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Many people love live theater. And here in New Jersey our proximity, plus the accessibility of NJ Transit, make it easy to go to Broadway, or Lincoln Center or any of the myriad off-Broadway theaters in New York. But did you know there are great opportunities for live local and professional theater right here in New Jersey along the Midtown Direct Train Line?
From NJPAC to the Pax Amicus Castle Theater, there are 11 performing arts spaces mostly within walking distance of a train station.
Check out:
Pax Amicus Castle Theatre
Pax Amicus is home to the Castle Shakespeare Repertory, a non-Equity professional acting company specializing in the works of William Shakespeare, Edgar Allan Poe and other European and American playwrights and the Pax Amicus Castle Community Theater, which specializes in contemporary comedies, dramas, and musicals for the public with cast-calls open to all adults over the age of 16. They also have a theater program for young performers ages 13 to 1.
The Pax Amicus Castle Theatre is located at 23 Lake Shore Rd, Budd Lake, NJ 07828. It is 4.2 miles from the Netcong Train Station, Uber or taxi recommended.
Dover Little Theatre
The Dover Little Theatre is a small community theater presenting a mix of cabaret dramas and musicals.
The Dover Little Theatre is 0.6 miles from the Dover Train Station at 69 Elliott St, easily accessible on foot.
Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)
The Mayo Performing Arts Center brings the world’s greatest entertainers, New Jersey-based artistic organizations, and emerging and dynamic new performers to the region through over 200 events annually. Through arts education and diverse community engagement programs, MPAC is committed to providing cultural enrichment opportunities to experience and participate in the arts. The center includes a 1300+ seat theater, art gallery and conference space
The Mayo Performing Arts Center is 0.4 miles (2 blocks) from the Morristown train station at 100 South St, and easily accessible on foot.
The Shakespeare Theatre of NJ
The Shakespeare Theatre of NJ is one of the leading Shakespeare theaters in the nation, serving approximately 75,000 adults and children annually. It is New Jersey’s largest professional theater company dedicated solely to Shakespeare’s canon and other classic masterworks. The annual Main Stage season, presented in the intimate, state-of-the-art F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre on the campus of Drew University, runs May through December. An Outdoor Stage production is presented each summer at The Greek Theatre, an open-air amphitheater located on the College of Saint Elizabeth campus in nearby Florham Park.
The F.M Kirby Shakespeare Theatre is located 0.8 miles from the Madison Train station on the campus of Drew University, 36 Madison Ave, easily accessible on foot.
The Greek Theatre is located 0.4 miles from the Convent Station Train Station, on the campus of the College of Saint Elizabeth.
The Chatham Community Players
The Chatham Community Players have been producing high quality theater for a diverse audience for over 100 years. They comprise several different areas which focus on different offerings for the community. In addition to their Main Stage productions, the Jersey Voices program highlights original plays by New Jersey playwrights, One Weekend Only produces plays with small casts and simple staging that run for one weekend only. Sundays at 7 is a program where attendees gather for a play reading, with snacks and BYOB beverages. The Chatham Community Players Outreach program provides busing and complimentary admission to our partners in youth and family programs, drug and alcohol dependency programs, physical injury rehabilitation, special education schools, senior citizen homes, and AIDS foundations. This program brings theater to groups who may have never before experienced live theater.
The Chatham Community Playhouse is 3 blocks (0.2 miles) from the Chatham Train Station at 23 N Passaic Ave, easily accessible on foot.
The Summit Playhouse
The Summit Playhouse, a non-profit community theater, was founded in 1918 as a World War I relief organization. The group produces three Main Stage shows a year, with performances in November, February/March, and April/May. Their community service includes a benefit performance of each of our regular plays, theater awards for Dramatic Arts students, and Summit community collaborations.
The Summit Playhouse, at 10 New England Ave, is 0.5 miles from the Summit Train Station, approximate a 10 minute walk.
Paper Mill Playhouse
The Paper Mill Playhouse is an award-winning regional theater, located in Millburn, NJ. Paper Mill was awarded the 2016 Regional Theater Tony Award, recognizing its “rich history … as a foundational pre-Broadway venue for new productions and a welcoming home for world-class theatrical revivals” (Charlotte St. Martin, president of The Broadway League, and Heather Hitchens, president of the American Theatre Wing). The theater itself seats 1200 and hosts an annual program of professional plays and musicals, often featuring actors from Broadway and attracting patrons from New York City as well, which is only 45 minutes away by train.
The Paper Mill Playhouse, at 22 Brookside Dr, is 0.3 miles from the Millburn Train Station, an approximately 7 minute walk.
The Burgdorff Cultural Center
The Burgdorff Cultural Center in Maplewood village provides a 100 seat theater space for a variety of theater and arts groups coordinated by the Arts and Culture Division of the Township of Maplewood. Programs include youth theater and community theater offerings.
The Burgdorff Cultural Center is located next to the Coldwell Banker Maplewood Office at 10 Durand Rd, approximately 100 yards from the Maplewood Train Station.
The South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC)
The South Orange Performing Arts Center offers audiences exhilarating and diverse arts entertainment in its intimate venue, serving as the cultural heartbeat of the greater South Orange/Maplewood region and contributing to the economic and social vibrancy of its highly diverse community. The facility features a 439 seat main hall, a loft space which can host performances and special events, and an art gallery in its atrium. In addition to a program of popular music, jazz, comedy and other acts, the Center collaborates with local organizations, youth programs and Seton Hall University to feature local talent as well.
SOPAC is located adjacent to the South Orange Train Station.
South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC)
Luna Stage
Luna Stage develops and produces vibrant plays about local and global experiences. Firmly rooted in New Jersey’s Valley Arts District – a crossroads of cultures – the theater celebrates the diverse voices surrounding them. As producer, innovator, and educator, they are dedicated to eliminating barriers to participation, and nurturing the next generation of audiences and artists. Luna Stage has contributed to the development of over 100 new works for the stage. World Premieres have had ongoing life on regional, New York, and international stages. Luna Stage’s West Orange facility includes a 99 seat black box theater and a 40 seat studio theater.
Luna Stage is located at 555 Valley Rd, West Orange, which is 5 blocks (0,4 miles) from the Highland Ave Station in Orange, approximately an 8 minute walk.
The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC)
NJPAC is the anchor cultural institution for the city of Newark and the state of New Jersey. They delight audiences with world-class performances, nurture students through comprehensive arts education programs, and engage the community with free cultural events across Newark. Programs include symphonies, operas, musicals, popular music, jazz, dance, comedy and lectures, The center contains the 2800 seat Prudential Hall, 514 seat Victoria Theater, The Chase Room, a 350 seat cabaret space, and the Horizon Theater, an 88 seat black box theater. NJPAC is host to the New Jersey Symphony and the James Moody Jazz Festival, and has also hosted events such as the Geraldine R Dodge Poetry Festival and even a season of the TV show America’s Got Talent.
NJPAC is located at 1 Center St, Newark. It is located 0.6 miles from the Broad St Station in Newark (about 15 minutes walk), but may be easier to reach by taking the Newark Light Rail from the Broad St Station to the NJPAC/Center St station, adjacent to the center. If driving, there is parking in the garage under Military Park, across the street from NJPAC.
