NextStage Theatre Company in Denver is accepting online audition submissions for their upcoming production of When We Were Stars. Deadline for submissions is Thursday, August 20th, 2020. Seeking actors 18+, but actors 16+17 will be considered with parent approval. When We Were Stars is a compilation of 8 scenes about separation, quarantine, and distancing. The play is built for 6 actors and a cellist. Actor tracks will be established based on auditions, but each will feature a wide variety of challenging roles in almost exclusively surreal settings. A diverse cast for this piece is a top priority.
NOTE: This play contains a wide variety of characters from twinkling stars, to bears, to reckless teens, to aliens. The first round of casting (video submissions) will be followed up by callbacks featuring dialogue from the show. The content in this show is most definitely PG-13 (leaning towards R) because of drug references and language.
When We Were Stars
Written and Directed by Tyler Phillips
Presented by NextStage Theatre Company
Performance will be held virtually on Wednesday, September 16th, 2020.
AUDITION
Online submissions only – deadline is Thursday, August 20th, 2020 at 11:59pm.
Visit
https://forms.gle/F4Pgy3ntnJdJjZYy6 for audition information and form (be sure to include accurate conflicts).
AVAILABLE ROLES
Seeking 6 actors total to fill multiple of the following roles
SCENE 1 – “When We Were Stars” – SETTING: Somewhere in space, four stars lament on the dreariness of being so far apart
ANDROMEDA – typically cool guy
AQUARIUS – hipster girl
GEMINI – slightly nerdy and a know-it-all
VELA – a young and naive star in love with Andromeda
SCENE 2 “This Is My Call” – SETTING: The darkness on the edge of a small American town, Halloween 2020
MELODY – a high school senior longing to escape from her small town
TONY – Melody’s boyfriend, overly positive and deeply in love
HARPER – Melody’s conservative best friend who might also be an alien
PAT – a stoner dressed like a teddy bear who might also be an alien but definitely is not an alien
SCENE 3 “Third Date From The Sun” – SETTING: now, just about anywhere
DANA – a lovesick millennial who can’t find the right guy, but is hitting the dating scene hard during “safer at home”
BILLY – on a third date with Dana and probably an alien
SCENE 4 “The Same Biology” – SETTING: after school somewhere in the midwest, 1970s, during a bomb raid (drill?)
GORDON – a high school science teacher
ANNE – a high school senior
SCENE 5 “God’s Comic” – SETTING: a comedy club
COMIC – a comic
SCENE 6 “Things That Go Together” – SETTING: local zoo
ROBBIE – a bear
LISA – a zookeeper
SCENE 7 “Autumn In New York” – SETTING: the principal’s office in a high school somewhere on the East Coast, September 11th
ADIA – freshman girl, nerdy/artsy vibe
CODY – her half brother, one year older, jock
SCENE 8 “There’s A Darkness On The Edge Of Town” – SETTING: on location movie shoot in October of 2023, somewhere near Southern California
BEN – an actor in his 30s, still playing teenagers
JENN – younger than Ben, up and coming actress
COMPENSATION
All our actors will be paid through the NextStage actor tip jar. This is an account that has been set up so anyone can donate and the proceeds are divided evenly at the end of the production. NextStage has had great success with this system when they used it for previous productions.
REHEARSALS
The rehearsal schedule will be determined based on artist availability. Please submit accurate conflicts. Since this production is a workshop reading, rehearsals will not be as rigorous as if it were a full show.
PERFORMANCE
NextStage’s Virtual Studio uses state of the art recording and live broadcast software. There will be no in-person rehearsals or performances. The performance is scheduled for the evening of Wednesday, September 16th, 2020 and held online. You must be available on the performance date in order to be considered.
Videos
