Audition Notice for Doubt: A Parable by by John Patrick Shanley
Directed by Nancy Curran Willis
Monday, March 22, 2010 at 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010 at 7:00 p.m.
Callbacks (if necessary) will be held on Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Auditions will take place at Hovey Players’ Abbott Memorial Theater
9 Spring Street in Waltham, MA (next to the Waltham Public Library, in the D’Angio Law Office building).
Auditions will consist of a prepared monologue from the play provided in advance by the director. These monologues do not have to be memorized, however, the more familiar you are with the material, the better your audition will be. Contact producer Tracy Sullivan at tsullivan@hoveyplayers.com prior to audition dates to obtain the appropriate monologue for the character you intend to audition for. Monologues will be heard on a first come, first served basis. In addition you may be asked to do a cold reading from the script.
Performance dates are May 14, 15, 21, 22, 27, 28 and 29 at 8:00 p.m., and May 23 at 2:00 p.m.
Rehearsals will begin with a read thru on Monday, March 29. Thereafter rehearsals will be held on Sundays, Monday evenings, and Thursday evenings.
Synopsis:
Winner of the 2005 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award, Doubt is set in a Catholic school in the Bronx in 1964. This thrilling drama follows the suspicions of the schools strong-minded principal, Sister Aloysius, that new priest Father Flynn might be making improper advances toward its first African-American male student. She enlists the aid of a young teacher, Sister James, in her efforts to validate her concerns and confront Father Flynn. Flynn is as adamant in his denial of any wrongdoing as Sister Aloysius is certain that he is guilty. With Sister James and the student’s mother, Mrs. Muller, caught in the middle, the priest and principal face off in a battle of wills.
Character Descriptions:
Sister Aloysius – The head nun and principal of St Nicholas School. In her fifties or sixties, she is watchful, reserved and unsentimental. She’s a no-nonsense, hardened administrator, determined to maintain order and tradition.
Father Flynn – A new priest at St. Nicholas. His background is working class. In his thirties or forties, he is well-liked and particularly popular with the boys that he coaches in basketball. He’s rather liberal and “modern” in his religious views.
Sister James – A young nun in her twenties who is an enthusiastic but inexperienced eighth grade teacher at St. Nicholas. She is reserved, but cares about her students and wants to think the best of everyone.
Mrs. Muller – The mother of St. Nicholas student Donald Muller. She is an African-American woman, late thirties to forties, working class, weary and wary of the world. She has learned to accept what she has to accept and work with it.
Auditioning actors don’t necessarily have to be in the age ranges listed for the characters, but should be able to play in that age range.