Fort Wayne Civic Theatre To Hold Auditions 8/2 For THE PIANO LESSON

Fort Wayne Civic Theatre announces auditions for August Wilson's THE PIANO LESSON.

August Wilson's THE PIANO LESSON is sponsored by Lincoln Financial Group and Sweetwater Sound with Guest Director - John Tolley, Former 1st Presbyterian Theatre Artistic Director.

August Wilson won his second Pulitzer Prize for this haunting drama. It is 1936 and Boy Willie arrives in Pittsburgh from the South in a battered truck loaded with watermelons to sell. He has an opportunity to buy some land down home, but he has to come up with the money right quick. He wants to sell an old piano that has been in his family for generations, but he shares ownership with his sister and it sits in her living room. She has already rejected several offers because the antique piano is covered with incredible carvings detailing the family's rise from slavery. Boy Willie tries to persuade his stubborn sister that the past is past, but she is more formidable than he anticipated. (Rated PG13)

Auditions will be held Sunday, August 2nd, 5:30-8:30 p.m. in the West RehearsAl Hall. Callbacks are only if needed on Monday, August 3rd, 7:00-9:00 p.m.

Rehearsals will be Monday through Friday, August 10th through September 4th at Arts United Center/Civic Theatre, 7 to 10 p.m. Tech Rehearsal is Saturday, September 5th from 10 a.m.-9:00 p.m. (cast call-1:00 p.m./Dinner break-6:00 to 7:00 p.m.). Tech/Mounting Rehearsals will be Monday through Friday, September 6th-10th, at Arts United Center - 6:00-11 p.m. Final Dress Rehearsal will be Friday, Sept. 11th at Arts United Center, 7:00 call/8:00 curtain.

Opening Night is on Saturday, September 12 with performances through September 20th (2 weekends). Performance Times are Fridays & Saturdays @ 8 p.m., (7:00 call time), and Sundays @ 2 p.m. (1:00 call time) (Performances Fri.-Sun. w/ IN THE WINGS Perf. on Thursday, Sept. 17th 6:30 call/7:30 curtain).

Auditions will take place on Sunday, August 2nd at 5:30 p.m. in the West RehearsAl Hall of the Arts United Center (formerly know as the Performing Arts Center, 303 E. Main St.). Please arrive early to check in and fill out the audition forms. Please call Phillip Colglazier, Executive Director, to sign up to audition (260-422-8641 ext. 225). Scripts may be signed out with a refundable $10 deposit.

All actors need to be African American.

Avery was one of Boy Willy's acquaintances down South, a preacher trying to raise funds to build a church, he courts Berniece.

Berniece Charles, Boy Willie's sister, she married Crawley and had a daughter, Maretha. Widowed for 3 years, she works as a domestic to support her small family. She is very ambivalent about Avery's interest in her and she refuses to allow Boy Willie to sell the piano.

Boy Willie Charles is Berniece's brother, Doaker's nephew, he dreams of raising enough cash to buy land by selling a load of watermelons and the family piano, which he part owns with Berniece. He was involved in an illegal racket and fell into trouble with the local police.

Doaker Charles is Berniece and Boy Willy's uncle, he is a dignified, wiser older man who used to earn his living building and working the railroads and now works as a railroad cook.

Maretha Charles is Berniece's eleven-year-old daughter. Berniece and Boy Willy clash about how she should be raised.

Wining Boy Charles is Doaker's brother and thus Boy Willie and Berniece's uncle, he is a failed musician and gambler, by turns charming and affectionate, at others, selfish and irresponsible. As his name implies, he is something of a "wino"-a Heavy Drinker-and also something of a "whiner"- a bluesman.

Grace - Her appearance on-stage is brief. She and Boy Willie have a brief encounter in the living room before Berniece, outraged, orders them to stop or leave the house.

Lymon is Boy Willy's friend from "down South", he is in trouble with the local sheriff back home and has traveled North with Boy Willy to escape prosecution and to sell their truck load of watermelons. His inexperience and naivete provides much humor in Act Two, scene one, when Wining Boy cons him into parting with six hard-earned dollars for a cheap suit, shirt, and pair of shoes.

If you would like to serve on the backstage crew for this production, please contact Ben Roney at 422-8641 ext. 227.

 

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