Kentwood Players announces open auditions for
OUR TOWN
By Thornton Wilder
On Saturday, November 10 and Sunday, November 11, 2018
At the Westchester Playhouse
Kentwood Players will hold open auditions for OUR TOWN by Thornton Wilder, on Saturday, November 10 from 11:00am to 2:00pm and Sunday, November 11 from 7:00 to 9:00pm. Callbacks will be held on Monday, November 12 from 7:00 to 10:00pm by appointment only with additional callbacks if necessary on Tuesday, November 13 at 7:00pm. This is a non-equity, non-paid production directed by Stanley Brown and produced by Kathy Dershimer for Kentwood Players with rights secured from Samuel French, Inc.
Performance dates are January 11 through February 16, 2019 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm and Sundays at 2:00pm. Auditions and performances take place at the Westchester Playhouse, located at 8301 Hindry Avenue in Westchester, CA 90045.
Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize winning classic, OUR TOWN, comes to the Kentwood stage with a dramatic restaging. The residents of the small town of Grover’s Corners remain as universal and timeless as when they first appeared on stage in 1938. Whether this is your first or tenth visit to OUR TOWN don’t miss this special opportunity to experience what has been called “the great American play.”
Those auditioning should read the play before auditioning to become familiar with the characters. Please allow time to sign-in and complete paperwork during scheduled audition times. Please bring a current headshot and resume as well as your calendar as a rehearsal schedule will be posted at auditions and you will be asked to note any conflicts. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the production team at
OurTown@kentwoodplayers.org.
Character Breakdown
Note: Some cast members may be on stage during the entire performance of the play. Cast members should be adept at miming actions. Some will be asked to change wardrobe on stage, move props such as chairs, benches, and ladders during the performance, sit next to and briefly interact with audience members on stage and in the auditorium. Cast members should be comfortable with dialogue and action that may be staged in the audience, in the two auditorium side aisles and in the audience pit. Many members may be asked to play ensemble roles. The Kentwood Players welcomes all ethnicities to audition.
Stage Manager - Age and gender open. Must be a good story teller. Heavy dialogue. Must feel comfortable addressing and speaking directly to the audience. Will be on stage for the entire show. Must be physically capable of moving chairs, benches, etc. Plays other characters as well
Emily Webb - Female. Should be able to play suggested ages 16-20. Strong actor. Will be the center of the play’s story line. Should be capable of climbing a few steps on a ladder and delivering lines on the ladder.
Mr. Charles Webb - Male. Should be able to play ages 30-55. Highly educated, is the editor and owner of the local newspaper. Must show a strong fatherly relationship with his daughter, Emily.
Mrs. Myrtle Webb - Female to play wife of Charles Webb, compatible age, strong mother figure. Must be adept with miming action
Wally Webb - Male, should be able to play young, suggested age 11-13.
George Gibbs - Male. Must play the suggested ages of 16-32. He’s at the center of the play’s story line with Emily Webb. A romantic idealist. Must be physically capable of climbing a few steps up a ladder and delivering lines on the ladder.
Dr. Frank Gibbs - Male to play suggested ages 30-55. He is a doctor and a family man. Strong father figure to his son, George. Romantic and in love with his wife,
Mrs. Julia Gibbs - Female, should play suggested ages between 30-55, wife of Frank Gibbs, strong mother of George and Rebecca. Must be good at miming actions re
Rebecca Gibbs - Female to play suggested ages 11-13. She has a strong sense of energy and wonder about the world.
Joe Crowell - gender open. Good with mime, plays young. Mimes delivery of newspapers and sets up the friendliness among the neighbors of the town. Will likely play one or two ensemble roles.
Si Crowell - younger brother of Joe Crowell. Plays young. Mimes newspaper throwing
Howie Newsome - gender open. Plays young. Good with mime, leads a horse and wagon while delivering milk bottles. Will play one or two ensemble roles.
Professor Willard - gender open, adult. Academic. Delivers lines about the archeological and anthropological history of Grover’s Corners, new Hampshire.
Simon Stimson - adult, gender open. Leader of the church choir, has an obvious drinking problem. May play one or two ensemble roles.
Constable Warren - gender open, an adult. The town police officer, walks the streets, Will play other ensemble roles.
Mrs. Soames - Female adult, Sings in the choir, a town gossip. Will play one or two ensemble roles.
Ensemble Roles:
Joe Stoddard - older age, a visitor to the graveyard in Act 3
Sam Craig - middle aged – a visitor to the grave yard in Act 3
Lady in the Box - delivers lines from the audience
Woman in Balcony - delivers lines from the audience
Belligerent Man In Auditorium - delivers lines from the audience
Simon Stimson - a male drinker, trying to get his way home.
Baseball Players - a possible mix of male and female
A Woman Among the Dead.
A Man Among the Dead.
Wedding Attendees
The Dead
Farmer McCarthy - no lines
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