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Audition Announcement

Video submission due by Friday, April 23 at 3:00 pm

 

MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION OF
SWEAT

by Lynn Nottage
Directed by William P. Caise
Rehearsals begin: August 23, 2021
Performances: September 23 – October 3, 2021


GENERAL AUDITION INFORMATION

We will be conducting auditions for this production via video submission. Callbacks will be in person.

Generals: By video submissions due by Friday, April 23 at 3:00pm. Submit your materials HERE.

Callbacks: In person on Tuesday April 27, 6:30 – 10:30p. Actors will be notified of a callback via email on Monday evening, April 26.


AUDITION REQUIREMENTS (VIA VIDEO): 

Purdue Department of Theatre Acting Majors and Acting Certificate Students**: Please prepare one memorized modern or contemporary 1-2 minute monologue (comedic or dramatic). Total length: 2 mins

Purdue Department of Theatre Majors, Theatre Minors, Theatre Design and Production Majors and Non-Theatre Majors**: Please prepare one modern or contemporary 1-2 minute monologue (comedic or dramatic). Total length: 2 mins

If you do not have material prepared, you may choose to prepare one of the monologues here. The monologues do not need to be memorized. Total length: 2 mins

Purdue Department of Theatre Acting Graduate Students**: Please prepare one memorized modern or contemporary 1-2 minute monologue (comedic or dramatic).

**Notes: 1) For video: actors should set the frame so the entire body is visible in front of a neutral background. Please be aware of forward or backward movement that may take an actor out of the frame. 2) For monologue selection: a suggestion to choose material that connects to a social theme that you feel passionate about. 

A Note on Staged Intimacy: All staged contact will be led in rehearsals by a consultant trained in staging intimacy. All instances of staged intimacy for the characters required of the script are noted in parentheses in the character description below. If actors prefer not to be considered for characters because of staged intimacy or have questions they will be given an option to indicate this on the online audition form.

A Note on Staged Violence: All staged contact will be led in rehearsals by a consultant trained in staging violence. All instances of staged violence for the characters required of the script are noted in parentheses in the character description below.

** Important Note on COVID-19: Please note that with social distancing and safety considerations related to COVID-19, staging, including intimacy and violence may be curtailed, abstracted, or cut.

Undergraduates must have a GPA of 2.5 or higher to be eligible to be cast.

Enrollment Requirement: Student actors cast in this production must register for 2-3 credits of THTR 536 Rehearsal and Performance.


ROLES OPEN FOR AUDITION

EVAN—40’s, African American—Parole Officer to Jason and Chris. Fair-minded and world weary. Shows little tolerance for foolishness and holds his clients accountable, not out of a sense of power, but out of a sense of responsibility…to the client and society.

JASON—21/29—White American of German descent. Jason is a 3rd Generation Steel worker. Former best friend of Chris. Goes to prison for assaulting Stan. He is shown during two (2) distinct periods of his life—Pre and Post prison. Becomes White supremacist while in prison and bears tattoos signifying such. Physically assaults Stan during show.

CHRIS—21/29—African-American. Chis works in the Steel industry though he aspires to go to college to become a teacher. He is a dreamer. He goes to prison for his involvement in the assault which injures Stan. He becomes a born-again-Christian in prison. Physical violence with/against other characters on stage.

STAN—50’s—White American of German descent. An everyman of sorts. Stan is the manager of the Bar in which the action of the play takes place. He is a former Steel worker who had to retire due to an injury on the job. Stan is now an overseer of sorts…he is in the bar to greet his friends and former workmates at the close of their day. He carries a torch for Tracey. Victim of violence onstage.

OSCAR—23/30—Columbian American. Proud Columbian American. He is American. Oscar is a bar-back/bus boy in the bar. He is a hard worker who is often working silently in the background. He aspires for a better way of life and better paying job. Racial based violence onstage.

TRACEY—45/53—White of German descent. Steel worker. Best friend of Cynthia. Third generation steel worker and PROUD. Highly invested in the American Dream which belongs to her. Latent racist. Highly invested in the history and mythology of Reading Pennsylvania…as the city goes so does Tracey.

CYNTHIA—45/53—African American—Steel worker, who is promoted into management. Wants better for herself and her son. Encouraging of her son’s dreams. Divorced from Brucie. Cynthia has a hard time negotiating her new job responsibilities and her friendships.

JESSIE—40’s—Italian American. Factory worker. Jessie is plagued by disappointment and broken dreams. She has a constant smile which masks her heart-break. She loves her friends and tries to maintain the peace within their group. She drinks to point of blackout.

BRUCIE—40’s—African American. Estranged husband of Cynthia and father of Chris. Brucie lost his job during a strike. He uses drugs and alcohol to cope with his pain. His use led to the loss of his family and hinders his reconciliation with Cynthia who he deeply loves. He is on a mission to reclaim his family.

Please send any questions to Fritz Bennett at fbennett@purdue.edu.