Production Company: South Mountain Community College
Playwright or Screenwriter: An original adaptation by Laurelann Porter based on the original play by Luigi Pirandello
Director: Laurelann Porter

Compensation: No Pay
Rehearsals Begin: 09/12/2015
Run/Shoot Dates: 10/29/2015 – 11/06/2015

Synopsis
What if an author abandoned his characters before the play was finished? What would happen to the unfinished characters? In Pirandello’s game-changing contribution to absurdist modern drama, the characters barge into a rehearsal and demand that their stories be told. Highlighting the clash between deeply disturbing tragedy and lowbrow comedy, Laurelann Porter’s new adaptation provides a visceral, contemporary feel to contrast the so-called timeless nature of these fictional characters.

Character Breakdown

We are looking for 12-20 people. All sizes, shapes, ethnicities, gender identities, ages, and ability levels are welcome. Actors with experience in masks and/or physical comedy are especially welcome. Clowns, jugglers, or folks with otherwise unusual talents are encouraged. The ability to play a musical instrument is also welcome.

The Characters – speaking roles (some knowledge of Italian pronunciation is a plus)
• The Father (heavy line load) 40+ yrs old. A man who likes to philosophize, particularly if it will get him out of eternal damnation. He might be a pedophile. He might look a little like Walt Disney. He wears a mask of remorse.
• The Mother 35+ yrs old. A woman who never was able to take charge of her life and feels helpless in the face of this tragic tale. We should never laugh at her. Her tragedy is real. She wears a mask of sorrow.
• The Step Daughter (heavy line load) 16-20 yrs old. She knows secrets she shouldn’t know. She is like a Catholic schoolgirl who skipped class to seek sex education on the streets. Or a Disney channel starlet gone rogue. She wears a mask of revenge.
• The Son, 19-24 yrs old. The legitimate son, he hates everyone in this story and wishes he were never written into it. He sees through the story and the fiction and points out the flaws and hypocrisies. He wears a mask of scorn.

The Characters – non-speaking roles
• The Boy, 8-16 yrs old. Fragmented and unfinished but central to the tragedy
• The Little Girl, 6-12 yrs old. Fragmented and unfinished, she should be painfully cute, but she might not have a face yet
Filmed Role (rehearsal participation will be minimal. This character’s presence will be entirely mediated.)
• Madame Paz de la Alma y Cuerpo. 40+ yrs old. She is a mash-up of cultural sterotypes. She is conjured in the moment by a malformed mind. Seeking a native or fluent Spanish speaker. Knowledge of Italian is a plus. An actor willing to collaborate in the translation and re-write process is especially welcome.

The Ensemble
• The Director (heavy line load) 30+ yrs old. Wishes he (or she) would have made a better name for him/herself by now. Seduced by the idea of being the next award-winning author.
• The Lead Actress 20-30 yrs old (a diva, hates comedy and improv)
• The Lead Actor 20-40 yrs old (might also be a diva, probably a player)
• The Supporting Actress 40+ yrs old (a veteran of the stage)
• The Young Actress 17-25 yrs old (the ingénue, very naïve, probably hasn’t read much classical literature)
• The Young Actor 17-25 yrs old (a little too eager perhaps)
• Actors #1, #2, and #3 20-60 yrs old (comedy figures along the lines of the Marx Brothers). Actor #3 does not speak but needs to be a silent clown figure like Harpo Marx.
• Stage Manager 18-50 yrs old (sly, subtle in his/her sarcasm, does not suffer fools gladly, likes being on headset).
• Stage Hand 20-50 yrs old (overworked and underpaid)
• Other non-speaking members of the troupe of actors.

Additional Info

Actors do NOT need to be students at SMCC
and will NOT need to register for a class if cast.

What To Prepare

The first two nights of auditions will consist of cold reads from the script. Additionally, any actors who have a prepared monologue AND/OR an unusual bit of physical talent (like juggling or a magic trick or a tuba solo) are welcome to present it (OPTIONAL). The call back auditions will consist of structured improvisations led by the director. Please come ready to move, ready to collaborate, and ready to use your imagination.