[NEohioPAL] Lakeland's Auditions for Earnest

[Martin Friedman]

Lakeland Theatre 
announces auditions for
The Importance of Being Earnest
by 
Oscar Wilde
Monday, July 14 
Wednesday, July 16 
Lady Bracknell will be played by 
Mitchell Fields* (AEA)
Directed by Martin Friedman  
Sets and Lights Designed by Keith Nagy
Costumes Designed by Craig Tucker       
 Sound Design by Eric Simna
 
THE STORY:  
This is a witty look at the Victorian upper class, exposing a world of shallow indifference to true love. The young Jack Worthing and his good friend Algernon find themselves in a ridiculous situation after their fiancées learn they are coincidentally engaged to the same man. Wilde's play is sure to get people of all ages and social class grinning, if not realizing themselves the importance of being earnest.
 
Auditions:
Monday July 14,  2008 7:15pm till 9:00pm  
Wednesday, July 16, 2008 7:15pm till 9:00pm
All auditions will be held at Lakeland Community College's Performing Arts Center (PAC). Sorry, no more Equity contracts for this production. No need to prepare a monologue.  I will have you read directly from the script. This play takes place in the  1890's in ENGLAND so please bring your "A list" dialect. Additional auditions and callbacks only as necessary;  ALL ROLES ARE WELL COMPENSATED.
 
Production and Rehearsal dates:
The Imporance of Being Earnest will open on Friday, September 19 and run through October 5, 2008-- Friday through Sunday. Of course you will be compensated for all performances. Rehearsals will begin sometime in late July, early August. Don't worry we will work around vacation schedules. THERE WILL BE TWO STUDENT MATINEES (THAT WILL BE COMPENSATED ALSO) on Thursday September 18 and Thursday September 25, 2008; 9:30am till 12noon).  
 
WITH ONLY NINE ROLES IN THIS PLAY(LADY BRACKNELL IS ALREADY CAST), EACH CHARACTER IS  WONDERFUL AND COMPELLINGLY DRAWN. SURELY EACH OF THESE ROLES WILL BE CHALLENGING AND FUN TO PLAY. A VERY THEATRICAL PIECE.  
 
The Roles:
 

John "Jack" Worthing (Mid to late 20's, perhaps even early 30's): Jack is the play's protagonist and the play's most sympathetic character. He was found in a handbag on a railway line, and feels less at home in aristocratic society than does Algernon. He lives in the country but has invented a wicked brother named "Ernest" whose scrapes require Jack's attendance in the city. 
 
Algernon Moncrieff (Mid to late 20's, perhaps even early 30's): Algernon, the foil to Jack, is a hedonist who has created a friend named Bunbury whose status as a permanent invalid allows Algernon to leave the city whenever he pleases. He believes this activity, "Bunburying," is necessary, especially if one is going to get married-something he vows never to do. 
 
Lady Bracknell: Lady Bracknell will be played by Mitchell Fields. Lady Bracknell is the antagonist of the play, blocking both potential marriages. She embodies typical Victorian classism; she does not allow Gwendolen to marry Jack when she finds out he is an orphan, and she dislikes Cecily as a mate for her nephew Algernon until she learns that Cecily is wealthy. 
 
Gwendolen Fairfax (early to mid 20's): Gwendolen is Lady Bracknell's daughter, and is the object of Jack's romantic attention. Though she returns his love, Gwendolen appears self-centered and flighty. Like Cecily, she desires nothing but to marry someone named Ernest. 
 
Cecily Cardew (early 20's): Cecily is Jack's ward and lives with him in the country. Young and pretty, she is favored by Algernon, who pretends to be Jack's brother Ernest. Cecily has heard about this brother, and has written correspondences between the two of them for months by the time she meets Algernon/Ernest. Like Gwendolen, she is only interested in marrying a man named Ernest. 
 
Miss Prism (Early to mid to late 40's, perhaps early 50's): Miss Prism is the Cecily's governess. She obviously loves Chasuble, though the fact that he is a priest prohibits her from telling him so directly. 
 
Lane (Mid 30's to early 50's): Algernon's butler delivers a number of droll lines which show that he is far from a passive servant. 
 
Chasuble (Mid 40's to mid 50's): A rector, Chasuble frequently visits Jack's country house to see Miss Prism. Though he is celibate, he seems well matched for the educated Miss Prism. 
 
Merriman (Mid 40's to mid 50's): Jack's butler, Merriman has a less significant role than Lane has, but in one scene he and another servant force the bickering Gwendolen and Cecily to maintain supposedly polite conversation. 
 
The aforementioned roles are great and demand great actors!
 
For more information please feel free to either email me, Martin Friedman, at martinfriedman98 at yahoo.com or call 440.525.7034 (and press #1 to bypass the message). 
 
Auditions will be held in Performing Arts Center at Lakeland Community College . Take I 90 east and exit at the second exit, Route #306. Turn right (south) on Rt. #306. Turn left into the Lakeland Community College , the first light. Get in the right lane. Turn right at the stop sign. Turn right at the next stop sign. Turn left into the faculty/staff parking lot. Park at the other 


      
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