Writers Theatre of New Jersey Sets Production of 4 A.M Musical

What keeps you up at night? This August, Writers Theatre of New Jersey and the Madison Recreation Department, as part of the Rose City Initiative,will explore that question as the Summer Youth Theatre Senior Show students perform Jonathan Dorf and Alison Wood's teen musical, 4 A.M. Alison Wood, who wrote the music and lyrics for the musical, was born and raised in New Jersey. The show will be performed by Madison residents and others ages 14 and up on August 11, 12, and 13 at Drew University, at the Directing Lab in the Dorothy Young Center for the Arts.

The show introduces various teens who find themselves wide awake at the lonely hour of 4 A.M., as they struggle with loneliness, love, and the frustrations of life as a teen. They each think they're the only ones that can't sleep, but the show lets us know that we all struggle sometimes. As Danielle Constance, director of the show, explains, "Everyone, no matter how cool, put together, happy, or confident they appear, feels alone sometimes. Everyone, no matter how old or young, feels unimportant or insignificant at some point. This musical, while highlighting these trials and tribulations, also points towards the joys of togetherness and community"

In addition to working with theatre professional Danielle Constance, the Summer Youth Theatre students will also be working with Guggenheim award-winning choreographer and performance artist, Claire Porter. Ms. Porter has traveled all over the world performing her Portables, hilarious monologues mixed with dance that tell incredible stories and have won her international acclaim. Writers Theatre believes that pairing young artists with more experienced ones allows the students to learn from the established artists and come to understand that their own work is no less important or valuable as that of the professionals they're working with.

Performances will be held in The Director's Lab in the Dorothy Young Center for the Arts at Drew University. Drew University is located at 36 Madison Ave. Madison, NJ 07940. The performances will be held on Thursday August 11 at 7:30pm, Friday August 12 at 7:30pm, and Sunday August 13 at 2:00pm. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and senior citizens who do not live in Madison. For senior citizens that live in Madison, tickets are free. Madison seniors should call the Madison Senior Center at 973-593-3095 for more information on their free tickets. Tickets to this event are limited and reservations are required, walk-up seating will likely be limited. To reserve seats, please call 973-514-1787 x31 or visit https://www.wtnj.org/madison-summer-recreation-shows/.

For more information on any of Writers Theatre's programs, please visit www.wtnj.org, or contact Writers Theatre at P.O. Box 1295, Madison, NJ, 07940, 973-514-1787 x20 or info@wtnj.org.