michael Tucker and Jill Eikenberry – a 6-show package is only $250, while a 3-show package is $170.  Subscribers get the first choice of seats and bargains on hats, t-shirts, and wine bags – and are quickly accepted as part of our Cape May Stage family.

Justin Deas stars in "God of Carnage"

It’s hard to believe that we’re less than a month away from mounting God of Carnage!  This farcical comedy has been delighting American audiences since its Tony-winning Broadway run in 2009.  Hilarity ensues when two couples – Manhattan yuppies meet crunchy liberals – to discuss their middle school sons’ recent altercation.  The juvenile behavior isn’t relegated only to the children as the evening’s pleasantries slowly crumble into insanity.

See capemaystage.org or call 884-1341 for details.  The season is only just begun!

Meet the Mezzanine, A Masterpiece, & The Marx Brothers Lost Radio Show-- On Stage this week!

 

Cape May Stage just keeps growing – onward and upward, literally!  We’re thrilled to finally share some of our magnificent growth with our loyal patrons.

MEET YOUR SEAT!  An Open House Event, May 20-12-2pm

On Sunday, May 20^th from noon to 2pm, we’re hosting Meet the Mezzanine- an open house event sponsored by PNC Arts Alive.  This isn’t a new post-modern absurdist play: it’s your chance to see our new 26-seat mezzanine.  “We love selling out shows,” says Artistic Director Roy Steinberg, “but we hate turning people away.  Hopefully the new mezzanine will help to alleviate that problem.”  Local preservationist Dave Clemans has been overseeing the winter’s work, and the dust had finally settled.  Stop by for tours of the theatre, the new mezzanine, and our new state-of-the-art technical booth.  Relax in our beautifully landscaped grounds while dining on light refreshments.  Cape May Stage staff will be on hand to give you the inside scoop on the exciting 2012 season, as well as discounts on tickets and Discovery Summer Theatre Camp reservations.  Stop down – you might win something!

Join us May 21, One Night Only

We’re kicking off our Second Stage Series on Monday, May 21 with Flywheel, Shyster, & Flywheel: The Marx Brothers’ Lost Radio Show.  A sure bet for Marx Brothers lovers as well as for those who haven’t yet been introduced to their particular brand of zaniness, Flywheel… is the hilarious comedy show that introduced The Marx Brothers in 1932 on NBC Radio.  Groucho is the wisecracking attorney Waldorf T. Flywheel, and Chico as his ne’er-do-well assistant.  Since these broadcasts were aired in the days before radio shows were recorded, the crazy shenanigans and classic routines were lost.  But now, these shows are brought back to life for the first time in decades.  Created by young writers Nat Perrin and Arthur Sheekman, who also worked on the scripts for the classic Marx Brothers comedies, Monkey Business and Horse Feathers, audiences of all ages will delight in this fun, laugh-out-loud comedy!

And the reviews are in for Uncle Jacques’ Symphony – another hit for Cape May Stage!  Audiences adore Dominic Hoffman’s virtuoso performance: the multitude of characters he creates to tell the story of jazz great Jacques Hoffman have been thrilling audiences for the past week.  A treasure not to be missed, Uncle Jacques’ Symphony runs Thursdays through Saturdays at 8pm and Saturdays and Sundays at 3pm through June 4.  In June, a Wednesday night performance will replace the Saturday matinee.  Get your tickets soon!

Check out our website at capemaystage.org or call 884-1341 for more details.  Subscriptions are still available.

The Curtain is Rising on our 2012 Season... Still time to Subscribe!

 

Cape May Stage’s Robert Shackleton Playhouse is far more than a beautifully-restored 1853 church – it is a place for theatre-lovers of all kinds to come together to enjoy quality live performances.  In addition to each year’s stellar in-house productions, the theatre is used for outreach of all kinds.

We’ve teamed up again with Chase Arts – a local arts organization dedicated to broadening the scope of the community’s inherent culture through exciting and inspiring art installations.  Last year’s collaboration was the celebrated For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Was Enuf.  This year’s The Colored Museum – running May 4 at 8pm and May 5 at 3 and 8 pm – will be further reason for rejoice.  Directed by Rodney Gilbert, this satirical play examines the honor and desire of African-American people to escape centuries of suffering that has been a continuous source of baggage.  It is a night of theatre not to be missed!

 We’re getting down to the wire for this season’s first mainstage production: Uncle Jacques’ Symphony!  Opening with a preview on May 11, this one-man tour-de-force celebrates humanity as a musical metaphor.  Ovation Award winner Dominic Hoffman pays homage to his uncle, Jacques Hoffman, a jazz musician from Chicago.  Men and women, young and old, of different cultures and creeds come alive onstage for 75 minutes, weaving a tapestry to form a vibrant symphony of life. 

With the opening only a week away, you have precious little time left to become a season subscriber!  This season boasts several different subscription options: something to fit every budget and schedule.  Our 7-show ($255) and 3-show ($127.50) Opening Night Series allows you to experience all the excitement of opening night – including mingling with the cast and crew at our exclusive after-parties.  Our 7-show ($196) or 3-show Flex Pass ($94.50) gives you the liberty to choose any dates in the run of the show.  Subscribers get the first choice of seats and bargains on hats, t-shirts, and wine bags – and are quickly accepted as part of our Cape May Stage family.

You can buy subscriptions online at capemaystage.org or by calling 884-1341.  Give yourself the best gift of all: the gift of live theatre!

Subscribe today and choose your seats in our jewel box of a theatre.

"This Wonderful Life" Now Playing Tues- Sat at 8PM, Sat & Sun, 3PM through New Year's Eve!

Larry Daggett stars in this holiday tour-de-force

Merry Christmas to all of our loyal subscribers and patrons who have enriched their lives by coming to Cape May Stage.  We'll be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but have added shows on December 27 and December 28 for the final week of "This Wonderful Life".

This iconic Christmas film has become a television classic - and now, Cape May Stage has taken the old theatrical version of it and given it new life.  Come see a Broadway actor tell this story on a wonderful set with neon signs while playing the piano and having it snow.  Watch Larry Daggett dazzle you and play all of the roles in the film. A recent patron exclaimed, “Congratulations are in order to both the Cape May Stage and the outstanding actor, Larry Daggett, for one of the best performances we have seen to date anywhere.  Now that is what we call ACTING!   Thanks for such a wholesome, timely, and professional effort by all involved.” Trust us, it’s a tour-de-force performance that you won't want to miss.

The Second Stage Series will be back in 2012 with our usual list of Broadway and Hollywood luminaries.  Jill Eikenberry and Michael Tucker sold out their performance in 2010 in one day.  They are coming back with a new show in 2012.  The biggest names on Broadway are working out their schedules now, so they can come to Cape May on a Monday night when their Broadway shows are dark.  The past years have brought Mary Testa, Karen Ziemba, Jarrod Spector, Liz Callaway, Dominic Chianese, Maureen McGovern and Tovah Feldshuh.  Next season continues this tradition.

Call 884-1341 or go online to capemaystage.org and order subscriptions for the 2012 season and tickets for "This Wonderful Life".

Cape May Stage Offers Holiday Programming the Whole Family will Enjoy

Each December, holiday decorations begin to deck the halls, families get together, and the air is filled with the sounds of laughter and joy.  Cape May Stage brings all of those elements together in our Second Stage production of "My Shadow And Me" on Monday, December 5th and in our main stage production of "This Wonderful Life" now playing through December 31^st.

"My Shadow and Me" is a world premiere for the whole family

Families will love "My Shadow and Me" which features song and dance - and even a puppet - as it explores how friends can support each other.  Mary is backstage in a Broadway theatre when she encounters Bryan, a vaudevillian feeling a bit lost.  Along with Fletcher the dog, they create an act!  New York performers have come to Cape May to premiere their show before it opens in New York.  Like Maureen McGovern and Tovah Feldshuh and a host of others, Cape May Stage's Second Stage brings you cutting edge work before anyone else.  Children will giggle and adults will celebrate the happy feelings in this play.  Tickets are only $20 for adults and $10 for kids and can be ordered at 884-1341 or online at capemaystage.org.

Larry Daggett stars as 20+ characters in "This Wonderful Life"

"This Wonderful Life" plays Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 3 p.m. until New Year's Eve.  Cape May Stage encourages families to get together to see this iconic staple of the holidays. With the support of Sturdy Savings Bank, Cape May Stage has scheduled a half-price senior matinee on December 10th at 3 p.m.  What a perfect time for grandparents to take their grandchildren to the theatre. Broadway actor, Larry Daggett plays all the roles and even plays the piano at the same time.  Opening night was a triumph and the audience raved about the whole production including the creative new set and lighting design!  Come see for yourself what everyone is talking about.

Subscriptions for 2012 season at Cape May Stage are a coveted gift. There is something special about becoming a subscriber.  In addition to the many benefits, you are part of a community of patrons enjoying good work and expanding their view of the world.  Come join the party and see every show that is produced.  You know that Cape May Stage brings talent from Broadway and Los Angeles in plays that are revered throughout the country.

The Wait is Finally Over! "Red" opens 10/27

Roy Steinberg with director Chris Dolman

Roy Steinberg stars as Mark Rotho

The long awaited opening night for John Logan's play, Red, is finally here.  Cape May Stage is in the forefront of leading theatres across the country mounting this fascinating play about Mark Rothko who returned the largest amount of money given for a commission (at that time) so he could retain possession of his paintings. Tonight, October 27 is the official opening night at the Robert Shackleton Playhouse with the cast party at Hemingway’s at the Grand Hotel on Beach Drive right after the show.  Come and meet the director and cast and engage them in conversation about this significant play.


Chris Dolman is the director of Red and is known to Cape May Stage audiences from the beginning days of this theatre.  He directed Doubt and performed in Art, and with Red, continues the tradition of working in one syllable titled plays. His friendships in the community are many and even date back to Michael Laird, the founder of this theatre.


Artistic Director Roy Steinberg will make his Cape May Stage acting debut in Red playing Mark Rothko.  Steinberg appeared on Broadway in the Tony nominated play Wings with Constance Cummings.  He played opposite Christopher Walken in Measure For Measure and opposite William Hurt in Lanford Wilson's The Rhimers of Eldritch.  He won the Best Actor Award at Yale Drama School where he received his MFA in Acting.  In subsequent years, he has appeared in film and television, as well as at the leading regional theatres (Kennedy Center, Santa Fe Festival Theatre, Yale Repertory Theatre, New York Public Theatre) in the nation.


RJ Barnett makes his Cape May Stage debut, as well, playing Ken.  Barnett has played in Dracula, The Goat or Who Is Sylvia, and Les Laisons Dangereuses in New York.  He has performed at the Northwest Shakespeare Festival and is a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Call 884-1341 or go online at capemaystage.org to reserve tickets.  Red performs Thursday through Saturday evenings (with matinees on the Saturdays and Sundays) through November 19.  Give yourself a treat before Thanksgiving.  You'll be thankful you did.

Now Playing: The Woolgatherer- Special Evenings of Theatre Planned for October; Nancy Hasty and Shawn Fisher fill the Second Stage this Fall

STAGE Magazine hails The Woolgatherer as "a truly beautiful production."

Nancy Hasty as Bobbi in "Florida Girls"

The Woolgatherer performs for three more weeks and this funny, but compelling play has been a great addition to the Cape May Stage season.  We are hoping that everyone has the opportunity to see first-rate acting in a beautifully mounted production.  Seniors pay half price on Friday, October 7.  Sturdy Savings Bank is sponsoring a special ASL performance for the deaf community on October 14.  William Mastrosimone has loved this production of his play and will be coming back weekly to see it and talk with audience members.  Cape May Stage is once again premiering a new version of a hit play.  The Little Prince premiered here and went on to Bristol Riverside Theatre and the New Victory Theatre in New York.  Charles Evered's play, Class premiered here and went on to perform in Los Angeles and Europe.

The Second Stage will be producing Florida Girls on Monday, October 3 at 8 pm.  Inspired by Lily Tomlin and Whoopi Goldberg, Nancy Hasty has created fifteen hilarious characters in a story about a Florida beauty pageant circa 1965. The Pennsacola New Journal reviewed it as "unique in its own right, Florida Girls merits a place alongside Steel Magnolias."  The Second Stage is delighted to have found a time to bring Nancy Hasty to our community so soon after our production of Steel Magnolias.  Tickets are only $20 and this is bound to be an entertaining evening of theatre.

Cape May Stage exists, in part, to create new works of dramatic literature.  On Monday, October 17 we will present a reading of a new play starring Lynn Cohen and Adam Wade and Michael Basile.  How To Make A Rope Swing takes place in a South Jersey town where they are replacing an old schoolhouse.  It is written by Shawn Fisher who also designed the sets for The Woolgatherer, Topdog/Underdog, Happy Days, and Proof.  The story concerns a beloved principal and custodian who is the longest employed African-American in the school's history. A long suppressed moment in history is revealed which changes the town and everyone in it.  This may well be the first step in the process of producing this play in a future season.

All of these events can be seen by calling 884-1341 or by going online to capemaystage.org.  Celebrating the written word with the finest actors is what defines Cape May Stage. Come see us and join our growing community.