Hartford Stage 2022-23 Season
Company
Rachel Alderman, artistic prod.; Zoë Golub-Sass, artistic assoc.; Alaine Alldaffer, casting dir.
Production Description
Seeking video submissions from Equity actors for roles in Hartford Stage 2022-23 season. Season includes Agatha Christie's "The Mousetrap" (Jackson Gay, dir. Rehearsals begin Sept. 13; runs Oct. 13-Nov. 6); "It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play" (Joe Landry, playwright; Rachel Alderman, dir. Rehearsals begin Oct. 25; runs Nov. 25-Dec. 24); "Espejos: Clean" (Christine Quintana, writer; Paula Zelaya Cervantes, Spanish translation and adaptation; Melissa Crespo, dir.; Syracuse Stage, in association with. [Hartford Stage dates]: Rehearsals begin Dec. 13; runs Jan. 20-Feb. 5, 2023. [Syracuse Stage dates]: Rehearsals begin Feb. 7 or 8, 2023; runs Feb. 15-March 5, 2023); "The Art Of Burning" (Kate Snodgrass, playwright; Melia Bensussen, dir. Virginia Wimberly Theatre [Huntington], Lort B; Hartford Stage, Lort B. [The Huntington dates]: runs July 7-9. Rehearsals begin Dec. 13; tech rehearsals begin Jan. 7; runs Jan. 13-Feb. 12. [Hartford Stage dates]: Rehearsals begin Feb. 15; tech rehearsals begin Feb. 24; runs March 2-26, 2023); William Shakespeare's "The Winter's Tale" (Melia Bensussen, dir. Rehearsals begin March 14; runs April 13-May 7, 2023); "Trouble In Mind" (Alice Childress, dir.; Christopher D. Betts, Joyce C., and Willis Fellow, creators. Rehearsals begin April 25-May 25, 2023; runs June 2-18, 2023). We are requiring that all Actors and Stage Managers be vaccinated against Covid-19. We are committed to a strong anti-racist ethos and a collective recommitment to nurture and sustain a culture of equity, inclusion, and belonging to our organization. We seek to build a team that is passionate about theatre and that reflects the abundant vibrancy and diversity of our city, state, and nation. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applications will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, gender identity, sexual orientation, familial status, religion, ability, age, national origin, class and veteran or immigrant status.
Rehearsal and Production Dates & Locations
Rehearses and performs in Hartford, CT.
Compensation & Contract Details
All Roles
Estimated payment amount: $1,008.00 per week (Estimated duration: (Estimated duration: Not Provided))
Key Details
Hartford, CT
Additional Instructions:
For
consideration, prepare two contrasting monologues from a play of your
choice. Total video should not exceed three minutes. Upload your
headshot/resume attached as a combined PDF. To submit, visit https://www.hartfordstage.org/epa-auditions/ . Submissions deadline is June 27 (6 p.m./EDT).
Hartford
Stage may record each production and make a recording available for
ticket buyers in accordance with the LORT-Equity Extended Media Side
Letter.
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 submit.
Additional Materials
Note:
While the characters are written with "he/him" or "she/her" pronouns in
the original scripts, we welcome gender non-conforming, genderqueer,
transgender, and non-binary actors to audition for the roles they most
identify with. We will also list race/ethnicity when specific to the
character but are otherwise seeking all races and ethnicities. In
addition, we will list disability when specific to a character, but are
otherwise seeking actors of all abilities. Thank you to First Folio
Theatre for inspiring the language in this note as we work towards a
more inclusive casting process. No roles will be understudied.
"The Mousetrap"
Note:
All actors must have excellent British dialect skills. Open and seeking
all ethnicities. Mollie Ralston (female, mid 20s-30s) - co-owner, with
her husband Giles, and brand-new the proprietress of Monkswell Manor.
Trusting, hardworking and hopeful. She is in over her head, but what she
lacks in experience she will make up with cunning ingenuity. She
carries deep guilt from her past and has not been able to forgive
herself.
Giles Ralston: (male, mid-20s-30s) - co-owner, with his wife
Mollie, and brand-new proprietor of Monkswell Manor. Confident,
bordering on arrogance. He has a lot to prove to the world, to Mollie,
and to himself. Although he loves his new wife, his escalating jealousy
may destroy everything.
Christopher Wren: (male, early 20s) - a
neurotic young man who, when not talking incessantly, seems to be crying
for help. His strange behavior is off-putting and may cover up
something darker from his mysterious past. He also just might be deeply
lonely.
Mrs. Boyle: (female, 50s-60s) - former magistrate, imposing
woman. She is entitled and impossible to please. She is not afraid to
ask for what she wants. She worked hard to get where she got in life.
She refuses to accept responsibility for her actions, choosing instead
to double-down on her innocence. She is full of guilt and wants
forgiveness, even though her actions show otherwise.
Major Metcalf:
(male, 50s-60s) - military in manner and bearing. He is pleasant,
helpful, and curious. Very curious. He seems to be watching and always
listening. He has a love of adventure and seems to enjoy a good game.
His pleasantness makes him hard to read.
Miss Casewell: (female,
early 30s) - she is confident in herself. She refuses to live, speak,
and dress in the way a young woman is expected to in this world. She is
disparaged by others as being too "manly." She frightens others as she
won't play the role they want to cast her in. She takes advantage of
their fear and doubles down. She is private and carries something dark
with her.
Mr. Paravicini: (male, late 40s) - he is reminiscent of the
famous fictional detective Hercule Poirot. He is a stranger and an
unexpected guest. He seems to be older than he is as if he’s trying to
disguise his identity. He wears a flamboyant mustache and makes lewd
advances toward Mollie. He keeps everyone off balance with his odd
behavior and he enjoys doing this immensely.
Detective Sergeant
Trotter: (male, mid-20s) - Trotter is a cheerful, commonplace young man
with a slight cockney accent. He is full of energy and determined to
solve the crime before anyone else gets hurt. He loves his job and is
good at it. He is young, ambitious, and determined to find justice no
matter what the cost. He’s a great person to have in your corner.
"It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play"
Freddie
Filmore: portrays many, including Gower and Potter. He is a powerful
presence, charismatic, and a leader in the radio room and in Bedford
Falls
Jake Laurents: portrays George Bailey. Is an earnest, warm man,
searching/yearning for his place in the radio ensemble and Bedford
Falls.
Harry "Jazzbo" Heywood: portrays many, including Harry and
Clarence. Grounded and confident. Thrives on the radio and enjoys the
chaos of the radio drama. A charismatic chameleon.
Sally Applewhite:
portrays Mary Hatch at all ages. An intelligent, witty and strong
presence. Filled with warmth. Working hard to keep both the radio drama
and the world of Bedford Falls positively on track.
Lana Sherwood:
portrays many, including Violet and Rose Bailey. A confident, feisty,
and flirty performer. Enjoys attention on the radio and in Bedford
Falls. A charismatic chameleon.
"Espejos: Clean"
All roles are cast.
"The Art Of Burning"
Note: Actors need to be available for both runs.
Patricia:
woman, mid-40s-early 50s, an artist, and Beth's mother; Jason's
soon-to-be ex-wife. A brilliant painter, she experiences the world
through a vivid emotional life. A woman with a great sense of humor, she
is currently very concerned about how she's raised her daughter and
looking for how to ameliorate the possible damage caused by her and
Jason.
Jason - man, late 40s-early 50s, a financial planner and
Beth's father; Patricia's soon-to-be ex-husband and lover to Katya.
Obsessed with his reputation and how he is seen by the world, wants to
be the Picture-Perfect father. Is looking for a new start with a new
partner as his marriage to Patricia has ceased to feel alive to him.
Judgmental of Patricia, he is blinded by his own biases and is fiercely
protective of Beth.
Mark: man, late 40s-early 50s, an attorney,
father, and husband to Charlene. His own marriage to Charlene has its
challenges, and he is determined that no one knows the truth about his
family's life. Wants, as Jason does, to appear perfect. A gifted
mediator, he is in over his head with Patricia and Jason.
Katya:
woman, mid-30s, an attorney in Family Law, lover to Jason. Newly-made
partner at her firm, she is excited about her professional opportunities
and is idealistic about the change she can make in the world. Although
she loves Jason and wants to connect with Beth, she is struggling to
balance her work and personal desires.
Charlene: woman, 40s, a
housewife and mother; married to Mark. Patricia's close friend. Due to
her own struggles in her marriage, she identifies with both Jason and
Patricia. Struggling to regain her footing in her own marriage, she has a
sophisticated view of what family life and long-term commitment can
entail. Smart, self-aware, and has a good sense of humor.
Beth/Shelley:
Beth, woman, 15. Patricia and Jason’s daughter. Fiercely independent
with a rebellious spirit. Wants to be her own person, trying to navigate
her evolving relationship with her parents. Shelley, woman, 20s, an
experienced waitress. Quick-witted, has waited tables long enough to
know how to deal with all sorts of BS from men.
"The Winter's Tale"
10
actors (ages 18 and older) of all races, gender identities, and
abilities are needed. Many roles double. Tracks are to be determined
once the ensemble is assembled. Actors should be comfortable with
heightened language, and have a facility for genre-hopping as the
production will go from the austere to the imaginative, playful to
poetic.
"Trouble In Mind"
Wiletta Mayer: (Black female, late
30s-50s) – a veteran actor, initially agreeable, though savvy. Has come
to view show business as just that – a business. She has learned from
experience how to swallow her feelings, get along, and say the right
thing. Typically, does not rock the boat. She accepts compliance as a
means of survival and a catalyst toward stardom. When pushed, her true
colors unfold, and we see a woman who can no longer be relegated to a
stereotype. As the play goes on, she grows increasingly confident and
direct, becoming an outspoken critic of the production.
Henry: (White
male, late 70s) - a veteran of 50 years in show business, first as an
electrician and now the doorman. He's Irish and proud of it. His work is
exact, precise, and all business though he is innately compassionate.
He is long-winded, slightly hard of hearing, and a real character.
John
Nevins: (Black male, 20s-early 30s) – a novice actor making his
Broadway debut. He is a college graduate aspiring to rise to the top of
his profession who believes his formal training to be superior to
experience gained by playing into stereotypes. He tries to look
self-assured, but it is evident that he is new to the theater and
fighting hard to control his enthusiasm. John is charismatic and ready
to play the game to get ahead. He initially scoffs at the idea that he
would need to ingratiate himself with his White colleagues by being less
than his authentic self. As the play goes on, he becomes seduced by the
idea of success, aligning himself with the director and the White cast
members.
Millie Davis: (Black female, 30s) - an experienced actor who
is not afraid to speak her mind. She is an intelligent, politically
active, and impeccably dressed woman who knows how to make an entrance.
Like Wiletta, she has spent her career performing Black stock
characters, and she readily voices her dissatisfaction concerning
dialogue and actions that demean Black people. Unlike Wiletta, she stops
short of pursuing her objections. Though she knows what's right - she
also knows what she needs to do to keep her job.
Judy Sears: (White
female, 20s) - a young, energetic actor who recently graduated from Yale
Drama School. This is her professional theatre debut, and she is eager
to please. While earnest and well-meaning, her innocent belief in her
"progressive" attitudes can make her seem cloying. Though she is
ignorant of her privilege, she has more self-awareness than expected.
Sheldon
Forrester: (Black male, 60s-70s) – a veteran character actor. He has
held such an obsequious posture for so long that he is numb to the
indignities he and other Black actors suffer in the profession. However,
he is more than he appears; he is playing a role that pleases white
people as a means of survival.
Al Manners: (White male, late 30s-
early 40s) - the play's director, making his Broadway debut. Confident,
passionate, but patronizing in his manner. Underneath a veneer of
kindness, he can be self-concerned, tactless, and manipulative.
Calculating. Can't take criticism. Believes firmly that he is
progressive and is thusly unwilling to interrogate his capacity for
bias. Though he considers himself liberal, he treats Black and White
cast members with inequity. As the racial tensions rise, he becomes more
intense, exposing his deep-rooted racial biases.
Eddie Fenton:
(White male, 30s) – the stage manager and good-hearted sidekick to Al
Manners. In Act 1, he is easygoing. As he absorbs the conflicts around
him, he grows visibly nervous and drawn, lacking the easy-going attitude
of the first act.
Bill O'Wray: (White male, 40s-50s) - a seasoned
and lauded actor. The only cast member who finds steady work. When
playing a part, he is dynamic and radiates strength and power. When he
is only himself - he is a shadow of a man, appearing to be worried all
the time and avoiding the company of others. He insists that he is not
prejudiced but is reluctant to commune with the Black actors.
