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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:'Lucida Grande'">THEATER VOICES will hold early
auditions for a staged reading of Romulus Linney’s A LESSON BEFORE DYING,
directed by Carol Charniga.</span></b></p>

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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:13pt;font-family:'Lucida Grande'">Location</span></b></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13pt;font-family:'Lucida Grande'">Steamer No. 10 Theatre, 500
Western Avenue, Albany - corner of West Lawrence Street. </span></p>

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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:13pt;font-family:'Lucida Grande'">Times</span></b></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13pt;font-family:'Lucida Grande'">    Sunday  January 5 at 7-9pm</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13pt;font-family:'Lucida Grande'">    Monday January 6 at 7-9pm</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16pt;font-family:Calibri"> </span><span style="font-size:13pt;font-family:'Lucida Grande'"></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13pt;font-family:'Lucida Grande'">Actors
will be asked to read scenes from the play. 
Please arrive at the start time and be prepared to stay.  </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13pt;font-family:'Lucida Grande'"><br></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13pt;font-family:'Lucida Grande'">Production dates are May 16-18 (four performances Fri.-Sun<b>.) </b></span><span style="font-family:'Lucida Grande';font-size:17px">Rehearsals will begin in early April</span></p>



<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13pt;font-family:'Lucida Grande'"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:13pt;font-family:'Lucida Grande'">Synopsis</span></b><span style="font-size:13pt;font-family:'Lucida Grande'">:</span></p>

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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial">Set in the Louisiana backwoods in 1948<b><i>, A
Lesson Before Dying</i></b> is the story of 2 young black men. Jefferson,
innocent and awaiting execution, insists that he will be dragged to the
electric chair like the hog he was compared to at his trial. Grant, a
schoolteacher anxious to leave the South, has a debt of honor to attempt to help
Jefferson approach his death with dignity. Together both men learn the power of
love and compassion, individual heroism and freedom as a state of mind.</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial">Written by playwright, Romulus Linney, the play is
based on Ernest J. Gaines' celebrated novel about life and justice in pre-civil
rights Louisiana.</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial">All characters are African American except Sherriff Guidry</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:19px">All have Southern or Louisiana accents</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:19px"><br></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial">Seeking</span></b><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial">:</span></p>

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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial">Jefferson</span></b><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial"> – the
prisoner, 20’s-30's</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial">Grant
Wiggins</span></b><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial"> – a schoolteacher and friend, 20’s to 30’s</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial">Miss Emma</span></b><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial"> -
Jefferson's Godmother, 60’s to 70’s</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial">Vivian</span></b><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial"> - Grant's
girlfriend and fellow teacher, 20’s to 30’s</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial">Reverend
Ambrose</span></b><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial"> – a minister, 50’s to 60’s</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial">Guidry</span></b><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial"> – The Sheriff,
40’s to 60’s</span></p>



<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial">contact <a href="mailto:info@theatervoices.org" target="_blank">info@theatervoices.org</a>
with questions</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial"><a href="http://www.theatervoices.org" target="_blank">www.theatervoices.org</a> for more
information about Theater Voices</span><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial"></span></p>

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