Mybergen.com audience, here’s something you should know: world-class theatre is happening just across the state line, closer and more accessible than the lights of Midtown. Think polished productions, an easy drive, and none of the NYC hassle. Read on for why this Mybergen.com Don’t Miss venue deserves a prime spot on your night-out list.
Price Tag of a Broadway Night for a Bergen Couple
Broadway’s draw is undeniable: the 2022-23 season logged 12.3 million paid admissions, and the Broadway League says just over a third of those seats—about 4 million—were bought by the New York City metro crowd, including northern New Jersey suburbanites. Yet proximity comes with a steep tab. Start with the average ticket, $125; two seats already cost $250. Add the common $15 service fee on each ticket (another $30), the George Washington Bridge toll, and Manhattan parking garage rates. Using a middle-of-the-road estimate, a Bergen couple spends over $300, and that’s before dinner—hardly a casual night out.
Have You Heard About the Penguin Rep Theatre?
Those mounting costs are precisely why more North Jersey theater lovers are heading to nearby Stony Point, New York for quality theater entertainment. Just 15-25 minutes up the Palisades Parkway, Penguin Rep Theatre delivers equally accomplished theater productions for $52 tops (and $26 on select Fridays) inside a converted 1880 hay barn where no seat sits more than 30 feet from the stage. For some Bergen residents, the trip is shorter than a Garden State Plaza run. The Penguin Rep Theatre also offers free parking just steps from the door.
The Charming Barn with Broadway Credentials
Founded in 1977 by director Joe Brancato, and guided by executive director Andrew M. Horn, Penguin Rep has premiered more than 200 plays and transferred eight of them to Off-Broadway theaters—including Gene & Gilda, slated to open there this summer. The New York Times tagged the company “the gutsiest little theatre,” while Emmy-winner Edie Falco calls it “a perfect trip out of the city.” We feel this is a perfect day trip from Bergen County!
See What’s Happening at the Penguin Rep Theatre
For Penguin Rep Theatre shows, ticket info, cast lists, behind-the-scenes news and information, and any last-minute updates, visit the Penguin Rep Theatre website.
Tickets & Perks—Always Fee Free
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Single seat: $52
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Cheap Thrills Fridays: $26 (opening night of each run)
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Season pass (all four plays): $160 (25% savings)
- Groups of ten+: 10% discount (Call 845-786-2873 for details)
Penguin’s box office refuses add-on surcharges; the price you see is the price you pay.
Accessibility, Policies & Tax-Deductible Seat Releases
The barn is air-conditioned, fully ADA compliant, and equipped with designated wheelchair locations (reserve when you book). Children under 12 are admitted only when an event is expressly labeled family-friendly. Can’t make your night? Release seats at least two hours before curtain and Penguin will acknowledge the value as a charitable donation for your taxes. Latecomers are seated at staff discretion.
Funding Sources Behind Penguin Rep
Public and private partners underwrite the 48th season: the New York State Council on the Arts, Rockland County, Town of Stony Point, ArtsWestchester, Rockland County Tourism, Hydro-Québec, Orange & Rockland Utilities, the Shubert Foundation, and family foundations including the Barbara & Buddy Freitag Fund, Bernard & Anne Spitzer Charitable Trust, Chazen Foundation, and Jacques & Margot W. Kohn Foundation. Their support keeps ticket prices in reach without compromising production values.
Getting There
So close to the Bergen County border! Set your GPS to 7 Crickettown Road, Stony Point, take the Palisades Interstate Parkway, and park for free.
