Passage Theater Opens 24th Season With LOVE AND COMMUNICATION 10/7-24

Passage Theatre, Trenton's only professional theater company, will open its 2010-2011 season with Love and Communication, a new play by Princeton resident James J. Christy. Directed by Adam Immerwahr, the production will run from October 7 through October 24 at the historic Mill Hill Playhouse in Trenton.

A married couple finds themselves in a byzantine world of internet gurus, school administrators, ethically-challenged teachers and one another in their efforts to get through to their autistic child. This surprising, sharp and witty play by Princeton resident James J. Christy is an incisive look at marriage, parenthood and the lengths we will go to reach the ones we love. Love and Communications is another premiere work from the Passage Theatre Playwrights Lab.

The play addresses the public and private struggles that come with confronting and treating autism. Executive Artistic Director June Ballinger said, "While the play involves a timely topic that affects an increasing number of families in New Jersey, it also reflects deeper and broader themes applicable to everyone. Love and Communication is about the 'disconnect' present when people under intense pressure are unable or unwilling to understand the perspective of others. The mysteries inherent to autism (its causes, the social impacts) reflect larger questions about how human beings related to one another."

Love and Communication runs October 7 through October 24 with performance Thursday through Sunday at the historic Mill Hill Playhouse, at 205 E. Front Street in downtown Trenton. Security-guarded on-street parking is available along the park (regardless of signage) directly in front of the theater. Tickets range from $20 to $30. For more information, call Passage Theatre Company at (609) 392-0766 or go to www.passagetheatre.org.

Tickets can also be purchased at the Passage Theatre Office: 219 East Hanover Street in Trenton, Monday through Friday from 12:00 pm - 5:30 pm or at the box office, one hour before each performance at the Mill Hill Playhouse.

About James J. Christy
James J. Christy's first full-length play Never Tell was produced by Broken Watch Theatre Company in August 2006 and was published by Playscripts Inc. in April 2007. His short play Creep, which won the Actors Theater of Louisville's Heideman Award for best short play in 2001, has been published in multiple anthologies and produced throughout the U.S. and Canada. His play A Great War was part of the Phoenix New Works Conference in July 2010. Love and Communication was selected for Playpenn Playwrights conference in July 2010.

About Adam Immerwahr
Adam Immerwahr's off-Broadway credits include the world premiere of The Chimes by Kevin Christopher Snipes for the 2009 NYC Summer Play Festival, the world premiere of Missing Celia Rose by Ian August for the 2007 NYC Summer Play Festival, and the world premiere of Spirit Sex: a Paranormal Romance by Desi Moreno-Penson for The River Crosses Rivers: Short Plays by Women Playwrights of Color at Ensemble Studio Theatre. His Passage Theatre credits include Blood: A Comedy by David Lee White and Trenton Lights by June Ballinger and Mr. White. Additionally, he has directed productions for McCarter Theatre's Youth Ink! and First Stage Festivals, Luna Stage, Passage Theatre's State Street Project and Playwrights Lab, Westminster Choir College, Interlochen Center for the Arts, and Brown University. Adam serves on the artistic staff of McCarter Theatre as the Associate Producer. He is the Resident Director at Passage Theatre and the Artistic Director of CWW OnStage, an ensemble of senior citizens who collect and perform the stories of their community. Adam is an alumnus of Luna Stage Directors' Lab, and the recipient of a 2008 Drama League Directing Fellowship.

Autism in New Jersey
New Jersey has the highest rates of autism of any state in the country. Princeton is home to two of the most highly praised private schools for autism in the state (EDEN and Princeton Child Development Institute), and in near proximity to a third (Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center). School districts across the state are struggling with how to care for children with special needs in the face of rising costs and public outcry over property taxes. Many parents of children with autism across the state find that the most important step in securing the appropriate education for their child is to hire a lawyer.

Accessibility
Passage Theatre is committed to ensuring that all individuals have access to the joy of the performing arts. Passage is dedicated to being a leader in the education and assistance of all organizations, working towards making our programs and services accessible to people with disabilities. For more information, please call (609) 392-0766.

About Passage Theatre
Passage specializes in Developing and producing adventurous new plays that entertain and challenge a diverse audience. Our commitment to community includes special programs for the young people of Trenton, their families, and local artists.

 

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