CASTING CALL COWGIRL - Columbia University School of the Arts

CASTING CALL

COWGIRL

A new play by Justin Aaron Halle

Directed by Spencer Whale

Produced by Abigail Williams-Joseph

WHEN

Virtual Rehearsals Begin: 2/4

In-Person Rehearsals Begin: 2/11

Performances: 3/11 - 3/12 at the Schapiro Theater

SYNOPSIS

Three friends from the city meet on a fracking ranch in Wyoming for a wild western

wedding—but when Lila unearths Cowgirls, a relic of a feminist-board-game-withouta-board, all bets of a seamless wedding weekend are off. The game’s provocative

questions threaten to unravel the secrets and dark desires that lurk just beneath the

surface of these friendships. Cowgirl is a queer, passionate, and darkly hilarious romp

through the trials of friendship, the temptations and dangers of fracking, the

permanence of mustard stains, a supernatural swarm of libertarian aunts, and

absolutely zero lesbians. Ok—well—maybe some lesbians.

This is an unpaid, non-Equity workshop production at Columbia University’s School of the

Arts, developed under the supervision of professors David Henry Hwang and Lynn Nottage.

HOW TO SUBMIT

Please submit a headshot, resume, and self-tape using the sides linked below for the

role(s) for which you’d like to be considered no later than Sunday, January 23rd to

cowgirltheplay@gmail.com. Within the body of the email, please include your name,

preferred pronouns, and contact information. Callbacks (on Zoom) will be arranged by

appointment for the following weekend and week (1/22 - 1/28).

CHARACTERS

AUDITION SIDES AND FULL PLAY LINKED HERE.

We welcome submissions for more than one character, but please limit your selection to no more

than 2. The team will consider you for all appropriate roles. We encourage submissions from all

races and identities.

JESS (20s-30s, cisgender woman): Maid of Honor. Just barely holding it together. Never

been to a wedding. Neurotic, sensitive, and afraid she is not being seen. She has a deep

sweetness, but is only sometimes vulnerable enough to show it. Perpetually the

outsider.

LILA (20s-30s, begins the play as femme-presenting): Best Man. Obsession is her love

language. Clever, physically stronger than she knows, undergoing a gender crisis.

Poking and prodding; always playing games. Lila might be very tall, or otherwise stand

out in a crowd. VERY FUNNY. Actor portraying Lila must be capable of doing a

“cowboy” accent/voice.

BREE (20s-30s, cisgender woman): Bride. An ecstatic tornado going a million directions

at once. She thinks a mile a minute and has boundless energy but is—somehow—quite

grounded. A lover of big ideas. No-nonsense.

COVID

Production will follow Columbia University’s COVID-19 policies and protocols. All

participants will be required to show proof of vaccination. A booster is highly

recommended. Rehearsals will begin online, and all in-person rehearsals will be masked

until final dress rehearsal. In performance, actors will be maskless and audience will be

masked. Health and safety policies are consistently updated based on New York State,

New York City, and Columbia University guidelines and are subject to revision at any

time. Audience will be restricted to Columbia affiliates (students, staff, professors, etc)

but performances may be filmed and/or streamed.
Salary: Unpaid