Dreamcatcher Participates In Stages Festival

New Jersey Theatre Alliance and Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre will collaborate to present a number of events during the Alliance's Stages Festival, the state's largest annual theatre festival that provides free and discounted theatre events for all ages throughout the month of March. Most events are free and open to the public.

The Dreamcatcher Cabaret will visit the Wyckoff Public Library on Friday, March 8 at 7 pm. Singers will perform favorite songs from standards to Broadway, including such hits as Smile, Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Something to Live For, and Swingin' on a Star. They will be accompanied on piano by Dan Crisci, a Maplewood native and jazz musician and composer. This performance is free.

On March 15, 16 and 17, the outreach production of Mi Casa Tu Casa will be performed at various locations throughout the state. Mi Casa Tu Casa is a bilingual blend of music and folktales for the entire family. Musicians and storytellers are your guides on this journey through time, place, and imagination. Mi Casa Tu Casa was co-created by Michael Aquino, Deivis Garcia, Jane Mandel, and Dania Ramos. Mi Casa Tu Casa offers favorite tales and songs in an hour-long show that celebrates joy and magic found throughout the year.

Mi Casa Tu Casa will be presented at three venues: on March 15 at the Van Buren Branch of the Newark Public Library at 4 pm; on March 16 at the Newark Public Library/Centennial Hall at 1 pm; and on March 17 at Appel Farm in Elmer, NJ at 2 pm. All performances are free.

Astonishment, an outreach production for seniors and their families, will be performed at the Ocean County Library in Lavallette on March 20 at 7 pm. Adapted from a book of essays written by nonagenarian Jan Slepian, this staged reading is performed by three actresses who bring to life the experience of getting older, from the ridiculous to the sublime. This performance is free.

For information about any of the shows, visit: www.stagesfestival.org. Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre is located in Summit, NJ at the Oakes Center, 120 Morris Avenue. We produce a year-round season that includes mainstage productions, new play readings, improv comedy, cabaret and education and outreach programs for all ages. For more information about Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre, visit www.dreamcatcherrep.org.

The Stages Festival offers dozens of performances, workshops, classes, and events at theatres, art centers, libraries, schools, senior centers, and other community venues throughout the state. The program was developed to encourage New Jersey's residents to attend their local professional theatres by making the experience affordable, accessible, and fun.

"The Alliance is grateful that Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre is participating in the 2019 Stages Festival," said John McEwen, Executive Director of the Alliance. "For 22 years, Stages has provided theatrical experiences for thousands of residents across New Jersey. These efforts would not be made possible without the wonderful help of our partners such as Dreamcatcher."

About Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre

Dreamcatcher was founded in 1994 as a non-profit professional ensemble of actors. The mission of our professional ensemble of actors is to build community with our audience by sharing contemporary, life-affirming stories that challenge, energize and entertain. We seek to expose theatregoers to ideas and lives like and unlike their own, to awaken their imaginations and create empathy for others. The company focuses on deepening the experience of our patrons by supplementing the performances with personal contact through receptions, talkbacks and interactive programs.

Dreamcatcher's core company of professional local actors performs contemporary work that has at its heart a belief in the essential goodness of people. The company's activities include mainstage productions, improv comedy and cabarets, new play readings and a variety of educational and senior outreach programs.

Dreamcatcher's programs are funded by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts; the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation; the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders; The Summit Area Public Foundation; and many other corporations, foundations and individuals. Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre is an Equity Producing Theatre member of the New Jersey Theatre Alliance.

About the New Jersey Theatre Alliance

Founded in 1981, New Jersey Theatre Alliance was the first statewide service organization for professional, not-for-profit theatre companies in the United States, and is now a leader in developing model programs that foster collaboration, cooperation, and audience development. The Stages Festival is a project of New Jersey Theatre Alliance. Major funding is also provided by New Jersey State Council on the Arts, Bank of America, The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, and MidAtlantic Arts Council. Additional support is provided by individuals, corporations, and foundations such as Atlantic Health System, Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, George A. Ohl, Jr. Trust, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation & OceanFirst Foundation.

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