Review: JERSEY VOICES at The Chatham Playhouse

Last night, in their 97th Season, The Chatham Community Players performed the closing show of their 24th Annual "Jersey Voices" showcase which consists of one-act plays by New Jersey Playwrights.

This years works were written by Tom Baum ("Free Pass"), Brianna Keller ("Romance 101"), Jerrod Bogard ("Foster"), Judy Klass (Bug Rescuing"), Luigi Jannuzzi ("Squirrel Tames Human"), Nicole Pandolfo ("The King") and Tom Tunnington ("The Rub of the Green").

"Jersey Voices" offers an array of colorful pieces that evoke different emotions. The program opened with "Free Pass" where we meet a man who is attempting to date again after his wife has passed away. In "The Rub of the Green" an older gentleman has a conversation with an old friend he fought in the war with. A man claiming to be the real Elvis Presley in "The King" pleads with an Elvis impersonator to let him get onstage and finish his show. An odd couple comedically debate whether or not they should be dating one another because of their different personalities in "Bug Rescuing." A young man bravely enters an all female book club in "Romance 101" and finds love. Two parents deal with the painful decision about giving up a child whom they've fostered for 5 years because of issues they've had with him in "Foster." The program concluded with "Squirrel Tames Human," a hilarious and cute piece about a conversion between two squirrels discussing their everyday antics.

The cast included Gordon Wiener, Cheryl Sarkaria, Howard Fischer, Bradley Carrington, Jeff Maschi, Dominick DeNucci, Jackie Jacobi, Matt McCarthy, Colleen Grundfest, Sharon Quinn, Julie Anne Nolan, Jessica Phelan, Melinda DelPizzo, Jean Kuras, Derek Simmons, Chip Prestera and Paula Ehrenberg.

The different works were directed by Arnold Buchiane ("Free Pass"), Elizabeth Rogers ("The Rub of the Green"), Steve Ruskin ("The King"), Lauri MacMillan (Bug Rescuing"), George Seylaz ("Romance 101"), Joann Lopresti Scanlon ("Foster"), Eleanor Anderson ("Foster") and Severn Cameron ("Squirrel Tames Human").

There was a talk back after the show where the audience was able to ask the actors, directors and writers and questions they had. Some audience members even told their own personal stories and explained how certain pieces hit home for them.

The Chatham Playhouse is located at 23 North Passaic Avenue in Chatham, New Jersey.

Keep an eye out for their next production, "A Christmas Carol" this December.

For more information on tickets and subscriptions please visit www.chathamplayers.org or call 973-635-7363.

Photo Credit: The Chatham Community Players

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