[NEohioPAL]5 days until "Of Mice and Men" Auditions at Beck Center

[FSternfeld at aol.com]

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MAKE YOUR AUDITION APPOINTMENT NOW 
BY CALLING 216-521-2540 x 232
------------------------------

Beck Center
AUDITION INFORMATION
for
Of Mice and Men
by John Steinbeck

Director --  Fred Sternfeld
Set Design -- Richard Gould
Light Design -- Jeff Lockshine
Costume Design -- Jeff Smart
Sound Design -- Richard B. Ingraham
Stage Manager -- Amanda Harland

This outstanding classic drama is a tremendously moving character study of 
two roving farmhands, one of whom - "with the strength of a gorilla and the mind 
of an untutored child" - unwittingly murders a woman, and is killed by his 
friend to prevent his falling into the hands of the law.

THE STORY: Two drifters, George and his friend Lennie, with delusions of 
living off the "fat of the land," have just arrived at a ranch to work for enough 
money to buy their own place. Lennie is a man-child, a little boy in the body 
of a dangerously powerful man. It's Lennie's obsessions with things soft and 
cuddly, that have made George cautious about who the gentle giant, with his 
brute strength, associates with. His promise to allow Lennie to "tend to the 
rabbits" on their future land keeps Lennie calm, amidst distractions, as the 
overgrown child needs constant reassurance. But when a ranch boss' promiscuous wife 
is found dead in the barn with a broken neck, it's obvious that Lennie, 
albeit accidentally, killed her. George, now worried about his own safety, knows 
exactly where Lennie has gone to hide, and he meets him there. Realizing they 
can't run away anymore, George is faced with a moral question: how should he 
deal with Lennie before the ranchers find him and take matters into their own 
hands.

AUDITION DATES: Auditions will be held by appointment Monday, August? 25 and 
Tuesday, August 26 from 6:30pm-10:00pm at Beck Center. Call-Backs will be held 
Monday, September 8 from 6:30pm-10:30pm. To schedule an appointment please 
call Beck Center at 216-521-2540 ext. 232, Monday - Friday 9:00am - 6:00pm.

AUDITION INFORMATION: Please be prepared to present two short memorized 
monologues OR you can read a selection from the script which will be provided to 
you when you arrive for your audition. Please bring a resume and a headshot if 
available and arrive at least fifteen minutes early to fill out an audition 
form.

ROLES: All roles are open. 9 men, 1 woman.

Lennie - A large, lumbering, childlike migrant worker. Due to his mild mental 
disability, Lennie completely depends upon George, his friend and traveling 
companion, for guidance and protection. The two men share a vision of a farm 
that they will own together, a vision that Lennie believes in wholeheartedly. 
Gentle and kind, Lennie nevertheless does not understand his own strength. His 
love of petting soft things, such as small animals, dresses, and people's hair, 
leads to disaster.

George - A small, wiry, quick-witted man who travels with, and cares for, 
Lennie. Although he frequently speaks of how much better his life would be 
without his caretaking responsibilities, George is obviously devoted to Lennie. 
George's behavior is motivated by the desire to protect Lennie and, eventually, 
deliver them both to the farm of their dreams. Though George is the source for 
the often-told story of life on their future farm, it is Lennie's childlike 
faith that enables George to actually believe his account of their future.

Candy - An aging ranch handyman, Candy lost his hand in an accident and 
worries about his future on the ranch. Fearing that his age is making him useless, 
he seizes on George's description of the farm he and Lennie will have, 
offering his life's savings if he can join George and Lennie in owning the land. The 
fate of Candy's ancient dog, which Carlson shoots in the back of the head in 
an alleged act of mercy, foreshadows the manner of Lennie's death.

Curley's Wife - The only female character in the play, Curley's wife is never 
given a name and is only referred to in reference to her husband. The men on 
the farm refer to her as a "tramp," a "tart," and a "looloo." Dressed in 
fancy, feathered red shoes, she represents the temptation of female sexuality in an 
a male-dominated world. Steinbeck depicts Curley's wife not as a villain, but 
rather as a victim. Like the ranch-hands, she is desperately lonely and has 
broken dreams of a better life.

Crooks - Crooks, the black stable-hand, gets his name from his crooked back. 
Proud, bitter, and caustically funny, he is isolated from the other men 
because of the color of his skin. Despite himself, Crooks becomes fond of Lennie, 
and though he derisively claims to have seen countless men following empty 
dreams of buying their own land, he asks Lennie if he can go with them and hoe in 
the garden.

Curley - The boss's son, Curley wears high-heeled boots to distinguish 
himself from the field hands. Rumored to be a champion prizefighter, he is a 
confrontational, mean-spirited, and aggressive young man who seeks to compensate for 
his small stature by picking fights with larger men. Recently married, Curley 
is plagued with jealous suspicions and is extremely possessive of his 
flirtatious young wife.

Slim - A highly skilled mule driver and the acknowledged "prince" of the 
ranch, Slim is the only character who seems to be at peace with himself. The other 
characters often look to Slim for advice. For instance, only after Slim 
agrees that Candy should put his decrepit dog out of its misery, does the old man 
agree to let Carlson shoot it. A quiet, insightful man, Slim alone understands 
the nature of the bond between George and Lennie, and comforts George at the 
novel's tragic ending.

Carlson - A ranch-hand, Carlson complains bitterly about Candy's old, smelly 
dog. He convinces Candy to put the dog out of its misery. When Candy finally 
agrees, Carlson promises to execute the task without causing the animal any 
suffering. Later, George uses Carlson's gun to shoot Lennie.

Whit - A ranch hand.

The Boss - The stocky, well-dressed man in charge of the ranch, and Curley's 
father. He is never named and appears only once, but seems to be a fair-minded 
man. Candy happily reports that he once delivered a gallon of whiskey to the 
ranch-hands on Christmas Day.

REHEARSAL INFORMATION: 2-6 times a week (depending upon the role) starting 
January 4, 2004. Weeknight rehearsals will be 7-10:30pm; Weekend rehearsals will 
be Saturday afternoons and Sunday afternoons or evenings. 

COMPENSATION: Both AEA and non-AEA actors are welcome to audition. All actors 
are paid for their participation in Beck Center productions. 

PRODUCTION DATES: February 6 - 29, 2004. Thursdays, Friday & Saturdays at 
8:00pm. Sundays at 3:00pm. There will also be special school performances on 
February 10 & 12 at 9:00am and Noon.


The Beck Center is located at 17801 Detroit Ave., 
Lakewood, Ohio  44107

For more information contact Fred Sternfeld, director at 
Fsternfeld at aol.com or 216-360-0708

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<HTML><HEAD>
<META charset=3DUTF-8 http-equiv=3DContent-Type content=3D"text/html; charse=
t=3Dutf-8">
<META content=3D"MSHTML 6.00.2800.1170" name=3DGENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fffff=
f">
<P align=3Dcenter><FONT lang=3D0 style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" face=
=3DArial color=3D#ff0000 size=3D5 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" PTSIZE=3D"18" BACK=
=3D"#ffffff"><STRONG><FONT color=3D#008040>MAKE YOUR AUDITION APPOINTMENT NO=
W <BR></FONT></STRONG></FONT><FONT lang=3D0 style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff=
ff" face=3DArial color=3D#ff0000 size=3D5 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" PTSIZE=3D"18"=
 BACK=3D"#ffffff"><STRONG><FONT color=3D#008040>BY CALLING 216-521-2540 x 23=
2</FONT><BR><FONT color=3D#000000>------------------------------</FONT></STR=
ONG></FONT><FONT lang=3D0 style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" face=3DArial c=
olor=3D#ff0000 size=3D3 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" PTSIZE=3D"12" BACK=3D"#ffffff">=
<BR><BR><STRONG><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D5>Beck Center</FONT></STRONG></=
FONT><FONT lang=3D0 style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" face=3DArial size=
=3D3 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" PTSIZE=3D"12" BACK=3D"#ffffff"><BR><STRONG><FONT c=
olor=3D#ff0000 size=3D6>AUDITION INFORMATION</FONT><BR>for<BR></STRONG></FON=
T><FONT lang=3D0 style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" face=3DArial color=3D#0=
000ff size=3D7 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" PTSIZE=3D"24" BACK=3D"#ffffff"><STRONG><=
EM>Of Mice and Men</EM></STRONG></FONT><FONT lang=3D0 style=3D"BACKGROUND-CO=
LOR: #ffffff" face=3DArial color=3D#000000 size=3D3 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" PTS=
IZE=3D"12" BACK=3D"#ffffff"><BR><STRONG><FONT size=3D5>by John Steinbeck</FO=
NT><BR></P></STRONG>
<P align=3Dcenter><STRONG><FONT size=3D4>Director --  </FONT><A title=
=3Dhttp://www.fredsternfeld.com/ href=3D"http://www.fredsternfeld.com/"><FON=
T size=3D4>Fred Sternfeld<BR></FONT></A><FONT size=3D4>Set Design -- Richard=
 Gould<BR>Light Design -- Jeff Lockshine<BR>Costume Design -- Jeff Smart<BR>=
</FONT></STRONG><STRONG><FONT size=3D4>Sound Design -- </FONT><A title=3Dhtt=
p://www.rbicompaudio.20m.com/ href=3D"http://www.rbicompaudio.20m.com/"><FON=
T size=3D4>Richard B. Ingraham<BR></FONT></A></STRONG><STRONG><FONT size=3D4=
>Stage Manager -- Amanda Harland<BR></FONT></P></STRONG>
<P align=3Dleft>This outstanding classic drama is a tremendously moving char=
acter study of two roving farmhands, one of whom - "with the strength of a g=
orilla and the mind of an untutored child" - unwittingly murders a woman, an=
d is killed by his friend to prevent his falling into the hands of the law.<=
BR><BR></FONT><FONT lang=3D0 style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" face=3DAria=
l color=3D#ff0000 size=3D3 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" PTSIZE=3D"12" BACK=3D"#fffff=
f"><STRONG>THE STORY:</STRONG></FONT><FONT lang=3D0 style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLO=
R: #ffffff" face=3DArial color=3D#000000 size=3D3 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" PTSIZ=
E=3D"12" BACK=3D"#ffffff"><STRONG> </STRONG>Two drifters, George and his fri=
end Lennie, with delusions of living off the "fat of the land," have just ar=
rived at a ranch to work for enough money to buy their own place. Lennie is=20=
a man-child, a little boy in the body of a dangerously powerful man. It's Le=
nnie's obsessions with things soft and cuddly, that have made George cautiou=
s about who the gentle giant, with his brute strength, associates with. His=20=
promise to allow Lennie to "tend to the rabbits" on their future land keeps=20=
Lennie calm, amidst distractions, as the overgrown child needs constant reas=
surance. But when a ranch boss' promiscuous wife is found dead in the barn w=
ith a broken neck, it's obvious that Lennie, albeit accidentally, killed her=
. George, now worried about his own safety, knows exactly where Lennie has g=
one to hide, and he meets him there. Realizing they can't run away anymore,=20=
George is faced with a moral question: how should he deal with Lennie before=
 the ranchers find him and take matters into their own hands.<BR><BR></FONT>=
<FONT lang=3D0 style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" face=3DArial color=3D#ff0=
000 size=3D3 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" PTSIZE=3D"12" BACK=3D"#ffffff"><STRONG>AUD=
ITION DATES:</STRONG></FONT><FONT lang=3D0 style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fffff=
f" face=3DArial color=3D#000000 size=3D3 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" PTSIZE=3D"12"=20=
BACK=3D"#ffffff"><STRONG> </STRONG>Auditions will be held by appointment Mon=
day, August? 25 and Tuesday, August 26 from 6:30pm-10:00pm at Beck Center. C=
all-Backs will be held Monday, September 8 from 6:30pm-10:30pm. To schedule=20=
an appointment please call Beck Center at 216-521-2540 ext. 232, Monday - Fr=
iday 9:00am - 6:00pm.<BR><BR></FONT><FONT lang=3D0 style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR=
: #ffffff" face=3DArial color=3D#ff0000 size=3D3 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" PTSIZE=
=3D"12" BACK=3D"#ffffff"><STRONG>AUDITION INFORMATION:</STRONG></FONT><FONT=20=
lang=3D0 style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" face=3DArial color=3D#000000 si=
ze=3D3 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" PTSIZE=3D"12" BACK=3D"#ffffff"><STRONG> </STRONG=
>Please be prepared to present two short memorized monologues OR you can rea=
d a selection from the script which will be provided to you when you arrive=20=
for your audition. Please bring a resume and a headshot if available and arr=
ive at least fifteen minutes early to fill out an audition form.<BR><BR></FO=
NT><FONT lang=3D0 style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" face=3DArial color=3D#=
ff0000 size=3D3 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" PTSIZE=3D"12" BACK=3D"#ffffff"><STRONG>=
ROLES: </STRONG></FONT><FONT lang=3D0 style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" fa=
ce=3DArial color=3D#000000 size=3D3 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" PTSIZE=3D"12" BACK=
=3D"#ffffff">All roles are open. 9 men, 1 woman.<BR><BR><STRONG>Lennie - </S=
TRONG>A large, lumbering, childlike migrant worker. Due to his mild mental d=
isability, Lennie completely depends upon George, his friend and traveling c=
ompanion, for guidance and protection. The two men share a vision of a farm=20=
that they will own together, a vision that Lennie believes in wholeheartedly=
. Gentle and kind, Lennie nevertheless does not understand his own strength.=
 His love of petting soft things, such as small animals, dresses, and people=
's hair, leads to disaster.<BR><BR><STRONG>George - </STRONG>A small, wiry,=20=
quick-witted man who travels with, and cares for, Lennie. Although he freque=
ntly speaks of how much better his life would be without his caretaking resp=
onsibilities, George is obviously devoted to Lennie. George's behavior is mo=
tivated by the desire to protect Lennie and, eventually, deliver them both t=
o the farm of their dreams. Though George is the source for the often-told s=
tory of life on their future farm, it is Lennie's childlike faith that enabl=
es George to actually believe his account of their future.<BR><BR><STRONG>Ca=
ndy - </STRONG>An aging ranch handyman, Candy lost his hand in an accident a=
nd worries about his future on the ranch. Fearing that his age is making him=
 useless, he seizes on George's description of the farm he and Lennie will h=
ave, offering his life's savings if he can join George and Lennie in owning=20=
the land. The fate of Candy's ancient dog, which Carlson shoots in the back=20=
of the head in an alleged act of mercy, foreshadows the manner of Lennie's d=
eath.<BR><BR><STRONG>Curley's Wife - </STRONG>The only female character in t=
he play, Curley's wife is never given a name and is only referred to in refe=
rence to her husband. The men on the farm refer to her as a "tramp," a "tart=
," and a "looloo." Dressed in fancy, feathered red shoes, she represents the=
 temptation of female sexuality in an a male-dominated world. Steinbeck depi=
cts Curley's wife not as a villain, but rather as a victim. Like the ranch-h=
ands, she is desperately lonely and has broken dreams of a better life.<BR><=
BR><STRONG>Crooks - </STRONG>Crooks, the black stable-hand, gets his name fr=
om his crooked back. Proud, bitter, and caustically funny, he is isolated fr=
om the other men because of the color of his skin. Despite himself, Crooks b=
ecomes fond of Lennie, and though he derisively claims to have seen countles=
s men following empty dreams of buying their own land, he asks Lennie if he=20=
can go with them and hoe in the garden.<BR><BR><STRONG>Curley - </STRONG>The=
 boss's son, Curley wears high-heeled boots to distinguish himself from the=20=
field hands. Rumored to be a champion prizefighter, he is a confrontational,=
 mean-spirited, and aggressive young man who seeks to compensate for his sma=
ll stature by picking fights with larger men. Recently married, Curley is pl=
agued with jealous suspicions and is extremely possessive of his flirtatious=
 young wife.<BR><BR><STRONG>Slim - </STRONG>A highly skilled mule driver and=
 the acknowledged "prince" of the ranch, Slim is the only character who seem=
s to be at peace with himself. The other characters often look to Slim for a=
dvice. For instance, only after Slim agrees that Candy should put his decrep=
it dog out of its misery, does the old man agree to let Carlson shoot it. A=20=
quiet, insightful man, Slim alone understands the nature of the bond between=
 George and Lennie, and comforts George at the novel's tragic ending.<BR><BR=
><STRONG>Carlson - </STRONG>A ranch-hand, Carlson complains bitterly about C=
andy's old, smelly dog. He convinces Candy to put the dog out of its misery.=
 When Candy finally agrees, Carlson promises to execute the task without cau=
sing the animal any suffering. Later, George uses Carlson's gun to shoot Len=
nie.<BR><BR><STRONG>Whit - </STRONG>A ranch hand.<BR><BR><STRONG>The Boss -=20=
</STRONG>The stocky, well-dressed man in charge of the ranch, and Curley's f=
ather. He is never named and appears only once, but seems to be a fair-minde=
d man. Candy happily reports that he once delivered a gallon of whiskey to t=
he ranch-hands on Christmas Day.<BR><BR></FONT><FONT lang=3D0 style=3D"BACKG=
ROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" face=3DArial color=3D#ff0000 size=3D3 FAMILY=3D"SANSSE=
RIF" PTSIZE=3D"12" BACK=3D"#ffffff"><STRONG>REHEARSAL INFORMATION:</STRONG><=
/FONT><FONT lang=3D0 style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" face=3DArial color=
=3D#000000 size=3D3 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" PTSIZE=3D"12" BACK=3D"#ffffff"><STR=
ONG> </STRONG>2-6 times a week (depending upon the role) starting January 4,=
 2004. Weeknight rehearsals will be 7-10:30pm; Weekend rehearsals will be Sa=
turday afternoons and Sunday afternoons or evenings. <BR><BR></FONT><FONT la=
ng=3D0 style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" face=3DArial color=3D#ff0000 size=
=3D3 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" PTSIZE=3D"12" BACK=3D"#ffffff"><STRONG>COMPENSATIO=
N:</STRONG></FONT><FONT lang=3D0 style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" face=
=3DArial color=3D#000000 size=3D3 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" PTSIZE=3D"12" BACK=
=3D"#ffffff"><STRONG> </STRONG>Both AEA and non-AEA actors are welcome to au=
dition. All actors are paid for their participation in Beck Center productio=
ns. <BR><BR></FONT><FONT lang=3D0 style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" face=
=3DArial color=3D#ff0000 size=3D3 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" PTSIZE=3D"12" BACK=
=3D"#ffffff"><STRONG>PRODUCTION DATES:</STRONG></FONT><FONT lang=3D0 style=
=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" face=3DArial color=3D#000000 size=3D3 FAMILY=
=3D"SANSSERIF" PTSIZE=3D"12" BACK=3D"#ffffff"><STRONG> </STRONG>February 6 -=
 29, 2004. Thursdays, Friday & Saturdays at 8:00pm. Sundays at 3:00pm. T=
here will also be special school performances on February 10 & 12 at 9:0=
0am and Noon.<BR><BR></P>
<P align=3Dcenter><STRONG>The Beck Center is located at 17801 Detroit Ave.,=20=
<BR>Lakewood, Ohio  44107<BR><BR>For more information contact Fred Ster=
nfeld, director at <BR>Fsternfeld at aol.com or 216-360-0708<BR><BR><BR></STRON=
G></P></FONT></BODY></HTML>

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