“WAM Theatre is holding auditions for Sarah Ruhl’s ‘Melancholy Play’”: seeking Equity/non Equity actors <br><br>WAM Theatre is holding auditions on August 22 and 23, 2010 for its November production of Tony nominated playwright Sarah Ruh's contemporary farce ‘Melancholy Play’. A portion of proceeds from this production will be donated to The Women's Fund of Western Massachusetts.<br>
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Please email your resume, the character you would like to audition for
and the date you would like to audition to Kristen van Ginhoven at
<a href="mailto:kristen@wamtheatre.com">kristen@wamtheatre.com</a>. WAM will then contact you with sides from the
script to prepare for the audition and an audition date/time.<br><br>WAM Theatre is looking for non-equity actors who are comfortable with heightened language, physical theatre, ensemble work and singing.<br><br>A stipend will be paid.<br>
<br>Equity actors are encouraged to audition knowing that at this point in our fundraising efforts, WAM Theatre will likely be unable to hire Equity actors but that we continue to seek funding for use of a Special Appearance, Level 2 contract. <br>
<br>Auditions:<br>Sunday, August 22, 2010<br>6-10pm<br>James L. Meader Little Theatre at Russell Sage College<br>45 Ferry Street<br>Troy, NY 12180-4115<br>(Division & First Streets, in a courtyard)<br><br>Monday, August, 23, 2010<br>
6-10pm<br>NEW STAGE Performing Arts Center*<br>55 North Street, Pittsfield, MA<br>(Above the new Beacon Cinema)<br><br>*The production will be at NEW STAGE from November 12-21. Most rehearsals will take place in or near Pittsfield, MA.<br>
<br>A copy of the script is available to read at The Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza, 1475 Western Avenue, Albany, NY and at Chapters Book Store, 78 North Street Pittsfield, MA.<br><br>For more information, go to <a href="http://www.wamtheatre.com">www.wamtheatre.com</a><br>
<br>The show:<br>2 men, Frank (tailor) and Lorenzo (therapist), and 3 women, Frances (hairdresser), Joan (nurse) and Tilly (bank teller), together with Julian (cellist) come together in this whimsical celebration of sadness. Tilly, an irresistibly melancholy young stranger, makes her sorrow so sexy that everyone in her life falls maddeningly in love with her. Tilly's sudden joyful transformation results in a mystical and hilarious quest exploring the happiness of melancholy and the melancholy of happiness. A contemporary farce.<br>
<br>Production Dates:<br>Rehearsals begin October 4, (once a week on Mondays, likely evenings), until a full rehearsal schedule begins the week of October 25. From October to November 7 rehearsals will be Mon/Wed/Fri/Sat/Sun (times to be determined). The week of November 8, rehearsals will be Tue/Wed/Thurs with Opening performance on Friday, November 12. Closing performance is Sunday, November 21. (4 shows per weekend, including a 2 show Saturday)<br>
<br>Casting Breakdown <br>Frank (late 20’s-early 40’s)-a Tailor. An old-fashioned gentleman, used to be an accountant. Separated from his twin sister Frances at birth.<br><br>Tilly (late 20’s-early 30’s)-a bank teller. When she is happy she is happy, when she is sad she is sad. She resides openly and sincerely inside the emotional state, moment to moment.<br>
<br>Frances (late 20’s-early 40’s)-a hairdresser. Practical yet sensual. Used to be a physicist. Lives with Joan. Separated from her twin brother Frank at birth.<br><br>Joan (late 30’s-early 50’s) -a British Nurse. Lives with Frances. Direct. Strong carriage. Sure of everything, until she's not.<br>
<br>Lorenzo (late 20’s-early 40’s) -a psychiatrist. Has an unidentifiable Italian accent. Handsome. Enjoys being a well for the sorrows of others. Falls in love with Tilly.<br><br>Julian (any age/either gender)-a cello player. Someone from another world. Must be able to play the cello extremely well. The cello serves as another character in the play and the cellist is onstage the whole play.<br>
<br>Notes on the play: Melancholy in this play is Bold, Outward, Sassy, Sexy and Unashamed. It is not introverted. It uses, instead the language of Jacobean direct address. However, be sensitive to the moments of delicacy, fragility, and sadness inside of the farce. There is no judgment in the play about happiness being inferior to sadness or sadness being inferior to happiness. The pace is faster then real time. Sense of the iconic. The actors create the transformations that occur in the play.<br>
<br>Thank you. WAM Theatre looks forward to hearing from you.<br><br>About WAM Theatre:<br>WAM Theatre’s philanthropic mission is two-fold. First, to create professional theatrical events by, with, for and about women and girls. Second, to donate a portion of the proceeds from those events to organizations that benefit women and girls. Professional theatre artists Kristen van Ginhoven and Leigh Strimbeck founded WAM Theatre in 2009 in order to use theatre to benefit women and girls worldwide. WAM Theatre is based in the Berkshires of Massachusetts and the Capital Region of New York State.<br>
###<br><br clear="all">Kristen van Ginhoven<br><a href="http://www.kristenvanginhoven.com">www.kristenvanginhoven.com</a><br><a href="http://www.wamtheatre.com">www.wamtheatre.com</a><br><a href="mailto:kristen@wamtheatre.com">kristen@wamtheatre.com</a><br>
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