PAPER CUT at Island City Stage Launches Nationwide Search for Lead Actor

Island City Stage, an award-winning South Florida theater company, is mounting a nationwide lead actor search for its 15th anniversary season production of Paper Cut by Andrew Rossendorf, a dramatic look at the emotional toll of war.

The award-winning theater company is seeking male applicants, aged 25 – 40, of any ethnicity, who embody true authentic disability representation. Performers with lower limb amputations (left, right, or bilateral) are encouraged to apply for the role of Kyle, a veteran dealing with the emotional cost of war long after the battlefield has been left behind. The show will run March 11 - April 4, 2027, with rehearsals from February 16 - March 10, 2027.

“Paper Cut is a powerful and intimate story about courage, love, and resilience that challenges perceptions of what it means to be a hero,” said Andy Rogow, artistic director for Island City Stage. “While this is not the first time that we have looked outside of our local area for actors and directors for specialty roles, it is the first production that requires an actor with a true physical disability. Authenticity is key. To best honor the playwright and his work, we are committed to finding the best and most genuine actor possible for this role.”

After rehabbing at Walter Reed from injuries caused by an IED explosion, Kyle, now an amputee, finds himself navigating the personal and emotional minefield of returning home. Paper Cut is a raw exploration of the physical and emotional toll of our returning soldiers as well as the signature wound of the war in Afghanistan: the loss of limbs. And in Kyle's case, far more.

Kyle, an amputee (leg), is a 26-year-old male Afghan war veteran; rugged and attractive but weathered from major injuries and PTSD. He is gay, but not comfortably out, especially due to his military service. The role will require instances of same-sex intimacy, and an intimacy coordinator will be present.

Union and non-union talent will be considered. The contract is an AEA Single Engagement - Tier 1, Category B. Veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. Actors who live outside of a 50-mile radius from the theater will be offered round trip travel and local housing. No per diem or car is being offered at this time.

For more information about submitting an audition, please visit https://www.islandcitystage.org/auditions. The deadline to submit is Sunday, August 30, at noon EDT.

For information about Island City Stage visit islandcitystage.org.

Island City Stage