Jersey City Theater Center to Present NEW PLAY FESTIVAL This Month

Jersey City Theater Center (JCTC) will present a series of performances and readings of new plays, in collaboration with the New Jersey Theatre Alliance Stages Festival.

From Thursday, May 18 through Sunday, May 21, 2023, JCTC will host four events at Jersey City Theater Center, (165 Newark Ave, Jersey City, NJ 07302 / Entrance from Barrow St., Jersey City, NJ, 07302).

Performances include: The Day's Night by Rana Sajadi, directed by Hannah Hill (Thursday, May 18/7:30PM); Echoes of a Lost Son by Chima Chikazunga (Friday, May 19/7:30PM); The 75 by Anne Valentino, The General by David Taylor Little, Hideaway by Miri Fry Cohen (Sunday, May 20/4:00PM) and I Saw a Fruit Tree without Its Roots by Emma Lai, directed by Seonjae Kim (Sunday, May 20/6:00PM). The New Play Festival is curated by Catalina Florescu and Mark Cirnigliaro.

Tickets start at just $10 and are available at www.JCTCenter.org.

"JCTC's New Play Festival 2023: Resilience features a collection of exciting works by both emerging and established playwrights, exploring the theme of resilience in various contexts," said Olga Levina, Executive Director at JCTC. "The theme of resilience is particularly timely and resonant given the challenges we have all faced over the past couple of years: wars, destruction, economic challenges, and a pandemic. The festival lineup includes seven new plays showcasing a diverse range of voices and perspectives, highlighting the strength and resilience of individuals and communities in the face of adversity."

The Day's Night by Rana Sajadi, directed by Hannah Hill

Staged Reading

Thursday, May 18, 2023; 7:30PM

Synopsis: This is a story about the pressure and control that certain external powers have on us. Since we are all surrounded by many hidden boundaries that are affecting who we really are, moving forward, should we choose darkness & absurdity, or affirmations & love?

Echoes of a Lost Son by Chima Chikazunga

Staged Reading; Q&A

Friday, May 19, 2023; 7:30PM

Synopsis: A decade after losing a loved one, the relationship between a healing mother and her daughter-in-law is tested when a woman walks into their life claiming to have a child with the man they both lost in the 9/11 attacks.

The 75 by Anne Valentino

The General by David Taylor Little

Hideaway by Miri Fry Cohen

Directed by Josie Harding

Staged Readings; Q&A

Sunday, May 21, 2023; 4:00PM

The 75 by Anne Valentino

Synopsis: What does a country look like when almost all books have been banned? The play examines a world in the not-too-distant future in which extreme censorship is all too real and literature and culture have been ravaged by conservative utilitarianism.

The General by David Taylor Little

Synopsis: Peter and George are facing a crossroads in their relationship. Will an impromptu trip on the Staten Island Ferry help them mend their broken fences?

Hideaway by Miri Fry Cohen

Synopsis: Nira and Dan, a couple, are pregnant for the first time. They are on the brink of leaving Israel to make a new future in Canada. A meeting with an old woman makes Nira think of a different kind of escape.

I Saw a Fruit Tree without Its Roots by Emma Lai, directed by Seonjae Kim

Staged Reading; Q&A

Sunday, May 21, 2023; 6:00PM

Synopsis: A gentle play about the strength that centers around Julie and David, two Asian childhood best friends who are in their last year of high school. Processing their internalized White superiority, the characters come together to overcome their hurt and find love.

These events are a part of the New Jersey Theatre Alliance 2022 Stages Festival, made possible by support from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts; Bank of America; The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey; OceanFirst Foundation; New Jersey Historical Commission. www.njtheatrealliance.org/stages

About the Stages Festival

The Stages Festival is a state-wide spring festival of free and low-cost theatre events for all ages including performances, classes, workshops, and play readings. The Stages Festival is designed to showcase the diversity and excellence of New Jersey theatre, to break down barriers of cost and access, and to introduce new audiences to the work of our member theatres. From readings of new plays to touring children's shows, participatory workshops to community discussions, the Stages Festival offers something for everyone!

About Jersey City Theater Center

Jersey City Theater Center (JCTC) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) arts organization committed to inspiring conversations about important issues of our times through the arts. Co-founded by Executive Producer Olga Levina, an immigrant from Belarus, Jersey City Theater Center (JCTC) produces and presents universal yet locally relevant works, emphasizing social justice and human rights. Since 2006, JCTC has provided a platform for all artistic voices to be heard in Jersey City, with the aim of sparking meaningful cross-cultural dialogue that helps build a greater understanding, mutual respect and better communities in New Jersey.

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