Barrington Stage Company 2011 Season
– Equity Performer Auditions by APPOINTMENT in MA
Pittsfield MA LOA, SPT (approval/salary level pending; 2010 min. weekly salary: $502 (LOA & SPT).
Artistic Dir: Julianne Boyd
Managing Dir: Tristan Wilson
CD: Pat McCorkle, CSA
Equity Performer Auditions (Principal/Chorus) by APPOINTMENT:
Monday, February 14, 2011 Barrington Stage Company Mainstage
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 30 Union Street
11:30 AM – 3:30 PM both days. Pittsfield, MA 01201
For a five-minute appointment, call Ivey at 413/499-5446, x100. Equity Members without appointments will be seen throughout each audition session, as time permits.
Please prepare a brief monologue and/or brief musical selection. Bring sheet music; accompanist provided both days.
Please bring a picture and resume, stapled together.
All dates are in 2011. All listed roles/chorus positions are available unless otherwise noted. Auditioning performers will be considered as possible replacements for pre-cast roles, should any become necessary.
Mainstage productions (LOA contracts):
GUYS aND DOLLS Score: Frank Loesser. Book: Book: Abe Burrows, Jo Swerling, Damon Runyon.
Dir: John Rando. Mus Dir: Darren Cohen. Choreo: Joshua Bergasse. 1st reh: 5/24. Runs 6/15-7/16.
Benny Southstreet:
25-50. Small-time gambler, works with Nicely (for Nathan). Comic timing a must. Baritone (Db – high G).
Big Jule:
Man, 35-55. Large, tough gun-toting gangster/kingpin from Chicago. In town with Harry for a big crap game. Short temper, intimidating. Solid Chicago accent. Baritone.
Harry The Horse:
24-50. Gambler from Brooklyn. Anxious for a big crap game, since he brought the very imposing Big Jule to town. Baritone.
Lt. Brannigan:
30-65. Frustrated policeman chasing after Nathan and his partners-in-crime; trying to find out where the next illegal crap game is happening.
Nathan Detroit:
32-45. Lovable/charming yet feckless gambler. The main entrepreneur in town, trying to arrange a big crap game. Loves Adelaide, his fiancée of 14 years, who disapproves of the gambling. Finds himself financially strapped. Excellent comic timing. Baritone (D – high F).
Nicely-Nicely Johnson:
Man, 24-50. Comic gangster; timing a must. Nathan’s sidekick. Bumbling gambler who spends a lot of time eating. Strong character actor/great singer. Tenor (Db – high Bb).
Rusty Charlie:
24-50. Another gambler who works with Nicely (for Nathan). Comic timing a must. Baritone (Db – G).
Sarah Brown:
18-30. Beautiful and strong yet innocent and prim sergeant of Save-a-Soul Mission. Proud, hard-working leader, but also vulnerable and naïve. Struggles to resist falling in love with Sky. Excellent singer. Soprano (B – high A).
Sky Masterson:
Man, 26-38. Charismatic, handsome. Quintessential smart-talking, suave, wandering gambler. Known as the highest crap game player of them all, because of how high he bets. Real charmer with women, but not sleazy—slick, but finds he has a soft spot for Sarah. Baritone (B – Eb).
Ensemble:
Characters include (but are not necessarily limited to)
Cuban Dancer/Crapshooter: Male, 20s-30s. Sexy, great singer, great dancer. Lots of energy.
Two Hot Box Girls: 20s-30s. Sexy, great singers, great dancers. Lots of energy.
Arvide Abernathy:
CAST. Man, 60-75. Sarah’s kind-hearted, wise grandfather/guardian; supportive and protective. Baritone (D – high F).
Gen. Matilda B. Cartwright:
CAST. 35-65. Save-a-Soul Mission matron. Severe on the outside (because she believes deeply in her work), but a kind heart within. Mezzo (E – high A or C).
Miss Adelaide:
CAST. 30-40. Comic version of the classic gambler’s moll. Sweet, endearing and sexy, with a lot of personality. Lead performer at the Hot Box Club. Tired, frustrated and has a permanent cold from being engaged to Nathan for 14 years. Thick NY accent. Mezzo (A – D).
THE BEST OF ENEMIES by Mark St. Germain. Inspired by Osha Gray Davidson’s book. Dir: Julianne Boyd. 1st reh: 7/1. Runs 7/21-8/6.
Story of the relationship of C. P. Ellis, Exalted Cyclops of the Ku Klux Klan, and black civil rights activist Ann Atwater. Fueled by the hatred they felt for each other, Ellis and Atwater faced off as co-chairpersons of a committee to debate school de-segregation in Durham, NC in 1971. Story exposes the poison of prejudice through Atwater and Ellis, who, by facing their enemy, are forced to face themselves and discover the true enemy they share.
Ann Atwater:
African American, 35-45. Civil rights activist. Smart, powerful steamroller of a woman. The most dangerous kind of adversary – one who has nothing to lose.
C. P. Ellis:
Caucasian man, 35-45. Exalted Cyclops of the Durham Ku Klux Klan. Filled with pride and the righteousness of having truth and God on his side. Will do anything necessary to protect his family and country from a disintegrating society trying to destroy them.
Bill Riddick:
African American, 25-35. Community organizer. College-educated, smart and charming – and he knows it. Determined to advance civil rights, and his own career as well.
Mary Ellis:
Caucasian; a few years younger than her husband C. P. While C. P. is out “saving” the world, Mary’s at home, trying to save their troubled family and marriage. Strong, shrewd, with no formal education. Won’t get involved in racial issues; certain that the problems all men face are much deeper than skin color.
THE GAmE Music: Megan Cavallari. Book/Lyrics: Amy Powers and David Topchik. Based on the novel “Les Liaisons Dangereuses”. Dir: Julianne Boyd. Choreo: Joshua Bergasse. Mus Dir: Darren Cohen. 1st reh: 7/19. Runs 8/11-8/28.
Based on the 18th-Century scandalous novel of sexual intrigue in France before the revolution. The beautiful but dangerous Marquise de Merteuil and her equally fascinating former lover, Vicomte de Valmont, challenge each other to play games with those more innocent than they. Seduction, betrayal and revenge ensue, changing the fortunes and lives of Merteuil and Valmont and all who play their games unwittingly.
Marquise de Merteuil:
Mid - late 30s. Widow. Beautiful, warm, witty. Calculating, though not cold. At the height of her social powers. Must be a superb singer (mezzo from low G below middle C to high G (two octaves)).
Vicomte de Valmont:
Late 30s. Irresistible … and knows it. Consummate seducer—handsome, charming, calculating and witty. Must be an excellent singer (baritone with top (two A’s below middle C up to F above middle C).
Cecile:
18. Fresh from the convent; innocent, trusting, eager to please, curiously lacking in social graces. Actress must have a wonderful comic sense. Soprano (A below middle C to high A).
Chevalier Danceny:
Early 20s. Innocent, trusting, youthful sexiness; overzealous in romantic endeavors. Actor must have a wonderful comic sense. Tenor (C below middle C to A above middle C) – must be a really strong singer – has complicated, intricate parts to sing.
Mme de Volanges:
Late 30s – early 40s. Widow. Nervous, chatty, petty, strenuous social striver. Merteuil’s cousin. Must be an excellent singer (G below middle C to A two octaves above middle C).
Mme de Rosemonde:
Mid 50s – 60. Smart, dignified, independent, worldly. Range: F below middle C to two F’s above middle C.
Ensemble:
Characters include (but are not necessarily limited to)
Julien: Late 20s/30s. Servant, opera singer and as cast. High tenor, from C below middle C up to G above middle C. High for opera parody.
Mme de Tourvel:
CAST. Early – mid 30s. Angelically beautiful, disarmingly earnest, deeply devout. Superb singer needed (soprano with low notes (A below middle C to high A)).
LORD OF THE FLIES by William Golding. Adaptation: Nigel Williams. Dir: Christopher Innvar. 1st reh: 9/13. Runs 10/5-10/23.
Marooned on a desert island during wartime, English schoolboys find themselves in a world without rules. At first a fun island utopia with no adults or discipline, the situation tests their inherent morality, as they struggle to survive on their own. Alliances are formed as the boys begin turning on one another, and they uncover an underlying savagery to their natures which leads to a wild descent into madness, violence and ultimately to murder.
Important note:
For these boys’ roles, seeking actors 18+ who must “read” young (i.e. 13-16):
Ralph:
13. Sensible boy who is elected leader of the group, and grows up quickly as he witnesses the disturbing disintegration of the miniature civilization that he tries to build on the island. Sincere, well-meaning. Represents man's desire to be civilized.
Jack:
One of the older boys. Choir prefect who becomes the leader of the hunters— a "rebel" group. Tries to be fearless, but shows hints that he is still a child, too. Initiates violence on the island, and seeks total power through increasingly barbaric means. Cruel, manipulative, aggressive. Represents man's savage instinct.
Piggy:
Tag-along supporter of Ralph. Short, plump. Gets bullied for his weight, lack of physical strength and because he wears glasses. Smart, inventive. Represents the scientific and rational side of civilization. Mature and practical, but doesn't have any of his own power over the boys.
Roger:
Supporter of Jack. Independent/a loner. Sadistic older bully who eventually murders Piggy.
Simon:
The outsider of the group, in terms of temperament. Shy, sensitive, perceptive and inherently kind without being weak. Represents a peaceful spirituality and an intrinsic good morality, not even dictated by society.
Maurice:
“Class clown” of the group. Big, innocent, amiable but not bright. Treats the situation as if it’s all a game.
GOING TO ST. IVES by Lee Blessing. Dir: Tyler Marchant. 1st reh: 5/31. Runs 6/22-7/10.
May N'Kame, the mother of an African dictator, travels to England to see Dr. Cora Gage about medical treatment for her failing eyesight. Dr. Gage uses the consultation as an opportunity to raise the issue of the imprisonment of some of her colleagues. Meanwhile, May’s true motive in visiting the doctor is to obtain a poison with which to kill her murderous son. Two impressive women are brought together by that which is personal and divided by that which is political, as both seek to accomplish the greatest good.
May N’Kame:
Black African character, 50s-60s. Mother of a vicious African dictator. Imposing presence who is equal parts regal, sophisticated and intelligent. Bravely facing impossible circumstances; tries to hold on to her perception of the greater good. Commands the room she enters.
Dr. Cora Gage:
CAST. Caucasian Englishwoman, 40s. Famous, affluent eye surgeon. Very bright and strong-willed. Poised, but at the brink. Haunted by the tragic death of her son.
MORMONS, MOTHERS & MONSTERS Music: Will Aronson. Book/Lyrics: Sam Salmond. Dir TBA.
1st reh: 6/24. Runs 7/14-7/31.
Quirky musical comedy. A boy and his Mormon mother smile their way through three shattering divorces. As he grows, the boy hides under his bed-sheets, prays fervently and tries to figure out just who is responsible for his crappy, crappy little life.
Mormon:
Seeking actor 18+ to play male character from age 4 to age 22 (the younger version of the character Me). Character is an optimistic but troubled boy who tries hard to make sense of the world. His bright-eyed religious upbringing comes into direct conflict with his crumbling family, his sexuality and the scary monster that lives under his bed. Performer must take the character seriously, while bringing out the humor of the writing. Tenor.
Mother:
40s. Determined to give her son a father (and eternal family) no matter what, even if that means ignoring blatant and difficult truths. Beautiful and warm—until she transforms. Mezzo.
Monster:
One actor plays several male roles, 40s. Actor plays various wacky characters who often scare the Mormon, including the Monster under the bed and the three bad fathers. Monster is dangerous, but has a unique charm and sense of humor. He is often the voice of the truth, or of the Mormon’s fears. Baritone.
Me:
Man, 20s. Narrator of the story. He is the character Mormon in the present day, after growing up. Has a dry sense of humor that he uses to cope with the memories. Endearing, fun, but a little jaded. Baritenor.
BETRAYAL by Harold Pinter. Dir TBA. 1st reh: 7/29. Runs 8/19-9/4.
Begins in the present, with the meeting of Emma and Jerry, whose adulterous affair of seven years ended two years earlier. Emma's marriage to Jerry’s best friend Robert is now breaking up, and she needs someone to talk to. Their reminiscences reveal that Robert knew of their affair all along and, to Jerry's dismay, regarded it with total nonchalance. Thereafter, in a series of contiguous scenes, the play moves backward in time, from the end of the Emma-Jerry affair to its beginning, throwing into relief the little lies and oblique remarks that, in this time-reverse, reveal more than direct statements or overt actions ever could.
Emma:
English, 30s-40s (slightly younger than the men). Married to Robert; had an affair with Jerry. Middle-class, runs a gallery. Very knowing. Burdened with the consequences of her choices, but capable of manipulating a situation to her advantage. Changes from scene to scene—mysterious, girlish/giddy, sexy, confident/shrewd, oblivious to her own fickleness with others, etc. A bit more moral than the men, but trust is a virtue only when it helps her. Wants more emotionally from both men than they do. British accent.
Jerry:
English, 30s-40s. Literary agent. Simmering under a passive surface. Romantic and naïve, but mysterious—shows constraint through frustration and an underlying roughness. Lives for the moment, as long as it doesn’t impinge upon his separate life with his family. Restrains true and unspoken feelings/emotions, until they combust while he is drunk at the end of the play. British accent.
Robert:
English, 30s-40s. Has a seemingly perfect life as a wealthy publisher, with a wife (Emma), children and successful career. Has an underlying darkness—hits his wife. Cynical realist who often shows blatant disdain. Very clever; finds out about Jerry and Emma’s affair. Insistent that he is in control of the situation, though Jerry sees him as the cuckold. Wronged by the others, but ostensibly in denial, as he continues to like Jerry anyway. British accent.
Waiter:
Italian man. One small, comic scene at a restaurant where Jerry and Robert have lunch.
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