The Chatham Community Players will hold open auditions for the 31st annual Jersey Voices One-Act Festival on Wednesday, May 14th and Thursday, May 15th at 7pm at the Chatham Playhouse, 23 North Passaic Ave., Chatham. Performers are asked to arrive and check in within the first hour of auditions. Performances will take place on July 25th, 26th, 31st, August 1st and 2nd at 8pm and August 3rd at 3pm. For audition forms, sides, and more information, please visit www.chathamplayers.org. 

The Chatham Community Players are committed to diverse and inclusive casting, and performers of all abilities, races, ethnicities, and gender identities are encouraged to audition. Questions may be sent to jerseyvoicesnj@gmail.com.

Presented One-Act Plays are:

“DisConnected” by Susan Brown-Peitz, Directed by Lauri MacMillan, Assoc. Kayla Fiore: When Ellie gets a call from the 9th Precinct, she never expected she'd have to bail out her mom! Will their already strained relationship be further tested or can this crisis bring them closer together?

• Claire (F, 60 -70) recently widowed, she has developed an unconventional coping mechanism for her grief.
• Ellie (F, 40s) her daughter, also grieving and genuinely concerned about her mom, but approaching her limits.
• Officer Kenny (M, 40s) Very small role with 1 or 2 lines. Went to high school with Ellie and now works for the NYPD. He has a soft spot for Ellie's mom.

“Der Fröhliche Wanderer” by Stephanie Buckley, Directed by Giovanna DiSanto: Boy and Girl are having relationship problems, which are complicated by the fact that they are automatons in a chalet style cuckoo clock.

• Boy (M, 20s-40s) an automaton in lederhosen and alpine hat; a romantic who truly loves Girl, content with the status quo.
• Girl (F, 20s-40s) an automaton in a dirndl dress; an independent thinker, striving for adventure outside of the cuckoo clock.

“With This Ring” by Caroline Grant, Directed by Brooke Harrsch: At a suburban country club’s poolside on a stormy summer day, Jim, a man determined to forge his own path, confronts his overbearing mother who is intent on rekindling old ties through plans for a wedding he never wanted. Long-buried family secrets and past regrets come crashing into the present, forcing both to face the consequences of misplaced "tough love."

• Jim (Male-Presenting, 20s - 40s) Non-confrontational, estranged from mother; cares deeply for brother
• Mother (Female-Presenting, 40s - 60s) Chipper; status driven; enjoys retired life; misses her relationship with her sons

“Sidequest” by Steven Hayet, Directed by Ann Pattan: First dates are always awkward. Two young people navigate their specific quirks using video game avatars to find a comfort zone.

• Daniel (M, 20s+) awkward, shy, lacks self-confidence. Has trouble expressing himself verbally; uses video games to socialize. No real dating history.
• Gemma (F, 20s+) smart, self-assured, cool. Has dated her share of guys but is looking for a different type of connection. Very “go with the flow.”
• Blue Sphynx - AKA BlueSphynx3641 (M, any age) Daniel’s game avatar; able to say and do anything he puts his mind to; projects confidence - almost suave.
• Alpaca Fan - AKA AlpacaFan47 (F, any age) Gemma’s game avatar; reflects Gemma’s authenticity and sense of humor.
• Waiter (Any age, any gender) Fancies themself a matchmaker.

“The Old Church” by John AC Kennedy, Directed by Sarah Pharaon: A man pushes his way through a thicket, waist-high and neglected for years, and emerges into a clearing. "A sensible person would turn back. Or just sit down for a bit."

• Desmond (M, 25-40) Knows most. Patient with Brian. Asks all the right questions.
• Brian (M, 25-40) Knows little. Impatient with himself. Gets all the right answers.

“Ponce de León and the Old Dog” by Alexis Kozak, Directed by Jeanne Johnston: When an older professor clashes with a young college student over the use of AI, who wins?

• Jim (M, 60 – 75) a junior college professor of literature. Set in his ways.
• Rita (F, 55 – 70) a junior college administrator. Problem solver. Good at her job.

“Keeper of the World” by Akhir Stewart, Directed by Leslie Ellis: A whimsical, allegorical, poetic journey. Keeper of the World is a meditation on the trials and pitfalls of Womanhood as seen through the underbelly of a Fairy Tale.

• The Keeper of The World (F, any age) Woman of color. A strong and compelling storyteller who can bring words to life. Must be confident, as this is a one-character piece.

“Two Birds, One’s Stoned” by Jonas Wilcox, Directed by Emma Schwartz: Two strangers meet at a train station - waiting for a train from Maine to Boston. Their worlds are generations apart, until their similarities reveal that the synchronicity of their meeting is inevitable and healing.

• Bea (F, 50s – 60s) a warm, cool, independent woman who enjoyed the 1970s/1980s bohemian lifestyle in her youth but got burnt in her past relationships and love. She has learnt from her mistakes and is making amends with her past and present.
• Nat (F, 20s – 30s) 26yrs - a cool, intelligent girl who is in a co-dependent toxic relationship with her boyfriend who lives in Boston. She is struggling to come to terms with her current situation and how emotionally dependent she is on both her boyfriend and smoking weed.