La Jolla Playhouse
CONTRACT
LORT Non-Rep $1008 weekly minimum (LORT B)
SEEKING
Equity actors for roles in La Jolla Playhouse's 2022-23 Season (see breakdown).
Actors of all ethnicities and actors with disabilities are encouraged to submit.
INSTRUCTIONS
SEE PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS IN BREAKDOWN. Submit video, resume, and headshot via: https://formspring-xpeow.formstack.com/forms/ljp_open_call_submission_form . Deadline: Friday, March 11 at 5pm Pacific.
Deadline: Fri, Mar 11, 2022
PERSONNEL
Casting Director: Jacole Kitchen (viewing auditions)
HERE THERE ARE BLUEBERRIES:
In association with Tectonic Theater Project
Conceived and directed by Moisés Kaufman
Written by Moisés Kaufman and Amanda Gronich
MOTHER RUSSIA
By Lauren Yee
Directed by Tyne Rafaeli
AS YOU LIKE IT
By William Shakespeare
Co-Directed by Christopher Ashley and Will Davies
OTHER DATES
HERE THERE ARE BLUEBERRIES
Rehearsals start – June 21, 2022
Previews start – July 26, 2022
Opens – July 31, 2022
Closes – August 28, 2022
MOTHER RUSSIA
Rehearsals start – August 16, 2022
Previews start – September 20, 2022
Opens – September 29, 2022
Closes – October 16, 2022
AS YOU LIKE IT
Rehearsals start – October 6, 2022
Previews start – November 15, 2022
Opens – November 20, 2022
Closes – December 18, 2022
OTHER
Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimination. Equity is committed to diversity and encourages all its employers to engage in a policy of equal employment opportunity designed to promote a positive model of inclusion. As such, Equity encourages performers of all ethnicities, gender identities, and ages, as well as performers with disabilities, to submit.
BREAKDOWN
PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:
Please submit either two contrasting songs, one song and monologue, 2 contrasting monologues or any combination thereof. Total audition should not exceed 4 minutes total. You may also use the accompaniment provided at https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1g_nzKf3HhU13elCmaGtcCKQYIaxQc4BW?usp=sharing .
No roles will be understudied.
HERE THERE ARE BLUEBERRIES
An album of never-before-seen World War II-era photographs arrives at the desk of United States Holocaust Memorial Museum archivist Rebecca Erbelding. As Rebecca and her team of historians begin to unravel the shocking story behind the images, the album soon makes headlines around the world. In Germany, a businessman sees the album online and recognizes his own grandfather in the photos. He begins a journey of discovery that will take him into the lives of other Nazi descendants — in a reckoning of his family’s past and his country’s history. Here There Are Blueberries tells the story of these photographs, and what they reveal about the Holocaust and our own humanity.
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN:
Seeking a diverse and dynamic group of actors with great vocal and physical facility to make up this cast. We're looking for actors who have demonstrable experience in devised theater work. Brechtian technique a plus. We are looking to diversify the cast as much as possible, to reflect the heterogeneity of Auschwitz during this time period, and the world that exists now in its wake. Except where otherwise indicated, actors of all ethnic & cultural backgrounds, actors of all sizes, non-binary actors, gender non-conforming actors, and actors with authentic disabilities of any kind are encouraged to submit.
REBECCA ERBELDING (she/her). Caucasian. 30s. The head intake archivist at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. Rebecca takes us on the journey of this play. She leads with an intense curiosity that's compelling yet relentless. The wheels are always turning.
JUDY COHEN (she/her). Any ethnicity. 60's-early 70's. The Director of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum's photographic collection. Studies the pictures like a puzzle and gets excited when the dots connect! Judy has been around long enough to know that blinders are the only way to get by in a job like this. She can focus on the details and that helps her make it through.
RAINER HÖSS AND OTHERS (he/they). Caucasian. Late 20s-early 30s. As a teen, Rainer Höss comes undone when he learns about his family's role in Auschwitz. By the time we meet him, he is a dangerous thug. To know him is to know he is broken.
CHARLOTTE SCHUNZEL AND OTHERS (she/they) 30s-40s. Methodical but not unfeeling, Charlotte acted as a receptionist and coordinated arrivals on the camp. Actors of Color are encouraged to submit for this role.
PETER WIRTHS, HEINZ BAUMKÖTTER AND OTHERS (he/him). 50’s – 60’s. Peter Wirths is coming to terms with his family history - a combination of empathy and remorse for what his father participated in and had to contend with. Actors of Color are encouraged to submit for this role.
MELITA MASCHMANN, CHRISTOPH BUSCH, RUDOLPH HÖSS AND OTHERS (she/he/they). 40s. MELITA: Incredibly articulate, she is coming to terms with her role as Press and Propaganda Officer of the league of German Girls. CHRISTOPH: Very discerning, matter-of-fact disposition. The Managing Director of the Holocaust Museum in Belgium.
MOTHER RUSSIA
Welcome to St. Petersburg in the 1990s – the Berlin Wall has fallen, the Soviet Union has dissolved, and opportunity abounds. But barely competent government surveillance workers Euvgeny and Dmitri find themselves lost in their strange new world of glasnost, perestroika and McDonald’s. When they’re assigned to track Katya, a fallen popstar with international allure, a love triangle, mistaken identities and some really shoddy espionage tactics are set in motion. It’s possible they might just make it out of this mess and find happiness – if only they could make a decision. A world-premiere comedy about the curse of freedom and having to choose between the Filet-o-Fish and the Big Mac.
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN:
EUVGENY Character presents male. twenty-five. Russian. Surveillance worker for the Russian government. Son of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Practical, levelheaded, meticulous. Has never made a decision about anything in his life. His whole life has been decided for him. Longs for the freedom of a chosen life.
DMITRI Character presents male. twenty-five. Russian. Loud, boisterous and somewhat oblivious. Dreams of working for the KGB and has studied all things American in preparation for his life as a spy. A Russian meathead with a big heart. Afraid of being alone.
KATYA Character presents female. mid-30s. Ukrainian. After two years living in exile in the US, she is now living in St. Petersburg teaching music to children. A free spirit who feels she’s run out of choices. Under surveillance by the Russian government.
MOTHER RUSSIA Any gender identity or expression. Of a wise age. Everything and everyone, and nothing at all. All-seeing and all-knowing but rarely heeded.
AS YOU LIKE IT:
In this reimagined As You Like It, co-directors Christopher Ashley and Will Davis take audiences into the vibrant, wild woods, where our preconceived notions topple in the face of the malleability of gender and sexual identity, and limitless potential of the human heart. In these woods, who you want to be is entirely up to you…
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN:
La Jolla Playhouse is seeking to create a dynamic, sexy, intergenerational, body positive company of actors, who challenge the binary, and expand ideas surrounding gender identity and expression to play the following roles. Actors of color, actors with disabilities and actors of all gender expressions are encouraged to submit. Musicality (sing and/or play an instrument) is a huge plus.
ROSALIND The child of the banished Duke Senior, falls in love with Orlando right before they are exiled by ‘evil’ uncle, Duke Frederick. Rosalind escapes to the Forest of Arden disguised as Ganymede, with dearest cousin Celia & the court's fool Touchstone. In the forest, Rosalind is wooed by Orlando, who is unaware that they are, in reality, their beloved Rosalind. Rosalind is independent, clever, and has a very good heart. They inspire others around them to be better.
ORLANDO When Orlando learns that their sibling Oliver is planning to kill them, they leave home and go to the Forest of Arden with their servant Adam. Orlando is lovesick for Rosalind, leaving them love poems attached to the trees. Orlando considers themself to have great potential and is constantly striving to prove themself honorable.
DUKE FREDERICK The villain of this comedy, they banish their elder sibling Duke Senior, and eventually also exiles their sibling's child, Rosalind, from the palace. In the end, they change their ways and furthermore decide to lead a religious life. They are cruel with a nasty temper.
JAQUES A faithful lord who follows Duke Senior into the Forest of Arden in exile. Jaques jockey’s to be Duke Senior’s “fool”, but in reality, lacks the insight that is necessary. Jaques finds comfort in feeling sad and revels in their own melancholy.
TOUCHSTONE The court clown, they travel with Rosalind and Celia to the Forest of Arden. Incredibly witty and smart, Touchstone falls in love with Audrey, a dull country person. Touchstone is one of Shakespeare's fools”- judgmental, vulgar, but insightful- they see the world for what it is.
CELIA Rosalind's cousin and closest friend. Celia goes to the forest disguised as Aliena, where they fall in love with Orlando’s sibling, Oliver. Celia is extremely devoted and loyal, but also can be swept up in their own emotions.
OLIVER Older sibling to Orlando, Oliver tries to have Orlando killed. They fall for Celia, disguised as Aliena, whom they believe to be a poor shepherd. Unkind, mean-spirited, and loveless.
DUKE SENIOR After being stripped of their dukedom by their own sibling, they are banished to the Forest of Arden. Ultimately, the dukedom is returned to Duke Senior by the end of the play, but in the meantime, Duke Senior makes the most of their life in the forest. They are kind, level-headed, and fair.
ADAM The de Boys' old family servant. After being dismissed by Oliver, Adam warms Orlando that Oliver plans to kill Orlando while they sleep. Adam accompanies Orlando to the Forest of Arden. Generous and loyal.
SILVIUS A young shepherd who is desperately in love with the shepherd Phebe, who constantly rejects them. Unlike Corin, they know absolutely nothing about sheep.
PHEBE A young shepherd who rejects the advances of Silvius, as they simultaneously fall in love with Ganymede (Rosalind in disguise).
LORD AMEINS A lord attending Duke Senior. Light, jovial, and sings.
CORIN A knowledgeable shepherd, who tries to help Silvius.
AUDREY This simple country person who has trouble expressing their thoughts and cannot even begin to understand the wit of Touchstone but marries them anyway.
WILLIAM A young country person who is in love with Audrey.
Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimination. Equity is committed to diversity and encourages all its employers to engage in a policy of equal employment opportunity designed to promote a positive model of inclusion. As such, Equity encourages performers of all ethnicities, gender identities, and ages, as well as performers with disabilities, to submit.
Videos
