Audition
Maurer Productions has an open casting call for “Shrek the Musical” at Mercer Community College in West Windsor. Thursday, January 23, from 6 to 9 p.m. is for ages 8 to 12. Saturday, January 25, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday, January 26, from noon to 6 p.m. are for adults and teens.
Close to 21 roles are available for adult and teenage actors, singers, and dancers, as well as four roles for children ages 8 to 12. Visit www.mponstage.com, E-mail audition@mponstage.com, or call 609-882-2292 for a detailed audition packet and an audition appointment. Good Causes
New Jersey State Museum is collecting donations of non-perishable food (no glass containers) for Trenton Area Soup Kitchen. Receive a $1 discount on admission to the museum’s planetarium for each donation through Sunday, January 5 (one per visitor). Bring donations to the collection box in the planetarium lobby Tuesday through Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Visit www.statemuseum.nj.gov for more information.
The Trenton Area Soup Kitchen suggests donations of instant oatmeal packets, canned soup, fruit and pudding singles, microwaveable pasta singles, tuna fish, peanut butter, jelly, and more.
“We are thrilled that the New Jersey State Museum is supporting our program again this year,” said Dennis Micai, executive director of TASK. “The food received through donations will go a long way in helping us provide the more than 3,750 meals we serve to the hungry of the greater Trenton area each week.”
Lawrence Library seeks donations of handmade scarves, hats, and mittens from people who knit or crochet and want to give back to someone in need this season. The items, child to adult-sized, will be donated to HomeFront.
Bring donations to the library’s reference desk, 2751 Brunswick Pike, Lawrenceville, through Sunday, January 5. Call 609-989-6920 or visit www.mcl.org.
Health
YWCA Princeton Breast Cancer Resource Center presents Treatment Express, a new program. BCRC received a new Honda Odyssey minivan in memory of Dr. Sandy Gatt, who died of breast cancer. A surgeon, Gatt had a dream to help women going through the often lonely and rough treatments association with breast cancer.
The vehicle will enable the BCRC to provide a companion and a ride for those in need to their breast cancer treatments at local medical facilities. It will also enable the center to take its Wig and Prosthesis Boutique directly to homes of those not able to visit the YWCA Princeton — a service provided at no cost.
Gatt saw the many challenges those in treatment faced including the difficulty of getting to a medical facility for treatment. The Gatt family believes the Treatment Express program is one way to remove the obstacle to treatment.
The program also provides a companion to accompany and stay with the individual during the treatment session. The companion will be a breast cancer survivor who is familiar with the journey, the medical terminology, and is sensitive to the types of support that are needed and valued.
“It can be very lonely when you are at your most vulnerable,” says Paula Flory, director of BCRC. “Having someone who has walked that path beside you whether to talk, hold your hand, get you a drink during treatment is tremendous.” Call 609-497-2100, ext. 346, or visit www.ywcaprinceton.org for more information.
Call for Films
New Hope Film Festival is accepting entries in the art house feature, music video, screenplay, teleplay, webisode, TV pilot, short, documentary, mid-Atlantic, and student categories. Submit via www.newhopefilmfestival.com. Deadline is Friday, December 27. The fifth annual festival will run July 25 through August 3. Decisions will be E-mailed by Tuesday, April 15.
Italian Classes
Dorothea’s House offers a session of Italian classes beginning the second week of January. Adults and children, beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels; weekdays and Saturdays. Location is 120 John Street, Princeton. Contact Gilda McCauley at 908-359-1564 or at james_mccauley@comcast.net, visit www.dorotheashouse.org for information.
For the Young
Yardville CYO is accepting registration for the winter holiday camp on Friday, December 27; Monday, December 30; and Tuesday, December 31 from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Geared to students from kindergarten to sixth grade, there are activities and trips planned. $50 per day or $135 for three days. Contact Dan Bossio at 609-585-4280, ext.112, or E-mail dbossio@cyomercer.org.
Business Know-How
NJ Schools Development Authority offers a program to enable small, minority-owned and women-owned businesses to benefit from experts in the areas of finance, estimating, bonding, project management, bidding, and marketing. The nine-week course meets once a week beginning Wednesday, February 12, from 8:30 to 11 a.m. in Trenton or Newark. Free.
Sessions include safety requirements, the owner controlled insurance program, the bid process, basics of construction law, construction cost estimating, marketing construction services, and basics of scheduling, project budgeting, and accounting. Contact Al Harris at AHarris@njsda.gov, call 609-858-2901, or visit www.njsda.gov for information and an application.
For Women Only
Rutgers University offers “Ready to Run New Jersey” on Friday and Saturday, March 21 and 22. There is a pre-conference program for women of color on Friday, March 21, at Douglass Campus Center, 100 George Street, New Brunswick. Featured speakers include Tara Dowdell, Nancy Bocskor, and Christine Jahnke. Register at cawp.rutgers.edu. $150 to $175 includes meals and all conference materials.
