Casting Call: 'A Few Good Men'

Open auditions for "A Few Good Men" will be held at Playhouse 22 at the end of August.

The show tells the story of military lawyers at a court-martial who uncover a high-level conspiracy in the course of defending their clients, two United States Marines accused of murder. A film adaption featuring Tom Cruise, Demi Moore and Jack Nicholson was made in 1992.

Auditionees should prepare a short monologue. Auditions will be held at 7:30 p.m. August 31 and Sept. 1. Callbacks will be held at the same time Sept. 3. Directing the show will be Gregory Newton. Suggested age ranges for the characters are not yet available.

Lt. J.G. Daniel A. Kaffee	A spunky, self-absorbed, slightly chaotic but very talented lawyer who finds himself being challenged and stretched in ways he's never been. Rarely leaves the stage. Has rapid-fire intelligence and caustic wit. Loves hearing himself talk and thinks he's cool, but learns a valuable lesson about duty.
Lt. Cmdr. Joanne Galloway	A highly motivated go-getter who thinks she needs to prove herself as a woman in the military. Knows the truth, but finds it tough when others can't recognize it. Tries to fight in the purest sense of the word but knows when she's outmatched - but goes down fighting. A real fiery character who sometimes bites off more than she can chew.
Lt. J.G. Sam Weinberg	A career-focused lawyer who misses his family but loves what he does, which is playing second fiddle to a much more talented and vocally astute sidekick, Kaffee. Provides a lot of comic relief and dialogue gymnastics.
Lt. Col. Nathan Jessep	The essence of Marine: tough, focused, uncompromising, powerful in speech and physical presence, intimidating to everyone, but still able to schmooze when necessary. Believes he is the hero of the story and just might be right. A truly edgy, scary, but fascinating man.
Lt. Jonathan James Kendrick	An over-the-top duty-focused Marine who exemplifies all that is wrong with myopic leadership. Uses the Bible as a thumping card when he needs to prove a point. Instigates many confrontations. Not likeable at all, and doesn't care.
Lt. Jack Ross	Prosecuting attorney who solidly knows the law, the Marines, and his counterpart in court. Strong and honorable, likeable in a conflicting way. Good friends with Kaffee, but knows he has to beat him.
Capt. Matthew Markinson	Marine Executive Officer who tries to secretly push the truth to the forefront only to find everything he's ever been taught being challenged. A good counterpart to Jessep; someone we want to believe in, but maybe someone whose Marineness is questionable.
PFC Louden Downey	Sweet, down-home boy-next-door who probably joined the Marines because it's the best way to utilize what little brain God gave him. Servant sidekick to the nth degree, and would fall on a grenade if ordered to. Naïve and genuine while also being a little "slow".
Lance Cpl. Harold W. Dawson	Essence of Marine honor with a touch of genuine humanity. Believes to the core in the Corps, its honor and its code, and is willing to state that in court even if it gets him life in prison, but really is a soft-hearted good guy who wants to balance service, honor and the human condition. A protector and a fighter.
PFC William T. Santiago	Marine whose inability to carry his load, despite its reality, is the cause of the conflict in the show. Appears only in monologue flashback and always as a boy who tries to be a man, but doesn't have the parts to do it.
Cmdr. Walter Stone	The doctor who tries to maintain medical protocol and military prowess at the same time. Gets caught up in a lie and might have the capabilities of fighting it.
Capt. Julius Alexander Randolph	Strong but decent judge of the court martial who oversees the trial with a firm fist and short, spark-like manner of speaking.
Cpl. Jeffrey Owen Howard	A goofy and fun Marine who provides a lot of comic relief, but also a lot of truth in what goes on behind the scenes of the Marine training.
Capt. Isaac Whitaker	Kaffee's JAG boss who assigns him to the case. Appears only at the start of the show, but his presence and command of the situation need to set the tone for the entire play. Easy going, but still knows the rules; likes to "play along" and jest, but is ultimately pretty serious.
Ensemble	Serve as sentries, guards, officers in the jury, etc. Some have lines, others don't. All create a solid visual and character piece for the overall look and feel of the show.

The show will run at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 3 p.m. Sundays Nov. 6-22.

For more information, contact info@playhouse22.org or call (732)254-3939. Playhouse 22 is located at 729 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick.

Casting Call: 'Matt & Ben'

Dragonfly Multicultural Arts Center will hold auditions for "Matt & Ben" in about three weeks.

The show is about Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, two Hollywood people who wrote Good Will Hunting. It posits that they did not actually write the movie, but it instead fell from the sky into their laps. Basically, the show is about two friends and what they do when the best script they’ve ever seen magically appears in their living room.

Two women, aged 21-50, are sought to play Matt and Ben. Auditionees should prepare a contemporary comedic dialogue and be prepared to read from sides.

Auditions will occur 3-6 p.m. September 12 and 12-4 p.m. September 13 in the Forum Theatre Blue Room. Performances will occur October 30 and 31, with probable performances at the Jersey Shore November 13 and 14.

For more information, contact dragonflyartsnj@gmail.com.

'A Midsummer Night's Dream' at Dragonfly Multicultural Arts Center

"A Midsummer Night's Dream" will open at Dragonfly Multicultural Arts Center next week.

The show features Kayla Bashe, Arielle Beth, Joe Binensztok, Diane Boyer, Tom Cox, Dan Dunkley, Rory Griffin, Brenda Hamlet, Matt Holbert, James Jones, Bassam Kaado, Felipe Rodriguez, Zachary Sena-Cash, Demetre Serrano, Julia Stibich, Natasha Sydor, Matt Sylvester, Kristen Thomas, and Sabrina van Vliet.

The show will run at 3 and 8 p.m. August 21 and 22 at Metuchen's Reformed Church. Tickets cost $16 per adult and $13 per senior or student when ordered in advance through August 20, with an additional $2 charge when ordered online; and cost $20 per adult and $15 per student when purchased at the door.

To purchase tickets, click here. Metuchen's Reformed Church is located at 150 Lake Avenue, Metuchen.

Free Labor Day Concert at Plays-in-the-Park

Plays-in-the-Park will hold their 10th Annual free concert this Labor Day weekend.

The concert will take place at the theatre, located at 1 Pine Drive, Roosevelt Park, at 4 p.m. on September 6. The gates will open at 3 p.m.

The evening will feature Shirley Alston Reeves, the original lead singer of The Shirelles, as well as The Mahoney Brothers. Please bring your own seating.

'Spike Heels' at Villagers Theatre

Villagers Theatre presents the play "Spike Heels."

Pygmalion goes awry in this contemporary comedy of manners which explores sexual harassment, misplaced amour, and the possibility of a four sided love triangle. The combatants are a sexy, volatile young woman and three Back Bay types: a writer, a lawyer and a fiancee in sensible shoes. The setting is Boston, the ending is happy and laughter abounds.

The show will perform at 8 p.m. on August 20, 21, and 22, and 2 p.m. on August 23. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for seniors/students, and can be purchased online. No group rates or discounts are available.

The show is written by Theresa Rebeck. It is directed by Penny Paul, and stars Bill King, Kate Pentak, Ashley Widmer, and JD Wilson.

The show is part of their VIP series and is produced by Fearless Productions.

Seeking Directors at Cranford Dramatic Club

Cranford Dramatic Club is seeking directors for its 2016-17 season.

The theater's season will run September through June, and seasons typically consist of two musicals, a play and a children's show.

Those interested in directing at the theater should submit no more than three shows, each with a synopsis, along with their resumé, a statement of their interest in the shows, and why they wish to direct at the theater. The submission deadline is September 1.

Those whose suggestions the theater is interested in will hear from them around October 1. The submission form is available as both a PDF and a Word document.

To submit forms and other materials, or for more information, contact either joanneges@comcast.net or lizhoward20@yahoo.com. Cranford Dramatic Club is located at 78 Winans Avenue, Cranford.

Casting Call: 'Violet'

Kelsey Theater's Pennington Players will hold auditions for "Violet" later this month.

As a girl, Violet was struck by a wayward ax blade when her father was chopping wood, leaving her with a visible scar across her face. With enough money finally saved she's traveling across the 1964 Deep South towards a miracle, the healing touch of a TV evangelist that will make her beautiful. Though she may not succeed in having the scar on her face healed, Violet is able to repair those that are lying deeper than her skin; and on the way she meets a young African-American soldier whose love for her reaches far past her physical "imperfections".

Auditionees should prepare a complete song from musical theater with sheet music in the correct key. An accompanist will be provided. No dancing will be required at the initial audition. Generally actors 16 or older will be considered for the parts, although a younger actor will be needed to play Young Vi.

Preliminary auditions will be held from 7-10 p.m. August 19 and from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. August 22. Callbacks, if necessary, will be held tentatively August 26 and/or 29. Appointments are strongly recommended.

Violet (mezzo soprano with very strong high belt)	The protagonist. Carries a scar from a childhood injury; the degree of her deformity is uncertain to us but is certainly drastic to her. She is 25 years old, but a life of worry has left her looking older and wearier. Cynical but not yet bitter, reserved but not yet withdrawn, Violet is an observer and a chronicler. She hasn't yet given up the hope that she might get to participate in the world at some point, but her hope is flickering. An outstanding singer and actor with wide vocal range and considerable physical and vocal stamina is needed, as Violet does not leave the stage for the run time of the show. The actor playing this role needs a North Carolina Southern accent.
Grady "Flick" Fliggins (tenor)	An African-American U.S. Army Sergeant in his late 20s. He is black man traveling through the American South in the early 1960s, with all that implies about his life and experiences. Flick is stable, direct, easy-going, and perceptive. He has a "seize the day" philosophy that he only sometimes actually puts into practice. Dynamic singer needed.
Monty Harrill (baritone)	A white Army paratrooper in his early 20s, Monty is brash, arrogant, impulsive, immature, and loud, but an essentially good and decent person, which makes the overall package charming rather than repellent. A charismatic and energetic performer with a strong high baritone sound is needed for this role.
Young Vi (belter)	Violet as she was at age 13, forever frozen in time at the moment of her injury. She is inquisitive and aggressive, and utterly unintimidated by anything or anyone.
Father (baritone)	Violet's father, a widower in his late 30s. He is a plain man who achieved and then lost his plain dreams, leaving him constantly a little sad and a little anxious. He is uneducated but not ignorant, and strongly convinced of the value of education.
Female Ensemble Member 1 (mezzo-soprano)	Among others, plays the old lady and a hotel singer. As the old lady, plays a woman in her sixties who serves as a sort of guardian angel and Greek chorus for Violet as she travels, sharp-witted and quintessentially Southern. Also plays a much younger dissolute hotel singer of questionable virtue. A very versatile performer with a wide vocal range who can hold harmony is needed for this role.
Female Ensemble Member 2 (mezzo-soprano)	Among others, plays Mabel and a music hall singer. Needs a powerful voice for a lengthy Gospel solo, as well as a second jazz solo.
Male Ensemble Member 1 (bass-baritone)	Among others, plays the preacher, bus driver, and radio singer. As the preacher, he is slick and cynical but not without true faith, a man in his late 30s or beyond.
Male Ensemble Member 2 (tenor)	Among others, plays the radio soloist, Leroy Evans, a waiter, and Earl. As the radio soloist, is a country singer with a gentle sound.
Male Ensemble Member 3 (male, baritone)	Among others, plays Virgil, a radio singer, and a bus driver. Virgil is the Preacher's neurotic and overwhelmed stage manager, in his mid-to-late 20s or early 30s.
Female Ensemble Member 3 (soprano)	Among other roles, plays the landlady, an African-American woman in her 30s or 40s, jaded and sharp; and a gospel soloist.

Rehearsals are projected to commence in early September and occur three to four times per week until the show opens. The show will run at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Sundays Nov. 6-15.

To make an audition appointment, click here or call (609)737-7529. Auditions will take place in the Communications building next to Kelsey Theater. Both are located on the Mercer County Community College campus at 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor.