Olympic Theatre Arts in Sequim is announcing auditions for the community theatre’s first New Works Showcase. Exploring themes of resilience, the production consists of six unique 10-minute plays solicited from the local community.
The audition is set for 5-7 p.m. Sunday, June 6, at Olympic Theatre Arts Center, 414 N. Sequim Ave.
Auditioners will need to be ready to perform cold reads at the audition and come prepared to give their availability for rehearsals from June 11-July 14. They will also need to be available for an in-person read-through from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, June 11.
The production runs just one weekend — July 16-18 — and will be the first OTA performance open to the general public since the pandemic began.
“This showcase is all about highlighting the written voices of our community,” OTA executive director Ginny Holladay said. “We are looking for cast members that will lift these words from the page, in a highly collaborative, all-original production.”
There are two-dozen roles available, with production titles such as “Goodbye Cruel World,” “Dance Your Dance,” “City of Sequim: Heart of Darkness & Lavender Capital of the World,” “Joie de Vivre,” “I Dance for Purple” and “Searching for a Heart”; see online story at sequimgazette.com for role descriptions.
OTA is also looking for creative people to fill out the production team. Those interested in helping out behind the scenes with costumes, sets, lights, sound or other creative endeavors are encouraged to inquire.
Olympic Theatre Arts Center is also seeking a small, well-practiced jazz ensemble capable of improvisation to join in on the performance, OTA marketing and image director Pete Griffin said.
“Some of these wonderful stories really have music at their core, and there are many other moments which would be just so much deeper and add so much to the spoken word of these plays if they had a subtle underscore of live music,” he said.
Contact Olympic Theatre Arts at olympictheatrearts.org or 360-683-7326 for more information.
New Works opportunities
Stories in the New Works Showcase portray a wide array of characters, ranging in age from early 20s to mid-60s. The stories, and charactors sought, include:
“Goodbye Cruel World” by Susan Noyes, directed by Kyle LeMaire. Two woman make a suicide pact, but fate intervenes. Characters include:
• Pru (she/her), 60+ years; best friend to Vicky; spirited and frank but supportive; divorced and a little bitter
• Vicky (she/her), 60+ years; best friend to Pru; father just died; resentful, as she was left nothing in the will
• Chad (he/him), 25-35 years; broke, stressed and broken; caring but can’t follow through on his actions
“Dance Your Dance” by John Painter, directed by Christy Holy. A poignant comedy about five souls whose conversations in death reveal their perseverance in life.
• Arthur (he/him), late 50s; stockbroker
• Jake (he/him) mid-30s; war veteran; uses wheelchair (seeking wheelchair users to fill this role)
• Ryan (he/him), mid-30s; professional cyclist
• Nancy (she/her), late 40s; mother (this character is depicted as a victim of domestic violence)
• Judy (she/her), mid-50s; dancer
“City of Sequim: Heart of Darkness & Lavender Capital of the World” by Gabriel Mills and Sarah Brabant, directed Marissa Meek. A satirical romp through a beloved town that dips its toes in both absurdism and the avant garde. (Note: all genders may be cast as they/them or other)
• Chuck (he/him), 20-plus years; local access TV lead anchor
• Burt (he/him), any age.: Local access TV co-anchor. Also a tree (*not a speaking role)
• Diana (she/her), 25-plus years; assistant city planner
• God/David/other voices (several genders); concerned citizen/local restaurant entrepreneur/God as a meteorologist/local astrologist/David Duchovney
“Joie de Vivre” by Suzanne Bailie, directed by Christy Holy. A dark comedy that explores how far humans will go to keep their zest for life in a future where they can live forever.
• Tracy (gender neutral), any age; enthusiastic, persistent salesperson
• Nova (she/her), 250 years old but plays as 30s; kind-hearted; partner to Dean
• Dean (he/him) 200 years old but plays as 30s; ready for a change; partner to Nova
“I Dance for Purple” by Aurora Lagattuta, directed by Ginny Holladay. A woman in isolation finds freedom and connection through imagination, music and dance.
• Rosa (she/her), 40-plus years; elderly woman who loves dance and poetry
• Bucko (he/him OR she/her OR they/them), 20-plus years; bartender who is less familiar with dance
• He (he/him), 18-plus years; folds laundry and falls in love while dancing
• She (she/her), 18-plus years; swipes on her phone and falls in love while dancing
“Searching for a Heart” by Jim Guthrie, directed Tia Stevens. This sweet and funny tale reminds us that our best legacies will live on in the hearts of others.
• Irma (she/her), 50-plus years; deceased; friend/foil to Lars; talks a lot
• Lars (he/him), 50-plus years; deceased; concerned about the whereabouts of his donated heart
• Dick (he/him), any age; old-timey detective type
• Mrs. Puffery (she/her)/nurse (she/her)/receptionist (she/her)/Peggy (she/her), any ages; several witty women with sharp tongues; some are more helpful than others
• Peggy (she/her), 30-plus years; fan of puns; has a new heart.
