Women's Theater Company Prepares for 20th Anniversary

It's been quite a ride for Parsippany's Women's Theater Company. For 20 years, the thespian group housed within the Parsippany Community Center's Parsippany Playhouse has kept live theater alive in the township.

Just in the last year, the WTC has delighted audiences with plays such as "Southern Comforts" and the recent "A Person of Interest"  and musical shows like "Carol Channeling."

The next Parsippany Playhouse presentation will in fact be a musical revue: "A Grand Night for Singing" features the classic songs of Rodgers and Hammerstein.  

Thinking of the company's milestone, we thought this was the perfect  time to shine the Parsippany Spotlight on a township treasure. 

WTC Executive Director (and producer of "A Grand Night for Singing") Barbara Krajkowski was gracious enough to take on Patch's five questions.

1. How is life on the boards at the Women's Theater Company lately?

We are growing in our community through the help and thanks to Mayor Barberio, Barbara Ievoli, The Chamber of Commerce, The Kiwanis Club, The Women’s Club of Parsippany, and all our neighbors and friends in Parsippany for helping us survive.   We need more of you to grow!

Our board of trustees made up of women in all fields is becoming more and more Parsippany women.  We are fortunate to have a board that is dedicated to the success of the theater.  We are also grateful to have former Parsippany Mayor Mimi Letts serving as our board vice president.


2. What challenges do you face in keeping the company afloat and thriving?

The Women's Theater Company is like a blooming flower in Parsippany.  
 Every season we just grow bigger.    The community is responding with
open arms and the seats are filling.    This is the only way any
professional theater can survive today, with the help of the community,
funding for the arts has seriously decreased and this is effecting the
arts in our community, New Jersey and the country.   Yet it has been
proven, study after study, that the arts add to the smartness and civility
of people in general.  We help to continue this service by offering
internships to local high school and college students.


3.  How does a nonprofit theater keep seats filled?

The company is a non- profit 501 (c) (3) organization, operating under
small professional theater contract with the Actors Equity Association and
is a senior member of the New Jersey Theater Alliance.  Our audiences are
diverse and represent a cross section of northern New Jersey.  Several
newspapers  review our productions.  Indications of the quality of our productions are the positive reviews we continue to receive.

The Women’s Theater Company was created to offer a creative, educational
environment for emerging and established women theater artists to develop, practice, and produce their craft. Through our main stage, educational outreach, and new works development programs, the Women’s Theater Company supports the development of women artists, promotes new works in the American theater, and provides entertaining and enriching productions for growing audiences.

4.  Tell us about your upcoming production of "A Grand Night For
Singing," which is running from May 17 to June 2?

The Women’s Theater Company is presenting its final show of its 20th
season, "A Grand Night For Singing," which is a musical revue celebrating
the timeless masterpieces from the music of Richard Rodgers and and lyrics
of Oscar Hammerstein II.    

We have a great cast who is working hard, including Jill Cappuccino from
Oldwick, NJ, equity performer Joseph Elefante   from Denville, NJ, Chelsea
Friedlander from Long Valley, NJ, equity performer Perri Lauren from
Marlboro, NJ, Chris Mortenson from Oldwick, NJ, and Peter Jay Oliff  from
Nutley, NJ.

We welcome new audiences!  Please visit us and watch a great show! To
purchase tickets online go to www.womenstheater.org or call 973-316-3033,
or email info@womenstheater.org.


5.  Why Parsippany?

We need to help keep live theater alive in America and particularly in
Parsippany.   When a town is being researched for the best to live in,
arts is one of the serious considerations.    

"A Grand Night For Singing" runs May 17 through June 2; Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm; Sundays at 3 pm; tickets are $20 for adults and $18 for seniors and students.The Women’s Theater Company is located at the Parsippany Playhouse at 1130 Knoll Road in Lake Hiawatha.