George Street Playhouse is a

theater Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...

company in New Brunswick, New Jersey, in the city's Civic Square government and theater district. It's one of the state's preeminent professional theaters committed to the production of new and established plays. Under the leadership of Artistic Director David Saint and Managing Director Kelly Ryman, George Street Playhouse presents a main stage season and provides an artistic home for established and emerging theater artists. Founded in 1974 by Eric Krebs, the playhouse has been represented by numerous productions both on and off-Broadway – recent productions include the world premiere of ''The Trial of Donna Caine'' by Walter Anderson, ''Little Girl Blue: The Nina Simone Musical,'' a revised version of ''I Love You, You're Perfect Now Change'', An Act of God with Kathleen Turner, ''American Son'' by Christopher Demos-Brown,

Lewis Black Lewis Niles Black (born August 30, 1948) is an American stand-up comedian and actor. His comedy routines often escalate into angry rants about history, politics, religion, or any other cultural trends. He hosted the Comedy Central series '' Lewi ...

's ''One Slight Hitch'', ''

Gettin' The Band Back Together ''Gettin' the Band Back Together'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Mark Allen and a book by Ken Davenport and the Grundleshotz, a group of performers and writers including Sebastian Arcelus, Fred Berman, Michael Hirstreet, Jenna Coker Jones, ...

'', and Joe DiPetro's ''Clever Little Lies''. The

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

and Pulitzer Prize-winning play '' Proof'' by David Auburn, was developed at GSP during the 1999 Next Stage Series of new plays. In addition to its mainstage season, GSP's Touring Theatre features issue-oriented productions that tour more than 250 schools in the tri-state area, and are seen by more than 30,000 students annually. When founded, the theater was located on George Street and later moved to its current location on Livingston Avenue. In 2017, the playhouse moved to an interim location in the former Agricultural Museum on Cook Campus at

Rutgers University Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's College, and was ...

In the fall of 2019 George Street Playhouse moved back to the Livingston Ave location into a new

mixed-use Mixed-use is a kind of urban development, urban design, urban planning and/or a zoning type that blends multiple uses, such as residential, commercial, cultural, institutional, or entertainment, into one space, where those functions are to som ...

building, the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center.

Production history

*1994: ''Swinging on a Star'', a revue of the works of Johnny Burke, premieres at GSP, then moves to

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

. *1996: ''And Then They Came for Me: Remembering the World of

Anne Frank Annelies Marie "Anne" Frank (, ; 12 June 1929 – )Research by The Anne Frank House in 2015 revealed that Frank may have died in February 1945 rather than in March, as Dutch authorities had long assumed"New research sheds new light on Anne Fra ...

'' is commissioned by GSP for the Touring Theatre Company and is subsequently produced worldwide *2000: ''Down the Garden Paths'' by

Anne Meara Anne Meara Stiller (September 20, 1929 – May 23, 2015) was an American actress and comedian. Along with her husband Jerry Stiller, she was one-half of the prominent 1960s comedy team Stiller and Meara. Their son is actor, director, and producer ...

, directed by David Saint and starring

Eli Wallach Eli Herschel Wallach (; December 7, 1915 – June 24, 2014) was an American film, television, and stage actor from New York City. From his 1945 Broadway debut to his last film appearance, Wallach's entertainment career spanned 65 years. Origina ...

and

Anne Jackson Anne Jackson (September 3, 1925 – April 12, 2016); retrieved April 16, 2016Archivedfrom the original on April 16, 2016. was an American actress of stage, screen, and television. She was the wife of actor Eli Wallach, with whom she often co-sta ...

, premieres at GSP and moves to Off Broadway. **''Syncopation'' by Alan Knee, which premiered at GSP in 1999, receives Best New Play Award from the American Theatre Critics Association and opens around the country. **''The Spitfire Grill'', a new musical by James Valcq and Fred Alley and directed by David Saint, premieres at GSP and moves to Off Broadway **''Ancestral Voices'' by A. R. Gurney, directed by David Saint and starring among others

Tim Daly James Timothy Daly (born March 1, 1956) is an American actor. He is known for his role as Joe Hackett on the NBC sitcom ''Wings'' and his voice role as Clark Kent/Superman in '' Superman: The Animated Series'', as well as his recurring role as ...

Amy Van Nostrand Amy Van Nostrand (born April 11, 1953) is an American actress. She has appeared on Broadway in '' The Hothouse'' by Harold Pinter; off-Broadway, she appeared in Pearl Theatre's ''Dance With Me''. Early years Van Nostrand was born in Providence ...

Paul Rudd Paul Stephen Rudd (born April 6, 1969) is an American actor. He studied theater at the University of Kansas and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, before making his acting debut in 1991. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame i ...

and

Fred Savage Frederick Aaron Savage (born July 9, 1976) is an American actor and director. He is known for his role as Kevin Arnold in the American television series ''The Wonder Years'' (1988 to 1993). He has earned several awards and nominations, such as ...

*2001: All box office records in the history of GSP are broken with '' Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill'' starring Suzzanne Douglas as

Billie Holiday Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday had an innovative influence on jazz music and pop s ...

. ** ''Venecia'' by Jorge Accame, adapted and directed by

Arthur Laurents Arthur Laurents (July 14, 1917 – May 5, 2011) was an American playwright, theatre director, film producer and screenwriter. After writing scripts for radio shows after college and then training films for the U.S. Army during World War II ...

starring

Chita Rivera Chita Rivera (born Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero Anderson; January 23, 1933), is an American actress, singer and dancer best known for originating roles in Broadway musicals including Anita in ''West Side Story'', Velma Kelly in ''Chic ...

*2004:

updates and directs his Tony Award-winning musical Hallelujah, Baby! starring Ann Duquesnay and Suzzanne Douglas. Following an acclaimed run at George Street Playhouse, the co-production moved to

Arena Stage Arena Stage is a not-for-profit regional theater based in Southwest, Washington, D.C. Established in 1950, it was the first racially integrated theater in Washington, D.C. and its founders helped start the U.S. regional theater movement. It is ...

in Washington, D.C. Miss Duquesney is awarded the

Helen Hayes Award The Helen Hayes Awards are theater awards recognizing excellence in professional theater in the Washington, D.C. area since 1983. The awards are named in tribute of Helen Hayes, who is also known as the "First Lady of American Theatre." They ar ...

for her performance. **

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

nominee Amy Irving stars in the world premiere of Charles Evered’s period romp Celadine. **''Wasted'' by OBIE Award-winner Kirsten Childs premieres. This play about substance abuse was funded with a major grant from the

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is an American philanthropic organization. It is the largest one focused solely on health. Based in Princeton, New Jersey, the foundation focuses on access to health care, public health, health equity, ...

*2005: ''Inspecting Carol'', a comedy by Daniel Sullivan from the

Seattle Repertory Theatre Seattle Repertory Theatre (familiarly known as "The Rep") is a major regional theatre located in Seattle, Washington, at the Seattle Center. It is a member of Theatre Puget Sound Dan Lauria Daniel Joseph Lauria (born April 12, 1947) is an American actor, known for playing the role of Jack Arnold in ''The Wonder Years'' (1988–1993), Jack Sullivan on ''Sullivan and Son'' (2012–2014), and Al Luongo on '' Pitch'' (2016–2017). Ear ...

and

Peter Scolari Peter Thomas Scolari (September 12, 1955 – October 22, 2021) was an American actor. He was best known for his roles as Michael Harris on ''Newhart'' (1984–1990), Henry Desmond on ''Bosom Buddies'' (1980–1982) and Wayne Szalinski on ''Hone ...

, becomes the highest grossing play at GSP. **''

The West Wing ''The West Wing'' is an American serial political drama television series created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1999, to May 14, 2006. The series is set primarily in the West Wing of the White Hous ...

's''

Richard Schiff Richard Schiff (born May 27, 1955) is an American actor and director. He is best known for playing Toby Ziegler on ''The West Wing'', a role for which he received an Emmy Award. Schiff made his directorial debut with ''The West Wing'', directing ...

stars in '' Underneath the Lintel'', a play by

Glen Berger Glen Berger is an American playwright and scriptwriter. He has received commissions from the Children’s Theater of Minneapolis, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, the Alley Theatre, and the Lookingglass Theater. In 2010, he co-wrote the book for '' Spi ...

, sets a new record for per-performance attendance. *2006:

Jack Klugman Jack Klugman (April 27, 1922 – December 24, 2012) was an American actor of stage, film, and television. He began his career in 1950 and started television and film work with roles in '' 12 Angry Men'' (1957) and '' Cry Terror!'' (1958). ...

stars in The Value of Names by Jeffrey Sweet with Dan Lauria and Liz Larsen. *2007 Artistic Director, David Saint celebrates his 10th Anniversary Season with the opening of ''The Sunshine Boys'' starring Jack Klugman and

Paul Dooley Paul Dooley (born Paul Brown; February 22, 1928) is an American character actor, writer and comedian. He is known for his roles in '' Breaking Away'', '' Sixteen Candles'', and ''Popeye''. Early life Dooley was born Paul Brown on February 22, ...

Rosemary Harris Rosemary Ann Harris (born 19 September 1927) is an English actress. She is the recipient of such accolades as a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Tony Award, in addition to nominations for an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award. In ...

stars in '' Oscar and the Lady in Pink'' by

Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt (born 28 March 1960) is a Franco–Belgian playwright, short story writer and novelist, as well as a film director. His plays have been staged in over fifty countries all over the world. Life Early years Eric-Emmanuel S ...

, directed by Frank Dunlop **Dylan Chalfy and

Ann Dowd Ann Dowd (born January 30, 1956) is an American actress. She has played supporting roles in numerous films, including ''Green Card'' (1990), ''Lorenzo's Oil'' (1992), ''Philadelphia'' (1993), '' Garden State'' (2004), '' The Manchurian Candidate' ...

star in ''

Doubt Doubt is a mental state in which the mind remains suspended between two or more contradictory propositions, unable to be certain of any of them. Doubt on an emotional level is indecision between belief and disbelief. It may involve uncertainty ...

'' by

John Patrick Shanley John Patrick Shanley (born October 13, 1950) is an American playwright, screenwriter, and director. He won the 1988 Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for the film ''Moonstruck''. His play, '' Doubt: A Parable'', won the 2005 Pulitzer P ...

, directed by Anders Cato *2008: Tony Award Winner

Idina Menzel Idina Kim Menzel ( ; ; born May 30, 1971) is an American actress and singer. Particularly known for her work in musicals on the Broadway stage and having achieved mainstream success across stage, film and music, Menzel has garnered the honori ...

performs a one night only solo concert as the opening of her I Stand Tour. **''Roger is Dead'', a new play written and directed by Elaine May with

Marlo Thomas Margaret Julia "Marlo" Thomas (born November 21, 1937) is an American actress, producer, author, and social activist. She is best known for starring on the sitcom ''That Girl'' (1966–1971) and her children's franchise '' Free to Be... You and ...

debuts. *2009 Come Back, Come Back, Wherever You Are, world premiere written and directed by

with

Shirley Knight Shirley Knight Hopkins (July 5, 1936 – April 22, 2020) was an American actress who appeared in more than 50 feature films, television films, television series, and Broadway and Off-Broadway productions in her career, playing leading and charac ...

. *2010:

Kathleen Marshall Kathleen Marshall (born September 28, 1962) is an American director, choreographer, and creative consultant. Life and career Born in Madison, Wisconsin, she graduated from Taylor Allderdice High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1980 and ...

directs the musical ''

Calvin Berger ''Calvin Berger'' is a 2006 musical with book, lyrics, and music written by Barry Wyner. Its story is loosely based on Edmond Rostand's 1897 play ''Cyrano de Bergerac''. Plot Calvin Berger, a high school senior, is smitten by Rosanna but beca ...

''. *2011:

David Hyde Pierce David Hyde Pierce (born April 3, 1959) is an American actor and director of stage, film and television. He starred as psychiatrist Dr. Niles Crane on the NBC sitcom ''Frasier'' from 1993 to 2004, and won four Primetime Emmy Awards and a Scree ...

directs the musical ''

It Shoulda Been You ''It Shoulda Been You'' is a musical with music by Barbara Anselmi and book and lyrics by Brian Hargrove. The musical ran on Broadway from March 17, 2015 (previews) to August 9, 2015. The musical involves a wedding which brings together the fami ...

'' written by

Brian Hargrove David Brian Hargrove (born April 2) is an American television writer and producer. He was a co-creator of the television series ''Titus'' (2000–2002), along with Christopher Titus and Jack Kenny. Early life and education Born David Brian Har ...

and Barbara Anselmi, starring

Tyne Daly Ellen Tyne Daly (; born February 21, 1946) is an American actress. She has won six Emmy Awards for her television work, a Tony Award and is a 2011 American Theatre Hall of Fame inductee. Daly began her career on stage in summer stock in New York, ...

, Harriet Harris,

Edward Hibbert Edward Hibbert (born 9 September 1955) is an American-born British actor and literary agent. He played Gil Chesterton in the TV series ''Frasier''. He also voiced Zazu in both '' The Lion King II: Simba's Pride'' and '' The Lion King 1½''. E ...

Richard Kline Richard Kline (born April 29, 1944) is an American actor and television director. His roles include Larry Dallas on the sitcom ''Three's Company'', Richie in the later seasons of ''It's a Living'' and Jeff Beznick in '' Noah Knows Best''. Early ...

, and

Howard McGillin Howard McGillin (born November 5, 1953, in Los Angeles, California) is an American actor. He is known for his role of John Jasper in ''The Mystery of Edwin Drood'' and for portraying the role The Phantom in Andrew Lloyd Webber's ''The Phantom of ...

** ''

Red (play) ''Red'' is a play by American writer John Logan about artist Mark Rothko first produced by the Donmar Warehouse, London, on December 8, 2009. The original production was directed by Michael Grandage and performed by Alfred Molina as Rothko and ...

'', with Bob Ari and Randy Harrison

References

External links

George Street Playhouse Home Page
{{Coord, 40.4936, -74.4444, region:US-NJ_type:landmark, display=title Theatres in New Jersey 1974 establishments in New Jersey Tourist attractions in New Brunswick, New Jersey Buildings and structures in New Brunswick, New Jersey Regional theatre in the United States Theatre companies in New Jersey