Foundations for Passage's Future

As humanity resurfaced from the global shutdown, Passage Theatre searched for its identity within the new parameters of society, New Jersey, Trenton, and beyond. We learned that Passage's work is strongest when we bring communities together, but we cannot do that without your help!

In 2021, as we welcomed our audiences back to live theater, we embarked on our TrentonMAKES season, which included stories written with, about, and for Trentonians. That season, Passage mounted three world premiere productions in under 100 days, including The OK Trenton Project, Janet Wide Awake: The Hedgepeth-Williams Dream, and Group! A New Musical. These brand-new, socially charged plays were based on real Trenton issues and events. We showed that part of what "Trenton Makes," are deeply moving stories that deserve to be told.

This season, our shows and programs continue to reflect our community, as we focus on the theme of Foundations for Our Future. As we move forward from two very difficult years, we want to acknowledge and reflect on how the lessons we learned from the past will help to shape what’s to come. Our first production of the 22-23 season was Blues in my Soul: The Legend and Legacy of Lonnie Johnson. This show brought new and old patrons alike to The Mill Hill Playhouse, including audiences from Candle Light Events, who served as our production partner.

We still have two productions in store! James Armstrong's two-person version of A Christmas Carol will play from December 10-12 and we will be co-producing a world premiere musical with Rider University entitled Clean Slate that will run at Rider's Yvonne Theatre from February 24-26 and at the Mill Hill Playhouse from March 10-12. Our educational programming is making an even deeper impact on the community this season, as we now offer adult Studio School classes and a robust professional internship program with numerous opportunities for early career theatre makers. Both of these programs are in addition to the Student Matinees and pre- and post-show workshops that we offer to local schools. We continue to reach new audiences and engage new artists through our Community Dialogues Panels, post-show discussions, and new play development workshops that encourage artist and audience conversations while highlighting stories that reflect Trenton's diverse and unique population.

Now, more than, ever, we need your help to aid in our mission of creating and producing socially relevant new plays and arts programming that deeply resonate with our community. Your donation today will help us to maintain staff and provide them with professional development opportunities. It will allow us to pay our artists a fair wage while continuing to guarantee high-quality productions. It will allow us to spend more time with local students and teachers, reach more audience members, and collaborate with the artists who share in our vision.

Help Passage Theatre as we build a foundation for our future. Help us to continue to bring live theatre to the Trenton community and beyond.