The View from Backstage: You're Doing Theater Wrong

I just received an audition notice for a theater that plans to charge each actor $75 for the privilege of being in the show and helping the theater to make money. This isn't for camp, mind you: It's for a show.

This marvelous play has no licensing fees associated with it.

No. Just, no. There are other ways to stay in the black. There are grants, there are raffles and 50/50s, there are ads and sponsors, there are concessions, there are season ticket holders, and there are patrons who gladly will donate money if asked, to keep alive the community theater that they enjoy. Use those instead.

If that's not enough, cut your expenses. There is no need to do the biggest shows from Broadway history. There are thousands of quality dramatic works that have no licensing fees attached because they are in the public domain. Do a smaller work, and your theater will stand out from the herd. Everyone else is doing shows by Aaron Sorkin, Neil Simon and Stephen Sondheim. Be the brave theater to stage Eugene O'Neill, Christopher Marlowe, August Strindberg, Henrik Ibsen, Susan Glaspell or Oscar Wilde. Give your show a contemporary setting, and you won't even need to buy costumes.

Actors already easily are volunteering around 50 to 60 hours of their time from their evenings and weekends, per show. This is time they could spend at home with their families, at jobs making money, being with friends, or doing other things they love. And that's in addition to the time they spend memorizing and running lines.

I'm on the board of a community theater myself. I know how difficult it is to stay in the black, and what an earthquake it can be to have a bad season. Unless you're planning to divide the profits with them, you don't squeeze your actors for their money. That's like talking smack to them during the run. It's unprofessional and it's just bad karma.

I'm not going to audition for anything this theater does, and we're not going to promote any more of their shows via this blog either. There are some things you just can't support.

Casting Call: 'W.A.S.P' (staged reading)

Villagers Theatre is seeking a cast for a staged reading of the next play in its ongoing New Playwrights Series.

The show, "W.A.S.P.," is scheduled for a reading at 8 p.m. May 16 at the theater. Written by Zanne Hall and directed by Joey Palazzo, the show dramatizes the experiences of women who trained with the Women Airforce Service Pilots in Sweetwater, Texas, in 1944. Pilots with the W.A.S.P. program were faced with personal and professional conflict, and had to confront military and societal prejudice that believed the U.S. Air Force was a man's world where women did not belong.

Pilots from the program received the Congressional Gold Medal from Congress in 2010 in recognition of their WWII flying service. Interested actors should send head shots and resumes to NewPlaywrightseries@gmail.com

CAST OF CHARACTERS

JACKIE WIGHTMAN – 20s.	As a Floridian foster child (slight Southern accent) she had a difficult life in her early poor beginnings but found that a passion for flying made her life purposeful. She is an ace pilot and loves military life. She is a cocky wiseacre but can be an empathetic person because of her own hard-knock life. A deceased mother, a father who vanished soon after her brother was born, she hopes to reunite with her sibling.
DESIREE PATRICIA POST – 20s.	A member of the wealthy Post Cereals family, she and her husband owned a flight school before the war. She is a troublemaking snitch who has connections with the military brass because of her elite background. She is indifferent to anything but herself and thinks she is an ace pilot.
TSUN-YAN (SUNNY) CHUN - 20s.	(Chinese) Very upbeat, funny, always with a wisecrack that hits the point. Very self-assured and comfortable with herself in any situation. A hot pilot who was the first woman to fly solo across the U.S. north to south.
TERRY MITCHELL – 20s.	The naïve greenhorn of the group. Sweet and shy at first but a plucky, determined individual with a youthful passion for flying. She comes from a protective family who sent her away to Ohio State University to study pharmacy. She discreetly spent the surplus money they sent her for charm school on flying lessons. During W.A.S.P. training she becomes secretly married to a flight surgeon – military suicide if discovered.
INEZ (WHISKY) SANCHEZ - 20s.	(Argentinean) Her farming family moved to Wisconsin when she was a child just after the Peron power takeover. A soft-spoken, sensitive, commonsense woman with an understanding ear. JACKIE‘s confidant. She hopes to combine her love of flying with missionary work after WWII.
ALICE (ZIGGY) NEGLEY - 20s.	A smart-cracking tall beautiful New York Ziegfeld Follies gal who felt the call to help her country in a unique way. A producer‘s son who owned his own plane took her on flying trips where she fell head-over-heels in love with piloting (but not him). With a tough-as-nails exterior but a soft exterior, she thinks she can take care of herself until she gets into problems over her head, like an unwanted pregnancy.
BEATRICE (FRANKIE) WILKENS – 20s.	A devotee of Frank Sinatra. She is a daredevil trickster who has a sporting way about her. She is a good pilot but takes too many chances that eventually place her as a pawn in the military‘s game of elimination.

Military Nurse (doubled)
Military Orderly (doubled)


The goal of the Villagers New Playwrights Series is to provide playwrights with an opportunity to glimpse the performance potential of their works in progress. Additional goals are to provide alternative performance opportunities for our local actors and directors and to expose our local audiences to new works. All submissions will be considered for their potential to fulfill these goals.

Due to the fact that Villagers programs are supported, in part, by funds from the New Jersey State Council of the Arts/ Department of State (a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, and administered by the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission through the State/County Partnership Local Arts Program), preference will be given to New Jersey resident playwrights. - See more at: http://www.villagerstheatre.com/viewproductions/new-playwrights-series/#sthash.pGLBrNpz.dpuf

Casting Call: 'Cabaret'

Playhouse 22 is seeking a diverse and uninhibited cast of performers for its fall production of the musical "Cabaret."

Based on a book written by Christopher Isherwood, with music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb, "Cabaret" revolves around the 19-year-old English cabaret performer Sally Bowles and her relationship with the young American writer Cliff Bradshaw. The story is based in the nightlife at the seedy Kit Kat Klub in 1931 Berlin. As the story progresses, the grim shadow of Nazism grows slowly longer.

This production is specifically seeking actors, singers and dancers 18 and older who are comfortable and confident about their bodies, and who can overcome inhibitions related to intimate body contact on stage. Open minds and mutual respect for one another is essential.

Special consideration will be given to performers who also play a musical instrument. All roles are available.

Auditions will be held at 7 p.m. June 20 and June 21. Callbacks will be at noon June 25, and are by invitation only. All roles are available and all roles require some dancing. An ability to play a musical instrument should be indicated at your audition.

Prepare two contrasting musical theater selections of 16 bars each, in the style of the show. An accompanist will be provided. Please bring sheet music in the correct key (no transpositions on-demand). Also, no acapella and no recorded accompaniment. You will also be asked to learn a short dance combination at the audition, so please bring appropriate clothing and dance shoes.

The show will run Sept, 16-Oct. 2, with performances at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and at 3 p.m. Sundays, except Sept. 25, which will have an 8 p.m. performance.

Director is Jim Jarrell, and choreographer is Phillip Solomon. No music director has been announced.

CAST OF CHARACTERS
Emcee	Middle C to High C-sharp	The sexually charged host at the Kit Kat Klub, equally comfortable with women and men. Must have strong comedic timing and a commanding stage presence; strong ability to move/dance.
Sally Bowles	Low A to E, with a strong belt	A performer at the Kit Kat Klub. Walks around with blinders on, speaks with a British accent. Very strong movement/dance
Clifford Bradshaw	Low A to High E	An American novelist and English teacher. Somewhat sexually ambiguous; comfortable with movement/dance.
Fraulein Schneider	Low D to A-flat above Middle C	Typically presented as an older German woman with rooms to rent. Good comedic timing; must have German accent; comfortable with light movement; may double as a Kit Kat Klub girl.
Herr Schultz	Low G to High F	Owns a fruit shop and is a boarder in Fr. Schneider’s house. Typically presented as an older German Jewish man; good comedic timing, sentimental and romantic nature. Must have German accent; comfortable with light movement; may double as a Kit Kat Klub boy.
Fraulein Kost	Low A-flat to High F with strong belt	A woman of ill-repute and a boarder in Frau Schneider’s house; strong comedic timing; speaks with a German accent. Very strong dancer, doubles as one of the Kit Kat Klub girls Note: in other revivals, this role has played the accordion in the show.
Ernst Ludwig	Flexible vocal range	Friendly and likeable German. Questionable sexual preference. Good comedic timing. Speaks with a German accent, comfortable with light movement; may double as a Kit Kat Klub boy.

Kit Kat Klub Girls – Rosie, LuLu, Frenchie, Texas, Fritzi and Helga	An assortment of rowdy “cabaret girls” who sing and dance throughout the show in the Kit Kat Klub numbers; must be strong, confident singers and dancers; some will double as character roles.
Kit Kat Klub Boys – Bobby, Victor, Herman, Hans and Max	An assortment of rowdy “cabaret boys” (some with questionable sexual preference) who sing and dance throughout the show; must be strong, confident singers and dancers; some will double as character roles.

For more information, contact the director at jarrellje@gmail.com.

Auditions will be held at the East Brunswick Community Arts Center, 721 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick.

Playhouse 22 is a nonprofit, community theater troupe. No paid stipends will be available. For more information about Playhouse 22, visit Playhouse22.org.

Casting call: 'Sleeping Beauty'

Somerset Valley Players is looking for a few good actors for its upcoming production of "Sleeping Beauty."

Written by Blanche Marvin, this play gives the familiar fairy tale an unexpected treatment. A shy and absent-minded prince is browbeaten into marrying Sleeping Beauty, who is 100 years his senior. The children in the audience lend him a hand, while good and bad fairies deal with the politics of the day and the gossips of the court vie with each other telling scandal.

Open auditions will be held at 8 p.m. May 10 and May 11 at Somerset Valley Playhouse, 689 Amwell Road, Hillsborough. The show will be directed by Holly Kowalenko and produced by Emily Windus.

CAST OF CHARACTERS
King	30-50 years old
Queen	30-50 years old
Princess Beauty	15-19 years old
Prince Charming	16-25 years old
Court Jester	16-40 years old
Queen of the Fairies	20-plus years old
Fairies (2)	18-plus years old
Barbel (Wicked Fairy)	30-plus years old
Ladies-in-Waiting (2)	18-plus years old
Lords (2)	18-plus years old
Cook	18-plus years old
Cook's Assistant	15-plus years old
Soldiers and Pages	15-plus years old

Readings will be from the script. All cast members must be able to move well, as there is some ballroom dancing required. Performances will run from July 15 -July 31.

'Incorruptible' at Circle Players

Production has begun on "Incorruptible," the final production of the 2015-16 season at Circle Players.

Written by Michael Hollinger, "Incorruptible" is a madcap comedy set at a monastery in 13th-century France. The destitute devotees of St. Foy haven't had a paying pilgrim in 13 years. It's going to take a miracle to keep the monastery open, but there hasn't been one of those in 13 years either.

Eric Walby, fresh off the recent production of "Picnic" at Villagers Theatre, will direct the zany production. The cast includes, as Father Charles, Jim Clancy; Martin, Mike Wurzel; Olf, David Learn; Felix, Aaron Ratzan; the peasant woman, Liz Mahon; Jack, Nils Swanson; Marie, Casey Chartier-Vignapiano; and Sister Agatha, Jean Habrukowich

Performances begin June 10. Circle Players is located at 416 Victoria Ave, Piscataway.

'Veronica's Room' at Westfield Community Players

Westfield Community Players' production of "Veronica's Room," a chilling mystery thriller by "Rosemary's Baby" author Ira Levin, will open this May.

Students Susan and Larry find themselves as guests at the Brabissant mansion, enticed there 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?

The show opens at 8 p.m. May 7 and runs at the same time May 13, 14 and 21 and at 2 p.m. May 22. The show features Janice Lynn, Victor Gallo, Kelly Kline, and Ross Pohling. It is directed by Brian Remo and produced by Jessica Foerst.

Tickets cost $20 per adult and $10 per student or military personnel.

To purchase tickets, call (908)232-1221 or click here. Westfield Community Players is located at 1000 North Avenue West, Westfield.

'Time After Time' at Mystic Vision Players

Mystic Vision Players will hold a one-night special event, "Time After Time," featuring talented community theatre artists, o raise money for two of their scholarship programs: The Rose Scholarship, given to students with vested interest in the arts graduating from Linden High School; and the Reach for the Stars Scholarship, which provides full or partial aid for children aged eight to fourteen interested in attending their Children's Summer Theatre Workshop.

This installment of their successful cabaret series will include selections from classic and contemporary musicals such as "West Side Story," "In the Heights," "Dreamgirls" and "Ragtime," preceded by dinner, at the Amici III Fine Italian Ristorante.

The event will feature Nikki Ashe, Brandon Arias, Ericaa Boyea, Alicia Cordero, Chrissy Danelson, Daisha Davis, Ali Gleason, David Maglione, Michael Miguel, Patsy Palma, Francois Suhr, Claudio Venancio, Madison Washer, Kyrus Keenan Westcott and Howard Whitmore.

The evening begins with appetizers at 7 p.m., followed by dinner at 7:30 and the performance at 8 p.m. on April 8. There will be coffee and desserts at intermission and a cash/credit bar. Tickets for the event cost $35 a person and cover the price of admission, appetizers, dinner, dessert and soda.

To purchase tickets, click here. Amici III Fine Italian Ristorante is located at 1700 West Elizabeth Avenue, Linden.