Luna Stage Announces 20th Anniversary Celebration

Luna Stage will celebrate 20 years of producing provocative and challenging works for the stage by honoring founder and artistic director Jane Mandel with a celebration on Thursday, June 6th, 2013 at the Club at Orange Lawn in South Orange.

Luna Stage's 20th Anniversary Celebration, a fundraiser featuring cocktails, dinner, Silent Auction & performances, is both a celebration of the theatre's vast accomplishments and a tribute to Mandel whose vision and passion has been the guiding force of the company since its inception. After twenty years as Artistic Director of Luna Stage, Jane Mandel has decided to step down at the close of the 2012-2013 season to allow herself time to spend with family and to explore other creative endeavors. She will be succeeded by Associate Artistic Director, and long-time Director of Play Development, Cheryl Katz. Mandel will remain associated with the theater as an artist and advisor.

Luna Stage spent seventeen years in Montclair, first in a small space on Oak Place and then in a larger facility on Bloomfield Avenue. The theater earned a national reputation for producing a diverse body of work including the world premieres of new plays by emerging American writers (The Man in Room 306 by Craig Alan Edwards (1995), The Flame Keeper by Amos Kamil (1998), Rapture by Jeanne Marshall (2000), The Whipping Man by Matthew Lopez (2006), Honor and The River by Anton Dudley (2007), The Dangers Of Electric Lighting by Ben Clawson (2011) among others), devised work, and re-imagined classic and contemporary plays. In 2010, Luna moved to West Orange to become the anchor in the emerging Valley Arts District of Orange and West Orange. Since moving to West Orange the company has expanded it's programming to include Jazz, Comedy, community projects and theatre classes, while continuing its mission of producing theatre that illuminates the diverse perspectives in our society.

The board of directors and staff of Luna Stage are dedicated, energized and inspired to carry Mandel's vision into another 20 years of outstanding productions, innovative programming and community engagement. Luna Stage's 20th Anniversary Celebration will include a special presentation to HANDS, Inc. which has supported Luna Stage since their move to the Valley Arts District. For ticket and sponsorship information or to donate an item for the Silent Auction, please contact Lauri Masur at 973-696-3783 or lauri@cdkevents.com, or visit www.lunastage.org.