It’s the end of the publishing year here at U.S. 1, and we’re finishing up an extra day early, with the issue dated Wednesday, December 24 — Christmas Eve — in fact hitting the streets on Tuesday, December 23.
We’ll take our traditional skip week the following Wednesday, with no issue on December 31, allowing readers plenty of time to peruse the annual Helping Hands issue and consider new causes for their year-end donations.
U.S. returns to its regular weekly publication schedule on Wednesday, January 7. We wish all of our readers a happy and healthy holiday season and new year.
Opportunities: Audition
Kelsey Theater on the West Windsor campus of Mercer County Community College hosts auditions for “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” written by: Dale Wasserman from the novel by Ken Kesey.
This stage adaptation of Ken Kesey’s celebrated novel set in the 1960s explores the brutality of life in a mental institution with humor, candor, and unforgettable characters. After being convicted of a petty crime, a charming, rebellious rogue named McMurphy contrives to serve his short sentence in an airy mental institution rather than in a prison. This, he soon learns, was a mistake. He immediately clashes with the authoritarian head nurse, a fierce martinet named Nurse Ratched. Despite Ratched’s strict reign, McMurphy quickly takes over the yard, leading others out of introversion, staging a revolt so that they can see the World Series on television, and arranging a rollicking midnight party with liquor and women. But McMurphy’s brash insubordination has its consequences; Ratched ultimately triumphs by subjecting McMurphy to a frontal lobotomy. The production is rated R for mild adult themes and strong language.
Six performances take place over the course of two weekends, Fridays through Sundays, March 20 through 29. Auditions take place Saturday, January 10, from 1 to 4 p.m., and Sunday, January 11, from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, January 12 and 13, will be set aside for callbacks or snow dates, if needed, from 7 to 10 p.m. each day.
Auditions will be held on the Mercer County Community College West Windsor Campus. Check the Kelsey Theatre signboard for a room location on the day of your audition. MCCC is located at 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor.
Fill out the application and conflict calendar provided at the sign-up site or by visiting www.mtmplayers.org/cuckooauditionpacket.pdf. This is NOT an online form. This is a PDF that you need to download and fill out and bring with you to auditions along with a headshot. Should you not have a head shot available, we may take your photo, which we do not keep after the casting process is over. Hard copies will be available when checking in if you cannot print your own. Please be as accurate as possible, and reconsider auditioning if you have a significant number of conflicts. No sides will be provided: Auditioners will do cold readings from the script depending on the role(s) they seek.
Sign up for an audition slot at www.tinyurl.com/mtmcuckooauditions. Walk-ins are welcome, but those with appointments will be seen first. Prepare to wait.
Contact the director at: director@mtmplayers.org with any questions.
Call for Volunteers
The West Windsor Arts Council seeks donations of care packages for its 2026 MLK Day of Service, set for Monday, January 19.
Volunteer opportunities are also available for the free community event taking place from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Bring your donated items to West Windsor Arts between Monday, January 5, and Saturday, January 17, during its regular business hours: Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
West Windsor Arts seeks the following donations for these organizations:
Rise Community Services, for youth ages 3 – 12:
• new pajamas
• toothbrush, toothpaste
• gently used or new books
Children’s Home Society, for moms and infants:
• handmade crocheted or knitted hats
• handmade crocheted or knitted baby blankets
Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK):
• plastic utensils (fork, knife, spoon)
• napkins
• elastic bands
Letters Against Isolation, for seniors in New Jersey:
• handwritten notes
Millhill Child and Family Development:
• toddler underwear (4T to XS)
• socks
• vaseline
• chapstick
• lotion
• hair ties/headbands
HiTOPS: Gender Affirming Clothing
• jackets/flannels
• new boxer briefs – XS, S, M
• button downs
• skirts
• trans Tape (high priority)
• prom dresses
• larger women’s shoes
• smaller men’s shoes
• breast forms
• tucking underwear- XS, S, M
• packers and packing underwear – XS, S, M
For packaging the items:
• gift bags
• big clear recycling bags
• gallon ziploc bags
• brown paper lunch bags
West Windsor Arts is located at 952 Alexander Road, West Windsor. Visit www.westwindsorarts.org for more information.
