'Arms and the Man' at Dragonfly Multicultural Arts Center

As Valentine's Day approaches, Dragonfly Multicultural Arts Center will present the classic romantic comedy "Arms and the Man."

Raina Petkoff is a young Bulgarian woman engaged to a famous soldier. One night, a Swiss voluntary soldier to the Serbian army, Bluntschli, bursts into her bedroom, and begs her to hide him so that he will not be killed. Raina complies, though she thinks the man a coward, especially when he tells her that he carries chocolates instead of pistol cartridges. As the Petkoff family, their servants, and the soldier struggle to hold on to their secrets and preserve their ideals, they are forced to question their romantic notions about social class, identity, war, and love.

The show features Joe Binenszto as Nicola, Susan Holtz as Catherine, Bassam Kaado as Bluntschli, Barry Leonard as Major Petkoff, Anna Paone as Raina, Shauni Ramai as Louka, and Paul Phillip Sadowski as Sergius. It is directed by Catherine LaMoreaux.

The show will run at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 3 p.m. Saturdays February 5-13 at the Metuchen Reformed Church. Tickets cost $15 per adult and $10 per student or senior citizen.

On February 12 and 13, in a first-time partnership with the nearby D'novo Fine Italian Cuisine, audience members can purchase tickets for the show and a prix-fixe, three-course dinner for just $35 per person.

To purchase tickets, click here and scroll down. The Metuchen Reformed Church is located at 150 Lake Avenue, Metuchen; D'Novo is located at 205 Main Street, Metuchen.

'Fences' at Villagers Theatre: Special Performance

Missed the two weekends of Villagers Theatre's "Fences"? You have another chance. Due to the play's being canceled on Saturday on account of the snow, there will be an additional performance this Friday, at 8 p.m. January 29.

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. 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.

'Lend Me a Tenor' at Edison Valley Playhouse

Get a break from all the snow and see "Lend Me a Tenor" at Edison Valley Playhouse. The show's opening has been delayed until February.

Set in the 1930s, Saunders, general manager of the Cleveland Grand Opera Company, is primed to welcome world famous Tito Morelli, "Il Stupendo," the greatest tenor of his generation, to appear for one night only as Otello.

The star arrives late and, through a series of mishaps, is given a double dose of tranquilizers and passes out. His pulse is so low that Saunders and his assistant Max believe he’s dead. In a frantic attempt to salvage the evening, Saunders persuades Max to get into Morelli's Otello costume and fool the audience into thinking he's "Il Stupendo."

Max succeeds admirably, but Morelli comes to and gets into his other costume, ready to perform. Now two Otellos are running around in costume and two women are running around in lingerie, each thinking she is with Morelli.

A sensation on Broadway and in London's West End, this madcap, screwball comedy is guaranteed to leave you teary-eyed with laughter.

The show will run at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays Feb.5-20 and at 2 p.m. Feb. 7. Tickets cost $15 per adult and $12 per student, senior or military personnel.

To reserve tickets for pickup and payment the night of the show, call (908) 755-4654 and leave a message stating name, date you wish to attend, the number of tickets required, and your phone number. There will not be a call back unless there is a problem with your reservation. To purchase tickets online, click here. Edison Valley Playhouse is located at 2196 Oak Tree Road, Edison.

Casting Call: 'Picnic'

Villagers Theatre will hold auditions for "Picnic," by William Inge, January 26 and 27.

The play takes place on Labor Day weekend in 1953, in the joint backyards of two middle-aged widows who live on farms in Kansas. The one house belongs to Flo Owens, who lives there with her two maturing daughters, Madge and Millie, and a boarder who is a spinster school teacher. The other house belongs to Helen Potts, who lives with her elderly and invalid mother. Into this female atmosphere comes a young man named Hal Carter, whose animal vitality seriously upsets the entire group. Hal is a most interesting character, a child of parents who ignored him, self-conscious of his failings and his position behind the eight ball. Flo is sensitively wary of temptations for her daughters. Madge, bored with being only a beauty, sacrifices her chances for a wealthy marriage for the excitement Hal promises. Her sister, Millie, finds her balance for the first time through the stranger's brief attention. And the spinster is stirred to make an issue out of the dangling courtship that has brightened her life in a dreary, minor way.

Auditionees should fill out the Villagers Theatre Liability/Photo Release Form and be prepared to read from sides. Auditions will occur at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 26 and 27; callbacks, if needed, will be held Jan. 28.

Flo Owens (~40)	A woman who has worked hard to keep her family alive. Her husband is long gone, so she has had to be both mother and father to her two girls. She has raised them cautiously, almost overbearingly, as she tries to lead them on the right path and make sure they are more successful in life than she turned out to be. Flo has big dreams for her daughters, and seems to live vicariously through them. She is hesitant about accepting outsiders, because she is very comfortable with the way she leads her life.
Madge Owens (18)	A beautiful girl growing gracefully into adulthood. Spends quite a bit of time with makeup and beauty products. On the outside, she wants to be wealthy and gorgeous all her life. But on the inside, she is sick of always being the pretty one, and she just wants to find her place in the world. Madge desperately wants to be loved, and at first she thinks that Alan is enough for her. But getting to know Hal changes her completely.
Millie Owens (16)	Madge's younger sister. For most of the play, she is wild and tomboyish, but has a softer, more artsy side to her. Although she shows herself to the world as a tough kid, she is really nervous about what other people think of her. She wants to be noticed, but in the right way. Millie wants to be somebody. She wants to experience city life and make a difference in the world.
Helen Potts (50s-60s)	A bit past her prime, Helen longs for the days when she was a wild young girl. She used to love going against the conventions and challenging authority, which has given her much wisdom in her older years. She is easygoing, still loves fun and wants to share her knowledge with the young people around her.
Hal Carter (early 20s)	Hal is young, handsome, crazy, impulsive and has seen some harsh times. He has been to reform school, a few colleges, a part of a fraternity, been chased by the police and claims other things that may or may not be true. He is a confident fellow who loves attention, but is capable of crumbling. Hal has a soft inner side that really wants to be accepted and fit in somewhere.
Alan Seymour (early 20s)	A rich young man looking to settle down with a beautiful girl. He loves Madge, whether their relationship is superficial or not. He is usually level-headed and tends to criticize those who make decisions without thinking them through.
Bomber (mid-teens)	Tends to reinforce Madge’s beauty and criticize Millie for being the oddball. A small character.
Rosemary Sydney (40-60)	Rosemary is an aging schoolteacher who likes to call herself an independent. She brags about not having a man and doing whatever she wants. She tends to gossip with her friends and make eyes at Hal when he comes into the scene. She is rather unconventional for a schoolteacher, since she is not reserved and scholarly. She has a breakdown when she realizes that she is not as young as she’d like to be, and ends up begging Howard to marry her.
Howard Bevans (50-65)	A businessman rather set in his way of life. He has been seeing Rosemary, but is not sure what she wants from him or where their relationship is going. He is easy to get along with and not particularly assertive. When Rosemary begs him to marry her, he is unsure what to say at first. He tries to tell her she is just drunk, but Rosemary is very persistent. He finally agrees and does his best to be happy about it, even though he is unsure.
Irma Kronkite and Christine Schoenwalder (30+)	Two of Rosemary's fellow teachers. They are slightly younger than Rosemary and definitely like gossip. Irma has known Rosemary for a bit longer, since Christine just moved to the town and started teaching there.

Rehearsals will run through February and March, with tech rehearsals March 20 through 30. The show will open April 1 and run at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Sundays through April 17. The show is directed by Eric Walby.

For more information, contact either Darren Nye or Paul Carver, the show's producers, at darren@villagerstheatre.com or paul@villagerstheatre.com. If you wish to view the audition sides in advance, they are available at the bottom of the page here. Villagers Theatre is located at 475 DeMott Lane, Somerset.

Casting Call: 'Lost in Yonkers'

Playhouse 22 will hold open auditions for the Neil Simon play "Lost in Yonkers."

The Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning play is a coming-of-age story of 15-year-old Jay, who lives with his younger brother Arty, their mentally-challenged Aunt Bella, small-time hoodlum Uncle Louie, and their cold and tough grandmother Grandma Kurnitz. Their father travels, desperately trying to scrape enough money together to pay off his debts to a loan shark, and their mother has died of cancer.

Auditionees should prepare a short monologue. Auditions will be held at 7:30 p.m. February 8 and 9, with callbacks at the same time February 10.

Jay Kurnitz (15)	Forced to be more mature than he is prepared to be when he and his brother are left with their grandmother.
Arty Kurnitz (13)	Jay’s younger brother. More of an observer than the rest of his family and often goes with the flow of things. Can be a little childish.
Bella Kurnitz (35)	Jay’s aunt. She is sometimes a bit “off-center” and is mentally challenged, but despite this she is also loving and protective of her nephews. Much of the second half of the play is focuses on her attempts at independence from her stern mother.
Louie Kurnitz (30s-40s)	Jay’s flamboyant, jovial uncle. Comes to live with his family to hide from the local mob. Considered by Grandma Kurnitz to be the “survivor” of the family. He is a strong, volatile, temperamental type with a dark side who works as a “bag-man” for the mob.
Grandma Kurnitz	Jay’s grandmother, a very old and stern woman. Owing to her harsh childhood, she has always been very intolerant of what in others she calls “weaknesses.” She is blunt, sometimes even in a funny way, and always knows what is going on with the people around her.
Eddie Kurnitz (30s-40s)	Jay’s middle-aged father. After the death of his wife, he is forced to send his two sons to live with their grandmother while he repays his considerable financial debts. A nervous wreck around his mother.
Gert Kurnitz (30s-40s)	Jay’s aunt, a very interesting addition to the family. When she breathes she has a tendency to suck air in while still speaking, the result of childhood trauma.

Performances are scheduled for 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays between April 1 and 17.

For more information, contact yonkers@playhouse22.org or call (732)254-3939. Playhouse 22 is located at 721 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick.

'The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee' at Playhouse 22

An eclectic group of six mid-pubescents vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home life, the tweens spell their way through a series of [potentially made-up] words hoping to never hear the soul-crushing, pout-inducing, life un-affirming “ding” of the bell that signals a spelling mistake. Six spellers enter; one speller leaves! At least the losers get a juice box.

Playhouse 22's production of "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" opens February 5, and will run at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 3 p.m. Sundays through Feb. 21. Tickets cost $22 per adult and $20 per student or senior.

The show features Katy Widmer as Olive, Julie Stein as Logainne, Jenny Weiner as Rona, Maria Aromando as Marcy, Anthony Competello as Barfee, Stephen Belfatti as Mitch, Brett Hennessey Jones as Chip, Jack Tomy as Leaf and Patrick Andrae as Panch. It is directed by Mark Kalet.

To purchase tickets, click here. Playhouse 22 is located at 721 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick.

Casting Call: 'Dear Edwina Jr.'

Villagers Theatre will soon hold auditions for the junior version of the off-Broadway show "Dear Edwina."

Thirteen year-old Edwina Spoonapple is desperate to be a part of the Kalamazoo Advice-a-palooza Festival and prove herself the equal of her talented siblings. When a talent scout from the convention visits her hometown, she introduces her musical advice giving shows live from the family garage in hopes of finding her place in the spotlight. She is helped by her older siblings, quirky friends, and neighbors. Together they set out to tackle the world's problems with hysterical numbers about everything from birthday party etiquette to the proper table settings.

Auditionees should prepare a verse and chorus of an upbeat Broadway song, and agree to and sign the Villagers Liability and Photo Release form. The show is produced by Ana Kalet and directed by Devin Massi.

Auditions will occur at 7 p.m. January 17 and 21. If needed, calllbacks will be held at the same time January 21.

Edwina Spoonapple (mezzo, 15-18)	The creator, director and choreographer of The Dear Edwina Show and is the main-staple of the play. Her character goes through a huge arc throughout the play; from frustration to relief, anger to joy, and horror to happiness. This character needs to pull off her bossy yet lovable self. This actor should be very comfortable onstage along with a strong clear voice with good diction.
Becky (8-18)	Edwina's friend, top of the cheerleading pyramid for the Paw Paw Wildcats. Cheerleading consumes her life and creating new cheers for everyday occasions brings her great joy. Becky is a vocally non-demanding role with only a few vocal lines. Stage presence is very important. Athletic ability is a plus, but not necessary.
Scott (tenor, 15-18)	Helplessly in love with Edwina. He dotes on her every move and is constantly trying to get her attention. This needs to be a strong actor who is comfortable with being bold with his emotions.
Kelli (8-18)	Edwina's neighbor and resident ballerina. Suggested ballet experience, but without use it as a comedic bit! (Any age)
Bobby (8-18)	Edwina's new next door neighbor. He is a friendly and compassionate character who goes out of his way to help others.
Lars (8-18)	One of the Vanderploonk triplets and a friend of Edwina's. He is incredibly accident -prone and twists his leg in the first scene, returning to the stage in a wheelchair, with crutches, or something similar.
Billy, Cordell (8-18)	The other two Vanderploonk triplets who perform double duty on stage in "The Dear Edwina Show" and act as Box Office Manager and House Manager.
Annie (8-18)	Edwina's friend, the Girl Scout who works for and collects her Girl Scout badges like they are buried treasure. No matter what problem may arise, she is prepared with know-how and resources to solve it in a flash. Should be perky, energetic, and helpful.

In addition to the above, there are the following ensemble roles, which, depending on the size of the cast, may be selected from the company.

Vladimir (baritone/tenor, 15-18)	Edwina's scary uncle from far away. The actor should be a strong enough singer to feel comfortable with their own song and a strong enough actor to engage the audience with their story. The lines for this character are written with a Transylvanian "Dracula" accent in mind.
Aphrodite, Carrie, Abigail, Periwinkle, Ziggy and the marching band (8-18)	The "Letter Readers" in the "Dear Edwina Show." They all, besides the marching band who sings backup, have vocal solos where they explain the dilemmas in hopes of receiving Edwina's advice.
Frank (8-18)	A non-singing role that requires the actor to speak their lines during the musical breaks in "Frankenguest." A rude, self-centered, bratty, offensive character. Must be very over the top.
Chef Ludmilla, William, Sonoma, Fairy Forkmother (8-18)	Form a team to instruct the rest of the company on how to set a table in "Fork, Knife, and Spoon."
Susie, Napkins, Johnny, Queen of Boola Boola (8-18)	A local band who have just come from a Battle of the Bands concert at Paw Paw Community Center to sing "Say No Thank You." This group should be able to move well.
Lola (8-18)	Has just arrived in America and expresses her shyness in the song "Hola, Lola." It would be helpful if this actor speaks Spanish or can do an accent.
Harry (8-18)	Lola's cousin, a fun, happy go-lucky character who just wants to make sure his cousin is having a good time.
Mary Sue Betty Bob (Mezzo, 15-18)	is Edwina's distant Southern cousin. This actor should have strong comedic ability who also sings well because she carries the song "Put It in the Piggy"
Farmer Jerry, girls and pigs	Support Mary Sue Betty Bob in "Put It in the Piggy."
Katie Spoonapple (8-13)	Edwina's little sister and a math whiz. Although she arrives at the end of the play, she has the very important role of influencing Edwina's thoughts and feelings. It is Katie that brings about the climax of the play, showing Edwina the best advice of all.
Myra/Myron and Joe/Jo Spoonapple	Edwina's other siblings who take part in "The Dear Edwina Show."

Rehearsals will be at 7 p.m. Sundays through Wednesdays January 24-March 2. Not all cast members will be needed for every rehearsal. Performances will occur at 12 p.m. Saturdays and at 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays March 12-20.

For more information, contact the producer, Ana Kalet, at ana@villagerstheatre.com. Villagers Theatre is located at 475 DeMott Lane, Somerset.