Casting Call: 'Lost in Yonkers'

Playhouse 22 will hold open auditions for the Neil Simon play "Lost in Yonkers."

This Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning play is a coming-of-age story of 15-year-old Jay, who lives with his younger brother Arty, their mentally-challenged Aunt Bella, small-time hoodlum Uncle Louie, and their cold and tough grandmother Grandma Kurnitz. Their father travels, desperately trying to scrape enough money together to pay off his debts to a loan shark, and their mother has died of cancer.

Auditionees should prepare a short monologue. Auditions will be held at 7:30 p.m. February 8 and 9, with callbacks at the same time February 10.

Jay Kurnitz (15)	Forced to be more mature than he is prepared to be when he and his brother are left with their grandmother.
Arty Kurnitz (13)	Jay’s younger brother. More of an observer than the rest of his family and often goes with the flow of things. Can be a little childish.
Bella Kurnitz (35)	Jay’s aunt. She is sometimes a bit “off-center” and is mentally challenged, but despite this she is also loving and protective of her nephews. Much of the second half of the play is focuses on her attempts at independence from her stern mother.
Louie Kurnitz (30s-40s)	Jay’s flamboyant, jovial uncle. Comes to live with his family to hide from the local mob. Considered by Grandma Kurnitz to be the “survivor” of the family. He is a strong, volatile, temperamental type with a dark side who works as a “bag-man” for the mob.
Grandma Kurnitz	Jay’s grandmother, a very old and stern woman. Owing to her harsh childhood, she has always been very intolerant of what in others she calls “weaknesses.” She is blunt, sometimes even in a funny way, and always knows what is going on with the people around her.
Eddie Kurnitz (30s-40s)	Jay’s middle-aged father. After the death of his wife, he is forced to send his two sons to live with their grandmother while he repays his considerable financial debts. A nervous wreck around his mother.
Gert Kurnitz (30s-40s)	Jay’s aunt, a very interesting addition to the family. When she breathes she has a tendency to suck air in while still speaking, the result of childhood trauma.

Performances are scheduled for 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays between April 1 and 17.

For more information, contact yonkers@playhouse22.org or call (732)254-3939. Playhouse 22 is located at 721 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick.