Florham Park Woman Shines at Jersey Voices

Florham Park residents don't have to travel to New York City to see their own perform in a professional theatrical setting. They just have to go to Chatham Borough.

Alexandra Landau, a Florham Park resident, will originate a role in the play "One Woman's Onions" by Mark McCarthy at this year's 19th Annual Jersey Voices Festival at the Chatham Playhouse this summer.

The festival features original short plays by New Jersey residents. Since 1995 they have presented over 100 plays by 70 playwrights from the Garden State. 

"Jersey Voices has given me the opportunity to originate a role, which is very exciting,” Landau said.

The play tells the story of two sisters living their separate, suburban modern lives and their journey to find common ground. The writer, McCarthy, is from Union City. The play is directed by Arnold Buchiane of Summit.

Landau's previous credits include Rosalind in "As You Like It" at the Academy for Visual & Performing Arts and roles in "Last Night of Ballyhoo," "Sweet Charity" and "Boeing Boeing", all at Fairleigh Dickinson University. She also has a role in the upcoming independent film "Dark Tarot," now in post-production. 

This is Landau's first time in the Jersey Voices Festival. Bob Denmark, producer of Jersey Voices, said the festival continues to grow each year. "As soon as the festival closes in August, playwrights from all over the state flood us with their scripts," Denmark said.

The following short plays will also be included in this year's Jersey Voices Festival:

• "The Most Beautiful Rock" by Eric Alter of West Orange, directed by Joann Scanlon of Chatham.
• "Fool Me Twice" by Jerrod Bogard of New York, directed by Paul Bettys of Denville.
• "Aquasize" by Loretta Napolitano of Denville, directed by Steve Catron of Mendham.
• "The 5564 to Toronto" by Karen Howes of Madison, directed by Ron Mulligan of Bloomfield.
• "Keli Richards" by Omar Kozarsky of Mahwah, directed by Megan Ferentinos of Cranford.