[NEohioPAL] MA RAINEY Auditions Tonight and Tomorrow!!!

[grumio85 at aol.com]

Beck Center for the Arts
Announces auditions for 
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom by August Wilson 


Beck Center is proud to honor the legacy of one of the greatest playwrights of the 20th Century by producing his first Broadway hit play (1984) on the Mackey Main Stage this season. 

Sarah May will direct this memorable "play with music" set in a Chicago recording studio in 1927.?? Mr. Wilson's early masterpiece deals with racism in the music industry as a metaphor for the hopes, frustrations and shattered dreams of the African American community of the 1920's. The script overflows with blues music, robust humor, storytelling, camaraderie, competition, and ultimately anger and violence errupt. This is an ensemble piece for a dedicated and mature cast.

Audition Dates: Monday and Tuesday, October 27 & 28 at 7:00 at Beck (No Appointments Needed)
Production Dates:? January 30 - February 22 (4 weekends....Fri/Sat/Sun only)
Preliminary rehearsals will be held mid-December, and will resume after New Year's Day.

Auditions are open to Equity and Non-Equity actors. All roles are open.? Actors will be asked to read from the script; a monologue is suggested (but not required)?for actors not known to the director. For more information call Sarah May at 216-231-8488. All non AEA actors over 18 will receive a stipend.

The African American Roles:
Ma Rainey: 40's+, Must sing the Blues. Gertrude "Ma" Rainey (1886-1939) was a legendary blues singer and recording artist at the height of her career in 1927.? Larger than life, temperamental, controlling and pragmatic about the games she? must play. Please prepare to sing a blues song a cappella.

The Band: These 4 roles are traditionally played by experienced actors who mime? their playing to recorded music. Some musical ability is helpful!? The first 3 are? 40's-50's.
Cutler:? Trombone & guitar, the leader of the band, mature, Ma's confidant.? 
Slow Drag: Upright Bass, also sings, older, a storyteller, wry, often somber. 
Toledo: Piano, the elder, the wise, self-educated philosopher & nationalist. 
Levee: Trumpet/Cornet, 20'-35, a young hot shot, an upstart, eager and ambitious.

Dussie Mae:? Ma's "girl", 20's, young, pretty and flirty, an opportunist.
Sylvester: Ma's young nephew, 20's, eager, nervous, starry-eyed, a stutterer. 

Roles for White Actors:
Sturdyvant: white, mature, runs the recording studio, a business man, 40's-60's
Irvin:? Ma's white manager, harried, patronizing but caring. 35-55
Policeman: Young white city cop, 25-35, probably Irish American, serious




Beck Center is proud to honor the legacy of one of the greatest playwrights of the 20th Century by producing his first Broadway hit play (1984) on the Mackey Main Stage this season. 

Sarah May will direct this memorable "play with music" set in a Chicago recording studio in 1927.?? Mr. Wilson's early masterpiece deals with racism in the music industry as a metaphor for the hopes, frustrations and shattered dreams of the African American community of the 1920's. The script overflows with blues music, robust humor, storytelling, camaraderie, competition, and ultimately anger and violence errupt. This is an ensemble piece for a dedicated and mature cast.

Audition Dates: Monday and Tuesday, October 27 & 28 at 7:00 at Beck (No Appointments Needed)
Production Dates:? January 30 - February 22 (4 weekends....Fri/Sat/Sun only)
Preliminary rehearsals will be held mid-December, and will resume after New Year's Day.

Auditions are open to Equity and Non-Equity actors. All roles are open.? Actors will be asked to read from the script; a monologue is suggested (but not required)?for actors not known to the director. For more information call Sarah May at 216-231-8488. All non AEA actors over 18 will receive a stipend.

The African American Roles:
Ma Rainey: 40's+, Must sing the Blues. Gertrude "Ma" Rainey (1886-1939) was a legendary blues singer and recording artist at the height of her career in 1927.? Larger than life, temperamental, controlling and pragmatic about the games she? must play. Please prepare to sing a blues song a cappella.

The Band: These 4 roles are traditionally played by experienced actors who mime? their playing to recorded music. Some musical ability is helpful!? The first 3 are? 40's-50's.
Cutler:? Trombone & guitar, the leader of the band, mature, Ma's confidant.? 
Slow Drag: Upright Bass, also sings, older, a storyteller, wry, often somber. 
Toledo: Piano, the elder, the wise, self-educated philosopher & nationalist. 
Levee: Trumpet/Cornet, 20'-35, a young hot shot, an upstart, eager and ambitious.

Dussie Mae:? Ma's "girl", 20's, young, pretty and flirty, an opportunist.
Sylvester: Ma's young nephew, 20's, eager, nervous, starry-eyed, a stutterer. 

Roles for White Actors:
Sturdyvant: white, mature, runs the recording studio, a business man, 40's-60's
Irvin:? Ma's white manager, harried, patronizing but caring. 35-55
Policeman: Young white city cop, 25-35, probably Irish American, serious




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