Two River Will Host Sneak Peek Performances of ELEPHANT SHOES at 32nd Gala
The event will take place on Thursday, April 30, 2026.
At Two River Theater's 32nd Annual Gala on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at Park Loft in Oceanport on the Fort Monmouth campus, attendees will be treated to an exclusive sneak peek of the ground-breaking World Premiere musical Elephant Shoes, a co-production between Two River and Deaf West Theatre. The evening will feature Elephant Shoes cast members Daniel Durant (Spring Awakening, CODA), Taylor Iman Jones (Six The Musical, Head Over Heels), James Olivas (Evita, American Idiot) and Siena Rafter (Runaways, Deep Blue Sea) performing songs from the new musical under the direction of Tony-nominee Jeff Calhoun (Newsies, Big River).
Elephant Shoes features a Book by Ivan Menchell (Bonnie & Clyde: The Musical, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), Music & Lyrics by Caroline Kay (Overnight, Daisy), and Direction and Choreography by Jeff Calhoun. A sweeping new musical where every word is signed, spoken, and seen, Elephant Shoes is a love letter to connection, longing, and the courage it takes to truly be understood. The show is a combination of spoken word, ASL, and projected text so Deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing audiences can follow the entire story. Elephant Shoes will perform at Two River from June 4 – June 28, 2026.
Additionally, this evening celebrates over three decades of Two River's theatrical and community work, and includes the annual presentation of its Community Spotlight Award. Two River is honored to present this recognition to Monmouth University, a longtime collaborator and anchor organization in the greater New Jersey landscape.
For the first time in the theater's history, the Spring Gala will be held at The Park Loft at Fort Monmouth, a distinctive historic venue located on the grounds of the former Fort Monmouth. Originally constructed in the 1940s as a U.S.O. dance hall, the space welcomed servicemembers and their guests during World War II and has since been thoughtfully restored into an elegant setting for special events. Gala attendees will dine beneath its soaring ceilings in the very hall where generations once gathered to celebrate, blending a sense of history with a refined, contemporary atmosphere befitting the occasion.
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