|
Breakdown knowledgeable
2016-17 SEASON:
SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE
TIGER STYLE!
BEDROOM FARCE
A DOLL’S HOUSE
TOPDOG/UNDERDOG
THE WHO AND THE WHAT
RIPCORD
=
SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim, Book: James Lapine
Dir: Peter DuBois
Mainstage, LORT B+
1st Reh: 8/16/16. Runs: 9/9/16- 10/16/16
Seeking:
GEORGE SEURAT:
25-40.
Act 1: Artist obsessed with his work at the cost of his personal life. Act 2: Seurat’s burnt-out descendant and inventor-sculpture searching for his purpose.
Ab4 – G#2. Tenor.
DOT / MARIE:
20-40.
[DOT] - George’s headstrong, discontent mistress and occasional model. [MARIE] - George’s elderly wheelchair-bound grandmother.
D5 – E3. Mezzo-Soprano.
OLD LADY / BLAIR DANIELS:
60-80.
[OLD LADY] - George’s mother. Cranky and rather demanding fixture in the park. Finds solace in nostalgia. [BLAIR DANIELS] - an art critic.
Eb5 – F#3. Mezzo-Soprano.
NURSE / MRS./ HARRIET PAWLING:
40-60.
[NURSE] - Old Lady’s attendant. Calming and assertive. [MRS.] - part of an American couple, married to Mr. [HARRIET PAWLING] - a patron of the arts.
F4 – G3. Mezzo-Soprano.
JULES / BOB GREENBERG:
25-45.
[JULES] - Rival artist. Callous, critical, shallow. Pursues his cook Frieda. [BOB GREENBERG] - a museum director.
F4 – G2. Baritone.
YVONNE / NAOMI EISEN:
25-35.
[YVONNE] - Jules’ pampered wife. Snippy and snooty. [NAOMI EISEN] - a composer.
Eb5 – E3. Mezzo-Soprano.
LOUISE / BOY:
8-12.
[LOUISE] - The spoilt, neglected daughter of Jules and Yvonne. And [BOY]
Eb5 – G3. Mezzo-Soprano.
BOATMAN / DENNIS:
35-60.
[BOATMAN] - Surly blue-collared laborer. Simple-minded and slovenly. [DENNIS] - a technician.
Eb4 – Eb2. Baritone.
FRANZ / LEE RANDOLPH:
30-50.
[FRANZ] - Jules’ disgruntled coachman and Frieda’s husband. Yearns for the Nurse. [LEE RANDOLPH] - the museum’s publicist.
G4 – B2. Baritone.
FRIEDA / YOUNG MAN/ BETTY:
35-55.
[FRIEDA] - Jules and Yvonne’s cook and Franz’s wife. Caring, positive surrogate nanny to Louise. Pursued by Jules. [YOUNG MAN] and [BETTY] - an artist.
F5 – G3. Soprano.
SOLDIER / ALEX: 20-35.
[SOLDIER] - French military man. Polite and a gentleman. [ALEX] - an artist.
F4 – A2. Baritone.
MR. / CHARLES REDMOND:
[MR] - Part of an American couple, married to Mrs. [CHARLES REDMOND] - a visiting curator.
D#4 – Eb2. Baritone.
LOUIS / MAN/ BILLY WEBSTER:
35-55.
[LOUIS] - Baker. Kind, friendly, and very popular, but a bit dull. [MAN] and [BILLY WEBSTER] - Harriet’s friend.
A4 – B2. Baritone.
CELESTE #1 / ELAINE:
18-30.
[CELESTE #1] -Young, gossipy, flirtatious shopgirl. [ELAINE] - George’s former wife.
G5 – A3. Soprano.
CELESTE #2 / A PHOTOGRAPHER:
18-30.
[CELESTE #2] - Another young, gossipy, flirtatious shopgirl. And [A PHOTOGRAPHER]
Eb5 – G3. Soprano.
_______
TIGER STYLE!
By Michael Lew
Dir: Moritz von Stuelpnagel
Wimberly Theatre, LORT C
1st Reh: 9/20/16. Runs: 10/14/16- 11/19/16
Seeking:
RUSS THE BUS/REGGIE/CUSTOMS GUY:
Male, Caucasian. 30s
[RUSS THE BUS] - ALBERT’s dude-bro co-worker. Professional slacker. Irreverent. Care-free and lazy. [REGGIE] - JENNIFER’s freeloader boyfriend. Musician, who installs sound systems. Aimless commitaphobe. His dignity is a little bruised by JENNIFER’s accomplishments. [CUSTOMS GUY] - He is an A-typical rule keeper airport official. Paid to make snap judgments about travelers entering the United States. Has inflated confidence of a mediocre white male. Somewhat condescending & racist.
*The following roles have been cast; actors may be considered as possible replacements:
*ALBERT CHEN:
Male, Asian, late 20s – early 30s. Smart, but stunted computer programmer for a medical software company. Reluctant leader. Hot headed, arrogant, easily angered when confronted by others. Struggling with sister JENNIFER to find where he stands between American culture & Asian.
*JENNIFER CHEN:
Female. Asian. late 20s - 30s. Professional clinical oncologist with perfect dentistry. Smart, competitive, determined, very intense. Strongly believes IQ & goals are everything; makes her hesitant to deal with the messiness of emotions. Hates change of any kind. Neither self-aware nor self-actualized. Bonded with her brother ALBERT in journey to find where they fit in.
*TZI CHUAN/MELVIN/DAD/GENERAL LEE:
Male. Asian. 40s – 60s
[TZI CHUAN] -Communist Party official posing as an older, crazy Chinese man. Tactless & inquisitive. Oddly sage, as well as huge fan of punny Bureaucrat jokes. Also plays [MELVIN] - ALBERT’s point-blank straight forward boss. Direct, cold. Un-forgiving. Out of touch with his employees working dynamics. Practices subjective decision-making. And, [DAD - An engineer by way of laundry people. A survivalist. Reasonable, practical. Practices tough love to his children JENNIFER and ALBERT. Gave his children every possible opportunity for education and advancement. [GENERAL LEE] - Hard, domineering Communist Party official. Master of Chinese double-speak, the “humble brag.”
*THERAPIST/MOM/COUSIN CHEN/MATCHMAKER:
Female. Asian. 40s – 60s. [THERAPIST] - Experienced professional. Very in touch with her feelings. Sweet, abiding, really wants to make a difference. Is there to genuinely listen and help JENNIFER, until she pulls her into her insecurity spiral and gives the stone cold facts. [MOM] - Chemist by way of cabbage people. UCLA professor. Bit sneaky, underhanded, obsessive about her children upbringing – in a caring, concerned way. Tortured her children with love into overachieving. [COUSIN CHEN] - DAD’s sister’s daughter. Chinese-born. Honest and street smart. Willing to make great sacrifices for family. Direct and truthful in speech. [MATCHMAKER] - Clinical, detached, and official. A true bureaucratic professional.
_____
BEDROOM FARCE
By Alan Ayckbourn
Dir: Maria Aitken
Mainstage, LORT B+
1st Reh: 10/18/16. Runs: 11/11/16- 12/18/16
Seeking:
ERNEST:
MID 60s. Or even 70. Bumbling. Likes his creature comforts and routine. Practical problem solver. Stodgy and easily ruffled, but ultimately impossible to bully. His idea of a good time is sipping hot cocoa and eating sardines on toast in bed. DELIA’s husband, TREVOR’s father.
DELIA:
60 – 70. Has an unforced British eccentricity. Upper-middle class. Has a nagging but loving relationship with her husband ERNEST. Mother of TREVOR.
NICK:
35 -40. Restless, grumpy workaholic. Currently bedridden from a minor back injury. We see him at his worst - an appalling patient. Very reliant on his wife, JAN.
JAN:
30s. Caring and patient but independent. Has a lingering fascination for her ex-boyfriend, TREVOR. A dependable, nice girl. Traded in a few of the fireworks she has with TREVOR for her husband NICK. Has developed an immunity to her husband’s barbs.
MALCOLM:
35-40 Playful husband of KATE. An alpha male artisan. Keeper of the peace. Determined and unwavering once he makes up his mind. Truly in love. Has an ego that needs constant propping up. Likes performing bloke-ish tasks around the house.
KATE:
20s - 30s. Kind, giving, and hospitable. Happy to play second fiddle. Has a clear-cut and honest relationship with husband MALCOLM. Supportive. Seems a bit dim but isn’t.
TREVOR:
35ish. Bitter, self-centered husband of SUSANNAH. Has a one track mind. Supremely selfish. Not gifted with the greatest intelligence, though he considers himself extremely sensitive. Given to extreme swings in emotion. Feels he is under a great weight. In a rocky marriage. Genuinely cares about making amends.
SUSANNAH:
late 20s-40s. Dramatic, disillusioned, high-strung wife of TREVOR. Heavy on the waterworks. Attractive, but shattered self-esteem. Tries way too hard. Totally self-obsessed and neurotic. Not very smart.
_____
A DOLL’S HOUSE
by Henrik Ibsen; New Adaptation by Bryony Lavery
Dir: Melia Bensussen
Mainstage
1st Reh: 12/13/16. Runs: 1/6/17- 2/5/17
Seeking:
NORA:
Female 25-30. Doll wife of HELMER. Sexy, playful. Quick. Smart-witted. Strong. Loves her husband, children & domestic life. Feels she can maneuver the world; is surprised, startled, awakened when she learns she cannot – that her marriage is not what she thought, nor her husband whom she thought he was. Finds it easy to take pleasure in people and things; until shown otherwise thinks she really understands her life & those of others. Thinks through all decisions carefully; though others may think she is gliding on the surface. Always weighing options, thinking steps ahead. Very bright, alive; committed to fundamental honesty within herself.
HELMER:
Male 30-35. Ambitious, professional. Works hard; starting to be rewarded for his labors. Aspiring to upper middle class, believes in world where morals are cleanly delineated, as are roles, & there are no grey areas in either. Loves his wife, his home. Feels he is always doing the right thing and always above reproach. Has a wonderful sexuality; feels the luckiest man on earth having married Nora, whom he enjoys in every way. Stunned to learn that the world does not operate as he assumes and he is not in control when he was certain he was. Worries greatly about appearances, in part because his ambitions are so great to rise above his own station.
HELENE:
Female 20s-40s. NORA & HELMER's maid. Dutiful, eager to please. Has never known life outside of domestic service; only wishes to do the right thing. Enjoys the household, feels lucky to work for such generous, kind, fun loving people.
MRS. LINDE:
Female 25-30. NORA’s childhood friend. Always had to pay price for everything, but not bitter; simply wishing for change in her own circumstances. Attractive, but modest; there is no room nor time nor money to enjoy her own self. Discovers the grass is not always greener, and she can make tough choices and say the honest word when needed.
ANNE-MARIE:
Male 45-65. The CHILDREN’s nanny, and NORA’s former nanny. Loving woman; has never questioned her role or state in life. Knows there is sadness in her history, but never doubts what she has done, nor feels self-pity. Feels her place is to love and take care of Nora and her children. Very present, connected, direct.
DR. RANK:
Male 30s-40s. HELMER’s best friend & neighbor. Medical doctor. Unconcerned about what others think of him. Flirtatious, comfortable in himself; has ease in the world and a kind of privilege that Helmer does not. Ultimately loves being the third wheel in the Helmer home, loves the easy intimacy he has with both Torvald and Nora, being slightly in love with both of them, while being able to keep to himself when he wishes. Deeply private; able to show a gracious side while keeping most of his secrets and true feelings only to himself.
KROGSTAD:
Male 30-40. Worked at bank with Helmer. Good man. Endured too many challenges to stay on straight & narrow. If he intimidates, is out of need not desire; understands that in society, he must fight for everything. Nothing comes easy. Were it not for his children needing him he might be far more depressed and despairing soul– but being needed makes him fight. Sees clearly through the hypocrisies around him. Buried his love for Mrs. Linde so deep he has forgotten he can feel love at all –until he does, and then it is a deep, real, passionate commitment that emerges.
DELIVERY MAN:
Male. 20s-40s. Lower class delivery man.
____
TOPDOG/UNDERDOG
By Susan-Lori Parks
Dir TBD
Mainstage
1st Reh: 2/14/17. Runs: 3/10/17- 4/9/17
Seeking:
LINCOLN (the topdog):
Male, Black late 30s. Experienced & slick in the ways of the world, but burned. Thrown out by his wife and sleeping on his brother BOOTH’s easy chair. Generous with money and resources. Reformed 3-card street hustler. Making a living, but not a life.
BOOTH (aka 3-Card, the underdog):
Male, Black. early 30s. A Hustler. Hot-blooded younger brother of LINCOLN. Desperate to master the 3-card game, but lacking the dexterity and confidence of his brother. Limited schooling and motivation to find work. Sticky fingers. Carries a gun.
_____
THE WHO AND THE WHAT
By Ayad Akhtar
Dir: M. Bevin O’Gara
Wimberly Theatre, LORT C
1st Reh: 3/7/17. Runs: 3/31/17- 5/6/17
Seeking:
ZARINA:
Female Late 20s-30s. South-Asian origin, American born. Novelist. Gimlet-gazed, lovely, though appearance is already lightly worn from worry. Passionate, headstrong, brilliant. Slowly getting over recent heartache; struggling to figure out where she fits in the Islamic religion and herself; as person and woman. End goal of someday finishing her book is what is keeping her afloat.
MAHWISH:
Female Early to Late 20s. South-Asian origin, American born. Light, carefree. Even lovelier than her sister ZARINA –a real knockout. Rule follower. Happy living in a bubble. Bit of a pushover. Worried about losing her boyfriend before it is too late, needs ZARINA to stop hiding from love & find a man to settle down with so she can do the same.
AFZAL:
Male Late 50s. South-Asian origin. ZARINA and MAHWISH’s gregarious, larger-than-life father. Widower. Caring but overbearing. Sentimental with a temper. Used to being the boss. Noticeable Indo-Pak accent. Blunt. Above all desires a good future for both his girls, where they are protected, looked after, happy and safe.
ELI:
Male 30. White. Muslim convert. Not particularly handsome, but very soulful. Passionate do-gooder. Dignified, restrained, intelligent. Loyal. Community Organizer. The imam of a local mosque. Struggling to turn his righteous rag into active love.
____
RIPCORD
By David Lindsay-Abaire
Dir: Jessica Stone
Wimberly Theatre
1st Reh: 5/2/17. Runs: 5/26/17- 7/8/17
Seeking:
ABBY BINDER:
Female 60s-80s. Blunt, no nonsense, stern resident at Bristol Place Senior Living Facility. Uses biting humor to prohibit people from getting close to her. Her past has left her with a simmering bitterness. Roommate with MARILYN. Wants the room to herself, and will get it by any means necessary.
MARILYN DUNNE:
Female 60s-80s. ABBY’s chipper chatterbox roommate at Bristol Place. Warm & pleasant; always means the best. Her strength lies in ability to always keep her chipper cool, even in the extreme situations. Ultimately is looking for a friend.
BENJAMIN:
Male 30s-40s. Estranged son of ABBY. Reculsive, shy. Rough around the edges. Former addict who has relapse many times. Trying to make a better life, and comes to make amends with his mother. Also Plays, LEWIS: MARILYN’s son who is also a Sky diving instructor. Knowledgeable & lively. CLOWN: actor in haunted house who plays an evil clown that tries to steal and eat a baby.
SCOTTY:
Male 20s-30s. Bright, dedicated, committed resident aide at Bristol Place. Aspiring actor. Trying to do job to best of his ability & make MARILYN and ABBY happy. Will not shy away from putting his foot down with MARILYN when needed.
COLLEEN/WOMAN IN WHITE:
Female 30s-40s. COLLEEN: Bright, sunny, light-hearted, perky, quirky, caring daughter of MARILYN and wife of DEREK. High Energy like her mother but with more fierceness. Will go to extreme lengths to help her mother win the room, and to gain a friend. WOMAN IN WHITE: An actress in a haunted house who is trying to save her baby from the CLOWN.
DEREK/ZOMBIE BUTLER/MASKED MAN:
Male 30s-40s. DEREK: COLLEEN’s other half, literally and figuratively. More realistic and reserved than his wife. Always cautious, worried. ZOMBIE BUTLER: An actor who is leading the haunted house tour. Also plays MASKED MAN.
|
