SUMMER SOLOS Come to The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey

Vivid Stage, in residence at Oakes Center at 120 Morris Avenue in Summit, presents Summer Solos readings on Wednesdays from July 5 through 26 at 6:30 pm at the Visual Arts Center of NJ at 68 Elm Street in Summit.

Performances in the series will take place on the lawn of the Arts Center. Patrons are invited to bring chairs or blankets and a picnic dinner. The rain location for all performances is the Oakes Center at 120 Morris Avenue, Summit, NJ. In its tenth year, the series provides audiences with an opportunity for entertainment at an affordable price, while also introducing them to highly personal works performed by professional actors. 

On Wednesday, July 5, 2023 at 6:30 pm, Emaline Williams will perform Hissy Fits by Jerico Bleu, directed by Chris Young. Hissy Fits introduces us to a mother fighting to understand her son as he blooms into his sexuality. We follow Leigha over the course of 30 years as she faces the challenges of raising a gay son in East Tennessee.

The following Wednesday, July 12 2023 at 6:30 pm, Steve Harper will perform his own play, SNOW [Black man. White out conditions.], directed by Cezar Williams. During a mid-pandemic drive from Reno to L.A. a freak snow storm nearly turns deadly. Harrowing, absurd, thought provoking and funny, this confessional solo piece reveals sharp truths about modern life, death and meaning.

On Wednesday, July 19, 2023 at 6:30 pm, Harry Patrick Christian will perform Everything's Fine by Douglas McGrath, directed by Laura Ekstrand. As Douglas McGrath remembers it, he had a pretty idyllic childhood. Growing up in Midland, Texas, in the 1970s, he rides his bike around town, hangs out with his best friend Eddie, and eats at Texas Burger every chance he gets. But once he starts eighth grade, his new teacher challenges his outlook on life and what he can expect from it. This moving, evocative memoir play explores how we grow up, how we understand each other, and how we offer grace to those who need it most.

On Wednesday, July 26, 2023 at 6:30 pm, Jason Szamreta will perform Brisé by Ian August, directed by Laura Ekstrand. Following a nasty fall, professional dancer Paul is diagnosed with a rare form of dementia. In a daily video diary, Paul details his day-to-day life with his new condition. But when his estranged mother arrives, Paul is forced to face hard family truths that had been buried for years, even as everything else slips away. Brisé is a one-man play about voice, about movement, and about holding on tight to the things we try our hardest to forget.

Tickets for all Summer Solos are $20 and can be purchased in advance at https://www.vividstage.org/2023-summer-solos. The Visual Arts Center of NJ is located at 68 Elm Street in Summit, and free parking is available. All shows begin at 6:30 pm, and the rain location is the same date and time at Oakes Center. For information on any of Vivid Stage's programs, please visit www.vividstage.org or contact Vivid Stage at Oakes Center, 120 Morris Avenue, Summit, NJ 07901, 908-514-9654.

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