interACT Theatre Productions Presents the East Coast Premiere of The Graveyard Girls

MAPLEWOOD, NJ: This Halloween season, interACT Theatre Productions invites audiences beyond the graveyard gates for the East Coast Premiere of The Graveyard Girls, a theatrical horror comedy by Tommy Jamerson, directed by Nicholas J. Clarey.

Featuring original incidental and scene-change music by Edward A. Bean, The Graveyard Girls runs October 9 through 24, 2026 at the Burgdorff Center for the Performing Arts in Maplewood, New Jersey.

Best friends Lauree, Sydney, and Nancie have an annual Halloween tradition: sneaking into an abandoned graveyard and competing to tell the most terrifying story around the campfire. But when Nancie’s love interest joins the festivities, the evening takes an unexpected turn. Stories meant to be make-believe begin to feel disturbingly real.

Blending dark humor, theatrical scares, friendship, and three frightening tales told around the fire, The Graveyard Girls explores what happens when the line between storytelling and reality begins to disappear.

“What drew me to The Graveyard Girls is that it understands why we tell scary stories in the first place,” says Nicholas J. Clarey, director and interACT Artistic Director. “We scare ourselves because it’s fun, because it brings us together, and sometimes because the things that frighten us have something to tell us. This production embraces all of that. It’s funny, it’s creepy, it’s theatrical, and then, when you least expect it, it gets genuinely unsettling.”

The production stars Maki Iman as Lauree, Melissa Mugica as Sydney, May Riekenberg as Nancie, and Michael McBride as Jack, with Jerry Narciso, Nat Gennace, Joe Miceli, Botond Ekler-Szabo, Ruth Rooney, Joel Redmount, Andre Fleming, Addie Kriegel, Arielle Waller, Emily Martin, Christine Melina, Jillana Kucey, Sophia Rounsavill, and Lital Knoll.

The creative team includes Assistant Director Ricky Cortez; Producers Serena Marie Smith, Brittany Reese, and Tommy Jamerson; Stage Manager Tommy Barbara; Assistant Stage Manager Ellie Schuckman; Technical Director Douglas Reese; Fight Director Craig Hill; Intimacy Director Amanda Castro-Conroy; Costumer Leila Tai Brown; Lighting Designer Danny Viola; Sound Designer Alex Post; Props Designer/SFX Props Creator Johanna Hill; Props Director Lisa Tasch; Program Designer Mark Aquilino; Social Media Director Sabrina Santoro; Box Office Manager Dawilla Madsen; and Production Photographer Gabrielle Williams. Clarey also serves as Set Designer.

Performance Schedule

Burgdorff Center for the Performing Arts
10 Durand Road, Maplewood, NJ

Friday, October 9: 7:30 PM
Saturday, October 10: 7:30 PM
Sunday, October 11: 3:00 PM

Friday, October 16: 7:30 PM
Saturday, October 17: 7:30 PM
Sunday, October 18: 3:00 PM

Friday, October 23: 7:30 PM
Saturday, October 24: 7:30 PM

Understudy Performances

Saturday, October 17: 2:00 PM
Saturday, October 24: 2:00 PM

These special performances feature members of the production’s understudy company stepping into their assigned roles.

Tickets and additional information are available at interactproductions.org.

About interACT Theatre Productions

Founded in 2009, interACT Theatre Productions is a nonprofit community theatre company serving South Orange, Maplewood, and the surrounding New Jersey community. interACT is dedicated to creating inclusive and accessible theatrical experiences while bringing together artists of diverse backgrounds and experience levels to create ambitious, engaging live theatre.