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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260702T193000
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UID:98190-1783020600-1784417400@explorenewjersey.org
SUMMARY:The 39 Steps
DESCRIPTION:Four Actors\, 150 Characters\, and a Plane Crash on a Black-Box Stage: Princeton Summer Theater Stages “The 39 Steps” \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe technical challenge embedded in Patrick Barlow’s stage adaptation of The 39 Steps is\, on paper\, close to absurd: take Alfred Hitchcock’s sprawling 1935 spy thriller — a film built around train chases across the Scottish Highlands\, a manhunt spanning multiple cities\, and a cast of dozens of characters — and stage it with exactly four actors\, none of whom leave the stage for long enough to suggest the production has any budget for understudies or scene changes in the conventional sense. Princeton Summer Theater opens that production on July 2\, running Thursdays through Sundays through July 18 at the Hamilton Murray Theater on the Princeton University campus\, and the company’s track record over more than five decades of summer programming suggests they understand exactly what makes this particular theatrical magic trick work. \n\n\n\nThe production is the second mainstage offering in Princeton Summer Theater’s 56th season\, following the company’s June run of Neil Simon’s Barefoot in the Park and preceding a July 23 production of Sam Shepard’s True West that closes the company’s main stage programming for the summer. Evening performances run Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m.\, with Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m. — a four-show-per-week rotation across the production’s three-week run\, July 2 through July 18\, with specific performance dates of July 2-5\, July 9-12\, and July 16-18. \n\n\n\nWhat The 39 Steps Actually Is\n\n\n\nPatrick Barlow’s adaptation\, which won two Tony Awards and two Drama Desk Awards during its Broadway run\, takes John Buchan’s 1915 spy novel and Alfred Hitchcock’s celebrated 1935 film adaptation and compresses them into a two-hour stage farce that functions simultaneously as a loving homage to classic Hitchcock suspense and as a deliberate parody of the theatrical conventions that period mystery thrillers depend on. The plot follows Richard Hannay\, an ordinary man whose unremarkable life is upended when a mysterious woman is murdered in his London flat\, leaving him the prime suspect in her death and the unwitting custodian of a dangerous secret involving an international spy ring. Hannay flees north toward Scotland\, encountering an escalating series of dangers\, disguises\, and unlikely allies and adversaries as he attempts to clear his name and unravel the conspiracy at the center of the plot. \n\n\n\nThe genius of Barlow’s theatrical adaptation lies not in faithfully recreating the cinematic scope of Hitchcock’s film but in openly acknowledging the impossibility of doing so and turning that impossibility into the production’s central comedic engine. Where the film uses the full resources of 1930s British cinema to depict train chases across the Highlands\, biplane pursuits over open countryside\, and crowd scenes in London theaters\, the stage production accomplishes the same narrative beats using minimal set pieces\, deliberately visible theatrical artifice\, and a small ensemble of performers who must physically transform between characters in full view of the audience. A description that mixes “a Hitchcock masterpiece with a juicy spy novel\, add a dash of Monty Python” captures the production’s tonal blend accurately: this is suspense theater that is fully aware of its own absurdity and that invites the audience to delight in watching the mechanics of theatrical illusion rather than concealing them. \n\n\n\nThe Four-Actor Structure That Makes It Work\n\n\n\nPrinceton Summer Theater’s production features Jacob Schorsch as Richard Hannay — the production’s sole actor playing a single character throughout\, anchoring the frantic transformations happening around him — alongside Shaelin McKenna\, who takes on the principal female roles of Annabella\, Margaret\, and Pamela\, and Joseph McLean and Jordan Rashdan\, credited as Clown 1 and Clown 2\, who between them portray the remaining roster of more than 150 characters that populate Buchan’s and Hitchcock’s narrative. \n\n\n\nThe character count is not exaggeration for marketing purposes. The structural demand of Barlow’s script requires McLean and Rashdan to embody an enormous range of supporting roles — policemen\, conspirators\, hotel proprietors\, train passengers\, Scottish farmers\, London theatrical performers\, and dozens of others — through the kind of instantaneous costume and characterization shifts that depend entirely on quick-change choreography\, vocal and physical versatility\, and split-second timing between the performers and the production’s backstage crew. This structural constraint is what gives the production its distinctive energy: rather than concealing the labor of theatrical transformation behind the curtain\, The 39 Steps puts that labor on display as the central spectacle of the evening. Audiences are not simply watching a story unfold — they are watching two performers execute an extraordinary feat of theatrical athleticism in real time\, swapping hats\, coats\, and accents with a speed that becomes\, in itself\, one of the production’s primary comedic and technical achievements. \n\n\n\nThis kind of multi-role demand is genuinely difficult to execute well\, and it places significant pressure on the production’s pacing and stage management. A transition that takes a beat too long breaks the comedic momentum the entire show depends on; a transition executed with precision becomes one of the most purely enjoyable elements of live theatrical craft an audience can witness. Princeton Summer Theater’s track record of training young theater professionals across every discipline of production — performance\, direction\, stage management\, design — gives the company’s productions a level of technical rigor that this particular script rewards heavily. \n\n\n\nA Director With a Specific Pedigree for This Material\n\n\n\nThe production is directed by Erik Bloomquist\, an award-winning New England stage and film director whose background gives him a particular and well-matched set of credentials for material built around tight comedic timing and suspense pacing. Bloomquist is a two-time Emmy Award winner\, having won for Outstanding Director and Outstanding Writer for his nationally syndicated PBS mystery-comedy television series The Cobblestone Corridor — credentials that place him squarely within the genre territory The 39 Steps occupies\, blending mystery plotting with comedic execution in a format that depends on disciplined pacing rather than indulgent scene work. \n\n\n\nBloomquist’s stage credits include productions at Ivoryton Playhouse\, Ozark Actors Theatre\, Priscilla Beach Theatre\, and Trinity College\, while his film credits include Founders Day\, She Came from the Woods\, and Long Lost — a filmography weighted toward suspense and genre filmmaking that gives him direct professional experience with exactly the kind of tonal balance The 39 Steps requires: genuine tension and stakes delivered with a wink\, never losing narrative momentum even as the production acknowledges its own theatrical artifice. A director whose professional television work specifically rewards tight cues and cinematic pacing over long\, drawn-out theatrical pauses is\, for a script built around relentless forward motion and rapid-fire character transformation\, close to an ideal match. \n\n\n\nThe Venue: An Intimate Black-Box Alternative to the Outdoor Festival Circuit\n\n\n\nPrinceton Summer Theater stages all of its productions at the Hamilton Murray Theater\, also known as Theatre Intime\, located inside Murray-Dodge Hall on the Princeton University campus. The venue’s character is central to understanding what this production will actually feel like to attend. Unlike the large-scale outdoor festival tent productions that define much of central New Jersey’s summer performing arts calendar\, Hamilton Murray Theater is a small\, indoor\, air-conditioned space — the kind of intimate black-box-adjacent environment where audiences sit close enough to performers that vocal nuance\, physical comedy\, and the small technical details of quick-change craft register clearly without amplification or the acoustic compromises that outdoor tent venues introduce. \n\n\n\nFor a production built specifically around the visible mechanics of theatrical transformation — the audience needs to actually see McLean and Rashdan swap a hat and a coat in three seconds to register the joke — the intimacy of the venue is not incidental. It is structurally necessary to the production’s comedic and technical effect in a way that a large outdoor amphitheater or festival tent could not replicate. The historic character of Hamilton Murray Theater\, a building with its own substantial history within Princeton’s campus theatrical tradition\, adds a further dimension of atmosphere appropriate to material steeped in the visual and tonal conventions of 1930s British mystery theater. \n\n\n\nPrinceton Summer Theater’s Place in the American Theatrical Pipeline\n\n\n\nFounded by a group of Princeton University students in 1968\, Princeton Summer Theater has operated continuously for more than five decades as an institution explicitly dedicated to training the next generation of theatrical professionals — offering young artists\, including current Princeton students and recent graduates from Princeton and other institutions\, the opportunity to develop expertise across every dimension of theatrical production\, from performance and direction to stage management\, design\, and company administration. The organization’s alumni roster includes Tony Award-winning actress Bebe Neuwirth\, Broadway and television writer Winnie Holzman\, and the late actor William Hootkins\, whose film career included roles in the original Star Wars trilogy and Batman — a roster that reflects the organization’s genuine track record of launching durable professional careers across multiple branches of the entertainment industry. \n\n\n\nThe 2026 season’s leadership reflects that ongoing mission directly. Executive Director Orion Lopez-Ramirez\, returning for his second year in the role\, graduated this spring from Princeton University with a degree in Public and International Affairs and minors in Urban Studies and Theatre\, bringing both administrative and performance experience to the organization’s operational leadership. Artistic Director Lucy Shea\, an English major from the Class of 2027 pursuing minors in theater and teacher preparation\, has described the 2026 season’s programming as deliberately structured to move audiences between registers — from the romantic comedy of Barefoot in the Park through the mystery and wit of The 39 Steps to the family reckoning at the center of True West — a season Shea has characterized as bringing together a youthful spark and a mature sensibility across its four productions. \n\n\n\nWhat to Expect and How to Attend\n\n\n\nThe production carries a recommended age guidance of 11 and older\, with the company noting that the show includes stage haze\, gunshot sound effects\, and content of a suggestive nature consistent with its noir source material. The fast-paced\, multi-role theatrical format is\, by design\, constructed to prevent the kind of slow\, static pacing that can sometimes characterize traditional regional theater drama — the production’s entire structural premise depends on relentless forward momentum\, and audiences attending should expect a brisk\, high-energy two hours rather than a contemplative evening. \n\n\n\nEvening tickets for performances at 7:30 p.m. and matinee tickets for the 2:00 p.m. performances are available for purchase online through Princeton Summer Theater’s ticketing partner. Opening night\, July 2nd\, includes an additional program at the Princeton Public Library — Princeton Summer Theater: Live at the Library — a moderated conversation with the production’s actors and director discussing the behind-the-scenes process of mounting the show\, scheduled for 5:30 p.m. ahead of that evening’s performance. \n\n\n\nFor audiences in central New Jersey looking for a summer theatrical experience distinct from the large-scale outdoor festival programming that defines much of the region’s warm-weather arts calendar\, Princeton Summer Theater’s production of The 39 Steps offers something genuinely different: an intimate\, air-conditioned\, tightly paced evening of theatrical craft\, built around a script whose entire reason for existing is to demonstrate what four skilled performers and a disciplined director can accomplish with almost nothing but timing\, talent\, and a closet full of hats.
URL:https://explorenewjersey.org/event/the-39-steps-2/
LOCATION:Princeton Summer Theater\, Hamilton Murray Theater\, Princeton University\, Princeton\, New Jersey\, 08544\, United States
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ORGANIZER;CN="Princeton Summer Theater":MAILTO:princetonsummertheater@gmail.com
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UID:88199-1783188000-1783207800@explorenewjersey.org
SUMMARY:Freedom Fest with The Commodores
DESCRIPTION:Freedom Festival Ignites New Jersey’s Fourth of July Celebration with The Commodores and Fireworks Over the Delaware \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNew Jersey’s summer calendar reaches a defining moment on Saturday\, July 4\, as the annual Freedom Festival returns with a full-scale Independence Day celebration that blends live music\, community energy\, and a fireworks spectacle set against one of the region’s most iconic waterfront backdrops. Beginning at 6 PM\, this highly anticipated event transforms the Delaware Riverfront into a destination experience\, culminating in a headline performance by legendary Motown and funk icons The Commodores at 8 PM on the Roland Traynor River Stage\, followed by a fireworks display that promises to light up the night sky in spectacular fashion. \n\n\n\nThe Freedom Festival has steadily evolved into more than just a holiday gathering—it is now a cornerstone cultural event that reflects the vibrancy\, diversity\, and musical heritage of New Jersey. Designed to deliver a fully immersive experience\, the evening combines high-caliber live entertainment with curated food and beverage offerings\, creating an environment where families\, music enthusiasts\, and visitors alike can engage with the celebration on multiple levels. From the first note of live music to the final burst of fireworks over the Delaware\, the event is engineered to sustain energy and excitement throughout the night. \n\n\n\nAt the center of this year’s celebration is The Commodores\, a group whose influence on American music remains both profound and enduring. Emerging in the late 1960s and rising to prominence through their association with Motown\, the band became synonymous with a distinctive blend of funk\, soul\, and R&B that produced an extraordinary catalog of hits. Songs like “Brick House\,” “Easy\,” and “Three Times a Lady” are not simply nostalgic staples—they are foundational works that continue to shape the sound and structure of contemporary music. Their presence at the Freedom Festival elevates the event into a must-attend performance\, offering audiences the rare opportunity to experience a legacy act whose music transcends generations. \n\n\n\nThe Roland Traynor River Stage serves as the ideal setting for such a performance\, positioned to maximize both acoustics and atmosphere while maintaining a direct visual connection to the Delaware River. As the sun sets and the evening transitions into night\, the stage becomes the focal point of the celebration\, anchoring the festival’s musical identity while seamlessly leading into the fireworks display that follows. This integration of live performance and visual spectacle is a defining characteristic of the Freedom Festival\, ensuring that the event resonates not just as a concert\, but as a complete sensory experience. \n\n\n\nBeyond the headline performance\, the festival’s broader design reflects a commitment to showcasing the best of New Jersey’s live event culture. Food and drink offerings are curated to complement the evening’s atmosphere\, providing a diverse selection that caters to a wide range of tastes while reinforcing the communal aspect of the celebration. The layout encourages movement and exploration\, allowing attendees to engage with different elements of the festival while maintaining a cohesive overall experience. \n\n\n\nNew Jersey’s role in hosting events of this scale continues to strengthen its reputation as a premier destination for live entertainment. Through initiatives like the Explore New Jersey music platform\, the state has positioned itself as a hub where major performances\, cultural celebrations\, and community-driven events intersect. The Freedom Festival exemplifies this approach\, bringing together nationally recognized talent\, local engagement\, and a setting that highlights the natural beauty of the region. \n\n\n\nWhat distinguishes this Fourth of July celebration is its ability to balance tradition with contemporary appeal. While the fireworks display remains a central feature—delivering the classic visual crescendo expected of Independence Day—the inclusion of a performance by The Commodores adds a layer of musical sophistication that broadens the event’s reach. It is this combination of familiarity and innovation that ensures the festival’s continued relevance\, attracting both returning attendees and new audiences year after year. \n\n\n\nAs the evening unfolds\, the transition from live music to fireworks creates a powerful narrative arc\, moving from the rhythmic pulse of the stage to the expansive visual drama of the sky above the Delaware. This progression mirrors the broader spirit of the holiday itself\, celebrating not only the nation’s history but its ongoing cultural evolution. In this context\, the Freedom Festival becomes more than an event—it becomes a reflection of the dynamic\, ever-changing identity of New Jersey and its role within the national cultural landscape. \n\n\n\nFor those seeking a Fourth of July experience that goes beyond the ordinary\, the Freedom Festival offers a compelling alternative to traditional celebrations. It combines the energy of a major live performance with the communal atmosphere of a regional gathering\, all set within a location that enhances every element of the evening. Attendees are not simply watching a show—they are participating in a shared experience that captures the essence of summer in New Jersey. \n\n\n\nAs Explore New Jersey continues to highlight events that define the state’s cultural identity\, the Freedom Festival stands out as a flagship celebration\, demonstrating the power of live music\, community\, and setting to create something truly memorable. On July 4\, the Delaware Riverfront becomes the stage for a night that brings together past and present\, sound and spectacle\, tradition and innovation—delivering an Independence Day celebration that resonates long after the fireworks fade.
URL:https://explorenewjersey.org/event/freedom-fest-with-the-commodores/
LOCATION:Wiggins Waterfront Park\, 2 Riverside Dr\, Camden\, New Jersey\, 08103\, United States
CATEGORIES:Concerts,Music
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ORGANIZER;CN="Camden County Board of Commissioners":MAILTO:commissioners@camdencounty.com
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