Arts & Entertainment

Edison Valley Playhouse Donates Costumes to Middle School

An Edison middle school play dealing with bullying and acceptance is benefiting from the EVP donation.


By Alex Silady

The Edison Valley Playhouse (EVP) has donated its props and costumes to Woodrow Wilson Middle School’s (WWMS) upcoming stage production of “Honk, Jr., the Musical.” The play, a modern adaptation of the fable of “The Ugly Duckling,” deals with themes of bullying and acceptance in a whimsical farmyard setting. An EVP volunteer arranged for the donation after contacting WWMS theater director Pam Luckenbaugh and realizing the need for costumes and set pieces.

The EVP’s staff recognizes the tragic lack of funding for arts programs in schools today. EVP president Bill Seesselberg has previously helped high schools in Edison and South Plainfield with loans of costumes, props, and equipment, and feels that one of the duties of a community theater is to give the youngest generation a chance to be involved with and appreciate the performing arts.

Find out what's happening in Woodbridgewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

After the WWMS production, the costumes and props are being boxed on and passed on to Emily Bengels, musical director at Readington Middle School in Readington. Thus, another school will be able to benefit from the generosity and expertise of the extended Central Jersey community theater family.

“Honk, Jr.” is privileged to have musical director Cori Jensen and director Pam Luckenbaugh at its helm. The play will showcase the vocal, dance, and acting talents of its cast of WWMS students, as well as the true theater magic created by the technical crew, who have dreamed up 86 costumes and a dizzying array of props, set pieces, and effects.

Find out what's happening in Woodbridgewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“Honk, Jr.” will run at Woodrow Wilson Middle School Thursday, April 25 at 7 pm and Friday, April 26 at 3 pm and 7 pm.


Alex Silady is a journalism student at NYU, a sometime Edison Valley Playhouse volunteer, and a community theater advocate.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here