What: Open auditions for Emma’s Child, written by Kristine Thatcher. Originally produced for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland.
When: 1 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 10.
Where: Pentacle Theatre, 324 52nd Ave. NW, off Highway 22. About 6 miles west of downtown Salem, Oregon.
Casting: Eight women, three men. For a full list of parts, genders and ages, please see below.
Auditions: Actors will read from the script, copies of which are available on loan at the Pentacle Theatre Business Office, 145 Liberty St. NE in downtown Salem for a $10 refundable deposit. Call 503-485-4300, ext. 22, to arrange for pickup.
Things to know: Actors should:
- Please arrive promptly by 1 p.m. and plan to stay as late as 5 p.m.
- Plan to arrive early to fill out the 2016-audition-disclosure-and-photo-release or complete it before you arrive. Be sure to write clearly, especially your contact information.
- Bring your calendar and a complete list of conflicts through March 25.
Callbacks (if needed): To be announced.
Rehearsals: 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays at Pentacle Theatre’s rehearsal studio in downtown Salem. The director will set weekend rehearsals and work sessions as needed. Your time will be respected when it comes to scheduling rehearsals. If you are not needed at rehearsal you will be excused.
Show dates: Friday, March 3, through Saturday, March 25, 2017.
About the show: Emma Miller, a young unwed mother, is pregnant with her second child. She can’t take of herself, let alone another baby. Through the services of a social worker she agrees to give the baby up for adoption to a couple who have been desperate to have a child for 15 years. The baby is born with severe hydrocephalus and no means of support. The prognosis from the doctor is poor, and she provides the best care she can within the policies and budget of the hospital. The adoptive mother falls in love with the baby, but his condition is a showstopper for her husband, driving a wedge between the couple that threatens their marriage. They seek counsel from their friends, a couple whose marriage has already disintegrated. The baby struggles to survive, with the help of hospital staff. The adoptive mother insists on caring for the baby with no parental right to do so, putting her and the staff at odds with the hospital administrator. As we wait to see if the baby will survive, we are forced to wonder about the worth of an equally endangered marriage.
Cast of Characters: Each character in the show is a flawed yet honorable human being. They have distinct personalities, but none is a caricature. All have interesting dialogue and will be fun to bring to life. The ability to play them as real people in a real situation — with no hint of acting — is what will make this show a learning experience that will stay with audiences for the rest of their lives. Every character is beautifully developed and challenging.
Female Roles:
Jean Farrell (40) — Adoptive mother. Desperately wants a child — any child. Focuses on baby Robin. Hard driving and determined. Marriage in trouble. (~ 60 pages)
Tess McGarrett (Variable) — Social worker. Evaluates potential adoptive parents. Helpful and non-judgmental. (~ 7 pages)
Franny Stornant (40) — Jean’s best friend. Runs a birthing center. She has seen it all and offers her wisdom. Marriage is terminal. (~25 pages)
Emma Miller (20) —-Birth mother. Unwed. Cannot take care of her second child. A rather hapless but nice girl from an empty background. (~4 pages)
MaryJo (Mid 20s) — Nurse’s aide. Befriends Jean. An earthy humanity. Advocates for Robin. (~18 pages)
Vivian Rademacher (Variable) — Hospital Administrator. Conflicted between the rules and a sense of decency. Must advocate for the rules. (~8 pages)
Helen Arbaugh (Variable) — Neurosurgeon. Matter-of-fact about the prognosis but not immune to the pain. (~7 pages)
Michelle (Early 20s) — Birth mother. Shopping for parents for her baby. (~ 3 pages)
Male Roles:
Henry Farrell (46) — Jean’s husband. Adoptive father. Desperately wants a specific type of child. Marriage in trouble. This role contains some beautiful monologues. (~ 36 pages)
Laurence (Variable) — Nurse. A fabulous personality with a huge sense of humanity. Befriends Jean. Advocates for Robin. (~26 pages)
Sam Stornant (40s) — Franny’s husband. Accountant. A man who has made his choices. Lost soul. Marriage is terminal. This role contains some beautiful monologues. (~ 13 pages)
For more information: Contact director Joseph Silva at 503-602-0622, [email protected], or call the Pentacle Theater office at 503-485-4300.
