Auditions for Stage West's 2021-22 Season
*NOTE#1: Those who attended the 5x5 General Auditions will be considered for callbacks, and NEED NOT attend these initials.
**NOTE#2: Due to continuing AEA sanctions on theatrical procedures and processes because of the pandemic, AEA members are advised that Initial *AEA* Auditions will be via video submission, due August 1. Callbacks will be in person using the guidelines of AEA. Those called back will receive specific instructions at that time as to what procedures must be followed to comply with the AEA regulations. Non-AEA who did not attend 5x5 and want to audition for Season 43 are welcome to call our box office to schedule an appointment for an initial audition.
***NOTE#3 For those submitting video auditions, please send a separate recording for each character. You can read for as many as you want - just send a separate video file for each. Thank you!
Roles are open to both Equity and Non-Equity. EMC points may be received for Non-Equity performers. Non-Equity performers are paid for rehearsal and performances.
Actors of all ages, ethnicities, and gender identities encouraged to submit. In reference to the character descriptions below—most characters we encounter currently are on the binary and are written with he/him or she/her pronouns and you will see that in the following descriptions. But however limiting the descriptions are, our casting seeks to be as inclusive as possible and we invite gender non-conforming, genderqueer, transgender and non-binary actors to submit for the roles they most identify with. We will also list race/ethnicity when specific to the character but are otherwise seeking all races and ethnicities. Let us know if you have any questions, concerns, or if there are any accommodations we can provide (Language developed by Kevin Kantor and Emily Tarquin from the Actors Theatre of Louisville).
Audition Requirements for all shows - AUDITIONS BY APPOINTMENT ONLY!
To make an appointment, please call Stage West at (817) 784-9378, Tuesday-Friday 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, and Saturday 12:00 PM to 3:00PM. Auditions will involve cold readings from the script. Scripts are available at the Stage West offices. Auditions will be held at Stage West, 823 W Vickery.
Advance perusal of the script is requested. Note: Local Hire only.
Actors are welcome and encouraged to notate COVID-19 vaccination status on their resume.
Video submission deadline for all six shows is August 1, 2021.
Please send video submissions to garretstorms [at] stagewest.org
JQA
by Aaron Posner
Director: Emily Scott Banks
Sides: JQA(A)-GW(D) JQA(B)-HC(C) JQA(B)-Louisa(A) JQA(C)-AJ(B) JQA(D)-FD(B)
John Quincy Adams lived his life backwards: brilliant diplomat in his youth, fervent congressman as a man, ineffectual president in his prime. This unique and timely play imagines a kaleidoscope of confrontations between JQA and some of his key contemporaries. At once provocative and patriotic, this power play challenges the way we think of our country and shines a curious spotlight on the American experiment as it continues to evolve.
Roles:
A - (Female, 20’s - 30’s) plays JQA, L. Adams, A. Lincoln
B - (Male, Black, 30s - 40s) plays JQA, A. Jackson, F. Douglass
C - (Male, 50’s) plays JQA, J. Adams, H. Clay
D - (Male or Female, 60’s - 80’s) plays JQA, G. Washington, A. Adams, L. Adams
Audition Dates/Times:
Initials - Saturday, August 7, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM (AEA must submit initial audition via video - please see above note#2)
Callbacks - Wednesday, August 11, 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM
*NOTE: Those who attended the General Auditions will be considered for callbacks, and NEED NOT attend initials.
Rehearsals:
Begin Monday, September 13, 2021. Rehearsal schedule is Monday through Saturday with Sundays off.
(Rehearsal times are Mondays through Fridays 7-11PM, and Saturdays 1-5PM and 6:30-9:30PM. Times are subject
to change.)
Performances:
Thursday, October 7, 2021 through Sunday, October 31, 2021 at Stage West, 821 W Vickery.
[Note: performances will be Thursdays at 7:30PM, Fridays at 8:00PM, Saturdays 8:00PM, and Sundays at 3:00PM].
WITCH
by Jen Silverman
Director: Kara-Lynn Vaeni
Sides: Cuddy Elizabeth1 Elizabeth2 Frank Sir Arthur Winnifred
Mischief lurks in the sleepy village of Edmonton, as a slick young devil arrives in search of a few fresh souls. As the townsfolk reveal their deepest secrets and desires, bargains are struck, tables are turned, and an outcast woman living at the edge of the village proves to be much more than she seems. This inventive and fiendishly funny tale reminds you to be careful what you wish for.
Roles:
ELIZABETH - (f, 40s-50s) Elizabeth is an outcast. She is pragmatic, dry, funny, armored. She deflects with sharp humor. Her loneliness is a wound, but it is deeply buried. When we see glimpses of this wound, it is still raw. She discovers something new about herself by the end of the play – a certainty that is stronger than anything she has ever felt.
SIR ARTHUR - (m, 50s-60s). Authoritative, entitled, kind, used to being obeyed. Wealthy and powerful. He misses his dead wife, and the loneliness he feels is an engine propelling him through the play. He is a man who is rooted in tradition, conventionality. He loves his son deeply, but doesn’t understand him.
CUDDY - (m, 20s-early 30s). Sir Arthur’s son, painfully shy. A morris-dancer. He is secretly in love with Frank (and also in hate).
FRANK - (m, 20s-early 30s). Frank was a working-class guy who has lucked his way into a different class bracket, a different kind of access. He is attractive and charming but capable of flashes of real ruthlessness. He knows what it’s like to not have enough, and he has set his sights on a different future. His entire core is built on something that is a mix of boundless ambition and desperation.
WINNIFRED - (f, 20s-early 30s). Sir Arthur’s servant. When we meet her she is hopeful, naïve, but with a dry sense of humor. She loves Frank and she’s still waiting for him to be his best self again. By the end of the play, she has become someone with a pragmatic resolve, and comfortable with this state of affairs.
*NOTE - The role of SCRATCH has been cast.
Audition Dates/Times:
Initials - Sunday, August 8, 1:00 PM - 8:00 PM (AEA must submit initial audition via video - please see above note#2)
Callbacks - Tuesday, August 10, 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM
*NOTE: Those who attended the General Auditions will be considered for callbacks, and NEED NOT attend initials.
Rehearsals:
Begin Monday, February 21, 2022. Rehearsal schedule is Monday through Saturday with Sundays off.
Rehearsal times are Mondays through Fridays 7-11PM, Saturdays 1-5PM and 6:30-9:30PM. Times are subject to change.
Performances:
Thursday, March 17, 2022 through Sunday, April 10, 2022 at Stage West, 821 W Vickery.
[Note: performances will be Thursdays at 7:30PM, Fridays at 8:00PM, Saturdays at 8:00PM, and Sundays at 3:00PM]
SCROOGE IN ROUGE
Book and Lyrics by Ricky Graham
Additional Material by Jeffery Roberson
Other Interesting Bits by Yvette Hargis
Original Music Composed by Jefferson Turner
Director: Danielle Georgiou
Sides: Charlie-Vesta1 Charlie-Vesta2 Lottie-Vesta1 Lottie-Vesta2
The Royal Music Hall Variety Players' production of A Christmas Carol is in a pickle after twenty members of the company suddenly fall ill. This leaves the three remaining members to plow on (so to speak) through a musical performance of the Dickens classic. Expect missed cues, unfamiliar characters, and costume mishaps aplenty. With cheeky puns and bawdy songs, this quick-change, cross-dressing version of the Christmas tale is a hilarious holiday treat!
Roles:
CHARLIE - A character actor who thinks he/she/they is/are God’s gift to theatre and dives headfirst into each role he/she/they take(s) on. Plays Fred, Bob Cratchit, Marley’s Ghost, the Ghost of Christmas Past, Mrs. Fezziwig, Devil, and Mrs. Dilber.
LOTTIE - A skilled singer who is less confident in his/her/their character work than Charlie, but who takes on each part enthusiastically and loses him/her/themself in song. Plays Charity Dowager, Fan, Mr. Fezziwig, Alice, the Ghost of Christmas Present, Mrs. Martha Cratchit, Hermione, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, Mrs. Dilber, Street Boy.
VESTA - A male impersonator who often functions as the straight man, but who has a great sense of humor and timing. Plays Scrooge and Gladys.
*NOTE - The role of Alfred Da Cappo has been cast.
Audition Dates/Times:
Initials - Monday, August 9, 4:00 PM - 11:00 PM (AEA must submit initial audition via video - please see above note#2)
Callbacks - Thursday, August 12, 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM
*NOTE: Those who attended the General Auditions will be considered for callbacks, and NEED NOT attend initials.
Rehearsals:
Begin Monday, November 8, 2021. Rehearsal schedule is Monday through Saturday with Sundays off. (No rehearsal on November 25, 2021.)
Rehearsal times are Mondays through Fridays 7-11PM, and Saturdays 1-5PM and 6:30-9:30PM. Times are subject to change.
Performances:
Are Thursday, December 2, 2021 through Sunday, December 24, 2021 at Stage West, 821 W Vickery.
[Note: performances will be Thursdays at 7:30PM, Fridays at 8:00PM, Saturdays at 8:00PM, and Sundays at 3:00PM. NOTE- ADDED PERFORMANCES on Tuesday, December 21, 2021 at 7:30PM and Wednesday, December 22, 2021 at 7:30PM.]
CHURCH & STATE
by Jason Odell Williams
Director: Jenna Burnett
Sides: Marshall Reporter Tom Alex1 Alex2
Three days before his bid for re-election - in the wake of another school shooting - a U.S. Senator has a life-altering crisis of faith, triggering an off-the-cuff comment which sends the entire campaign into a tailspin. His wife and campaign manager try to contain the damage, but in a country where religion influences politics and politics have become a religion, how do you reach the people and stay true to yourself? A timely and fast-paced story that is simultaneously funny, heartbreaking, and uplifting.
Roles:
Alex Klein - Female. 30s-40s. Charlie’s campaign manager. A fast-talking, no-nonsense liberal Jew from New York whose star is on the rise as a go-to campaign manager. Hired by the Whitmore campaign so she wouldn’t defeat him working for the other side. She is great at her job, but knows her career is on the line if this election goes badly. Her self-doubt bubbles to the surface at times, but she’s clearly a professional at the top of her game. Seeking a Jewish actress for this role.
Tom/Marshall/Reporter/Security Guy - Male. 20s-30s. Tom is a paid intern with the campaign. Simple with a good heart. Tom is an NC State graduate and North Carolina boy through and through; more “country”, while Marshall is more of a “Southern gentleman.” Marshall is a blogger with Christian values but not much journalistic experience. Reporter is a smart, charming, on-the-scene news reporter. Security Guy is a typical non-speaking bodyguard.
*NOTE - All other roles have been cast.
Audition Dates/Times:
Initials - Saturday, August 21, 1:30 PM - 5:00 PM (AEA must submit initial audition via video - please see above note#2)
Callbacks - Monday, August 23, 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM
*NOTE: Those who would like to be considered for the role of Alex Klein and also attended the General Auditions are still ENCOURAGED to attend initials. Otherwise, those who attended the General Auditions will be considered for callbacks, and NEED NOT attend initials.
Rehearsals:
Begin Monday, January 3, 2022. Rehearsal schedule is Monday through Saturday with Sundays off.
Rehearsal times are Mondays through Fridays 7-11PM, and Saturdays 1-5PM and 6:30-9:30PM. Times are subject to change.
Performances:
Thursday, January 27, 2022 through Sunday, February 20, 2022 at Stage West, 821 W Vickery.
[Note: performances will be Thursdays at 7:30PM, Fridays at 8:00PM, Saturdays at 8:00PM, and Sundays at 3:00PM].
INTO THE BREECHES
by George Brant
Director: Joanne Zipay
It’s 1942, and there’s a problem at the Oberon Playhouse! With the director and leading men all off at war, it looks like the season will be cancelled. That is, until a determined group of ladies rally the troops at home to mount an all-female production. The hilariously unexpected team comes together, united by their determination that the show must go on! This delightful and moving backstage comedy examines the power of art to bring us together, even in the hardest of times.
Roles:
Winifred Snow - Female. 50s. Caucasian. The untalented but enthusiastic socialite, plays Falstaff.
*NOTE - All other roles have been cast.
Audition Dates/Times:
Initials - Saturday, August 21, 10:00 AM - 1:30 PM (AEA must submit initial audition via video - please see above note#2)
Callbacks - Monday, August 23, 9:00 PM - 10:00 PM
*NOTE: Those who attended the General Auditions will be considered for callbacks, and NEED NOT attend initials.
Rehearsals:
Begin Monday, May 16, 2022. Rehearsal schedule is Monday through Saturday with Sundays off.
Rehearsal times are Mondays through Fridays 7-11PM, and Saturdays 1-5PM and 6:30-9:30PM. Times are subject to change.
Performances:
Thursday, June 9, 2022 through Sunday, July 3, 2022 at Stage West, 821 W Vickery.
[Note: performances will be Thursdays at 7:30PM, Fridays at 8:00PM, Saturdays at 8:00PM, and Sundays at 3:00PM].
BETWEEN RIVERSIDE & CRAZY
by Stephen Adly Guirgis
Director: Ruben Carrazana
Ex-NYPD cop and recent widower Walter "Pops" Washington is under a lot of pressure. He is stubbornly pursuing a lawsuit over an officer-involved shooting. Barely holding on to the rent-controlled apartment he shares with his newly paroled son and motley surrogate family, he is ready to accept neither payout nor surrender. But as tensions come to a head in a swirl of demands from family and friends, a final ultimatum from former colleagues causes “Pops” to draw the line and make some demands of his own.
Roles:
Junior - Male. 30s. Black. Pops’ son and currently dating Lulu. Trying to work his way through life as best he can. At odds with Pops and is perhaps doing some illegal activity to make a few bucks. Stuck at the moment.
*NOTE - All other roles have been cast.
Audition Dates/Times:
Initials - Saturday, August 21, 10:00 AM - 1:30 PM (AEA must submit initial audition via video - please see above note#2)
Callbacks - Monday, August 23, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
*NOTE: Those who attended the General Auditions will be considered for callbacks, and NEED NOT attend initials.
Rehearsals:
Begin Monday, July 25, 2022. Rehearsal schedule is Monday through Saturday with Sundays off.
Rehearsal times are Mondays through Fridays 7-11PM, and Saturdays 1-5PM and 6:30-9:30PM. Times are subject to change.
Performances:
Thursday, August 18, 2022 through Sunday, September 11, 2022 at Stage West, 821 W Vickery.
[Note: performances will be Thursdays at 7:30PM, Fridays at 8:00PM, Saturdays at 8:00PM, and Sundays at 3:00PM].
