Arena Stage
AUDITION DATE
Thu, Jan 30, 2020
9:00 am - 5:00 pm (EST)
Lunch 12pm to 1pm
APPOINTMENTS
No appointments necessary. Auditions will be on a first come, first served basis. Non-equity seen if time permits.
CONTRACT
LORT Non-Rep LORT B / B+; $969/ $1064
SEEKING
Equity actors and actor/singers for various roles in the first three productions in the upcoming 2020-21 season. See breakdown.
All SM positions have been filled.
PREPARATION
Please prepare a 90 second monologue, OR a brief song, OR a 60 second monologue with 16 bars of a song. No Shakespeare monologues. Auditions may not exceed 2 minutes. Accompanist will be provided. Please bring (2) two copies of your headshot and resume. Always bring your equity card to EPAs.
LOCATION
Arena Stage1101 6th St. SW
Washington, DC 20024
Rehearsal Hall Parking/Transportation: https://www.arenastage.org
PERSONNEL
Expected in attendance: Teresa Sapien, Casting Director/ Line Producer
OTHER
An Equity Monitor will not be provided. The producer will run all aspects of audition.
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 attend every audition.
Always bring your Equity Membership card to auditions.
BREAKDOWN
Actors of all genders, backgrounds and identities are encouraged to audition. Unless specifically noted, roles are open to actors of all ethnicities. Arena Stage will provide reasonable accommodations to individuals who request them in advance. Accommodation requests may include but are not limited to: Large Print Materials, Social Narratives, and ASL Interpretation. Please call 202-554-9066 with any questions.
AMERICAN PROPHET
Music and Lyrics by Marcus Hummon
Book by Frederick Douglass, Marcus Hummon and Charles Randolph-Wright
Directed by Charles Randolph-Wright
First Rehearsal:6/9/2020
First Preview: 7/10/2020
Opens: 7/22/2020
Soft Close: 8/16/2020
Hard Close: 8/23/20
FREDERICK DOUGLASS (30s-40s, male, African American) escaped slavery to become a successful orator, abolitionist, and political reformer; storyteller; not afraid to show flaws/growth; passionate beliefs; commanding presence; the American Prophet. ROLE IS CAST
GRANDMA BETSEY (50s-70s, female, African American) Frederick’s grandmother; slave; raised Frederick; Warm, loving nature. Also plays ELIZABETH – dressmaker at the White House; plays along with Mary Todd’s shenanigans. ROLE IS CAST
ANNE MURRAY (20s-30s, female, African American) a free woman living in Baltimore; instant connection with Frederick; hospitable and devoted wife; supports Frederick and his cause.
ESTHER (20s-30s, female, African American) A slave; beaten in front of Frederick which horrifies him. Plays others
DEMBY (20s-40s, male, African American) A slave killed in front of Frederick by Mr. Gore; Refuses to cooperate after being whipped; knows what’s coming. Plays others
MR GORE/PREACHER (40s, male, white) a slave owner; kills a slave in front of Frederick; preaches the word of God; a walking contradiction, normalized. Plays others
SOPHIA (30s, female, white) Wealthy mistress; cares for Frederick as he is sent to Baltimore by slave master; a warm, pious woman who teaches Frederick to read the Bible; ultimately sees the danger in that and becomes cold and harsh to Frederick. Also plays MARY TODD – Wife to President Lincoln; loving wife; eavesdropper; funny
LINCOLN (40s-60s, male, white) President of the United States; A loyal friend to Frederick; against slavery; storyteller. Also plays GARRISON
BILL (30s- 40s, male, African American) A fellow slave along with Frederick; tells the story of what it took for Frederick to rebel against his master. Plays others
GABE (20s-30s, male, African American) A friend of Frederick’s in Baltimore; a match maker; introduces Frederick to Anne; matter of fact with a sense of humor. Plays others
JOHN BROWN (40s, male, white) Abolitionist; very passionate about the cause; would die for the fight. Also plays HUGH, a slaveowner who demands his wife (Sophia) not teach Frederick to read.
____________________
ENLIGHTENED
by Theresa Rebeck
Directed by Theresa Rebeck
First Rehearsal: 8/11/2020
First Preview: 9/11/2020
Opens: 9/24/2020
Closes: 10/18/2020
MR. STANGE (30-50, male, any ethnicity) good natured, good looking, good with language. The third son of a minor British earl. A provocateur. He owns a large tract of deep wood just outside a small village in rural Pennsylvania. He is a lover of nature and a real appreciator of women. Verbose, with a bit of a temper. His interests do have a sinister aspect: though he does nothing explicitly evil. In fact, Mr. Strange may or may not be the devil. Or he may or may not just be a devious neighbor who would love to have his own farm. ROLE IS CAST
FAYE (18 – mid 20s, female, white) an open-hearted young beauty. Curious, confident, not so much innocent but possessing of an innocent heart. She steps into marriage with a local landowner, completely unaware of what awaits her. She grows in ferocity, cunning, determination and power as she faces the reality of being a woman born into America in 1770. She’s a heroine if there ever were one.
MR. AMES (early 40s, male, white) wealthy and arrogant in his wealth. He means well and yearns toward the glory of the Declaration of Independence. When he realizes what independence for all might mean in terms of his own privilege, it unmoors him and he becomes increasingly dissatisfied with his wife and slaves out of fear that they might actually want to claim the rights he helped secure for his brothers in democracy. ROLE IS CAST
SUSAN LITTLE (30s-40s, female, black) a slave. She has been owned by Mr. Ames for the last 12 years. She knows who he is and how to keep him happy. She is practical, unapologetic, wise. She has a very sound relationship with Mr. Strange, to whom she turns in times of need. She learns an awful lot from him about decidedly non-traditional medication.
WILLIAM NO-SECOND-NAME (20s-30s, male, black) The second slave on Mr. Ames’ farm. He works largely in the stables. A sorrowful big heart. Yearns to find his mother and has not crumbled under the knowledge that he cannot. A figure of real hope, even as his already bad situation worsens, he never ceases to see the beauty that surrounds him.
CHASTITY (18-mid 20s, female, white) Faye’s friend. Indiscreet and uncouth. She comes from humble stock and is dissatisfied with the hand she’s been dealt. Though she begins the play as a gossiper with a bit of a smart mouth, the events of the play disturb her circumstance and elevate her status. As the world swirls around her, she stumbles out of gossipy worry and into a belief in a larger spiritual world.
MRS. HASTINGS (55, female, white) Faye’s mother. She’s proud that her daughter has caught the eye of the richest man in the county. She’s cunning and determined to maintain the bump in status Faye’s marriage brings her. She’s hard on Faye and insists that her daughter should be grateful for the physical comforts Ames provides. She relishes tradition and status and is disturbed by the changes that swarm forth with enlightenment.
___________________________
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN
Book by Terrence McNally
Music by Marc Shaiman
Lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman
Choreography by Parker Esse
Directed by Molly Smith
First Rehearsal: 9/22/2020
First Preview: 10/23/2020
Opens: 11/5/2020
Soft Close: 12/13/2020
Hard Close: 12/27/20
FRANK ABAGNALE, Jr. (20-30, male, any ethnicity) a handsome and youthful con artist; grew up learning to disappear into another skin to avoid his problems; eventually falls in love with Brenda and desperately tries to change his ways. ROLE IS CAST
CARL HANRATTY (25-55, male, any ethnicity) an FBI agent leading the investigation and search for Frank Jr.; a knowledgeable and habitual workaholic who idolizes the moment he catches his perp; lives a private life of loneliness and depression.
FRANK ABAGNALE, Sr. (45-65, male, any ethnicity) Frank Jr.'s father; an inspiration when it comes to swindling; upbeat and fast-talking, he undergoes a series of progressive failures that leaves him a miserable drunk.
PAULA ABAGNALE (35-45, female, any ethnicity) Frank Jr.'s gorgeous mother; met Frank Sr. in France, during the war, but has fallen out of love; caring and loving, with an underlying resentment toward her husband and son.
BRENDA STRONG (20-30, female, any ethnicity) a hard-working young nurse, and initially insecure, she meets Frank Jr. after running away from a wedding; comes to trust him but his true identity clouds her feelings.
CAROL STRONG: (40-50, female, any ethnicity) Brenda's mother, talkative and boisterous.
ROGER STRONG (45-55, male, any ethnicity) Brenda’s conservative father; stern and interrogatory but reveals himself to be deeply romantic.
===
The remaining shows in the season have not yet been announced/finalized. Below are the anticipated production dates for the remaining shows TBD
KREEGER PLAY 2
First rehearsal – 11/3/20
First preview – 11/12/20
Opening – 11/19/20
Closing – 12/20/20
KREEGER MUSICAL 1
First rehearsal - 12/15/20
First preview – 1/15/21
Opening – 1/28/21
Closing – 2/28/21
FICHANDLER PLAY 1
First rehearsal – 1/5/21
First preview – 2/5/21
Opening – 2/11/21
Closing – 3/7/21
KOGOD PLAY 2
First rehearsal – 1/26/21
First preview – 2/26/21
Opening – 3/11/21
Closing – 4/11/21
FICHANDLER PLAY 2
First rehearsal- 3/2/21
First preview – 4/2/21
Opening – 4/8/21
Closing – 5/2/21
KREEGER PLAY 3
First rehearsal – 3/22/21
First preview – 4/23/21
Opening – 5/5/21
Closing – 5/30/21
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 audition.
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