Friday, April 24, 2015

Casting Call: 'Little Women'

Six generations have read this story. This one will sing it.

Pierrot Productions of Kelsey Theater will hold auditions for "Little Women" at the end of next month. The show is directed by Kat Ross Kline and musically directed by Peter de Mets.

Based on Louisa May Alcott's semi-autobiographical novel of the same name, this classic story of family and love follows the adventures of the four March sisters and depicts both the trials and triumphs of growing up during the tumultuous times of the Civil War. Intercut with the vignettes in which their lives unfold are several recreations of the melodramatic short stories protagonist Jo writes in her attic studio. The powerful score soars with the sounds of personal discovery, heartache and hope as each of the beloved sisters transition from girl to young woman.

Auditionees should bring their resumé and a headshot, a list of all known conflicts between June 17 and Sept. 20, and prepare and 32 bars of music in the style of the show in the proper key. Neither a capella, CDs nor iPods will be permitted. Auditionees must be at least 16 years old at the time of the audition.


Aunt March (45-60, E3-F5)

Amy March
(12-20, Cb4-Gb5)
The youngest, most energetic sister, rather pompous and spoiled. She thrives on being the center of attention and is prone to throwing tantrums when she doesn't get her way. Her relationship with Jo is sometimes strained. As an adult she marries Laurie. The actor playing this part will play both younger and older Amy, as well as doubling as Troll.
Aunt MarchA formidable, temperamental, over-bearing matron and great-aunt to the March sisters. She is quite wealthy and cares greatly about society and appearances.
Beth March (14-18, A3-G5)The second youngest sister. Tends to avoid public situations. A peace-maker, quiet, kind, and an optimist who is always encouraging her sisters to dream. She has a close relationship with Jo despite their different personalities. Tragically dies of scarlet fever. The actor playing this role will double as Rodrigo II.
Jo March (16-24, E3-A5)A passionate, adventurous and brave young writer who always seems to say and do the wrong thing. A bit of a tomboy, Jo cannot reconcile herself to the reserved domesticity of a 19th century woman. Becomes engaged to Professor Bhaer. This is her story and her journey.
Laurie Laurence (16-24, Bb2-Bb4)The fun-loving, bright-eyed boy-next-door with considerable charm. Along with his overprotective grandfather, he is a neighbor to the March family and quickly becomes a fixture in the girls' lives. He loves Jo but later falls for Amy.
Marmee March
(35-50, Eb3-Eb5)
The girls' much beloved mother. She is the strong backbone of the family, who is courageous and kind in spite of the difficulties of raising her daughters alone while her husband is away at war. The actor playing this role will double as Hag.
Meg March (17-25, A#3-Gb5)The pretty, simple and well-mannered oldest sister. Yearns for a great life, and is often overshadowed by her more outspoken and forward younger sisters. She marries John Brooke and has twins. The actor playing this role will double as Clarissa.
Mr. John Brooke (25-35, C#3-F#4)Laurie's tutor. Attractive, but very reserved, and shows very little emotion. He warms to the March girls and later falls in love with and marries Meg.
Professor Bhaer
(35-45, G2-F#4)
A German professor who is a proper gentleman, reserved and self-confident. He is a resident in Mrs. Kirk's boarding house in New York and serves as an academic mentor to Jo, with whom he eventually falls in love.
Mr. Laurence (60-70, nonsinging)Laurie's grandfather and neighbor to the Marches. He is a wealthy, stiff and stern older man who eventually shows his softer side.
Mrs. Kirk (30-65, nonsinging)The owner of the boarding house in New York where Jo and Professor Bhaer live.

Auditions will occur from 6:30-10 p.m. May 31 and from 7-10 p.m. June 1 and 3. Callbacks will take place either from 12-6 p.m. June 6 or from 7-10 p.m. June 8. Rehearsals will begin either late June or early July, and performances will run at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Sundays Sept. 11-20.

Audition appointments are highly encouraged but not required; walk-ins will be seen as time permits. To schedule an appointment, or for more information, contact littlewomenatkelsey@gmail.com.

Auditions will take place in the communications building on the Mercer County Community College campus at 1200 Old Trenton Road,West Windsor, where Kelsey Theater is also located.

Summer camp at Playhouse 22

Looking for something different to do over the summer? Try Playhouse 22's summer theater program, for children aged 7-14.

Run by experienced theater educators with extensive backgrounds in all areas of theater, this program will provide children with a unique experience of learning the basics of theater. From auditioning to delivering monologues to designing costumes and developing scenes, the program will leave children asking for more. At the conclusion, students will be given the opportunity to present a scene, monologue or a project they have creating, followed by a cast party. The program will run from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Mondays through Fridays July 6-24.

Registration costs $345, although discounts are available for additional children. The deadline for early registration is May 15. To view the registration form, click here.

For more information, contact summerexperience@playhouse22.org. Playhouse 22 is located at 721 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick.

'The House of Yes' at Edison Valley Playhouse

It's Thanksgiving, and Marty's arrival home is greatly anticipated by his mother, his twin sister Jackie-O, and his younger brother Anthony. He arrives during a hurricane, but worse than the storm is the fact that Marty brings Lesly, his fiancée. This ruins everything. Marty's engagement is a threat to the well-being of his family and a greater threat to Jackie-O, who has always wanted her brother for herself. On top of that, Jackie-O has just recently been released from a mental hospital, Anthony dropped out of Princeton, and their mother is having difficulty handling any of this. Jackie-O convinces Anthony to try and seduce Lesly and steal her away from Marty. Marty will then have to stay at home, which suits Anthony just fine as he is immediately attracted to Lesly. The only way he finds to seduce her, though, is to convince her that Marty and Jackie-O are lovers.

"The House of Yes," directed by Brian Remo, features Shiva Kiani, Craig Tiede, Robert Sidebottom, Debbie Campanali, and Kristine Stringer.

The show opens June 5 and runs at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through June 20 and at 2 p.m. June 14.

Tickets cost $15 for adults and $12 for seniors and students. To reserve tickets for pickup and payment the night of the show, call (908)755-4654 and leave a message with your last name, date of the performance you wish to attend, and phone number. You will only receive a call back if there is a problem with the reservation. To purchase tickets online for pickup the night of the show, click here.

Edison Valley Playhouse is located at 2196 Oak Tree Road, Edison.
The Family and Community Services of Somerset County presents their 4th annual comedy night at Villagers Theatre.

The show is on April 25 only. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $30 and available here.

It is always great to smile and laugh...especially when supporting those in our community who can truly use our help. Enjoy a night of PG-16 comedy while supporting a local charity. There will also be over 30 chance raffle baskets to win. Receive two free basket raffle tickets with every admission ticket purchased.

The night features Keith Alberstadt, Karen Bergreen, Comedy Central, Doug Adler, and the Broadway Comedy Club.

Villagers Theatre is located on 475 DeMott Lane, Somerset, NJ.

Monday, April 20, 2015

Eat, Drink, and be Merry at Circle Players

Circle Players will hold a casual get together, "Eat, Drink, and Be Merry," later this April.

The event begins at 5:30 p.m. on April 25 at the theater. During the evening, you will be able to hear the theater's next season announces, meet and mingle with the Circle board and other theater lovers, and enjoy a casual dinner.

You can stick around afterwards to watch the theater's production of "Glengarry Glen Ross." Everyone is welcome.

Thursday, April 16, 2015

'Picasso at the Lapin Agile' at Kelsey Theatre

The Pennington Players present Steve Martin's "Picasso at the Lapin Agile."

The show performs at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays from April 24. to May 3. Tickets are $18 for adults, $16 for seniors, and $14 for students. The show will take place at the Kelsey Theatre, located on 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor.

Einstein and Picasso walk into a bar, and… The punch line to this joke is in this imaginative comedy, written by comedian Steve Martin (yes, that Steve Martin.) While the play is not exactly a classic, you can’t get more museum quality than these two classic visionary figures, one who is on the verge of publishing his Theory of General Relativity and one who is close to painting Les Demoiselles d’Avignon—his ground-breaking foray into modern art. And you can’t get funnier than this imaginary meeting between the two in a bar at the turn of the 20th Century.

There will be a talkback with the cast after the May 1 performance.

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

'Dog Loves Books' at Kelsey Theatre

Kelsey Theatre presents the new children's musical, "Dog Loves Books."

The show will perform at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on April 25 only. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for seniors and children.

Louise Yates’ New York Times Best Selling picture book comes to life in ArtsPower’s newest musical. The show follows an intelligent dog who loves everything about books. This delightful new musical celebrates the power of the imagination and the satisfaction that comes when you share with others.

Monday, April 13, 2015

'You Make My Frame Shake!' at Villagers Theatre

Villagers Theatre will hold a staged reading of Luigi Jannuzzi's new play "You Make My Frame Shake!"

The reading will take place at 7:30 p.m. on April 13. Admission is free.

Watch the paintings, artists, and statues of the Metropolitan Museum of Art come to life in this wild collection of romantic comedy vignettes.

The reading is the third of four readings in the theater's New Playwrights Series, the last of which will be Marv Siegel's "The Biography of Margaret Dawson," which will be done this May.


It is directed by Stephen Hirsekorn and stars Mary Lawrence, Lydia Durham, Robert Cleary, Christpher W. Hall, Harvey Rothman, and Judy Wilson.

Saturday, April 4, 2015

'Two Wolf Tales' at Main Street Theatre

The Sayreville Main Street Theatre Company's Kidsworks series presents the play "Two Wolf Tales."

Funny, lighthearted, and good for the whole family, "Two Wolf Tales" is a re-telling of the classic stories of both "Little Red Riding Hood" and "The Three Little Pigs"- except from the wolfs point of view. By the end of this show, you'll see the Big Bad Wolf in a whole new light.

The show performs at 12 p.m. on Saturdays and 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are available here.

The show is directed by Dawn Fulbrook and produced by Mike Tumbleson.

Thursday, April 2, 2015

Actors Needed for 'Moon Over Buffalo'

Somerset Valley Players is seeking actors for its production of "Moon Over Buffalo."

Director Lance J. Hilfman is looking for two actors to fill the last couple of roles in "Moon Over Buffalo." The roles are for two men in their late twenties or early thirties.

The show will run from June 5 to 21 at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays.

If you are interested, please email hilfman@aol.com or call (732) 277-0097.