You don't have to go to Broadway to see excellent live theater - there are two shows worth checking out right in West Orange.

The Theater Project is currently presenting the hit 1999 off Broadway one man show "Fully Committed" at its temporary digs in the New Jersey Arts Incubator (NJAI) in the Essex Green Plaza. Farther east in the Valley Arts District, "The Dangers of Electric Lighting" just completed previews and opened last night at Luna Stage; it runs through Nov. 13.

There are only five remaining chances to see Newark-based actress Jenelle Sosa in "Fully Committed." Tickets are available for Sat. night's 8 p.m. performance of Sunday's 3 p.m. matinee. The performances continue Thursday, Oct. 27 to Sunday, Oct. 30.

Someone should bring Sosa sweetheart roses for her knockout performance in "Fully Committed." The enchanting young actress has been gathering bouquets of rave reviews from the New Jersey theatrical press for her Theater Project, Luna Stage and other area performances for years—she was a wow at NJAI in the hilarious "Penny Pennyworth" this past summer.

Save some roses for Mark Anthony Spina, the Theater Project's artistic director, and "Fully Committed" director Rick Delaney. Delahey received accolades for his 2003 performance in the show for Maplewood's "What Exit?" Theater Company. Delaney, who both directs and acts, has shared the stage often with Sosa, including in "Penny Pennyworth."

Here in "Fully Committed," Sosa triumphs in the lead role of Sam and all 39 of the other characters in the play.

Think of Sam as a Mary Richards for our era. She's an unemployed actress from the Midwest supporting herself by answering phones in the basement of New York City's hottest restaurant while placating the chef, maitre d'hôtel and other restaurant higher ups. Her job presents a narcissistic parade of demands, threats, wheedling and worse.

Upstairs in the restaurant, all is swank and luxurious. Masters of the Universe dine on overly-precious food where the vegetables have pedigrees longer than Prince William's and cost more than a weekly family food bill. The weekend waiting list for most mortals is three months, and the joint is never totally booked, it's "fully committed."

Downstairs in Sam's world, it's all bare bones: a broken radiator, a bucket catching leaks, a metal table, a chair, a blackboard, and a bank of constantly ringing phones.

Over a fast paced one hour and 30 minutes — there's no intermission — we come to know, love and really root for our earnest heroine, who in the course of the play reveals both Mary Richard's heart and develops some of Rhoda Morgenstern's street smarts.

Oh, and Sosa keeps us laughing throughout.

As to her 39 other characters — her superiors at the restaurant, co workers, father, best friend from hell, theatrical agent and the very New York City types calling for reservations — Sosa nails them all. She physically inhabits diverse genders, accents, ages, ethnicities, classes, sexual identities and brings each character alive. She switches body language and voice with the speed that most of us blink our eyes.

 "Fully Committed is more satisfying than any four-star meal and will cost a lot less. Ticket prices range from $10 students to $25 adults. Every seat in the intimate NJAI  space is a good one.

Also, just opened at Luna Stage:

The Luna Stage Theater Company's theater should be filled  for Montclair playwright Ben Clawson's "The Dangers of Electric Lighting." The play, which opened Friday night.

Luna's artistic director, Jane Mandel, commissioned the show to celebrate the 18-year-old company's 2010 move from Montclair to West Orange. West Orange was where Edison had his home, a laboratory and factory: Pre-show, you can spend time in his Llewellyn Park house and the labs as part of the tour of the Thomas Edison National Historical Park on the northern end of the West Orange downtown area. (Luna has special packages available.)

Clawson's show focuses on the tensions between Edison and Nikola Tesla, a brilliant Serbian immigrant, and their 20 year rivalry over lighting the world with electricity

"The play focuses on the dark side of the genius that created modern light and investigates whether some of the lurking demons in our best known and productive citizens can be separated from their better angels, or if it is this combination and duality that forges their accomplishments," Clawson, 27, said, "I hope the fables this play tells will prove to be exciting, entertaining, and perhaps even spark a debate or two."

And, if you know Clawson's very hip playwrighting from his work for StrangeDog Theater Company, (he's a founding member)   you know there will be some comedic elements lurking.

Thursday, Friday and Saturday performances of "Fully Committed" are at 8 p.m. with Sunday matinees at 3 p.m. and take place at the New Jersey Arts Incubator in the rear, upper courtyard of the  Essex Green Shopping Center, 495 Prospect Ave. in West Orange, just south of route 280. Tickets range from $10-25 and are available at Brown Paper Tickets at 1-800-838-3006 or at www.brownpapertickets.com. More information is available at www.TheTheaterProject.org or www.NJAI.org or by calling (908) 809-8865.

"The Dangers of Electric Lighting" opened Friday, October 21 and runs through November 13 Performances are Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays are at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 3 p.m. Tickets are $25-$30 with a $5 discount for those 62 or over and can be bought at the Luna Stage website: www.lunastage.org or call (973) 395-5551. There will be special "Talk Back" discussions after the Sunday, Oct. 23, and Thursday, Oct. 27, performances.

A special dinner at the Manor Restaurant, admission to the Edison Museum and show package are available for $75.00; see website for details. Luna Stage is at 555 Valley Road in West Orange's Valley Arts District.