Sing along, laugh out loud and shed a tear at New Jersey’s many theater productions this month.
West Side Story
Kelsey Theatre, West Windsor
Jan 5-7, 12-14 & 19-21: PinnWorth Productions presents the Romeo and Juliet-inspired urban musical by Stephen Sondheim that tells the love story of Tony and Maria.
Times vary; $20.
El Coquí Espectacular & the Bottle of Doom
Two River Theater, Red Bank
Jan 6-Feb 4: In Sunset Park, Brooklyn, a masked figure has been spotted, Puerto Rican superhero El Coquí Espectacular. In reality, it is out-of-work comic book artist Alex, who secretly dresses up as his favorite creation. Soon, Alex learns that fighting crime is harder than it looks.
Times vary; $23-$73.
Shrek: The Musical
Collingswood Community Theatre
Jan 12, 13, 19, 20 & 21: This adaptation of the Dreamworks film chronicles the comical friendship between an ogre and a donkey on their quest to save a princess. On Jan 13 at 9:30 am and 11 am, the theater holds Shrek Feast, a breakfast with the cast of the show.
Times vary; $15-$20.
The Outsider
Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn
Jan 24-Feb 18: Ned Newley, the ultimate policy wonk, is unexpectedly thrust into the position of governor amid a political scandal in Vermont during this satire and tribute to democracy.
Times and prices vary.
Accomplice
Bickford Theatre, Morris Museum, Morristown
Jan 25-Feb 4: The story begins in Dartmoor, England, at the stylish weekend retreat of the affluent Derek and Janet Taylor, and both adultery and murder are in the air.
Times vary; $20-$45.
Chicago
Grand Theatre, Williamstown
Jan 25- Feb 10: He had it coming! Inspired by real-life criminals, the Broadway musical about female Prohibition-era inmates, satirizes corruption with classic show tunes such as “Cell Block Tango” and “All That Jazz.”
Times vary; $13-$25.
Twentieth Century
Kelsey Theatre, West Windsor
Jan 26-28; Feb 2-4: Ken Ludwig’s adaptation of this riot on rails follows an egomaniacal Broadway producer aboard the Twentieth Century Limited, with the intent of winning back his leading lady, now a temperamental Hollywood star, who is just as determined to ignore his advances.
Times vary; $14-18.
Little Women
Eagle Theatre, Hammonton
Jan 26-Feb 25: Based on Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel, the Civil War story of love and family is brought to life in this musical.
Times vary; $19-$39.
Legally Blonde
Union County PAC, Rahway
Jan 26-28: To win back the man of her dreams, Elle Woods enrolls at Harvard Law School and discovers that she has more to offer the world than just her looks in this musical comedy.
Times vary; $10-$20.
American Hero
George Street Playhouse, New Brunswick
Jan 30-Feb 25: The second play in Christopher Demos-Brown’s trilogy of works that explore injustice, follows a war veteran and questions what it truly means to be a hero.
Times vary; $43-$65.