'Kinky Boots' on stage, 'The Room' at SModcastle and more things to do at the Jersey Shore

Across America, lawmakers in eight states have introduced 14 bills targeting drag shows. But the Algonquin Arts Theatre in Manasquan isn't backing down as they ready their production of a crowd-pleasing, award-winning musical about the power of drag.

"Kinky Boots," inspired by true events and based on the 2005 film of the same name, is the story of Charlie, a shoe factory owner working to save his family business, and drag queen Lola, charting their friendship and their work to craft an ideal stiletto-heeled boot.

With a book by Harvey Fierstein and music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper, "Kinky Boots" earned Tony, Grammy and Olivier Awards. Its Algonquin production, directed by Gina Lupi as part of the theater's 2022 to 2023 Broadway Series, opens Friday.

It runs for eight shows through next Sunday, April 2.

Go: "Kinky Boots," opening 8 p.m. Friday, Algonquin Arts Theater, 60 Abe Voorhees Drive, Manasquan, $35 to $43, $32 to $40 for seniors, $26 to $34 for students; algonquinarts.org.

Here are other things to do at the Jersey Shore this weekend:

Garden State Film Festival

Joanna Gleason shook off the little voice in her head that said "Who do you think you are? Why are you doing this? You're not a 25-year-old film student."

And the result is the 72-year-old has written and directed her first feature film, "The Grotto," a moving look at loss, healing and identity, set amid the backdrop of a struggling gay nightclub in the California desert.

"The Grotto," which has picked up awards at the Heartland International Film Festival and the Cinema on the Bayou Film Festival, plays the Garden State Film Festival on Saturday at the Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel in Asbury Park.

Gleason has a storied history in the entertainment world, from her Tony Award-winning performance originating The Baker's Wife in Stephen Sondheim's "Into the Woods" on Broadway to film roles in “Boogie Nights,” “Crimes and Misdemeanors,” as well as television roles in “The Good Fight,” “The Affair” and “The West Wing."

The story of "The Grotto" grew out of a challenging period in Gleason's own life.

Centering on a 40something woman who from the outside appears to have it all before watching it slip away, much of the genesis sprung from Gleason realizing that she was not where she wanted to be in life.

" ... A marriage ended, there were some great losses. I was unsteady economically," she said. "And I thought, I have this notion of myself based on what other people thought or expected of me, and now it's now or never. Why don't you figure out what and who you want to be."

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"The Grotto" started life as a novel before being tucked away in a drawer for years. When she made the decision to pursue it as a film, people responded to the script.

"They never thought twice about my wanting to direct it," she said. "It just came together like a miracle."

Theater fans will notice familiar faces among the film's cast, including Steve Kazee, Lindsay Mendez and Kevin Chamberlin.

Go: Garden State Film Festival, through Sunday, March 26, venues throughout Asbury Park. Select events also take place in the Ocean Grove area of Neptune, as well as in Cranford and Ocean Township; gsff.org

LaMP shines at the Wonder Bar

Asbury Park, are you ready to see the light?

Jam scene supergroup LaMP hits the Wonder Bar Friday night. The band features Brooklyn-based, Lambertville native guitarist Scott Metzger of Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, and also includes drummer Russ Lawton and organist Ray Paczkowski, best known for their work supporting Princeton native Phish frontman Trey Anastasio.

The band released its self-titled debut LP in 2020, a deeply fun and groovy affair with a fair amount of funk. Sounds like the perfect soundtrack for a Friday night in Asbury Park.

Go: LaMP, doors at 7 and show at 8 p.m. Friday, Wonder Bar, 1213 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park, $20 in advance, $25 at the door; wonderbarasburypark.com.

Greg Sestero takes ‘The Room’ to the SModcastle Cinemas

Oh, hi Mark!

Greg Sestero, co-star of the cult classic midnight movie sensation “The Room,” brings Tommy Wiseau’s so-bad-it’s-great classic to Kevin Smith’s SModcastle Cinemas in Atlantic Highlands on Friday night.

Chronicling, in broad terms, a very R-rated love triangle between stand-up guy Johnny (played by Wiseau), his girlfriend Lisa (Juliette Danielle) and Johnny's best friend Mark (Sestero), "The Room" has been captivating and confounding audiences around the world since its initial release in 2003.

Sestero turned his experience on the film into the 2013 must-read memoir “The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside ‘The Room,’ ” which in turn was adapted into an Oscar-nominated 2017 film by writer and director James Franco.

Sestero will host a question-and-answer session prior to the SModcastle Cinemas screening of “The Room,” and every ticket holder will have a meet-and-greet opportunity with him.

Go: “An Evening Inside ‘The Room’ with Greg Sestero,” 8 p.m. Friday, SModcastle Cinemas, 82 First Ave., Atlantic Highlands, $30; smodcastlecinemas.com.

Rachel Feinstein brings the laughs to Bananas

Comedian and actress Rachel Feinstein has been seen everywhere from the Amy Schumer projects “Inside Amy Schumer,” “Life and Beth,” “Trainwreck” and “Crashing” to the Chris Rock film “Top Five” and the blockbuster video game “Grand Theft Auto V.”

This weekend, she’ll be in Jersey.

Feinstein headlines Bananas Comedy Club in Rutherford on Saturday night, part of a national tour leading up to the recording of her next stand-up special.

Go: Rachel Feinstein, 7:30 and 10 p.m. Saturday, Bananas Comedy Club, Renaissance Hotel, 801 Rutherford Ave., Rutherford, $25 to $33, with a two-item minimum per person; bananascomedyclub.com.

Waterfront Wine Dinner at Sun Harbor Seafood and Grill

This seafood hub located right on the Barnegat Bay will be serving up a prix fix dinner with wine pairings at 6:30 p.m. Friday. Reservations are required.

Enjoy four dinner courses, each paired with wine, for $55 per person, plus tax and gratuity.

The first course is a Caprese toast stack (with caramelized blistered tomatoes and fresh mozzarella, melted on grilled toast points topped with fresh basil and balsamic glaze); the second course serves a decadent French onion soup (with garlic bread).

The third and fourth courses bring a California cobb salad (with baby spinach, bacon, grape tomatoes, avocado, hard boiled eggs and feta cheese, drizzled with lemon-infused olive oil and topped with salt and pepper); and shrimp or chicken Tuscano (with sauteed spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and parmesan cheese in a garlic sauce over linguine).

Go: 451 E Bay Ave., Barnegat; call 609-622-6190 or text 732-261-0845 for reservations, sunharborseafoodandgrill.com.

Book sale on LBI

The books, DVDs and compact discs that you no longer need might be just want your neighbor wants – and vice versa. Friends of the Island Library will accept donations Thursday for their two-day book sale, which takes place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Long Beach Island Branch of the Ocean County Library.

Hardcover and softbound books, music CDs, audiobooks and DVDs in good condition are acceptable. The library will not accept video tapes and audio cassettes. Items can be brought to the LBI Branch meeting room on Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Proceeds from the sale help the Friends to support library programs and crafts; sponsor the Kay Jones and Eleanor Smith Memorial Scholarships; and enhance library furnishings and facilities.

Go: Long Beach Island Branch, 217 South Central Ave., Surf City; 609-494-2480, theoceancountylibrary.org.

Ilana Keller and Gabriela Laracca contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Jersey Shore things to do: Kinky Boots brings drag to NJ stage