Reading: 'Taconic Highway' at Villagers Theatre

Villagers Theatre will hold a dramatic reading of "Taconic Highway," a new play by Sudipta Bhawmik, on Feb. 18.

"Taconic Highway" tells the story of Manasij, a veteran Indian screen actor visiting the United States with a theater group, to stage some shows. During his first stop in New York, he is hosted by Deepak and Sharika at their multimillion dollar mansion in upstate New York.

The enthusiastic host, Deepak, expresses his desire to make a film with Manasij as the hero and their daughter Pom as the heroine. But Sharika objects to this proposal vehemently. She would never let Pom take part in this dream project of Deepak.

Manasij tries to mediate, but soon realizes that he is being pulled into a dark vortex of suspicion and animosity carefully camouflaged by the opulence and the veneer of apparent happiness of an affluent immigrant Indian family.

The reading, part of the Villagers "New Playwrights" series, will begin at 8 p.m. Directed by Noah Stanzione, it is free and open to the public. Next in the series will be "Edmonia," by Barry M. Putt Jr.

Villagers Theatre is located at 475 DeMott Lane in Somerset. For more information, visit the Villagers web site.

Casting call for Plays in the Park

Plays in the Park will hold open auditions this April for its summer lineup, featuring theater favorites such as "Les Misérables," "Spamalot," and "Xanadu."

Prospective performers should be prepared to sing an up-tempo song, and bring sheet music in the proper key. An accompanist will be provided. At callbacks auditionees will be taught a dance combination, so dress appropriately. They also will be asked to read from the script.

More information is pending.

The schedule for auditions and callbacks is as follows:

There will be open auditions for all roles in "Les Misérables," "Spamalot," and "Xanadu" at 7 p.m. April 12. Prepare 16 bars of an up-tempo show tune, and bring sheet music in the proper key. A pianist will be provided. Auditions will continue at noon April 13 and 14.

"Les Misérables" auditions for Gavroche, Young Eponine and Young Cosette will be held at 7 p.m. April 10. Boys auditioning for the role of Gavroche must be 7-11 years old, and good at acting and singing. Girls auditioning for the roles of Young Cosette and Young Eponine must be 7-10 years old, have fair skin and be a soprano. There will be no exceptions to these requirements.

Callbacks for Gavroche, Young Cosette and Young Eponine will be held at 5 p.m. April 14.

Callbacks for "Les Misérables" will be held at 7 p.m. April 15 and 16.

Callbacks for "Spamalot" will be held at 7 p.m. April 17 and 18.

Callbacks for "Xanadu" will be held at 7 p.m. April 19 and at 10 a.m. April 20.

All auditions will be held backstage at Plays-in-the-Park, 1 Pine Drive, Roosevelt Park, Edison. For more information, call  (732) 548-2884.

'The Dream of the Burning Boy' at Edison Valley Playhouse

"The Dream of the Burning Boy" is playing at Edison Valley Playhouse through Feb. 23.

Produced by Alliance Repertory Theater, "The Dream of the Burning Boy" chronicles the aftermath of a student's sudden death from an aneurysm at high school. The show is directed by David Christopher.

Remaining performances start at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, with additional performances at 2 p.m. Feb. 17 and at 8 p.m. Feb. 21.

For more information, call (908) 755-4654.

'The Uninvited' opens Friday at Playhouse 22

Sometimes old houses make noises in the dark of night. Sometimes it isn't the house.

"The Uninvited" opens at 8 p.m. Friday at Playhouse 22. The play tells the story of Pam Fitzgerald and her brother Roddy, an aspiring playwright. Seeking to escape the demands of life in London, they discover a charming house in the west of England, overlooking the Irish Sea. The house long has been empty, and they are able to purchase it at a low price from crusty Commander Brooke, the village curmudgeon.

The reason is soon apparent: The house has an unsavory reputation. Fifteen years earlier a murder may or may not have occurred by the gnarled tree that can be viewed from the parlor window. Slowly the Fitzgeralds begin to sense the evil spirit that still inhabits the house, announcing its presence with a sudden, bone-chilling cold.

Directed by Robert Gargiullo, the cast features Rachel Elise Green, Amy Brandt, Joe Zedeny, Gregory Newton, Stephanie Long, Deby Brandt, Bess Allison, Michael Pilato, Rupert Ravens and Nancy Drumright.

Playhouse 22 is located at 721 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick.

The show runs at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 3 p.m. Sunday matinees Feb. 15-March 2. For more information, call (732)254-3939 or visit www.Playhouse22.org.

Casting Call: 'Quilt'

Monach Productions will hold auditions for its May production of "Quilt: A Musical Celebration" at Villagers Theatre, at 7 p.m. Feb. 10 and 12.

To audition, prepare 32 bars of a song that best represents you as a person, either pop rock or musical theater. You may be asked to read from the script. Callbacks, if needed, will be held Feb. 13.

Performances will be held at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays May 10-18, at 2 p.m. May 12, and at 8 p.m. May 16. Due to the subject matter, all auditionees must be 16 or older.

"Quilt" is a collection of stories and songs representing panels in the AIDS quilt. Based on actual stories of the friends and family members of people lost to AIDS, the show is tied together by the story of Wes, a gay man who is HIV-positive and whose partner already has died of AIDS.

The show is being produced in conjunction with Villagers Theater's Independent Producer Series. For more information, email Quilt.Musical@gmail.com, or visit www.villagerstheatre.com/quiltauditions.

'Next To Normal' at Villagers Theater

A Pulitzer Prize-winning rock musical that explores how one suburban household copes with crisis and mental illness, "Next to Normal" opens Feb. 8 at Villagers Theatre.

"Next to Normal" focuses intensely on the crippling tribulations of a suburban family. This portrait of Diana Goodman, a manic-depressive housewife, and the people whom she both deeply loves and deeply wounds, invites us to consider the liberating effect of confronting the origins of our pain.

An emotional powerhouse, "Next to Normal" slices through to the staggering revelation of the cause of Diana's illness, and the impact it has had on her family: her husband, Dan, and her children, Natalie and Gabe. The momentum of the score mirrors the characters' confusion, disconnection and self-imprisonment.

Directed by Corey Rubel, the play features Bre Cade, Michael Ferentinos, Jared Picone, Shannon Kronstadt, Chris Cantalupo and Marc Mills.

Performances will be held at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Sundays Feb. 8 -24. Tickets cost $20 for adults and $18 for seniors and students.

Tickets also are available online.

Casting Call: 'A Behanding in Spokane'

Circle Players will hold auditions for “A Behanding in Spokane,” a 2010 dark comedy written by award-winning playwright Martin McDonagh, at 7:30 p.m. March 3 and 4. Auditions will consist of cold readings from the performance script. Callbacks, if needed, will be held on March 5.

Performances will be at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays April 19-May 4, with a 3 p.m. matinee on May 5.

Carmichael has been searching for his missing left hand for over a quarter of a century. Enter two bickering lovebirds with a hand to sell, and a hotel clerk with an aversion to gunfire, and what follows is a hilarious rollercoaster of love, hate, desperation and hope.

Toby (male, late 20s, African-American)	A likeable small-time pot dealer. Ideal actor will be of slim build, physically fit, and must be comfortable uttering foul language.
Marilyn (female, 22)	Also a small-time pot dealer, and a con artist.
Carmichael (male, mid- to late 40s, Caucasian)	A tough guy. Actor must be able to do a forward roll into a standing position.
Mervyn (male, late 20s to early 30s)	A paunchy, not very bright hotel clerk.

 A stage manager is also needed.

For more information, email director Gordon Wiener at circleplayersnj@gmail.com.