Cranbury, NJ Resident Directs East Coast Comedy Premiere

PRINCETON JCT., NJ—What does it take for people on opposite sides of the political spectrum to see past their differences and even become friends? According to the hilarious comedy Human Error, which makes its east coast premiere at Pegasus Theatre Company this September, it takes a blundering fertility doctor and a case of mistaken identity, which force two couples to face an absurd situation together. Human Error is written by Eric Pfeffinger and directed by Cranbury resident, Jennifer Nasta Zefutie.

In Human Error, Madelyn and Keenan—socialist-leaning, NPR listening, blue-state liberals—discover their embryos have been mistakenly implanted in Heather. To make matters worse, Heather and Jim are Christian, NRA card-holding, red-state conservatives. Faced with this case of “mistaken fertility,” the couples navigate their way through a tumultuous nine months of culture clash and hilarity.

On what drew Zefutie to the play, she said, “I love how Human Error playfully explores political and cultural stereotypes in a way that lets us laugh at each other and ourselves. How in the middle of all the laughs it reminds us we can find balance despite the divisive rhetoric that’s so prevalent today.”

In it’s 2018 season, Pegasus Theatre Company is exploring the theme of how we establish a human connection with those who have vastly different values, beliefs, and lifestyles; those whose truth seems opposed to our own. It’s a season about finding common ground amidst divisiveness and discordance.

“Human Error fits squarely within the 2018 theme because it doesn’t favor one side over the other.” Zefutie said. “It’s not about scoring political points or promoting some sort of message. The play is very well-balanced so you find yourself unexpectedly caring about these people, even the ones you disagree with politically, and laughing at behaviors you might recognize in yourself.”

Zefutie is a founding member and Managing Artistic Director of Pegasus Theatre Company in Princeton Junction, New Jersey. Most recently she directed the Pegasus productions of Neil Simon’s Chapter Two and Yasmina Reza’s ‘ART’, both to great reviews.

“In the last couple of years I’ve discovered a love of directing small-cast comedies,” said Zefutie. “I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with incredibly talented actors at Pegasus. Working with them in developing character relationships while focusing on the precision of timing comedy requires is exhilarating.”

An award-winning actress herself, Zefutie has starred in over 30 plays, numerous short and feature length films, and corporate videos. She performed in Pegasus Theatre’s inaugural production, Proof by David Auburn, and plans to appear on the Pegasus stage again in 2019.

She is an alumna of Lafayette College, the National Theatre Institute, and Seton Hall University School of Law. Zefutie also has studied internationally at the Moscow Art Theatre in Moscow, Russia. She has lived in Cranbury for almost ten years with her husband and daughter.

Human Error, written by Eric Pfeffinger and directed by Jennifer Nasta Zefutie (Cranbury, NJ), will feature Justin Derry (Southampton, PA), Kevin Palardy (Hatfield, PA), Christine Penney (Montville, NJ), Peter Reimann (Monmouth Jct., NJ), and Marissa Wolf (Mt. Laurel, NJ). It will run September 21-30, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 2pm, and Thursday at 1pm at the West Windsor Arts Center, 952 Alexander Rd., Princeton Junction, NJ. Tickets are $22-26 and can be purchased online at www.PegasusTheatreNJ.org or by calling 609.759.0045.