Open Mic Night at Sayreville Main Street Theatre Co.

Sayreville Main Street Theatre Company will hold an open mic night.

The event will take place on March 13 at the theater. Doors open at 7 p.m., and performances start at 8 p.m. Admission is $6.

All types of performances are welcome; singers, musicians, comedy acts, improv, dance, or other forms of acting. If you need any type of music, please provide self accompaniment or a labeled CD. Also, all performances must be appropriate for audiences of all audiences. Please keep your acts to only three minutes or so, and no more than two acts are allowed per performer.

The theater will serve pizza, nachos, popcorn, cookies, soda, and water to all who attend.

For more information, please call (732) 553-1153.

Fighting For Actors: A Masterclass in Stage Combat

Circle Players will hold a masterclass in stage combat, called "Fighting for Actors."

The class will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on March 14 at the theater. Registration is $25 per person.

Students will be exposed to and learn proper technique with physical actions that they have a high probability with encountering in stage work. This includes slaps, punches, knaps, falling, hair pulling, choking, and rolling. Actors will then be paired at the end of class and given a scenario and allowed to create a “fight” to showcase to the class and be critiqued. Students should wear comfortable clothes and sneakers. If they have difficulty kneeling or have sensitive knees, knee pads are recommended.

The class will be instructed by Erik Hall, who has many years of experience staging fights at local theaters, as well as the New Jersey Renaissance Fair, where he was an actor, writer, and director for over 10 years. He has served as Fight Director for countless theatrical productions, including many at Circle Players.

Casting Call: 'The Wiz'

Sayreville Main Street Theatre Company will hold auditions for the musical "The Wiz."

Auditions will take place at 7 p.m. on March 2 and 4. Sides will be provided. Please prepare 16 bars of an upbeat song, and 16 bars of a song from any Broadway show. An accompanist will be there, but auditionees can feel free to bring in a recorded track instead. Callbacks will be on March 5.

The show will be produced by Kathy Bobchin, directed by Vince Tinebra, musically directed by Nicole Barrow White, and choreographed by Samantha Tirone.

Roles are:

Aunt Em 37+  Mezzo	Dorothy's Aunt. Life has not been easy for her and promises little else. Harsh towards Dorothy at times, but acts out of love.
Dorothy 12-13 Mezzo	Bright eyed and alive as can be. Would rather remain a child as long as possible instead of accepting the responsibilities of adulthood.
Uncle.Henry 37+	Dorothy's Uncle. Physically run down from years of hard work on the farm. Often acts as the voice of reason towards Aunt Em.
Addaperle 20+ Mezzo	Good Witch of the North. Has magic powers she refers to as "doing tricks." Her magic abilities don't always pan out as well as she would like them to.
Yellow.Brick.Road Mezzo/Soprano	Four actors of any age and gender. Dancing actors combine to create the Yellow Brick Road. Metaphorically represents the road Dorothy travels down, encouraging her along the way.
Scarecrow 16+ Tenor	Tired of being a scarecrow and the prospect of not going anywhere. Embarks on the journey to see The Wiz in hopes he can provide a brain.
Tinman 25+ Baritone	Human at one time. Lost all his limbs to a cursed axe. Joins in the journey in hopes the Wiz will provide him a heart because “it isn’t enough to be good looking.”
Lion 25+ Baritone	Travels around the jungle scaring people, but has “a yellow streak a mile wide.” Coward state stems from deeper mother issues and gets regular counseling from an owl. Joins in the journey to see the wiz to gain some courage.
Gatekeeper	A male actor of any age. Guards the gate to the Emerald City.
The Wiz 25+ Tenor	All powerful leader over the land of Oz. Hides his true nature behind the façade of a temperamental leader. His true identity is an enigma.
Evillene 25+ Alto	Wicked Witch of the West. Low-down evil. Not a kind bone in her body nor kind thought in her rotten mind. Puts the ugh in ugly.
Lord.High.Underling 18+	Weak coward. Evillene's number one.
Winged Monkey	Actor of any gender or age. Servant of the Wicked Witch of the West. Summoned to do her bidding. The mere mention of him brings fear.
Glinda 20+ Alto	Good Witch of the South. Prettiest of all the witches. Very wise in the way of show-business.
Tornado	Woman of any age. Must have excellent modern dance and ballet skills.
Tornado Dancers	Four dancers to back up Tornado. Any age, female.
Toto	A dog
Ensemble 7+	Munchkins, Crows, Kalidahs, Poppies, Field Mice, Emerald City Citizens, Pit Singers, Soldiers, etc. Should be able to dance and sing well.

The show will perform at 8 p.m. on June 5, 6, 12, 13, 19. and 20, with 2 p.m. performances on June 7 and 14.

If you have any questions, please email kathy@smstcorg or vince@smstc.org.

Casting Call: 'Reasons to Be Pretty'

Circle Players will hold auditions for Neil LaBute's "Reasons to Be Pretty."

Auditions will be held on March 8 and March 9. They will begin at 7 p.m., and auditionees should be there no later than 8 p.m. Sides will be provided at the auditions, and you may also, although you do not need too, prepare a one or two minute contemporary monologue.

"Reasons To Be Pretty" is a contemporary play about the tyranny of beauty… in the minds of the pretty, in the minds of the not so pretty, and in the minds of the observers and critics. It’s the third in a trilogy by Neil LaBute, the first two being "The Shape of Things" and "Fat Pig," about society’s obsession with physical appearance.

Roles are:

Greg	The classic ‘everyman’ … a nice guy with a tendency to say the wrong thing without being aware of it. He is well read and enjoys classic American literature in an effort to better himself, but remains in his dead end job. Does his best to avoid conflict whenever possible. Works in a warehouse with Kent and Carly.
Steph	Greg’s girlfriend. She has a hair-trigger temper and is argumentative, particularly when she feels emotionally wounded. One of Greg’s unsuspecting remarks causes her to end their relationship. She is close friends with Carly, but doesn’t care for Kent.
Kent	A quintessential jerk. Stereotypical chauvinistic jock who values women only by their appearance. Winning in sports and with beautiful women are his sole focus in life … emphasizing his one-dimensional character. Loves having the ‘trophy wife’ but is not faithful and always on the prowl to prove his manhood. Married to Carly.
Carly	She knows she’s attractive and not above using it to her advantage; however, also recognizes the burden of being ‘pretty’. Vulnerable, but can be manipulative if necessary. Only has her job because of how she looks. Works at the same warehouse as Kent and Greg.

The show will be directed by Rick Holloway. If you have any questions, please email circleplayersnj@gmail.com.

'Dogfight' at Edison Valley Playhouse

Veterans get a discount when they see “Dogfight” at Edison Valley Playhouse.

The theater is offering a discount for veterans and active service members at performances of “Dogfight.” The show opens at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays March 13-28, with one Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. March 22. Tickets cost $15 for veterans and active service members, and $20 for other adults.

Adapted from the 1991 movie starring River Phoenix and Lilli Taylor, “Dogfight” follows three young, fresh and cocky Marines, named Birdlace, Boland and Bernstein, the night before their first deployment to the Vietnam War. Looking forward to one last night of debauchery, the men set out to find the ugliest girl to bring to the dogfight, a cruel game where the men put up money for a party and a cash prize for whoever brings the ugliest girl.

The story takes a twist when Corporal Eddie Birdlace meets Rose, an awkward and idealistic waitress and asks her to be his date. Rose unwittingly rewrites the rules of the game and teaches him the power of love and compassion.

Winner of the Lucille Lortel Award for Best Musical, “Dogfight” was adapted for the stage by composers Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. The Edison Valley Playhouse production is directed by Barbara Gurskey, with musical direction by Rory Chalcraft. Vocal director is Stephen D. Belfatti, with choreography by Jen Hanselman.

Edison Valley Playhouse is located at 2196 Oak Tree Road, Edison. For more information, contact DogfightEVP@gmail.com.

Ensemble needed for 'Inherit the Wind'

Villagers Theatre in Somerset is looking for ensemble actors for its upcoming production of "Inherit the Wind." No monkey business.

Director Guy Suabedissen is looking for a total eight ensemble actors, four men and four women, to round out the cast. Actors must be adults, of any age.

The show rehearses three days a week from Feb. 2 to opening weekend. The show performs at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Sundays March 27-April 19.

A gripping drama based on the Scopes Monkey Trial, "Inherit the Wind" depicts the clash of earnest fundamental beliefs with evolutionary science and freedom of thought, not just the ideas but the flesh and blood people embroiled in the conflict.

For more information, contact the director at swabfam@optonline.net.

Villagers Theatre is located at 475 DeMott Lane, Somerset.

Clothes Make the Character: A Masterclass in Costume Design at Circle Players

Circle Players will hold a masterclass in costume design, "Clothes Make the Character."

The class will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on March 7. Registration is $25. The class will be instructed by Stefanie Genda.

Costumes tell us a lot about the characters of a play or musical, but putting actors into costumes involves a lot more than just raiding their closets for anything that looks nice. That’s why there are costume designers. In the masterclass, this field will be discussed. Participants will look at script and character analysis, some costume history, and practical applications like taking actors’ measurements. In addition, they will cover the design process, meetings with directors and actors, and the reality of finding the costumes. During the class, there will also be a small design project. The class will focus on how to be an effective part of the design team and bringing the show to life. The class will not cover sewing or costume construction.

Stefanie Genda is a New York area based costume designer. She has designed at regional theaters across the country, including Florida Repertory Theatre, American Theatre Group, and the Ohio Light Opera. Her designs have appeared on Circle’s stage in the recent productions of "The Fantasticks" and "39 Steps." She has also worked on and off-Broadway for venues such as Manhattan Theatre Club, MCC Theatre, the Public Theatre and Lincoln Center Theatre. She has shopped for the FX television show "The Americans," and is a member of the United Scenic Artists union for professional designers. She holds a BA in Theatre from the College of Wooster in Ohio and an MFA in Costume Design from the Mason Gross School of the Arts.

'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf' at Circle Players

Circle Players presents Edward Albee's "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf."

The show performs at 8 p.m. on March 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, and 21, and at 2 p.m. on March 22. Tickets are $18 for adults and $17 for seniors and students.

George, a professor at a small college, and his wife, Martha, have just returned home, drunk from a Saturday night party. Martha announces, amidst general profanity, that she has invited a young couple to stop by for a nightcap. When they arrive the charade begins. The drinks flow and suddenly inhibitions melt. In the end, the mystery in which the distressed George and Martha have taken refuge is exposed, once and for all revealing the degrading mess they have made of their lives.

Viewers should know that this play contains strong language throughout the whole course of the show.

The show is directed by Jessica Damrow Sherman and stars Mike Johnson as George, Laurie DeVino as Martha, Thom Boyer as Nick, and Anna Paone as Honey.

'But I'm Not Complaining' at Villagers Theatre

Villager's Theatre will hold a staged reading of their first piece in their New Playwrights Series, Ann Hirsch's "But I'm Not  Complaining."

The reading will take place at the theater at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 9. Admission is free.

Fenster is a senior citizen who finds herself marginalized as an older adult. She fights depression with caustic wit as she tells her often comic, sometimes tragic story directly to the audience. Fenster meets various characters along the way- a relative who is a want-to-be aristocrat; a little person who's daughter cooks with too much spice; a long-lived gentleman whose life would be fine if he could only find his teeth; and more. The more Fenster reveals of herself, the more we feel for her. Through self searching and observing others, Fenster is, in the end, triumphant.

The reading is directed by Luana Jones, and stars Terrie Copeland, Daniel Pino, and Kristin Clapcich.

'Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street' at Villagers Theatre

Villagers Theatre presents Stephen Sondheim's classic, "Sweeney Todd."

The show runs from February 6 to 22, performing at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults and $18 for seniors/students.

The rare instance of a musical thriller, Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's chilling, suspenseful, heart-pounding masterpiece of murderous barber-ism and culinary crime tells the infamous tale of the unjustly exiled barber who returns to 19th century London seeking revenge against the lecherous judge who framed him and ravaged his young wife. His thirst for blood soon expands to include his unfortunate customers, and the resourceful proprietress of the pie shop downstairs soon has the people of London lining up in droves with her mysterious new meat pie recipe. Sophisticated, macabre, visceral and uncompromising, "Sweeney Todd" nevertheless mixes intense drama with howlingly funny moments of dark humor.

The show is directed and musically directed by Khy Garner, produced by Pam Luckenbaugh, and features Roger Dornbierer as Sweeney Todd, Ali Gleason and Melissa Loderstedt Timpson as Mrs. Lovett, Ryan Gaynor as Anthony, Cat Tierney as Johanna, Richard Butler as Judge Turpin, Jason Barrameda as Beadle Bamford, Ray Dobrovolsky as Adolfo Pireli, Kevin Albanese as Tobias Ragg, Pam Jorgensen as Beggar Woman, Wesley Loon as Jonas Fogg, and an ensemble featuring Amy Wells, Samantha Vargas, Sharon Underberg, Ariana Fort, Colleen Fritzen, Jessica Musolino, Jillian Hanna, Heather Crawford Jenna Zielinski, Drew Cyburt, Adam Korner, Mark Piltz, Matthew Staley, CJ Carter, Steven Leshchanka, Anthony Competello, and Paolo Abad.