ATG's HIMSELF AND NORA Begins Performances Tonight

The full cast of Jonathan Brielle's new musical Himself and Nora has been announced. Joining the previously announced Matt Bogart, Jessica Burrows and David Arthur are Cole Burden (25th Anniversary Production Les Miserables) and LiAnne Marie Dobbs (A Tree Grows in Brooklyn). The show comes direct from its success at the 2012 New York Musical Theatre Festival. Previews begin tonight, April 24 with opening night slated for April 27.

Director Michael Bush brings to life Himself and Nora, a passionate, bawdy, funny and uplifting new musical that sings the true story of one of the great love affairs of the 20th century that changed the face of literature forever. Himself...the brilliant and hard drinking Irish novelist James Joyce, Nora...the earthy chambermaid Nora Barnacle who became his lover, his partner, and his muse for 29 years. Himself and Nora sings a contemporary love story, which survived their exile from their beloved Ireland, the condemnation of the Catholic church, and ultimately helped to create some of the greatest writing of the 20th century. Himself and Nora is alive with intelligent and witty tunes by Brielle with an inspiring and original score that ranges from raucously funny to movingly poignant. Broadway's Matt Bogart of Jersey Boys fame and Jessica Burrows, one of theater's fastest rising stars who was honored with the Outstanding Performance Award as Nora, in the NYMF production of Himself and Nora will recreate their roles for this premiere. David Arthur, Cole Burden and LiAnne Marie Dobbs are also featured.

An earlier version of Himself and Nora first produced at The Old Globe in San Diego was honored with a National Endowment Award and then a performance at The James Joyce Center in Dublin. American Theater Group's Co-Founders and Co-Producing Artistic Directors James N. Vagias, Rick Sordelet, and Joe Mancuso saw the Tritone Production under the direction of Michael Bush at the acclaimed New York Musical Theatre Festival which has been the launching pad for a remarkable number of successes in New York and around the world. To date, festival productions have led to further life on Broadway, Off-Broadway, regionally (in 44 states) and internationally (in 16 countries) for such shows as Altar Boyz,, The Big Voice: God or Merman?, Captain Louie, The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Gutenberg! The Musical, Meet John Doe, Midlife (the Crisis Musical), Nerds, Rooms, Shout! the Mod Musical, Yank!, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Next to Normal.

American Theater Group is an ambitious new performing arts company launched in 2012 that offers musicals and spoken plays, a new musical reading series and theater education at the newly built Hamilton Stage. Its focus is on producing new and classical works, primarily by American Playwrights, with an emphasis on the development of new works and the rediscovery of undeservedly neglected older ones. It is truly fitting that ATG's first offering is not only by a new voice on the American musical theater stage but a resident of Tewksbury, New Jersey, Jonathan Brielle.

American Theater Group will aim to make theater's glorious possibilities accessible to the diverse surrounding community of Rahway and the region, and to maintain a nurturing environment for playwrights, actors and theatrical designers and technicians to develop and hone their works.

Performances are Wednesday, April 24, 8:00 PM; Thursday, April 25, 8:00 PM; Friday April 26, 8:00 PM; Saturday, April 27, 8:00 PM; Sunday, April 28, 3:00 PM; Wednesday, May 1, 8:00 PM; Thursday, May 2, 8:00 PM; Friday, May 3, 8:00 PM; Saturday May 4, 8:00 PM; Sunday, May 5, 3:00 PM; Wednesday, May 8, 8:00 PM; Thursday May 9, 8:00 PM; Friday, May 10, 8:00 PM; Saturday, May 11, 8:00 PM and Sunday, May 12, 3:00 PM.

American Theater Group's home is the new intimate new 199-seat Hamilton Stage at 360 Hamilton Street in Rahway New Jersey. Hamilton Stage is governed and operated by the Union County Performing Arts Center. Tickets to all American Theater Group events can be purchased at the UC PAC Box Office.

Tickets are $20 & 35.

3 Ways to Purchase Tickets:

1. Online - visit our virtual Box Office and purchase tickets 24 hours a day
2. By Phone - call the UC PAC Box Office at 732- 499-8226
3. In Person - visit the UC PAC Box Office at 1601 Irving Street, Rahway

UC PAC accepts cash, check (with ID), American Express, Visa, MasterCard & Discover Card

Box Office Hours Monday - Closed; Tuesday - 11am-5pm; Wednesday - 11am-5pm
Thursday - 11am - 8pm; Friday - 11am - 5pm; Saturday - Closed; Sunday - Closed
Or, by request. You may contact the UC PAC Box Office and make an appointment that is convenient for you to purchase tickets.

The Box Office is open 2 hours prior to every performance. If you are purchasing tickets on the day of an event, note that online sales end two hours prior to the performance. All purchases must be processed through the UC PAC Box Office either over the phone or in person after that time.

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