Marblehead Little Theatre Announces Non-Union Auditions for August: Osage County

Marblehead Little Theatre announces non-union auditions for August: Osage County
by Tracy Letts.

Produced by Janet Neely and Steve Black
Directed by Steve Black
Stage Management by Susan Parker
Set and Lighting Design by Tyson Miller
Costume Design by Elvira Schoenthal

AUDITION DATES:
Aug.16th - August Osage County Auditions 6:00 - 8:00PM
Aug.18th - August Osage County Auditions 6:00 -7:00PM, callbacks 7:00 - 9:00PM.

AUDITION INFORMATION
Please prepare a one-minute, dramatic monologue in the style of the play. To sign up for an audition time, please log on to www.mltlive.org. Rehearsals will be two to three nights a week and possibly one weekend day. Please email auditions@mltlive.com with any questions. Tech begins on Sun. Oct.4th with performances running October 9th - 18th.

PLAY SUMMARY
When the Weston family is unexpectedly forced to reunite after years apart, addiction, dark secrets and an acidic matriarch mix to create a cocktail that unflinchingly exposes the dark side of the Midwestern American family. The story takes place in Oklahoma.

CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS (ages are suggested and flexible)
Beverly Weston (65-75) - Patriarch of the Weston family. He is an alcoholic and former poet and college professor. He is somewhat detached from what is happening (and has happened) in his family, but not unaware. Married to Violet Weston.

Violet Weston (65-75) - Matriarch of the Weston family. She is addicted to several prescription drugs, mostly depressants and narcotics, and has oral cancer. Despite her often drug induced state, she is shrewd and sharp, and knows about all the family secrets. Her generally acidic personality is a catalyst throughout the play.

Barbara Fordham (40-50) - Oldest daughter of the Weston family. She is a college professor like her father, but has moved a long distance away to escape the tensions of the family. She prefers to be in control of things, or at least present an image of control. Mother of Jean and wife of Bill, though they are separated, a marriage she is trying to save.

Ivy Weston (38-48) - Middle daughter of the Weston family. She is the only daughter to stay in Oklahoma. She seems calm and patient, but is much more complex than her family realizes. She teaches at the local college. She is secretly having an affair with “Little” Charles.

Karen Weston (35-45) - Youngest daughter in the Weston family. She seems very self-centered, often talking about herself, even in the face of a family tragedy. She is also heavily in denial. She is newly engaged to Steve.

Bill Fordham (40-50) - Barbara’s estranged husband and Jean’s father. He is also a college professor. He has left his wife for a younger woman, but struggles as he still wants to be there for his family.

Jean Fordham (13-17) - Bill and Barbara’s smart-mouthed 14 year old daughter. Bitter about her parents’ relationship and pending divorce, she has turned to smoking pot and cigarettes to rebel. Seemingly mature beyond her years, she is more naive than she would like to believe.

Steve Heidebrecht (45-55) - He is a business man in Florida and not the “perfect man” that Karen considers him. Somewhat loud and in your face, his business practices and his intentions are less than legitimate. He is Karen’s fiancé.

Mattie Fae Aiken (55-65) - Violet’s sister, Charlie’s wife and “Little” Charle’s mother. She is a jaded woman and is similar to her sister in more ways than she’d like to admit. She constantly belittles her son and antagonizes her husband.

Charlie Aiken (55-65) - Husband of Mattie Fae, father of “Little” Charles. A pleasant man, he seems to have found a way to cope with his wife’s overbearing personality. That said, he continues to struggle to get Mattie Fae to respect “Little Charles”.

“Little” Charles Aiken (32-42) - Son of Mattie Fae and Beverly, but like everybody else believes Charlie is his father. He is unemployed, disorganized and shows little motivation. That others see him as the screw-up of the family may be a self-fulling prophecy. He is secretly having an affair with Ivy, who is revealed to actually be his half-sister.

Johnna Monevata (20-30) - A Cheyenne Indian woman, age 26, whom Beverly hires as a live-in housekeeper. She is empathetic of the family , although Violet is prejudiced against her.

Sheriff Deon Gilbeau (40-50) - A high-school classmate and former boyfriend of Barbara’s.