Chester Theatre Group

Sir Alan Ayckbourn, who turns 70 on April 12th, has endorsed the Chester festivities, saying “How splendid and how touching that you have chosen to share your 50th with mine. My message to Chester is this: Life begins at 50! So onwards and ever upwards.”

Chester Theatre Group is offering a special “Ayckbourn All-Access Pass” for theatre-goers wishing to participate in all the year’s events. To order a Pass or for further information on the events, please call 908.879.7304. The Black River Playhouse is located at the corner of Grove and Maple Streets in Chester, New Jersey.

Download the pass (PDF)

Chester Theatre Group is proud to present RABBIT HOLE by David Lindsay-Abaire. The play is being performed on the following dates and times:

March 6th and 7th at 8PM; March 13th and 14th at 8PM; March 20th and 21st at 8PM. There will be a Sunday afternoon matinee at 2PM on March 15th.

All performances are $18.00. Seniors and students $16.00.

The play is directed by Jay Mills.

The cast is as follows:

• Becca – Sky Spiegel of Morristown
• Howie – Tom Morrissey of Rockaway
• Izzy – Vicky Reed of Hackettstown
• Nat – Alice Regan Moynahan of Lake Hopatcong
• Jason – William Sandoval of Budd Lake

David Lindsay-Abaire has crafted a drama that’s not just a departure but a revelation – an intensely emotional examination of grief, laced with wit, insightfulness, compassion and searing honesty - Variety

With RABBIT HOLE, David Lindsay-Abaire has crafted the most serious, simply told work of his career – a painstakingly beautiful, dramatically resourceful, exquisitely human new play – Backstage

CTG is holding open auditions for Nine, book by Arthur Kopit, adapted from the Italian by Mario Fratti, music by Maury Yeston, to be performed weekends from Friday, June 26 through Sunday, July 19, 2009

No performance on July 4.

The production is being Clifford Parrish is directing as well as providing musical direction; Jeffrey Fiorello is assistant directing and Mark Happell is serving as producer and designer.

Auditions: Sunday, March 8, 3 pm till 5:30 pm.

Tuesday, March 10, 7:30 pm until 9:30 pm

For information, please call: Clifford Parrish, (908) 696 – 0411

Cast Requirements:

Guido Contini (tenor): a director/movie star who is turning 40. 

Young Guido and 3 School Mates: 4 young boys, unchanged voices. 

20 women who play age 20 and up. All vocal ranges, with choral experience preferred.

Louisa Contini, his wife (mezzo/belt)

Carla, his sexy mistress (extreme range: belt to legit soprano)

Claudia, his movie star muse  (soprano, with low extension)

Guido’s mother, older (soprano)

Liliane LaFleur, his French producer (mezzo/belt)

Stephanie Necrophorus, critic (belt)

Our Lady of the Spa (mezzo)

Mama Maddelena (mezzo, comic)

Sarraghina, a local whore (mezzo/belt)

Lina Darling, Liliane’s assistant

Up to 11 female ensemble members, sopranos and altos, are featured in various numbers.

NO roles are precast!  All are welcome.

Chester Theatre Group, in residence at Black River Playhouse, announces auditions for the American premiere of IMPROBABLE FICTION by Alan Ayckbourn, a fast-paced look at a writer’s circle that suffers from collective writer’s block – until their creations come comically to life onstage!  Auditions will take place on Sunday, February 22nd at 2pm and Tuesday, February 24th at 7:30pm.

The cast consists of three men and four women ages 18 to 65.

Arnold (Male, 35-50) – a genial everyman who hosts the group; writes instruction booklets

Ilsa (Female, 18-25) – attractive young woman; tends to Arnold’s mother during the meetings

Brevis (Male, 60′s) – irascible former school teacher; writes musical comedy

Grace (Female, 40′s) – pale and fraught housewife and mother; writes and illustrates children’s stories

Vivvi (Female, 30′s) – effusive and attractive; writes 1930′s detective fiction

Clem (Male, 30′s) – awkward nerd; writes science fiction

Jess (Female, 40′s) - outdoorsy farmer; writes Victorian melodrama

All roles are available.  Performers should have proficiency with English dialect.  Audition will consist of script recitations.  Michael T. Mooney of Budd Lake directs the play.

Performances are in May 2009. The Black River Playhouse is located on the corner of Grove and Maple Streets in Chester, NJ.   For further information call 908.879.7304.

Beat the Winter Blues!

Please join us this Sunday, January 25th at 3:00 pm for a reading of “Sugar Daddies” by Alan Ayckbourn, performed by The Forays – The Alan Ayckbourn Aficionandos of America.

Young Sasha comes to the aid of an edlerly man dressed as Father Christmas. Their relationship develops, but does everyone have good intentions? And who is the mysterious neighbor with the eye-patch?

$5.00 donation at the door