Casting is complete. We saw a number of talented and wonderful people, for very few roles. As you may guess, the decision was difficult. Many thanks to all who came out to audition and share their talents. The casting for most roles was extremely clear from the start, but there were a couple that sent us back and forth for quite a while. All the same, here we go... Madeline Livingston - Patti King Bill Livingston - Troy Berry Olive - Angela Timpone Woman 1 - Paula Arter Woman 2 - Michelle Graham Hattie - Leah Schultz George Jones - Jon Owings
The Ensemble will be assembled in March. If you were not cast and would still like to be considered for Ensemble, then please contact Lisa at Lisalhw@att.net ASAP. To accept or decline your role, you MUST e-mail Lisa at lisalhw@att.net by 9pm Saturday, February 2nd. The initial TABLE READ will be Wednesday, February 6th at 6:30pm in room 235 (2nd floor of the PAC / Turner building -- take elevator from the Turner lobby up to 2nd floor.) No conflicts were given for that date, so FULL CAST SHOULD ATTEND.
The full rehearsal schedule will be available at the first rehearsal, along with your rehearsal packet. Please bring the following with you to the Table Read:
Any final CONFLICTS or adjustments to those already given.
A typed BIO for inclusion in the program.
Be sure and watch this blog for more research and show information as the rehearsal process progresses! You can also check out my Pinterest Lockerbie Board, which has a selection of relevant photos, videos and documentaries on the tragedy.
Auditions
are now just a few short weeks away and it is time to think about what I
will be looking for and what the audition process will be like. The
initial directorial meetings have been undertaken and the team
assembled. All is moving along well, as we proceed into casting this
powerful show. Yes,
this is a show that is performed a lot. Yes, the playwright has put a
few limitations on concept and style. And, Yes, a lot of this is very
restraining for those attempting to tell this story in a new way. We
are challenged by all these factors, but we will be looking at the
script with fresh eyes and in a way that will allow us to explore this
story in a new way. I
had planned to get this post out there sooner, but a decision (Thanks
Jacinda and Geoff) to squeeze in another show before auditions kind of
backfired on me. When
I auditioned for the Dayton Theatre Guild's production of Henrik
Ibsen's GHOSTS, I really didn't think I would be cast. I just thought,
'Hey, I would love to work at the Guild in the future and I'll go and
read and get to know some people there, so I get past the 'first time
auditioning at the Guild thing' I always here about.' Then when the
script was placed in my hand after call backs, my shocked brain
figured.... 'It's a quick 4 to 5 week rehearsal period and won't eat my
life', 'I'll be in production for 3 weeks prior to auditions for
Lockerbie and have plenty of time to take care of administrative stuff',
and ' Hey it's Realism and that's what I do...' What I wasn't prepared
for was the fact that I'd forgotten Ibsen was somewhat of a zombie and
he would eat my brain (as he and Chekov did when I was in college) and
that now at 50, I don't digest text and character as quickly as I did
when I was younger. Or, the emotional rollercoaster this character
would take me on. So, before we get into the experience of LOCKERBIE, why not drop in and see GHOSTS at the Dayton Theatre Guild. Tickets can be secured here.The cast has been amazing to work with. Now, enough about that and onto the task at hand... I
have had a number of people asking questions about what I am looking
for in the actors I will cast in this production of WOMEN OF LOCKERBIE.
Well, let me try to answer that by discussing the characters within the
show.
THE ROLES
MADELINE LIVINGSTON - 35 to 50's --- A suburban housewife from New Jersey. Her 20-year old son Adam was
killed 7 years ago in the Pan Am 103 crash over Lockerbie, Scotland. The
actress chosen for Madeline will fall into that age range. She will
need to express both subtle and explosive, raw emotion. She is American
so does not require a Scottish accent. She and her husband Bill have
been living the same, but parallel lives since the tragedy. In other
words, they can't seem to find a common ground, they are at a breaking
point. Whatever happens on their visit to Lockerbie will either end
them or bring them together.
BILL LIVINGSTON - 35 to 50's --- Her husband, father of Adam. The
actor chosen for Bill will have a strong vocal ability and will fall
into the age range listed, but be balanced with the woman chosen for
Madeline. He is American. He is suffering just as Madeline is and while
she is searching for some aspect of her son, he is desperately
searching for the wife he once knew. The two of them are travelling on
different planes of the same life and are finding incongruities all
along the way. He is heartbroken over his son's death, but he is doubly
affected as he has also lost his wife.
OLIVE ALLISON - 35+ --- Woman from Lockerbie. Leader of the laundry project.
The actress chosen for Olive will be required to have a strong, clear
Scottish dialect. She, too, has a strong connection to the tragedy,
having lost her daughter and husband to falling debris. She is
reconciling her feelings of dislike for Americans and their policies,
which she feels provoked the attack and her understanding of Madeline's
pain. She has yet to resolve her feelings on the loss.
WOMAN 1 & 2 - 20+ --- Women from Lockerbie. The
Women chosen for these roles will also have Scottish accents and need
to carry the show as they, along with the Ensemble, are the title
characters. They will be strong vocally and handle much of the symbolic
aspects of the show. It is likely I will choose actresses who can sing
for these roles, as I would like to use live versions of Scottish folk
songs, sung by these women during portions of the show.
HATTIE - 18+ --- A cleaning woman. From Lockerbie.
Though written for an older woman, I am open to casting a younger
woman, providing she has the timing, technique and feisty attitude
needed to play the role. She is the only one clever enough to be able
to facilitate the release of the clothing to the women. She requires a
Scottish accent and is typical of the British 'char woman' seen in so
many British shows and films.
GEORGE JONES - 20+ --- The American government representative in charge of the warehouse storing the remains from the Pan Am 103 crash. This
role is a pivitol one, requiring an American accent. He is seen as
unfeeling, just wanting to get the assignment over, but we must be able
to see the gentle side of him, which is eventually turned.
ENSEMBLE - 5 Women, all ages --- These are the women of Lockerbie, as well as representations of the daughters, sisters, mothers of those killed in the tragedy. The
women chosen for this group will be an integral part of the
performance, yet appearing only in a few scenes toward the end of the
play. There are no lines and actresses chosen for the ensemble will not
be required to attend rehearsal until March.
THE AUDITION BASICS
DATE -- Tuesday, January 29 and Wednesday, January 30 7pm
WHERE -- Turner Studio Theatre at Clark State Performing Arts Center, Springfield
WHAT
TO BRING -- Resume (or list of experience), Headshot, 1 minute
Contemporary or classic monologue, List of all potential conflicts from
January 29 to April 21.
SINGERS
-- If you sing, and would like to be considered for Woman 1 & 2
(the roles who are likely to sing during aspects of the show), please
bring a prepared accapella song to sing during your 1st audition.
WHAT TO EXPECT Auditions
will be held in the black box space that we will be performing in, the
Turner Studio Theatre. You will need to park in the parking lot on S.
Limestone Street, just across from the Turner entrance. On Tuesday
-- There will be a sign in table in the lobby, where you will pick up
an Audition Form and an information sheet. Actors will be sent into the
theatre in small groups, in the order paperwork is turned in. Once
there, you can expect to perform your prepared monologue and do a little
reading from the script. I will be listening to vocal quality and
dialect potential, as well as observing physical movement. Once each
group is finished, you will either be released, released and called back
for the next night's official callbacks or asked to stay and read a bit
more. If you are called back, you will be given a script selection to
take home and read over for the next night. On Wednesday
-- This audition session will primarily be taken up with Call Backs;
however, if new auditionees attend, we will see them first. In the call
back session, you will be asked to read the selection you were
assigned, as well as additional readings. Some improvisation may be
asked of you, as well as some vocal exercises to determine Scottish
dialect potential.
CASTING This
is always subject to adjustment, but we are hoping to cast the show
that evening, posting the list on the facebook audition event page and
on this blog by Friday, February 1. Many things will be taken into
account for casting --- Actor chemistry, vocal quality, technique,
rehearsal conflicts. Those cast will be asked to accept or decline
roles no later than Saturday, February 2, via e-mail. THE TEAM Now
that the team has been assembled, I can officially announce it. More
information about these individuals will be available once the cast has
been confirmed. Lisa Howard-Welch, DIRECTOR Haley Justice, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Geoffrey Moss, STAGE MANAGER Dan Hunt, LIGHTING DESIGN Debbie Henderson, COSTUME DESIGN Geoffrey Moss, SET & SOUND DESIGN
As always, if you have any questions or require an alternative audition time, please e-mail me at lisalhw@att.net. I am also happy to take resumes and photos via e-mail, as well!
