New Jersey Theatre Alliance to Honor Colleagues & More at CURTAIN CALL, 10/21

New Jersey Theatre Alliance, the service organization for the state's professional theatres, will celebrate with their member theatres, friends and supporters at Curtain Call on Monday, October 21st at Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, NJ.

Curtain Call will continue the tradition of spotlighting honorees that personify excellence in theatre production, performance and support, including Princeton's McCarter Theatre Center, Trenton's Passage Theatre Company and William V. Engel, Esq of Basking Ridge for his ongoing support of the Alliance and many of its member theatres.

"We are delighted to honor William Engel, McCarter and Passage Theatres," says the Alliance's Executive Director John McEwen. "Each one has made New Jersey a better place to live and work. McCarter and Passage are both known for their artistic excellence, but they also personify the mission of the Alliance with their supportive and collaborative nature. William Engel has been a longtime supporter of the Alliance and its mission, and we are so happy to be able to thank him publicly."

"I am pleased to support the Alliance for the vital role it plays in the cultural life of New Jersey," says Engel. "The Alliance is a central resource for the many theaters in our state which provide so much enjoyment and education to our residents, as well as assisting our economy. All of these benefits would be much more difficult without the efforts of the Alliance."

Alliance member's McCarter Theatre Center and Passage Theatre are being honored for both their artistic excellence, and their long-standing collaborations. McCarter's Associate Artistic Director Adam Immerwahr has been Passage's Resident Director for a number of years, and directed six shows on their mainstage. Many McCarter staff members have been valuable contributors to Passage, both onstage and off; Artistic Director Emily Mann is on Passage Theatre's advisory board; McCarter interns have worked with Passage over the years, either directing for the mainstage, working with the State Street Project or working with the Passage's Play Lab. Passage has hosted three productions from McCarter's education program, and David Lee White, Associate Artistic Director of Passage, was a guest artist for several years with McCarter's YouThInk Program.

"For many years, we have been thrilled to share our corner of New Jersey with our friends at McCarter Theatre," says June Ballinger, Executive Artistic Director of Passage Theatre Company. "We are equally thrilled to be sharing this honor from the New Jersey Theatre Alliance. The Alliance has been a friend to New Jersey theatres and artists for 32 years. They, and the staff of McCarter Theatre, are truly valuable colleagues that make producing theatre in Mercer County a genuine pleasure. We are honored and humbled by this recognition."

"McCarter Theatre Center is so pleased to receive this recognition, and particularly pleased that its happening in conjunction with Passage Theatre Company," says Managing Director Timothy J. Shields. "Over the years, our partnership with Passage has meant so much to McCarter. We join the Alliance in congratulating Passage for all of their achievements and for what they have meant to the greater Trenton community."

The event includes a wine-tasting, dancing, and a silent auction. Some items - including four tickets to see Tony Award winner Matilda The Musical, with a VIP limo ride and dinner at NY's iconic Sardi's restaurant, a catered Super-Bowl party in your own home, and a guest DJ slot on WBGO in Newark - are available for bidding through Bidding for Good - http://www.biddingforgood.com/NJTheatreAlliance.

Proceeds from the event will help strengthen the Alliance's critical role as a resource for the state's theatre and arts community, and to advance the Alliance's growing programs to benefit children, people with disabilities and the theatre-going public.

Founded in 1981, the award-winning New Jersey Theatre Alliance has supported the growth and development of the current roster of 32 professional member theatres through innovative programs and services, and has been a major contributor to promoting the vibrant cultural scene in New Jersey. The Alliance offers programs that make the arts accessible to all members of the community regardless of geographic or economic constraints, including the popular month-long annual Stages Festival (formerly known as Family Week at the Theatre) as well as njArtsTix.org - a virtual ticket booth on the web. The Alliance's year-old Artist Member program now boasts over 100 individual members including actors, directors, playwrights, designers and stage managers.

The Alliance also supports its membership as well as other arts organizations in the state - through the Cultural Access Network Project, a co-sponsored program with the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State - as they work to make their programming accessible to persons with disabilities.

The community has been an enthusiastically supporter of the Theatre Alliance and the Curtain Call event. In addition to Producing Sponsor Prudential Foundation, other sponsors include Engel & Devlin, P.C., Bank of America and Springpoint Senior Living Foundation.

To learn more about the impact of the New Jersey Theatre Alliance and its membership, watch the Alliance's "Growing Theatre in the Garden State" video at www.njtheatrealliance.org or on YouTube at http://goo.gl/6W35b.

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