Abilene Community Theatre is pleased to announce in-person, open auditions for Angels In America Part One: Millennium Approaches by Tony Kushner, directed by Keith May
When: Monday, May 16th, and Tuesday, May 17th, from 7 to 9 PM; callbacks by invitation (if necessary) on Wednesday May 18th at 7 PM.
Where:
Rehearsal dates: June 27 – August 11, Mondays through Fridays, 7PM to 10 PM
Performance dates:August 11 – 13
Auditions are for all parts, and no previous acting experience is necessary. Auditions for this show will consist of cold readings from the script. Please bring your calendar or dates reflecting any conflicts you may have.
Characters:
- Roy Cohn (50s/60s) : (M) a successful New York lawyer and unofficial power broker. Based on a real person, he is man who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. He vehemently denies his sexuality and diagnosis of AIDS.
- Joseph Porter Pitt (20s/30s) : (M) married to Harper, chief clerk for Justice Wilson
- Harper Amaty Pitt (20s/30s) : (F) married to Joe, an agoraphobic with a mild Valium addiction.
- Louis Ironson (20s/30s) : (M) Prior’s Jewish lover. A word processor at a court in Brooklyn. Very intelligent and politically minded, yet flawed and emotionally fragile.
- Prior Walter (20s/30s) : (M) Louis’s boyfriend who is diagnosed with AIDS at the top of the play. A magnetic presence with tremendous wit and charisma. He is simultaneously deeply vulnerable and sardonic. (SOME NUDITY REQUIRED).
- Hanna Porter Pitt (60s/70s) : (F) Joe’s opinionated, practically minded mother from Salt Lake City. A devout Mormon, she moves to New York when Joe comes out to her.
- Belize (20s/30s): (M) African American a former drag queen and registered nurse. He is Prior’s loyal best friend. Fabulous and stylish with a sharp sense of humor and a no-nonsense attitude.
- The Angel (late 30s-50s) Open to all ethnicities. A divine sent from above to prepare Prior for his mission as a prophet. Terrifying and powerful, she should feel animalistic. Seeking an actress from a physical theatre background with great vocal prowess.
***There are also 13 other parts to play. Historically, the 8 actors performing the roles above have fulfilled these duties and have been double cast. Depending on auditions, the director will decide how the casting of these additional roles will be implemented.***
They include: Rabbi Chemelwitz, Mr. Lies, The Man in the Park, The Voice, Henry, Emily, Martin Heller, Sister Ella Chapter, Prior 1, Prior 2, The Eskimo, The Woman in the South Bronx, and Ethel Rosenburg.
A Note on Staged Intimacy: There are scripted instances of intimate physical contact in the play, which will be led in rehearsals by a consultant trained in staging intimacy. You will have the option to audition for roles requiring intimacy or not. Please note that on your audition form. **We will have a set that changes frequently, so I will be casting mechanicals as well**
Synopsis:
Angels in America is a fantastic and sometimes surreal journey through the lives of two couples during the AIDS crisis in 1985-86. One couple is Louis, a Jewish word processor, and Prior Walter, a former drag queen who has AIDS. The other is Joe Pitt, a Mormon Republican and lawyer, and his wife, Harper. Another key player is the ethically questionable lawyer Roy Cohn, a dramatized version of the real person (Cohn was counsel to Senator Joseph McCarthy during the “Communist witch-hunts” of the 1950’s.) Cohn is dying of AIDS and is in the process of being disbarred.
If you have any questions, please contact keith may at keithmay1749@gmail.com.
Abilene Community Theatre is a 100% volunteer-driven, non-profit theater (501c3) established to share and promote theatre arts in Abilene and the Big Country. With a mission “to entertain, engage, and educate”, involvement in Abilene Community Theatre has been spearheaded by those who feel strongly about creating a space to develop art in the community. Formed in 1954, the 2021-22 Season is ACT’s 67th year of operation. Abilene Community Theatre is located at 809 Barrow, Abilene, Texas 79605. Get in touch