Jeremy Jordan, Christiane Noll & More Will Take Part in Kick-Off Concert for SOMA Stage

SOMA Stage (Dana Spialter, Producing Artistic Director and Founder) have just announced its launch as a brand new non-profit theater company based out of the South Orange and Maplewood, NJ area with a kick-off concert set for Labor Day, Monday, September 5th at 4:30p.m. The concert will take place at the Springfield Avenue Gazebo in Maplewood, NJ. More information about SOMA Stage can be found on the website: www.somastage.org.

Often coined "where Broadway comes home to sleep," South Orange and Maplewood (or, SOMA) has an abundance of Broadway community members from actors and directors to writers and musicians. SOMA Stage was formed by Dana Spialter in order to provide the local professional theater artists with a creative home in their backyard and allow the entire community to support and enjoy the talent of their neighbors. In addition to offering concerts and masterclasses, the company will have a primary focus on supporting and developing new works, with the highlight of their programming being an annual reading series.

"There is something really special about SOMA," says Producing Artistic Director and Founder, Dana Spialter." She continues, "with all of the theater professionals who live in our community as well as the close proximity to NYC, being only a short 35 minute train ride away, it is the perfect place to be an incubator for new theatrical shows. My goal is that over time, SOMA Stage will become one of the next major players for the development of new works."

All of the performers for the kick-off concert are local to the SOMA area. The full cast includes: Whitney Bashor (MJ the Musical), Mark Evans (Mrs. Doubtfire), Becky Gulsvig (Come From Away), Laurel Harris (Jagged Little Pill), Lauren Hooper (Ragtime), Jeremy Jordan (Newsies), Ross Lekites (Tina: The Tina Turner Musical), Rob Marnell (Beautiful - The Carole King Musical), Ginna Claire Mason (Wicked), Kat Nejat (West Side Story), Christiane Noll (Dear Evan Hansen), Allison Posner (The Magnificent Seven), Ashley Spencer (Rock of Ages), Ben Thompson (Waitress), and Jared Zirilli (Summer). Musical direction will be by John O'Neill (Harmony), also a local resident.

EVENT DETAILS

SOMA Stage's launch concert will be presented in partnership with Maplewood Division of Arts and Culture as a free town event on Monday, September 5th (Labor Day) at 4:30pm at the Springfield Avenue Gazebo in Maplewood, NJ.

There is a suggested donation of $15 per person which will go directly to future programming presented by SOMA Stage.

BIOGRAPHY

Dana Spialter (Producing Artistic Director, Founder) most recently worked as the Creative Coordinator to acclaimed Broadway producers Barry and Fran Weissler, focusing on developing new works as well as supporting their long-standing shows (Chicago, Waitress, etc.) through casting and other creative endeavors. She has produced concerts of Broadway talent at 54 Below and Webster Hall, and as a performer, was seen across the country as Crissy on the national tour of HAIR. Dana recently moved to Maplewood with her Broadway actor husband and their two year old daughter.