Schenectady Civic Players will be holding open auditions for
CASA VALENTINA
by Harvey Fierstein
Directed by Kathy Glasser
Auditions:
Tuesday, January 7 & Thursday, January 9, 2025
Sign-ups begin at 7:15 pm, auditions begin at 7:30 pm
Location:
Schenectady Civic Players is located at 12 S. Church St, Schenectady, NY, 12305.
Performance Dates:
March 21 – 23 & 26 – 30, 2025
Friday / Saturday at 8:00 pm, Sunday at 2:30 pm, Wednesday/Thursday at 7:30 pm
How to Prepare:
Readings will be from the script. You will be asked to fill out a contact form and declare your rehearsal availability, so bring your calendar.
Synopsis:
Ten years ago, four-time Tony Award® winner Harvey Fierstein gave us Casa Valentina. Based on actual events, it tells the tale of men who in the 1960’s went to the Catskill Mountains to escape the summer heat, and something else entirely: being men. Nestled in the land of dirty dancing and borscht belt comedy sat an inconspicuous bungalow colony that catered to a very special clientele: heterosexual men whose favorite pastime was dressing and acting as women. It was paradise for these men—white-collar professionals with families—to spend their weekends discreetly and safely inhabiting their chosen female alter egos. But when faced with the opportunity to become an official organization, these “self-made women” had to decide whether public recognition would help them gain a place in open society or spell their own personal disaster.
Available Roles:
RITA – female, fifties. Ten years older than George. A resigned, determined but worn earth-mother. Her love of the girls barely covers her inner sadness.
JONATHON/MIRANDA – male, thirty. Masculine, shy, and bookish. Overly polite and cautious as a male. As a female, she is ebullient. (appears in and out of drag.)
ALBERT/BESSIE – male, fifties. Chubby. Willy Loman by day, Ethel Mertz at night. Quick-witted and friendly. Unaffectedly feminine. (Appears in drag only).
GEORGE/VALENTINA – male, forties. Married to Rita, An insurance-salesman type as a man. Assured and charming as a woman. (Appears in and out of drag).
ISADORE/CHARLOTTE – male, fifties, The ultimate WASP. A buttoned-down, strict disciplinarian. Not your favorite aunt. (Appears in drag only).
MICHAEL/GLORIA – male, thirties. A very handsome and sexually-charged chap who is accustomed to compliments, whether dressed as male or female. (Appears in drag only).
THEODORE/TERRY – male, seventies. Sweet and gentle and slightly silly, like a favorite old auntie. (Appears in drag only).
THE JUDGE/AMY – male, seventies. Large, distinguished, powerful, and imposing as a man and a clunky sort of Tugboat Annie woman. (Appears in and out of drag).
ELEANOR – female, fifty. The Judge’s daughter. Brittle, cold, and damaged.
Note on casting: All roles are open. Ages are approximate and all actors will be considered.
For questions, please email the director Kathy Glasser at justg23@spectrum.net.
Schenectady Civic Players promotes inclusive casting, and encourages individuals, regardless of gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, or disability, to participate in the audition process.
Schenectady Civic Players
Playhouse: 12 S Church St, Schenectady, NY 12305
Phone: (518) 382-2081
For more information about the theater, please visit our website at www.civicplayers.org