The state-side festival aims to introduce people to the joys of live theater, offering programs at little or no cost.
The 20th annual Stages Festival -- a month-long, state-wide celebration of free and low-cost theater productions -- has begun, with more than 75 new productions coming to traditional and non-traditional venues from Cape May to Newton, Woodbury to Weehawken.
The festival began as a week-long event geared towards families. It was extended to a month to accommodate the schedules of more theaters and to appeal to more constituencies -- not only families but older residents, disabled residents and minority groups. The name "Stages" refers to the festival's appeal to people at all stages of their lives.
"It really breaks down barriers -- economic barriers, geographical barriers," said John McEwen, executive director of New Jersey Theatre Alliance, which organizes the event. "Events take place at theaters, art centers, libraries, schools, senior centers and other community centers to ensure that everybody has access to the theater experience."
The programs on this year's schedule include acting and writing workshops, puppet and magic shows, musical performances, family-friendly Shakespeare, readings and full production of new plays. (To view a schedule, visit stagesfestival.org.) Some free notable programming that demonstrates the festival's range includes:
"Healing Voices OnStage": Caregiver Stories -- The real-life experiences and stories of professional and family caregivers are brought to the stage by professional actors at Morristown's Bickford Theatre March 31 through a partnership between Kean University's Premiere Stages, Writers Theatre of New Jersey and Atlantic Health System.
"A Year in the Trenches" -- The festival marks the World War I Centennial with a new play commissioned by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and New Jersey Historical Commission. The work is largely based on state resident Charles Edward Dilkes' 2014 memoir of serving in Europe. Free readings of the play are scheduled at Bickford Theatre, the Ocean County Library in Toms River and McGuire Air Force Base. East Lynn Theater Company will present a full production this fall.
"Plays by People" -- Now in its third year, this event at Peapack's Matheny Medical and Education Center features staged readings of short works by playwrights with complex developmental disabilities.
New play readers -- Among the readings of new plays at the festival will be Farber's play The Messenger will be featured in part of the "New Plays New Jersey" series run by Writers Theatre of New Jersey on March 18 at Jersey City Theater Center; "Rocket Sex Magic" by David Lee White, and "Diagonal Trilogy" by Vita Patrick Morales.
An average of 10,000 people enjoy Stages' events each year. Nick Paleologos, executive director of the festival co-sponsor N.J. Council on the Arts, said arts venues across the state have seen their attendance numbers grow in recent years as the state recovers from the national economic downturn. He wants to see even more people sample what the state has to offer.
"There's an amazing and vibrant theater scene here. It's everywhere you turn," he said. "We're in the business of making people get out, away from the televisions, and to a live theater performance."
McEwen, whose non-profit organization represents 32 equity-producing theaters in the state, said many theaters use the Stages Festival to explore new programming and to reach new audiences. All artists fees are covered by the festivals and its sponsors, including the Horizon Foundation of N.J., Bank of America, PSEG Foundation and the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation.
"They have an opportunity to test the waters," he said, noting some organizations use the festival to check response to possible summer programs and to collaborate with others. "When we find opportunities for theaters to work together, it's just ideal."
The 2017 Stages Festival
Through March 31 at venues throughout the state. Admission is free or greatly reduced. For more information, visit stagesfestival.org.
Natalie Pompilio is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia. She can be reached at nataliepompilio@yahoo.com. Find her on Twitter @nataliepompilio. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook.