Centenary Stage Co. Debuts World Premiere Play Hitler's Tasters | Explore Warren

 

Centenary Stage Co. Debuts World Premiere Play Hitler's Tasters

Imagine knowing that every mouthful of food you ate could be your last. Inspired by the true story, Michelle Kholos Brooks’ Hitler’s Tasters will make its world premiere at Centenary Stage Company April 6 through April 22 in the Lackland Performing Arts Center.

Directed by Sarah Norris, Hitler’s Tasters features Jennifer Robbins, Emaline Williams, Ally Borgstrom and Brianna Morris.

Jennifer Robbins will be making her Centenary Stage Company debut as Liesel. Robbins has appeared Off Broadway in Stiff and multiple incarnations of the original musical Dear Prospective Student. New Jersey Theatre credits include Rabbit Hole, Collected Stories, Five Women Wearing the Same Dress, What We’re Up Against (The Company Theatre Group), Anton in Show Business and Little Red Riding Hood (Alliance Repertory Theatre). Robbins holds a B.A. in Theatre from Franklin and Marshall College and is a member of Actors' Equity Association. Visit JenniferHaleyRobbins.com for more information.

Emaline Williams joins the cast as Hilda. An Ohio native and familiar face to CSC audiences, Williams has been featured in several readings as part of CSC’s Women’s Playwright Series. Williams was most recently seen in the Bickford Theatre’s production of Accomplice and is currently workshopping Darrah Cloud’s new play Turning, which is being presented by Centenary Stage Company as part of the New Jersey Theatre Alliance’s Stages Festival. She’s worked Off Broadway with Vampire Cowboys Theater Co (Alice in Slasherland, GEEK!) and in New Jersey at Alliance Repertory Theatre and The Growing Stage. Film work includes: A Thousand Words, Hotel, Hunter’s Weekend and webseries Jess Archer Versus (now streaming on Amazon Prime). Williams received a B.F.A. from Ohio University and is a member of Actors' Equity Association. Visit emalinewilliams.com for more information.

Ally Borgstrom also is making her Centenary Stage Company debut as Margot. Borgstrom, a recent graduate from DeSales University, has most recently appeared at The Growing Stage in their holiday musical Cinderella. Other credits include: Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (Babette) at The Growing Stage, as well as productions at The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival including Taming of the Shrew, The Little Mermaid, Blithe Spirit, Les Miserables and many more.

Centenary University student Brianna Morris returns to the CSC stage as Anna. CSC audiences may remember Morris as one of the unruly maids in CSC production of The Learned Ladies or as a Bowery Beauty in the CSC production of Disney’s Newsies The Musical. Morris is a junior at Centenary University majoring in Theatre Studies with a concentration in Musical Theatre. Past roles include: Elizabeth Benning (Young Frankenstein), Dorothy Gale (The Wizard of Oz), Carrie White (Carrie: The Musical), Pippi (The Great American Trailer Park Musical), Linda (The Wedding Singer).

Winner of the 2017 Susan Glaspell Award, Hitler’s Tasters is an alternately engaging and compelling play that tells the story of the young women who were charged with tasting Hitler’s food so that he would not be poisoned. Three times day, every day, the young women have the opportunity “to die for their Führer”. But while they wait, like all girls throughout time they gossip, they dream, they question and dance, until the door opens and the guard appears with each meal.

Hitler’s Tasters runs April 6 through April 22 in the Kutz Theatre of the Lackland Performing Arts Center. Specific performance dates are Fridays April 6, 13 and 20 at 8 p.m.; Saturdays April 7, 14 and 21 at 8 p.m.; Sundays April 8, 15 and 22 at 2 p.m.; Wednesdays, April 11 and 18 at 2 p.m. and Thursdays, April 12 and 19 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $27.50 for adults on matinee and Friday evening performances and $29.50 for adults on Saturday evening performances. Thursday evening performances are $27.50 for all seats with a buy one / get one rush ticket special when purchased in person at the Centenary Stage Company box office beginning at 5:30 p.m. BOGO offer is not valid for advance ticket sales by phone or online.

Centenary Stage Company also is offering a buffet matinee for both Wednesday afternoon performances. Buffet matinees are $45.00 per person and include private dining and the performance. Minimum of 25 reservations are required. Centenary Stage Company also offers discounted group sales for groups of 25 or more. To reserve a buffet matinee or a group of 25 or more contact the CSC box office directly at (908) 979-0900.

Centenary Stage Company will also be holding a Pre-show VIP Reception on Saturday, April 7 beginning at 6:30 p.m. The reception is $15.00 per person and limited to 50 participants. The Pre-show VIP reception will include light finger food, complimentary beverages, desserts and an opportunity to meet playwright Michelle Kholos Brooks. It is recommended to purchase tickets along with your VIP Reception reservation to ensure entry to the performance that evening. To reserve call the box office directly at (908) 979-0900.

Centenary Stage Company’s production of Michelle Kholos Brooks’ Hitler’s Tasters is sponsored in part by Heath Village Retirement Community, The House of the Good Shepherd and Zonta Morristown Chapter.

For more information or to purchase tickets visit www.centenarystageco.org or call the CSC box office at (908) 979-0900. The box office is open Monday through Friday from 1-5 p.m. and two hours prior to every event. The CSC box office is located in the Lackland Performing Arts Center at 715 Grand Avenue Hackettstown, NJ. Centenary Stage Company can also be found across social media platforms; Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Like and follow to receive the latest in CSC news and special offers.

The 2017-2018 season of performing arts events at the Centenary Stage Company is made possible through the generous support of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the NJ State Council on the Arts, the Shubert Foundation, the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, the Sandra Kupperman Foundation, Zonta Morristown Chapter and CSC corporate sponsors, including Premier Season Sponsor Heath Village Retirement Community, Silver Sponsors Hackettstown Medical Center, The House of the Good Shepherd, Home Instead Senior Care (Washington), and Fulton Bank of New Jersey, and Centenary Stage Company members and supporters.

(Pictured from left to right are Emaline Williams, Brianna Morris, Ally Borgstrom and Jennifer Robbins. Photo credit: Chris Young)