Center Players Of Freehold To Present 'The Realistic Joneses'

FREEHOLD, NJ — The Center Players of Freehold are set to present their first Signature Series production of the 2026-27 season this fall.

From Oct. 2-4, the group will present "The Realistic Joneses" by Will Eno.

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Directed by Center Players' Artistic Director Michael Tota, the production will run at the Herbst Theatre at the Jersey Shore Arts Center in Ocean Grove, marking the first time Center Players has performed in the venue.

The dramatic comedy explores modern relationships, mortality, and the truths we share next door, officials said.

The play centers around two suburban couples who have even more in common than their identical homes and their shared last names.

As their relationships begin to irrevocably intertwine, the Joneses must decide between their idyllic fantasies and their imperfect realities.

"We are thrilled to present this sharp, satirical play in an exciting new venue in a vibrant arts community and we believe it will be the start of a successful relationship with the Jersey Shore Arts Center," Tota said.

The cast features Michael Gonzalez (Manasquan, NJ), Pamela Wilterdink (Point Pleasant, NJ), Kate McCracken (Howell, NJ) and Ankit Sharma (Woodbridge, NJ).

Performances are Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Tickets are priced at $28 and are available online at centerplayers.org or by calling 732-462- 9093. Specially priced $25 tickets are available for groups of 10 or more.

The Jersey Shore Arts Center is located at 66 S. Main St. in Ocean Grove, with free parking available in the North lot (Main Ave) and South lot (accessed from Lawrence Ave) of the center.

To help fund the production (which will require a larger budget due to the location and scope of the venue), the Center Players started a tax-deductible GoFundMe campaign, which can be accessed here.

The fundraiser has a goal of $3.5K. As of Monday evening, $880 has been raised.

Following "The Realistic Joneses," Center Players' next production will be "It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play" by Joe Landry on Sunday, Nov. 8th at the American Hotel in Freehold and Sunday, Nov. 15th at Mattison Crossing in Freehold.

Tickets and exact performance times will be available shortly.

To learn more, you can visit the Center Players website.