Avenue Arts Marketplace and Theatre announces auditions for: AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY Avenue Arts Marketplace & Theatre is located at 324 Cleveland Ave. NW Canton, Ohio 44702 SYNOPSIS: A vanished father. A pill-popping mother. Three sisters harboring shady little secrets. When the large Weston family unexpectedly reunites after Dad disappears, their Oklahoman family homestead explodes in a maelstrom of repressed truths and unsettling secrets. Mix in Violet, the drugged-up, scathingly acidic matriarch, and you've got a major new play that unflinchingly—and uproariously—exposes the dark side of the Midwestern American family. Directed by: David Lee, Co-Artistic Director Auditions will be held May 29th and 30th from 7-9pm All auditioners are asked to come prepared to cold read from the script. We also ask that you bring a current headshot and resume with you to auditions. Rehearsals will begin June 3rd and will generally be held Sunday-Thursday. Show dates are August 10th, 11th, 17th and 18th at 8pm and August 12th at 2pm. CHARACTERS: Beverly Weston (Male, 60-75) - father and patriarch, an alcoholic and one-time world class poet, polite, soulful, melancholic and ultimately suicidal. Violet Weston (Female, 55-70) - mother and matriarch, devious and cynical, suffering from mouth cancer, addicted to prescription drugs, mostly depressants and narcotics, experiences drug-induced episodes but is sharp-tongued and shrewd, aware of the family's many secrets and not hesitant to reveal them for her own benefit. Barbara Fordham (Female, 35-50) - eldest daughter, mother of Jean and wife of Bill, though they are currently separated, a college professor, tries to gain control of her chaotic mother, dilapidated marriage, and pot-smoking 14-year old daughter, wants to save her marriage, but has intense need to control everything around her as it falls apart. Ivy Weston (Female, 35-50) - middle daughter, stereotypical quiet librarian, mousy, only daughter to have stayed back home, teaches at local college, calm and patient exterior hides a passionate woman gradually growing cynical, secretly having an affair with her "cousin", Little Charles, plans to move to New York with him. Karen Weston (Female, 30-45) - youngest daughter, is newly engaged to Steve, whom she considers the "perfect man", lives with him in Florida, planning to marry him soon, can talk of little but her own happiness even at her father's funeral, chooses to lie to herself about her sleazy fiance. Bill Fordham (Male, 40-55) - Barbara's estranged husband and Jean's father, a college professor, he has left his wife for a younger woman, one of his students, but wants to be there for his family, his marriage is disintegrating and his patience is slowly running thin. Jean Fordham (Female, 16-25) - Barbara's and Bill's smart-tongued daughter, smokes pot and cigarettes, is a vegetarian, loves old movies and is bitter about her parents' split, more naive than she would like to believe. Steve Heidebrecht (Male, 40-55) - Karen's fiancé, a Florida businessman (whose business, it is hinted, may be less than legitimate), not the "perfect man" that Karen considers him; sexually molests Jean after the two smoke pot together. Mattie Fae Aiken (Female, 45-60) - Violet's sister, Charlie's wife and Little Charles' mother, as jaded as her sister, constantly belittles her son and antagonizes her husband. Charlie Aiken (Male, 50-65) - Mattie Fae's husband and presumed father of Little Charles, a genial man, was lifelong friend of Beverly, struggles to get Mattie Fae to respect Little Charles. "Little Charlie Aiken (Male, 25-40) - son of Mattie Fae and Beverly but, like everyone else, believes Charlie is his father, unemployed and clumsy, his mother calls him a "screw-up", is secretly having an affair with Ivy, his “cousin”. Johna Monevata (Female, 20-30) - Cheyenne Indian woman, whom Beverly hires as live-in housekeeper shortly before he disappears, Violet is prejudiced against her, but she wins over the other family members with her cooking skills, hard work, and empathy, the silent witness to much of the mayhem in the house. is the most compassionate and morally grounded of all the characters, at times swoops in saving characters from despair and destruction. Sheriff Deon Gilbeau (Male, 35-50) - high-school classmate and former boyfriend of Barbara's TO SIGN UP: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0c4bafa82ca3fe3-august <http://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0c4bafa82ca3fe3-august> Please email all questions to avenueartstheatre@gmail.com <mailto:avenueartstheatre@gmail.com>