'Emma and the Lost Unicorn' at Villagers Theatre

Villagers Theatre will be presenting "Emma and the Lost Unicorn" by Trisha Sugarek.

The show will run from March 8 to March 15, at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturdays and 12 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets are $10 each and are available online.

Rainey, a unicorn, is really a bewitched prince who has been banished to the Fabled Forest by the warlock, Kodak. The prince can only return home if someone solves more riddles than the warlock and discovers Kodak's secret weakness. A surprise twist ending makes this modern fable appealing to adults and children alike. We see mythical creatures, scary henchmen, a warlock, a Fairy Queen, all living in the enchanted forest. Giggles are provided by Stare, a rhetorical owl and Cheets, a naughty elf.

The show is directed by Jerome John, stage managed by Laura Christine, and produced by Marie Fiorello.

You can get more information at the official Villagers website.

'The Elves and the Shoe Maker' at Main Street Theatre

The Sayreville Main Street Theatre Company will be presenting the classic fairy tale, "The Elves and the Shoemaker".

The show will be performed at 12 and 3 p.m. on March 29 and April 5, and at 3 p.m. on April 6.

Based on the original Brother's Grimm fairy tale, "The Elves and the Shoemaker" tells the story of a poor shoemaker who is helped in the night by some elves. This story will please children and adults alike.

Tickets are $6 per person and are available online.

'Murder is a Game' at Somerset Valley Players

June Ripley (Kim Mackanic) aims a gun and Stephen Leech (Wayne Rossignol) prepares to strangle an oblivious Toby and Sloane Bigelow (Christopher Hall and Reba Holley) in "Murder is a Game" at Somerset Valley Players. (Photo by Steve Goodman.)

"Murder is a Game" opens this weekend at Somerset Valley Players.

Mike Schuller directs a play by Fred Carmichael about a successful, married mystery writing team whose well of inspiration has run dry.

Hoping to inspire them, their publisher sends them for the weekend to an old mansion built for a movie set, and peoples it with hired characters unknown to each other to act out a murder plot. The husband-and-wife duo delight in the game and solve the fake murder, but then there is a real murder ...

Tickets cost $20 for adults and $18 for seniors and students. The show will run at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and at 2 p.m. Sundays March 7-23.

Somerset Valley Playhouse is located at 689 Amwell Road, Hillsborough.

For more information, call (908) 369-7469.

Casting Call: 'Jesus Christ Superstar'

Main Street Theatre Co. in Parlin will hold auditions for Jesus Christ Superstar" this week.

Prospective performers must prepare one moderate rock song and one ballad, and bring a copy of the sheet music to the audition. Anyone auditioning for Jesus, Judas, Mary Magdalene, Pilate or Herod must sing one of the songs the character sings in the show. A piano accompanist will be provided. An iPod dock will also be available. No acapella allowed.You may be asked to dance, so be prepared and wear proper footwear and loose fitting clothes.

Auditions will be held from 7-10 p.m. Feb. 24-25. Callbacks will be held at 7 p.m. Feb. 27. All roles are available.

The first collaboration between Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber to be performed on the professional stage, "Jesus Christ Superstar" features such notable songs as "Superstar," "Everything's Alright" and "I Don't Know How To Love Him."

Set in two acts, "Jesus Christ Superstar" dramatizes Jesus' entry in Jerusalem, the unrest caused by his preaching and popularity, his betrayal by Judas, the trial before Pontius Pilate, and his crucifixion. The show features Peter Bobchin, producer; A.J. Meeker, musical director; and Director Vince Tinebra.

Rehearsals will be held March 2-May 1, with performances at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays May 2-18, witj Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. May 4 and May 18.

Jesus Christ	Tenor	Title role, leader of the Twelve Apostles, a man called the "Son of God" and the "King of the Jews."
Judas Iscariot	Tenor	Arguably the protagonist of the show. One of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus; concerned for the poor and the consequences of Jesus' fame.
Mary Magdalene	Mezzosoprano	A female follower of Jesus who finds herself falling in love with him.
Pontius Pilate	Baritone	Prefect of Judea who foresees the events of Jesus' crucifixion from beginning to aftermath in a dream, and finds himself being presented with that very situation.
Caiaphas	Bass	High priest who sees Jesus as a threat to the nation.
Annas	Tenor	Fellow priest whom Caiaphas persuades to see Jesus as a threat.
Peter	Baritone	One of the Twelve Apostles; denies Jesus three times upon the night of Jesus' arrest to save himself.
Simon Zealotes	Tenor	One of the Twelve Apostles; urges Jesus to lead his followers into battle against the Romans.
King Herod	Tenor	Tetrarch of Galilee. Jesus is brought to him for judgment after first being taken to Pilate
Other Apostles	James, John, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James and Thaddaeus. Actors should be 16 or older, and also will play multiple roles.
Soul Girls	Four minimum. Actors playing the soul girls also will play multiple other roles such as townspeople, prostitutes, Herod's ladies and Superstar dancers. Must be strong vocalists and dancers.
Extras and Pit singers are welcome.

For more information, contact Pete@smstc.org or Vince@smstc.org.

Main Street Theatre Co. is located at 3018 Bordentown Avenue, Parlin.

'Ravenscroft' at Circle Players

PISCATAWAY – Circle Players this March will present “Ravenscroft,” a comedic mystery written by Don Nigro.

This psychological drama is a thinking person's Gothic thriller, a dark comedy that is both funny and frightening. On a snowy night, Inspector Ruffing is called to a remote house to investigate the headlong plunge of Patrick Roarke down the main staircase. He becomes involved in the lives of five alluring and dangerous women.

They lead him through a bewildering labyrinth of contradictory versions of Patrick’s demise and that of the late Mr. Ravenscroft. There are ghosts on the staircase, skeletons in the closet, and much more than the Inspector bargained for. His investigation leads into his own tortured soul and the nature of truth itself.

You will not guess the ending, but you will be teased, seduced, bewildered, amused, frightened, and led to a dark encounter with truth … or something stranger.

The theater is located at 416 Victoria Ave., Piscataway.

Performances will begin at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, March 7-22, with a 3 p.m. matinee Sunday, March 23.

Alicia Harabin of Somerville is the director, and Ed Faver of Roselle is the producer.

Appearing onstage are Kristin Bennett of Montville, Thom Boyer of Somerville, Debbie Campanali of Towaco, Cody Dalton of Oakhurst, Roxanne Guarino of Metuchen, and Donne Petito of Hopewell.

A wine and cheese reception will follow the opening night performance.

For reservations, call (732) 968-7555, or buy tickets online at  www.circleplayers.com. ($1 per ticket discount online.) Tickets are $18 for adults and $17 for students and seniors. N

o credit cards can be accepted at the theater box office, but may be used online.

Casting Call: 'Rent' at Playhouse 22

Playhouse 22 will hold auditions in early March for "Rent."

"Rent" is a rock opera with music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson based on Giacomo Puccini's opera "La Bohème." It tells the story of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York's Lower East Side in the thriving days of Bohemian Alphabet City under the shadow of AIDS.

Auditions and performances will take place at Playhouse 22, 721 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick. Rehearsal time may be split between Playhouse 22 and a rented space at a location in Rahway. Auditions will take place from 7-10 p.m. March 2-3, with callbacks from 7-11 p.m. March 5. Performances will run May 2-18.

Prepare a 32-bar selection from a rock musical song that best showcases your vocal range and dynamics; your ability to communicate clearly and effectively through; and your ability to fully envision a character, inhabit it, and bring it to life by making clear, creative, and confident choices. Please bring piano sheet music in the correct key for the accompanist. Alternatively, you may bring a guitar and accompany yourself. Auditioning acapella for this show is not recommended.

Color-blind casting will be applied except where a specific ethnicity is called for in the script. Auditions are held on first-come, first-served basis. Appointments are not needed.

Character breakdown:

Mark Cohen	(C#3-G4)	Male, baritenor. An aspiring filmmaker who narrates the show as he films the lives of his friends. Spirited, artistic, quirky, and isolated by the guilt of his good health while many of his friends have AIDS.
Roger Davis	(B2-A4)	Male, rock tenor. A former junkie and rockstar. Struggling with the guilt of his ex-girlfriend's suicide, the seeming loss of his creative edge, and his impending death due to the AIDS virus. Haunted, worn, powerful, and edgy. Ability to play the guitar strongly preferred.
Mimi Marquez	(F#3-E5)	Female, mezzo. A free-spirited 19-year-old girl who has remained optimistic in the face of a difficult life, a heroin addiction, and her contraction of AIDS as a result of it. Sexy, playful, and smart with an undercurrent of suppressed pain, secrets, and a genuine longing for affection.
Benny Coffin III	(Eb3-F4)	Male, tenor. Mark and Roger's former roommate before his marriage to the wealthy Alison Grey. Benny is now their landlord and is considered by Mark and Roger to be a "yuppy" corporate sellout. Smooth, charming, and confident.
Maureen Johnson	(C4-F5)	Female, mezzo. A free-thinking bisexual performing artist. She isn't afraid to speak her mind, take on the establishment, and go to any lengths to fight for what she believes in. Sassy, funny, strong-willed, and flirtatious with a great passion for her art and the rights of all artists.
Joanne Jefferson	(Bb3-E5)	Female, mezzo. A lesbian Ivy League-educated lawyer and activist. Although raised in an affluent, political family, she is committed to helping the underserved. Empowered, caring, professional, and strong-willed.
Tom Collins	(F#2-A4)	Male, baritone. A gay computer genius, teacher, and anarchist who was recently fired by MIT for his free thinking. Passionate, intelligent, loyal. Despite a life of AIDs and poverty, he carries himself with a great deal of optimism, due in no small part to his boundless love for Angel.
Angel Schunard	(C3 - A4)	Male, tenor. A young drag queen and street drummer with AIDS. Collins' lover. Generous, selfless, and personable with a captivating energy and a passionate will to embrace life and live it to the fullest.

The theater also is looking to cast an ensemble of strong singers, actors, and movers to play a variety of cameo characters and group roles.

For more information, write to rent@playhouse22.org.

"Rent" features music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson. This production will be directed by Greg Scalera and choreographed by Joshua Schnetzer, with musical direction by Bruce De La Cruz.

Seeking Stage Manager for 'Falsettos'

Villagers Theatre is seeking a stage manager for its Black Box production of "Falsettos." The ideal stage manager will have experience.

Rehearsals will take place in March and April. Performances will be in May. Details are available at the Villagers web site.

The show is produced by Joe Buz, directed by Darren Nye, and musically directed by Rory Chalcraft.

For more information, contact Darren Nye at nye@nyetech.com, or call (732) 429-8258.