'In Love and Warcraft' at Circle Players

Madhuri Shekar's "In Love and Warcraft" opens next Friday at Circle Players.

The show, directed by Alicia Harabin, will perform at 8 p.m on Fridays and Saturdays from Sep. 18 to Oct. 3, and at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 4. Tickets are $18 for adults and $17 for seniors and students.

Evie Malone – gamer girl, college senior and confirmed virgin – has it all figured out. Not only does she command a top-ranked guild in Warcraft with her online boyfriend, she also makes a little cash on the side writing love letters for people who’ve screwed up their relationships. Love is like Warcraft, after all. It’s all about strategies, game plans, and not taking stupid risks. Well, that’s what she thinks… until she actually falls for a guy. In Real Life. And no amount of gaming expertise will help her out when she finds herself with a non-virtual, totally real, and incredibly cute boyfriend, who wants more from her than she’s willing to give.

The show stars Rebecca Shuster as Evie, Carmen Reategui as Kitty, Victor Martinez as Raul, Michael Stratton as Ryan, and Shawna Lagan and Scott Morris in the ensemble.

'9 to 5' at Somerset Valley Players

'9 to 5' the musical opens this weekend at Somerset Valley Players.

Performances begin at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 p.m. on Sundays. The show runs from September 11 to October 4. Tickets are $22 for adults and $20 for seniors/students.

Based on the classic film starring Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda, and Lily Tomlin, "9 to 5" follows three average women working in an office for a sexist and obnoxious boss. However, several fantasies are carried to life, and events unfold that change the lives of all the office workers- and the boss.

The show is directed by Christian Carrara, and is written by Dolly Parton and Patricia Resnick.

Somerset Valley Players to Honor Perry Nominees and Announce 2016 Season

Somerset Valley Players will open its doors this Saturday for some announcements.

On September 12, the theatre will open it's doors at 2 pm to announce it's 2016 season and celebrate the 2015 Perry Nominees from the theatre.

This years' nominees are director Todd Bennington, lighting designer Brent Kowalenko, sound designer Daniel Schulze, costume designers Laurie Wood, Matthre Muccigrossi, Danny Muccigrossi, Grace Gossier, Rachel Estabrook, and Dorian Estanislau, properties manager, producer, and set designer Crystal Coddington, properties manager Kayla Elyse, set designer Emily Russoniello, actors Lauren Hackett, Felicity Howard, Max Miller, Dillon Spear, and Kieran McKenna, and stage manager Tennant Trainor.

Light refreshments will be served. The event will take place at the theatre, located at 689 Amwell Road, in Hillsborough, NJ.

Casting Call: 'Zombie Prom'

Kelsey Theater will hold auditions for the off-Broadway musical "Zombie Prom" this Saturday.

The show is set in the atomic 1950s at Enrico Fermi High, where the law is laid down by a zany, tyrannical principal. Pretty senior Toffee has fallen for the class bad boy. Family pressure forces her to end the romance, and he charges off on his motorcycle to the nuclear waste dump. He returns glowing and determined to reclaim Toffee's heart. He still wants to graduate, but most of all he wants to take Toffee to the prom. The principal orders him to drop dead while a scandal reporter seizes on him as the freak du jour. History comes to his rescue while a tuneful selection of original songs in the style of '50s hits keeps the action rocking across the stage.

Auditionees should prepare 16 bars of music in the style of the show and wear clothes comfortable for dancing in. Auditions will take place 11 a.m.-4 p.m. September 12; callbacks will occur September 14. Additional singing, dancing, and reading from the script may be requested. Audition appointments are highly encouraged. Auditionees must be at least 12 years old by February.

Delilah Strict (35-50, mezzo-soprano belt, G33-A5)	The school principal; icy and hard on the outside with a heart of gold. Should have good comic timing; think Carol Burnett or Bette Midler.
Toffee (HS student, Soprano Belt, F3-E5)	A good girl from the right side of the tracks. Hopelessly in love with Jonny. Sweet and funny; think Gidget or Sandra Dee.
Jonny Warner (HS student, rock tenor, C3-C5)	A good kid from the wrong side of the tracks. Sincere and funny. Think Ross from "Friends."
Candy (HS student , mezzo belt, F3-G5)	Nervous and hyper; always chewing her nails. Think a young Marge Simpson.
Coco (HS student, soprano belt, F3-G5)	Coco isn't bad, she's just drawn that way. Think Jessica Rabbit with a dry wit.
Ginger (HS student, soprano belt, F3-G5)	Class nerd. Sweet and means well, but verges on annoying. Think comedic Emma Stone, Amy Schumer, or Kristen Wiig.
Joey (HS student, tenor, E3-F4)	Class jock. Big, handsome and dumb. Think "duh..."
Josh (HS student, tenor, E3-Eb4)	The class geek. Aspiring journalist. Think Pee Wee Herman without the weird voice.
Jake (HS student, rock tenor, E3-F4)	Would probably be voted most popular. He's sweet and personable and is deeply in love with Candy. Think Cory from "Boy Meets World."
Eddie Flagrante (35-50, baritone, D3-Ab4)	An opportunistic tabloid reporter who roots for the underdog and "justice" in the end. Think Geraldo Rivera with Kevin Klein's comic appeal.
Chorus	Covered from within the cast: Assorted parents, secretaries, copyboys, TV floor workers and singers.

Rehearsals will be 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays Sept 26-Dec 26. In January, there will also be some weekday rehearsals. Not everyone will be called to all rehearsals. Performances will be at 8 p.m. Feb. 5 and 6 and at 2 p.m. Feb. 6 and 7.

The show will be directed by Dan Spalluto. It is being put on by Kelsey Theatre Players and Tomato Patch Performing Arts Workshops.

For more information, or to make an appointment, contact KelseyZombieProm@gmail.com. Kelsey Theater is located on the Mercer County Community College Campus at 1200 old Trenton Road, West Windsor.

Casting Call: 'Matt & Ben'

Dragonfly Multicultural Arts Center will hold auditions for "Matt & Ben" this Friday.

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.

Matt, a careerist young actor, looks like he has walked right off the Harvard campus. He is intelligent, sensitive, and moral, but also extremely ambitious. The actor playing this role also plays a short scene as JD Salinger. An actor able to play guitar and sing is ideal for this part.

Ben, the "Oscar" of this odd couple, tends toward the part of a typical frat boy. He gets by on his natural looks and charm, and often tries to take the shortcut. The actor in this role also plays a scene as Gwyneth Paltrow. Both characters are in their mid-20s.

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.

Casting Call: 'Bat Boy: The Musical'

Next week, Edison Valley Playhouse will hold auditions for "Bat Boy: The Musical," a show inspired by a series of tabloid headlines published in 1992 by The Weekly World News claiming that a terrifying creature, half-man and half-bat, had been discovered in a cave, escaped, and was being pursued by government officials.

A group of spelunking West Virginian teenagers discover Bat Boy near Hope Falls. For lack of a better solution, the local sheriff brings him to the home of the town veterinarian, Dr. Parker, where he is eventually accepted as a member of the family, named "Edgar," and taught to act like a "normal" boy by the veterinary surgeon's wife, Meredith, and teenage daughter, Shelley. Edgar is happy with his new life, but when he naively tries to fit in with the narrow-minded people of Hope Falls, they turn on him, prodded by the machinations of Dr. Parker, who secretly despises Edgar. He and Shelley, who have fallen in love, run away together from the ignorant townsfolk and have a blissful coupling in the woods. Their happiness is shattered, however, when Meredith arrives and reveals the dark story of his unholy origin.

Auditionees should prepare 32 measures of a contemporary musical theater piece, for which an accompanist will be provided; a resumé; and a headshot. Only those called back will need to dance. Auditionees must be at least 18 years old. Auditions will take place from 7-10 p.m. September 14 and 15; callbacks will be held September 16 as needed. Those interested in auditioning who are unable to make it September 14 and 15 but are available the 16^th should contact the director to see if they can be accomodated.

The director seeks a diverse cast of ten who excel at singing, dancing, and acting with extremely secure vocal technique in Legit and Contemporary styles and an solid understanding of comedy. Four of the character arrangements are listed in the table below; the rest are beneath.

Bat Boy/Edgar (18-22, B2-A4 [falsetto to E5], tenor)	A human-bat hybrid who develops from a primitive, unrefined creature to a well-rounded and civilized human.
Shelley Parker  (18-22, Ab2-Ab4 [+ raps], soprano)	The Parker's rebellious daughter. Transforms from a spoiled brat who taunts Bat Boy into a young woman who falls in love with him and protects him from the town's wrath. This actor also plays Woman 1.
Meredith Parker (35-50, F2-F4, mezzo-soprano)	Shelley's mother, the epitome of the perfect housewife. Holds a dark secret. This actor also plays Woman 2.
Dr. Thomas Parker (35-55, Ab2 - A4, tenor)	The town veterinarian; grows to secretly despise Edgar. Driven mad by his hatred and jealousy, he manipulates the situation using his veterinarian skills to his advantage, even at the cost of human life. This actor also plays Man 3.

Actor 5 (male) will play Sheriff Reynolds, an animal, and Man 4. Actor 6 (male) will play Rick Taylor, Lorraine, Mr. Dillon, an animal, and Man 5. Actor 7 (female) will play Ruthie Taylor, Ned, an animal, and Woman 3. Actor 8 (female) will play Ron Taylor, Mayor Maggie, Clem, an animal, and Woman 4. Actor 9 (male) will play Rev. Hightower, Mrs. Taylor, Roy, Institute Man, an animal, and Man 2. Actor 10 (male) will play Bud, Daisy, Pan, a doctor, and Man 1.

The show is directed by Christopher J. Guell. Performances will be October 3 through November 7.

For more information, click here. Edison Valley Playhouse is located at 2196 Oak Tree Road, Edison.

'I Do! I Do!' at Edison Valley Playhouse

"I Do! I Do!" will open this Friday at Edison Valley Playhouse.

A period piece spanning 50 years beginning in 1898, the show begins with Michael and Agnes on their wedding day. Their vows behind them, they look forward to spending the rest of their lives together. The audience watches as they go through their wedding night jitters, raise a family, and negotiate mid-life crises. Michael eventually admits to his infidelity, and although Agnes is angered by his actions, she forgives him and the couple reconciles, rediscovering how much they really need each other. Then, after 50 years of marriage, the couple leaves their house to the next pair of newlyweds. The show stars Craig Tiede and Juliana Valente and is directed by Zita Geoffroy-Heinz.

The show will run at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays Sep. 11-26 and at 2 p.m. Sep. 20. Tickets cost $20 per adult and $15 per student, senior, or military personnel.

To reserve tickets for pickup and payment the night of the show, call (908)755-4654 and leave your name, phone number, date of the performance you wish to attend, and number of tickets; there will only be a responding call if there is a problem with the reservation. To reserve and pay for tickets online for pickup the night of the show, click here. Edison Valley Playhouse is located at 2196 Oak Tree Road, Edison.