Directed By Stacy Levin
Our Town
By Thornton Wilder
Described by Edward Albee as “the greatest American play ever written,” Our Town presents the small town of Grover’s Corners in three acts: “Daily Life,” “Love and Marriage” and “Death and Eternity.” Narrated by a stage manager and performed with minimal props and sets, the play depicts the simple daily lives of the Webb and Gibbs families as their children fall in love, marry, and eventually – in one of the most famous scenes in American theatre – die.
Director’s Note
Our Town is a play about… Nothing. Not the nothing you are thinking of right now (boredom? an empty space?), but rather the Nothing you mean when someone says “Hey! I haven’t seen you in a while. What have you been up to?” and you respond with “(shrug) .. Nothing.” This play brings into focus how painfully and beautifully important each of those “nothing” moments are in life, and how those moments ARE in fact life itself. Sometimes, as artists, we are lucky to be a part of something that is transformative to both ourselves and others. Though this play is about Nothing, this play is one of those opportunities. Come play, transform, and make something out of Nothing.
AUDITION DATES AND REQUIREMENTS
Open to Ages 15+
There are so many opportunities for participating in this exciting production! If you like to act, you can be in just the play component! If you like to sing, please join the “Our Town Choir!” There are even some characters who will be able to do both. THANK YOU for taking the time to make a video that shows off your interests and talents! We can’t wait to have you be a part of this important and touching production!!
Initial auditions will be video auditions, with an in-person call back at the Historic Hoover Theater studios.
AUDITIONS: Video audition deadline is NOW EXTENDED to November 25, 2022
Registered participants may submit video auditions at this link.
CALLBACKS: November 29 – December 1, 2022
ALL participants will be asked for come to an in person callback.
HOW TO AUDITION
In the video please include:
- Your name and age (people 18+ can just say so!)
- A little introduction to your theater experience
- If you are only interested in certain parts or how big a part you would like (Please note that the roles of George and Emily are particularly emotionally demanding.)
- If you prefer a skirt or pants part
- Then please prepare something below based on your interests!
If you would like to be considered for an acting part who is also IN the choir (Mrs. Gibbs, Mrs. Soames, Simon Stimson, and hopefully more), please include BOTH the acting and choir audition in your video!
Click on a section to expand
To be considered for an ACTING part
If you would like to be considered for an ACTING part, please include BOTH:
- a 15 second pantomime of you doing something you do in your daily life. This could be eating cereal, cooking, painting your nails, washing your face, cleaning your room – the sky is the limit! Please do NOT use any objects in your pantomime – in other words, if you are eating cereal, please use an imaginary bowl and spoon!
- Here is an example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD9h-xft7Uw
- Your pantomime does not need to tell a whole story like this nor does it need any sound effects! However, we should be able to figure out what you are doing and how you feel about it!
- Here is an example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD9h-xft7Uw
- Please pick ONE of the monologues below to perform. There are many more roles in this show than these options, so please just pick the one you enjoy most.
To be considered for the CHOIR ONLY
If you would like to be considered for the choir ONLY, please sing ONE of the excepts below with these tracks:
- America the Beautiful
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alpLFUT0WIs
- Only the first verse (up to the 48 seconds mark)
- This song goes between C and D (a 9 note range). Please sing it in your octave!
- Jingle Bells
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20k80CLK1w0
- Only the first verse (up to the 30 second mark)
- This song goes between F# and F# (one octave). Please sing it in your octave!
- Amazing Grace
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xf3I6QdJXg
- Only the first verse, (up to the 43 second mark)
- This song goes between B flat and B flat (one octave). Please sing it in your octave!
- IF NONE OF THESE LINKS FEEL GOOD IN YOUR RANGE, you can find the tracks to Amazing Grace in ANY key.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rv374RJwJvo
- This publisher has all the keys to this song, so if you type in Amazing Grace sing2piano A (or B or C or … through G), you will find this song from high to low. Feel free to just pick the key you like.
Monologue options
REGISTRATION OPENS IN OCTOBER 2022
Registration is open to ages 15+
Age exceptions are possible and will be considered on a case by case basis
ALL participants are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19
Face masks are required to be worn at ALL rehearsals.
Participants may have the option to perform unmasked. This is subject to change, as required by current county conditions.
For the most up to date information, please refer to our requirements and policies at this link.
NEEDED FOR REGISTRATION
** If you have previously registered for one of our productions using our registration system most of your information will be in the system.
- Actor information (name, birthdate, allergies/medical conditions, t-shirt size)
- Email contact for at least one family member. Please be ready to provide email address for any family member that will want cast updates.
- Rehearsal Availability-which day(s) actor is available/unavailable for rehearsal and specific conflict dates for days where actor is available but has a conflict.
- No conflicts allowed during Tech/Show week
PARTICIPATION HOURS
For each participating cast member, 15 hours of adult volunteer work is required (25 hours for two cast members/35 hours for three).
If unable to fulfill hours of participation, a buyout option is available at the time of registration. Late buyout payments will have a 20% late fee added on.
Information on Job Choices will be communicated to registered participants when it becomes available.
REHEARSALS AND PERFORMANCES
This does NOT mean that all actors will be called every day each week. Any conflicts (standing appointments, trips, etc.) need to be noted in the “conflicts” area of registration. A full rehearsal schedule will be provided after casting that will tell which actors are rehearsing on what day.
REHEARSALS:
Begin December 5, 2022
Rehearsals for Our Town will be Tuesdays – Thursdays and some Saturdays.
Tuesdays-Thursdays: 6:00-10:00 pm
Saturdays 1:00-5:00 pm
Winter Break: December 19-January 3
Note: All participants must be available every day of tech week – Monday, Feb. 20 – Thursday, Feb.23
PERFORMANCES:
February 24-26, 2023
A word about the rehearsal schedule:
We have two weeks in December before the winter break. Over that week The Choir will be called T-Th one week for three days of music learning. The Actors will be called T-Th for a read through and some theater education. (The Choir is welcome to attend those days as well!) If you are an Actor in The Choir, you will be called for both weeks. After the Winter Break, rehearsals will be T-Th evenings 6-10pm with possible Saturdays from 1-5pm. I expect The Choir will be called 1 evening a week in January and more in February. The Actors will be called more frequently depending on character.