Arts & Entertainment
'Diner Theatre' Takes Bow In Summit
Pop up pilot program debuted at Summit's Broadway Diner.
SUMMIT, NJ - A twist on dinner theater came to Summit last month as the Broadway Diner played host to the ArtPride New Jersey Foundation's diner theater experience.
According to Jim Atkinson of the ArtPride New Jersey Foundation, there were three of these programs so far in the Garden State.
"Each is unique but basically a series of short "pop-up" style performances," Atkinson said. "Attendees know they are coming for the performances but don't know exactly when they will start. Your waitress might be your waitress one minute but actually be part of a performance the next."
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Atkinson said the program came out out of a conversation ArtPride had with the New Jersey State Arts Council and New Jersey Theatre Alliance regarding ways they can make theatre more accessible.
Atkinson said that these performances were not like Murder Mystery Dinners.
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"They varied but usually there are 3-4 short performances 20-25 minutes or so each over the course of 1.5 hours," he said.
The performers came from partnerships with local theaters. In Summit, that meant the Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre. According to their website, the Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre professional ensemble of actors builds community with our audience by sharing contemporary, life-affirming stories that challenge, energize and entertain.
Other team-ups included the Pegasus Theatre at Mastoris Diner in Bordentown and the Eagle Theatre at The Alley Bar & Grille in Hammonton.
Atkinson said he would like to see the program gain traction.
"We'd love to expand the program to include more diners and theatre companies in the future," he said.
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