Honor Martin Luther King Jr.
Mercer County Library System invites community members to celebrate the spirit of service and compassion by participating in a meaningful event designed to bring joy to those in need. Dr. King’s legacy of justice, equality, and service to others inspires an annual Day of Service, which the library is extending to a four-week opportunity. From Monday, January 12, through Friday, February 6, individuals, families, and groups of all ages are invited to write letters and create heartfelt cards for homebound Mercer County Meals on Wheels patrons.
“In coming together to support seniors in Mercer County, we are working to build the ‘beloved community’ that Dr. King so eloquently envisioned,” said County Executive Dan Benson. “A small gesture on our part can mean so much to Meals on Wheel recipients, many of whom have limited mobility and may have fewer opportunities to connect with others.”
All materials for card-making and letter-writing are provided at all nine branches of the Mercer County Library System. Attendees may stop by their local branch during regular operating hours. Additional details are available at www.mcl.org. They are encouraged to bring their creativity and compassion as we brighten the day for local seniors.
Call for Dancers
Auditions for Roxey Ballet’s children’s classic story ballet, “Mowgli’s Jungle Adventure,” take place Saturday, January 10, beginning at 1:30 p.m. at Mill Ballet School, 46 North Sugan Road, New Hope, Pennsylvania.
A young man raised by wolves and tempered by the dangers of the jungle, Mowgli struggles to find his way to a village populated by his own kind. Drawn from the stories of Rudyard Kipling’s “Jungle Book,” Mowgli sets virtuosic choreography by artistic director Mark Roxey against vivid sets that capture the wildness of the protagonist. An evocative score by Czech composer Milan Svoboda mingles traditional orchestration with anthemic set pieces that draw on European pop music and Svoboda’s other callings as a jazz pianist, bandleader, and part-time wolf.
“Mowgli” is a family-friendly performance for children of all ages.
Dancers will select their audition time based on their age group, ensuring a comfortable and age-appropriate experience for all participants. Time slots are as follows: Ages 4-6 — 1:30 p.m.; ages 7-10 — 2:15 p.m.; ages 11-13 — 3 p.m.; ages 14+ — 3:45 p.m.
Rehearsals will be held on Saturdays, starting around 1 p.m. and running into the early evening. Performances will take place the weekend of May 24 at Villa Victoria Theater in Ewing.
Register for an audition at www.roxeyballet.org. A $40 audition fee is owed at the time of registration. For dancers cast in the production, there is a participation fee of $330 to $350.
Auditions
Playhouse 22 in East Brunswick is holding auditions for its spring production of August Wilson’s “Fences.”
Auditions will be held on Wednesday and Thursday, January 21 and 22, from 7 to 10 p.m. Callbacks will be Monday, January 26, at 7 p.m.
“Fences,” by August Wilson, is a play set in 1957 Pittsburgh, focusing on the Maxson family. The story centers on Troy Maxson, a former baseball star denied opportunities due to racial discrimination, who now works as a garbage collector. The play explores themes of family, responsibility, betrayal, and the impact of racial injustice on individual lives. Troy’s struggles with his past and his attempts to control his family, particularly his son Cory’s football aspirations, drive much of the conflict.
All roles are open. Sides will be provided at auditions. Please prepare yourself and be knowledgeable of the piece prior to auditions.
The show will run April 17 through May 3; Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m.
Auditions and all performances will be held at the East Brunswick Community Arts Center, 721 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick.
Visit www.playhouse22.org to sign up for an audition. Optionally, email your theater resume to auditions@playhouse22.org after signing up.
All questions and supporting materials should be sent to auditions@playhouse22.org. When emailing, please indicate which show(s) you are asking about in the subject line.
Villagers Theater in Somerset holds auditions for “The Cottage” by Sandy Rustin on Tuesday and Thursday, January 27 and 29, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at the theater, located at 515 DeMott Lane, Somerset.
Sylvia and Beau find themselves in an English countryside cottage for their yearly rendezvous, and Sylvia knows this time it will be the beginning of their new life together. But when Beau demurs on a shared future, and their spouses arrive at the cottage, she realizes that this home-away-from-home is a refuge for determining a new path forward. “The Cottage” offers a perfect showcase for six actors with endless laughs, hilarious twists, daring physical comedy, and a happy ending.
Rehearsals begin February 10. The show runs Fridays through Sundays, April 10 through 19.
Please familiarize yourself with the script prior to auditioning. Auditions will consist of cold readings from the play. Dress comfortably as we will also be doing some movement work. Be prepared to stay for the duration of the auditions on the night you attend.
For the Neurodiverse
West Windsor Arts has introduced two new, tuition-free classes as part of its Happy Hands Studio, a welcoming program designed specifically for students ages 8 to 15 who identify as neurodiverse. Beginning this month, the new classes — Theater Explorers and Color Creatives — will be taught by a professional teaching artist with the support of a paraprofessional, allowing students to explore their creativity at their own pace while building confidence, social connection and artistic skills.
“Our goal is to create a welcoming, supportive and joyful space where every student feels safe to express themselves,” says Aylin Green, executive director of West Windsor Arts. “We want students to have the freedom to participate in ways that work best for them.”
Among the new offerings is Theater Explorers, a seven-session acting and improv program for ages 8 to 13, held Tuesday afternoons beginning January 20 from 4:15 to 5:15 p.m. Students will use their bodies, voices, imaginations and emotions to bring stories to life through character creation, improv games and ensemble activities in a supportive environment that emphasizes flexibility and choice.
“Students can expect a mix of high-energy theater games, guided monologue or scene practice, character exploration, and collaborative storytelling,” says teaching artist Jessica Benvenuti, who has been involved in theater for more than 15 years. “They’ll learn acting techniques, voice and movement skills, and improvisation.”
Beginning January 24, West Windsor Arts is also launching Color Creatives, a five-session, one-hour painting and drawing class for ages 12 to 15 that will meet on Saturdays at 10:15 a.m. Students will explore the exciting world of color through hands-on projects that build confidence and self-expression — learning the color wheel, experimenting with warm and cool palettes, and discovering how artists use color to communicate ideas.
“Both classes focus on positive experiences, self-expression and fun, not perfection,” adds Benvenuti. “Even students who are hesitant often surprise themselves with how much they enjoy it, so I always encourage families to give it a try.”
“Thanks to a grant from the Capitol County Children’s Collaborative (CCCC), we are able to create and expand tuition-free opportunities for neurodiverse youth,” says Green. The funding is dedicated to addressing unmet needs for children, ages 8 to 15, with autism and development and behavioral needs in the Mercer County area.
Families interested in enrolling or learning more can email info@westwindsorarts.org.
