AUDITION NOTICE
HOURGLASS PLAY READING SERIES
25/26 SEASON AUDITIONS
***25/26 SEASON AUDITIONS***
Saturday, October 11th - 12:00pm - 3:00pm
Please email info@blackfriars.org for an audition appointment no later than Friday, October 10th at noon.
CASTING:
AFTER THE REVOLUTION
by Amy Herzog
directed by Jeff Siuda
DO YOU FEEL ANGER?
by Mara Nelson-Greenberg
directed by Beverly Bauman
KING JAMES
by Rajiv Joseph
directed by Jason Rugg
THE AUDITION:
Auditions will take place in three 60-minute groups. All three directors will be present for all time slots; all three shows will be cast from the same call. Auditions will consist of cold reads from each script (no monologue required). Please bring a headshot or photo and a resume if you have one. Please come familiar with the play you are auditioning for. See below for links to scripts; for synopses, please visit https://www.blackfriars.org/#hourglass-play-reading-series.
***Please note that you must be present at auditions and available for both the rehearsal and full performance day in order to be cast.*** Actors may audition for more than one show.
THE PROCESS:
HPRS provides actors with a unique opportunity to explore and perform an interesting play with a short-term commitment. Our readings are held on Saturday afternoons at 2pm, with just 2 rehearsals that same week (one the morning of the performance). See below for specific dates and times. Actors are not compensated.
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AFTER THE REVOLUTION
Rehearsals: Tuesday, Oct 28th, 6 - 10 p.m.; Saturday, Nov 1st, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Performance: Saturday, Nov 1st at 2 p.m. — show followed by talkback
***Seeking 4 female-identifying, 4 male-identifying, 1 narrator***
Emma Joseph - Female; White; 20s | The protagonist, a young activist who idolizes her blacklisted grandfather, Joe. Her idealism is challenged when she uncovers a secret about his past, forcing her to question her family's legacy and her own principles.
Vera Joseph - Female; White; 80s | Emma's grandmother and the widow of Joe. She is a stern, unsentimental figure who defends her husband's decisions and legacy, serving as a connection to the family's past.
Ben Joseph - Male; White; 40s/50s | Emma's father, and Joe’s middle child. He is a recognizable figure who, despite his own political journey and failures, tries to articulate his desires for empathy and connection with his daughter.
Leo Joseph - Male; White; 50s | Ben's brother and Joe's eldest son. He is described as cool and philosophical, yet he feels guilty for living a complacent political life and struggles with unanswered questions.
Jess - Female; White; 20s | Emma's older sister. She is a formerly rebellious, now recovering individual who has gained some wisdom from her past struggles and offers a grounded perspective to the family.
Mel - Female; White; 40s | Emma's stepmother and Ben's partner. She provides a grounding, apolitical presence and a sympathetic ear for Emma's struggles.
Miguel - Male; Latino; 20s | Emma's boyfriend. He is a co-founder of the foundation Emma runs and offers a more emotionally mature perspective in his interactions with Emma.
Morty - Male; White; 70s | An avuncular, elderly friend of Joe's and one of the financial supporters of Emma's foundation.
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DO YOU FEEL ANGER?
Rehearsals: Tuesday, January 20th, 6 - 10 p.m.; Saturday, January 24th, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Performance: Saturday, January 24th at 2 p.m. — show followed by talkback
***Seeking 3 female-identifying, 4 male-identifying, 1 narrator***
Sofia - Female; any ethnicity; late 20s | The protagonist and an empathy coach tasked with teaching compassion at a debt collection agency. She must deal with the difficult (and increasingly absurd) emotional climate of the workplace, including the unaddressed needs of her colleagues and the pressures of her own life, like calls from her desperate mother dealing with infidelity.
Eva - Female; any ethnicity; early 30s | A colleague of Sofia's who is repeatedly mugged in the office kitchen. She is constantly apologizing and trying to make the workplace less hostile, despite the danger.
Jon - Male; any ethnicity; late 40s | one of the recalcitrant employees at the debt collection agency who struggle to understand and express emotions, creating a chaotic and hostile work environment.
Howie - Male; any ethnicity; early 30s | one of the recalcitrant employees at the debt collection agency who struggle to understand and express emotions, creating a chaotic and hostile work environment.
Jordan - Male; any ethnicity; late 20s | one of the recalcitrant employees at the debt collection agency who struggle to understand and express emotions, creating a chaotic and hostile work environment.
Janie/Sophia’s Mother - Female; any ethnicity; any age | Janey is a fellow employee who has mysteriously gone missing after going into the office bathroom; Sophia’s Mother is a character who calls Sofia frequently, expressing her despair and vulnerability after discovering her husband's infidelity and new family.
The Old Man - Male; any ethnicity; 70s/80s | A scorned bitter 130-year-old character on a mission of vengeance against the agency.
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KING JAMES
Rehearsals: Tuesday, May 12th, 6 - 10 p.m.; Saturday, May 16th, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Performance: Saturday, May 16th at 2 p.m. — show followed by talkback
***Seeking 2 male-identifying, 1 narrator***
Matt - Male; White; to portray character from his early 20s to early 30s | An ambitious bartender who is eventually shown to be running a family antiques shop. Struggles with personal frustrations and complicated conversations about masculinity, particularly regarding his father. Seeks connection and grapples with growing up throughout the play.
Shawn - Male; Black; to portray character from his early 20s to early 30s | A fledgling writer who experiences a period of professional success, evident in his wealth and ostentatious clothing choices. His fortune contrasts with Matt's, creating shifts in their friendship dynamics over the years.