In West Windsor & Plainsboro
Kids on Keys, a new music program for ages 4 to 7 featuring piano, music, notes, rhythm, playing, and composing songs. Contact Laura Slayton at 609-275-0143.
Princeton Junction Post Office has a contest for students in grades 3 to 8 to be “”Junior Postmaster for a Day.”” Send a letter explaining why you want to be the junior postmaster. Include your name, address, and phone number. All entries must be postmarked by Tuesday, August 17. Send to Junior Postmaster for a Day Contest, Princeton Junction Post Office, 331 North Post Road, Princeton Junction 08550.
Drama Auditions
Kelsey Theater has auditions for several fall productions at Mercer Community College:
Pierrot Productions, “”Of Thee I Sing,”” Saturday, August 14, 11 a.m.; Sunday, August 15, 5 p.m.; and Tuesday, August 17, 7 p.m. The show opens Friday, October 15. Call 609-658-1233 for appointment.
Playful Theater Productions, Oliver! on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 7 and 8, 7 to 9:30 p.m. Production opens Friday, November 19. Must be eight or older to audition. 609-499-1388 for appointment.
Pennington Players, “”A Christmas Story,”” Saturday, September 18, 10 a.m.; and Sunday, September 19, noon to 4 p.m. The show opens on Friday, December 10. Call 609-737-7529 for appointment.
The Mighty Oak Players seeks actors for “”Send Me No Flowers,”” to be produced October 28 to 31. Auditions are Monday, August 16, and Wednesday, August 18, 7 to 10 p.m. at Monroe Township High School, 1629 Perrineville Road. Call Jack at 732-591-8105.
Villagers Theater seeks actors for “”Art,”” to be produced October 8 to 23, in the black box, and for “”Once on This Island,”” to be produced October 29 to November 21 on the main stage. Auditions are at 415 Demott Lane, Somerset, on Sunday and Monday, August 15 and 16 at 7:30 p.m. Check www.villagerstheatre.com for information.
Also auditions for “”Once on this Island,”” on Monday and Wednesday, August 16 and 18, at 7:30 p.m. 475 DeMott Lane, Somerset. Contact director Trent Van Doren via E-mail at roulette11@aol.com.
Academy Theater has auditions for “”Rocky Horror”” tuesday through thursday, August 17 through 19, 146 Route 130, Bordentown. Contact Keith at 609-291-9000 or www.theacademytheatre.com.
Dance Call
Suburban Dance Force of Central New Jersey has auditions for the annual children’s Nutcracker on Saturdays, August 28 and September 11, at 12:30 p.m. 25 Lexington Avenue, Ewing. Audition fee is $15. Dancers must be at least 8 years old and have ballet training. Call 609-530-0979 or visit www.suburbandance.org.
Voice Auditions
Voices Chorale seeks singers in all voice parts for the concert season. Rehearsals are Monday evenings at Timberland Middle School in Pennington. Call 609-637-9383 or visit www.voiceschorale.org.
Philomusica Choir seeks singers for its 35th season. Auditions are Mondays, August 23, 30, September 13, 20, and 27, at Unitarian Society in East Brunswick. The group also offers a beginner’s sight singing class on Tuesday evenings beginning October 5. Call 888-744-5668 or visit www.philomusica.org.
Volunteers
Contact of Mercer County is recruiting for its 24-hour Crisis Intervention Hotline. Volunteers must complete a 10-week training course on Tuesdays, September 28 to November 30. Trinity United Methodist Church, Ewing. Call 609-883-2880 or visit contactofmercer.org.
Literacy Volunteers of America offers a tutor training course on Tuesdays, September 14 to October 26, 6 p.m. at the Princeton Library. Volunteers are needed to help with Basic Literacy and English as a Second Language students in Mercer County. Call 609-393-8855.
New Jersey Community Development Corporation seeks recent college graduates to be part of AmeriCorps. The program prepares young people for careers in public and social service through community service and educational activities designed to develop leadership skills. Members receive a living stipend, full health benefits, and a $4,”725 award. The next class begins in September. Call Julie MacLeod at 973-413-1622 for information.
Middlesex County seeks volunteers for assistance with “”The Wall that Heals,”” an exact, half-scale replica of the original Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which will be on display in Roosevelt Park in October. Volunteers are needed around-the-clock to help adult and student visitors locate names, answer questions, direct foot traffic, and collect memorabilia left at the wall. Psychologists are also being sought to help those who may be emotionally affected by their visit to the wall. Donations to help finance the exhibit are also needed. Call Ken Holman at 732-247-3727 for information.
Donate
The Auxiliary of The University Medical Center at Princeton begins accepting donations for White Elephant 2004, on Saturdays from August 17 through October 2, from 9 a.m. to noon. Also on Tuesdays, from 9 a.m. to noon, and 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Bring books, clothing, jewelry, knick-knacks, art, antiques, holiday items, toys, linens, drapes, and housewares to the storage facility on the grounds of Princeton House Behavioral Health, 900 Herrontown Road. For information or to volunteer to help with the rummage sale call 609-497-4069.
Salvation Army of New Jersey seeks financial donations to aid Burlington County flood victims with meals, cleanup, supplies, and financial assistance. Call 908-851-9300 or visit www.salvationarmynewjersey.org and click on the Burlington flood icon.
American Red Cross of Central New Jersey has an urgent need for blood donations. To schedule an appointment call 900-Give Life or visit www.pleasegiveblood.org for a complete listing of blood drives!
The organization is also accepting nominations for the 2004 Good Samaritan Awards. Criteria include working in Lower Bucks, Hunterdon, Middlesex, or Mercer counties. The extraordinary acts must have occurred between July 1, 2003, and June 30, 2004. Categories include adult (21 and older) and youth (under 21). Nominations are due by Friday, September 3. Visit www.njredcross.org for information and nomination form.
For Kids
Kelsey Kids Playshops, a 10-week session for children from kindergarten through fifth grade, meets on Saturday mornings at Mercer Community College. The session meets from September 11 to November 20 and the winter session begins on January 8. Children explore music, movement, dance, and storytelling. The cost is $175 per session. Call 609-586-4800 or visit www.kelseyatmccc.org.
Howell Living History Farm is accepting applications for parent and child enrollment in the fall Hatchery Program. The 12-week program is for children ages 3 to 5 years in exchange for a parent becoming a volunteer farm staff member. Activities include feeding and watering animals, collecting eggs, picking pumpkins, storytelling, and taking a hayride. A parent organizational meeting will be are Tuesday, August 17, at 1 p.m. Call Kathy Brilla at 609-737-3299.
The Arts Council of Princeton offers scholarship funds on a need basis for children to take advantage of the arts instruction at the arts council. For information on receiving a scholarship or referring children, call Maria Evans at 609-924-8777.
Westminster Conservatory holds auditions for its new chamber orchestra for home-schooled students of Wednesday, September 8, and Tuesday, September 14, from 10 a.m. to noon. Open to students 8 or older with at least one year of private instruction, rehearsals will be on Tuesdays, from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. beginning September 21. For appointment, call 609-921-7104.
Crafters Wanted
YWCA Princeton Crafters’ Marketplace is accepting applications for the November 20 and 21 show at Princeton Day School. The next round of jurying is Sunday, August 15. Visit www.ywcaprinceton.org to retrieve information or call 609-799-7089.
Available
NJ After 3 funding is available to community-based providers seeking to partner with schools to begin innovative after school programs in October. Requests for proposals are due Monday, August 23. For information visit www.njafter3.org.
American Heart Association offers free Go Red for Women materials, programs, and a red dress pin. Mary Leary, a Ewing resident and a survivor of a massive heart attack at age 32, is an official spokeswoman for the national campaign. Call 888-MY-HEART.
Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation announced that the “”Live Music for Dance Program”” will be open to New Jersey’s dance community for the first time in 2005. The program helps dance companies meet the expense of musicians’ rehearsal and performance fees, composer commissioning fees, and copying costs. Application deadline is Friday, October 1. Guidelines and application procedures are at www.amc.net.
Jacobs Music Company is leading an international “”Peace Piano”” event to promote world peace and help needy children in other nations through music. The piano will circulate during the month of October in New Jersey and Philadelphia area. Talented child pianists will have the opportunity to perform on the piano onstage during a “”Play for Peace.”” To participate in the perfom-a-thon, call Mark Love at 215-568-0021 or visit www.jacobsmusic.com.
Sebastiani Fencing Academy offers instruction for children, teens, and adults. Program begins Tuesday, September 14. Call 609-419-1700 or visit www.fencinginstruction.com
