AMENIA’S SPY-CATCHER — Amenia Town Hall Theater - Amenia Historical Society

Non Equity Auditions

AMENIA’S SPYCATCHER — Amenia Town Hall Theater

*Please note Amenia’s Spycatcher is produced by the Amenia Historical Society, a local non profit.  Performers will receive an $800-$1000 stipend depending on the part.  No housing is offered.

The Amenia Historical Society is holding auditions on  Wednesday, May 27,  7 pm and Saturday, May 30, 3 pm for Amenia’s Spycatcher,  a new historical drama to celebrate the 250 anniversary of the American Revolution.  Auditions will be held at the Amenia Town Hall, 4988 Route 22, Amenia, New York. 

Please bring possible rehearsal and/or performance conflicts to the audition.  If you have one, bring a one to two minute prepared monologue and head shot and resume.  You will be asked to read from the script.  

Performances:

Friday, August 21,  8 pm

Saturday, August 22, 8 pm

Sunday, August 23,  2 pm.

Required Tech Rehearsals:

Wednesday, August 19, 6 pm

Thursday, August 20, 6 pm

Rehearsals begin 

After July 15

PRODUCTION TEAM

Director — George Bistransin

PLOT:

Amenia’s Spy-catcher is an adventure, full of intrigue, that weaves historical facts from many different sources into a fictional historical drama.   The play retells generally unknown but remarkable events that happened to Amenia residents Ephraim and Mary Paine between 1777 and 1785.  Ephraim Paine held many offices, including being Dutchess County Judge and delegate to Continental Congress.  The play takes inspiration from “Grandmother’s Spy” by Paine’s descendent Martha Bockee Flint, which tells how Mary Paine caught a man who she believed was a British Spy.   The Second Act uses material from the Journal of Baroness Von Riedesel, wife of a German General who came through Amenia in 1778.  The Third Act takes place shortly before Ephraim Paine’s death on August 10, 1785 and uses details from his will.   The play includes anecdotes from Newton Reed’s Early History of Amenia and information about Ephraim Paine from Letters of Members of the Continental Congress, including his own letters. Wherever possible Paine’s actual words have been used. 

 

CHARACTER BREAKDOWN:

 

Ephraim Paine

Male, 40-60, hot-headed radical politician, member of the Continental Congress with reputation for being honest; although a judge he dresses and acts like a laborer, rough around the edges, he swears and quotes scripture  

 

Mary Paine

Female, 20-35  Ephraim’s second wife, naive, looking for something more than being a farmer’s wife    

 

Elizabeth Paine: Female, 13-20,  Ephraim and Mary’s daughter, spoiled child 

Ezra Smith: Male, 20-60, American Soldier (Act I ) and Ephraim’s political colleague (Act III); stage combat experience preferred

Lionel Lincoln: male, 20-35, dashing young man, handsome, elegant, double spy; stage combat experience preferred

Baroness Frederika Von Riedesel: 20-50, imperious, aristocratic, could have German accent, captured wife of German General fighting for the British

To submit and set an audition appointment send head shot and resume or letter of interest to ludicrum@yahoo.com

For information, contact George Bistransin at ludicrum@yahoo.com or 937-708-9717

Salary: $800-$1000 stipend