Carrollwood Players Theatre will hold combined open auditions for the CWP Black Box and the OUTstage LGBT Theatre Festival on Sunday, May 1, 2016 at 7 pm.
PLEASE NOTE ALL OF THE PRODUCTIONS LISTED BELOW CONTAIN ADULT LANGUAGE AND SUBJECT MATTER.
This audition is for the following productions:
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BENT by Martin Sherman- A Staged Reading – OUTstage LGBT Theatre Festival, Directed by Connie Jones. Performance Dates: Friday, June 10th at 8pm and Saturday, June 11th at 3 pm.
In 1934 Berlin on the eve of the Nazi incursion, Max and his lover Rudy are recovering from a night of debauchery with a SA trooper. Two soldiers burst into the apartment and slit their guest’s throat, beginning a nightmare odyssey through Nazi Germany.
Ranked lower on the human scale than Jews, the men, as homosexuals, flee. Desperate and on the run, Max asks his own “discreetly” homosexual Uncle Freddie for help as the older man offers little more than suggestions on how to live, as he does, practicing homosexuality on the side.
Attempting their escape, Rudy is beaten to death as Horst, another homosexual prisoner, warns Max to deny his lover.
Taken to a death camp at Dachau, Max and Horst are branded with the “pink triangle”, and hope to survive with each other for comfort and courage. Adult Language and Subject Matter.
Needed for BENT are 10-12 men to portray the following characters:
MAX – 20s-30s, homosexual “wheeler dealer” who leads a dissolute life of drink, drugs, and sporadic sex until the horrors of Nazi Germany intervene and effectively put an end to his hedonistic alcoholic life style; a tormented individual, tortured by the memory of his reprehensible actions, but never loses his basic humanity; not at all a coward, but rather a pragmatist.
HORST – 20s-30s, relatively muscular physique and a kind nature; a “pink triangle,” incarcerated in the Dachau conecntration camp because of his homosexuality; a sensitive man, strongly affected by Max’s torment.
RUDY – 20s-30s, bespectacled, homosexual dancer; rather gushy, effusive, homebody type who has a great love for Max and his precious household plants; tends to become a trifle hysterical at times.
GRETA – 20s-40s, a man dressed as a woman in a silver dress, top hat, and cane; presents an appearance that is at once elegant and bizarre; tough, practical proprietor of a gay nightclub who entertains patrons by singing in a smoky seductive voice; Nazis’ rise to power sends him back to his wife and kids.
UNCLE FREDDIE – 40s-50s, aristocratic, well-dressed; Max’s uncle, a “closet fluff”
SMALLER PARTS – 20S – 50S, Gestapo Officer, Nazi Captain, SS Trooper, Guards, Prisoners
For BENT, please prepare a contemporary dramatic monologue and be prepared for cold readings from the script.
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THE DIVINE SISTER by Charles Busch – A Staged Reading – OUTstage LGBT Theatre Festival, Directed by Susan Belliveau. Performance Dates: Saturday, June 11th at 8pm and Sunday, June 12th at 3 pm.
The Divine Sister is an outrageous comic homage to nearly every Hollywood film involving nuns. Evoking such films as The Song of Bernadette, The Bells of St. Mary’s, The Singing Nun, and Agnes of God, The Divine Sister tells the story of St. Veronica’s indomitable Mother Superior who is determined to build a new school for her Pittsburgh convent.
Along the way, she has to deal with a young postulant who is experiencing “visions,” sexual hysteria among her nuns, a sensitive schoolboy in need of mentoring, a mysterious nun visiting from the Mother House in Berlin, and a former suitor intent on luring her away from her vows.
This madcap trip through Hollywood religiosity evokes the wildly comic but affectionately observed theatrical style of the creator of Die, Mommie, Die! and Psycho Beach Party.
Needed for THE DIVINE SISTER are 1-2 men and 4-5 women to portray the following characters:
AGNES – 20s-30s, An ethereal and earnest young postulant, experiences visions.
SISTER WALBURGA – 30s-60s, A stern and severe nun with a strong German accent and a secret mission. Doubles as Mrs. MacDuffie, the old Scottish charwoman.
SISTER ACACIUS/LIL – 20s-60s, Brash and foul mouthed, sexually frustrated nun. Heavy New York Accent. Wrestling coach. Mother Superior’s confidant.
MOTHER SUPERIOR/SUSAN – 30s-60s, Plucky, resourceful woman of God. Played by a Man.
MISS LEVINSON – 40s-50s, A devout atheist and outrageously wealthy older woman, classy but strong willed. Doubles as Little Timothy.
JEREMY – 40s-60s, A dashing and worldly reporter, and Mother Superior’s long lost flame. Doubles as the sinister and albino monk, Brother Venerius.
For THE DIVINE SISTER, please prepare a contemporary comedic monologue and be prepared for cold readings from the script.
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ALL IN THE TIMING by David Ives – A Staged Reading – A CWP Black Box Production, Directed by Erica Garraffa. Performance Dates: Saturday, July 9th at 8pm and Sunday, July 10th at 3 pm.
Winner of the John Gassner Playwriting Award. This critically acclaimed, award-winning evening of comedies combines wit, intellect, satire and just plain fun. A hilarious sextet of short plays, whether played together or separately. “Like sketches for some hilarious, celestially conceived revue. The writing is not only very funny, it has density of thought and precision of poetry…ALL IN THE TIMING is by a master of fun. David Ives spins hilarity out of words.” —The New York Times.
“Theatre that aerobicizes the brain and tickles the heart. Ives is a mordant comic who has put the ‘play’ back in playwright…A wondrous wordmaster.” —Time Magazine. “An original turn of mind is to be saluted in our tired theatre…A playwright with ideas, his own ideas, in his head is relatively rare. Such a one is David Ives.” —New York Magazine.
Needed for ALL IN THE TIMING are 2-4 men and 2-4 women to portray a variety of characters in this collection of short comedy plays/sketches. Age range 20s-50s.
For ALL IN THE TIMING, please prepare a contemporary comedic monologue and be prepared for cold readings from the script.
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PLEASE ARRIVE PROMPTLY NO LATER THAN 7 PM.
WHAT TO BRING TO THE AUDITION:
1. A photo or headshot if you have one.
2. A resume or list of your theatre experience.
3. A complete list of potential conflicts (THIS IS A MUST. BRING YOUR CALENDAR.)
ABOUT STAGED READINGS:
A staged reading is a full presentation of a play with blocking, costumes, set, sound, lights, etc., but the actors have not memorized the script and carry a script on stage.
Staged readings are produced with a shortened rehearsal period comprised of approximately 5-7 rehearsals maximum, and are presented to provide actors and audiences with the opportunity to experience plays they may not otherwise have the opportunity to experience.
The rehearsal schedule for each of the above productions is TBA subject to casting, however you should be available for 2-3 final rehearsals on weekday evenings during the week immediately preceding the performance weekend.
NOTES:
Actors MAY be cast in more than one of the above productions if desired and able to rehearse for both shows without conflict.
If you are interested in auditioning for BOTH of the comedies, only ONE comedic monologue is needed.
This is an unpaid production. Cast members who are dues paying members of Carrollwood Players Theatre receive one complimentary ticket to the production. All cast members who log their hours are also eligible for CWP’s monthly volunteer prize drawings, which include free show tickets and gift card prizes.
ADDITIONAL EXPECTATIONS:
Cast members are expected to actively participate in promoting the show via social media sharing and posting, distributing flyers, inviting friends and family, etc.
