4th Wall Theatre, a non-union theatre company in Bloomfield, NJ, will hold open auditions for all roles for its production of A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. The show will be directed by Gwen Ricks-Spencer and stage managed by Martha Thalheimer. The show will be presented during Black History Month, February 23, 24 and 25 at the Westminster Arts Center on the campus of Bloomfield College, where the company is in residence. Auditions will take place October 24th and 25th in Bloomfield and Montclair. Rehearsals will begin in early November.
ABOUT THE SHOW
Set on Chicago’s South Side, the plot revolves around the divergent dreams and conflicts within three generations of the Younger family: son Walter Lee, his wife Ruth, his sister Beneatha, his son Travis, and matriarch Lena. When her deceased husband’s insurance money comes through, Mama Lena dreams of moving to a new home and a better neighborhood in Chicago. Walter Lee, a chauffeur, has other plans: buying a liquor store and being his own man. Beneatha dreams of medical school. The tensions and prejudice they face form this seminal American drama. The Younger family’s heroic struggle to retain dignity in a harsh and changing world is a searing and timeless document of hope and inspiration.
ABOUT THE AUDITIONS
Auditions are scheduled for Tuesday, October 24th (7:00-10:00 pm), at Westminster Arts Center (449 Franklin Street) in Bloomfield, NJ. A second day of auditions will be held on Wednesday, October 25th, at the Montclair Operetta Club, 494 Valley Rd, Upper Montclair, NJ (next to Acme). Sign-up begins at 1/2 hour prior to the audition start time, and anyone auditioning must arrive no later than 8:00 pm. Come to auditions prepared with a 1-2 minute monologue, and be prepared to read from the show. Sides will be posted by October 20th on the 4th Wall website at www.4thwalltheatre.org/auditions.htm. Also bring a headshot and resume stapled together, and be prepared to provide all potential conflicts for weekday evening and weekend daytime rehearsals beginning November 1, 2017. Non-union; no pay. For more information, including directions, go to www.4thwalltheatre.org/auditions.htm
SEEKING a cast of 10 adults, 1 child: 3 women, 7 men, 1 boy
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
Lena Younger (“Mama”) Black. Female. 50-60’s. Walter and Beneatha’s mother. The matriarch of the family, Mama is religious, moral, and maternal. She wants to use her husband’s insurance money as a down payment on a house with a backyard to fulfill her dream for her family to move up in the world.
Walter Lee Younger Black. Male. Early 30’s – mid 40’s. The protagonist of the play. Walter is a dreamer. He wants to be rich and devises plans to acquire wealth with his friends, particularly Willy Harris. When the play opens, he wants to invest his father’s insurance money in a new liquor store venture. He spends the rest of the play endlessly preoccupied with discovering a quick solution to his family’s various problems.
Ruth Younger Black. Female – Early 30’s to Early 40’s. Walter’s wife and Travis’s mother. Ruth takes care of the Youngers’ small apartment. Her marriage to Walter has problems, but she hopes to rekindle their love. She is about thirty, but her weariness makes her seem older. Constantly fighting poverty and domestic troubles, she continues to be an emotionally strong woman. Her almost pessimistic pragmatism helps her to survive.
Beneatha Younger: Black. Female. 20s. Daughter of the Younger family. Prides herself on being an intellectual, as she is the most educated member of the family. Wants to be a doctor. Constantly questioning Mama’s traditional values. Exploring her personal identity as an African-American woman while dating both George, a wealthy African-American man, and Asagai, a Nigerian immigrant.
Travis Younger: Black. Male. 10 or 11. Ruth and Walter’s son. Sleeps on the couch because there is no bedroom for him in the Younger home. Curious, playful, and loves the attention of his family. Always wants to be outside. Dreams of living in a house.
Karl Linder: White. Male. 40s – 50s. Middle-aged. Chairman of the Clybourne Park Improvement Association. Comes to the Younger house to offer Mama a deal not to move to white Clybourne Park neighborhood. Nervous and frustrated but well-meaning outsider.
Joseph Asagai Black. Male. 20s – 30s. A Nigerian student in love with Beneatha. Asagai, as he is often called, is very proud of his African heritage, and Beneatha hopes to learn about her African heritage from him. He eventually proposes marriage to Beneatha and hopes she will return to Nigeria with him.
George Murchison: Black. Male. 20s - 30s. Dating Beneatha. From a wealthy family. Judgmental and self-centered. Takes pride in his wealth and social-standing. He does not care about Beneatha’s intellect and would rather date a sophisticated society girl. Though he is well-liked by the Youngers, Beneatha is not interested in marrying him.
Bobo: Black. Male. 30s – 40s. One of Walter’s partners in the liquor store plan.
Two Movers Black. Male. 20-40s
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