NEXT STAGE: Hopewell Valley Stage, at 5 South Greenwood Avenue in Hopewell, is back from a summer pause with improvements and a fall schedule. (Photo courtesy of Hopewell Valley Stage)
By Wendy Greenberg
Now featuring enhanced projection capabilities, more concessions choices, a revamped website, and beer on tap, Hopewell Valley Stage’s six-week summer hiatus set the stage for the new company’s fall lineup.
The pause was necessary to make improvements. “The biggest improvement we made to the space was significantly upgrading our projection capabilities,” said Sarah Cuneo, public relations coordinator for the Hopewell Valley Arts Council, which runs the venue. “These upgrades mean that we can now screen films, which we’re really excited about,” she said.
The new projection equipment will be put to good use at a performance of the podcast Cinema Improv on September 4, during which a group of professional musicians will improvise a live soundtrack while the audience is watching a film. New curtains and an Aeolian baby grand piano were recently added as well.
The iconic red brick building at 5 South Greenwood Avenue in Hopewell dates to the 1880s, served as various venues over the years. It closed in 2024 as Hopewell Stage. It reopened this past April under the aegis of the Hopewell Valley Arts Council at a time when a new state law expands eligibility to serve alcohol in certain theaters. The reopening was supported by a grant from the Betty Wold Johnson Foundation.
During the six-week pause, Hopewell Valley Stage reached out to local businesses to partner on its concession menu, said Cuneo in an email. They installed a permanent tap on the concessions counter, where Needle Creek Farm Brewery beer is on tap and will rotate flavors throughout the fall and winter. It also offers canned beverages and snacks from local favorites like The Gingered Peach and Aunt Chubby’s Luncheonette, said Cuneo. Members who purchase VIP tickets can preorder dinner from Antimo’s Italian Kitchen to be delivered to their table during the show.
“One of the biggest ways that our hiatus got us ready for the fall season was the creation of our website,” said Cuneo. “Before the new website, our only real presence online beyond our social media was a super bare bones ticketing platform. Our audience understandably had lots of questions about things like parking, concessions, accessibility, and even the acts themselves, and there was no easy way for them to get that information. The new website makes all that information very accessible and allows our audience to see what we’ve got coming up at the Stage.”
The theater’s redesigned website, hvstage.org, highlights all of the programming and provides information on the space, booking inquiries, rentals, and more.
“We’re excited that the launch of our website means we can now accept rental bookings,” said Carol Lipson, executive director of the Hopewell Valley Arts Council. “Rentals are a great way for even more people to get to experience this historic space.”
The hiring of a full-time staff production manager was also something that occurred during the hiatus. The need for the production manager, Corey Ross Jenkinson, stems from hosting so many different acts that the theater’s setup is constantly shifting, explained Cuneo. “Having Corey on board makes the technical demands of our upcoming schedule way more manageable.”
The complete lineup for the coming season is still in the works. “You can expect more music of all stripes, including jazz, rock, country, and world,” said Cuneo. “We’re also expanding our offerings and diversifying the acts coming to the Stage — we’re hosting a comedy show, a magic show act, and a weekend festival of new plays in development. We really want to become a home for performing artists of all kinds, and we know that our audience is eager for new artistic experiences.”
Welcoming families is also a priority, Cuneo said. Aesop Romp!, a kids’ show, has performances on Saturdays, August 22, 29, and September 5, all at 10 a.m.
“The idea with Aesop Romp! is that the show changes from week to week so that families can bring their kids over and over again,” she said. “The script is constantly being updated — we keep the same basic framework so that kids know what to expect, but we switch things up enough that parents won’t get bored.”
Aesop Romp! was written by local playwright Brad Goren-Wilson, who “knows the importance of quality children’s entertainment. He absolutely wrote this with both kids and parents in mind. We follow every performance with an informal playgroup at the gazebo park near the theater,” said Cuneo.
Other August and early September events include Line Dance with Live Music (Ft. Jet Weston and His Cocktail Cowboy Combo) on Saturday, August 22, at 7:30 p.m., with movement instruction by MattCoRonnie Dance Co. for both seasoned line dancers and beginners.
Jack Furlong Orchestra is on Friday, August 28, at 7:30 p.m. — a 10-piece “Little Big Band” That channels the jazz club scene of yesteryear.
Becca Stevens, on Sunday, August 30, at 7:30 p.m., is a two-time Grammy-nominated songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who draws from roots in Appalachian folk, jazz, and experimental indie.
At Dave Butler & Friends Present Cinema Improv: A Living Soundtrack, on Friday, September 4, at 7:30 p.m., world-class musicians improvise a soundtrack to an experimental film live.
Salsa at the Stage: Alientos/The Rhythms of the Hearts Band, on Saturday, September 5, at 7 p.m., is a night of dance and community celebrating the rhythms of the Caribbean. No experience necessary.
For more information and additional events, visit hvstage.org, call (609) 536-6121, or email boxoffice@hvartscouncil.org.