Interview: Bonnie J. Monte and SHAW! SHAW! SHAW! by The Shakespeare Theatre of NJ-10/14 to 10/25

Live theatre will be presented once again by The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (STNJ) with Shaw! Shaw! Shaw! It will be performed at the Company's Back Yard Stage in Florham Park from 10/14 to 10/25. Bonnie J. Monte, STNJ's artistic director and the show's director, has compiled three of George Bernard Shaw's treasured one-act plays for the production. The show will create an evening that will lift the spirits and transport audiences back in time to witness woes that were no greater than those caused by wooing, flirting, and outrageous passion.

Shaw! Shaw! Shaw! comes on the heels of the STNJ'S successful August production of Crazy Love! that captivated audiences and received critical acclaim including a review by the New York Times that coined the event, "Medicine for the play-starved soul."

The program for Shaw! Shaw! Shaw! consists of Village Wooing that follows the tale of two young people who meet on the deck of an ocean liner, and then "find" each other many months later in a small English village; Passion, Poison, and Petrifaction or The Fatal Gazogene is a wildly funny, preposterous, and highly implausible tale of a doomed bohemian love triangle; and Overruled follows the fanciful and somewhat risqué flirtations of two couples as they rendezvous and collide in a fancy seaside resort in early 1900s England.

(Photo Credit: Socially distanced theatergoers, seated more than 25 feet from the lip of the stage, watching Crazy Love! by Nina Westervelt for The New York Times)

Broadwayworld.com had the pleasure of chatting with Bonnie J. Monte about the upcoming production.

We wondered how playwright George Bernard Shaw's works were selected for the show. Ms. Monte told us that she looked for pieces that are available in the public domain. She also believed that the three plays would bring "absolute delight" to the audience members.

The cast of Shaw! Shaw! Shaw! features STNJ's "Shrewd Mechanicals," a company of eight non-Equity actors, all of whom have been isolated together in company housing since the pandemic began. They are the same actors who dazzled the audience in Crazy Love! Ms. Monte was very complimentary of the troupe that she is now in the midst of directing. She told us that they are a dedicated group of performers with an impressive level of artistic maturity.

Ms. Monte pointed out that the venue has also made some improvements to accommodate audience members at the Back Yard Stage including adding more seating pods for larger groups while maintaining the six feet spacing between pods for social distancing, enhancing light and sound capability, and installing solar lights on the pathway from the parking lot to the seating area. There will also be improvements to the gift shop and concessions.

There are other exciting events coming up at The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. Their "Shakespeare Book Club" that begins on 10/6 and the Costume, Prop, and Much, Much More Sale is on October 24. For more information, visit https://www.shakespearenj.org/.

Shaw! Shaw! Shaw! runs from October 14 - 25, Wednesday through Sunday, with all performances at 7pm with Sunday matinees at 4pm. Tickets start at $30. The performance will last approximately 90 minutes and all seating is socially distanced, following recommended guidelines. Audiences will surely enjoy the clear, cool autumn evenings at the Back Yard Stage. Bring low chairs and picnic blankets. Masks must be worn except when eating or drinking. For ticketing, contact STNJ's Box Office at (973) 408-5600.

The complete schedule is as follows:

Wednesday, October 14 at 7:00 p.m.

Thursday, October 15 at 7:00 p.m.

Friday, October 16 at 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, October 17 at 7:00 p.m.

Sunday, October 18 at 4:00 p.m.

Sunday, October 18 at 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday, October 21 at 7:00 p.m.

Thursday, October 22 at 7:00 p.m.

Friday, October 23 at 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, October 24 at 7:00 p.m.

Sunday, October 25 at 4:00 p.m.

Sunday, October 25 at 7:00 p.m.

Photo Credit: Bonnie J Monte, courtesy of The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey

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