“I need to believe there is hope that tomorrow can be better than today.” – Lucy Grossman, THERE IS HOPE
This play is about the belief that you can learn from your mistakes and become a better person, that you can set things right, heal old wounds and make amends, as long as you believe there is hope that tomorrow can be better than today, and I need YOU, my beloved fellow 518 thespians, to help bring it to life!
**********
TITLE: THERE IS HOPE
PERFORMANCE #1 DATE/TIME: November 15th (Saturday), 7pm
PERFORMANCE #2 DATE/TIME: November 16th (Sunday), 1pm
LOCATION: Mt. Ida Preservation Hall, 548 Congress St, Troy
SYNOPSIS: Kevin Seward is still miserable over the break-up with his last girlfriend, Lucy Grossman. A friend invites him to an “ugly Christmas sweater party,” which is being held at a massive club called the Tower, and he decides to go. Not long after he arrives, Kevin hears that Lucy has arrived, so he decides to leave. From this point forward, the play tells two stories: one is of his encounters with people at the party, the other is of his memories of his time with Lucy. Soon the tension is so thick that the only way to break it would be if he ran into Lucy…but what could be the outcome of such an encounter?
INTIMACY AND OTHER POSSIBLE TRIGGERING MATERIAL: There are some intimate moments between Kevin and Lucy, but not much. (If this were a movie, I’d be shocked if it was rated PG.) Although they are two grown people, they remind us of two middle school kids who aren’t sure what all this “dating” stuff is about. The goal will be to choreograph these moments in a way that will make everyone comfortable, BUT they do need to be believable. After all, the relationship between Kevin and Lucy is the spine of the story, so if there is zero chemistry, the audience won’t wonder why Lucy broke up with him; they will wonder why she dated him at all. If you feel you cannot give what these roles would require, you should still audition; just tell me ahead of time, and I will know to consider you for other parts.
The play also features some coarse language because, after all, it is set in modern times, and the dialogue reflects the way I have heard people around me speak. There are also certain topics that are either bluntly discussed or hinted at that might be triggering to some people. (For example, one character goes on an anti-religion rant, and it is hinted that another engages in acts of self-harm.) If any of this sounds unappealing or offensive to you, then please skip over this announcement.
PAID OR VOLUNTEER?: Volunteer
TYPE OF SHOW: This will be a hybrid of a staged reading and a traditional production. I will explain what I mean:
STAGED READING – The cast can have their scripts on hand. We will also have a Narrator reading certain stage directions.
TRADITIONAL – (1) We will wear costumes. (2) We will move around, enter and exit the stage, etc. (3) We will interact with each other, with props, and maybe even the audience.
CAST NEEDED: 6 male, 6 females
(FYI – One of the males needs to be a CHILD, ages 10-12. Then again, a girl could pass for a boy of that age, so I’m willing to let them audition for that role too!)
I don’t want to get too deep into this now, but I wanted to give a heads up that there are a LOT of minor roles in this play. To keep the cast size to a minimum, I’ve made it so that people who receive supporting roles will receive MULTIPLE parts. This will all be explained to anyone who is interested in auditioning.
AVAILABLE ROLES: Since the minor roles will be explained only to those who contact me to audition, I have described only the bigger roles in this announcement. Please note that nearly every role is open to any age, gender, race, or identity. The only two characters where I’d prefer someone closer to the age in the description are LUCY and PAULY. Other than those two, the age ranges listed are just an estimate. When all is said and done, the only thing that really matters to me is ACTING ABILITY.
LUCY GROSSMAN – late 30s/early 40s, head nurse on a psychiatric ward, mother of three, Kevin’s ex-girlfriend. As we learn in the flashbacks, she does not talk as much as Kevin, but when she does, she makes every last syllable COUNTS.
ERWIN GLEASON – late 30s/early 40s, head organizer of a popular, successful Facebook socializing group, Kevin’s best friend. He has a sarcastic surface, but beneath it we can tell how much he cares for and worries about Kevin.
BELINDA CARLYSLE – early to mid-30s, Erwin’s “right-hand man,” Kevin’s best female friend. Like Erwin, she often provides Kevin with guidance, albeit in a gentler, “kid gloves” kind of way.
PAULY GROSSMAN – Lucy’s middle child (10-12 years old). Doctors have told Lucy he has a “behavioral disorder,” but they won’t diagnose him with anything specific because they don’t want to label such a young child with something “heavy.” The catch is, no diagnosis means they can’t prescribe anything, so he still has this “condition,” but they won’t give anything to help control it. Needless to say, this has made life tough for Lucy.
AUDITIONS: July 13 (Sunday), 14 (Monday), and 16 (Tuesday)
ALTERNATE DATES: Should none of these work, I am willing to do them on July 20-23 (Sunday to Wednesday).
AUDITION TIMES: 7:00pm (same for “alternate dates”)
AUDITION LOCATION: Google Meet
(A link will be sent to you just before the audition time.)
CALLBACKS: To be determined
PLEASE BRING ANY CONFLICT DATES TO THE AUDITION. I am willing to work around people’s schedules, vacations, etc.
PLEASE NOTE – It will be much easier for me to send you a link to the Meet on Facebook, so please send me a friend request:
https://www.facebook.com/stevieg1976
HOW TO PREPARE: Read the sides ahead of time and bring your “A” game! No need for a monologue or anything like that.
PROCEDURE: Sides and character descriptions will be sent ASAP. We will read from a handful of party scenes because they give me a chance not only to see your acting range, but also to see the chemistry between everyone. An in-depth summary of how auditions will be conducted will be sent to those who express interest.
ONE FLASHBACK SCENE: As the synopsis says, the action of the play is split between present-day and flashback scenes. Once we have made it through the present-day material, an actress will be asked to read through a flashback with me, while the rest of you can sit back and observe. This is because I want everyone to be able to see BOTH sides of the play.
REHEARSAL DATES: Once a cast is selected, we will get together on Google Meet to set these up. Personally, I could make myself available MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY between now and the shows, albeit with a few exceptions. However, that does NOT mean we WILL rehearse on all those days; I am simply trying to cast the widest net possible so we can work around any/all conflicts for those who want to be in this badly enough.
REHEARSAL TIME: 7:00pm, whether it is remote or in person. These will go for approximately 2 hours, but no longer than 3.
REHEARSAL LOCATION: Google Meet at first, then at my place in Troy. (I’ll make you aware of the switch with enough notice.) We will have 3-4 rehearsals in the venue itself. (This isn’t a tech-heavy show, so that should be more than enough.)
If anyone is interested, please send me a DM on Facebook, or you can email Steve Grogran at stevegroganauthor@gmail.com