Coming soon to a Lehigh Valley billboard near you: "Billboard," the film and now the play.

A 16-foot-high billboard, visible from Route 22, is at the Charles Chrin Community Center of Palmer Township, 4100 Green Pond Road, Palmer Township.

Lehigh Valley filmmaker Zeke Zelker hopes people will see it and become interested in the project. "It's funny, dramatic and a lot of fun."

He and his team have created a cross-platform, multifaceted, transmedia project that includes a play, a website, social media, audience participation and the feature-length film, "Billboard an Uncommon Contest for Common People."

Zelker is bringing the play, "The Great WTYT960 Billboard Sitting Contest Live," to the State Theater for the Arts, 453 Northampton St., Easton, at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 7.

It's Zelker's first play. He is the creator, co-writer, director and producer of the "Billboard" project. His goal is "to engage the audience" in every aspect. This is not a standard performance by any means. "It sounds simple," says Zelker. "But it's complex. There are a lot of moving parts."

The plot for the movie, "Billboard," revolves around a fictional radio station, WTYT960. The struggling station, in an attempt to drum up business, hosts a contest in which contestants must survive as long as possible atop a billboard, on a platform 10-feet-wide and 40-feet-long.

The film's storyline is based on a 1983 radio station "billboard-sitters" contest that took place along Route 22, near MacArthur Road, Whitehall.

The Palmer location is solar-powered with a "live-feed," giving snapshots of what's happening throughout the day. Drama and hilarity ensue.

The audience can engage with the characters via social media and, possibly, change the outcome of the play.

"It's a lot like jazz music," says Zelker. "The same song can be a little different each time."

Doug Kemmerer is the project's associate producer. Zelker had been formulating the idea for years. As the two men toyed with the unusual idea of "life on a billboard" Zelker responded, "I can stage this, right? Let's do it."

The cast includes Melissa Martinelli, Michael Fegley, Kathy Patterson and Bryan Roberts. Zelker points out that Roberts was cast based on his video submission to the website: billboardmovie.com.

"We'll be filming a companion web-series this winter and begin shooting the feature film in the summer of 2014," says Zelker.

There will be 66 roles in the film. Zelker believes every aspiring actor deserves a shot. Those who wish to be considered for casting can create a profile right on the website and submit a video.

Zelker, an Emmaus High School graduate now living in Forks Township, encourages people to be creative. "Tell me why you are a good contestant." Zelker will elicit the public's help in voting for their favorite contestants.

Improvisational moments are bound to happen. "I study the characters very well," says Zelker. "I give the actors so much information that they can improv easily."

Zelker considers "Billboard" a group project. "All hands on deck. It's a moving project. A matter of empowering people."

Students from Lafayette College, Moravian College and Northampton Community College helped him write the background for the piece.

Zelker feels strongly about people helping others succeed. "These are the filmmakers of the future."

Tickets: statetheatre. org, 610-252-3132