Meet the Cast of "Sordid Lives"

Auditions were held yesterday, and the JTMF is pleased to announce the cast for the Eighth Annual JTMF AIDS Benefit featuring Del Shores' Sordid Lives.

In this photo (L to R), Kathy Garofano, Alice Weber, Damian Gaeta, Glen Calhoun and Nicole Patrick. And yes, they're partying around a casket. You see, poor Peggy Ingram has died, and the whole dysfunctional clan is gathering for her big send off. Be sure to join us this June 25, 26 & 27 at the Kelsey Theatre, 'cause ya'll gotta see this one, to believe it!

The full cast is as follows:

Bitsy Mae Harling -- Nicole Patrick
Ty Williamson -- Damian Gaeta
Sissy Hickey -- Kathy Garofano
Noletta Nethercott -- Tracy Hawkins
Latrelle Williamson -- Heather McHenry
LaVonda Dupree -- Alice Weber
G.W. Nethercott -- John Devienne
Wardell "Bubba" Owens -- Rob Sampson
Odell Owens/Rev. Barnes -- Glen Calhoun
Dr. Eve Bolinger -- Jennifer Barron
Earl "Brother Boy" Ingram -- Doug Edelson
The Guitarist -- Ernie Albanisius

Friday and Saturday performance include a Texas Barbecue themed reception and our famous Silent Auction. Tickets are $25.00 for the Friday and Saturday Performances, $12.00 to $16.00 for the Sunday Matinee. Visit our page (linked to your right) for more details.

And keep watching this space for rehearsal photos and updates. We can't wait to get started!

See you soon!

Cast Announcement Coming Soon!

Sordid Lives has been fully cast!

Watch this space for the full cast list, tomorrow.

We're Back!

While there are still several roles to be cast in the 2010 JTMF production of Del Shores' Sordid Lives, here is a sneak-peak at some of the folks you'll be seeing onstage at the Kelsey Theatre this June.

"A Black Comedy About White Trash," Sordid Lives tells the story of a South Texas family gathering for the funeral of their beloved matriarch, Peggy, who has died under rather circumspect circumstances.

Directed by Yours Truly, Sordid Lives promises to be a hilarious look at family, weight, sexual orientation and shame, all set to the tune of Tammy Wynette's Greatest Hits. Cigarettes, Valium, ladies' underwear and wooden legs all play a part in this story that proves that nothing is stronger (or more important) than the bonds which tie a family together.

Please join us for a terrific show, a Texas BBQ reception and a good cause. More details to come.

Hope to see you there!
BB

"The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told"

OMG - I bet you forgot all about us! well, we're back, with news about the 7th Annual JTMF AIDS Fundraiser featuring Paul Rudnick's The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told.

As part of their 7th annual fundraising event, the James Tolin Memorial Fund will present Paul Rudnick’s comedy The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told at the Kelsey Theatre on the campus of Mercer County Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor NJ on June 19, 20 and 21st. Friday and Saturday performances include our famous Silent Auction and Catered Reception. Proceeds from this event benefit the Open Arms Foundation and the James Tolin Memorial Scholarship at MCCC. Over the past six years, the JTMF has raised over $50, 000 by presenting events which featured productions of Paul Rudnick’s Jeffrey; Harvey Fierstein’s Torch Song Trilogy; Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple; Paul Rudnick’s Mr. Charles, Currently of Palm Beach; Nicky Silver’s The Altruists; Charles Busch’s Psycho Beach Party and Joe Orton’s What the Butler Saw.

In Rudnick’s alternate version of the Old Testament, Adam and Steve (and their lesbian counterparts, Jane and Mabel) create civilization, invent hors d’oeurves and experience all the joys and pains of love, loss and life in general. Spanning the dawn of time to modern day New York, Rudnick’s comic love story is more relevant today than ever.

Directed by Brian A. Bara, The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told features Damian Gaeta as Adam; Dave Hamm as Steve; Nicole Patrick as Jane; Maddie Patrick as Mabel; Kathy Garofano as Rabbi Sharon; Matthew Paul as Trey; Matty Daley as Kevin and Caitlin Blauvelt as Cheryl.

For reservations and info, call the Kelsey Box Office at 609-570-3333 or visit www.jtmf.org.

Notice: This production features adult subjects; adult language and sexual situations. It is not recommended for children under the age of 18, or those of a sensitive or prurient nature.

JTMF Alumni News

JTMF Alumni News #6 - December, 2007

Coming Attractions:

The James Tolin Memorial Fund is proud to announce their Sixth Annual AIDS Benefit, featuring Joe Orton's madhouse sex farce, What the Butler Saw, on June 20, 21 and 22, 2008. The production includes our first ever Sunday matinee. After a trip to Psycho Beach, the only logical place to go? Why, the madhouse, of course. But this is no ordinary madhouse. Here, the doctors are crazier than the patients and no one is truly who they appear to be. Sex; drugs; cross-dressing and other assorted mayhem are all on the bill in Orton's 1970 comedy of errors. Ticket sales are already breaking records for a JTMF show, so don't hesitate; order your tickets now by clicking on the link to the Kelsey Theatre, conveniently located to the right of this entry.Watch this space or visit http://www.jtmf.org/ for more details.

Special Announcements:

Nicole Patrick (Psycho Beach Party) wants everyone to know that her website is now available for viewing. Says Nicole: "Just wanted to let everyone know that my website has been up and running for a few weeks now. I'll be posting blogs keeping everyone up to date on what I've been up to and (hopefully) any shows that I'll be in. CHECK IT OUT (AND TELL YOUR FRIENDS!!!!)" Nicole's site can be found at http://www.thenicolepatrick.com/. Make sure you check it out!

All of us at the James Tolin Memorial Fund would like to wish you and yours a joyous and safe Holiday Season.

In Case You Missed It:

JTMF Alumni Jodi P. Person (Mr. Charles...); Melanie Britten (Psycho Beach Party); Josiah DeAndrea (The Altruists; Psycho Beach Party) and technicians Robert Terrano and Chris Ghaffoor all participated in Seven Deadly Sins, a collection of one act plays and dance pieces at MCCC's Studio Theatre, November 9th through the 18th.

Ev Connoly (The Odd Couple); Charlie Teasenfitz (Jeffrey; Torch Song Trilogy) and Glen Calhoun (Stage Technician, Psycho Beach Party) were all seen in the Fourth Wall Theatre Company's production of The Lion in Winter, October 19th through November 3rd.

Have something you'd like to announce in the JTMF Alumni News? Email us the details at JTMFBlogQuery@aol.com and we'll get it out there for you. Submission deadline is the 26th for inclusion in the upcoming month's edition. All submissions are reviewed and may be edited before publication. Submissions deemed inappropriate by the Blog Administrator will not be posted.

JTMF Alumni News

JTMF Alumni News #5 - November 2007

Coming Attractions:

A veritable plethora of JTMF Alum will be participating in an exciting collaboration of one act plays and dance pieces at Mercer County Community College this month. Seven Deadly Sins will feature plays by both local and award-winning national playwrights. Four plays and three dance works will represent each sin. "Acedia's Sunshine," written by Josiah DeAndrea (The Altruists; Psycho Beach Party) provides a sly take on Sloth. Directed by Louis Wells, the play centers on a young college student with an unusual (and unattainable) sexual fantasy who has given up on life. "Wracollathage," conceived and choreographed by Jody P. Person (Mr. Charles...), presents Wrath in every form; from road rage to bullfighting to the "Book of Revelations;" human fury is thrown on stage in a cacaphonous collage. New York playwright Peg Were takes on Gluttony in "Tyler and the Seven-Legged Lamb or EAT," featuring Melanie Britten (Psycho Beach Party) as Sadie, a young chef out to save two orphaned brothers with a new recipe. All seven productions are lit by JTMF technical alums, Robert Terrano and Chris Ghaffoor. Performances are November 9, 10, 16 & 17 at 8:00 PM and November 18 at 2:00 PM in the Studio Theatre on the campus of MCCC, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor. For tickets, call 609-570-3333 or click the link to the Kelsey Theatre website, conveniently located to the right of this entry.

The James Tolin Memorial Fund proudly presents their 6th Annual AIDS Fundraiser, featuring Joe Orton's What the Butler Saw June 20 & 21, 2008 at 8:00 PM and June 22, 2008 at 2:00 PM. Tickets for the June 22nd matinee are almost sold out. Order your tickets now by calling 609-570-3333 or visiting the Kelsey Theatre website, conveniently linked to the right.

Special Announcements:

No one has anything special to announce this month, though we here at the JTMF would like to wish everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

In Case You Missed It:

Murder at the Waterfront, a comic mystery written by Mark Violi (The Odd Couple; Psycho Beach Party) was presented on October 26th at Rutgers University, following its New York premiere this past June.

Have something you want to appear in the JTMF Alumni News? Please email us at JTMFBlogQuery@aol.com. Submission deadline is the 26th for inclusion in the next issue. Submissions received after the 26th will posted under "In Case You Missed It," one month later. All submissions are reviewed and may be edited before publication. Submissions deemed inappropriate by the blog administrator will not be posted.

Alumni News Update

Coming Attractions Update:

Eve Connolly (The Odd Couple), Glen Calhoun (Psycho Beach Party) and Charlie Teasenfitz (Jeffrey; Torch Song Trilogy) will be playing Eleanor, Richard and Geoffery in The Lion in Winter October 19, 20, 26 27 and November 2 & 3 at 8:00 PM and October 29th at 2:00 PM at Rancocas Valley High School.

Tickets are $15.00 for adults and $10.00 for Students and Seniors. For tickets and info call: 609-774-3361 or visit http://www.bordentownplayers.org/.