Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What kind of shows do you list on the NJTheater.com?
    Our requirements are very simple.

    1. It must be a theatric presentation (No concerts or dance shows)
    2. It must be staged in NJ (No NY or PA shows, even if staged by a NJ company)
    3. It must be open to the public. (No school touring shows)
    If it meets those criteria, any show or performing troupe can be listed. We've listed college productions, and even high school shows. For the details of what we need to know click here.
  2. Hey, that "Getting Listed" page is long with lots of big words. Can you just "bottom line" it for us?
    OK... If you'd like your theater company listed, here's the simple "minimal effort" steps. Each step below takes slightly more effort, but provides us a bit more information to help us promote your shows.  Go as far along this list as you have time or resources to do so, but remember, the more you help us, the more we can help you.

    • Add us to you mailing list (If you do nothing else, do that)

      NJTheater.com
      Attn: James M. Curran
      18 John St, Suite 2B
      Bloomfield, NJ 07003-5149

    • Add us to your Press Contacts mailing list. (Same address)
    • Add us to your email mailing list ([email protected]).  Actually, this is probably the most important, since emailed updates are handled before paper updates.
    • Email us with the full details of your theater company as outlined on our "Getting Listed" page.
    • Email us the text of your shows' programs -- or -- if you can't do that, mail us a copy of the actual program, and we'll pull the information out ourselves (when we get around to it -- Emails make it to the website much faster)

  3. Our theater company has it's own website. Can't you get the information you need off there?
    Well, we could...But checking 100+ websites daily hoping to find something that's changed is not really a good usage of our time. It would be better for all concerned if you proactively told us what's happening.
  4. How much does it cost to be listed on NJTheater.com?
    Zip, Nada, Nothing... If you have a theater company, and want to have your shows listed, all you have to do sent in the information to us
  5. Then, what do you get from the theater companies?
    Well, we would appreciate a little reciprocal advertisement. Normally, we ask to be mentioned in the "Special Thanks to..." section of your programme, although, some companies have offered us free ads in the programme and the like. And, of course, we'd never refuse a free ticket.
  6. I don't run a theater company. But, I'm an actor/director/playwright, and would like to be listed.
    No problem. Just send the information to our email address. We have just two simple requirements: You must have been associated with some NJ production. We will not list people with dreams of being an actor, who have not yet been cast. Second, if the show you were cast in is not yet on the website, you must provide us with enough information for a complete listing (this may have to include the details of the theater company, if they aren't already listed). It would also be nice if you gave us the complete cast list. (Note, for legal reasons, to list anyone under 18, we must have their parents' permission)
  7. So, I should just sent you a copy of my acting resume?
    NO! We do not list resumes. We display bios, like you would put in a show programme. We also list past performances. If you'd like your older shows listed, you can email them in, but you must send the complete cast list (them's the rules!) so we can enter everyone at once.
  8. What plays are the most popular?
    Please see our Statistics pages.
  9. Where do we vote for "Most Popular Actor"?
    There is no voting. It based on the number of show the actors have been cast in. "Most Cast Actor" would probably be a better name for it, but that sounds awkward. And note that the results are skewed by people (such as Mark & Chris) who have given us their complete acting histories (but they gave us the complete cast list for each show, so we entered them)
  10. Do you know auditions/theaters for my show/acting schools for my child?
    They are all listed in our Auditions, Theaters, and Yellow Pages sections. We aren't keeping any secrets from you. Everything we know on these matters, we put on the site. Please don't email us with questions like those.
  11. When did you start this?
    Thanksgiving Day, 1997
  12. What does the database that runs the site look like?
    After two and half years running this off of a Microsoft Access .MDB file, we were finally able to move this to Microsoft SQL Server. It's probably one of the most strictly normalized databases for its size that you'll find. It holds all the information for the entire website (except for the photos), in a little more than 3 MB (Remember, we list nearly 3000 people, most with full actor's bios). To see a graphic of the database schema, click here.
  13. What's your connection with Theatre.com, BuyBroadway.com & Broadway Online?
    A few months after I started the site, I thought I'd try getting mentioned in InTheater magazine, either in a letter to the editor, or in Ken Mandlebaum column. I went to their web site for find the appropriate email addresses, and discovered that intheater.com is part of the larger umbrella web site, BuyBroadway.com, and that they were recruiting other websites to join the conglomerate. I emailed (and eventually 'did lunch' with) BuyBroadway's CIO, Toby Simkin, who offered a partnership, the principle effect of was I was able to move NJTheater.com from my then ISP to BuyBroadway's web server, making the expense of running NJTheater virtually nil. A few months later BuyBroadway evolved into Theatre.com., and then later still, into Broadway Online After about two years, we moved back to a commercial ISP, but we never miss an opportunity to thank them for their help.
  14. What's your connection with the New Jersey Theatre Alliance?

    None at all, really, other than having similar names and URLs. They are an association for 19 non-profit professional theater companies in NJ, which as one of it services, runs a website. We are a website which lists 140 professional/ amateur/ community theaters companies. Their primary focus is servicing the theater companies. Our primary focus is servicing the theatergoer.

    Over the past two years, we've twice asked them to add a link to NJTheater.com on their "Theatre Links" page. Both times, they've agreed to. They've yet to actually do it.


  15. What's your connection with the Perry Awards and NJACT (New Jersey Association of Community Theaters)?
    Right now, we're list publishing the list of the Perry Award nominees and winners.
  16. Can I advertise on NJTheater.com?

    Yep-- After over two years of being advertising-free, we joined the Pegasus Ad network, which specializes in selling ads on arts-oriented websites, with theater company sites most prevalent. Shortly thereafter, Pegasus left the advertising business, and we went ad free for another two years. Then, we join Burst!Media adverting network, offering us the ability to annoy our users to numerous low-paying ads. You can join that throng by adverting on the Burst! network.

    Alternately, if you'd like an ad placed specifically on NJTheater.com, you can contact our ad department here. Full details about advertising on NJTheater.com are here.


  17. Why do you sometime say "I" and sometimes "We" when talking about the site?
    It's the "Editorial 'We'" (or perhaps the "Royal Plural"). Basically, I use whichever sounds best in the particular context. Heck, a minute ago I just referred to myself as “our ad department”
  18. So, who's the man behind the curtain?
    James M. Curran. I am the entirety of the permanent staff of NJTheater (and except for me occasionally asking a friend for a favor, there hasn’t been any temporary staff)
  19. But, how can one man create this incredible complex site while still holding down a day job and occasionally getting out to actually see a play?
    • I can get by on very little sleep.
    • Through skillful web programming, a database-driven site like this can generate many different pages, with just a few database updates.
    • Through skillful database programming, database updates can be done in just a few keystroke.
    • On the whole I find it much more impressive that many people across the state can plan, rehearse and stage a full production while still working at a day job. Heck, I can do this by myself at 3AM

  20. So, who's paying for this?
    Well, until the Burst!Media deal starts paying off, that would be me, James Curran.
  21. So then, why are you doing this?
    To help out the many small theater companies in New Jersey.
  22. That sounds really noble. So why are you really doing this?
    So I know what's playing before it's too late to see it.
  23. I'm still not buying it... Why are you doing this?
    To meet actresses.