AUDITIONS will take place at the home of our Artistic Director, 13 Park Ave, Somerville 02144.
ABOUT THE PLAYS – In Like a Loss by Phoebe Roberts, faithful batman Henry Chapman does not often pry into the personal matters of his employer, the decorated Colonel Reginald Prescott Hawking. But when some of his master’s burdens seem to grow too great, Chapman attempts to understand why Colonel Hawking has chosen to endure conditions as they are.
In The Wheel by Zinnie Harris, Beatriz and her sister Rosa are preparing for Rosa's wedding celebration, to be held on their Spanish farm sometime in the 19th Century, when they are interrupted by brash and demanding soldiers on their way to a war. The groom has been recruited, the wedding is ruined, and the soldiers take over the farm. A small girl enters the scene: the soldiers want to kill her or abandon her, but Beatriz decides to find the girl's deserter father, who is always just over the next hill. Beatriz and the girl, who does not speak, travel far and wide—and through the history of modern warfare—and encounter all the sinister, pathetic and desperate people that war creates.
CHARACTERS -
Like a Loss (2 actors)
Colonel Reginal Prescott Hawking
Henry Chapman
The Wheel (6 actors)
Beatriz, a woman from Northern Spain – Female, 20-50
Rosa, her sister
Pedro, a local farmhand
Juan, a second farmhand
Tomas, Rosa’s betrothed
Sargento, the sergeant
Colline, the accused
Moreno, the deputy
A Girl
Rossignol, a naturalist
Blandine, a woman on fire
A Boy
Madame, a doctor’s wife
A Woman caught on barbed wire
A Baby
Jacques, a French soldier
Pierre, his friend
Hanna, a woman from Metz
Hanna’s Teenage Son
Jozka, a train conductor for the Trans-European Express
Thi, a Vietnamese woman
Hancock, an American marine
Glennister, Hancock’s superior officer
Xuan, Thi’s husband
Farshad, a man in the desert
Clement, an old man
AUDITIONS - When your audition time arrives, you will be called into the hall with the other members of your audition group. Please take a seat. The directors will introduce themselves and then assign you sides for cold readings. You will have a few minutes to look over the sides before being called to perform them. The directors may stop you during the scene to re-direct—this is not an indication that what you are doing is wrong, simply that she is giving you the opportunity to show her something more. Most actors will read two scenes. Every attempt will be made to let you read for parts of specific interest, as noted on your audition sheet. We understand that auditions are nerve-wracking—we want you to relax, have fun, and have every opportunity to show us what you can do.
NOTIFICATION - You will be notified, one way or another, by Saturday, February 21st at 5pm. If you have given us an email address, we will use that to notify you. If not, we will call you at the number you have provided. Please make sure that your contact information is legible. If you have not heard from us by that time, please email
REHEARSALS - Rehearsals will generally take place at the director’s homes or other spaces on weeknights 7-10 pm, weekend afternoons, and/or Sunday evenings 7-10 pm. Two rehearsals for Like a Loss will take place on the Brandeis campus in Waltham—please indicate on your audition form if you would be able to attend these rehearsals.
CONFLICTS - Please be sure to indicate all potential conflicts on the calendar on the back of the Audition Form. Every attempt will be made to accommodate conflicts, but once the schedule is set, it is very hard to adjust it. If you do not have your calendar available at auditions, you may email with additional conflict information.
PERFORMANCE - 8pm on Thursday, March 26, 2013 at Unity Somerville.
FEEDBACK - We try to make our auditions as smooth and pleasant as possible. If you have comments or questions regarding the process, please speak to one of our staff, or email .
Thank you very much for auditioning for Theatre@First.