Roy North, known to many Hobokenites as the original owner of Hoboken Farmboy, the first natural food store to open in the mile-square city back in 1984, premiers a jazz cabaret in New York tonight. North, who has a degree in theater from Duke University, always wanted to pursue a career in showbiz, but decided to open the Farmboy when he discovered that there was a market for natural foods where he lived as a struggling artist. In 1991, North sold the store and got back to his first passion. He spent three years at the Mannis College of Music and planned his return to the professional world of music. His debut tonight, and for two more Thursdays, is a collection of jazz songs he discovered around the time he opened Farmboy. They’re scored by a pop composer with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. “I’m purposely not saying who the composer is,” said North, revealing only that the writer is known for his pop songs. “This could be my own Scorpio-based paranoia, but the composer will only be revealed at the end of the show.” That bit of intrigue, combined with North’s previous professional experience and his showbiz roots – his father hosted the WABC show “The Traveler” using the stage name Jim Wiler – has gotten North a nice bit of pre-show exposure. He appeared on an edition of the News 12 New Jersey show “Jersey’s Talking” as well as on WRTN radio last week. North and the Curtis McKonly Trio will perform at Danny’s Skylight Room, 346 West 46th St., Manhattan (212-265-8133) Tonight (Feb. 3), Feb 10. and Feb. 24 at 9 p.m. Jersey City resident Joe Rathbone, who’s also a teacher in Secaucus, will sing at the Outpost in the Burbs Friday, Feb. 4 at 8:30 p.m. Rathbone will set a ‘dreamscape’ mood for the evening and will be joined by Sharyn Murray and Dave Mack. Rathbone has been touring nationally to promote the release Sweet Relief, his debut CD. The evening the winter edition of the Outpost’s quarterly Outpost Risers platform, which features the area’s “rising stars.” Also performing will be Jessica Schoenberg and H. Hanson. For more information, call (973) 744-6560. Auditions for the Park Players Production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum will be held on Feb. 21 and 22 at 7 p.m. at Union Hill High School (3800 Hudson Ave., Union City, use the 38th Street entrance). Auditioners should be prepared to sing and dance. And speaking of dancing, the players are in need of a choreographer for this very production. For more information about auditioning or becoming the choreographer, call Marily Schilkie at 836-2331. Meanwhile, in Bayonne … the Center Players bring you A Chorus Line. The show will be performed at the Jewish Community Center, 1050 Kennedy Blvd., Feb. 5 and 12 at 8 p.m. and Feb. 6 at 7 p.m. Featuring the ever-popular showstoppers “One” and “What I Did for Love,” the production features a 18-member cast and a poignant portrayal of dancers auditioning for a Broadway show. For more information, call the box office at 436-6900. Applications for the 27th Annual Student Academy Awards competition, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, are now available. Entries must be submitted by April 3. Films are first judged regionally, with New Jersey falling in Region 2. Categories include alternative, animation, documentary and narrative. Films must be of 16 mm or larger and produced within the curriculum of an accredited college or university. For more information about applications, call regional coordinator Dan Ladely at (402) 472-5353 or visit www.oscars.org/saa. If you prefer dancing, enter the National Society of Arts and Letters Ballet Competition. Dancers aged 15 to 21 can win up to $600 in a regional competition, with regional winners competing for up to $10,000. Competitors will also attend a master class given by a nationally-know ballet master or mistress. For more information about the contest, call Martha Carrellas at (908) 464-3042. Finally, if your thing is really poetry, there’s hope. Poems are now being accepted for entry in Sparrowgrass Poetry Forum’s new Poetic Achievement Awards. Cash prizes totaling $1,000 will be awarded, including a $500 grand prize. Entrants may enter just one poem of 20 lines or fewer. The deadline is Feb. 29, and for more information about the contest, Patricia Flanagan at (304) 653-1449. Who here has had it with all the major party candidates? For president, we mean. Of the USA. E-mail your thoughts to hudsoncurrent@hotmail.com.