Please, instead, join the Cbp:LLC Group Page to interact with our staff, performers, & members. CherryBlossomPlayers:LLC, formerly-subtitled "Belleville's own community theatre group," began in the summer of 2005 when the basement of Christ Episcopal Church in Belleville was flooded, destroying thousands of dollars worth of equipment used for various charitable programs. It was decided that a musi
cal r***e was to be performed as a fundraiser for the church. With just one pianist and a cast of seven, '21st Century Broadway,' a r***e of songs from the years 2000-2005, performed for one-night only, raising nearly $1,200. The small theatrical troupe was officially given the Cherry Blossom Players moniker during the winter of 2006, in accordance with the cherry blossom trees of Branchbrook Park, and plans for a full-length show were put into effect. That summer brought the ever-popular 'Misfits of Musical Theatre' to life. CBP continued strong for a year!
2007-2008 marked the first year-round season. A subsidiary club, the Poison Pen Society (PPS), was created by Danielle Cesena and Ricky Franco in May of 2007 in hopes of cultivating original scripts to possibly be performed on the CBP stage in the near future. The PPS also began including readings of classic pieces and other published works in their repertoire (which ultimately led to the fall 2008 production of Chekhov's 'The Seagull'). The original CBP executive board began disbanding in the summer of 2010 and plans to make the troupe a formal LLC of the state of New Jersey took effect between February 26th - March 25th, 2011. The troupe is still helmed by its original founder, Ricky Franco, with wife Emily Franco as second-in-command. CBP specializes in eclectic interpretations of old works & provocative new pieces. It currently keeps residence in Philhower Chapel @ Vincent UMC, Nutley, NJ.
