Open auditions for Dancing at Lughnasa, Brian Friel’s award-winning drama being presented by The Newtowne Players, are from 7:00-9:00 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, Mar. 8-9 and from 1:00-3:00 p.m. on Saturday, Mar. 11. Auditions take place at Three Notch Theatre, across from the post office in Lexington Park. Mr. Kerry Robinson will direct this production, which runs May 12-21, 2006.
Winner of the 1992 Tony Award for Best Play, Time magazine calls Dancing at Lughnasa the “most elegant and rueful memory play since The Glass Menagerie.” Set in Ireland in 1936, Dancing at Lughnasa is about the five courageous, good-hearted Mundy sisters who attempt to fight their fate with extraordinary resilience. It is autumn, on the threshold of the Festival of Lughnasa, and events conspire to change the golden season of the Mundy’s.
According to Robinson, this story portrays the family strength and love shared by close-knit sisters. The script is almost poetic in its literary grace and characterizations. “This play offers great character studies, and an opportunity for the actors to explore the deep bonds and differences that are shared on many levels, while keeping home, hearth and each other together,” says Robinson. “It is a special ensemble piece for which I have a mild passion, born in part of an abiding love for my own sister.”The script calls for eight characters:
Kate: 45-55, schoolteacher, prim and proper
Maggie: 45-55, (only just younger than Kate), sarcastic wit, strong character
Agnes: 40-45, fun-loving, caring
Rose: 30-38, “special”, impressionable, easily led
Chris: 25-35, romantic
Father Jack: 40-50, disoriented since his return to Ireland
Michael: 30-45, narrator, recounts childhood events that shaped his life
Gerry: 30-35, charming and romantic, bit of a rogue
Auditions will be readings from the script. No prepared pieces are required for auditions. Accents are not required for the auditions.
If you have questions or need more information, call 301-737-5447 to leave a message for the production team or visit The Newtowne Players web site at www.newtowneplayers.com.