By KATHY CHANG
Staff Writer
METUCHEN — The 1927 Metuchen Forum Theater will revive with Dream Theater Productions’ “A Broadway Christmas” this weekend at 314 Main St.
Shows will be at 8 p.m. on Dec. 10 and 3 p.m. on Dec. 11.
Featuring a cast of New York professionals, the musical will include holiday favorites, such as “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,” “Need a Little Christmas” and “White Christmas” to name a few.
“Unlike other holiday revues, this production contains Christmas songs featured in Broadway musicals,” said Bernard Solomon, Dream Theater executive artistic director. “Of course, the classics are included, but we also look at lesser known songs like ‘Christmas Is My Favorite Time of Year’ from ‘Catch Me If You Can’ and ‘Christmas Bells’ from ‘Rent.’”
The second act will feature songs from stage adaptations from classic holiday movies.
Isaac Kremer, executive director of the Metuchen Downtown Alliance (MDA), said he is thrilled to see a new production open at the Forum Theater.
“Substantial spillover in spending occurs when there is a show, especially with restaurants and specialty retail,” he said. “Other communities have found theaters as drivers of their revitalization success. We hope that is the case in Metuchen.”
The theater is one of the only single-screen privately owned theaters in the state, which had previously been on the market for sale.
Kremer said the theater recently completed a several-week run of “WaistWatchers: The Musical.”
“They are taking steps to bring additional shows in,” he said. “This includes kids’ movies the week of Dec. 26,” he said. “The [MDA] moved our offices into one of two storefronts in the Forum starting in August and we’ve been here ever since.”
Tickets start at $10. For more information, visit www.dreamtheaterproductions.org or call 908-497-7082.
