ATG Presents Free "Bridges of Madison County" Encore Concerts

The American Theater Group (ATG), Somerset County’s newest professional theater company, proudly presents a weekend of encore concerts of its critically acclaimed 2019 production of The Bridges of Madison County, live at the Pleasant Valley Park amphitheater in Basking Ridge. The free outdoor events, held on Friday and Saturday, June 25 and 26th at 8pm, will feature the entire cast of the original ATG production and the full Tony award-winning orchestration played by Broadway musicians.

Based on the popular film and best-selling novel by Robert James Waller, the musical features a lush and varied score and tells the story of a Midwestern farm wife whose life is upended by a brief and passionate affair with a traveling photographer. The music and lyrics are by Jason Robert Brown (The Last Five Years, Parade, 13), with a book by Marsha Norman (‘night, Mother, The Secret Garden). The concert will be directed and choreographed by Merete Muenter, with Caleb Hoyer serving as Music Director and Keith Levenson conducting the orchestra.

“The American Theater Group is thrilled for the opportunity to introduce new audiences to the professional talent involved in this production, which enjoyed standing ovations each night during its original run,” said Jim Vagias, Producing Artistic Director of ATG. “We could think of no better way of introducing ATG to the Basking Ridge community, where we will soon be in residence at the beautiful Mitchell and Ann Sieminski Theater at the Fellowship Cultural Arts Center.”

Since there is no permanent seating at the Pleasant Valley Park amphitheater (located at 3405 Valley Road, Basking Ridge), audience members are asked to bring their own chairs or blankets to the open-air performances. In the event of inclement weather, please consult ATG’s website (www.americantheatergroup.org), Facebook (www.facebook.com/AmericanTheaterGroup), Instagram (americantheatergroup) or Twitter (@group_theater) accounts for possible cancelations.

American Theater Group (ATG), founded in 2012, produces new and classic works primarily by American playwrights with an emphasis on the development of new works and the rediscovery of undeservedly neglected older ones. ATG programming is made possible in part by funds from Investors Bank and the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission, a partner of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. More information can be found at www.americantheatergroup.org.