Join Summer Stage for its 30th Anniversary Season

When Summer Stage Children’s theatre opened the curtains to its first show in 1989, co-founder and producing artistic director, Ed Fiscella, of Washington Township, could not imagine more than 140 productions later that Summer Stage would celebrate its 30th Season.

“Summer Stage began out of a request from students who enjoyed their middle school drama program. That first year, we had 65 campers and nine staff. Since then, we’ve grown into Mainstage Center for the Arts, which serves over 1,000 children each year, employs a staff of nearly 100, and presents year-round programs for every segment of the community. As we’ve grown, we’ve never forgotten that our roots are in Summer Stage Children’s Theatre. That program continues to shine. This year, as we celebrate our 30th Anniversary, Summer Stage promises to be one of our finest. We have a line-up of excellent shows, a creative and dedicated staff, and a wonderful group of students who love to perform. The fun they have on stage is quite evident to audience members,” said Fiscella.

Mainstage’s 30th anniversary season includes: The Little Mermaid, Jr.; Camp Rock; Mary Poppins, Jr.; and Magic Up Our Sleeve, a musical revue. It kicks off July 11 – 13 when the cast of The Little Mermaid, Jr. travels Under the Sea for adventure with Ariel, Flounder, Sebastian, and Friends. This production is sponsored by Beneficial Bank and Lamp Post Diner. Then it’s off to Camp Rock where Mitchie and her friends arrive, ready to spend another summer jamming out and having the time of their lives. But, the new, flashy Camp Star across the lake threatens Camp Rock’s existence. This production, sponsored by Bowman & Company and Grace construction, runs July 18-21. Next, audiences will journey to England in 1910 where Jane and Michael Banks have sent many a nanny packing before Mary Poppins arrives. Mary Poppins, JR. runs July 25-27. McGuiness Funeral Home, Precision Power Wash, Ryan Bansky Expert Tree Service, and GLS Painters sponsor it. The season concludes August 1-3 with Magic Up Our Sleeve, an exciting, high-energy musical revue featuring many well-known numbers performed throughout the years at Summer Stage. This production is sponsored by Two Two Creative.

To mark the 30th anniversary, Mainstage will present the Mainstage will present its 30th Anniversary Show, a musical revue that time travels through the past, present, and future as Mainstage Center for

the Arts celebrates 30 years of entertaining musical comedies, children's musicals, show choir performances and more. This show takes place Saturday, July 21, 7:30 p.m. Meadows Diner, Parke Bank, and Advocare DelGiorno sponsor this show.

Alumni Kara Collison Carr looks forward to participating in the anniversary show. She said, "I am so excited to be a part of the planning committee for the upcoming 30th anniversary show. I first started with Mainstage 22 years ago. The summer before I started 6th grade so I was 10 going on 11… That is where my love for Mainstage and the arts started. I had finally found my place, my safe place, my happy place. A place where I belonged, a place where I could go and could turn any bad day around. It was more than just performing, to me it was a family and lifelong friendships. The best years of my life were spent with Mainstage and for that I am forever grateful.... I can't wait to see what amazing ideas we all come up with and I look forward to all the fun events leading up to the 30th Anniversary show.

For its Broadway production featuring young adults and high schoolers, Mainstage will present The Addams Family, a New Musical Comedy. In this original musical, the macabre Addams family is put to the test when outsiders come to dinner, hurling Gomez, Morticia, Wednesday, Pugsley, Uncle Fester, Grandmama and Lurch headlong into a night that will change the family forever.

In addition to the Children’s Theatre, Addams Family, and Mainstage Anniversary show, and Addams Family, Kids Stuff (entering second and third grade) and Apprentice campers (entering fourth and fifth grades), will each present their own shows. Kids Stuff’s first session performance is July 14th and its second session performance is August 4th, while the Apprentice production, Wonderland is August 5 .Then, Video Film Production students will present their original short films in a Film Premier, Friday, August 3rd at 7:30 p.m.

“We certainly hope that many members of the South Jersey community will come out to see our shows, and help us celebrate our 30th anniversary in grand fashion,” said Fiscella.

Ticket prices for Children’s Theatre productions and most other performances are $11 for children/senior citizens and $12 for adults. Tickets for the 30th Anniversary Show are $15 for adults, $12 for senior citizens, and $8 students 18 and under. The Addams Family tickets range from $8 for ages six and under to $18 for adults. Group rates are available. All productions take place in Camden County College's Dennis Flyer Theatre. For tickets, visit www.mainstage.org, or call (856) 227-3091.

Mainstage Center for the Arts, located at Camden County College in Blackwood, NJ is committed to make the arts experience enjoyable for all its patrons. In an effort to make the shows, concerts, events, workshops, classes, and offices accessible to as many as possible, Mainstage offers many services for patrons requiring assistance. For anyone in need of assistance, please notify the office at 856-227-3091 at the time of purchasing tickets, or at least five days prior to the event you are attending.

Mainstage Center for the Arts, the parent program for Summer Stage, is a 501 © (3) non-profit organization committed to providing a creative, vibrant, and nurturing environment for youth and adults. This program is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts and by funds from the National Endowment for the Arts. This program is also made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey Cultural Trust.