AUDITION NOTICE
HOURGLASS PLAY READING SERIES
***26/27 SEASON AUDITIONS***
Sunday, October 4th - 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Please email info@blackfriars.org for an audition appointment no later than Friday, October 2nd at noon.
CASTING:
THE HUMANS
by Stephen Karam
directed by Alexa Scott-Flaherty
CLYDE’S
by Lynn Nottage
directed by Shawnda Urie
THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME
by Simon Stephens
directed by Sam Nelson
THE AUDITION:
Auditions will take place in two 60-minute groups. All three directors will be present for both 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 and be cast in more than one show.
THE PROCESS:
HPRS provides actors with a unique opportunity to explore and perform a staged reading of 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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THE HUMANS
Rehearsals: Sunday, November 15th from 12-4p.m.; Saturday, November 21st, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Performance: Saturday, November 1st at 2 p.m. — show followed by talkback
***Seeking 4 female-identifying, 2 male-identifying, 1 narrator***
Erik Blake - Male; 50s-60s | The father of Brigid and Aimee, husband to Deirdre, and son of Momo. Erik is a duty-driven man who worked for decades at a local Catholic school to provide tuition and a stable life for his daughters. He acts as the patriarch trying to hold his family together, but he harbors heavy secrets, including financial stress and an extramarital affair that ultimately leads to his firing and a major plot climax.
Dierdre Blake - Female; 50s-60s | Erik’s wife, mother to Brigid and Aimee. Deirdre copes with family anxiety, aging, and her husband's hidden flaws through humor, food, and devout faith. She stands by Erik while dealing with the emotional toll of caring for her dementia-ridden mother-in-law and watching her daughters struggle.
Brigid Blake - Female; 20s-30s | Erik and Deirdre's younger daughter, Richard's girlfriend. A classically trained musician and composer in her early twenties, Brigid is trying to make a life and career in New York City without much money or connections. She hosts Thanksgiving in her new, rundown basement duplex apartment.
Aimee Blake - Female; 30s | Erik and Deirdre's older daughter, Brigid's sister. Aimee is a lawyer who is currently struggling on multiple fronts. She is dealing with a painful breakup from a long-term female partner, physical pain from ulcerative colitis, and professional stress.
Richard Saad - Male; 20s-30s | Brigid’s boyfriend. Richard is a social worker roughly ten years older than Brigid. Unlike the rest of the working-class Blake family, Richard comes from a background with more financial security (an impending trust fund), which subtly alters family dynamics and highlights the pervasive money anxieties of the others. He is deeply caring and supportive of Brigid and her family.
Fiona “Momo” Blake - Female; 70s-80s | Erik’s elderly mother. Momo is suffering from advanced Alzheimer's disease or dementia. She is largely non-responsive or confused during the gathering, though her physical presence and sudden outbursts anchor the family’s fears regarding aging, decline, and healthcare.
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CLYDE’S
Rehearsals: Tuesday, February 9th, 6 - 10 p.m.; Saturday, February 13th, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Performance: Saturday, February 13th at 2 p.m. — show followed by talkback
***Seeking 2 female-identifying, 3 male-identifying, 1 narrator***
Clyde - female; Black; Late 30s to 50s; | The ruthless, brash, and formidable owner of the truck stop sandwich shop. She has also spent time in prison but shows no empathy for her formerly incarcerated staff. She rules the kitchen with an iron fist, delights in humiliating others, and acts as the play's main antagonist. Requires an actor with sharp comedic chops and a powerful, seductive stage presence.
Montrellous - male; Black;40s to late 50s | The mindful, sensitive, and kind kitchen "zen master" who served a lengthy prison sentence. He views the art of sandwich-making as a form of meditation and redemption. He serves as a gentle mentor and a father figure to the younger generation of line cooks.
Letitia (Tish) - female; Black; 20s-30s | A quick-witted, sharp-tongued, and fiercely independent line cook. She is a single mother working hard to provide medical care for her daughter with chronic health issues. She is prone to making impulsive romantic decisions but holds a deep desire for a stable, better life.
Rafael - male; Latino/Hispanic; 20s | An energetic, romantic, and slightly anxious line cook who served time for a drug-fueled, botched robbery attempt. He has an expressive, rhythmic personality and is deeply infatuated with Letitia. He tries hard to find beauty in life but easily folds under Clyde’s intimidation.
Jason - male; White; 20s-30s | The newest hire at the shop who served eight years for aggravated assault. He has visible, white-supremacist gang tattoos covering his face and body, making him an immediate threat to the rest of the crew. Over the course of the play, he shifts from a guarded, defensive outcast to a vulnerable and open collaborator.
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THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME
Rehearsals: Tuesday, April 6th, 6 - 10 p.m.; Saturday, April 10th, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Performance: Saturday, April 10th at 2 p.m. — show followed by talkback
***Seeking 2 female-identifying, 2 male-identifying, 1 narrator***
Christopher Boone - male or gender-fluid; 18+ to play teens | The protagonist. He is mathematically brilliant, deeply logical, and views the world in absolutes. He is on the autism spectrum (though the script intentionally leaves his condition unnamed) and experiences extreme sensory overload, a hatred of being touched, and social anxiety.
Siobhan - female; 20s-40s | Christopher’s teacher, mentor, and the narrator of his book. She understands Christopher better than anyone else, acting as his calm center, translator, and bridge to the outside world. She speaks with great clarity, patience, and warmth.
Ed Boone- male; 40s-50s | Christopher’s father. A working-class man who runs a heating maintenance business. He is a fiercely protective, patient, and loving father who is simultaneously completely overwhelmed, lonely, and prone to explosive outbursts of anger and frustration.
Judy Boone- female; 30s-40s | Loving but emotionally fragile and easily overwhelmed by the intense demands of raising Christopher. Unlike Ed, she lacks a filter for her frustration, which previously led her to make a heartbreaking choice. She is independent and expressive.