From the Front Row: Autumn at the Algonquin Arts Theatre

As the 2018 summer season comes to a close, local theaters throughout the area come alive as they kick off their schedule of upcoming productions, which traditionally begin in the fall and run through springtime. Exceptions in the Jersey shore region, perhaps, are some of the smaller community theaters that stage their performances mainly during the height of the summer tourism months, when visitors flock to those towns. But our focus this month is on a wonderful shore area venue where talent continues to light up the stage even as the days get shorter and darkness falls earlier in the evenings.

The Algonquin Arts Theatre (AAT), located in Manasquan, NJ, has a long and proud history of providing quality performances and programs of every genre, including musicals, plays, concerts, dance, film, speakers, classes, workshops, and more. A centerpiece of the quaint town, the building dates back to 1938, originally opening as a movie house and continuing successfully through the mid-1970s. In 1981, it fell victim to age, disrepair, and competition from other movie theaters, and closed its doors. It remained neglected until 1992, when the property, along with the surrounding area, was rescued by a group of local residents who knew the theater and were determined to restore it once again.

Over the course of two years, the nonprofit organization they founded to benefit the Algonquin undertook a multi-million-dollar renovation project. In 1994, live programming began, with the venue boasting a proscenium stage and fly tower for theatrical productions, a sprung stage for dance performances, an orchestra pit, handicap accessibility, safety and climate control systems, dressing rooms, 540 comfortable seats (replaced again more recently, in 2014), a lovely courtyard entrance, modern restrooms, an inviting lobby and refreshment area, and new image projection, lighting, and sound systems. Up until 2010, the Algonquin served primarily as a presenting venue, hosting a wide range of productions by local theater groups as well as national touring companies. In 2010, after the tremendous positive response to its first in-house production, the decision was made to continue producing the majority of theatrical productions in-house, along with some other concerts, special events, student matinee programs, and outside theater company shows that would still be booked.

Currently, the Algonquin Arts Theatre annually showcases seven to eight main stage plays and musicals, an orchestral music series, a variety of jazz and pop concerts, special events, student matinees, films, and a range of classes and workshops for theater, music, and dance. Works are presented by young, emerging artists, designers, and directors working alongside seasoned professionals. The Algonquin also has a tremendous presence in the community, with outreach programs to students, seniors, and underserved audiences with physical, geographic, experiential, and socio-economic challenges.

If you’d like to enjoy an entertaining evening – perhaps starting off with a delicious pre-show dinner at one of the nearby popular restaurants – the AAT is certainly worth a visit. Starting this month, the Algonquin Arts Theatre will raise the curtain on its 2018-2019 Broadway Series. The productions will include:

October 6 – October 21: Kiss Me, Kate
Cole Porter’s spirited musical comedy with feuding couples, gun-toting gangsters, and amazing music.

November 30 – December 9: A Christmas Carol The Musical
Ebenezer Scrooge and his ghostly encounters come to life in this lavish and thrilling Broadway adaptation of Charles Dickens’ Christmas classic.

January 26 – February 2: Noises Off
Brace yourself for comic chaos with the rip-roaring play within a play, called “the funniest farce ever written!”

February 22 – March 3: Steel Magnolias
Part comedy of manners, part heartfelt tearjerker, this acclaimed play is set in a small southern town’s beauty parlor.

March 30 – April 14: Jesus Christ Superstar
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s timeless score tells of the final week of Jesus’ life through the eyes of Judas Iscariot.

May 10 – May 19: Camelot
Lerner and Loewe’s award-winning musical about the legendary King Arthur and his love triangle with Guinevere and Sir Lancelot.

For tickets and information on these and other events at the Algonquin Arts Theatre, visit www.algonquinarts.org, call 732-528-9211, or email boxoffice@algonquinarts.org. You may also like their Facebook page at Algonquin Arts. The theater is located at 60 Abe Voorhees Drive, Manasquan, NJ 08736.