Final Week for "The Little Prince"-- See You Next Year!

Cape May Stage closes its season with a double header on December 30 - there will be a matinee at 3 pm and the farewell performance of The Little Prince at 8 pm.  This beloved children's classic has been re-thought in a stunning production by Scott Hitz! It has been a triumph for the theatre continuing the tradition of bringing the very best theatre to Cape May before these productions move elsewhere. After the December 30 production, crews will pack up the set and puppets to bring them to Bristol Riverside Theatre and then on to New York! That is why you voted Cape May Stage "Best Theater in Cape May County 2010"!

We intend to continue that tradition in 2011 by bringing back favorite productions like Say Goodnight Gracie while adding what are bound to be new favorites like Steel Magnolias and more world premieres! Gift subscriptions are still available by calling 884-1341 or going online to capemaystage.com!

We so appreciate the tremendous support the community bestows upon Cape May Stage.  This past season helped establish us as a serious theatre of stature.  Grantors have taken notice and individuals have stepped up with annual giving so that we can continue the momentum of making Cape May Stage a destination all its own!

We thank you for joining the party and look forward to celebrating again with you next year!  As our reputation grows, so does all of Cape May! We think next season will be the best ever. Happy New Years!  See you in May!

Re-Imagining an International Classic

People are coming from far away as the word spreads that something exciting is happening at the corner of Lafayette and Bank Street. Not simply content with doing the usual Christmas fare, Cape May Stage embraces the essence of the holiday and brings one of the world’s most beloved children’s classics to its stage in a bold new production. The Little Prince has been translated into more than 190 languages and has sold 80 million copies, mak- ing it the biggest selling French-language book and one of the best selling books of all time. When you add puppets by multiple Emmy award-winner Michael Schupbach in a newly conceived production by guest director Scott Hitz, you get a theatrical triumph.

PNC Arts Alive is sponsoring a Pay What You Can Night on Sunday, December 12 at 8pm so that everyone can experience the magic of this show. Just come to the box office at the corner of Lafayette and Bank Streets and pay whatever you can afford.

The demand for tickets is so great that we have added five shows to the schedule for the last two weeks: performances on December 22, 28 and 29 have been added at 8pm as well as a matinees on December 21 at 3:30pm and December 30 at 3pm.

“One sees clearly only with the heart. The essential is invisible to the eyes.” These words uttered by the fox to the little prince might serve as a theme for the whole of the 2010 season. Cape May Stage has endeavored to bring the- atrical fare that touches the heart from the very first play – Class – through comedies like I Hate Hamlet and musicals like romance/romance to the more challenging works like Happy Days and topdog/underdog. Even the Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) brings a love for theatre and great language so that it can lampoon it. The Little Prince is the grand finale of an extraordinary season.  Call (609) 884-1341 to order your tickets today!

A Heart-warming Holiday Event Opens this Week at Cape May Stage

TOMORROW is Thanksgiving and we at Cape May Stage give thanks for having an open and embracing community of theatre-goers along with artists that choose to do their work on our intimate stage.  After feasting with friends and family members, the artists and staff of Cape May Stage return to open the most anticipated show of the season: Antoine de Saint -Exupery’s The Little Prince.

Every opening at Cape May Stage is a joyous event, but this Friday, November 26 will be particularly special. Congress Hall is the location of the festivities, and all of the actors and puppeteers will be celebrating the launch of a major theatrical event. Scott Hitz is the creator of this extraordinary show. He was the Master of Puppetry this past season at the famed O’Neill Center in Connecticut.  Scott was on the production team of the Broadway hit Avenue Q and has been working on this show for over a decade.

Michael Schupbach (pictured) is a multiple Emmy Award-winner known for his work on Sesame Street and the prestigious Shakespeare in the Park in New York. Michael has designed the puppets for this production and will be performing here at Cape May.

After performing throughout December at Cape May Stage, The Little Prince will move to Bristol Riverside Theatre in Pennsylvania and continue from there.  Because this production is geared for families, Cape May Stage has introduced a matinee schedule on Saturdays and Sundays. The anticipated demand for tickets has the premier Equity theatre producing two shows every Saturday and Sunday.

There will be a half-price senior night on Sunday, December 5 at 8pm sponsored by PNC Arts Alive. We are able to do these special shows because PNC believes in what Cape May Stage is doing.  We are in an elite group of theatres chosen for this honor. You have also chosen Cape May Stage as the Best Theater in Cape May County 2010. We have chosen to do The Little Prince at Christmas time in an effort to expand holiday fare. This children’s classic is a celebration of seeing through new eyes. The wonder and mystery of an aviator landing his plane in the desert is re-imagined in a giant sand box with talking flowers and wise animals. The holidays are a time of magic, and The Little Prince will be a magical evening of theatre.

Call (609) 884-1341 for tickets today and don't miss out on this inspiring event!

Comedy Makes Way for Holiday Cheer! As "Complete Works..." comes to a close November 20, "The Little Prince" Opens Friday, November 26!

"The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)" roars in for its final performance on Saturday night, November 20!  Our three comedians will be riding that roller coaster ride to your funny bone for the rest of this week and then those walls of the Globe Theatre will come tumbling down to make room for a giant sand-box that will house our next production of "The Little Prince."


PNC Arts Alive selected Cape May Stage to be part of an elite group of theatres to receive support from its five year, five million dollar arts initiative from the PNC Foundation. Through their support, Cape May Stage is producing a special ASL performance on Friday, November 19th.  At this performance, signers will be at the side of the stage translating the antics of our cast to American Sign Language.  This is yet another way that Cape May Stage reaches out to all members of the community so everyone can enjoy what you voted "The Best Theatre in Cape May County 2010".


Thanksgiving is around the corner and the hustle and bustle of shopping could use a brief pause to catch one's breath.  Retailers have dubbed the Friday after Thanksgiving "Black Friday" because they expect so much traffic as the holiday season gets started.  At Cape May Stage, we call that Friday "Opening Night"!  "The Little Prince" is Antoine de Saint-Exupery's most famous novella and Cape May Stage brings that story to life in a groundbreaking production that is already scheduled to move on to bigger venues.  The holidays bring out the child in everyone and this production celebrates that innocence. Little nuggets of wisdom are told through words like "One sees clearly only with the heart.  The essential is invisible to the eyes."  Scott Hitz was on the production team of the Broadway smash hit "Avenue Q" and uses his expertise with puppets to tell this story in a whole new way.



Cape May Stage creates seminal theatre.  Work that begins here is often seen later in larger and more expensive venues.  The best value for art and entertainment is right here in our little town.  Call 884-1341 or go to capemaystage.com and reserve your seats today!

FInal Two Weeks of Shakespeare before The Little Prince Opens!

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) roars in for its final performance on Saturday night, November 20!  Our three comedians will be riding that roller coaster ride to your funny bone for the rest of this week and then those walls of the Globe Theatre will come tumbling down to make room for a giant sand-box that will house our next production of The Little Prince.


PNC Arts Alive selected Cape May Stage to be part of an elite group of theatres to receive support from its five year, five million dollar arts initiative from the PNC Foundation. Through their support, Cape May Stage is producing a special ASL performance on Friday, November 19th.  At this performance, signers will be at the side of the stage translating the antics of our cast to American Sign Language.  This is yet another way that Cape May Stage reaches out to all members of the community so everyone can enjoy what you voted "the best theatre in Cape May County 2010".

Thanksgiving is around the corner and the hustle and bustle of shopping could use a brief pause to catch one's breath.  Retailers have dubbed the Friday after Thanksgiving "Black Friday" because they expect so much traffic as the holiday season gets started.  At Cape May Stage, we call that Friday "Opening Night"!  The Little Prince is Antoine de Saint-Exupery's most famous novella and Cape May Stage brings that story to life in a groundbreaking production that is already scheduled to move on to bigger venues.  The holidays bring out the child in everyone and this production celebrates that innocence. Little nuggets of wisdom are told through words like "One sees clearly only with the heart.  The essential is invisible to the eyes."  Scott Hitz was on the production team of the Broadway smash hit Avenue Q and uses his expertise with puppets to tell this story in a whole new way.


Cape May Stage creates seminal theatre.  Work that begins here is often seen later in larger and more expensive venues.  The best value for art and entertainment is right here in our little town.  Call 884-1341 or go to capemaystage.com and reserve your seats today!

Savings and Special Events are On Deck this November for the Hilarious "Complete Works of William Shakespeare [abridged]"!

T.S. Eliot said that "April is the cruelest month" but the folks at Cape May Stage feel that November can be the cruelest month and, so, they mounted a very funny play suitable for the whole family called The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) that plays through November 20th!  In celebration of Veterans’ Day, PNC Arts Alive has sponsored a Veterans’ Night on November 11 with special discounts for all veterans and their families. 

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) is a three-person parody of all of Shakespeare's plays in ninety minutes.  You don't need to know a thing about Shakespeare as these improvisational comedians take you on a roller coaster ride that is all mayhem.  Prepare to laugh yourself silly as this piece makes no pretense of being anything but a good time.  PNC Arts Alive has sponsored a "Pay-What-You-Can" matinee on November 14 at 3PM, so everybody can enjoy these antics.  Everybody needs a pick-me-up in November and this play provides a jolt of adrenaline!

Coming up, the performance on November 19 will include a sign language interpreter for the deaf community.  It is fascinating to watch the American Sign Language interpreter at the side of the stage signing the words of the play (even for hearing audience members).  Cape May Stage brought in a Guest Director who is the Artistic Director of the Colonial Shakespeare Festival.  Harland Meltzer is a respected Shakespearean director who is having fun taking a break from the serious stuff to use his vast knowledge in pursuit of a cheap laugh!  Artistic Director Roy Steinberg has known Harland Meltzer for decades and has directed at Harland's theatre on numerous occasions.  They both love good actors and Harland has assembled a first rate cast to entertain Cape May Stage audiences.

A very exciting event is happening this week in New York and Cape May!  On Friday, November 12 at 2 PM, the Drama Book Shop at 250 West 40 Street in Manhattan will host a reading and book signing of the publication of Class by Charles Evered. Cape May Stage acting intern Meghan Hoffman (seen in Romantic Fools and Cape May Kids) will join Artistic Director Roy Steinberg in reading excerpts from the play. The author will fly in from California to sign copies of this text, which lists Cape May Stage as having produced the world premiere!  The event will be repeated at Cape May Stage on Sunday, November 14 at noon.  Both events are FREE and open to the public.

So get out your calendars and find a time to see The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) and come to the reading of Class by Charles Evered which is published by Broadway Play Publishing, Inc.  People are talking about Cape May Stage all over the country. See what all the buzz is about!  Call 884-1341 or go online to capemaystage.com to reserve your seats right now!

This Marks the Opening Week for "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)" - Our Silliest Show of the Season!

This marks the opening week for "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)" which will undoubtedly be the silliest production of the year!  As always, preview tickets (October 27) are half price and that always insures an overflowing audience so reserve your seats as soon as possible!  The opening night is tomorrow (October 28) and includes the "after-party" where that opening night audience gets to mingle with the actors and designers and the director. There will be food and a cash bar and that special opening night energy in the room.  These events are always great fun - particularly after a comedy! Reserve tickets at 609-884-1341 or go online at capemaystage.com to order tickets.

This play uses the audience at times so get ready to join the fun!  You may find yourself as part of the action!!

On Sunday, October 31 PNC Arts Alive sponsors a senior matinee at three o'clock so that seniors on a fixed income can enjoy the mayhem!  Get your Halloween costume ready, come laugh at "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)" and then go home to change into that costume so you can party!

Next weekend represents an important milestone for the Second Stage.  Cape May Stage strives to bring the brightest and most exciting artists from every discipline of the performing arts.  For the first time, we are bringing a major dance company on to our stage!  Jeanne Ruddy Dance has long been hailed as an important modern dance company in Philadelphia.  Jeanne Ruddy danced with Martha Graham and was on the dance faculty of the famed Julliard School in Manhattan.  Having an artist of her caliber in Cape May is a thrilling event.  She has chosen light-hearted and comic dances that are sure to entertain even as you are wowed by the technique of her extraordinary company.  Equally exciting is the news that Jeanne Ruddy will conduct a master class connected to this performance.  The word has gone out among the dance schools in the area and Cape May Stage is proud and delighted to welcome this prestigious company to our season.

November is a special time in Cape May so get prepared to come to Cape May Stage to see "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)" and then see Jeanne Ruddy Dance on Sunday, November 7 at three o'clock.  Cape May Stage is the center of arts education in South Jersey and is the premier Equity theatre in the county!

On Deck: "Complete Works of Williams Shakespeare [abridged]" opens October 27-November 20!

The final four performances for Topdog/Underdog are upon us and this gripping, edgy show will close on Saturday, October 23.  These closing nights are a kind of theatrical event of their own as set walls come down and furniture is hauled away to make room for the next show.  We switch gears completely as The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) gets ready to preview a week from today (Wednesday)!


Cape May Stage purposefully keeps programming entirely different theatrical styles and genres so that you can experience all kinds of theatre at the highest level!  We close a thought-provoking Pulitzer Prize winning play and change things up with pure silliness and fun!  This fast paced, improvisational play uses current topical references and popular culture interspersed with more or less "Shakespearean" dialogue for an evening of sheer delight!  And patrons will be thrilled to know this production includes matinees on Saturdays and Sundays at 3PM as well as evening performances Thursdays-Saturdays at 8PM.


The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) began at the Paramount Ranch in Agoura, California and was a big hit at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland.  Soon after, it played at the Arts Theatre in London and at the Westside Theatre Off-Broadway in New York.  Eventually, the play moved back to a full West End production at the Criterion Theatre in London.


There have been many productions of the play since then and we had to decide whether to take an already existing production or mount our own version.  We decided to start anew using the Artistic Director of the Westerly Rhode Island Shakespeare Festival to helm the show so that it would be fresh and alive and have a theatricality that comes with new people working together for the first time.  The set was shipped from Utah where Shawn Fisher is the head of the design department in the graduate school at their university.

 Get ready to laugh!  Call (609) 884-1341 for tickets today!

It's all About Survival this month at Cape May Stage!

Next weekend, Cape May Forum asks "Can Humor Save The World?" and Cape May Stage has programming on the main-stage and on our Second Stage that prepares us to answer that question.

Topdog/Underdog previews tonight and opens tomorrow with a gala after-party where audience can meet the actors and production team.  This Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning play uses humor to address some very serious issues about power dynamics, race and sibling rivalry.  The language is raw and vibrant. The issues are gripping.  The characters are dynamite.  Playwright Suzan-Lori Parks won a "Genius award" from the MacArthur Foundation.  There is so much excitement leading up to the opening of this cutting edge play!  Two brothers deal with shifting identity and betrayal.  Humor is the key element used in making these street characters appealing so that an audience can identify and root for them.  Shakespeare used this same device in Henry IV - Parts 1 & 2 so that thieves and cowards in the tavern scenes become lovable clowns though their deeds are contemptible. Aristotle tells us, "in a comedy the people on stage are like us but less than us" (2.4). There will be discussions and analysis of how humor is used in this play during Cape May Forum's tenure next week.

Killadelphia will be coming this Monday, October 4.  Another edgy, comedic look at a serious subject comes to our Second Stage.  In the summer of 2008, Philadelphia was in the midst of a murder epidemic that put it on par with some third world countries.  Sean Christopher Lewis takes an unflinching look at the causes of the crime rate and its effects on the community.  It has been described as "a mixtape of a city" and the New York Press called the piece "explicitly authentic".  It is the perfect companion piece to the gritty Topdog/Underdog and uses humor in much the same way to distance the spectator so they can absorb the true meaning and message of the author.  The solo play is at 8 PM and tickets are $20.

The following night Cape May Stage will be honoring Arlette de Monceau Michaelis who wrote Beyond The Ouija Board about her experience in World War II as a teenager in occupied Belgium.  Dr. Ron Goldstein brought Ms. Michaelis to the attention of Cape May Stage.  There is little funny about Nazis occupying one's country but Arlette Michaelis filters her experience through the eyes of a rebellious teenager and her awesome courage is at times quite funny as well.  Ms. Michaelis has been lecturing about this experience for many decades and her students are more likely to remember these stories than the lessons she taught as a teacher for the last thirty years.  This evening is absolutely free and Ms. Michaelis will be presented with a plaque for her great service.

Tickets to all of these programs can be reserved at capemaystage.com or by calling 884-1341!

In all of the above programs violence and serious issues are endured through the use of humor.  Cape May Stage joins with Cape May Forum to ponder the question "Can Humor Save The World".  The answer may be less important than the question.

"Happy Days" in its Final Two Weeks! "TopDog/ Underdog" Takes The Stage!

"World without end" is the end of one of Winnie's prayers in Samuel Beckett's Happy Days but the play will end this Saturday night so catch the final four performances of this astonishing piece of theatre. It is not a common occurrence that a theatre will have a performer like Lynn Cohen in such an important piece of literature.

Cape May Stage continues to push the envelope with the next production on its roster.

Next week, Topdog/Underdog by Suzan-Lori Parks will preview on Wednesday and open on Thursday. This play won the Pulitzer Prize and the Tony Award for Best Play in 2002 and has been performed all over the world. Ms. Parks is the recipient of a Genius grant from the MacArthur Foundation. Emmy nominee James Reynolds (a Cape May favorite) directs his son, Jed in this groundbreaking play! Joining Jed Reynolds is Stephen Rider who was featured in a film called The Great Debaters produced and directed by Denzel Washington. Denzel has now become a very active mentor of Stephen.

Topdog/Underdog is a funny, probing look at who is on top and who is on the bottom. The play is a darkly comic fable of brotherly love and family identity. It tells the story of Lincoln and Booth, two brothers whose names were given to them as a joke, foretelling a lifetime of sibling rivalry and resentment. Haunted by the past, the brothers are forced to confront the shattering reality of the future. Variety said, "… the vitality, freshness and gritty lyricism of Parks' writing are unlike anything to be heard on a Broadway stage". This production comes to us from the Fremont Theatre Center in California. Cape May Stage partnered with the Fremont to co-produce this extraordinary play! It is just one of the innovative moves that Cape May Stage is doing to keep the best work in front of its audience.

Opening night at Cape May Stage always includes a gala after-party with the cast and production team. Come celebrate with a special group of revelers! The set and lights are by Shawn Fisher who designed Proof last season.

The Second Stage is particularly proud to present Killadelphia on October 4 at 8PM. This critically acclaimed one-man show is written and performed by Sean Christopher Lewis and is described as a "mix tape of a city". In the summer of 2008 it was often said that that Philadelphia had "more bodies than days". Lewis introduces us to inmates of the Graterford Prison, their victims, the mayor, local rappers, conservative talk show hosts, trauma surgeons and the citizens of the City of Brotherly Love. The stunning result will be on Cape May Stage.

"An Intimate Evening of Grand Parlour Magic" appears on our stage Septemner 13 at 8PM!

All season long, magic has been a part of Cape May Stage's Second Stage. During the summer months, special family oriented shows had children giggling and adults astounded. Now Michael Walsh and Johnny Mass have put together "An Intimate Evening of Grand Parlor Magic" on September 13 at 8PM. This is a more sophisticated evening that is geared towards adults. With charming glances and contagious smiles, Walsh and Mass will mystify minds with their brand of magical effects. Elegant diners have traveled to the Magic Kingdom in Hollywood for decades to witness this type of magical entertainment. It is one of the few places in Southern California where gentlemen are required to wear a tie! It is in this tradition that Grand Parlor Magic is produced - though at the Robert Shackleton Playhouse you can wear whatever you like! After all, this is still Cape May!


Lynn Cohen takes a break from "Happy Days" (which, taking on a role like this as an actress, is akin to climbing K2) on September 17 and we have brought internationally acclaimed Nora Armani to our stage for one night only! " On The Couch with Nora Armani" has been performed in Paris, London, Cairo, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, Boston, Houston, Montreal and Geneva in both its English and French versions. Rave reviews follow each performance. Cairo in the 60's, Hollywood in the 80's, London in the 90's...with humor and nostalgia, she remembers the Bosphorus and Istanbul, now if she can just remember herself! Told through song and dance, this is a special night for Cape May audiences!


PNC Arts Alive is sponsoring an ASL sign-interpreted performance of Happy Days this weekend on September 11! An interpreter will be signing the performance for the deaf community. There is a reduced price Senior Night on Sunday, September 19! Again, these nights are all presented through the generosity of PNC’s Arts Alive mission to help area residents gain access to the arts, and help arts organizations expand and engage audiences!

Magic and world-class artists doing plays by Nobel Prize winners and internationally acclaimed artists are all on one stage. London? Paris? New York? No, it's Cape May Stage!

Tony Winner Karen Ziemba will enchant audiences on August 16 in one exclusive performance!

Tony Award winning actor, singer, dancer Karen Ziemba comes this Monday (August 16) to Cape May Stage as part of the popular Broadway Series! You may have seen Karen Ziemba when she starred on Broadway as Roxie Hart in "Chicago" or as Rita Racine in "Steel Pier" for which she received her first Tony Award nomination. She received another Tony Nomination for "Never
Gonna Dance" and won the Tony Award for Susan Stroman's production of "Contact" at Lincoln Center. Karen also appeared on Broadway in "A Chorus Line". Her first Broadway stage kiss was from Jerry Orbach in "Forty Second Street". She is seen frequently on television and in feature films and you can see her in the intimate Robert Shackleton Playhouse where the furthest seat is seven rows away. Your ticket also admits you to a special "after-party" at the Washington Inn Wine Bar with haute cuisine hors' d'oevres passed as you mingle with the star and her accompanist! These tickets are only $50 for the performance and the party!

The final two weeks of "Romance/Romance" are upon us! This sold-out hit continues to wow audiences with a stellar cast of Broadway veterans. Patrons at the theatre can't stop talking about the elegant production that starts in turn of the century Vienna and ends up in the Hamptons which looks a good deal like Cape May! We all need a little romance in our lives. Walking down the narrow winding streets of our little town and stopping at one of our fabulous restaurants before going to the theatre is a lovely way to have a romantic evening with your special someone. "Dinner-and-a show" is an affordable way to make that romantic night even more enjoyable. Visit capemaystage.com to see the participating restaurants and make a reservation right now!

Soon the highly anticipated return of Lynn Cohen in Samuel Beckett's "Happy Days" will be opening on the main stage. This play looks at a long-term relationship through the eyes of the most celebrated writer of the twentieth century. As we head into fall, we gear up for more challenging fare from this Nobel Prize winning writer! Get your dose of romance now and have your very soul touched later! Cape May Stage brings every aspect of theatrical experience to its stage!

Cape May Stage Lights Up with Romance, Music, Opera, and of course.... Magic!

"Romance/Romance" had a spectacular opening this past Thursday spreading the magic of romance throughout Cape May! Audiences can't stop talking about these Broadway performers. The theatre is magic and when something special happens everyone wants to see it!

Directed by Peter Reynolds and featuring the musical theater talents of Broadway’s Jennifer Evans (Ragtime¸ Jersey Boys), Charles Hagerty (Wicked, Les Miserables), Jeffrey C. Wolf (Cabaret, Cloud 9), and Nikol Wolf (Evita, Radio City Christmas Spectacular), Romance/Romance is a perfect combination for a summer night in historic Cape May, NJ. Romance/Romance, now playing Tuesdays- Sundays, pairs two distinctive one-acts to create an entertaining musical that explores the highs and lows of love.

The Second Stage Series picks up on that magic with a special family show today at 11:00 AM called Magic at the Cape that will astound both children and adults. This popular celebration of all things magical will be performed again next Wednesday, August 4 at the same time! Michael Russell Walsh and Johnny Mass wowed audiences last Christmas with their Grand Parlour Magic Show and they are back by popular demand!

The foibles of dating are explored by Cape May Stage's acting interns in Romantic Fools this Saturday night at 10:30 PM. These talented and attractive performers will tickle your funny bone - or some other body part! Have a drink and come to the show or start your evening at the show and get a coupon for a complimentary beverage at Cabanas! It's on us! Cape May Stage is a party! Join the fun!

Speaking of fun, get ready for Operation Adelmo on August 2. Noted operatic baritone Adelmo Guidarelli presents Operation Adelmo: The Clown Prince of Opera! In this raucous and hilarious show, Guidarelli entertains both die-hard opera lovers and self-avowed haters of the art. By weaving well-known arias with their pop culture counterparts, Guidarelli keeps the audience laughing. This operatic clown has sold out venues in New York and all over the world! We are so lucky to have his special brand of madness in Cape May!

The Broadway Series continues on Monday, August 9 with Emmy nominee Dominic Chianese who plays Uncle Junior on "The Sopranos". Did you know that even Mafia hit men have a soft romantic side? Hear Dominic sing Italian Songs from his Childhood interspersed with anecdotes about his acting career. It will be great fun!

Bravo Adelmo! Bravo Romance! Bravo Cape May Stage!!

Fill Your Summer with "Romance/Romance!!" (It'll make you feel good....)

As "I HATE HAMLET" ends this Saturday, the next play for Cape May Stage bounds on to the stage at the Robert Shackleton Theatre! "ROMANCE/ROMANCE" with book and lyrics by Barry Harman and music by Keith Herrmann is actually two small musicals. The first act is called "The Little Comedy" and takes place in turn of the century Vienna. The second act is called "Summer Share" and takes place on the beach in the Hamptons.

"ROMANCE/ROMANCE" features a cast of Broadway veterans including Charles Hagerty, Jennifer Evans, Jeffrey C. Wolf and Nikol Wolf. The director is Peter Reynolds who is the head of the musical theatre department at Temple University and is a well-known theatre professional in Philadelphia. His musical director is John Daniels who will be at the Walnut Street Theatre after leaving us. Nikol Wolf who assisted Susan Strohman on Broadway is our choreographer. The official opening is on July 22 with a gala after-party! Opening-nighters are treated to a special party where they get to rub shoulders with the actors and designers and director. Come be part of the party and celebrate romance!

Once again, PNC Arts Alive is offering a special half-price Senior Night on July 25th! What a wonderful opportunity for those over 62 to see a romantic musical at the height of the season for a reduced price and, as an added bonus, composer Keith Herrmann will be featured in a post-show discussion immediately after the performance.

The Second Stage brings magic to Cape May Stage on July 28th at 11 AM. Magic has its roots in ancient China and India. It is mentioned throughout the Bible! The Second Stage is known for bringing the best family entertainment to Cape May. Our interns perform a nostalgic look at Cape May in the 1950s in their "Cape May Kids" written by Marlena Lustik who plays Lillian Troy in "I Hate Hamlet". Children laugh at the antics of these kids as their parents and grandparents remember a time before cell phones and ipods. Skeeball was the activity of choice and cars had no seat belts or air conditioning. Seems like another century, doesn’t it…. Oh yeah, it was!

The magic of romance and the magic of theatre combined with actual magic on the stage of the Robert Shackleton Playhouse make July a very special month for Cape May Stage! Be a part of it! For reservations call 884-1341 or go to capemaystage.com and order online. It's like magic!

Acting Interns light up Cape May Stage in Two Separate Productions this Summer

The word has spread that Cape May Stage attracts the highest level of talent in the state and requests from students to watch our process have come pouring in. For the first time, Cape May Stage is producing shows cast entirely from our acting interns and stage managed by our stage management interns.

We have interns from North Carolina, Nevada, Connecticut and Philadelphia as well as local students in Cape May. They will perform family entertainment called “Cape May Kids” written by Marlena Lustik about Cape May in the 1950s that is nostalgic for grandparents and hilarious for children. That show will be performed on Monday mornings through August 16 at 10 AM right inside the Robert Shackleton Playhouse.

Rich Orloff’s “Romantic Fools” will be performed by our interns after the main stage production on Saturday nights in July. These comic vignettes about dating are the perfect way to start or end an evening! Tickets to this show get you a free drink and free admission to Cabanas on the beach! Come see “I Hate Hamlet” or “Romance/Romance” and stay for this sexy and fun show! Or just come for “Romantic Fools” and have a romantic dinner first!

On July 12, Mary Testa is back with another extraordinary evening. This is part of our popular “Broadway Series” of extraordinary stars coming to Cape May. Last season she was the hit of the summer. Mary Testa is a two time Tony Award nominee and she will be appearing with two time Tony Award winner Michael Starobin whose orchestrations for ”Next To Normal” just won the Pulitzer Prize. After the show the entire audience is invited to the Washington Inn at their new wine bar. Come meet Mary Testa and Michael Starobin while feasting on tempting morsels and sampling new and interesting vintages!

The Second Stage always has something exciting to offer! Come see what all of the excitement is all about!

"I Hate Hamlet" Has Audiences Exploding with Laughter!

That roar your hear most evenings walking past Cape May Stage is not the ocean (though it is only a few blocks away). "I Hate Hamlet" has audiences exploding with laughter and there are only a few weeks left to see one of the best casts ever assembled on that stage. David Birney is priceless as the ghost of Barrymore and John Patrick Hayden brings his expert timing and considerable charm to his hilarious character of Andrew Rally. Broadway veteran and now Cape May resident, Marlena Lustik affects a German accent and a sensuality to seduce the ghost of Barrymore that is spell-binding. Another beloved Cape May resident and veteran of feature films, Kate McCauley Hathaway has audiences convulsing with laughter as the séance leader/real estate agent Felicia Dantine! Anthony Reimer is perfect as the LA TV director and Karis Danish is sweet and hysterical as Andrew's girlfriend, Deidre. These artists play as an ensemble that is like a well-tuned clock! See "I Hate Hamlet" and then come back on a Monday night for our Second Stage!

The Second Stage presents "And Where She Stops Nobody Knows" with two time Emmy nominee James Reynolds and his wife Lissa Layng in this unpublished play by Oliver Hailey on July 5! This poignant and funny play is the story of a woman whose search for love introduces her to everyone from cannibals to lunatics. Many Cape May residents have said they can share similar tales! Reynolds and Layng are artistic directors of The Fremont Theatre Center in South Pasadena, California. James Reynolds is perhaps best known for playing Abe Carver on NBC's "Days of Our Lives". It is there that he first met Cape May Stage Artistic Director Roy Steinberg. Lissa Layng wowed audiences here last season in the award winning "A Woman Of Independent Means" which has toured internationally. They are together on stage for this one night only. This evening was chosen to launch the Broadway Series, which has Tony and Emmy Award nominees from Hollywood and New York performing in the intimate venue that is Cape May Stage! Special subscriptions offer $50 savings!

The extraordinary Mary Testa is next up in the Broadway Series! This two time Tony Award nominee is a powerhouse that lights up the stage. Her "Sleepless Variations" last season was talked about all year long. Mary Testa is delightful and funny and unpredictable but always entertaining! Mary Testa burst on the scene in William Finn's "In Trousers" and is a frequent collaborator with him and the most important composers of our day. You can see her on July 11 in another tour-de-force! This Broadway Series is the best value anywhere for seeing world-class artists for a fraction of what you would pay in New York! Cape May offers the added bonus of a free performance and our lovely town with its glorious beach and charming winding streets is the cure for whatever ails you!

Come to Cape May Stage and find out why we were voted "Best Theatre in Cape May County" by "Cape May Magazine" and capemay.com in 2009. We were also voted the Best Theatre in South Jersey by the People's Choice Awards and top three in the state! If you are in Cape May, Cape May Stage is a must!