Passage Theatre began 2023 by building on the foundation of recent successes in new play development. Kate Brennan and David Lee White brought Clean Slate, a new musical, co-produced and developed with Rider University, to Passage. Clean Slate is a story of radical empathy about the mistakes we make when we try to “heal” young people and the need to remember who we used to be in order to move forward. Performances were held at both Rider and Passage. The four performances at Passage Theatre were completely sold out!
Passage Theatre’s annual Gala in 2023 was themed “Lights on the Horizon.” Hosted at the Trenton Country Club, Passage gave honors to community leader Sam Kanig, local trailblazing architecture firm Clarke Caton Hintz, and rising star student James Downing. A memorable night and an honored tradition.
In the spring of 2023, Passage Theatre, along with many other regional theaters, faced the financial consequences of the global COVID-19 pandemic and mounted an emergency fundraiser to save our season. Our community responded in force. Over 220 patrons contributed and Passage Theatre recovered stronger than ever.
Passage launched the “SPEAK YOUR TRUTH” season with Vision & Voice: a Hip Hop Summer Camp. In partnership with Trenton United Family Foundation (TUFF) Camp and the Trenton Free Library, over 30 students took classes in poetry/writing, improv/performance, and Hip Hop dance, as well as special classes in Beatbox, Advanced Dance, and Street Art. Local Trenton Hip Hop legends Poor Righteous Teachers returned to the city for a special workshop for our students. The final performance was attended by over 150 friends and family, many of whom were newcomers to the Mill Hill Playhouse.
At the beginning of the 23-24 academic year, Artistic Director C. Ryanne Domingues took a full-time tenure-track position at Rider University, while still remaining at Passage Theatre in a part-time capacity. Passage is proud that our artistry is held in such regard. Brishen Miller was promoted from Managing Director to Executive Artistic Director.
Poor Righteous Teachers also came to Passage for a public and free talkback with our audience on August 13, now known across the city as “Poor Righteous Teachers Day.” Founding members Wise Intelligent and Culture Freedom shared the vitality of Trenton’s Rap and Hip Hop roots. Inspired by PRT’s era in Trenton, Passage Theatre is developing a new play entitled Ghetto Gods in Divineland. In October, Passage held a workshop to develop the script in preparation for the full production in February 2024.
In December, Passage was proud to host Capital Philharmonic and their chamber production of Stravinsky’s L'Histoire du Soldat to two sold-out performances. The production was directed by Jody Gazenbeek-Person, a friend of Passage and Head of the Theater Department at Mercer County Community College, where Brishen Miller is adjunct faculty. Passage hopes to continue partnering with Capital Philharmonic each year.
We closed 2023 with a new holiday tradition: “Please Baby Come Home: A Motown Holiday Sing-Along ft. David B. Ross.” Passage favorite David B. Ross, the star of 2022’s Blues in My Soul, welcomed audiences to learn and sing-along to holiday classics with a catered dinner. A recording of the event will soon be released to those who participated.
“In 2023 we learned, as a global society, that everything must be remade and reimagined, the old road is rapidly fading. Yet also, in 2023 we learned, as Trentonians, that live theatre in the Capital City will never die, and that Passage Theatre is a vital anchor to our community. I speak on behalf of the company and our allies: I am immeasurably proud to create art in Mercer County and am forever grateful for the community who both supports and relies on Passage Theatre Company."
Brishen Miller
Executive Artistic Director,
Passage Theatre Company