Ladies' Man, Girlfriend's Boyfriend, Plenty of Music

We’re in the midst of one of the busiest times of the year for theater in northern New Jersey.

Looking for something dramatic? Then you’ll want to head to the for “Grapes of Wrath.” Need a laugh? Then “Sly Fox” at Somerset Valley Players or “Moon Over Buffalo” at Dover Little Theatre might just be what you need.

Theater lovers can take in a musical, Shakespeare, one-man shows, children’s theater and more over the next few weeks. In short there’s no reason to stay home. Read this week’s On Stage Scoop and let the area’s theater groups entertain you.

The On Stage Scoop runs every Tuesday.

ON STAGE SCOOP

 “Ladies” Night: Charles Morey’s “The Ladies Man” is on stage at Centenary Stage Company’s David and Carol Lackland Center in Hackettstown through March 4. Set in the golden age of Paris, the farce follows a doctor who tells a “little” lie to cover an innocent but embarrassing indiscretion, but this little lie leads to chaos. Adapted from Georges Feydeau’s comedy “The Ladies’ Dressmaker,” the production will be directed by CSC Artistic Director Carl Wallnau and will star Allen Lewis Rickman, who recently starred in “Relatively Speaking” (written by Elaine May and Mike Nichols, Ethan Coen and Woody Allen) on Broadway. Performances are Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays 2 p.m. Tickets cost $20 to $25. For more information, call 908-979-0900 or visit CentenaryStageCo.org.

Dream a Little Dream: Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is on stage at Villagers Theatre in Somerset through March 4. The comedy involves romance, an enchanted forest and magic. The production is directed by Guy Suabedissen and is being presented by Wooden O Production as part of Villagers’ VIP Series. Tickets cost $12, or $10 for seniors and students. For more information, call 732-873-2710 or visit VillagersTheatre.com.

Family Drama: is presenting Arthur Miller’s “All My Sons” through March 10. The 1947 play is set during World War II and follows the Keller family, as son Chris discovers that his father, Joe, is a war profiteer who let his partner go to jail after their firm manufactured defective airplane parts. Tickets cost $20, or $15 for students. For more information, go to SummitPlayhouse.org.

Talent on Stage: The Fifth Annual “Morristown’s Got Talent” extravaganza is set for Feb. 29 at 7 p.m. at . See the best amateur talent Morristown, Morris Township and Morris Plains have to offer. Tickets cost $25 to $75. The Mayo Performing Arts Center is located at 100 South St. in Morristown. For tickets and information, call 973-539-8008 or visit MayoArts.org.

The Butler Did It: will present Andrew Lloyd Webber's and Alan Ayckbourn’s “By Jeeves,” with a run starting March 2 and continuing through March 11 at the Black River Playhouse, located at the corner of Grove Street and Maple Avenue in Chester. The show is based on the Jeeves stories by P.G. Wodehouse and follows the dimwitted Bertie (played by Jeff Jackson) and his smarter manservant Jeeves (Bob Longstreet). Performances begin at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and at 2 p.m. on March 11 and 18. Tickets cost $24, $22 seniors/students. For more information, call 908-879-7304 or visit ChesterTheatreGroup.org.

Dust Bowl Drama: aree performing Frank Galati’s Tony-winning adaptation of John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath,” March 2-17 at the Chatham Playhouse, 23 N. Passaic Ave. The classic story is set during the Great Depression as the Joad family leaves Oklahoma for California, hoping a better life awaits them. The cast is led by Dale Monroe from Hackettstown as Tom, Debbie Bernstein from Maplewood as Ma and Tom Hodge from Denville as Pa. Tickets cost $20, or $18 for seniors and youths. For tickets and information, visit ChathamPlayers.org or call 973-635-7363.

Crazy as a Fox: will present “Sly Fox” March 2 through 18 at the Players’ Playhouse, located at 689 Amwell Road. The comedy by Larry Gelbert is about greed in the Old West as a miser pretends to die in an attempt to fleece his phony friends of their goal. Tickets cost $15, or $13 for  seniors and students. For more information, call 908-369-7469 or visit SVPTheatre.org.

Looking Back: The Women’s Theatre Co. will present “The Last Five Years,” March 2 through March 18 at the Parsippany Playhouse, located at 1130 Knoll Road in Lake Hiawatha (enter Boonton on your GPS). The one-act musical explores the relationship between a rising novelist and a struggling actress. For more information, call 973 316-3033 or visit WomensTheater.org.

Folklore Through Dance: Ballet Folklórico de Antioquia, Colombia is coming to for a March 2 performance beginning at 8 p.m. The show promises a slice of South American heritage for families of all backgrounds through dance, music and costumes. Tickets cost $27 to $42. The Mayo Performing Arts Center is located at 100 South St. in Morristown. For tickets and information, call 973-539-8008 or visit MayoArts.org.

Celebrating Theater: Centenary Stage Company is hosting a “Day of Theatre” program, featuring performances and workshops for young theatergoers, on March 3. The Stage Combat workshop, led by Stephen Davis (professor of Theatre at Centenary College), will begin at 9 a.m. The workshop is designed for ages 11 to 14 and will take place in the David and Carol Lackland Center. Reservations are required. A workshop in Creative Movement (Led by Y.A.S performers Nick Ardito and Brittany D’Allesio) for children ages 6 to 10 will take place at noon. Workshops are free for children within the above stated age ranges. Due to the limited space, advance reservations are required in order to ensure a spot in the workshops. The day will also feature performances of “A Year With Frog and Toad” and “If You Give a Pig a Pancake.” Tickets normally cost $10 for adults, $8 chidlren, but during the Stages Festival in March, children will be admitted for free with the purchase of an adult ticket. To register for workshops or for more information, call 908-852-1400, ext. 2421 or email antolinil@centenarycollege.edu. For information about the CSC’s Young Audience Series performances, call 908-979-0900. 

Not Quite Pure as Snow: Pax Amicus Castle Theatre will perform “Slush,” a very adult version of Snow White, March 3 through March 17. Performances begin at 8 p.m. on March 2, 3, 10 and 17 and at 2 p.m. on March 11. All tickets cost $15. For reservations, call the box office at 973-691-2100.

Laughing It Up in Dover: Dover Little Theatre will perform Ken Ludwig’s “Moon Over Buffalo,” March 3 through 17. The farce is about Charlotte and George Hay, a less-than-legendary acting couple who come to Buffalo for a performance and discover that the great Frank Capra is headed to see the show. The cast features Claire Bochenek, Judy Bornstein, Lauren Einzig, Dana Matano, Tara Moran, Tim Murphy, Mark Phelan, Thomas Reissner, Brenna Singman and Miguel Vega. For more information, visit DoverLittleTheatre.org.

If The Shoe Fits: will present two performances of “Happily Ever After, A Cinderella Tale” on March 3. Performances begin at 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. The performances are part of the theater’s Bayer Children’s Theatre Series. Tickets cost $12. The Bickford is located at the Morris Museum, 6 Normandy Heights Road in Morris Township. For more information, call 973-971-3706 or visit MorrisMuseum.org.

Think Pink: will present “Pinkalicious: The Musical” on March 4, with performances beginning at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. The show for kids ages 4 to 12 follows a girl who loves pink, but is warned by her parents not to eat too many of the pink cupcakes she loves. Tickets cost $12 to $15. For tickets and information, call 973-539-8008 or visit MayoArts.org.

Classics, Pop and Laughter: Pianist Vladimir Zaitsev will perform “Baroque to Beatles” as part of the ’s a la Carte series on March 4 at 2 p.m. A native of Kiev, Ukraine, Zaitsev mixes piano masterpieces, his own arrangements of Broadway and pop favorites, and a healthy dose of laughter. Tickets cost $30, $28 for seniors, and $20 for students. The Bickford is located at the Morris Museum, 6 Normandy Heights Road in Morris Township. For more information, call 973-971-3706 or visit MorrisMuseum.org.

Audition Alert, "The Beauty Queen of Leenane:" The will hold auditions for "The Beauty Queen of Leenane" on March 4 and March 6 at 7 p.m. at the Black River Playhouse, located at the corner of Grove and Maple in Chester. Martin McDonagh’s play features four characters, and all roles are open: Two females, Maureen (whose age is described as “40-ish”), and Mag (“60-ish”) and two males, Pato (“40-ish”) and Ray (“20-ish”). Performances are in May. According to Chester Theatre group, the “play is a blend of black comedy, melodrama, and bleak tragedy. Set in the Irish village of Leenane in the early 1990s.” For more information, email the director Steve Catron at eagleswon@yahoo.com or go to ChesterTheatreGroup.org.

Audition Alert, “Company:” Dover Little Theatre will hold auditions for Stephen Sondheim’s “Company” on March 4 and 5 at 7 p.m. Auditions are open to everyone. Casting is done by the casting committee in conjunction with the director. The theater asks that auditioners familiarize themselves with the script ahead of time if possible and know a little bit about the play and the characters. Callbacks, if necessary, will be held March 7 or 8 at 8 p.m. Auditions will be held at the theater, located at 69 Elliott St. in Dover. Click here for more information, including a character breakdown.

Audition Alert, “The Music Man:” The Villagers Theatre is holding auditions for “The Music Man.” Auditions for young performers will be held on March 5 at 6:30 p.m. Adult auditions will be held on March 6 and 7 at 7 p.m. Callbacks will be held by invitation only on March 10 at 3:30 p.m. The production staff is looking to fill roles and to cast a large ensemble of adults, teens and children. Come prepared with 16 bars of a song similar in type to this production’s music; at the request of the director, please do not prepare a song from “The Music Man.” Those auditioning should also be prepared to dance. All roles are open. The Villagers is located in the Franklin Township Municipal Building on DeMott Lane in Somerset. For more information, including a character breakdown, go to VillagersTheatre.com. All questions should be addressed to donna@villagerstheatre.com or roz@villagerstheatre.com.

Starry Night: “A Eulogy for Vincent” will take stage at on March 6 at 8 p.m. The one-man show follows the life of Vincent Van Gough. Brendan Ryan Walsh stars in this piece, written and directed by Ed Schiff. A Q&A will follow the performance. Tickets cost $20. The Mayo Performing Arts Center is located at 100 South St. in Morristown. For tickets and information, call 973-539-8008 or visit MayoArts.org.

All You Really Need is Heart: will present the musical classic “Damn Yankees,” with a run beginning March 7 and continuing through April 1. The show, based on the novel, “The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant” is about Joe Boyd, a middle -aged fan of the hapless Washington Senators who makes a deal with the devil that turns Joe into a power -hitting machine so that he can turn his favorite team’s fortunes around. Its songs include “Heart” and “Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets.” For tickets and information, call 973-376-4343 or visit PaperMill.org.

Money, It’ll Get You Tickets for The Machine: The Pink Floyd tribute band The Machine will perform at on March 9, 8 p.m. The band promises to play the group’s biggest hits and obscure gems, complete with dramatic lighting and video. Tickets cost $37 to $57. The Mayo Performing Arts Center is located at 100 South St. in Morristown. For tickets and information, call 973-539-8008 or visit MayoArts.org.

From Down Under: The Little River Band will take stage at on March 9 for an 8 p.m. concert. The band formed in Australia in the 1970s and has had hits in the U.S, with songs like “Reminiscing,” “Lady” and “Cool Change.” Tickets cost $37-$57. The theater is located at 234 Spring St. in Newton For more information, call 973-383-3700 or go to NewtonTheatre.com.

Laughing at Love: Standup comic Mike Birbiglia will present “My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend” March 10 at 8 p.m. at . In the piece, Birbiglia talks about the romantic blunders and miscues adults make in the search for true love. Tickets cost $37 to $47. The Mayo Performing Arts Center is located at 100 South St. in Morristown. For tickets and information, call 973-539-8008 or visit MayoArts.org.

That Folksy Feeling: will host its third annual Garden State Folk and Roots Festival on March 11 at 3 p.m. This year’s concert will feature the country rock of Citizens Band Radio, Southern bluesmen Bobby Barth (of Blackfoot), and Sing Out’s Roger Deitz. Tickets cost $20. The Mayo Performing Arts Center is located at 100 South St. in Morristown. For tickets and information, call 973-539-8008 or visit MayoArts.org.

Looking Back: PBS star Avi Hoffman will star in “Still Jewish After All These Years” on March 11 at 2 p.m. at the . Hoffman’s show is billed as a “musical celebration” that takes audiences through the story of his career and life in show business. Tickets cost $30, $28 senior citizens, $20 students 18 or younger with ID. The Bickford is located at the Morris Museum, 6 Normandy Heights Road in Morris Township. For more information, call 973-971-3706 or visit MorrisMuseum.org.

Listen Up: in Madison will kick off this year’s Lend Us Your Ears play reading series with a reading of “Eve of Ides,” a new play by David Blixt on March 12 at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $15, $10 students. Readings are held at the Shakespeare Theatre’s Main Stage, the F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre, 36 Madison Ave. (at Lancaster Road) in Madison.  For tickets or more information, call 973-408-5600 or go to ShakespeareNJ.org.    

Summer Camp at Brundage Park Playhouse: Registration is open for summer theater camps at Brundage Park Playhouse in Randolph. The camps offers three different groups: “Budding Stars” for kids 5 to 7, “Summer Stages” for kids ages 8 to 14, “Budding Stars” for kids 5 to 7, and an “Advanced Performers Workshop” for students in grades 7 through 11. For more information, go to BrundageParkPlayhouse.org.

Shakespeare Theatre Announces 50th Anniversary Season: has announced its lineup of shows for 2012, which is the Madison-based group’s 50th anniversary season. Things will kick off on May 30 with a run of Shakespeare’s “Henry IV, Part I,” which the theater is presenting for the first time in 20 years. Up next is a new adaptation of Pierre Corneille’s French farce “The Liar.” Shakespeare’s “The Comedy of Errors” is this summer’s outdoor show at the Greek amphitheater at the College of St. Elizabeth in Morris, opening June 20. Also set for the summer back at the indoor stage is “Measure for Measure,” directed by Bonnie J. Monte, the Shakespeare Theatre’s artistic director. The fall will see an adaptation of Charles Dickens’ “Oliver Twist” by Neil Bartlett and directed by Brian B. Crowe opening Sept. 12. The Shakespeare Theatre will present its first musical since 2004 when it stages “Man of La Mancha” opening Oct. 17. Monte directs and Robert Cuccioli will play Don Quixote. The theater will wrap up the year with the rarely produced romantic comedy “Trelawny of the Wells” by Arthur Wing Pinero, directed by Monte, and running Dec. 5-30. For more information, or to purchase a subscription, call the box office at 973-408-5600 or visit ShakespeareNJ.org

Getting in on the Act: The is seeking original, one-act plays, short musicals and/or original dance pieces, written by New Jersey authors, for the 18th annual Jersey Voices presentation. Play submissions of any genre, style and length up to 20 minutes running time will be accepted through March 15. Selected pieces will be performed in the Players’ Black Box Theater in July and August. To email submissions or to request more information, go to jerseyvoices@chathamplayers.org.

Summer Camp at Playwrights Theatre: Registration is open for the Playwrights Theatre of New Jersey’s Creative Arts Academy summer camp for kids and summer theatre program for teens beginning June 25 and running all summer long in two-week sessions. Summer programs include a Full-Day Theatre Academy, which costs $525 when enrolled before Jan. 31. Also being offered are a Half-Day Summer Camp, and a Getting Ready To Audition class for high school students. For more information, call 973-514-1787 or visit ptnj.org.

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