AUDITION POSTINGS
Thank you to all who came out for the auditions for The Shadow Box!
Check back for auditions for our next production, Beyond Therapy.
Check back for auditions for our next production, Beyond Therapy.
THE SHADOW BOX
A Drama by Michael Cristofer
Directed by Gary M. Kendall
Produced by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.
A Drama by Michael Cristofer
Directed by Gary M. Kendall
Produced by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.
Auditions will be held at Theatre III, 250 Central Street, West Acton
Monday October 27 & Tuesday, October 28 at 7:00 pm
Callbacks (if necessary) – Thursday, October 30 at 7:00 pm
Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script.
Monday October 27 & Tuesday, October 28 at 7:00 pm
Callbacks (if necessary) – Thursday, October 30 at 7:00 pm
Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script.
PERFORMANCE DATES
Fri Jan 30, Sat Jan 31, Fri Feb 6 and Sat Feb 7, 2015 at 8:00 pm
Sun Feb 1 and Sun Feb 8, 2015, matinees at 2:00 pm
TENTATIVE REHEARSAL SCHEDULE
Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings.
SYNOPSIS
The Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning play takes place in three cottages on the grounds of a large hospital campus and interweaves the stories of “one day in the life” of three dramatically different patients and their family members as they all prepare to come to terms with the inevitable question of mortality. The play is a dynamic and well-roundedperspective on the indomitable strength of the human spirit and the power of hope!
Fri Jan 30, Sat Jan 31, Fri Feb 6 and Sat Feb 7, 2015 at 8:00 pm
Sun Feb 1 and Sun Feb 8, 2015, matinees at 2:00 pm
TENTATIVE REHEARSAL SCHEDULE
Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings.
SYNOPSIS
The Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning play takes place in three cottages on the grounds of a large hospital campus and interweaves the stories of “one day in the life” of three dramatically different patients and their family members as they all prepare to come to terms with the inevitable question of mortality. The play is a dynamic and well-roundedperspective on the indomitable strength of the human spirit and the power of hope!
CASTING REQUIREMENTS & DESCRIPTIONS
9 roles including:
3 males/4 females/1 teenage boy
+ role of “The Interviewer” can be either Male or Female
9 roles including:
3 males/4 females/1 teenage boy
+ role of “The Interviewer” can be either Male or Female
“The Interviewer” (can be male or female - age 30's to mid 50's): Mainly an offstage voice that may make a brief stage appearance. “The Interviewer” clearly is an employee of the hospital and acts a “counselor/social worker” and interacts primarily with patients, Joe, Brian and Felicity and caretaker Agnes. Interviewer is generally empathetic but can seem detached and clinical at times as well. He/she is present throughout the play, and while mainly offstage, is a rather substantial and important role. (* Please note this “voice role” will be performed live and not pre-taped!!!)
Cottage One
Joe (age 40’s-50’s): Joe is a “working man” from the Northeast and is a strong but gentle family man, very close to his son, Steve. He is a little bit clumsy with moving and talking, but full of energy. Joe is relatively inarticulate about his own feelings toward his illness. All of his emotion is focused on his family. He is very worried about his wife’s acceptance of his terminal illness and how they will share this news with their son.
Maggie (age 40’s–50’s): Maggie is a complex character, primarily a loving wife and mother, funny and warm but wraps it up in a no nonsense, bossy demeanor as she comes for a visit to the cottage. She’s the family organizer and is easily excitable. Maggie is very conflicted and has not accepted the terminal nature of her husband’s illness. She would like everything to be back to normal and she also bears the burden of not having told their son about the severity of his father’s illness.
Steve (age 12-15): Steve is Joe & Maggie’s teenage son who misses his Dad but is completely ignorant of the facts of his father’s illness since he hasn’t been informed by his mother. He has a mix of emotions: excited to be visiting his father but perplexed by his mother’s erratic behavior. This roles involves interacting with his parents during this visit to his father’s cottage. (*Ability to play a guitar a “plus” but not a requirement since actor doesn’t need to play well, just chords and strumming as he is practicing a song during the play.)
Cottage Two
Brian (age 40’s-50’s): Brian is a cerebral, academic, literate and graceful man but frightened of the unknown and is trying to reason his way through acceptance of his terminal illness. He generally keeps his tone light, simple, direct, straightforward…”mind and body balanced”…but erudite, and his emotions in check. Brian is surprised and moved by a visit from his ex-wife Beverly who has always been more emotional, spontaneous and physical, but he also has to manage the hostility between Beverly and his partner Mark.
Mark (age 30’s-40’s): Mark is Brian’s caretaker and current partner/lover. He is a former “street hustler,” passionately intelligent, sexually attractive and totally devoted to Brian’s care. He is dealing with his emotions about Brian’s illness by pretending that he doesn’t have any. He has a great deal of conflict with Beverly who tries to force him to confront his fears and outwardly display his emotions and feelings.
Beverly (age 40’s-50’s): Brian’s ex-wife who is funny, worldly-wise, full of life, profane, sarcastic, and an adventurer who is prone to dancing, discussing her love life and a bit of a drunk! Her brittle humor masks her love and concern for Brian. She goads conflict with Mark but has quick witted humorous interactions with Brian. Beverly is “a life force, with an edge!" (A gem of a role for an actress!!!)
Cottage Three
Felicity (age 60’s-70’s): Felicity is in a wheelchair and is the one character in the play most obviously impacted by her illness. She is an earthy, feisty, if not somewhat senile, and openly hostile “take no prisoner” old lady who morphs from quick witted no nonsense acceptance and lucidity to confused rambling due to her pain and illness. She often challenges and berates her daughter and caretaker, Agnes.
Agnes (age 40’s-50’s): Agnes is a repressed, restrained woman who is devoted to her mother but often frustrated by her behavior. Very plain, very neat, very tense and very tired. She has been under a lot of pressure and tension dealing with her mother’s illness and harbors a major secret that is revealed during the play. She is a character who surprises with her passion and representation of the challenges of being a caretaker to an ailing parent.
Cottage One
Joe (age 40’s-50’s): Joe is a “working man” from the Northeast and is a strong but gentle family man, very close to his son, Steve. He is a little bit clumsy with moving and talking, but full of energy. Joe is relatively inarticulate about his own feelings toward his illness. All of his emotion is focused on his family. He is very worried about his wife’s acceptance of his terminal illness and how they will share this news with their son.
Maggie (age 40’s–50’s): Maggie is a complex character, primarily a loving wife and mother, funny and warm but wraps it up in a no nonsense, bossy demeanor as she comes for a visit to the cottage. She’s the family organizer and is easily excitable. Maggie is very conflicted and has not accepted the terminal nature of her husband’s illness. She would like everything to be back to normal and she also bears the burden of not having told their son about the severity of his father’s illness.
Steve (age 12-15): Steve is Joe & Maggie’s teenage son who misses his Dad but is completely ignorant of the facts of his father’s illness since he hasn’t been informed by his mother. He has a mix of emotions: excited to be visiting his father but perplexed by his mother’s erratic behavior. This roles involves interacting with his parents during this visit to his father’s cottage. (*Ability to play a guitar a “plus” but not a requirement since actor doesn’t need to play well, just chords and strumming as he is practicing a song during the play.)
Cottage Two
Brian (age 40’s-50’s): Brian is a cerebral, academic, literate and graceful man but frightened of the unknown and is trying to reason his way through acceptance of his terminal illness. He generally keeps his tone light, simple, direct, straightforward…”mind and body balanced”…but erudite, and his emotions in check. Brian is surprised and moved by a visit from his ex-wife Beverly who has always been more emotional, spontaneous and physical, but he also has to manage the hostility between Beverly and his partner Mark.
Mark (age 30’s-40’s): Mark is Brian’s caretaker and current partner/lover. He is a former “street hustler,” passionately intelligent, sexually attractive and totally devoted to Brian’s care. He is dealing with his emotions about Brian’s illness by pretending that he doesn’t have any. He has a great deal of conflict with Beverly who tries to force him to confront his fears and outwardly display his emotions and feelings.
Beverly (age 40’s-50’s): Brian’s ex-wife who is funny, worldly-wise, full of life, profane, sarcastic, and an adventurer who is prone to dancing, discussing her love life and a bit of a drunk! Her brittle humor masks her love and concern for Brian. She goads conflict with Mark but has quick witted humorous interactions with Brian. Beverly is “a life force, with an edge!" (A gem of a role for an actress!!!)
Cottage Three
Felicity (age 60’s-70’s): Felicity is in a wheelchair and is the one character in the play most obviously impacted by her illness. She is an earthy, feisty, if not somewhat senile, and openly hostile “take no prisoner” old lady who morphs from quick witted no nonsense acceptance and lucidity to confused rambling due to her pain and illness. She often challenges and berates her daughter and caretaker, Agnes.
Agnes (age 40’s-50’s): Agnes is a repressed, restrained woman who is devoted to her mother but often frustrated by her behavior. Very plain, very neat, very tense and very tired. She has been under a lot of pressure and tension dealing with her mother’s illness and harbors a major secret that is revealed during the play. She is a character who surprises with her passion and representation of the challenges of being a caretaker to an ailing parent.