Passage Theatre Company's COVID-19 Fundraiser

Now heading into our 35th season, Passage Theatre Company's mission is to create and produce socially relevant new plays and arts programming that deeply resonate with and reflect our community. Through professional productions, educational programs, and community engagement, we present diverse perspectives and new voices that inspire audiences and invigorate the art of live theatre.

In the wake of the COVID-19 era, we are committed to continuing to provide new and engaging programming for our community. The arts are vital to this moment in our country's history, and at Passage, we believe that we now need theatre more than ever. Our plan for our 20-21 programming is based upon the themes of CONNECTION and CAREGIVING.

At Passage, we believe that theatre has the power to transform its participants; to inspire understanding of the rich diversity of the human experience, and to serve as a passage between our own lives and the empathy we can feel for others. Each production is a shared experience that we can carry into the world and use as a catalyst for inclusive conversation, connection, and change in our community.

Passage's home, the Mill Hill Playhouse.

In a time when we are all glued to our computer and television screens, many people are desperately missing in-person, human CONNECTION. At Passage, we are making plans to return to live performances as soon as possible to ensure that the members of our community do not lose the valuable, in-person connection that can be brought to us through the arts. We believe that a return to physical gatherings is necessary for the mental health of our community, and it allows for the non-verbal connection that makes us human. By participating in a shared experience, we are connecting to our neighbors on a more personal level that encourages understanding and empathy in our community. With this in mind, we are making every effort to ensure that live shows at the Mill Hill Playhouse will be able to resume in a safe and healthy way in February of 2021 and are asking our community to help us raise the extra funds needed to take all health and safety precautions necessary.

While in-person gatherings are still on hold, we are also taking care to create new, online programming to keep our audiences connected in the virtual world as we navigate the COVID-19 era. Artist interviews, education classes, professional play readings, and behind-the-scenes features on our new play development program, PlayLab, have all been planned to begin in September and run throughout the 20-21 season. 

Artists from Passage's PlayLab show in development, THE OK TRENTON PROJECT, take a break to smile for the camera. (From left to right: Richard Bradford, Aleksandra Kostis, Kara Jönsson, Ryanne Domingues, Sol Madariaga, Felicia Leicht, and Kevin Bergen)  

As we promote the idea that theatre is necessary for community connection, we are also well aware that a certain amount of healing will need to take place as we head into 2021. Therefore, all of the shows we are producing this coming season deal with the topic of CAREGIVING. This can refer to caring for oneself, one's family members, one's friends, or one's community.  In February, we will present a live production of the Solo Flights show, MOTHER (AND ME) by Melinda Buckley, which focuses on how a woman cares for her mother as her parent's health declines. In March, we will produce our third Theatre for Families and Young Audiences production, SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY by New Jersey playwright Chisa Hutchinson that addresses caregiving in one's community. Caitlin Parrish's hit play, A TWIST OF WATER, will be produced in May and tells the story of a widowed history teacher and his adopted daughter as they find new ways to care for each other in the midst of redefining their own identities. All of this live programming is in addition to a variety of online readings and new play offerings that we are excited to share with audiences online and at the Playhouse. As always, Passage will continue to partner with nonprofits and community members in our area who can help us shed additional light on the topics addressed in our plays, and give our audiences additional resources as to how they too can aid in caring for our community. 

Passage's Community Engagement Consultant, Stelline Howard, prepares our panelists (From left to right: Alex Basseches, Senior Manager, Community Development, American Cancer Society; Janet Porter, Community Member; and Patty Hutman-Parker, RWJ Oncology Nurse) for a Community Dialogue session concerning breast cancer awareness, in connection with our 2019 production of DAUPHIN ISLAND. 

We are incredibly excited to share this innovative and exciting programming with our audience, but we will not be able to do so without your help! With reduced seating capacity at the Playhouse (due to necessary social distancing measures), and extra needs linked to lost foundation support and added safety measures, we need to raise additional funding to bring this programming to our community. Passage Theatre is an integral part of Trenton's arts and culture scene. Our shows are specifically chosen to lift up and enlighten those in Mercer County, and we hope YOU will join us in making a difference today!

For more information, please visit our website.

Passage Board Member Jim Gordon and Artistic Director Ryanne Domingues are excited to show off their Passage pride.

Director Amina Robinson (center) and actors SJ Hannah (left), and Shadana Patterson (right) begin work on Passage's 2019 production of DAUPHIN ISLAND,