YOUR HANDS ARE THE ROADâ¦A RIDE UPON THE STAGE THROUGH QUEER AMERICAN HISTORY - Middlesex Community College Non Equity Auditions
YOUR HANDS ARE THE ROADâ¦A RIDE UPON THE STAGE THROUGH QUEER AMERICAN HISTORY - Middlesex Community College
CASTING CALL:
Houses on the Moon Theater Company
IS SEEKING ACTORS and SINGERS for WORKSHOP
AND READING OF NEW MUSICAL
CASTING BREAKDOWN:
YOUR HANDS ARE THE ROAD…
A ride upon the stage through Queer American History.
Production Type: Theatre (staged reading)
Union Status: Paid, Non-Union ($800 flat fee.)
Location: Lowell, MA (Middlesex Community College)
Time commitment: F/T rehearsals and a handful of performances, May 18th through 22nd and May 26th-30th (TBD).
Synopsis:
First public performances of a new American Musical. A contemporary non-binary teen finds an unlikely lifeline in the stories of the queer pioneers who came before them, traveling from the 1860s Gold Rush to 1980s Los Angeles to discover the original A.I.: Ancestor Intelligence.
Note on Casting: Looking for a diverse ensemble of 8-10 actors, 18+, local hires only. Several roles may be doubled (played by the same actor).
________________________________
CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS
Selected Characters: ppl I’m
PHOENIX (playing age 15-19) Era: Now, Nonbinary teen; (any sex) Earnest, sometimes insecure, proudly weird, hungering for connection and affirmation. Any race/ethnicity.
CHARLEY PARKHURST (playing age 40-60) Era: 1866. Legendary stagecoach driver; trans-masculine (Assigned female at birth.) Any race/ethnicity.
MAUDE (playing age 40-60) Era: 1866. Stagecoach station agent and storekeeper. The great but unspoken love of Charley's life. Any race/ethnicity.
GENE (playing age 18-25) Era: 1956. 19-year-old gay male college art student experiencing the thrill of first romance and the fear of discovery. Any race/ethnicity.
DAVID (playing age 18-25) Era: 1956. 20-year-old gay male college student, Gene's first love; irresistible and cool. Any race/ethnicity.
DEBORAH JOHNSON (playing age 22-35) Era: 1983. Black lesbian, polished MBA professional, and activist.
ZANDRA ROLÓN (playing age 22-35) Latina lesbian; fierce, high-energy, romantic warrior.
WILLIAM DORSEY SWANN, aka The Queen (playing age 25-40) Era: 1888. Black, gay, gender-expansive. Fabulous and dignified. Organized first recorded drag balls in the U.S. and appears in first recorded instance of resisting the police in defense of the Queer community..
DANIEL SWANN (playing age 18-30) Era:1888. William Dorsey Swann’s protective younger brother. Black. Master gown maker.
AMANDA SMITH (Playing age 35-55) Era: Now. Phoenix’s mother; loving but anxious and overworked. Any race/ethnicity.
MR. MALMAR (playing age 30-50) Era: Now. High school history teacher. Any race/ethnicity.
WALTER KULWITZKY(playing age 25-55) Era: 1983. Floor manager at French Restaurant; Any race/ethnicity.
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Self-Tape: Please prepare the provided sides and/or monologue, and song (below) for the character you are most interested in. Submit to
jeff@unerased.org no later than April 6th. For lead singing roles, we have included a voice demo track as a guide, but sing to the “just music” tracks.
In the video, please tell us briefly why you are interested in the project. In the email, attach a resume or include a paragraph describing your past performing experiences.
ABOUT THIS PROJECT:
“Your Hands are the Road…A ride upon the stage through Queer American History” is a new musical supported by the Library of Congress, drawing on the library’s vast historical collection and other sources, with a mission to share LGBTQ+ American History. The Book and Lyrics are by Jeffrey Solomon, with original Music by Raliegh Neal and developed by New York City not-for-profit
Houses on the Moon Theater Company in partnership with the educational organization
History UnErased.
YOUR HANDS ARE THE ROAD” is a celebration of queer lineage. We are committed to authentic representation and encourage performers of all backgrounds, gender identities, and lived experiences to join us in bringing this history to life.
Selected Characters with Audition Materials:
PHOENIX: Contemporary non-binary high schooler (playing age 15–18). Any sex. Phoenix is energetic, sensitive, and resilient. They are navigating a search for validation at home and school, seeking to find their own reflection within the dusty pages of the American history canon. Strong comedic timing and a versatile vocal range are required. Open to performers of all races, ethnicities, and gender identities; non-binary and gender-expansive actors are strongly encouraged to submit.
CHARLEY PARKHURST (character age 40–60): A legendary stagecoach driver in 1866 who lived his life as a man and was discovered only at his death to have been assigned female at birth. Stoic, rugged, and ornery with an acid wit. Guarded, sentimental though he wouldn’t cop to it, with a soft spot for the underdog. Open to performers of all gender identities; trans-masculine actors are strongly encouraged to submit. Any race/ethnicity.
GENE: (playing age: 18-25). Gay male college sophomore in Connecticut, 1956. A sensitive, soulful art student fleeing a state psychiatric hospital where he has been committed by his parents in an attempt to “cure” his homosexuality. Gene retains a deep, romantic yearning for connection. Seeking a performer who can balance a delicate, Beat poetic sensibility with the raw, high-stakes urgency of someone running for their life. Open to actors of all races/ethnicities.
DAVID: (playing age: 18-25) Gay young man. Gene’s first love. College Junior. Charming, effortless, cool, confident, sometimes a little goofy, wants to be a rebel. Strong singer needed. Any race or ethnicity.
DAVID SONG and SCENE
ZANDRA ROLÓN: (playing age 22-35, 1983 timeline). Latina, Lesbian. Newly out and proud. A warrior with a West Texas heart, newly in love. Idealistic, maybe naive. Seeking a performer with a vibrant, high-energy presence and deep emotional access.
DEBORAH JOHNSON: (playing age 22-35, 1983 timeline). Black, Lesbian. Zandra’s girlfriend/partner of six months. A UCLA MBA graduate navigating the white-shoe corporate world of Los Angeles. Deborah is strategic, brilliant, and poised. Seeking a performer who embodies quiet strength, professional dignity, and a razor-sharp wit.
AMANDA SMITH and MAUDE GREELEY
(These two roles may be played by the same actor. Choose one to submit for.)
AMANDA SMITH (playing age, 35-55) Timeline: Present Day. Phoenix’s mother. A woman stretched thin by a double-shift job, a failing marriage, and the anxiety of raising a non-binary teen in a world that isn't always kind. She is practical, stressed, and deeply loving, though her love often manifests as a desire for Phoenix to straighten up just to keep them safe.
MAUDE GREELEY (Playing Age: 40-60.) Timeline: 1866 (Livermore, California). A stagecoach station agent and storekeeper. A pioneer woman who has carved out a life in a semi-arid valley. She is hardworking, sharp-tongued, and carries a long-standing, complicated affection for Charley. She is currently facing the loss of her home and business to the steam horse (the railroad).
WILLIAM DORSEY SWANN
WILLIAM DORSEY SWANN, aka The Queen (playing age 25-40) Era: 1888. Black, gay, gender-expansive. Born into slavery in Maryland, Swann has reconstructed himself into The Queen in Washington, D.C. Organized the first known Drag Balls and appears in the first recorded instance of a Queer person resisting the police in defense of the Queer community. Fabulous, dignified. He isn't just playing a queen; he is providing a sanctuary of freedom for his community.
DANIEL SWANN (playing age 18-30) Black. Male-identifying. William’s younger brother. The anchor to William’s kite. Daniel is practical, cautious, and deeply protective. He serves as the backstage technician—the one who stitches the gowns.
(Read for one or the other character. And sing a one-minute song of your choice.)
MR. MALMAR and WALTER KULWITZSKY
(These two roles may be played by the same actor. Choose one to submit for.)
MR. MALMAR (playing age 30-50) Era: Now. High school history teacher. Any race/ethnicity. Used to love teaching but feels the weight of rubrics, grading, paperwork, testing, parent and admin expectations, and politics.
WALTER KULWITZKY(playing age 25-55) Era: 1983. Floor manager at French Restaurant; Any race/ethnicity. Polished, professional, cordial, the keeper and master of tradition in this romantic domain.
SIDES for MALMAR and KULWITZSKY
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