Are you a performer who delights in bringing new work to life? If so, UMass Theater wants you to audition for three very different new plays going up this spring!
Olvidados: A Mexican American Corrido is a play with music that examines a shameful moment in American history and how it reverberates through generations of a Mexican American family. Red dramatizes the writings of Terry Tempest Williams and the urgency of climate action. And Parzival is a contemporary trans retelling of Wolfram von Eschenbach’s Parzival, about a young knight who stumbles into a quest that changes his l life and reveals his hidden destiny.
All three works will audition on the same nights in separate spaces — please read on to learn more.
Actors are welcome to audition for all three works.
Please read on for character breakdowns, what to prepare, and get links to schedule your auditions.
OLVIDADOS: A MEXICAN AMERICAN CORRIDO
by Elisa Gonzales
Lyrics by Elisa Gonzales
Music and Additional Lyrics by Moises Vázquez
Directed by Sara Guerrero
Auditions: January 31 and February 1 from 6 – 10 pm in BCA 413
Callbacks: February 2 from 6 – 10 pm in BCA 413
Rehearsals Begin: Mid-February 2022 – Schedule TBD
Peformance Schedule: April 7 @ 7:30 pm, April 8 @ 7:30 pm, April 9 @ 2 pm & 7:30 pm
Roles Available:
Las Corridistas Ensemble #1
Las Corridistas Ensemble #2
Las Corridistas Ensemble #3
Las Corridistas Ensemble #4
Each role above is part of an ensemble of four women who play various manifestations of La Corridista, as well as other characters who appear throughout the story – musicians, cannery workers, children, Repatriados, Paula’s sisters, newsies, radio broadcasters, etc.
We are specifically seeking Latina actors with some command of Spanish language and we will consider women of color as well.
Prepare a one minute contemporary monologue of your choice, as well as 1-2 minutes of a song of your choice, to be sung a capella.
In January, as auditions approach, we will have a Sign Up Genius for performers to register for an audition time. Please look for this link in future issues of the Lobyist and on this website.
For callbacks, sides will be provided, and you will be asked to sing a selected song from the play.
Visit SignUp Genius to schedule your Olvidados audition.
Read the script in PDF format.
UMASS NEW PLAY LAB
Play Lab this year will feature two plays written by graduate students Bianca Dillard and Percival Hornak — details on each project to follow.
• Parzival by Percival Hornak
• Red: Passion and Patience in the Desert by Bianca Dillard
Auditions: Monday, January 31 and Tuesday, February 1
Callbacks: Wednesday, February 2
Please prepare a one minute contemporary monologue or tell a one minute story. If choosing to prepare a story, feel free to tell us an engaging story from your life, from a storybook or other piece of writing you admire (written notes to aid you in the telling are totally welcome). We are most interested in material that matters to you as a person and a performer.
We value seeing you for these plays. What we are most interested in seeing in these auditions are monologues and stories that show us who you are as a performer and collaborator. If you are on the fence about auditioning, please join us. We are happy to provide cold readings or another audition task.
Parzival by Percival Hornak
Parzival is a contemporary trans retelling of Wolfram von Eschenbach’s Parzival, about a young knight who stumbles into a quest that changes his life and reveals his hidden destiny. The play takes inspiration from fanfiction to tell the story of a teen who explores his gender through the Parzival story as its protagonist learns about chivalry, becomes a knight, and searches for the Holy Grail, winning jousts and the hearts of fair young maidens along the way.
We are seeking approximately 9 actors for the following tracks — because the play features trans characters and stories, we encourage actors of all genders to audition for whichever roles excite them most.
• 1 – Wolfram
• 2 – Parzival
• 3 – Herzeloyde, Cundrie, Trevrizent
• 4 – Knight, Servant, Gawan
• 5 – King Arthur, Anfortas
• 6 – Ither, Clamide, Keie
• 7 – Sigune, Woman, Squire
• 8 – Crowd, Condwiramurs, Page
• 9 – Messenger, Gurnemanz, Segramors
Visit SignUp Genius for a full character breakdown and to schedule your Parzival audition
Read the script (PDF)
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Red: Passion and Patience in the Desert.
A Wild Adaptation by Bianca Dillard
Red dramatizes the writings of Terry Tempest Williams and the urgency of climate action. Williams is a naturalist who wrestles with community, religious tradition, politics, always with her eye on the fragility of human life. This piece explores questions like: how do we create and claim a personal ethos and sense of spirituality while being rooted in a place and a community bound to conservative religion and politics? Can we honor where we’ve come from in a way that protects life on this planet as we all hurtle closer to climate disaster? What mix of tools can aid us on our journey: grace, rage, community, empathy, acceptance, wildness itself, Magic? Unabashedly & wildly theatrical, 4th wall breaking, embracing of movement, extreme casting and our collective imaginations!
Roles:
Stage Manager (she/her or she/they)
A friend who helps along the way. She is in charge and plays many characters. A BIPOC perspective would be welcome in the development of this role.
Man (he/him)
Another friend to play many roles. Experience with puppets and/or sleight of hand magic is a plus!
Stage Directions (any gender)
You won’t be bored reading directions for this piece! Your actorly skills, energy and timing will be on full display in this juicy and interactive role. A BIPOC perspective would be welcome and encouraged in this role!
Visit SignUp Genius to schedule your Red audition
Read the script (PDF)