Community Bulletin Board

The Mighty Oak Players, the community theater of Monroe Township, will hold auditions for its upcoming community show, “Local Stars 2006 — Rodgers and Hart: A Celebration,” at 7 p.m. on Jan. 17 and 18 in the Richard P. Marasco Performing Arts Center at Monroe Township High School, Perrineville Road. Callbacks are planned for 7 p.m. on Jan. 19 (snow date, Jan. 20).

Show director will be Jeff Babey. Music director is Jenifer Alagna. Performances are set for March 24 and 26 and April 1 and 2. Producers are seeking six men and six women of all vocal ranges. Participants should bring their own sheet music and be prepared to sing 16 bars of a song (preferably a Rodgers and Hart tune). For more information, call (732) 521-3782.

‘Year of Wonders’ next up for book group

The East Brunswick Public Library Book Discussion Group will meet at 1 and 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 18 at the library, Jean Walling Civic Center.

Topic of discussion will be “Year of Wonders: A Novel of the Plague” by Geraldine Brooks.

All adults, whether regular, occasional or new members, are invited to attend. Refreshments will be served. Copies of the book are available at the reference desk.

For more information, call Claudia Link at (732) 390-6772.

Library to screen film on Benjamin Franklin

A two-part PBS film on Benjamin Franklin, including “The Making of a Revolutionary” and “The Chess Master,” will be shown from 2-3:30 p.m. on Jan. 14 at the East Brunswick Public Library, Jean Walling Civic Center.

The movie, which spans Franklin’s life from 1755-1790, will be shown in conjunction with the library exhibition commemorating the 300th anniversary of Franklin’s birth.

Admission is free of charge. Seating is limited. For more information, call the library at (732) 390-6783, or call Jeffrey Litt, East Brunswick recreation supervisor, at (732) 390-6797.

Marriage, intermarriage will be topics at temple

Rabbi Nathan Langer will explore “Marriage, Intermarriage and Conversion” at a Lunch and Learn set for Feb. 4 at Congregation Anshe Emeth of South River, 88 Main St. Services will begin at 9:15 a.m. Luncheon (a dairy buffet) and discussion will follow.

The event is sponsored by the temple’s Adult Education group.

Registration is requested by Jan. 27.

For more information and to reserve, call Esther Sabin at (732) 254-8871 or e-mail rcsabin@aol.com or AEmeth@comcast.net.

Senior Chai schedules

Jan. 17 meeting, lunch

The next meeting of Senior Chai will be held from 1-2:30 p.m. on Jan 17 at the Jewish Congregation of Concordia, Monroe.

A kosher luncheon will be served. Also featured will be a presentation of “Gone With the Wind” passages and letters.

Advance donation is $5.

For more information and to register, call Jennifer at (609) 395-7979.

Senior Chai, a program of the Jewish Family Service of Southern Middlesex County, is designed for active adults who are single, widowed or caregivers of a spouse.

Mother’s club schedules

meeting, seeks members

The next meeting of the Monroe Township Mother’s Club will be held at 7:15 p.m. on Jan. 12 at the Monroe Township Community Center, 120 Monmouth Road.

New members are welcome to attend, support their community and make friends. Refreshments will be served. For more information, call Marguerite at (732) 251-3566, ot e-mail mtmcnj@aol.com.

Tuesday-Night Dinners

offered at Sons of Italy

The Order of the Sons of Italy-Sgt. John Basilone Lodge offers weekly Tuesday-Night Dinners beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Imperial Music Center, 48 Appleby Ave., South River.

Freshly prepared dinners include soup, salad, a main course, dessert and coffee. Cost is $9 per person.

Philomusica Choir

auditions on tap in E.B.

The Philomusica Choir is seeking singers with some sight-reading skills/choral experience for participation in a May program with chorus and wind ensemble.

Auditions will be held at open rehearsals from 7:30-10 p.m. on Jan. 16 and 23 at the Unitarian Society, East Brunswick, or by appointment by calling (888) 744-5668.

The choir will perform “Sounds of Devotion: Russian and Hungarian Sacred Music” at 8 p.m. on May 20 and 4 p.m. on May 21 at Our Lady of Peace Church, North Brunswick. The program will include Rachmaninoff’s “Ave Maria”; Russian liturgical music; Stravinsky’s “Ave Maria,” “Pater Noster” and Mass; and Zoltan Kodaly’s “Missa Brevis.”

Philomusica singers come from throughout central New Jersey.

S.R. school seeking

vendors for garage sale

Vendors are sought for the Corpus Christi School Garage Sale set for Feb. 11 in the school cafeteria, 80 David St., South River.

The kitchen will sell hot items for lunch. There also will be a bake sale and a 50/50 raffle drawing.

Rental cost is $15 per table. All proceeds will benefit the school.

To reserve a table or to purchase 50/50 tickets, call Sharon Feniello at (732) 254-0655. Reservation deadline is Feb. 6.

Eye screenings offered

for South River seniors

The South River Office on Aging and the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired will sponsor free eye screenings for South River senior citizens on Feb. 2 at the Office on Aging, 1 William St. Appointments are required.

For more information and to schedule an appointment, call (732) 257-2340.

Monroe Republicans

will meet on Jan. 18

The Monroe Township Republican Club will hold a meeting at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 18 at Jamesburg Elks Lodge No. 2180, Railroad Avenue.

Discussion will focus on rebuilding the local Republican Party and getting more Republicans involved in local government. Refreshments will be served after the program.

For more information, call Tom Nothstein at (732) 521-1142 or Sidna Mitchell at (609) 409-7837.

Shabbat Dinner planned

for Jan. 20 in Monroe

Chabad Jewish Center of Monroe will host a Shabbat Dinner with Rabbi Eliezer and Chanie Zaklikovsky beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 20 at the center, 261 Gravel Hill Road.

The event will feature dining, singing, dancing and storytelling.

Couvert is $20 per person.

For more information and to reserve, call the rabbi at (732) 656-1616.

Milltown recreation offering several trips

The Milltown Department of Recreation will sponsor a variety of upcoming events.

All trips are open to residents and nonresidents.

There will be a trip to see the 7 p.m. Feb. 17 Harlem Globetrotters game at Madison Square Garden, New York City. Call the rec office for prices.

A Valentine’s Day cruise aboard the Spirit of New Jersey is planned for Feb. 12. The ship will sail from 6-9 p.m. Cost is $75 per person and includes bus transportation from Milltown, taxes and gratuities.

The rec office is offering a bus trip to the 7:30 p.m. March 3 New York Knicks vs. Chicago Bulls basketball game at Madison Square Garden, New York City. Cost is $69 per ticket and includes bus transportation from Milltown.

A trip to Las Vegas, Nev., is planned for March 5-8. Cost is $580 per person for four days and three nights. Price includes round-trip airfare, all transfers in Milltown and Las Vegas and hotel accommodations.

Tickets are available for the 4 p.m. March 19 performance of “Willy Wonka” at the State Theatre, New Brunswick. Cost is $25 per ticket.

For more information on all events and to reserve, call (732) 828-2100, ext. 141.

Abridged ‘Shakespeare’ coming to high school

The Montgomery Street Players, South River, will present “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” at 7 p.m. on Jan. 13 and 14 in the South River High School auditorium, Montgomery Street.

Tickets cost $5 for students and senior citizens, $7 for adults.

For more information, call (732) 613-4014.

Presbyterian Church slates concert series

The Presbyterian Church, West Church Street and Gatzmer Avenue, will sponsor a 2006 Concert Series. All events will begin at 7 p.m.

The schedule is as follows:

• Jan. 14 — “Shea Velloso: Great Works of the Organ,” featuring organ music by 18th-, 19th- and early 20th-century composers;

• Feb. 11 — “Chris Deibert: Jazz Piano and Organ Improvisations,” featuring improvisations based on selected hymns;

• March 11 — “Nicholas Connolly: Songs for Voice,” featuring the baritone in a variety of vocal works by French, German, Italian and American composers;

• April 22 — “Old-Fashioned Hymn Sing,” led by the Presbyterian Church Choir and organist Shea Velloso, and featuring audience participation in old favorites and revival hymns;

• May 6 — The Tower Hill Calvin Ringers handbell ensemble, Charles Harris, director, featuring selections from the group’s 2006 touring program;

• June 3 — Choir Festival, featuring the combined choirs of the Monmouth Presbytery and local churches.

Admission to all concerts is free of charge; however, a free-will offering will be accepted. All proceeds will be used to fund the church’s concert series and music program. For more information, call (732) 521-1711.

Youngsters invited to free-throw tournament

The South River Police Department, in conjunction with Ecko Unlimited, will sponsor a basketball free-throw tournament for all school-age South River youngsters beginning at 11 a.m. on Jan. 14 in the South River Middle School gymnasium, Montgomery Street.

Prizes will be awarded to the top three winners in each of six age categories and to the overall champion.

Waivers will be available at the door for walk-in participants on the day of the event; however, a parent’s signature will be required.

For more information, call Detective Jennifer Novak or Detective Joseph Grekoski at (732) 254-9002.

Corpus Christi plans Jan. 29, 30 open houses

Corpus Christi School, 80 David St., South River, will mark Catholic Schools Week, Jan. 29-Feb. 4, with open houses set for 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Jan. 29 and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 6:30-7:30 p.m. on Jan. 30.

Registration for the 2006-07 school year will begin on Jan. 29.

For more information, call the school at (732) 257-5200.

St. Stan’s HSA to host Jan. 14 dance

St. Stanislaus Kostka HSA will sponsor a dance for sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders from 7-10 p.m. on Jan. 14 in the school gym, 221 MacArthur Ave., Sayreville. Admission is $5. The event will be fully supervised. For more information and tickets, call at (732) 254-0212 or (732) 254-5819.

Dancing to the oldies on tap in Old Bridge

Knights of Columbus Council No. 4815 will host an Oldies Dance beginning at 8 p.m. on Jan. 20 at the council home, 40 Pine St., Old Bridge.

The event will feature dancing to the music of the ’50s and ’60s. Soda, cake, coffee and tea will be served. Dances are held on the third Friday of every month.

Admission is $8 per person. For more information, call Tony at (732) 251-0970.

Women’s panel offers tickets for theater series

Women Helping Women, Metuchen, a nonprofit organization providing affordable therapy and support services to empower women for a lifetime, recently announced its Winter Theatre Series of award-winning plays.

A limited number of discounted tickets are available for “The Vagina Monologues” set for 8 p.m. on Jan. 21; “Late Nite Catechism,” 8 p.m. on Feb. 11; and “Women on Fire,” 8 p.m. on March 4.

Tickets for each show cost $30 per person. The complete series may be purchased for $80. Proceeds from ticket sales will go to support Women Helping Women. For more information and to purchase tickets, log on to www.whwnj.com or call (732) 549-6000.

Milltown Lions Club plans Spaghetti Dinner The Milltown Lions Club will hold a Spaghetti Dinner fund-raiser from 5-8 p.m. on Jan. 20 at the Milltown Senior Citizens Center, Violet Terrace.

Admission is $7 for adults, $6 for seniors, $2 for children. Wine, beer and soft drinks will be available.

Proceeds will benefit the visually impaired. For more information, call (732) 329-7600.