Greed and art highlighted in ‘Billboard'

Hackettstown - The Centenary Stage Company will present a new play about personal and corporate greed called “Billboard” by Michael Vukadinovich, from Jan. 15 to 31 at the Centenary Theatre in Hackettstown. “Billboard” is a comedy about corporate marketing, the nature of art, and 15 minutes of fame. Inspired by the real life story of a Web designer from Omaha, who auctioned off his forehead as an advertising space, this play uses the premise as a springboard to examine art, commercialism, love and the nexus of all three, according to organizers. In Vukadinovich’s play, when recent-college-graduate Andy, heavily weighed down by student loans, gets paid a great deal to tattoo a corporate logo on his forehead, his liberal best friend Damon thinks he’s crazy. His artist girlfriend Katelyn sees his decision as a unique opportunity to make an artistic statement - seeing his body as an example of how much consumerism has permeated daily lives. Now Andy as to live with it, until a surprising twist leaves him with a revelation about choices and trust. Vukadinovich is the recipient of the 2007 Samuel Goldwyn Screenwriting Award, the 2006 Reverie Next Generation Playwriting Competition, the 2006 Tim Robbins Playwriting Award for plays of social significance, and the 2005 Sidney Sheldon Playwriting Award. “Billboard” will be directed by Don Amorosi, and features Ryan Gregorio as “Andy,” Allie Dunbar as “Katelyn,” and Adam Deremer as “Damon.” Showtimes are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. Tickets are $17 in advance and $20 at the door, with special Centenary College student and CSC Young Performer student “rush” seats available at $10 at the door on the evening of the performance. All tickets are available through the Centenary Stage Company box office at 908- 979-0900.