Plays By People finally made its triumphant return as an in-person event this year! Not only that, but for the first time this year we had two performances of this exciting event. The first performance was where it traditionally is, at the Robert Schonhorn Arts Center at Matheny on the last Saturday of March. The second performance this year was at the North Avenue Academic Building (NAAB) at Kean University on the first Sunday of April.
Five Arts Access playwrights were featured in this year’s event:
Jess Evans debuted her play “A Miracle Happened That Day,” a story about a young woman who suffers an accident and the kind paramedic who dedicates himself to ensuring that she is safe and comfortable.
Cheryl Chapin presented her play “Apartment 2B,” a story about a young couple who decide to move in together, and all the challenges and opportunities that brings them.
Chris Saglimbene shared an excerpt of his play “Batman,” which puts a new spin on a classic hero. The adventure begins when a police officer and her son move to Gotham to help the local police force rebuild after the city finally purged itself of all the dirty cops.
Mike Cornely presented the first installment of his series “The Adventures of LN Man,” a story about a superhero who discovers new technology to enhance his powers.
Luis Rodriguez premiered his play, “Rosemary,” a story about young love that is marred by drama when the protagonist’s parents send him to juvie, separating him from his beloved girlfriend.
After the performances, the playwrights joined the actors on stage for a Q & A session. The audiences had great questions for them about their creative process, inspiration, and overall experience with the Stages Festival.
We are so grateful for everyone who attended, those who worked both onstage and behind the scenes here at Arts Access and at Premiere Stages at Kean University, the New Jersey Theatre Alliance for organizing the Stages Festival, and this year’s phenomenal actors, Ashley Nicole Baptiste, José Fernando Gonzalez-Vidal, Lisa Marie Burgos, and Jonathan Spivey.
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This event is part of the New Jersey Theatre Alliance 2023 Stages Festival, made possible by support from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts; The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey; OceanFirst Foundation; Fund for the New Jersey Blind; New Jersey Manufacturers; and Customers Bank.
