MILLSTONE — New York City may be near enough for some local commuters, but the stages of Broadway can seem far away to an actor looking to make it big.

   Things will change this Saturday night, however, when “One Night on Broadway” officially opens the new 1,200-seat Millstone Performing Arts Center.

   The performance will feature both Broadway actors and locals in songs from a number of contemporary shows, including popular works such as “The Phantom of the Opera,” “West Side Story,” “Les Misérables” and “The Lion King.”

   One actor bringing Manhattan to Millstone is Bart Shatto, who played Jean Valjean for one-and-a-half years in the Broadway production of “Les Misérables” and will reprise his role for several songs on Saturday. A veteran actor, who also has appeared in film, television and Broadway productions of “Dracula” and “The Civil War,” has toured nationally in several companies. He is now in his sixth year with the rock band Trans-Siberian Orchestra, where he is a featured singer.

   ”Performing with these kids and adults who are nonunion actors is no different than doing a Broadway show,” said Mr. Shatto, who has worked in a similar capacity with a community theater back in his hometown in Illinois. “It’s performing, and it’s doing it for the love of it.”

   He said he was glad to have “come full circle,” now in the role of the experienced thespian talking to young aspiring actors. “Working closely with people who have a passion for what I do is why I got in the business in the first place,” he said.

   Mr. Shatto said he came to be a part of “One Night on Broadway” through the show’s director, Laurie Edwards, of Patterson Lane, with whom he has worked on projects with a mutual friend.

   ”Laurie had no idea I was a Broadway actor,” he said, until one day at lunch when Ms. Edwards said she was looking for actors and learned Mr. Shatto had been one for almost 25 years.

   Ms. Edwards said she found New Jersey actors through her Red Bank-based production company, Phoenix Productions, along with several others.

   ”We selected the best of the best and we invited them to be a part of the show,” she said. “It’s a mixture of a whole bunch of people throughout New Jersey who are coming together.”

   In addition to inviting the Broadway actors, auditions attracted about 80 locals to try out for parts as well, adding approximately half that number of people to the cast.

   Having local actors mix with seasoned professionals has been “wonderful,” Ms. Edwards said. “I watch (the Broadway actors) while they’re in the audience waiting for their scenes, and they’re usually surrounded by kids talking about what it’s like to be a Broadway performer and how they got there. Kids just eat it up, and I think it’s great for them to learn what it takes and what their mistakes were because there’s no class like this that they can go to.”

   One person who personifies both sides is Gina Whalen, of Timmons Hill Drive. Ms. Whalen, who professionally uses her maiden name, Augusta, is originally from North Jersey and has lived in the township for two years.

   Now “sort of retired,” she stays at home and takes care of her two young children, but until 2001, she was an actress and singer. Among her exploits, Ms. Whalen has had a one-woman show in Manhattan, and played the mistress in the international tour of “Evita,” which took her throughout Europe and as far away as Malaysia in the early 1990s.

   She said an advertisement for auditions caught her eye, and she is now the only Broadway actor in the show who also is a Millstone resident.

   ”I’m sort of the enigma of the group,” she said.

   Ms. Whalen said she enjoyed the experience of working with actors from different backgrounds.

   ”Everybody’s very professional in their approach to this,” she said. “Even people with less experience have really risen to the occasion.”

   Ms. Edwards said she was thrilled to find a professional like Ms. Whalen already in the area.

   ”It’s really amazing because you never know who your neighbor is,” she said. “It was really exciting that she came along; she was wonderful and she’s got great stuff on her résumé. You’ve got to giggle a little bit because they live right next to you, and you had no idea.”

   On Saturday, Ms. Whalen will be featured in several songs, including “America” from “West Side Story” and selections from “Les Misérables.” She said she is unsure of how this might affect her retirement status, but however things may go, she is excited for the show.

   ”I’m looking forward to getting back on stage,” she said. “It’s been a while.”

“One Night on Broadway” will be performed at 8 p.m. at the Millstone Performing Arts Center, 5 Dawson Court. General admission tickets are $30; tickets for students and senior citizens are $20. Tickets may be purchased via e-mail at MPAC@millstone.k12.nj.us or by calling 732-786-0950 ext. 51010.