With 'Emergency,' Princeton Summer Theater Hits Another High Note in Its Acclaimed Season

Princeton, NJ – After two productions that earned solid and even rave reviews from central New Jersey critics, Princeton Summer Theater concludes its season with a production of Daniel Beaty’s dynamic one-man show: “Emergency.”

On one chaotic day in New York City, a 400-year-old slave ship emerges from the harbor, and with it comes a once forgotten history. Earning the attention of poets, reporters, and even the average man on the street, New York City scrambles to find meaning in one of America’s biggest ghosts. Twenty-three characters are portrayed by one man.

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Actor-poet Destine Harrison-Williams, as the press material says, “spearheads this invigorating production. With strong roots in spoken word and poetry, Harrison-Williams masterfully explores the human condition through his portrayal of 23 distinct characters throughout the show. From ancient spirits to shy teenagers, Harrison-Williams effortlessly meets each character’s demands in stride.”

Harrison-Williams, an English major at Princeton University, Class of 2026, was born in rural Alabama and raised in Miami. At Princeton he has been active in the Trenton Arts at Princeton program and in Triangle Club. According to the press notice, “the diverse landscapes of Harrison-Williams’ upbringing movingly shape his performance and artistry in this piece.”

In Princeton Summer Theater’s production of “Dracula,” he played the lawyer Jonathan Harker. In his role, according to the Town Topics review, Harrison-Williams portrayed him “with the right mixture of earnest innocence and a snappish authority.”

It’s too early for any reviews to be posted, but on opening night of “Emergency,” Harrison-Williams brought earnest innocence and snappish authority, as well as many more emotions, accents, and vocal styles to the fore as he moved seamlessly through the range of those 23 characters. After offering the actor a standing ovation, some in the audience walked out marveling, “how did he just do that?”

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Emergency runs this weekend through Sunday, with shows on Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m. and on Sunday at 2. Next week it runs Thursday through Saturday, August 1 through 3, at 8 p.m. with a matinee Saturday at 2 p.m. Tickets can be reserved at princetonsummertheater.org/emergency.

Artistic Director for Princeton Summer Theater, Layla J. Williams, will direct Emergency. Recent director credits include: Bring It On (Princeton University Players) and Memphis (Princeton University Players). She is set to direct Whitney White’s Macbeth in Stride next Spring at the McCarter Theater Center’s Berlind Theater as part of the Lewis Center for the Arts 2024/2025 season.

The company’s mainstage shows have earned outstanding reviews. Neal Zoren in U.S. 1 wrote that “Princeton Summer Theater features some of the best and most assured acting I’ve seen there.” Donald H. Sanborn III for Town Topics wrote that “the recent production of 'Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy' promised that this would be one of Princeton Summer Theater’s strongest seasons. With 'The Last Five Years,' that promise is fulfilled.”

About Princeton Summer Theater . Founded in 1968, Princeton Summer Theater is a professional summer stock theater company. It won the 2019 JerseyArts.com People’s Choice Award for “Best Small Theater.” Notable alumni include Tony Award-winning actress Bebe Neuwirth (Chicago), Tony Award-winning producer Geoff Rich (Avenue Q), Drama Desk Award-winning playwright Winnie Holzman (Wicked), and Hollywood actor William Hootkins (Star Wars, Batman).

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