Cleveland Public Theatre announces Auditions for Br'er Cotton National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere By Tearrance Arvelle Chisholm Directed by Jennifer L. Nelson Looking to cast... 1 African-American young man (teen) 1 white young woman (teen) 1 African-American woman (30's) 1 African-American man (60's) 1 white man (30's) Equity agreements may be considered for this production About the play... Lynchburg, Virginia. The former site of a thriving cotton mill is now an impoverished neighborhood. Deeply affected by recent killings of young black men like himself, Ruffrino, a 14-year-old "militant," incites riots at school and online. More and more at odds with his mother and grandfather, the boy's anger grows beyond containment while the family home literally sinks into the cotton field and no one seems to notice but him. A National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere. About The Director... Jennifer L. Nelson is a Washington DC-based theatre professional who dedicates her artistic life to representing human dignity, justice and good humor. She has been an actor, director, playwright, administrator and professor. Her professional career began with the Living Stage Theatre at Arena Stage. Following that, she served as Producing Artistic Director of the African Continuum Theatre Company. Her play Torn from the Headlines was awarded a Helen Hayes Award for Most Outstanding New Play. She is a currently a busy freelance director. Her most recent productions were The Gospel at Colonus for AvantBard Theatre; and Milk Like Sugar for Mosaic Theater Company where she is an Associate Artist. She is also Artistic and Legacy Project Advisor at Ford's Theatre. She is proud to have served on the Board of the Theatre Communications Group (TCG) and is a former President of the League of Washington Theatres. About the rehearsals... Rehearsals begin around mid-February. Rehearsals are 5-6 times a week, with evening weekday rehearsals and some daytime weekend rehearsals. Previews March 29 - 31 & April 5. Runs April 6 - April 21. Gordon Square Theatre. Auditions... Friday 11/17: 6-9pm Saturday 11/18: 1-4pm Callbacks... Saturday 11/18 6-9pm (If you are unable to make callbacks, please let New Play Associate, Andrew Valdez, know when booking your audition appointment; avaldez@cptonline.org) Auditions are by appointment only. You can schedule for either Fri 11/17 OR Sat 11/18. We will schedule an arrival time for each actor, but plan on staying until the end of the audition (for Fri. auditioners- 9pm; for Sat. auditioners- 4pm) What to prepare... * One, 1-2-minute contemporary dramatic monologue * Be ready to read sides, propose strong characters, and work with the director. § Headshot and Résumé * Seeking an ensemble of bold, imaginative actors. To schedule an audition appointment, please email New Play Associate, Andrew Valdez at avaldez@cptonline.org. Be sure to include your name, email address, phone number and preferred audition date & time in your email. Please include [BR'ER COTTON Auditions] in your subject line. No phone calls please. About The Playwright... Tearrance Arvelle Chisholm is a current member of the Lila Acheson Wallace American Playwrights Program at Juilliard and a recent MFA Playwriting graduate from the Catholic University of America. His play Hooded: Or Being Black for Dummies will receive its World Premiere at Mosaic Theatre in Washington, D.C. this year and will be followed by the World Premiere of his play Br'er Cotton at Kitchen Dog Theatre in Dallas, TX. His work has been developed with the Signature Theatre, Theatre J, Theatre Alliance, Endstation Theatre, The Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, the Bay Area Playwrights Festival, and the Djerassi Resident Artists Program. He was named a "Person to Watch" by American Theatre Magazine and a "Rising Star" by Variety. He was a finalist for the inaugural Relentless Award and London's 503 Theatre Award. He was named winner of bot the Rosa Parks Playwriting Award and the Lorraine Hansberry Playwriting Award at KCACTF 2016. Beth Wood Associate Artistic Director Cleveland Public Theatre 216-631-2727 ext. 206 bwood@cptonline.org<mailto:bwood@cptonline.org>