Belmont Avenue Social Club [with pool table] coming in February!

Last night, we brought a pool table into the theatre, the first sign of our next play coming to SCTC! Thanks to Jim, Katie, Ray and Brad for braving the snow, ice and cold to bring a necessary piece to the theatre for our next production. This really is exciting and fun work. "Belmont Avenue Social Club', Bruce Graham's biting and funny play about local politics, under the direction of Ray Croce promises to jump start your 2010 theatre season. Bringing a pool table into the theatre on a cold winter's night got my theatre fire started. Have a great holiday season and see you all in February!

Holiday Season Reminder

First of all let me take this time to wish all of you a happy holiday season. Thank you for your generosity as we build the Waterfront South Theatre togeteher! I wanted to remind you that we still have seats available to be named for your loved ones. We also have smaller gift levels available to help the theatre continue to come to life! Please go to www.southcamdentheatre.org/support.html for information. Thank you in advance for briinging art and life to Camden. 2010 will be an incredible year. See you at the theatre!

Reminder: Book Party Wednesday night at Max's

A quick reminder that tomorrow night, 12-2, from 6-8PM we will be at Max's Seafood in Gloucester celebrating the print release of "Last Rites". I hope you can come out, say hello and celebrate the next step in the long journey of Walt, Sue and the rest of the characters who populate the play and Camden in 1967. From conception, to written play, to production, to Watefront South Theatre and beyond, this publication by Hansen Publishing is the next step in our journey. I hope to see you tomorrow night. Jon Hansen, the publisher, will be on hand with copies of the book for sale. Max's is located at the corner of Hudson and Burlington Streets in Gloucester City, NJ [08030 if you're mapquesting]. See you then!

One Actor Still Needed for "Belmont"

We still seek one actor [50-60, non equity] for "Belmont Avenue Social Club", our play that will begin in February. Email me at joep@southcamdentheatre.org if you would like to read for our director, Ray Croce.

Standing on the new stage at Waterfront South Theatre

Thank you to everyone who came out to install the stage at the new Waterfront South Theatre! Over thirty people came out this past Saturday morning to work, inspire and complete the installation of the stage that will launch the dreams of countless artists and children in Camden, NJ. It was emotional, inspiring and proves to all that Camden is rising around us and, with our hands and sweat and effort that we are all bringing it back. Keep an eye out for our painting the theatre day which will be in February. We will all be bringing our brushes and rollers and bringing the theatre to life. Art will save us!

Slave Narratives Revisited

Thank you to everyone who came out this past weekend to see Ed Shockley's great play "Slave Narratives Revisited; a celebration of freedom". Thank you also to world famous filmmaker Euzhan Palcy, who graced our theatre with her presence on Friday evening. Ed and lary moten honored her for her years of work including writing and directing "A Dry White Season" which featured Marlon Brando and Donald Sutherland. We had a World Series and a presidential visit to Camden to contend with but, never the less, many dedicated theatre goers came to SCTC to support this play. After we move into the Waterfront South Theatre we will bring the play back for a weekend. I will announce that as next season comes closer. Also, remember Saturday, November 14th! We will be installing the new stage and would love for you to stop by and help. We will begin at 7:30 AM. All are most welcome.

Visit from NJ Sec of State Wells and Steve Runk, NJ State Council On The Arts

I want to thank NJ Secretary of State Nina Mitchell Wells and Director of the NJ Council On The Arts Steven R. Runk for visiting the Waterfront South Theatre yesterday at the request of Governor Jon Corzine. Secretary Wells and Mr. Runk spent over an hour with us touring the new theatre and walking the streets of Waterfront South to experience the artistic vision and freedom that our neighborhood exhibits. As we get ready for the opening of "Slave Narratives Revisited" at SCTC tomorrow night we can all feel the pride of knowing that the leadership of New Jersey knows and understand the importance of the arts in Waterfront South and how important plays like these are to all of our growth as a people. Please come see the play this weekend. support the arts in Camden and thank you again Secretary Wells and Steve Runk for spending time with us. Come back often!

Brick going up on Waterfront South Theatre!!!

Stop by the corner of 4th and Jasper Street in Camden and see SCTC's new home in its next stage of construction as the brick goes on! This will be the last big change to the exterior of the theatre as work moves inside!

Please join us November 14th as we lay down the stage at 7:30AM. Contact me at joep@southcamdentheatre.org for details. All are welcome. Art will save us!!!!!!

Stage Construction at SCTC - Waterfront South Theatre

We will be building the stage at the new Waterfront South Theatre on Saturday morning, November 14th starting at 7:30 AM. There are four layers to the stage and we will be led by Camden Catholic alum and Set construction Manager Rob Klimowski who has designed some SCTC sets in the past. Come out an be a part of the rebirth. If you'd like to help [we'd love to have you!] please let me know by emailing me at joep@southcamdentheatre.org or sign up when you come to see SLAVE NARRATIVES REVISITED next weekend, october 30, 31 or November 1. Let's show the region that Camden IS rising in Waterfront South. We will begin work at 7:30 AM and hope to be finsihed by afternoon. Angels are everywhere. Art WILL truly save us all!

Last Rites now on sale!

Last Rites is officially on sale as of October 1st. You can order your copy online at Amazon, Borders and Barnes and Noble, published by Hansen Publishing. No word yet on which book stores will carry it locally but I encourage you to suggest it to you local store. Thanks to everyone for their ongoing support and I look forward to seeing you at the opening of Last Rites at the new Waterfront South Theatre
in 2010.

Slave Narratives Revisited - Watch the video preview

Watch the video preview for Ed Shockley's wonderful play "Slave Narratives Revisited: a celebration of freedom" that South Camden Theatre Company will be bringing to you for three shows only on October 30, 31 and November 1st. Check out the video preview below and on our YouTube channel at:http://www.youtube.com/user/SouthCamdenTheatre I am sure after seeing it you will want to reserve your seats. remember, there is limited seating for this show. Don't miss it!

News From Tennessee Williams Festival in Provincetown

I'm spending the week in Provincetown, MA at the 4th Annual Tennessee Williams Festival. It is truly an incredible theatre festival and, as we are in it's second day, have already seen a few wonderful Tennessee Williams plays. To quote Tenn from his play "The Last Of My Solid Gold Watches", though, "my pockets are filled with watches that show me I have little time left". That is, the way I feel about this festival. There are, though, many more plays until the festival closes Sunday and I will be seeing as many as time allows. My hope is to bring something from this festival each year to Camden and I am already speaking with Patrick Falco and David Kaplan, the directors of this fine festival about such possibilities. It is also a thrill to see my book and "LAST RITES" on sale here. I wonder what Walt and Sue would think about P'Town!

I will be sharing big Waterfront South Theatre news with you shortly. Our season of transition will begin on October 30th with "Slave Narratives Revisited: a celebration of freedom". Tickets are for sale online. Please don't miss it.

More Theatre Magic From 4th and Jasper

I received a phone call last week from Ms. Jo Ann Simpkins Straub from West Virginia. In the illustrated book of Camden "Camden (NJ) (Images of America)" by Cheryl Baisden, which is available at all bookstores, she saw a picture I had lent Cheryl for her book of Walt's Café from 1935 (the same picture will also be featured in my play and book "Last Rites" which releases on October 1st) In the picture there are men in the bar posing with my grandfather. It turns out the second man at the bar is her father! We had corresponded for the past few days and I forwarded the picture to her online so that she can share it with her family. She told me he was only 21 years old in it and it was a picture no one in her family had ever seen or knew existed. This old picture, which was in the bottom of a drawer has now brought even more happiness and wonderful memories to someone I have yet to meet. Pure magic. This theatre IS magic. Please...be a part of it. Please come to Camden and see the beauty and power of theatre. "Slave Narratives Revisited -A Celebration of Freedom" opens October 30th. See you there!

Budd Schulberg's Passing

Only 2 weeks after the death of Karl Malden Budd Schulberg, the writer of 'On The Waterfront" died yesterday. He was the greatest screenwriter in film history...period. I can't recommend another of his screenplays "A Face In The Crowd" more. It is from 1957 and shows the corruption of power using television. It is brilliant. Below is a quote from Mr. Schulberg in today's NY Times.

"It’s the writer’s responsibility to stand up against that power,” Mr. Schulberg said in an interview with The New York Times in 2006, videotaped for posthumous showing on its Web site. “The writers are really almost the only ones, except for very honest politicians, who can make any dent on that system. I tried to do that. And that’s affected me my whole life.”

This was a man of talent and vision. Thankfully, we will always have his work.

Last Rites Published!

I am very happy to announce that my first play, "Last Rites", will be released this coming October published by Hansen Publishing Group. This is an incredible next step in the journey of this play, a journey that started when I wrote the first draft of the play back in 1997. Pre-orders are now being accepted on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.com or at http://hansenpublishing.com. We will also be bringing the play back to you onstage this spring in the new Waterfront South Theatre which is rising as I write this. The doors and windows went on this week and next will be the roof and brick facade. If you are in the neighborhood go see it. Walt's Café is rising from the shell of its past.

The new season approaches.......I'll let you know of updates as they occur.

Camden will rise. Art will save us.

OUR NEW SEASON!!!!!

I am so excited to announce our fifth season here in South Camden! Please join us on October 30, 31, and November 1st for Ed Shockley's "Slave Narratives Revisited: a celebration of freedom". Ed is the author of many plays and is a well known Philadelphia based writer. His play will move you as well as make you laugh with a brilliant two man story taking us from slavery to the present day. Joining Ed will be lary moten, who shares the stage as well as directs this exciting piece of theatre. You will only have 3 opportunities to see it and tickets are available now on our website and will be presented at our present home. Don't miss it!

On February 12th, 2010 we will be bringing you the funny and biting "Belmont Avenue Social Club" written by the dean of Philadelphia area playwrights Bruce Graham. I served as Assistant Director for this play back in 1999 at Theatre Exile under the incredible director Joe Canuso and love this play a lot. This is a powerful and indicting story and Ray Croce is the perfect director for it. This will run until February 28th also in our Sacred Heart basement theatre.

We will open the new Waterfront South Theatre with my play "Last Rites", (the play that started all of this) , in the spring of 2010. Much, much more on that later.

All three plays this year are written, directed and acted by Camden/Philadelphia area artists.

Please come out this season and see some great theatre. See you in October for "Slave Narratives Revisited"!

Auld Dubliner Fundraiser Cancelled

I am sorry to report that our fundraiser scheduled for Friday, July 17th had to be cancelled. Auld Dubliner told us late last week they were closing for the summer. I apologize to all of you who planned to attend and I will be letting you know when a new date is scheduled after they re-open. Also, we have next season set up and this will be the most exciting season ever! We will be making a formal announcement with the schedule shortly but, for now, keep October 30, 31 and November 1st open!!!

The Waterfront South Theatre continues to rise at 4th and Jasper. Take a ride by a see our new home.

Remembering Karl Malden

It's not often I use this blog to commemorate a celebrity but I really feel the need to mention the death of Karl Malden. He was the last tie to the original stage production and film " A Streetcar Named Desire" [written by Tennessee Williams and directed by Elia Kazan] and the incredible "On The Waterfront" [also directed by Kazan] as well as countless other works including "Baby Doll' with the still VERY alive Eli Wallach. With his death yesterday at 97, a golden era of theatre has almost now passed. We, the theatre artists of today that truly believe in our work, and we who believe that the art of theatre should always have something to say and something to stand for, have learned greatly from Karl Malden and the other masters I mentioned above.

In a week of more noted celebrity deaths, this man's passing needs to be remembered and respect and "attention needs to be paid".

Karl Malden was a legend. SCTC exists because of work like his.

Guest Bartender Fundraiser at Auld Dubliner

Please join us on Friday, July 17th at our sponsor, Auld Dubliner on Burlingotn Street in Gloucester City, NJ as we have our 2nd "Guest Bartender" fundraiser. Ashley Chambers and I will be tending bar from 8PM - 11PM and all of our tips go directly to SCTC. This past winter we raised over $400.00 at our first event. We will be announcing our next season shortly so come out with us and have a drink, sing a song and just celebrate that all of us are a part of bringing the arts and theatre to Waterfront South. See you then...and remember...tip well!

SCTC now a member of NJ Theatre Alliance

We had a wonderful afternoon this past Friday at the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, NJ where SCTC was voted in as an associate member of the NJ Theatre Alliance. We had applied over a year ago and, thanks to the hard work of our Board President Bob Bingaman and our Marketing Director Gus Orr, our application for membership was accepted. This aligns us with all of the other theatres in the state of New Jersey and we are proud to be a part of this group of theatre professionals. I'll keep you informed of our work with the alliance and, as summer is now upon us, go see a show at one of New Jersey's fantastic theatres. More news!! We will be announcing our 2009-10 schedule shortly which will be filled with excitement and surprises. If you are not on our email list yet please sing up for it on our website at www.southcamdentheatre.org.

Hope and the 3rd Floor Rising at 4th and Jasper

It was so exciting to ride past the theatre yesterday and see that work on the third floor has begun. This will be our new rehearsal space on the top floor of the new Waterfront South Theatre. For the first time since my grandfather's bar was torn down you can actually see the structure of the new theatre from pavement to rooftop. I am sure that we feel exactly the same excitement as the original builders and owners of the building saw in the 1860's when the bar was built. Seeing the theatre rise from the ground is a true resurrection of the corner...and...the resurrection of a neighborhood. Doug Wallace from Sacred Heart School and I watched together as the frame was going on the roof. We then started planning both of our seasons;SCTC's as well as the dates for the school's annual Shakespeare production. Camden kids in a real Camden theatre. As soon as we know the dates we will announce them so we can all prepare for 2009-10! Please support us in this goal. And...if you need any proof that Camden IS rising and that "art will save us", take a ride to 4th and Jasper, stand on the corner, and be a part of a dream. The dream of a rebuilt Camden!

Thank You For A Great Fourth Season!!!

I wanted to thank every actor, writer, director, and staff person who worked on this past season at SCTC. I really can't believe we have completed four seasons in Waterfront South! My largest thanks , though, is to every audience member who came to Camden this season to see a play. Without you there is no SCTC. We had over 700 people attend plays this season, our largest year yet! We will be announcing our next season very soon. I can tell you it will be full of both new work to us and some old "friends". Please sign up for our email list on the site so we can send out the new season as soon as it is finalized. We will be getting a better idea of when the new Waterfron South Theatre will be able to open soon and we will let you know the shows and dates at that time which should be mid-June. All the best for a wonderful summer and.....when you have time...go see a play. Theatre only lives and breathes by your participation. Thanks again to everyone. Heal Camden!

And Justice For All - Final Weekend!!!

You have three more chances to see our current production AND JUSTICE FOR ALL five one act plays about political and social injustice. Shows are Friday, Saturday at 8PM and Sunday at 1:30 PM. Over the past two weeks writers have come from to Camden from Boston, Chicago and New York to see their shows and each one has told me after that this festival ranks as highly as any they had seen in the country. These festivals give new writers a voice, directors a place to grow and actors a chance to dig into new material and make it their own. The subjects range from the true incident of three nuns arrested in Colorado for defacing a nuclear missile silo to my own play about the current police shootings in Philadelphia and how they are tearing the justice and police system wide open. Please take the time to see the plays this weekend. After Sunday, we will be taking the summer off and will be letting you know when our next season will open when a schedule is finalized. We will have a better idea next month as the new, exciting Waterfront South Theatre is now under construction. Please email or call us if you would like to help bring a new theatre to Camden! Thank you for all of your continued support for our 4th season. Without you there would be no SCTC.

More Injustice...from Washington

On the floor of the US Congress on Wednesday, Representative Virginia Foxx [R] urged the congress to vote against the hate crime legislation named for Matthew Shepard because his killing was a "hoax". She said his murder was from a robbery and was not because he was gay. This insensitive, bigoted, homophobic woman actually sits in Congress. With statements like that you can see why her party is now out of power and mired in their own civil war. People like her keep lying, feeling that the more the lie is told it will then become the truth. We have already produced "Laramie Nights", my play about the killing, which shows one of the killers as a closeted, conflicted man, full of internal rage that he ends up inflicting on Matthew by beating him and tying him to a fence to die. His motivation has been proven to be actually true. We need this to stop! Please call the congresswoman at 202 225 2071 or 336 778 0211 and tell her that injustice and bigotry will not be tolerated. During our current festival your call could not be timelier.

Waterfront South Theatre, Camden New Jersey

Poster for And Justice For All -MORE INJUSTICE!!!

I just received the posters for our next production "And Justice For All" which is a series of five one act plays dealing with social and political injustice. Last Saturday (the the horrendous wind!) many of our cast and crew gathered on Broadway in Camden for a photo which you can see here.

We purposely took this photo at the spot of the portable methadone clinic that now serves recovering heroin addicts in Camden county. Behind us in the picture is the old NY Shipyard, now South Jersey Port where the city of Camden has threatened to move a permanent methadone clinic in that will serve over 1,000 recovering addicts a day (70% of them from towns in the county, outside of Camden City). This yet another thing dumped on us in Waterfront South that no one wants near their own homes. The present site of the clinic is near Cooper Hospital and that, according to to the powers that be, is no longer the "best location" for the site. It is proper that we are doing a festival about injustice at this time. Please support and work with us to stop this ADDITIONAL injustice from being thrown onto the children and families of the redeveloping Waterfront South neighborhood. See you at the show. Art WILL save us! Heal Camden.

And Justice For All- 2 Weeks Away!!!!

Our new play festival, "And Justice For All' is shaping up very nicely in anticipation of our April 24th opening. We will be presenting five short plays that show different sides of political or social injustice. The plays come from New York , Boston, Chicago, Central Massachusetts and a new play of mine, "Hung Jury" which was written in response to the senseless police killings this past year in Philadelphia. We received over sixty plays from around the world and I hope that you are moved and excited by the plays we are producing. This is our 3rd one act play festival having previously produced play festivals concerning the Iraq War and Non-Traditional Prejudice. This forum gives us the opportunity to present work of established artists as well as new talent and brings new people into the world of SCTC. I hope you will join us and, while you are here, look at the new Waterfront South Theatre that is rising across the street. It is truly an amazing sight!

Of "Go Irish", Irish Pubs and Jason Miller

Thank you to everyone who came out yesterday to see Go Irish! The Purgatory Diaries of Jason Miller". We had a huge audience of over 60 people and the show was fantastic. Bob Hughes channels Jason in a way that is both heart wrenching and funny. Once we are in the theatre SCTC will bring the play back for a longer run so that anyone who missed it can come and see it and those who saw it can come see it again. yesterday was my second time seeing the play and I actually cannot wait to see it again. Bob gives an incredible performance and gained many fans from bringing Jason's story to Camden.

Also, thanks to everyone for supporting our "guest bartender" night at Auld Dubliner. We raised over $400 for the theatre.
Our festival of one act plays "And Justice For All" starts on April 24th and will run until Mother's Day. The writers of the one act plays are from Chicago, Boston, Central Massachusets, New York as well as my newest play. Please join us then. And, while you are there, watch the Waterfront South Theatre as it rises to the sky at 4th and Jasper.

Light from the ground

First of all, thank you to everyone who came out to SCTC to see our production of "Mass Appeal" . It was one of our most successful plays so far but, without you, it would not have happened. Auditions are being held on Sunday, March 8th for "And Justice for All" our new play series coming on April 24th. Don't miss it! Also remember the "Go Irish! The Purgatory Diaries of Jason Miller" will be performed one day only, Sunday March 15th at 1:30 PM. Reservations have already started coming in so please...dont miss it!

This past Friday evening , after the play, I was at the corner of 4th and Jasper heading to our party at Auld Dubliner when I saw something incredible. It appeared that there was a light coming form the theatre. I stopped my jeep and got out to see that the new steel of the floor was reflecting the overhead street lamp, giving the illusion of light rising from the ground. For the first time in many years true light was rising from the old bar and new theatre. The reflected light will soon be followed by the genuine light af art and theatre but, this was my first moment of actually seeing it and feeling its beauty.

If you are in the neighborhood please drive past the site. Take a look into the new construction and look for that light of your own. The light of the rebirth of Waterfront South!

KYW Newsradio 1060 Philadelphia - New Theatre in South Camden on Target for Fall Opening

KYW Newsradio 1060 Philadelphia - New Theatre in South Camden on Target for Fall Opening

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Mass Appeal writer Bill C. Davis in Camden!

This past Friday we were honored to have the famous playwright Bill C. Davis visit Camden for the opening night of his play "Mass Appeal". Bill greeted audience members after at our sponsor Auld Dubliner and spent much of his time with Fr. Doyle discussing plays, writing and Thomas Merton! He was moved by the theatre and it's mission and was moved to be a part of the revitilization of Waterfront South! Thank you also to the seventy people who came and made his visit memorable and greeted the actors with a prolonged standing ovation! There are six more chances to see the play [Friday and Saturdays at 8PM ; Sundays at 1:30 PM]. Please don't miss it! You can reserve tickets over the phone at 856 456 2850 or online at www.southcamdentheatre.org. If you forget to reserve, please feel free to come and walk in. We can always find you a seat!!!!

One week until "Mass Appeal"

"Mass Appeal" opens next Friday and I wanted to give you an update on this wonderful show. David Ehrenkrantz and Patrick Casteneda are absolutely fantastic and we hope you will join us. Try to come opening night, see a great play, and say hello to playwright Bill C. Davis who will be honoring us by coming to SCTC and to Camden to see his lightly rewritten script [SCTC is the first company in the country to do this new version]! But, if you can't make it opening night, there will be shows every weekend until February 22nd so please reserve now.

Also, the plays for the "And Justice For All" festival of new plays have been selected. We recieved 54 plays from all over the world including Russia! We will be showing plays that touch on everything from Iraq war protesters, the inequality of justice as well as the disastorous murder rate in Camden. Stay tuned for more updates. Also, don't forget "Go Irish! The Purgatory Diary of Jason Miller" coming to SCTC for 1 show on Sunday, March 15th.

See you at "Mass Appeal"!

Bill C. Davis, author of "Mass Appeal" to join us for opening night!

I am very excited to let you know that Bill C. Davis, the author of our next play "Mass Appeal" as well as "Avow", "Wrestlers" and many others will be joining us for opening night right here in Camden! He will be here on Friday night, February 6th at 8PM and this evening will feature a "meet and greet" after the show with this world famous writer! Please call or email us for reservations and meet the man responsible for this exciting Broadway play that has toured the world and subsequent movie that starred Jack Lemmon. It is truly an honor to welcome Bill C. to Waterfront South and I am sure that our audience will love participating in this unique evening. The play runs February 6th - 22nd and I look forward to seeing all of you at the show. To reserve tickets please call us at 856-456-2850 or email your reservation at http://www.southcamdentheatre.org/.