Get hooked on “NeverLanding”

“NeverLanding,” the hilarious new Web series created, written, and directed by TCNJ alumni and starring a number of former and current students, is a hit with online audiences. See what the buzz is about.

Words by TCNJ's editorial staff

It’s a few weeks until opening night, and the playwright can’t stop swearing, the stage manager’s dressed like a dog, the intern’s caught on fire (again), the artistic director and lead actress have broken up (…again), and the set designer doesn’t speak English. But hey, it’ll all work out. That’s how theater happens, after all.

NeverLanding, a new Web series about a summer-stock theater company, premiered on December 16, 2010, at http://NeverLanding.tv. Featuring acting talent from New York City and New Jersey and shot at locations throughout the Garden State, NeverLanding chronicles the comedy, tensions, and sense of community created under the unique conditions of a college’s summer-stock theater environment.

It also counts a number of TCNJ graduates and one current student among its cast and crew.

Written by Jonathan Elliott ’04 and directed by Jonathan Bulava ’05, both of whom collaborated on the series creation, “NeverLanding” features performances by Patrick Dresh ’04, Dennis Chin ’06, Ashley Kipness ’06, Gabe Alonso ’07, Amanda Ganza ’09, Kimberly MacKanic ’09, Andrew Timmes ’09, and Julianna White ’11.

“We wanted to tell the story of why we love theater,” said Bulava. “In the post-college years, some of us have gone on to work successfully in the performing arts, and others have chosen different paths. But we wanted to tell a story that showed off the special bonds that theater creates, and how those don’t ever really go away.”

Set at the fictional Carrol University, NeverLanding follows 12 young people hired to operate the college’s summer theater; when the company opts to produce a punk-rock adaptation of Peter Pan as the final show of the season, an unlikely twist of fate rockets one member of the company to stardom. Five years later, a documentary filmmaker pieces together the story of how these theater people came together and what drove them apart…and sets in motion the series of events that reignites them as a company.

Each episode tracks the story of one company member, based around an interview with the filmmaker. Four episodes have been released so far at http://NeverLanding.tv, and the remaining nine will be posted in the coming months, Elliott said.

“We’ve had over 50,000 views of episodes thus far,” said Elliott. “We’re thrilled at the response, and we’ll begin work on the film festival and digital competition circuit soon.”