More than 60 performers of all abilities will take the stage at the Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway when the CAU Community Players open Seussical Jr. on Friday, July 17, 2026, marking the troupe's 15th production since its 2012 founding.

The three-night run celebrates a milestone for Community Access Unlimited, the Union County-based nonprofit that launched the Players to put actors with and without developmental disabilities side by side under the spotlight. No one is turned away from performing.

"For many of our members, performing as part of the Community Players is really about being seen, being heard, and being valued for who they are," Bernadette Griswold of Community Access Unlimited wrote in a TAPinto column announcing the production. "The stage becomes a place where differences are celebrated and everyone has a role to play."

The family-friendly musical weaves together Dr. Seuss characters including Horton the Elephant, the Cat in the Hat, and Gertrude McFuzz into a story built around the line "a person's a person, no matter how small." A pre-pandemic production drew more than 1,000 attendees over a single weekend, according to CAU.

Founded in 1979 and headquartered in Elizabeth, CAU serves more than 5,000 members statewide, providing housing, employment, and life-skills support for people with disabilities and at-risk youth. The Community Players program grew out of that mission, giving members a creative outlet and a public stage.

The production is supported by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority's A.R.T. Phase II Grant Program, the New Jersey State Council for the Arts, and Discover Jersey Arts.

How to see the show

  • Friday, July 17 and Saturday, July 18: Doors at 6 p.m., curtain at 7 p.m.
  • Sunday, July 19: Doors at 1 p.m., curtain at 2 p.m.
  • Where: Union County Performing Arts Center, 1601 Irving St., Rahway
  • Tickets: $20 general admission, no additional fees. Purchase online at ucpac.org or by calling the box office at 732-499-8226.
  • Dinner deals: The City of Rahway offers combined dinner-and-show packages through rahwayishappening.com/dinnershow.

Upcoming community events

  • Friday, July 17 – Sunday, July 19: CAU Community Players present Seussical Jr., Union County Performing Arts Center, 1601 Irving St., Rahway. Shows at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. $20 at ucpac.org.