Casting Call: 'Mary Poppins' and '13'

If you are a boy who likes to act, there are parts available for upcoming productions of "Mary Poppins" and "13."

Needed are a boy from 11 to 18 years old, to play Robertson in "Mary Poppins"; and a boy from 11 to 14 years old, to play Eddie in "13." The actors need to be able to sing, dance and act.

The shows will take place in Scotch Plains this November, and will be directed by Krystle Tomlinson.

For more information, e-mail the director at applausetheatrenj@aol.com.

'The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee' at the Main Street Theatre Co.

The Sayreville Main Street Theatre Company presents "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee."

The show will perform at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sunday from Oct. 17 to 25. Tickets are $15 for everyone ages 13 and over, and $12 for children ages 12 and under.

Six young people in the throes of puberty, overseen by grown-ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves, learn that winning isn't everything and that losing doesn't necessarily make you a loser. "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" is a hilarious tale of overachievers' angst chronicling the experience of six adolescent outsiders vying for the spelling championship of a lifetime. The show's Tony Award winning creative team has created the unlikeliest of hit musicals about the unlikeliest of heroes, a quirky yet charming cast of outsiders for whom a spelling bee is the one place where they can stand out and fit in at the same time.

The show has music and lyrics by William Finn, a book by Rachel Sheinkin, and was conceived by Rebecca Feldman, with additional material by Jay Reiss.

The show is directed by Kevin Gunther, musically directed by Teddy Kernizan, and choreographed by Dawn Fulbrook and Sarah Anne Rosner.

Casting Call: 'It's a Wonderful Life'

The Main Street Theatre Co. in Parlin, NJ will be holding auditions for "It's a Wonderful Life."

Auditions are from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Oct. 5 and callbacks will be from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Oct. 7. Come prepared with sheet music to perform 16 bars of a musical theater song that best reflects the character you hope to be cast as and that best reflects your voice quality and range. No Happy Birthday or accapella singing will be allowed. An accompanist and an iPod dock will be available. Be sure your sheet music has the piano accompaniment, usually the bottom 2 staves below the vocal line. Mark your sheet music where you wish to start and finish.

The show will perform at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays from Dec. 5 to 14 at the Main Street Theatre Company, located on 3018 Bordentown Avenue, Parlin, N.J.

Roles are:

 

George Bailey	28 – 40, the Everyman of Bedford Falls
Clarence Oddbody	50+, A-S-2 (Angel Second Class)
Mr. Gower	50+, proprietor of the corner drug store
Young George / Pete Bailey	10 – 12
Harry Bailey	18 – 25, George’s younger brother
Mother Bailey	50+, a kind and understanding mother
Uncle Billy	50+, George’s uncle and business partner
Aunt Tilly	50+, Uncle Billy’s wife
Violet Peterson	25 – 40, proprietor of a beauty salon
Bert	30+, a patrolman
Ernie	30+, a mail carrier
Mary Hatch	28 – 40, George’s loving wife
Henry F. Potter	50+, owns practically the entire town of Bedford Falls
Mr. Potter’s Goon	18+, ever-present with Mr. Potter
Mr. Potter’s Secretary	18+, ever-faithful to Mr. Potter
Mrs. Hatch	50+, Mary’s mother
Sam Wainwright / Mr. Welch	28 – 40, a financially successful young man/the schoolteacher’s husband
Miss. Andrews	20+, a townsperson
Mrs. Thompson	20+, a townsperson
Mr. Martini	35+, proprietor of a local bar
Mrs. Martini	35+, his wife
Miss Carter	20+, a bank examiner
Newspaper Boy/ Tommy Bailey	Age 8 – 10
Zuzu Bailey	Age 5 – 7
Janie Bailey	Age 8 – 10

"It's a Wonderful Life" follows George Bailey, the everyman from the small town of Bedford Falls, whose dreams of escape and adventure have been squashed by family obligations and civic duty. On Christmas Eve, his guardian angel descends to save him from despair, and to remind him - by showing him what the world would have been like had he never been born - that he has had a wonderful life.

The show is based on the film by Frank Capra and has a book and lyrics by James W. Rodgers, music by John Higgins.

The show will be produced by Miriam Henry, directed by Kevin Gunther, musically directed by Nicole Barrow White, and choreographed by Susan Zuckerman.

Casting Call: Salieri in 'Amadeus'

Playhouse 22 is seeking an actor to play the role of Salieri in 'Amadeus.' The actor who plays this character should be in his late 30s to 40s.

Auditions will take place from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Oct. 13-14. If needed, callbacks will take place at 6 p.m. Oct. 19. Auditions must be by appointment only. Auditions for other characters in the show will take place in November.

"Amadeus" is a highly fictionalized account of the lives of composers Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri. At the opening of the tale, Salieri is an old man, having long outlived his fame. Speaking directly to the audience, he claims to have used poison to assassinate Mozart, and promises to explain himself.

Auditionees should prepare a dramatic monologue, which may be from "Amadeus." They may also be asked to read a side from Salieri's monologues, and it is strongly recommended that they be familiar with the show.

Salieri is onstage for the entire show, and plays himself both at his 'real' age and as an old man. This role requires an actor with strong vocal ability. Again, the actor who plays this character should be in his late 30s to 40s.

To schedule an audition, contact amadeus@playhouse22.org. Playhouse 22 is located at 721 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick.

'Teen A Capella Ensemble' program

Cranford Dramatic Club will hold auditions for its first "Teen A Capella Ensemble," a "Glee"-style vocal chorus for teenagers, at the end of this month.

With custom-made vocal arrangements of popular songs, the program has 18 slots for adolescents in grades 9-12. Some of the songs will have piano accompaniment, and others will be a capella. Auditions will take place at 11 a.m. Sept. 27 and at 4 p.m. Sept. 30. Auditionees that have been accepted will need to pay a $225 participation fee.

The ensemble will meet on Tuesday afternoons from October to January. There will be a concert Jan. 16.

The chorus will be directed by Jack Bender, and choreographed by Megan Ferentinos. Cranford Dramatic Club is located at 78 Winans Avenue, Cranford.

Casting Call: 'Lucky Stiff'

Edison Valley Playhouse will hold open auditions for the musical farce "Lucky Stiff."

Harry, a mild-mannered English shoe clerk, finds himself propelled into a lunatic mix of a murdered Atlantic City croupier, his near-sighted jilted mistress, her henpecked brother and several hundred dogs. Harry will inherit six million dollars if he can successfully go on holiday with his uncle, the late departed croupier, in Monte Carlo for a week. If he doesn't pull it off, the money goes to the Universal Dogs Home of Brooklyn, and if there is one thing in life that Harry hates, it's dogs.

Auditionees should prepare either an upbeat song or ballad with character from a musical comedy.

Harry Witherspoon (32-40, low B flat-high F sharp)	A shy, sweet-natured, insecure Englishman working as an underpaid shoe salesman. Lonely, beset by dogs and prying neighbors. Actor playing Harry should have a good English accent.
Annabel Glick (30-35, low F– high E)	A young woman with a natural bent for causes, who takes life seriously and denies herself all small pleasures. She is the type to wear protest buttons, and carries a bag of useful things like gauges and granola bars.
Rita La Porta (42-50, low G sharp– high F sharp, belter)	An attractive, hard-edged woman with an extremely volatile nature and severe nearsightedness. Rita is passionate, impulsive, jealous, and manipulative. Strong physical comedy skills a plus.
Vincent 'Vinnie' Di Ruzzio (40-48, low A–high F sharp)	Rita’s brother, an optometrist. A nervous, conservative man. Would never take risks or do anything out of the ordinary.
Luigi Gaudi (50-60, low B–high F sharp)	A boisterous and gregarious Italian.
Ensemble (various ages and vocal ranges)	Consists of two men and two women. Ensemble members should be good with French and British dialects.
Dead Anthony Hendon (40s-60s)	Spends a lot of time on stage in a wheel chair as a dead body, but dances in the second act. This can be a non-singing role.

Rehearsals will begin October 7, and performances will run at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Sundays Dec. 5-20. Auditions will take place at 7 p.m. Oct. 2 and at 6 p.m. Oct. 5.

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

'Macbeth' at Circle Players

Circle Players will present a reading of Shakespeare's "Macbeth."

The reading will take place at 7 p.m. on Oct. 26. Admission is $5.

The cast features John Dowgin as Macbeth, Faith Dowgin as Lady Macbeth, Ed Faver as Duncan, Thom Boyer as Banquo, Erik Hall as Macduff, Stacie Williamson as Lady Macduff, Laura Lindson as Witch #1, Diane Boyer as Witch #2, Heidi Carter Hart as Witch #3, Christie Leigh Carver as Hecate, Anthony Younes as Malcolm, Andrew Young as Donalbain, Michael Stratton as Ross, and Lewis Decker as other roles.

The reading is directed by Jessica Sherman.