Actors Required for "Machinal" and "Hell's Belle" Shows
Auditions for spring shows in Season 5: "Machinal" and "Hell's Belle". Seeking actors. ONLY LOCAL TALENT WILL BE CONSIDERED. See the details below. About the project: "Machinal" by Sophie Treadwell: An expressionist parable about an ordinary young woman who lives in a mechanized, materialistic world. A modern Everywoman, Helen works in a boring office, marries her boss who offers her financial security, finds motherhood oppressive, and has a lover who abandons her. Machinal presents the life of a young woman who asks an impersonal society, “Is nothing mine?” "Hell’s Belle": The Unbelievably True Tale of Indiana’s First Serial Killer by Amalia Howard. World premiere winner of Southbank’s Making History Contest. At the turn of the twentieth century, Belle Gunness lured more than two dozen men to her farm and murdered them for the insurance money. But did she get away with it? Her story is as ridiculous as it is captivating. Join the infamous black widow of La Porte, Indiana, her sister Nellie, and the men who Belle loved and killed along the way in this wild ride of a true crime dark comedy. Rate: $250 Additional info: - Please prepare about a 1-minute monologue. Machinal is a drama, and Hell’s Belle is a dark comedy, so your monologue can be in either style, or mixed style. - You may also be asked to read from the script. - Please bring a resume, headshot, and a list of all conflicts between January 26-May 3. Rehearsal schedules: "Machinal": Monday, Tuesday, Thursday evenings, starting January 26. "Hell’s Belle": Sunday afternoons, Monday evenings, and Thursday evenings starting March 1. Performance dates: "Machinal": Thursday-Sunday, March 12-22. "Hell’s Belle": Thursday-Sunday, April 23-May 3. If you are interested, please apply.
11 roles
Female presenting : The protagonist, a young woman who feels trapped and is struggling against societal expectations and personal desires. "Machinal"
Male presenting: A successful businessman who is emotionally simplistic and treats Helen as a possession. He represents the suffocating conformity of marriage and society. Mechanical, emotionally distant, and demanding. Defense Attorney representing the legal system’s role in shaping Helen’s fate. "Machinal"
Female presenting: Represents the societal pressures placed on women. Resigned to her fate and the expectations of her gender, she emphasizes financial security over emotional fulfillment and pressures Helen to marry George. "Machinal"
Male presenting: A charismatic and adventurous man who offers Helen a temporary escape from her mundane life. To Helen, he represents passion and aping Helen’s fate. The prosecutor is especially aggressive in dismantling her defense during the trial. "Machinal"
Female presenting: Helen’s coworker, who introduces her to the speakeasy and Mr. Roe. She’s lively and represents a more carefree approach to life. More Empathetic but fails to grasp the depth of Helen’s suffering. "Machinal"
A dull, mechanical office worker who speaks in numbers and echoes others ‐ symbolizing society’s conformity. Member of the court and execution team. "Machinal"
Male presenting: A young, curious office worker who occasionally shows enthusiasm, contrasting with the monotony around him. Doctor is domineering and dismissive of Helen’s emotional distress. "Machinal"
Female presenting: Judgmental and proper, she looks down on Helen for not fitting into the expected mold. Member of the court and execution team. "Machinal"
Female-presenting. Belle is a tall, strong woman but need not be literally cast as such. She is a Norwegian immigrant and may employ a nordic accent that grows stronger at opportune moments. (At auditions, directors would like to see your best read, whether that’s with or without an accent.) Belle is deliciously three-dimensional, by turns charming, entrepreneurial, seductive, and vulnerable. She’ll try any tactic to get what she wants. "Hell’s Belle"
Male-presenting. Belle’s farmhand/lover and possible accomplice. Also doubles as Belle’s second husband Peter Gunness, his brother Gust Gunness, and various others. Ray is a lascivious alcoholic and gambler who falls prey to Belle’s ultimate duplicity. "Hell’s Belle"
Male-presenting. Belle’s final suitor and murder victim. Also doubles as Belle’s first husband Mads Sorenson, Andrew’s brother Asle Helgelien, lawyer Wirt Worden, and various others. Andrew is a verbose sweet-talker. "Hell’s Belle"
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