ONCE UPON A TIME IN NEW JERSEY (New York Premiere)
PROSPECT THEATER COMPANY, NYC
AEA SEASONAL SHOWCASE
AEA Member Stipend $1,325

Book & Lyrics by Susan DiLallo
Music by Stephen Weiner

Directed by Cara Reichel
Music Direction by Remy Kurs
Produced by Prospect Theater Company
Casting Director: Diana Glazer
Interview Dates: June 2010 (First Round)
Rehearsals begin: on or about September 1, 2010
Performances:  Oct 2 – 31, 2010 at the Hudson Guild Theatre
Location: New York, NY

SUBMIT ELECTRONICALLY BY MAY 15TH, 2010  to casting@ProspectTheater.org

ONCE UPON A TIME IN NEW JERSEY is an Italian-American fairy-tale, pastiche musical comedy. The show takes place in a deli, where a sandwich-maker named Vinnie is in love with a counter girl named Angie — but Angie loves Rocco, the local hunk. When Rocco runs afoul of a thug named Billy, Vinnie swaps identities with him for a chance with Angie. ONCE UPON… swings back to 1956 New Jersey and the days of doo-wop, James Dean, and poodle skirts.

Prospect Theater Company is proud to present the New York premiere of this work from the writing team behind IRON CURTAIN (2006).

SEEKING:

[VINNIE LOBIANCO] Baritenor, mid-20s, somewhere between ordinary and nice-looking. Works in his mother’s delicatessen. Kind, shy, and secretly in love with Angie, the woman who works by his side. Spends a lot of time with books.

[ANGIE MOSCATO] Mezzo with high belt, 20s. Sweet and innocent, like Vinnie. The typical 1950′s virginal girl next door – the last person you’d expect to fall for a Bad Boy/Ladies Man like…

[ROCCO FABRIZIO] Baritenor, mid to late 20s. Handsome, reckless, the town stud. Very smooth, and totally self-absorbed. Rocco should be drop-dead sexy, drop-dead charming, or some combination of the two.

[MILLIE] Alto, middle aged. A warm, loving Italian mother. She cares about two things in her life: her deli… and her Vinnie. Deeply religious. A little over-protective… and slightly dense.

[CELESTE CASTIGLIONE] Mezzo with high belt. The local dancing teacher. Thirty, flirty and flashy, but with a heart of gold. She has a permanent come-hither look that she just can’t seem to reign in. And her low-cut dresses don’t help.

[BILLY CASTIGLIONE] Celeste’s husband, 30-40. A thug. A dark, looming presence on the stage, and in the town.

[BUDDY AND TONY] Tenors, 20s-30s. Rocco’s two friends. Buddy is somewhat smarter; Tony is somewhat nerdier (and maybe even funny-looking). Both of them realize that without Rocco, no woman would give them a second look.

[LORETTA, CONCHETTA, AND ETTA] Mezzos with high belts. Three twenty-somethings of various heights, hefts and hair colors who have one thing in common: their devotion to Rocco, and their willingness to put up with whatever he dishes out.

[ED VENDETTA] Any vocal range, 30 or older. A hitman. Not the brightest crayon in the box, but his swagger and self-confidence more than make up for it.

[THE NARRATOR] Lyric baritone, 30 or older. The classic storyteller.  (May double as Ed Vendetta.)