Professional Casting for Upcoming Season Show
Seeking performers for upcoming plays. See more details below. About the project: 1. "DETROIT '67" Synopsis: Two siblings conflicted with deferred dreams and life-altering decisions, journey through the chaos of civil disturbance in an ever-changing, ever-expanding, 1967 Detroit Michigan all set to the classic tunes of Motown. Rehearsals: August 1, 2023 Performances: August 25 - September 10 2. "MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM" Synopsis: It's 1927 and Ma Rainey, the "Mother of the Blues," is recording new sides of old favorites in a rundown studio in Chicago. Fiery and determined, Ma Rainey fights to retain control over her music, while her cocky trumpet player Levee dreams of making his own name in the business. Rehearsals: February 13, 2024 Performances: March 8 - March 24 3. "THE LIGHT" Synopsis: What does it mean to love the person and hate the act? The Light is the perfect illusion of romantic confusion between two people forced to bear witness to the power of love through doubt, truth, pain, and trust or a lack thereof. Rehearsals: April 9 Performances: May 3 - May 19, 2024 Rate: SPT $293 weekly minimum (SPT 1) Additional info: Please prepare one dramatic monologue, one comedic monologue, 16 bars of a song (optional) - and cold read from sides provided at the audition. Note: Anyone interested in the role of Ma Rainey should be prepared to sing up to 16 bars of a song or a phrase a-cappella (without accompaniment). Preferably in the genres of jazz, blues or gospel. Apply, if interested.
17 roles
"DETROIT '67" (Michelle): Lank’s older sister. A widow and a mother, determined to use money inherited from her parents’ deaths to support her son’s college tuition.
"DETROIT '67" (Langston): Chelle’s younger brother. A dreamer who is very optimistic and sees his parents inheritance money as a way into entrepreneurship, which he believes could ultimately lead to a Black Utopia in Detroit.
"DETROIT '67" (Bonita): Chelle & Lank’s family friend. An optimist, life of the party woman who never let's anything get her down.
"DETROIT '67" (Sylvester): Lank’s best friend. All about numbers and hustling. Very sly and knows how to sweet talk anyone into following him. Yearns to open a business with Lank.
"DETROIT '67" A rather mysterious young white woman whose past could be threatening and dangerous to all who encounter her.
"MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM" Levee is a young Black trumpet player in Ma Rainey’s band. A confident, ambitious man, he’s unsatisfied with his role as an accompanying musician.
"MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM" Ma Rainey was a real-life Black musician famous for singing the blues in the early 20th century. Often hailed as the “Mother of the Blues,” she was an important artist in the genre’s development and popularity. In the play, she is very aware of her own influence and knows how to use it to her advantage.
"MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM" Cutler is a Black guitar and trombone player in Ma Rainey’s band. He is the group’s unofficial leader, making sure the band plays whatever Ma wants.
"MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM" Toledo is a Black musician in Ma Rainey’s band. A piano player who enjoys speaking philosophically about life and what it’s like to be Black in the United States, Toledo is the only literate member of the band.
"MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM" Slow Drag a Black musician in Ma Rainey’s band. A bass player, he seems slow and unobservant but is actually quite intelligent.
"MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM" Sturdyvant is a White executive in the music industry. Although it’s never explicitly stated in the play, he seems to own the recording label that puts out Ma Rainey’s music.
"MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM" Irvin is a white executive in the music industry. He works alongside Sturdyvant, though he’s technically Ma Rainey’s manager.
"MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM" Sylvester is Ma’s nephew. Ma brings him to the recording session and announces that he will be performing a spoken-word intro for the song “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.”
"MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM" Dussie Mae is a Black young woman who travels with Ma. Although it’s never explicitly stated in the play, it’s implied that Dussie Mae and Ma are romantically involved.
"MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM" A White Chicago cop in 1927 with a low perception of Black people.
"THE LIGHT" Strong convictions and moral integrity. History with sexual assault.
"THE LIGHT" Head-over-heels in love with Genesis. Struggles to understand her POV.
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