Press Releases Index

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 23, 2007
CONTACT: John Wooten
908-737-4092
E-mail: jwooten@kean.edu

Premiere Stages at Kean University Announces its 2007 Season

UNION, N.J. - Premiere Stages at Kean University is proud to present a dynamic mix of New Jersey and world premieres. The program has expanded to offer four professional productions, a staged reading of an evolving play, and musical productions and special initiatives for children and students.

The 2007 season opens with the New Jersey premiere of Regrets Only - Paul Rudnick's new comedy sensation that recently took Manhattan by storm. This delightfully diverting play provides the wise-cracking comedy that audiences have come to expect from the playwright The New York Times calls, "one of the funniest quip-meisters on the planet." Regrets Only opens Thursday, July 12, in Wilkins Theatre and continues through Sunday, July 29. Next up is the World Premiere of ODD by New Jersey's own Hal Corley. ODD's plot centers around a struggling tutor who takes on a teenager with Oppositional Defiance Disorder, while opening the teen's eyes to a world outside his sleepy New Jersey suburb and providing hope--and perhaps something more--to the boy's mother. A topical and poignant new play, ODD is not to be missed. The play opens Friday, September 7 in the Zella Fry Theatre and continues through Sunday, September 23.

The fall and winter feature two adaptations that are new to New Jersey: Stephen Dietz's Dracula and a reprise of last season's holiday hit, John Wooten's Humbug . Dietz's critically acclaimed adaptation of Bram Stoker's classic promises to take you on a terrifying and heart-pounding ride through a world where there is simply no escape from the undead. Dracula opens on Friday, October 26 and continues through Saturday, November 3 with a special performance on Halloween. Patrons holding blood-donor cards will receive two-for-one tickets for all performances. The haunting continues with a modern take on Charles Dickens' ghostly holiday tale, A Christmas Carol . In Humbug , Eleanor Scrooge is a ruthlessly ambitious Wall Street executive who has an aversion to Christmas and an insatiable appetite for power. With a contemporary flair, the production is one the whole family can enjoy. Humbug will open Thursday, December 13 and continues through Saturday, December 22, with special 10 a.m. student performances on Tuesday and Wednesday, December 18 and 19.

Tickets for productions range from $15 to $25, and special group rates are also available. By purchasing a "Premiere Package," patrons get four productions for the price of three, plus free admission to the Staged Reading of Green Man ( June 22-24), a powerful new play about love, loss and gargoyles, as well as access to all opening night receptions.

Premiere Stages is also proud to announce numerous events that are specifically tailored to children and high-school students. The Musical Fun Series features two of New Jersey's finest Actors' Equity Association (AEA) theatre-production companies for young audiences. Pushcart Players will perform Little Red Riding Hood and Other Stories on Friday, July 20, at 11 a.m., and the Running Rabbit Theatre will present The Princess and the Pea on Friday, July 27, at 11 a.m. Both performances will be presented in the Wilkins Theatre, with ticket prices ranging from $8 to $10.

Premiere Stages also offers Camp Premiere , a fun and interactive camp experience for high-school students, which runs from Monday, July 16 through Saturday, July 28. Camp Premiere is dedicated to fostering a creative and nurturing environment for young actors and writers. Campers gain practical experience while putting together their own show with the guidance of seasoned professionals. The original plays will then be performed at a showcase open to the public. The camp costs $295. Scholarships are available to students who have the aptitude but not the resources required for participation.

All performances will take place on Kean University campus, located at 1000 Morris Avenue, Union, N.J. Premiere Stages offers affordable prices, air-conditioned facilities and free parking in close proximity to the theatres. To order tickets, get on our mailing list, and/or to request a season brochure, please call the Kean Stage Box Office at 908-737-SHOW. For groups, call Paul Whelihan at 908-737-4077. To reserve a spot in Camp Premiere or to inquire about the Premiere Residency Program, please call 908-737-4092, or visit Premiere Stages online at www.kean.edu/premierestages.