The Bijou Theatre in downtown Bridgeport is excited to announce open call auditions for
Twelve Angry Men directed by Kevin McNair. This will be the third in The Bijou Theatre’s first Main Stage Theatre Series.
Open call auditions will take place on Sunday, November 16th from 4:00pm-7:00pm, Monday and November 17th from 7:30pm-9:30pm. Callbacks, if necessary, will take place Wednesday, November 19th at 7:30pm. Actors will audition in order of arrival. Sign up begins at 7:00pm. All auditions will take place at The Bijou Arts Center, 277 Fairfield Avenue, Bridgeport, CT. The Bijou Arts Center is located on the second floor upon entering the glass door next to The Bijou Theatre Box Office. Ascend the stairs directly opposite the glass door. Signs will be posted.
Twelve Angry Men written by Reginald Rose, adapted from his 1954 teleplay for CBS, depicts a jury forced to consider a homicide trial. At the beginning, they have a nearly unanimous decision of guilty, with a single dissenter of not-guilty, who throughout the play sows a seed of reasonable doubt. The story begins after closing arguments have been presented in the homicide case, as the judge is giving his instructions to the jury. The case at hand pertains to whether a young man murdered his own father. The jury is further instructed that a guilty verdict will be accompanied by a mandatory death sentence. These twelve then move to the jury room, where they begin to become acquainted with the personalities of their peers. Several of the jurors have different reasons for discriminating against the witness: his race, his background, and the troubled relationship between one juror and his own son.
Twelve Angry Men requires strong male actors. Most roles featured. All roles open. Non-Equity, no pay. All types and ethnicities are encouraged to audition. Ages 16 and up. All actors should bring a current headshot (or recent photo) and 1 page acting resume or list of theater/performing experience. Please prepare a short contemporary monologue (no longer than 1 minute), and be prepared to read from the script.
General rehearsal schedule for
Twelve Angry Men is Mondays through Thursdays from7:30pm-10:00pm and Sundays between 2:30pm and 6:30pm. Rehearsals begin around December 8th. The show runs January 30th through February 8that The Bijou Theatre, 275 Fairfield Ave., Bridgeport.
Character Breakdown for Actors Auditioning:
FOREMAN
A small, petty man who is impressed with the authority he has and handles himself quite formally. Not overly bright, but dogged.
JUROR NUMBER TWO
A meek, hesitant man who finds it difficult to maintain any opinions of his own. Easily swayed and usually adopts the opinion of the last person to whom he has spoken.
JUROR NUMBER THREE
A very strong, very forceful, extremely opinionated man within whom can be detected a streak of sadism. A humorless man who is intolerant of opinions other than his own and accustomed to forcing his wishes and views upon others.
JUROR NUMBER FOUR
Seems to be a man of wealth and position. A practiced speaker who presents himself well at all times. Seems to feel a little bit above the rest of the jurors. His only concern is with the facts in this case, and he is appalled at the behavior of the others.
JUROR NUMBER FIVE
A naïve, very frightened young man who takes his obligations in this case very seriously, but who finds it difficult to speak up when his elders have the floor.
JUROR NUMBER SIX
An honest but dull-witted man who comes upon his decisions slowly and carefully. A man who finds it difficult to create positive opinions, but who must listen to and digest and accept those opinions offered by others which appeal to him most.
JUROR NUMBER SEVEN
A loud, flashy, glad-handed salesman type who has more important things to do than to sit on a jury. He is quick to show temper, quick to form opinions on things about which he knows nothing. Is a bully and, of course, a coward.
JUROR NUMBER EIGHT
A quiet, thoughtful, gentle man. A man who sees all sides of every question and constantly seeks the truth. A man of strength tempered with compassion. Above all, a man who wants justice to be done and will fight to see that it is.
JUROR NUMBER NINE
A mild, gentle old man, long since defeated by life and now merely waiting to die. A man who recognizes himself for what he is and mourns the days when it would have been possible to be courageous without shielding himself behind his many years.
JUROR NUMBER TEN
An angry, bitter man. A man who antagonizes almost at sight. A bigot who places no values on any human life save his own. A man who has been nowhere and is going nowhere and knows it deep within him.
JUROR NUMBER ELEVEN
A refugee from Europe who had come to this country in 1941. A man who speaks with an accent and who is ashamed, humble, almost subservient to the people around him, but who will honestly seek justice because he has suffered through so much injustice.
JUROR NUMBER TWELVE
A slick, bright advertising man who thinks of human beings in terms of percentages, graphs, and polls and has no real understanding of people. A superficial snob, but trying to be a good fellow.
The Bijou Performing Arts Center is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to providing visual and performing arts programs and events for the community. The Bijou Performing Arts Center offers educational programs in Dance though New England Ballet, Music & Theatre, as well as special events and live theatre performances. Private donations, grants, tuition fees & ticket sales fund the Bijou Arts Center, which is located at 275 Fairfield Avenue in Downtown Bridgeport. The Bijou Theatre, one of the oldest buildings in the country used as a movie house, reopened its doors in 2011. In addition to continuing its historic character of showing movies, the Theatre offers a full repertoire of live music, comedy, theater and dance, which can be enjoyed in either theater seating or cabaret style. The Bijou Theatre is a multi–functional venue with integrity and an open-minded philosophy- a symposium for film, theatre, art, comedy and music. The Theatre is available for private rentals, holiday parties, corporate events, and much more. For further information, call
(203) 332-3228 or visit
thebijoutheatre.com. |
|
|
|
