SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS Submission - Centerstage Auditions

LORT

SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS – Photo / Resume Request

Centerstage (Baltimore, MD) LORT B; $750/week minimum

Artistic Director: Irene Lewis

Director: David Schweitzer

Adaptation for Stage: Kevin McKeon

Casting Director: Janet Foster

1st reh: 2/11/11. Runs: 3/9 – 4/3/11

NYC auditions will be held by appointment only on a date TBD.

Seeking submissions from Actors' Equity Members only for these auditions.

For consideration, email picture and resume to:
janet@janetfostercasting.com

Please indicate in the subject line: Snow Falling on Cedars – NYC Appointments – AEA self submit

NOTE: SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS is an adaptation of the noted, award-winning novel by David

Guterson. It is an ensemble piece where most actors play multiple roles, often narrating the action and

playing scenes at the same time. It requires actors of skill, intelligence and the ability to create

characters swiftly and boldly. This is classic quick change character/ensemble work with those rewards

for the acting company – no “small parts” and no unimportant moments in how the play will be made

as a theater piece.

The time frame/setting is the Pacific Northwest, a small fishing town in the post World War II years and

flashing back to the war and before.

Seeking a company of 13 actors

Ishmael Chambers: a bright, emotionally scarred World War II veteran newspaper reporter. 30s/40s but plays a young man in some scenes. Ideal physical type – lanky, wiry. As a young man Ishmael is passionate and sensitive. As his older self, he is reticent, but ultimately prevails somewhat heroically.

Hatsue Miyamoto: a lovely, intelligent, unusually emotionally transparent Japanese American woman in her 30s. She also plays young love scenes and older ones. In many ways she is the emotional heart of the play. Classic sacrifice of love for her family/duty. Must project a purity and a steadfastness.

Kabuo Miyamato: Japanese-American man, dignified, stalwart, reserved, but with a vivid well of feeling. Could be perceived as scary due to his steely reserve. 30s/40s but plays younger as well, similar to Ishmael and Hatsue. They are all contemporaries as they float through time in the play.

Nels Gudmundsson: Sustained character in the play. He is an older, white man...age flexible but must appear middle-aged. He is sharp, sometimes ironic, deceptively rustic, cagey small town lawyer.

Actor also plays some crowd people.

Alvin Hooks: Sustained character in the play. He is the white prosecuting attorney, like Nels--small town flavor without being stupid. Age flexible – younger side of middle-aged. Actor also doubles frequently (Fisherman 1, coroner, Infantryman and Crowd).

Carl Heine, Jr.: Sustained character in the play. 30s white man whose death drives the plot –physically strong, shy, but strong-willed soldier/fisherman. Also plays young scenes. Contemporary of Hatsue, Ishmael, Kabuo. Actor also plays FBI Agent 1, Strawberry Picker, Infantryman Jackson and Crowd.

Art Moran: White sheriff of the fishing village/30s to middle-aged. He is flexible/laconic, somewhat self-conscious white man placed in a delicate position by the perceived crime in the action. Actor plays many other small roles – FBI Agent 2, Infantryman (Koenig), Sgt. Maples, Officer Powell, Crowd.

Abel: White deputy sheriff of the village/age flexible/Abel is younger, but this Actor plays some older parts, needs to be able to project an interesting nervous energy. Fisherman 2, Carl Heine, Sr., FBI 3, Speaker in Crowd, Army Driver, Pharmacist's Mate, George Leonard.

Etta Heine: 50s, white female. Etta is somewhat stern and unyeilding, imposing matriarch. Actor must also play Mrs. Chambers, Dr. Whitman, Crowd. A sense of authority joins her characters.

Fujiko Imada: Japanese woman, 50s and a relatively recent immigrant. She is tradition

bound, but eloquent, intelligent, formidable. Actor also plays Mrs. Nitta, a warmer character but same age.

Hisao Imada: Japanese man 50s. He also plays Zenhichi Miyamoto, Mr. Nitta, Crowd. Variations on proud, yet mannerly man-survivor of challenging circumstances with dignity and resourcefulness.

Susan Marie Heine: Carl's wife. Caucasian female. 30s or a little younger. Small town openness and disarming honesty and charm. Actor also plays Army Bureaucrat & Strawberry Picker.

Ishiro Imada: Japanese American young woman, 20s or so. She plays “young” as Hatsue's sister in the internment camp, older as the checker in the grocery store.