Why not make supporting North Jersey’s theater scene one of your New Year’s resolutions? You can start early by attending one of the final performances of “A Christmas Carol” at the Shakespeare Theatre or wait until “Marvin’s Room" comes to the Barn Theater. And this is also a great time to get involved with a theater near you. Audition opportunities abound at the Barn and at Pax Amicus Castle Theatre. And registration is going on for classes at Centenary College, Brundage Park Playhouse and the Growing Stage Company. There are also some children’s shows and concerts to see as 2011 comes to …

For weeks, this column has been filled with information about holiday-themed theatrical performances. The season's in full swing, so it’s hard to believe that many of those shows have ended their runs, and that time is running out to catch a show before Christmas. But you can still get in the Christmas spirit with “White Christmas” at Paper Mill, “A Christmas Carol” at the Shakespeare Theatre and “The Nutcracker” at The Mayo Performing Arts Center. It’s also time to start making those plans for New Year’s. Villager’s Theatre in Somerset is hosting a New Year’s show and downtown Morristown is …

If you have kids who are interested in seeing, or getting involved with, theater, now’s the time to get them started. Most of the holiday presentations on stage in venues big and small are designed for the whole family to enjoy, making “White Christmas,” “The Littlest Angel” and “A Christmas Carol” great choices for a first show. And a few theaters are offering children’s theater productions, such as “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” and the non-holiday themed “The People Garden.” If you’ve got kids with the acting bug, it’s time to register for upcoming programs at Growing Stage Theatre, …

If you’re a Scrooge or a Grinch, then you’re pretty much out of luck in terms of the local theater scene. Nearly everything happening on North Jersey’s stages these days is holiday themed, but there’s certainly a lot of variety to choose from within that theme. There are big musicals (“White Christmas”), children’s shows (“The Littlest Angels”) and holiday-themed concerts by the likes of Crystal Gayle and Kenny G. For those people who want some Christmas-free entertainment, Lyle Lovett is coming to The Mayo Center and the Darress Theatre is hosting an open mic comedy night. And performers can…

If you’re a holiday kind of person, North Jersey’s theaters are sure to have something for you. Sure, thereare a lot of “Christmas Carol” and “Nutcracker” productions going on, but you can also spend some time with George Bailey and “It’s a Wonderful Life,” or see “White Christmas” live on stage. Options for kids include “Babes in Toyland,” “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” and “The Littlest Angel.” And if Christmas songs are your thing, there are plenty of concerts featuring holiday music to take in, including shows by Crystal Gayle, Kenny G and Wilson Phillips. But if you’re not much of a …

The holidays are fast-approaching. And even though it’s not even Thanksgiving yet, the sounds and sites of Christmas are headed to the area’s stages. “A Christmas Carol” is coming to the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Paper Mill Playhouse is readying its production of “White Christmas,” Frosty the Snowman is coming to Pax Amicus Castle Theatre and a Christmas moose will take stage in Morristown. More holiday-themed shows will follow, and now’s a good time to start planning what you want to see. These productions are popular, so tickets sell fast and before you know it, your schedule will …

There’s always great theater going on in North Jersey, but the next few weeks look particularly interesting. The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, for example, is hosting a staged reading of “The Winslow Boy,” offering audience members a chance to work with actors and directors as they work through the script. The Growing Stage in Netcong has added a new element to its efforts to introduce theater to young audiences, with a program designed for preschoolers and kindergarten students. And Somerset Valley Players’ “American Theatre Montage” promises insight into how shows are created through …

It’s time to fall into the performing arts, whether you want to watch them, act in them or write them. Plays that have opened, or are close to opening, include “To Kill a Mockingbird” at Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, “Bug” at Chatham Players and “On Golden Pond” at Somerset Valley Players. There’s plenty of kiddie fare to choose from as well, including a special presentation at Paper Mill Playhouse designed for children with autism. You can even watch some radio as Pax Amicus Castle Theatre presents an evening of radio dramas based on Alfred Hitchcock movies and Orson Welles’ news-making…

Music lovers, rejoice! A lot of tunes are going to be played in the area over the next few weeks, with enough variety to soothe any pair of ears. Like classical music? Then you’ll want to hear the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra open its new season. Country fans can pay tribute to Johnny Cash. Jazz lovers have several options, from Randy Reinhart at the Bickford to George Benson at the Mayo. And Weird Al will make fun of them all when he comes to Morristown. The area’s theatrical stages are busy with plays and musicals with two new offerings, “Bug” at Chatham Community Players and “To Kill a …

It might feel like the fall theatrical season has just started, but time is running out for some shows that opened just a few weeks ago. This weekend, the curtain will close on productions from the Women’s Theatre Company, The Shakespeare Initiative, and time is running out for “Newsies” at Paper Mill and “The Last Days of Mickey and Jean” at the Bickford. In the upcoming weeks, there are performances of “To Kill a Mockingbird” at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey and “Bug” by Chatham Community Players. Music lovers can see tributes to the Grateful Dead and Johnny Cash at the Mayor …

This is one of those weeks that shows just how amazing the live performance scene in North Jersey is. Theater lovers have a choice of at least 10 plays to see—comedies, tragedies, Shakespeare and musicals, from companies both amateur and professional. And if you want to see “All My Sons” at the Barn or “Othello” at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, you’re running out of time. If you’ve seen those, you could take in a performance of “Newsies” at the Paper Mill or “The Last Days of Mickey Jean” at the Bickford. You can hear musical legends Diana Ross and Lindsey Buckingham, or enjoy a …

There is plenty to love about the Women’s Theater Company’s production of “Romance/Romance,” which opened its run—and the professional company’s new season—Friday at the Parsippany Community Center. The joys of this charming and musical, though, go well beyond the four attractive actors who couple up right before us in the intimate confines of the cozy Parsippany Playhouse. Marc. G. Dalio, Marcia Sofley, Ashley Kowzun and Joe D’Angio are all very appealing, individually and collectively, but the musical’s greatest asset might be the two men squeezed into the tiny stage-left orchestra pit. …

Arthur Miller’s “All My Sons” is more than 60 years old, but it’s just as timely today as it’s ever been. It’s a story of war profiteering, about a man who disregarded his morals to make money—and the son who knows of his father’s long-held secret. It’s nearly impossible to not see parallels to today’s world, not only in terms of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but the greed that was prevalent in the stories of Bernie Madoff and the mortgage crisis. The play, which is on stage at The Barn Theatre in Montville through Oct. 1, is set during World War II and is about the Keller family. …

What do you want to do this week? Laugh? Cry? Make other people laugh? There are plenty of plays to see in the area, from serious dramas to side-splitting comedies. You could take in a light romance like “Cactus Flower” or a musical about a man-eating plant. And if you’ve got the performinng bug, you can try everything from dancing it up in “Footloose” to doing your best zombie movies for a fun staging of “Night of the Living Dead.” Always wanted to give standup comedy at try? There’s a class for that, along with educational opportunities for young performers and writers. Just check out On …

The 2010-11 theater season is on. While a few area venues are active during the summer, autumn is when the action really picks up. And there’s no shortage of choices of plays and musicals to see in the coming weeks. Want to see a brand-new musical? Then head to Paper Mill Playhouse for the premiere of the Disney musical “Newsies.” Looking for a classic drama? Check out “All My Sons” at the Barn Theatre. You can also see serious Shakespeare, funny Shakespeare, love stories, pirates, and even a blood-thirsty plant. Check out the On Stage Scoop each Tuesday for news about shows, auditions, …

“Hamlet” and “King Lear” are among the greatest works of literature in history, but they don’t exactly have characters that are easy to relate to. That’s what Bonnie J. Monte has been focusing on as she prepares to direct another of Shakespeare’s great tragedies, “Othello,” for a run starting Sept. 7 and continuing through Oct. 2 at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey in Madison. “I think the biggest thing is that unlike, for example, “Lear” or “Hamlet,” where an audience can certainly watch it and enjoy it for many, many reasons, it’s hard for us to relate individually to the dilemmas of …

Ever been bitten by the theater bug? The folks who take part in local community theaters can tell you—it's an addictive hobby. You make great friends, get to flex your artistic muscles and develop talents you never knew you had. If that sounds appealing, check out the On Stage Scoop below. Coming up are auditions for several plays, including "Jesus Christ Superstar," "The Cocktail Hour," "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" and "On Golden Pond." You'll also find there are classes and workshops for those just starting out, or for those who want to take their talents to a new level. But if you're more …

If summer’s impending end is starting to get you down, cheer up. Good things come in the fall—apple cider, colorful leaves, school buses, and—most important to this column—theater. Fall is when stages at most theater groups, professional and community alike, start getting busy again, with dramas, comedies and musicals. So as you finish your summer reading list (if you ever really started it), eat the last sweet corn of the season and enjoy those final beach days, look forward to what’s certain to be an exciting theatrical season. Here are 10 productions that look especially enticing—though …

In the mood to celebrate, or maybe even try your hand at directing a play? Now's your chance, as Playwrights Theatre celebrates 25 years of creativity, and "Winnie The Pooh" seeks a director for its fall showings in Budd Lake. So, whether you're a performer or like to hang out behind the scenes, there's plenty for you to try out. Take a look at the On Stage Scoop. ON STAGE SCOOPCelebrating the Playwrights Theatre: The Playwrights Theatre of New Jersey will host a benefit titled “25 Years of Creativity and Community” on Sept. 17, from 6 to 9 p.m. The benefit will be held at Hartley-Dodge …

In July of 1969, Pete Fornatale was a young disc jockey working at WNEW-FM in New York when he read his first live commercial–promoting the Woodstock Music and Art Fair. But that job at one of the all-time great rock stations did not lead to three days of peace, love and music for Fornatale. In fact, it meant quite the opposite.“I was new to the station so three weeks later, when the festival happened, I was going up with some of the other disc jockeys and my program director said, ‘You know, we’re going to need somebody back here to do fill-in work and news reports, you’re elected,’” …