At present the project has the above title theme but I expect to create the evening with the talent involved. I’d like the event to have a Music Hall feel. Please let us know if you play a musical instrument or have a specialty act that could be integrated into the work. We may also use an MC to guide the event.
This should be lots of fun!
Seriously,
Margo Hammond
Link to sign up for auditions.
There is no need to sign up again if you indicated your intrest during the musical auditons during reading days.
For the evening of Tennessee Williams and Christopher Durang, please prepare a one-minute, age appropriate monologue by a classic American author. You will be notified concerning preparation for callbacks. The four pieces being performed are THE MAGIC TOWER directed by Prerna Bhatia, IN OUR PROFESSION directed by Anna Demenkoff, SUMMER AT THE LAKE directed by Melinda Foshat, and FOR WHOM THE SOUTHERN BELLE TOLLS directed by Fred Tessler.
Auditions and callbacks will be January 18 to 19, 2012
For the Whom the Southern Belle Tolls
Amanda: A woman in her 40's. She is the archetype of the dominant Tennessee William's mother. She is a ruthless and gracious woman who would serve you iced tea laced with arsenic...
Lawrence: A fey young man in his 20's who has lived life in the shadow of his mother and who lives in world of hypochondria and a collection of glass cocktail stirrers...
Tom: Lawrence's brother (also in his 20's). He works in a factory during the day and at night sneaks off to movies featuring men of ambiguous sexuality... He is butch and has no patience with the machinations of his mother or the posturing and whimpering of his brother...
Ginny: A young woman in her 20's who works in the factory with Tom. Her work near loud machinery has rendered her mostly deaf. She is a fairly butch and assertive young woman with a taste for gin...
In Our Profession
By Tennessee Williams
Directed by Anna Demenkoff
In Our Profession is as close to a comedy that Williams ever wrote. This short one act play exhibits a young actress who falls in love with men in minutes of meeting them. The character of Annabelle charms her way into any mans’ arms. The question is who will fall for it?
Annabelle – A dramatic actress who is very charming and seductive. Mid 30s.
Richard – Charming with a backbone and is not blinded by Annabelle’s tricks. Needs to be a younger bachelor (late 20s) but is smart enough to not be influenced by Annabelle.
Paul – Puppy-eyed and naïve. Easily influenced, especially by Annabelle’s charm. Mid 20s.
Magic Tower Synopsis & Character Descriptions:
Jim, a young artist and his wife Linda, an ex-vaudeville actress are a newlywed young couple struggling to make ends meet. Linda is desperately in love with Jim and idealistically refers to their slum-like home as their “magic tower” where they can exist in happiness though they are poor and starving. The story tracks Linda’s belief in her fantasy “magic tower” as she faces a tough decision that could shatter this imaginary perfect world.
LINDA: A twenty-six year old ex-vaudeville actress who has given up acting to be a housewife. She is extremely devoted to her husband Jim and would do anything for him. An idealist who has her head in the clouds.
JIM: A twenty-one year old artist, dying to make it. A woman-charmer. Self interested, but not self-sufficient. Only passion in life is art.
MRS. O'FALLON: An Irish landlady. Fancies Jim and doesn't like his new wife Linda.
MOLLY: The landlady's daughter.
MITCH: A vaudeville hoofer. Married to Babe. Slightly conniving, in the best of ways. Late 20's.
BABE: A chorus girl. Married to Mitch and follows his will. Self interested and loves the show. Mid 20's
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PLAY SYNOPSIS Summer at the Lake:
Summer at the Lake zooms in on the mother and son relationship between Mrs. Fenway and Donald Fenway. The characters struggle to piece back their life after a separation and after the news that they will have to sell the summer cabin in which they both hold some attachment too. Both contemplate and fear the life awaiting them once they return to the city and each copes with their anxiety in a separate way. Mrs. Fenway rambles, complains, and tries to keep herself busy while Donald wastes hours away in silence at the lake. By the end of the play, Donald finds a way to escape his shackled destiny. However, in escaping, does Donald commit his mom to a life of more suffering or does he give her the extra push over the edge that she needs in order to not worry about anything any longer?
CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS
Mrs. Fenway is a fretful, prostrated, middle-aged woman who rambles. She has separated from her husband and constantly worries about her son, Donald, and is therefore a nervous wreck. She is needy, dependent on others and relies on Donald and the maid, Anna, to do things for her. She is agitated, easily distracted and over all a woman suffering from a family and middle-age crisis in need of some real help.
Donald Fenway is a thin, sensible boy, sixteen years of age. His mother accuses him of being petulant. He is a loner who does not have many friends. He spends most of his time on the lake by himself and looks forward to this time all year. He hates his home in the city where he feels like he is caught in a trap. He also fears the fire escapes that seem to bind him there. His father wants Donald to quit school and take a job in the wholesale business. In short, Donald is a dreamer.
Anna is the elderly maid that attends to Mrs. Fenway's every command. She witnesses the troubles the family goes through but dares not speak a word about it. She is patient, calm, agreeable, and perhaps the only person who is able to keep intact their sanity while at the cabin.
There is no need to sign up again if you indicated your intrest during the musical auditons during reading days.
