SOUTH AMBOY — While some programs and organizations take the summer off or least lighten their schedules, the Hernandez Theatre Workshop is doing just the opposite.

The company will be running two different shows in the next couple of weeks, in addition to putting on a musical revue tonight at the city’s train station.

“I haven’t gotten a good night’s sleep in a while,” joked founder Wilfredo Hernandez.

Part of the reason Hernandez has been losing sleep is the time he’s invested in putting together “Songs of the ’60s and ’70s,” a musical performance that will take place 7:30 tonight just outside the newly expanded South Amboy Train Station.

“It’s a performance-ready location,” Hernandez said of the station. “It’s almost like an amphitheater.”

The concert, which will be co-sponsored by the city, will feature The Ruggs, a musical group consisting of Sayreville and South Amboy residents.

“It should be a nice little communitybuilding event,” Hernandez said.

In addition, the Hernandez Theatre Workshop will soon present two stage shows. Hernandez said he typically has done one show with two casts, but his current challenge is two shows with individual casts.

“It’s a little draining,” he admitted.

“Footloose,” which has an adult cast, will run at 7 p.m. July 30 and 31 and at 2 p.m. Aug. 1; “Once on This Island Jr.,” which has a youth cast and is an abbreviated 60-minute show, will run the following weekend. Shows will be at 7 p.m. on Aug. 6 and 7, and 2 p.m. Aug. 8.

Both shows will be performed at the South Amboy Middle High School Theatre, 200 Governor Hoffman Plaza.

“Footloose,” Hernandez stressed, “is a surprisingly challenging show. The music is very difficult,” he said. “It’s mistaken for a fluffy pop musical. It’s a show with a lot of depth.”

The show will feature many locals, he said, adding that the majority of cast members (as well as some of the production staff) are from South Amboy. “We have a lot of adults who are [acting] for the first time,” he said.

Meanwhile, Hernandez explained, “Once on This Island Jr.” is a rarely produced show, which was a concern because he wasn’t sure enough youngsters would audition. But he was proved wrong — 45 came out — and many of the children are enjoying its story, which is based on Caribbean mythology.

“The kids are just loving it,” he said. “The music is just so incredible and so moving.”

The core conflict of the show is to see whether love is stronger than death.

“I’m happy to say that in the show, it does,” Hernandez said.

The Hernandez Theatre Company started as Triple H Productions in 2003, and only a couple of years ago moved from Sayreville to South Amboy. It has since become the official theater company of the city. Hernandez said his operation is flourishing thanks to local support.

“The city has been really good about supporting our work. Every time we have a meeting, it’s always positive. It’s a great relationship,” he said, adding that specifically, Mayor John O’Leary and Business Administrator Camille Tooker have been very supportive.

Katie McAdoo, branch director of the city’s forthcoming YMCA, has said her organization also is looking forward to working with existing theater programming in the city, which Hernandez said he was happy to hear about.

In addition, the city will be supporting October as National Arts and Humanities Month, Hernandez said.

“It’s one of the first municipalities to do so,” he said, adding that the month launched as an initiative in 1993.

The support comes at a critical time, since the family-run company suffered a loss earlier this year. Hernandez’s uncle, Joseph Mecca, the company’s co-producer, passed away.

“It was a rough time for our family,” Hernandez said, adding that now some of the larger-scale projects he’s working on, such as community workshops, are on an extended timeline.

However, Hernandez said he has big plans for Hernandez Theatre Workshop, including arts advocacy work and arts education, he said. He hopes to launch additional programming in the fall. He said he’d like to offer unique opportunities to photographers and filmmakers to hone their craft.

In addition, Hernandez said the Perry Award nomination ceremony will be held at the Middle High School Theatre on July 31. These awards are sponsored by the New Jersey Association of Community Theatres.

Hernandez also said he was happy to hear that in spite of the budget issues the school district has been facing, the schoolsponsored theater program will continue.

“I think South Amboy is in pretty good shape, which, as an arts advocate, I was very happy to hear. We would have stepped in to support them. We’re all there for each other,” Hernandez said.

Attendees for tonight’s musical revue are invited to bring a chair. A portion of Broadway, Hernandez said, will be shut down for the performance, which will also feature a short preview of “Footloose.”

To learn more about any of the Hernandez Theatre Workshop events, visit www.hernandeztheatre.org.