Casting Call: 'City of Angels'

Maurer Productions of Kelsey Theatre will hold auditions for the musical "City of Angels" later this month.

Set in the glamorous, seductive Hollywood of the 40′s, the world of film studios and flimsy negligees, the show chronicles the misadventures of Stine, a young novelist, attempting a screenplay for movie producer/director, Buddy Fidler. While Fidler professes to be a fan of Stine’s work: “I’ve read a synopsis of every book you’ve ever written,” he assures the author, his gargantuan ego forces Stine to make endless compromises in the script he’s writing. The script is an adaptation of one of Stine’s novels which features his Raymond Chandler-esque hero, a private investigator named Stone. Every movie scene that Stine writes is acted out onstage in the black and white film noir world. With music scored reminiscent of a 1940s private eye film, it is a tale of decadence and homicide with a liberal sprinkling of femmes fatale.

Auditionees should prepare 32 bars of an uptempo song from musical theater, with sheet music in the proper key (no a capella or recordings); at least one monologue from the selection provided on their website; a list of conflicts; the audition application, available here; a headshot; and their resumé. There will be a short dance combination during the auditions, so dress accordingly. Appointments are strongly recommended, although not required. Auditionees must be at least 18 years old.

A list of parts can be found here.

Auditions will be held from 9-5 January 23 and from 12:30-5 p.m. January 24 at the Kelsey Theatre. Callbacks, if needed, will be held Jan. 25. The readthrough will be from 1-5 p.m. January 31, and there will be about three rehearsals per week thereafter, although not all cast members will be expected to be present for all rehearsals. Performances will be held at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Sundays May 6-15.

To schedule an audition appointment, register for CastMe, if you have not previously done so. For more information, contact audition@mponstage.com. Kelsey Theatre is located on the Mercer County Community College campus at 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor.

Casting Call: 'Bill W. and Dr. Bob'

Circle Players will hold auditions for "Bill W. and Dr. Bob," a play based on the true story of the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous.

When the stock market crashes in 1929, Bill W. becomes a hopeless drunk, and his wife, Lois, is unable to force him to keep his promise to stop. Meanwhile, Dr. Bob Smith, a surgeon, drinks in secret. He himself is an agnostic, but his wife, Anne, joins the Oxford Group, a real-life group of Christians. Bill W. and Dr. Bob meet accidentally, and a series of completely chance incidents eventually lead to the creation of AA.

Auditions will be held from 7-9 p.m. January 17 and 19 at the Circle Playhouse. The show is directed by Ed Faver.

Bill W (30-40)	Lanky, on the tall side, and VERY charismatic. He has a salesman’s touch. When he speaks, he gets the attention of everyone in the room. Using vernacular of the time, one character tells Bill he could “talk a dog off a meat wagon.” He has become what he fears, a drunk like his father and grandfather. Should be able to suggest 60 for a brief section of the play.
Lois (35-45)	Bill’s wife, slightly older than he is. Patient and supportive, but she has her limits. Lois is nobody’s “little woman.” She knows she doesn’t want to live with a drunk and isn’t certain that life with a newly sober Bill is any better.
Dr. Bob (55-60) A surgeon and Bill’s partner in the creation of Alcoholics Anonymous. A bear of a man, gregarious, salt of the earth, and as stubborn as a mule. Alcohol is destroying his surgical skills and turning him bitter and hateful.
Anne (55-60)	Dr. Bob's wife. Petite. Can appear soft-spoken and shy, but she is a plain-spoken, no-nonsense woman of faith. Anne, like Lois, has patience to a point. She is no longer charmed by Bob’s antics and has no problem telling that to him.
Ensemble (2-4 people, various ages)	Plays a variety of supporting characters in Bob's and Bill’s lives.

Performances will take place at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays April 8-23 and at 3 p.m. April 24.

For more information, contact circleplayersnj@gmail.com. The Circle Playhouse is located at 416 Victoria Avenue, Piscataway.

'Fences' at Villagers Theatre

Villagers Theatre's production of the classic play "Fences" will open this Friday, January 15.

Troy Maxson, a former star of the Negro baseball leagues, now works as a garbage man in 1957 Pittsburgh. Excluded as a black man from the major leagues during his prime, Troy's bitterness takes its toll on his relationships with his wife and his son, who now wants his own chance to play ball.

The show features Arthur Gregory Pugh as Troy Maxson, Diane L. Parker as Rose Maxson, Malik Abdul-Khaaliq as Lyons Maxson, Frederick J. Philip, Jr. as Cory Maxson, Heaven Michelle McCoy as Raynell Maxson, Lawrence Jackson as Gabriel Maxson, and Lionel M. Macauley as Jim Bono. It is directed by Jerome John and produced by Andy Gordanier.

The show will run at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Sundays January 15-24. Tickets cost $15 per person; neither group rates nor discounts are available.

To purchase tickets, click here or call (732)873-2710. Villagers Theatre is located at 475 DeMott Lane, Somerset.

Casting Call: 'Veronica's Room'

Westfield Community Players will hold auditions for "Veronica's Room," a chilling mystery thriller by Ira Levin, author of "Rosemary's Baby", that explores the thin line between fantasy and reality, madness, and murder. 

Students Susan and Larry find themselves as guests, enticed to the Brabissant mansion by its dissolute caretakers, the lonely Mackeys. Struck by Susan's strong resemblance to Veronica Brabissant, the long-dead daughter of the family for whom they work, the Mackeys persuade her to briefly impersonate Veronica to solace the only living Brabissant, her addled sister who believes Veronica alive. Once dressed in Veronica's clothes, Susan finds herself locked in the role and locked in Veronica's room. Or is she Veronica, in 1935, pretending to be an imaginary Susan?

There are four characters: "The woman," aged 35-60; "the man," aged 35-55; "the girl," aged 20-36; and "the young man," aged 22-29.

Auditions will occur from 6-9 p.m. January 17 and 7-10 p.m. January 19.

Performances will be at 8 p.m. May 7, 13, 14 and 21 and at 2 p.m. May 22.

Auditionees are asked to submit an audition form in advance. The online form may be found here.

For more information, contact info@westfieldcommunityplayers.org. Westfield Community Players is located at 1000 North Avenue West, Westfield.

Playhouse 22 Seeking Play Submissions

Playhouse 22 is now accepting submissions for their 2016-17 season. For those who have submitted before, it may be beneficial to note that they have altered their submissions process.

The theatre will be considering musicals, comedies and dramas of unknown quantities for the season, which will run September through June. Those wishing to submit for the theater's "On the Edge" black box series should specify, although shows being submitted for the black box may be considered for the mainstage, and vice versa.

There will be two rounds of submissions, with a third round if needed. In the first round, would-be directors should submit no more than four shows, giving the name of each show, a one-paragraph summary of each show in their own words, and the applicant's email address and phone number. If a show is an original work, it should be thus indicated. The deadline for submissions is January 21. Once all submissions are received, the Play Selection Committee will review and select submissions to continue to the second round. Applicants whose submissions have been selected will be sent a questionnaire to be completed in ten days. If the options need to be narrowed down further, a third round of interviews will be conducted.

Once this has been done, the Play Selection Committee will place their suggestions before the theater board, hopefully by mid-February, which will deliberate and make their decision soon afterward.

To suggest shows, or for more information, contact submissions@playhouse22.org. Playhouse 22 is located 721 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick.

Casting Call: 'Becket'

The Holmdel Theatre Company will hold open auditions for "Becket," by Jean Anouilh, the story of the tragic relationship between King Henry II of England and the introspective intellectual Thomas Becket, who had been his dearest friend but became his implacable enemy when intrigue raised him to the hierarchy of the church.

Auditionees are recommended to prepare monologues and should bring resumés. Sides will be provided at the audition. Equity special appearance contracts will be available for this production.

Becket (35-45)	Thomas Becket is first the king's friend, later the king's chancellor, and finally Archbishop of Canterbury. Although Becket is a close personal friend of the king's and his most trusted adviser, he is not of the same race as the king. Becket prides himself on doing what needs to be done well. He does not consider himself, however, to be a man of honor. In spite of his self-analysis, he reveals himself to be more moral than he will admit. Although Becket is ambitious, he begs Henry not to name him as Archbishop of Canterbury. By taking on this role, Becket finds the honor that has so long eluded him.
Henry II (25-35)	King Henry II is the ruler of England. He has taken Thomas Becket as his advisor, and they have become close friends. He is alternately ruthless, fun-loving, politically savvy, and easily led. He seems to have little regard for the people he rules; as a Norman, he has nothing but disdain for the subjugated Saxons. He is a womanizer, a drinker, and a passionate friend. Henry never forgets that he is king.
Archbishop of Canterbury (50-70)	The archbishop of Canterbury is the highest official of the Catholic Church in England. At the time of the play, the archbishop and Henry are engaged in a struggle for power. At issue is who will have authority over England: the king or the church. Ironically, the most important action undertaken by the archbishop of Canterbury is dying. His death opens the way for Henry to appoint Becket to this position, thus setting the tragedy in motion. The actor in this role will play additional characters.
Gilbert Folliot, Bishop of London (25-50)	An adversarial bishop who battles with both Henry and Becket; both wildly ambitious and jealous, he allows his insecurity and temper to get the best of him as he struggles to find a way to make his voice heard. Actor will play additional characters.
King Louis of France (25-45)	A snobby French King who is equally interested in assisting and exploiting Becket; in many ways, the antithesis to King Henry. Well-mannered, flamboyant and high minded; but owns the room in the same way that Henry does, perhaps even to his detriment. The actor in this role will play additional characters.
Saxon Girl (15-20)	A young peasant who is brought to the palace by Henry, as a companion for Becket; naïve and unexposed to the ways of nobility, yet subservient and curious as to its offerings. The actor in this role will play additional characters.
Young Monk (15-25)	A young, rebellious monk who first tries to kill Becket before becoming his protégé; like Becket, he finds direction in his life once he enters into the clergy; while he is undereducated and somewhat sloppy, he is perceptive and fiercely loyal to Becket and the Church. The actor in this role will play additional characters.
Gwendolen (20-35)	Becket'’s mistress; regal and intelligent but slightly naive, she solemnly and courageously meets her death after realizing that she and Becket will never be together. Sings a ballad while playing the lute/mandolin at the request of Henry. Actress will play additional character(s). Actresses auditioning for the role of Gwendolen should prepare 16 bars of a ballad (not necessarily from a show/musical). Ballad may be sung a capella, or with guitar or mandolin. Ability to play one of said instruments a plus.
Young queen (Eleanor of Aquitaine) (18- 30)	Caught in an unhappy marriage with King Henry. Will one day grow into the forceful and skillfully pragmatic Eleanor of Aquitaine; for now, she is more interested in challenging Henry'’s masculinity and intelligence and less inclined to use diplomacy and charm to fall into his good graces. The actor in this role will play additional characters.
King's mother (Empress Matilda) (35-50)	Henry's disapproving, over-bearing mother; undermines him at every corner and suspicious of hi’s relationship with Becket. Older and perhaps a tad senile, but still retains a sharp wit and fiery passion for power. The actor in this role will play additional characters.

Auditions will be held at 7 p.m. with 6:30-8 p.m. sign-in January 27-28. Callbacks, if needed, will be held at 11 a.m. January 30. Performances will be held April 8-23.

For more information, contact info@holmdeltheatrecompany.org. Auditions will be held at th Duncan Smith Theatre on 36 Crawfords Corner Road, Holmdel.

'Triangles' at Holmdel Theater Company

Go to the Holmdel Theater Company's reading of "Triangles," a new play, January 4.

On the first Monday of each month, Holmdel holds a free reading of a play, be it new or established, for fun or for possible inclusion in a future season. This month's play, "Triangles," is by Mike Sockol.

While visiting his grandmother and aunt in Monmouth County, a writer gets a surprise visit from a former lover. She reveals the first in a series of overlapping secrets, connecting five people as they struggle with love, commitment, and an unhealthy appetite for Spam. The reading features Joann Lamneck, C.J. Nolan, Sara Parcesepe, Anthony Potter, Cindy Rich, and Gina Shuster.

The reading will begin at 7 p.m. Coffee will be served.

The reading will be held at the Duncan Smith Theater, which is located at 36 Crawfords Corner Road.