'Gypsy' at Villagers Theatre

The Villagers Theatre's TeensVill is happy to present this year's summer musical, "Gypsy".

The show runs from July 25 - August 10 at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets are $16 each.

"Gypsy" is a musical fable with music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. Loosely based on the 1957 memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee, "Gypsy" focuses on her mother, Rose, whose name has become synonymous with "the ultimate show business mother."

The show is produced by Donna Kimberlin, directed by Corey Rubel and Jessica Kimberlin, choreographed by Jillian Kimberlin, musically directed by Francois Suhr, Kiera Radvanski and David Regner, stage managed by Alex Klein, and costumed by Joseph Tudor.

The cast feaures Sandy Buz as Mama Rose, Janine Silano as Louise, Caileigh Idell as June, Zach Levine as Herbie, Adam Magnacca as Tulsa, Ben Michaele as Angie, Dylan Croker as LA, Eric Bermudez as Yonkers, Alex Mandalakis Tessie Tura, Allie Gorenc as Mazeppa, Abby Oliver as Electra, Hannah Weaver as Agnes, Angie Francese as Marjorie May, Krystle Danza as Dolores, Connor McKenna as adult male, Arielle Handler as Baby June, Julia Patella as Baby Louise, Andrew Mercurio as rich kid, Akshay Gokul as Clarence, Michael Koutros as Young Tulsa, and Julia Moritz as balloon girl.

Casting Call: 'Footloose'

Somerset Valley Players will be holding auditions for "Footloose".

Auditions will be July 28 and 29 at 7 p.m. Callback are July 30 at 7 p.m. Auditions will be held at SVP. Please prepare 16-32 bars of a song in the style of the show or a song from the 80s. There will be sides provided from the show. There will also be a dancing portion of the audition so dress accordingly.

When Ren and his mother move from Chicago to a small farming town, Ren is prepared for the inevitable adjustment period at his new high school. What he isn't prepared for are the rigorous local edicts, including a ban on dancing instituted by the local preacher, determined to exercise the control over the town's youth that he cannot command in his own home. When the reverend's rebellious daughter sets her sights on Ren, her roughneck boyfriend tries to sabotage Ren's reputation, with many of the locals eager to believe the worst about the new kid. The heartfelt story that emerges is of a father longing for the son he lost and of a young man aching for the father who walked out on him.



Roles are:

Ren McCormack       17 - 18	Witty, Fun-Loving. Must sing and dance well.
Ethel McCormack           40s	Ren's Mom, Smart, Resilient
Reverend Shaw Moore            40s	Passionate, Charismatic
Vi Moore      40s	Shaw's Wife, Reserved, Understanding
Ariel Moore     17-18	Shaw's Daughter, Rebellious, Carefree
Rusty 17-18	Ariel's best friend, Sassy, Romantic
Chuck Cranston        18-20	Ariel's boyfriend, Unruly, Controlling
Willard Hewitt         17-18	Ren's Friend, Goofy, Loving
Urleen 16-18	Ariel and Rusty's Friend
Wendy Jo    16-18	Ariel and Rusty's Friend
Lyle  17-18	Chuck's Friend
Travis 17-18	Chuck's Friend
Jeter 16-18	Ren and Willard's Friend
Bickle  16-18	Ren and Willard's Friend
Garvin  16-18	Ren and Willard's Friend
Cowboy Bob       18-40	Country Singer
Betty Blast    20-40	Diner Owener
Lulu Warnicker     30s-40s	Ren's Aunt
Wes Warnicker     30s-40s	Ren's Uncle
Coach Roger Dunbar    30s to 40s	Wrestling coach and gym teacher
Eleanor Dunbar   30s to 40s	Coach's wife and town counsel chair
Principal Harry Clark              40s	School Principal
Ensemble  16-60	Various School mates, townspeople

The show performs October 24 to November 9 at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays.

The show will be directed by Christian Carrara, musically directed by Thomas Pepitone, and produced by Daniel Schulze.

Casting Call: 'Count Dracula'

Kelsey Theater will be holding auditions for "Count Dracula," by Ted Tiller, August 9 and 10. Adapted in 1971 from Bram Stoker's Victorian novel of Gothic horror, "Dracula," Tiller's play is tightly constructed and entertaining, with engaging dialogue and a menacing villain.

The auditions will take place from 9-5 p.m. August 9, and 10-5 p.m. August 10. To schedule an audition, click here, call (609) 882-2292, or contact audition@mponstage.com. If all audition slots are full, call and attempts will be made to set up another time to audition.

The readthrough will occur on August 23. Performances will be at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Sundays Oct. 24-Nov. 2.

Dr. Arthur Seward (mid-40s-early 60s)	Chief physician of his insane asylum north of London. Seward is a dignified, kindly, compassionate man. Frequently exasperated by (but affectionately patient with) the wandering vagaries of his sister's muddled mind. Essentially serious and straightforward, he is capable of quiet, unexpected humor.
Sybil Seward (mid-40s-mid-50s)	Dr. Seward's spinster sister. Is addle-pated, occasionally detached from reality and overall harmlessly touched in the head. The mistress of the non sequitur. An unconsciously funny, slightly daft, cheerful romantic who's never known romance.
Mina Murry (early 20s-early 30s)	Dr. Seward's ward. An attractive young woman, gentle, warm-hearted and quick to respond to others needs, but her strange malady has made her listless, inattentive and oddly remote. She does her best to hide her illness from her fiancé, Jonathan Harker. Her personality slowly changes throughout the play to that of a seductive, scheming wanton.
Jonathan Harker (mid-20s-early 30s)	Mina's fiancé. He is a likable, outgoing, successful architect. When it comes to Mina, he is more the brash man of action than a thinker. He is deeply in love with her and will do anything to protect her.
Heinrich van Helsing (mid-40s-early 60s)	Dr. Steward's former mentor. Has the rumpled appearance of a comfortable old shoe and looks on his fellow man with a humorous eye. He is a dedicated scientist and a genial man except when crossed over an issue he deems important; then geniality is replaced by sternness.
Count Dracula (mid-30s-40s)	Distinguished. His countenance is arresting, lupine, cruel and coldly handsome. Evil incarnate, with an almost hypnotic control on those around him. His accent is slightly continental. His voice not only insinuates but threatens.
Ms. Hennessey (late 20s-60s)	Matron and chief attendant at Dr. Seward's asylum. Earnest, hard-working, pleasant and tougher then she looks. She manages both the asylum and the Sewards' household.
Wesley (Late 20s-50s)	An asylum attendant. Has a pleasant nature and an easy smile, a little brash.

Cranford Dramatic Club Seeking Show Submissions

Cranford Dramatic Club (CDC) is seeking show submissions for their 2015-16 season.

They intend to perform one play, two musicals, and one children's show. Those who are interested should send their suggestions, as well as their resumé, to Joanneges@comcast.net by Sept. 1. A director's stipend is available for all shows.

CDC is located at 78 Winans Ave, Cranford.

Casting Call: 'Other People's Money'

Edison Valley Playhouse will be holding open auditions for the show "Other People's Money" next month.

Wall Street takeover artist Lawrence Garfinkle’s computer is going tilt over the undervalued stock of New England Wire & Cable! If the stockholders back his takeover, they will make a bundle but what will happen to the 1200 employees and the community when he liquidates the company's assets? Opposing the rapacious financier are the genial man who has run the company since the year one and his chief operations officer. They bring in a young lawyer who specializes in fending off takeovers. Should she use green mail? Find a white knight? Employ a shark repellent? This compelling drama explores whether corporate raiders are creatures from the Black Lagoon of capitalism or realists.

Lawrence Garfinkel (40-50)	An investment banker. Brilliant, crude, charming, large both physically and in presence. Known as “Larry the Liquidator”.
Andrew Jorgenson (60-70)	Chairman of New England Cable, a firm his family started and built. A man of strong opinions and principles, with little ability to compromise.
Kate Sullivan (30s)	An attractive, sharp Wall Street attorney. Bea’s daughter. Has anger issues with both Bea and Jorgy.
Bea Sullivan (60s)	A longtime assistant and “friend” of Jorgy. Mother of Kate. Strong woman, willing to sacrifice for the man she loves. A woman who deals with her past.
William Coles (40s)	President of New England Cable. Polished, professional, middle management functionary. The play’s everyman.

Auditions will take place from 6-8 p.m. August 17 and from 7:30-9:30 p.m. August 18. Callbacks will be from 8-9:30 p.m. August 21. Performances will run at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays Oct. 24-Nov. 8 and at 2 pm. Nov. 2.

For more information, or for a PDF of the script, contact the director, Eric Walby, at zengolfguy@gmail.com. Edison Valley Playhouse is located at 2196 Oak Tree Road, Edison.

Director Submissions for Circle Players

Circle Players is looking for director submissions for their 2015-2016 season.

Potential directors may submit up to four titles of any variety. Submission letters should be sent by email via circleplayersnj@gmail.com.

The submission letter must include your full contact information, a list of titles of submissions with a brief synopsis of each show, and your availability throughout the season, from Sept. 2015 to Jul. 16. If you have not previously submitted to Circle Players, you must also include a theater resume and two theatrical references with contact information.

All submissions are due before the end of August.

'The Laramie Project' at Fearless Productions

Fearless Productions will be performing "The Lamarie Project" by Moisés Kaufman.

Performances are at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays from August 8 -17. Performances will be at the Sayreville Main Street Theatre Company, located at 3018 Bordentown Avenue, Parlin NJ. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for children/

In October 1998 a twenty-one-year-old student at the University of Wyoming was kidnapped, severely beaten and left to die, tied to a fence in the middle of the prairie outside Laramie, Wyoming. His bloody, bruised and battered body was not discovered until the next day, and he died several days later in an area hospital. His name was Matthew Shepard, and he was the victim of this assault because he was gay. Moisés Kaufman and fellow members of the Tectonic Theater Project made six trips to Laramie over the course of a year and a half in the aftermath of the beating and during the trial of the two young men accused of killing Shepard. They conducted more than 200 interviews with the people of the town. Some people interviewed were directly connected to the case, and others were citizens of Laramie, and the breadth of their reactions to the crime is fascinating. Kaufman and Tectonic Theater members have constructed a deeply moving theatrical experience from these interviews and their own experiences. "The Laramie Project" is a breathtaking theatrical collage that explores the depths to which humanity can sink and the heights of compassion of which we are capable.

The show will be directed by James Walsh.