THE GREAT IMMENSITY Equity Principal Auditions - Public Theatre Auditions

Breakdown

Presented in association with the celebrated investigative theater company, The Civilians, THE GREAT IMENSITY is a continent-hopping thriller following one woman, Phyllis, as she pursues her missing husband, who disappeared from a tropical island while on an assignment for a nature show. THE GREAT IMMENSITY is a highly theatrical look into one of the most vital questions of our time: how can we change ourselves and our society in time to solve the enormous environmental challenges that confront us.

SEEKING:

PHYLLIS:
Mid-Late 30s. Any ethnicity. Intelligent, focused, determined, loving. She has deep reserves of empathy and an unending loyalty to the ones she loves. When her husband, Karl, an extreme wildlife videographer disappears without a trace, she is left behind to piece together the few available clues that might point to his whereabouts. At the end of her rope, but trying her best to keep a clear head and use reason to make sense of an absurd situation. She will do anything to get Karl back—even if it means following him to the ends of the earth. A role for an actress with great emotional range and a strong sense of humor.

JULIE:
Female. To play 16 years old. Any ethnicity. Smart, thoughtful, precocious, curious. A member of the “Earth Ambassadors,” an elite group of the best and the brightest high school students from around the world, who travel the globe spreading the word about Climate Change. Fearless, with an unflappable spirit. She loves the planet, and is passionate about its rescue, but is becoming disillusioned by humanity’s lack of action, and skeptical that anything will change. Frustrated but not resigned. She’s tired of the old tactics of raising awareness, and is ready to try something new to shock the world into action. Must be a strong singer.

KARL:
Mid-late 30s. Any ethnicity. Phyllis’s husband, an extreme wildlife videographer. His work is very high-risk and dangerous—think Bear Grylls or Survivorman—but he’s not a thrill-seeker. Rather, it’s his intense and passionate nature that drives him to pursue his career to such a radical degree. Unable to do anything halfway, once he starts something he’s going to finish it no matter who or what stands in his way. Recently, he has made a personal discovery about his work that has thrown his worldview into flux, and caused him to withdraw from Phyllis and the world.

ALLIE/EMMANUELLE:
Female. 40s. Any ethnicity. To play ALLIE: A “plant person,” she is a researcher on Barro Colorado Island (BCI), located in the Panama Canal—the last place Karl was sighted—conducting research on Tropical Rainforests. Because she’s more comfortable around plants than people, her speech and mannerisms can sometimes come off as blunt or clinical, but she’s kind and direct, and eager to help Phyllis in her search. This role will double with EMMANUELLE: a no-nonsense, French Canadian ecologist, stationed in Churchill, Manitoba. Tough, abrupt, unwavering. Not one to mince words or dance around the point. She’s direct and candid, almost to the point of rudeness. A role for a strong singer and skilled character actress with great comic chops and the ability to delineate a number of distinct roles through dialect, physicality, etc.


The following roles have been CAST. Seeking FOR FUTURE UNDERSTUDIES/REPLACEMENTS ONLY:

ROB/SHIP SPOTTER/AS CAST:
Male. 40s. Any ethnicity. Allie’s husband. Also a researcher on BCI. Patient, helpful, sensible, pragmatic. He has devoted his life to conservation efforts, but has no illusions about the inevitability of climate change. This role will double with SHIP SPOTTER: A man somewhere in Denmark who uses online technology to track ships halfway around the world. Fundamentally odd and socially uncomfortable, he’s happier communicating with people over the internet than in person. Frank, direct. Lives with his mother. This role may double with other, smaller roles. A role for a skilled character actor possessing the ability to delineate a number of distinct roles through dialect, physicality, etc. {CAST}

BONIFACIO/MARCOS/CHARLIE:
Male. 30+. To play: BONIFACIO: Panamanian. In charge of the day to day operations at the camp on BCI. This role will also double with MARCOS: Colombian. A researcher who works on BCI. Thoughtful, intelligent. Fascinated with ideas of contingency and causality; how all of history can be traced back to singular events, and CHARLIE: First Nations. Born and raised in Churchill, Manitoba, he’s well acquainted with the area’s complicated and tragic history in a way that visitors are not. He has a serious energy, but with a wry, deadpan sense of humor. One gets the sense that he knows more than he lets on. A role for a skilled character who possesses the ability to delineate a number of distinct roles through dialect, physicality, etc. {CAST}

HAROLD/PETE:
Male. 40+. Any ethnicity. To play: HAROLD: A researcher on BCI, he studies “everything.” Gruff, cocky, sarcastic, with a wry sense of humor. He has a tough exterior, and it can be hard sometimes be difficult to get a straight answer from him. However, when he opens up about his research and his views of the environment, it’s clear he feels very deeply and passionately—if pessimistically—about matter. This role will also double with PETE: The head of a polar bear protection organization in Churchill, Manitoba. Folksy, down to earth, friendly and affable. Seems like more of a “regular guy” than a scientist. A role for a strong singer and character actor who possesses the ability to delineate a number of distinct roles through dialect, physicality, etc. {CAST}