Casting Call: 'It's a Wonderful Life'

This weekend, M&M Stage Productions of Kelsy Theater will hold auditions for "It's a Wonderful Life," adapted from the classic movie of the same name.

George Bailey, the everyman from the small town of Bedford Falls, dreams of escape and adventure, but those dreams have been squashed by family obligations and civic duty. A guardian angel has been sent on Christmas Eve to save him from despair and to remind him, by showing him what the world would have been like had he never been born, that he has had a wonderful life after all.

Auditionees should bring a picture of themselves and a resumé. Readings will be from the script. There are many characters of all ages. Many small roles will be doubled with others.

Auditions will take place 12-4 p.m. August 29 and 30 in the communications building adjacent to Kelsey Theater. The show will run at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays Nov. 21-29.

For more information, or to schedule an audition appointment, contact auditions@mandmstage.com. Both Kelsey Theater and the communications building are located on the Mercer County Community College campus at 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor.

Casting Call: 'Osage County'

Pinnworth Productions of Kelsey Theater will hold auditions for "August: Osage County" in a little over a week.

The show centers around the Weston family, brought together after their patriarch, world-class poet and alcoholic Beverly Weston, disappears. The matriarch, Violet, depressed and addicted to pain pills and “truth-telling,” is joined by her three daughters and their problematic lovers, who harbor their own deep secrets; her sister Mattie Fae and her family, well-trained in the Weston family art of cruelty; and finally the observer of the chaos, the young Cheyenne housekeeper Johnna, who was hired by Beverly just before his disappearance. Holed up in the large family estate in Osage County, Oklahoma, tensions heat up and boil over in the ruthless August heat.

Auditionees should prepare a two- to three-minute monologue not from the show that reflects the character they wish to audition for.

Violet Weston (65)	Bev's wife. In treatment for oral cancer, Violet has turned to prescription drugs (mostly pain pills) to drown out her troubles, as she has many times before. She and her sister Mattie Fae faced a difficult childhood rife with physical and emotional abuse, and she explains away her vicious barbs and pointed insults under the the guise of truth-telling. Her marriage to Bev was distant and often bitter. Violet also seems to know everything about everybody in the family, things that most had thought were well-kept secrets.
Barbara Fordham (46)	Bev and Violet's oldest daughter, a college professor in the midst of a nasty separation from her husband Bill, who has taken up with a grad student. Barbara miserably exemplifies the abandoned older woman that her mother reminds her daughters they will become. Barbara is hard-as-nails, and of the sisters is most like her mother.
Bill Fordham (49)	Barbara's husband. Despite having taken up with one of his students, Bill attempts to be present for Barbara and Jean when they arrive at the house in Osage County. An intelligent linguist, Bill uses humor and wit to attempt to soften family tensions, much to Barbara’s chagrin. A pot smoker.
Jean Fordham (14)	Barbara and Bill's daughter. A vegetarian, old movie buff, and frequent smoker, bitter about her parents’ divorce. Although Jean likes to act like she’s all grown up, she is caught off-guard by the breakdown she sees in her family through the course of the reunion, particularly her mother Barbara’s demonstration of painful weakness.
Ivy Weston (44)	Bev and Violet's middle child. A quiet, self-conscious woman, Ivy is the only daughter to remain in Oklahoma, and as such, has been Violet's caretaker since the rest of the family left. She’s a teacher at the local community college, and generally keeps to herself, which Violet interprets as laziness and a lack of interest in her appearance or in men. In actuality, Ivy has consummated a sweet, genuine romance with her cousin, Little Charles, who is eventually revealed to be her brother.
Karen Weston (40)	Bev and Violet's youngest, a real estate agent in Florida. Though often flighty and clueless to the pain of the rest of her family, understands well that sometimes imperfection is the best one can manage in this life. She is engaged to Steve and willfully ignores his three previous marriages, his opaque business dealings in the Middle East, and his proclivity for young girls.
Mattie Fae Aiken (57)	Barbara's younger sister. She is jaded and often as cruel as her sister, particularly to her son, Little Charles, who she constantly demeans and criticizes. Her sassiness can be amusing, but there’s a deeper pain underneath. Her marriage with Charlie has lasted many years, but her constant needling of Little Charles leads Charlie to threaten divorce. Late in the play, she reveals that she had an affair with Beverly, who fathered Little Charles.
Charlie Aiken (60)	Mattie Fae's husband. Friendly with a good sense of humor, Charlie was dear friends with Beverly and is crushed by his disappearance. Although he loves Mattie Fae, he is disturbed by the cruelty she inflicts on her family and on her son, Little Charles. In Charlie’s opinion, everyone should just be nice to each other. A mediator who often helps dissolve family tensions.
Little Charles Aiken (37)	Shy, clumsy, and unemployed, Little Charles has always been known by his diminutive stature and seems to have fulfilled every unimpressive expectation that others hold for him. However, he also shows himself to be sweet and creative when he writes a song for his cousin Ivy. Little Charles marches to his own drum, and despite his inability to overcome the cruelty of his mother, finds a real connection with Ivy and makes big plans with her.
Johnna Monevata (26)	The Westons' new housekeeper, a young Cheyenne woman whose father Beverly bought fireworks from years ago. Her personal history is very important to her. Johnna is training to become a nurse and is desperate for a job when Bev hires her. She chooses to stay even after Barbara gives her an opportunity to cut and run. Johnna is a great cook and a quiet presence in the house, observing everything and saying nothing.
Steve Heidebrecht (50)	Karen's fiancee. Steve conducts most of his business, which he claims is security work, in the Middle East to avoid “a lot of red tape, a lot of bureaucracy.” He has been married three times. Flirts grossly with Jean throughout the play, including smoking marijuana with her.
Beverly Weston (69)	The missing patriarch. A former award-winning poet and world-class alcoholic. He is quiet, polite and self-aware, yet desperate and depressed. It is his disappearance, which, it seems clear, ends in his suicide by jumping off his boat in the lake, that spurs the family reunion.
Sheriff Deon Gilbeau (47)	The local sheriff. He was a high school classmate of Barbara’s and her prom date. He grew up with an alcoholic father who now is in a home with Alzheimer’s. Kind, polite, but somewhat inexperienced, Deon is not particularly delicate when it comes to revealing the sad truth about Beverly. He is divorced with three children, and still thinks about the Weston sisters. Upon learning of Barbara’s impending divorce, he asks if he can call her for lunch.

Auditions will occur at 1 p.m. September 12 and 13. The first rehearsal will occur at 7 p.m. September 28, and the show will run Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays Jan. 8-17.

For more information, or to schedule an audition appointment, contact August_osagecounty@yahoo.com. Kelsey Theater is located on the Mercer County Community College campus at 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor.

Casting Call: 'Rapunzarella White'

Auditions for the fractured-fairy-tale-style "Rapunzarella White" will be held by Cranford Dramatic Club mid-September.

Herschel the fairy tailor tells the tale of triplets Rapunzel, Cinderella and Snow White, born to Queen Millicent and her slimy Frog Prince, who hopped off long ago. They are torn asunder by a witch’s curse and brought back together by the true love of their princes.

Auditionees should prepare an upbeat, non-pop song and their resumé.

Parts in the show include the narrator, the fairy tailor dwarf Herschel (30s-60s); Queen Millicent, the princesses' mother (30s-50s); the queen's evil sister Witch Winifred, or Winnie (30s-50s); the three princesses Rapunzel, Cinderella, and Snow White (16-25); and their princes the slightly clumsy Burly Bob, Prince Valiant-type Beau, and bookish Barry (16-25). Members of the ensemble will play the princes' father King Rosenbutter (40s-60s), their mother Queen Rhoda (40s-60s); Cinderella's stepmother Gilda (40s-60s); her stepsisters Greta and Gertrude (16-25), and her 'fabulous' fairy god-brother Syd (20s-30s); as well as townsfolk, guests at the ball, fairies, and dwarves (8-80).

Auditions will take place at 7:30 p.m. September 14 and 16. Performances will occur December 4, 5 and 6.

For more information, visit cdctheatre.org. Cranford Dramatic Club is located at 78 Winans Avenue, Cranford.

'The Producers' at Playhouse 22

It's a musical about making the world's worst musical: Mel Brooks' "The Producers" will open at Playhouse 22 in about two weeks.

The show starts out with Max Bialystock, a down and out Broadway producer whose latest work flopped on opening night. His fortunes change when downtrodden accountant Leo Bloom, discovers there is money to be made in Max’s theatrical failure. As a result, the two formerly-defeated businessmen unite with the goal of creating the worst musical possible. The plot develops as the duo enlists the help of ridiculous and often farcical characters along the way, such as former Nazi and ongoing Third Reich enthusiast Franz Liebkind; Ulla, the blonde bombshell secretary/receptionist; and the flamboyant homosexual director Roger De Bris. As a result of the characters' combined brainpower and ludicrous behavior, "Spring Time for Hitler" is born on Broadway.

The show features Roman Sohor as Max Bialystock, Dan Peterson as Leo, Hannah Schroeder as Ulla, James Grausam as Roger, Christopher Cantu as Franz, Frank Falisi as Carmen, Jeff Dworkin as Marks, Sarah Braka, Anthony Competello, Christa DiLalo, Jeremiah Grant, Katie Hilosky, Jerome John, Megan Liberty, Caitlyn Manning, Marissa Marciano, Dwight Merritt, Mikayla Petrilla, Mark Piltz, Jr., Leigh Suznovich, Marc Suznovich, Mary Jo Tort Bergeron, and Jenna Zielinski.

The show will run at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays excepting September 19 and at 3 p.m. Sundays and September 26 September 11 to 27. Tickets cost $22 per adult and $20 per student or senior. The ticket price includes a $2 East Brunswick surcharge.

To purchase tickets, click here or call (732)254-3939. Playhouse 22 is located at 721 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick.

Casting Call: 'Zombie Prom'

Kelsey Theater will hold auditions for the off-Broadway musical "Zombie Prom."

The show is set in the atomic 1950s at Enrico Fermi High, where the law is laid down by a zany, tyrannical principal. Pretty senior Toffee has fallen for the class bad boy. Family pressure forces her to end the romance, and he charges off on his motorcycle to the nuclear waste dump. He returns glowing and determined to reclaim Toffee's heart. He still wants to graduate, but most of all he wants to take Toffee to the prom. The principal orders him to drop dead while a scandal reporter seizes on him as the freak du jour. History comes to his rescue while a tuneful selection of original songs in the style of '50s hits keeps the action rocking across the stage.

Auditionees should prepare 16 bars of music in the style of the show and wear clothes comfortable for dancing in. Auditions will take place 11 a.m.-4 p.m. September 12; callbacks will occur September 14. Additional singing, dancing, and reading from the script may be requested. Audition appointments are highly encouraged. Auditionees must be at least 12 years old by February.

Delilah Strict (35-50, mezzo-soprano belt, G33-A5)	The school principal; icy and hard on the outside with a heart of gold. Should have good comic timing; think Carol Burnett or Bette Midler.
Toffee (HS student, Soprano Belt, F3-E5)	A good girl from the right side of the tracks. Hopelessly in love with Jonny. Sweet and funny; think Gidget or Sandra Dee.
Jonny Warner (HS student, rock tenor, C3-C5)	A good kid from the wrong side of the tracks. Sincere and funny. Think Ross from "Friends."
Candy (HS student , mezzo belt, F3-G5)	Nervous and hyper; always chewing her nails. Think a young Marge Simpson.
Coco (HS student, soprano belt, F3-G5)	Coco isn't bad, she's just drawn that way. Think Jessica Rabbit with a dry wit.
Ginger (HS student, soprano belt, F3-G5)	Class nerd. Sweet and means well, but verges on annoying. Think comedic Emma Stone, Amy Schumer, or Kristen Wiig.
Joey (HS student, tenor, E3-F4)	Class jock. Big, handsome and dumb. Think "duh..."
Josh (HS student, tenor, E3-Eb4)	The class geek. Aspiring journalist. Think Pee Wee Herman without the weird voice.
Jake (HS student, rock tenor, E3-F4)	Would probably be voted most popular. He's sweet and personable and is deeply in love with Candy. Think Cory from "Boy Meets World."
Eddie Flagrante (35-50, baritone, D3-Ab4)	An opportunistic tabloid reporter who roots for the underdog and "justice" in the end. Think Geraldo Rivera with Kevin Klein's comic appeal.
Chorus	Covered from within the cast: Assorted parents, secretaries, copyboys, TV floor workers and singers.

Rehearsals will be 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays Sept 26-Dec 26. In January, there will also be some weekday rehearsals. Not everyone will be called to all rehearsals. Performances will be at 8 p.m. Feb. 5 and 6 and at 2 p.m. Feb. 6 and 7.

The show will be directed by Dan Spalluto. It is being put on by Kelsey Theatre Players and Tomato Patch Performing Arts Workshops.

For more information, or to make an appointment, contact KelseyZombieProm@gmail.com. Kelsey Theater is located on the Mercer County Community College Campus at 1200 old Trenton Road, West Windsor.

'Coffee House' at Edison Valley Playhouse

Edison Valley Playhouse will hold its latest installment of their regular "Coffee House" variety show next Saturday.

The show will feature the original sketch comedy troupe "The Pavlovian Dog Show" consisting of Mike Patierno, Claudio Venancio, Ryan Correll, and Zach McCullough; the comic duo Kevin Berrey and Daniel Raderstrong; magic by "Magical Vince"; and various other comedy acts and vocal and musical performances.

 The show will start at 8 p.m. and run for one-and-a-half to two hours August 22. Tickets cost $10 and must be paid for in cash. All proceeds will go to Edison Valley Playhouse.

To reserve tickets for pickup and payment the night of the show, call (908)755-4654. Edison Valley Playhouse is located at 2196 Oak Tree Road, Edison.

Fall Classes for Various Ages at Dragonfly Multicultural Arts Center

This fall, Dragonfly Multicultural Arts Center will offer acting classes for third through sixth graders, 12-16-year-olds, and those 16 or older.

The class for students in grades three through six, "Acting for Kids," will use theater games to develop confidence and play practice to improve other performance skills. They will work on scenes and numbers from musical theater and will eventually put on a short show for family and friends.  The class rwill un 4:30-5:30 p.m. Thursdays Sept. 17-Oct. 22.

In "Teen and Preteen Acting," students 12-16 will have the opportunity to play theater games, work on scenes from plays, and practice acting for the camera. The program will culminate in a performance for family and friends, and will run 6:30-7:30 Fridays Sept. 18-Oct. 23.

Those 16 and older have the opportunity to partake in "Adult Improv, Monologues and Scenes," which seeks to help adults improve their acting skills through improvisation, scene study, and monologue preparation. Topics that the class will cover include character development, script analysis and audition preparation. The class will run 7:30-8:30 Fridays Sept. 18-Oct. 23.

Each class costs $100 a student; however, the first class of each session is always free. All classes are planned and taught by Catherine LaMoreaux, an NJ-certified teacher with experience teaching theater in middle and high schools. They will be held at the Forum Theatre.

Those interesting in registering may do so either with this form or through PenPal here, here, and here. The Forum Theatre is located at 314 Main Street, Metuchen. For more information, contact dragonflyartsnj@gmail.com.