AUDITION NOTICE
Vinegar Tom and Reading Series: Plays of Social and Political Change
Thursday, September 5th, 2024
UW-Green Bay Theatre and Dance welcomes ALL current UWGB students to participate in allaspects of production work. Theatre & Dance majors and minors are expected to work on at least one production each semester to further the techniques and methods being taught in their coursework.
Production Information
Vinegar Tom by Caryl Churchill
Directed by Alan Kopischke
Music Directed by Benjamin Olejniczak
First Rehearsal: Monday, September 9th, 2024
Tech Rehearsals: November 9th 10am-7pm, November 11th – 13th 5:30pm-10:30pm Public Performances: November 14th – 16th at 7:30pm
Strike Week: November 18th – 22nd
CASTING INFORMATION
Vinegar Tom is a contemporary look at witchcraft accusations that were used to control strong women in the 17th century. Scenes depicting the gender and power dynamics at play alternate with punk andother modern contemporary music genre songs. Some gore and adult themes.
Vinegar Tom is not a musical in the traditional sense, but there are seven songs. The director is currently conceiving of these as dramatic, emotional outbursts in the midst of a quiet, terrified, superstitious intensity in the scenes. Early 70s London Punk, harder-edged 90s alternative rock, etc.The singers may or may not come from the cast itself, but not everyone in the cast will have a song.
STAGED INTIMACY & STAGED VIOLENCE
The scene between ALICE and the MAN involves some limited staged intimacy and a minor push and fall.
ALICE & JACK engage in a brief moment of staged intimacy.
BETTY is bound to a chair in one scene. ALICE is bound in one scene. PACKER & GOODYengage in staged torture of JOAN, ALICE & SUSAN. MARGERY stage-scratches JOAN’s head.
MARGERY & JACK
JOAN & ELLEN are depicted as being hanged.
AVAILABLE ROLES
ALICE – early 20s, a village girl
MARGERY – 40, Joan’s neighbor, a farmer married to Jack JACK – 40, Joan’s neighbor, a farmer married to Margery
MAN/DOCTOR/BELLRINGER/PACKER – an itinerant man, a doctor, a town crier, and a witchfinder intended to all be played by one actor
SUSAN – early 20s, Alice’s married friend JOAN – 50, a poor widow, Alice’s mother ELLEN – 35, an herbal healer
GOODY – Packer’s assistant
BETTY – 16, the landowner’s daughter
KRAMER and SPRENGER – music hall performers of their book on witches (meant to be played by the actors playing Ellen & Joan)
ADDITIONAL PERFORMERS – punk rock singers of the seven songs written for the show
Reading Series: Plays of Social and Political Change
Waiting for Lefty by Clifford Odets
It Can’t Happen Here – Again by Rachel DeWoskin, Wesley Savick, and James Carroll
Russian Troll Farm by Sarah Gancher
An Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen, adapted by Thomas Campbell
Directed by Thomas Campbell
First Rehearsal: TBD
Tech Rehearsals: October 2nd, October 26th, October 31st, and December 4th
Public Performances: October 3rd, October 27th, November 1st, and December 5th at 7:30pm
CASTING INFORMATION
UW-Green Bay Theatre and Dance seeks to cast a company of artists for the Fall Reading Series: Plays of Social and Political Change. These four readings will each involve a short rehearsal processand a single public performance in the Jean Weidner Theatre. Company members will assume various roles throughout the series based on the needs of each title.
AUDITION SCHEDULE
Thursday, September 5th: Open Auditions
6:00pm-9:00pm in University Theatre
Please visit the following link to select a 5-minute audition slot. (If auditioning as a singer as well, you will proceed to your music audition after finishing your acting audition):https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094BA9A92DAAF4C43-50556026- uwgb. If you have trouble with the website or have any questions, please contact Sera Shearer to schedule by email. Audition forms and intimacy disclosures may be sent in electronic form to Sera Shearer, or may be turned in upon check-in for your chosen audition time. Extra forms will be available on audition day.
Audition-Form-UWGB-FALL24 (2)
Intimacy Disclosure Form Fall 24
Vinegar Tom Monologues
If you are interested in an acting role in Vinegar Tom or the Reading Series, selected monologues from VinegarTom are attached to this notice and will also be available as cold read material on September 5th. Actors may also elect to prepare a different monologue using the provided materials as inspiration in terms of style and/orcontent.
If you are interested in a singing role in Vinegar Tom, please prepare approximately 60 seconds of a contemporary music or musical theatre selection. An accompanist will not be provided for auditions; pleasebring an audio track as a CD or file on a phone or MP3 player.
Friday, September 6th: Callbacks
6:00pm-9:00pm in University Theatre
Performers invited to callbacks will receive a phone call the evening of September 5th with all relevantinformation, and a callback list will be posted on the callboard Friday morning. Those called back will receive specific instructions upon notification, and should plan to stay for the duration of the callback session.
If you are interested in auditioning but are unable to attend the open audition, please contactProduction Manager Sera Shearer (shearers@uwgb.edu) as soon as possible. Every effort will be made to schedule an alternative time.
Perusal Scripts for Vinegar Tom and the Fall Reading Series will be available for 1-day checkout inTH 331. You are strongly encouraged to read the script(s) prior to auditioning.
It is our intention to post a complete cast and crew list for Vinegar Tom on the Theatre Hall callboard by Monday, September 9th. The cast list for the Reading Series will be posted at a laterdate. If you are not cast and indicate an interest in crew, you will be assigned to that crew pending availability. If the crew you are interested in is full, you may be contacted by the ProductionManager to select a new crew role.
Students cast in Theatre Mainstage productions are required to register for Theatre 336 –Production Practicum: Performance for 1 credit hour.
Interested in crew? Visit the Design Suite (TH171) for more information!