[Capdist-auditions] Illuminate: The Fire

[Morgan Heyward]

Show: Illuminate:The Fire What: A brief play inspired by the Albany Fire of 1911 When:September 7th and 8th at 6 PM Who: Illuminate theater (In Conjunction with TheRep:B-side Production 
Rehearsal Schedule:Each actor will need to rehearse one on one with the director, three to four times. These rehearsal times will be determined by availability.
Character Breakdown : We are currently looking to fill all roles.Looking to cast Actors of color to portray most characters.
Samuel Abbott - A now ghost who has died because he stuck to his duty of protecting the library, based on a real historical figure from the Capitol Fire of 1911. He retells the tale of his actions taken during the fire. Completed. 

Scammer - A crafty fire survivor provides comic relief as he tells the audience of his insurance fraud scheme- setting his own building ablaze during the fire to collect the insurance money and come out richer. He didn’t start the fire though, he swears. While homeowners moved precious items out of their houses in hopes of moving them to a safer location, he and other thieves stole  the items for themselves. He shares how foolish people act during fires, what he’s overheard, and what he’s seen. 


Churchgoer- A religious citizen retells their experience in the fire; how it was signalled by church bells, and how the stone church remained mostly untouched throughout the blaze. Their family now resides within the church. They speak about how despite the destruction of the fire, God is still blessing them. 


Boy and Girl - Based on the Charles King Recollections form the Great Fire of 1862 in Troy, NY. A young boy (14?) is separated from his family in the fire. We come across him sitting on the front steps to a house. He is talking to himself. He laments the events of the day, and how it looks like the fire isn’t even heading towards the school building. Exhausted, he lays his head in his lap when a young girl (child) emerges from the house. She exclaims but then speaks to the boy with sympathy. He explains what happened and she disappears inside the house, only to return with a piece of pie. She explains that her grandmother has invited him to stay until he finds his parents. They go inside. 


Man in Love - A young man who has been cursed with a streak of bad luck possibly finds love during the fire. He explains the recent unfortunate events that he’s had to deal with, up to the fire. He tells how just when he thought things couldn't get worse, the fire broke out. He was running from the flames when he noticed a woman crying that her daughter was stuck inside the house. Assuming she meant a young or infant daughter, he ran into the burning structure to save the girl. When he finds a young woman his own age, who has fallen from the smoke, he briefly makes note of how this is going to be much more difficult- and that this is probably where his bad luck will end-for good. He picks her up, surprisingly with ease (adrenaline), and carries her to safety. When she regains senses, he realizes how beautiful she is and all that mushy stuff. She thanks him profusely and bats her eyelashes etc. And now he’s on his way to (the church?) where she’s staying. He walks with flowers, flowers that he’s found just outside of where the fire was put out. He claims maybe his bad luck streak has ended after all. Shortly after, a girl runs off with his flowers. Due to his abundant bad luck, he is barely shaken and explains to the audience that he believes he gained this bad luck through breaking a mirror. He then goes on to say that enough mirrors have broken in the town, maybe it’s time his bad luck evens out. 


Merida- A girl has lost her dog and is frantically approaching people asking if they’ve seen her dog, Tulip. In her frenzied babbling, she explains that he dog’s name is Tulip because she almost always finds her in someone’s flower garden. She carries a poster with a drawing of Tulip on it. She breaks down as people ignore her or are unable to help. Deciding she needs to take matters into her own hands she runs off to find flowers (which she steals from the Man in Love) and returns, hollering for Tulip. Still upset and continuing to fail in her attempts to find her dog, she does at least find some solace in the flowers. 


My Boy is Gone - A father retells the story of losing his son in the fire. 


Wounded Woman - A woman who suffered burns to her face and body speaks. She is turned away from the audience. 

Arsonist - The accidental arsonist reveals how the fire started. “So I lit him on fire.” 
If interested in auditioning please send your headshot and resume to illuminatetheater at yahoo.com 

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