The open casting call for the locally staged, “school edition” of RENT has been extended with three more auditions. Organizers want young actors. Besides high school kids, college freshmen 18 years old and younger are now welcome to participate in the tryouts. For the open call instructions go to this page.

The extended audition process will include all day Saturday, Sept. 17, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday, Sept. 19, 6-9 p.m., and Tuesday, Sept. 20, 6-9 p.m. The auditions are taking place at The Rotunda (4014 Walnut Street). Please email Rich at projecttheaterproject [at] gmail.com to make an appointment. For more information about this project go to Project Theater Project’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/projecttheaterrent.

Police have arrested an 18-year-old man in connection with the rape and robbery near 48th and Springfield on Tuesday night. The man faces 19 charges, including rape, robbery, and kidnapping. Police are not releasing his name because he’s a suspect in other crimes in the city.

Police Captain John Darby said that several agencies were involved in the arrest, including the FBI.

Police say that two teenagers robbed a 32-year-old woman, a teacher, and 40-year-old man at gunpoint at about 10 p.m. Tuesday. One suspect, who police say was 17-19 years of age, then sexually assaulted the woman while holding the gun to her head. The other suspect was a male approximately 14 years of age. Darby said during a press conference this morning that the younger suspect ran away before the sexual assault. The male victim confirmed that report.

Darby said that the search for the younger suspect continues.

Police are searching for two teenage suspects they say were involved in a rape and robbery at about 10 p.m. last night near 48th Street and Springfield Avenue.

The police Special Victims Unit said a 32-year-old woman and 40-year-old man were walking along 48th Street when they were approached by two young males one of whom flashed a black handgun. The two young men led the man and woman to the back of a nearby home on the 900 block of S. 48th Street and robbed them. One suspect, who police say is between 17 and 19 years old, then sexually assaulted the woman.

The first suspect is described as a black male age 17-19, about 5 feet 8 inches tall and wearing a black t-shirt. The second suspect was a black male age 13-14, about 5 feet 4 inches tall and wearing a plaid shirt. Anyone with information can contact the Philadelphia Police Department’s Special Victim’s Unit at 215-685-3251.

We came across this flyer last night. A handmade bike was stolen from 43rd and Locust. $100 reward is offered for its return. How do you ride this thing?

Penn Park, the rejuvenated 24-acre strip of land along the train tracks between Walnut and South streets, officially opens on Thursday.

The park occupies former parking lots and vacant land in a once fairly desolate area that was a parking area for postal trucks. It is now part of the University of Pennsylvania campus.

So what can your typical West Philly resident get out of the new park? Some of its facilities will be open to the public on a regular basis. Those include about two acres of grassy open areas, including a “picnic grove,” with a good view of the Center City skyline in and around newly constructed athletic facilities. The area also includes 548 new trees.

“Penn Park marks the first time that the University has, by design, developed open space for the use of the Penn community and beyond,” said Penn President Amy Gutmann.

Those athletics facilities include a spiffy 12-court tennis center, a 470-seat multi-purpose stadium and two athletic fields with synthetic surfaces. A parking lot for 210 cars sits along Walnut Street near the Class of 1923 Ice Rink. In case you had any notion of getting your Nadal on and playing tennis on those new courts (we did), Penn has said that they will only be open to the public on special occasions.

Still, the park provides a nice place to relax, enjoy the skyline and maybe take in a field hockey game.

The park is accessible by Walnut Street to the north, a walkway near the picnic grove to the west and another entrance near the South Street bridge. Here is a map of the park: Penn Park map

The park cost $46 million, but not a dime of public money went into it, according to Penn officials.

Tomorrow’s ceremony begins at 5 p.m. and will include a ribbon-cutting, recreational activities and a fireworks display at 7:30 p.m.

This week’s featured cat is Mr. Cat. Reader Lisa is looking for a new home for him. Here’s what she wrote us:

“Two years ago a cat started living in my backyard.  We could tell he used to be someone’s cat since he had a collar (tag removed) was fixed and quite affectionate, probably abandoned by students.  We put flyers up to no avail.  During the winter I caved in and gave him some food.  For the next two years I gave him food every day or two.  I never brought him inside, just gave him food since he never seemed to leave the yard.

Unfortunately last month I left West Philly for less greener pastures. I no longer have a backyard in which to keep him.  He is currently living on my 5×5 patio. Since it is close quarters on this side of town I really need to find him a home and get him outside.

We took him to PAWS where they said he was super friendly and affectionate.  Easily adoptable if I could get one of the groups to accept him (they are all full)  he is neutered, adult and is Negative for FeLV.

I call him Mr. Cat.  If someone adopts him I will gladly take him for a vet visit to the vet of their choice, and will provide some food and the crate I used for transport.  He is really a sweet guy and its time we got him back inside.”

If you want to meet Mr. Cat or have questions, email Lisa at: thecaretaker [at] gmail.com