'Defying Gravity' at Circle Players

Circle Players will be presenting "Defying Gravity" by Jane Anderson.

The show will perform June 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, and 28 at 8 p.m. and June 29 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $18 for adults and $17 for seniors and students. No credit cards accepted at the box office.For reservations and information, call 732-968-7555.

This free structured look at the 1986 Challenger disaster places the teacher who died with six others as they hurtled into space at the center of an exploration of our need to reach beyond ourselves and dare the universe. It interweaves the past with the present and the lives of participants and bystanders, drawing parallels among painter Claude Monet’s artistic quest, the zest of the teacher selected to the first civilian astronaut, the perspectives of her grieving daughter, the aspirations of elderly tourists who drive their Winnebago to Florida to watch the space shot and dream of hotels in space, the guilt felt by a NASA mechanic and his girl friend’s fear of heights.

There will be a wine and cheese party after the opening night's performance.

The show is directed by Tina Lee.

Call for Submissions: Sayreville Main Street Theatre Co.

Sayreville Main Street Theatre Co. is looking for experienced and visionary directors with a dedication to community theatre, to propose productions for its 2015 season.

The season should consist a play for the winter, a musical for the spring, a junior musical for the summer, a musical for late summer or early fall, a play for the fall, and a holiday musical in December.

Send submissions to playselection@smstc.org. Include your resume, contact information, and up to three submissions with a full synopsis of the proposed play or musical, a brief statement of your production vision for set, costumes, lights and sound, and financial considerations for the show.

Also include your history of past local productions and/or future scheduled productions.

Main Street Theatre is located at 3018 Bordentown Avenue, Parlin.

Casting Call: 'Gypsy'

Villagers Theatre is looking for some teens for an upcoming production of "Gypsy."

A musical with music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents, "Gypsy" is loosely based on the 1957 memoirs of famous burlesque performer Gypsy Rose Lee. It follows Gypsy Lee's mother, Rose, and she tries to raise two daughters to perform onstage.

Auditions will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. May 15 and 18, for actors 8 to 12 years old and from 7-10 p.m. for actors 13-19 years old.  Prepare 16-32 bars of a musical theatre piece written after 1960 and reflecting the style of the show. An accompanist will be provided. Bring appropriate dance clothing as you may be asked to dance during your audition. Callbacks are from 6-10:30 p.m. on May 21.

The show requires a total 15 to 17 strong actors, no older than 19.

This production will begin rehearsals on May 26 and rehearse for an intense six-week period. A more detailed rehearsal outline will be provided at auditions. Performances will be at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Sundays July 25 to Aug. 10.

This production is directed by Corey Rubel, musically directed by François Suhr, and choreographed by Jillian Kimberlin.

For additional information or questions, please contact Producer Donna Kimberlin at donna@villagerstheatre.com.

'Her Dream, My Nightmare' at Villagers Theatre

Villagers Theatre's New Playwrights Series will be presenting "Her Dream, My Nightmare" by Tiffany L. Wilson.

The show will take place on May 19 at 8 p.m. Admission is free.

This controversial and enlightening production deals with issues such as, religious values, judging others, same-sex relationships, the search for success, the right time for marriage, and self-awareness. When newly Born Again Valarie gives her live in boyfriend Bo an ultimatum - marry her or no more sex - Bo decides to move out. He moves in with his friend and business partner Shelby, a successful club owner. She is a Lesbian and her girlfriend Tricia is unhappy about the new arrangement. As the plot thickens, friendship and loyalties are tested and a massive web of secrets and lies intertwine. What will be the outcome?

"Her Dream, My Nightmare" is directed by Nichole Lippey, with a cast featuring Ithamar O. Francois, Fredo Rengifo, Jenne Carey, Tiff Salmon, Brionna Castillo, Kelika Anderson, Sharon Lucus, Robert Lewis, and Al-Meisha Lee.

'Jeus Christ Superstar" at Sayreville Main Street Theatre

There are four performances left of "Jesus Christ Superstar" at Sayreville Main Street Theatre Co.


Set in two acts and framed largely around the person of Judas Iscariot, "Jesus Christ Superstar" dramatizes the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, the unrest caused by his preaching and popularity, his betrayal by Judas, the trial before Pontius Pilate, and his Crucifixion.

Remaining show times are at 8 p.m. May 10, May 16 and May 17; and at 2 p.m. May 18. Tickets are vailable online.

The first collaboration between Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber to be performed on the professional stage, "Jesus Christ Superstar" features such notable songs as "Superstar," "Heaven on Their Minds" and "I Don't Know How To Love Him."

Presented by special arrangement with Rodgers & Hammerstein, the show is produced by Peter Bobchin, directed by Vince Tinebra, musically directed by A.J. Meeker, and choreographed by Samantha Tirone.

Main Street Theatre is located at 3018 Bordentown Avenue, Parlin.

Casting Call: 'Li'l Abner'

M&M Stage Productions will hold auditions for "Li'l Abner" next weekend at of Kelsey Theater.

The play is based on Al Capp's long-running comic strip about a clan of hillbillies living in Dogpatch, Ark. The original musical opened on Broadway at the St. James Theater on November 15, 1956, and had a run of 693 performances, followed by a nationwide tour.

The plot is as follows: As Sadie Hawkins Day approaches, Daisy Mae hopes to win the hand of Li'l Abner by catching him in the traditional race in Dogpatch. A senator tells the residents of Dogpatch that their town is to be used as an atomic bomb testing ground unless they can find something necessary about it.

Meanwhile, Earthquake McGoon wants to marry Daisy Mae, who wants to marry Li'l Abner, who wants to fish. Mammy's Yokumberry Tonic must be the answer to everyone's prayers, but General Bullmoose wants the tonic and tries to trap Abner into marrying his attractive but ditzy secretary, Appassionata. Daisy pledges herself to Earthquake in exchange for rescuing Abner from Bullmoose. In the end, Yokumberry Tonic saves the day.

Prospective actors will need to sing a song in the style of the show. An accompanist will be provided. Actors also should bring clothes suitable for dancing, a resume, and a headshot.

Auditions will run from noon-5 p.m. May 17 and 18, at the CM building on Mercer County Community College. To make an appointment, contact auditions@mandmstage.com. M&M Stage Productions' website is mandmstage.com.

Character	Description	Vocal range
Li'l Abner Yokum	A beefy, strong, sincere, not not-so-bright stud.	Tenor/Baritone
Daisy Mae	Abner's devoted girlfriend. Innocent, shapely.	Mezzo
Marryin' Sam	Loud and good-natured marriage broker.	Tenor
Earthquake McGoon	Abner's rival in ove for Daisy Mae	Bass
General Bullmoose	An evil "entrepreneur.	Baritone
Appasionata von Climax	Bullmoose's shapely secretary.
Mammy Yokum	Abner's domineering mother.
Pappy Yokum	Abner's henpecked father.
Stupefyin' Jones	Drop-dead gorgeous. Any male who glimpses her freezes.
Dr. Finsdale	Baritone
Dr. Smithborn	Baritone)
Dr. Krogmeyer	Baritone
Dr. Schliefetz	Baritone
Large chorus of townsfolk

'Rong Nao Tumi' at Edison Valley Playhouse

Edison Valley Playhouse and Sararattir Theatre Productions will present the bilingual play "Rong Nao Tumi" for one weekend late this month.

"Rong Nao Tumi" paints the story of an immigrant family — one that stayed together through thick and thin, huddled together to ride upsetting and tormenting waves of uncertainties and tribulations on a foreign land — until they faced a major crisis that threatens to break them into irrelevant disconnected splinters.

In the eye of the storm is a single mother who raised her only daughter, a shy misfit in school, into a confident young woman. Now, however, the mother is facing the engulfing trial on her own integrity.

Through a serious of twists and turns, the complex emotional fabric unravels.

This play will have English supertitles.

Conceived and written by Indranil Mukherjee, "Rong Nao Tumi" is designed and directed by Subhasis Das, with music and ambience by Parthasarathi Mukhopadhaya.

The show will run for two performances only: at 6 p.m. May 31, and at 5 p.m. June 1. Tickets cost $15 each, or $25 for two, and are available online.

Edison Valley Playhouse is located at 2196 Oak Tree Rd, Edison, NJ 08820.