In 1937, a student-run theatre organization was founded at Montclair State University, under the title, “Normal School Theatre Group” to give Montclair State students the opportunity to create theatre. This group was the very first form of theatre to be offered on campus, even before Montclair’s College of the Arts existed. Normal School Theatre Group (NSTG) had a founding membership of 17 students, which produced two full-scale plays each year with a self-funded budget. This organization came to grow to incredible heights and has become what is now known as Players: A Programming Board of the Student Government Association (SGA).
Players has come a long way in recent years, eventually advancing from a registered student organization (RSO) to a programming board of the Student Government Association (SGA). Players is one of the largest organizations on campus, offering student-run theatre to students of all grades and majors on campus. As of 2023, Players has roughly 800 members, and the numbers are constantly growing. Some well-known Players alumni include Drag Race star Olivia Lux and everyone’s favorite action star Bruce Willis, for whom the Player’s annual banquet “The Bruceys” is named after. Players creates incredible opportunities for new and returning students every year, so here is a sneak peek at the exciting lineup Players has to offer this year!
The Players Executive Board. From left to right, (Top) Cole Vitelli, Mac Borges, Ian Love, Dan Amorim, (Bottom), Artemys Kozlovksi, Courtney Mincolelli, Jenna Wilkinson. Photo courtesy of Artemys Kozlovksi
The first Players event of the season is a brand new one for the organization: a Variety Show, performed at this year’s Homecoming. Performances include a 30 minute selection from the cast of last year’s Dance Show “Camp Little Falls,” a 30 minute selection from the cast of last year’s Players musical “9 to 5″ and a one hour preview of our newest improv league special, “MILF All Stars.” MILF All Stars will include well-known MILF (Montclair Improv League and Friends) alumni playing fan favorite MILF games!
Speaking of MILF, auditions for the first round of MILF will be held on Sept.12 and 13 at 6 p.m., with a MILF workshop being held at 6 p.m. on Sept.11. The first round’s theme is “Lemonade MILF,” a fun spin on the horrific yet brilliant Disney Channel original movie “Lemonade Mouth.”
The next audition opportunity for Players is auditions for their annual “shadow cast” of the 1975 cult classic, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. For those unaware, a shadow cast is a cast of actors who act out a film in front of the film as it plays, lip-syncing all of the words and songs. This year’s Rocky theme is “Old Hollywood,” full of vintage glitz and glam. Auditions for Rocky Horror will be held on Sept. 13 and 14 at 6 p.m., with callbacks being held on Sept. 15 at 6 p.m.
If you are not a fan of lip-syncing or improvisation, there are still plenty more opportunities to audition. In the fall semester, Players will also be holding auditions for their Comedy, “She Kills Monsters,” on Sept. 18 and 19 at 6 p.m. with callbacks being held on Sep. 20 at 6 p.m. While the shows have not yet been announced, Players will also be performing a classical play and their miscellaneous show, a piece chosen by a student director. Both shows will be announced as the school year further commences. Auditions for Miscellaneous will be held on Sept. 25 and 26 and auditions for the Classical will be held on Oct. 9 and 10. To stay updated on all things Players, you can follow them on Instagram, @Montclair_Players. Make sure to get involved!
