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Open Auditions for "Our Town" Directed by Dan Evers Open Auditions: November 29 & 30 from 6-9 PM Performances: February 16, 17, & 18 at 7:30 PM & February 19 at 2:00 PM Actors must also be available for a student matinee performance on February 15 at 10 AM. Where: Altoona Community Theatre Rehearsal Hall, 1213 12th Street How: Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script. Auditionees need only attend one night unless asked to attend callbacks, expected to be held on December 1. Actors must be available for all performances. Availability for rehearsals will be asked at auditions, please be prepared to list all conflicts from auditions to performance dates. Rehearsals are expected to begin December 5 with limited rehearsals through December to give time off for the holidays. If you are unable to attend general auditions, please contact the ACT Office to discuss scheduling an alternative audition time. "Thornton Wilder’s story of the fictional small town of Grover’s Corners and its citizens. Spanning the years between 1901 and 1913, Our Town is narrated by a stage manager in three acts: “Daily Life,” “Love and Marriage” and “Death and Eternity”. The play depicts the simple daily lives of the Webb and Gibbs families as their children fall in love, marry, and eventually – in one of the most famous scenes in American theatre – die. Described by Edward Albee as “the greatest American play ever written,’ this classic of American theatre has endured for 84 years." Available roles: All roles available. Altoona Community Theatre welcomes anyone to audition for any role they like regardless of age, gender identity, race or color. We encourage and affirm trans and nonbinary actors to submit for whatever role feels best to them. ACT is dedicated to being a diverse, inclusive, and equitable community theatre. We strive to hold open auditions where community members have an equal and fair opportunity to be cast. Stage Manager – The omniscient narrator of the play. The Stage Manager exercises control over the action of the play, cueing the other characters, interrupting their scenes with his own interjections, and informing the audience of events and objects that we cannot see. He occasionally assumes other small roles in the story. George Gibbs – Dr. and Mrs. Gibbs’s son. A decent, upstanding young man, George is a high school baseball star who plans to attend the State Agricultural School after high school. His courtship of Emily Webb and eventual marriage to her is central to the show. George’s age in the show ranges from 16 to 28. Emily Webb – Mr. and Mrs. Webb’s daughter. Emily is George’s schoolmate and next-door neighbor, then his fiancée, and later his wife. She is an excellent student and a conscientious daughter. Emily suffers an untimely death and the show continues to follow her in the afterlife. Emily’s age in the show ranges from 16 to 28. Dr. Gibbs – George’s father and the town doctor. Dr. Gibbs is also a Civil War expert. He and his family are neighbors to the Webbs. Mrs. Gibbs – George’s mother and Dr. Gibbs’s wife. A homemaker with desires to travel to Paris, a wish never fulfilled. Mrs. Gibbs must find her satisfaction within this small town. Mr. Webb – Emily’s father and the publisher and editor of the Grover’s Corners Sentinel. Mr. Webb’s gives a news report that breaks the fourth wall with the audience in Act 1. Mrs. Webb – Emily’s mother and Mr. Webb’s wife. At first a no-nonsense woman, Mrs. Webb later shows her innocent and caring nature. Mrs. Soames – A gossipy woman who sings in the choir along with Mrs. Webb and Mrs. Gibbs. Mrs. Soames helps give a sense of the intertwined lives of the citizens of Grover’s Corners. Simon Stimson – The choirmaster, whose alcoholism and undisclosed “troubles” have been the subject of gossip in Grover’s Corners for quite some time. *Trigger warning: suicide* Mr. Stimson appears in the land of the dead souls in Act III having committed suicide by hanging himself in his attic. Rebecca Gibbs – George’s younger sister. Rebecca’s role is minor, but she does have one very significant scene with her brother. Young girl about 11-13 Wally Webb – Emily’s younger brother. Wally is a minor figure, but he turns up in Act III among the group of dead souls. Wally dies young, the result of a burst appendix on a Boy Scout trip. Young boy about 11-13 Howie Newsome – The local milkman. Howie reappears during every morning scene—once each in Acts I, II, and III Joe Crowell, Jr. – The paperboy. Si Crowell – Joe’s younger brother, also a paperboy. Professor Willard – A professor at the State University who gives the audience a report on Grover’s Corners. Professor Willard appears once and then disappears. Constable Warren – A local policeman. Constable Warren keeps a watchful eye over the community. Sam Craig – Emily Webb’s cousin, who has left Grover’s Corners to travel west, but returns for her funeral in Act III. Joe Stoddard – The town undertaker. Joe prepares Emily’s grave and remarks on how sad it is to bury young people. Foley Artists – We are seeking one to two individuals who will be on stage creating the sound effects of the show in real time. These artists will need to attend rehearsals regularly through the whole process to work with the props master and actors to practice getting the sounds & timing correct. No props, sound, or foley experience required, but is definitely a plus! About the Director: Dan Evers is a native Texan with over 19 years of teaching experience at the university/college and public/private school levels and 23 years as a professional actor and director. Dan moved to Southern California in 2004 to earn his MFA in Theatre from California State University, Fullerton. After successfully completing the three-year program, Mr. Evers worked as an adjunct professor, director, dialect coach, and actor before moving to New York City to further his acting career. While he lived in New York City, he became a proud member of Actor’s Equity, performed in several Off-Broadway and Off Off-Broadway productions, and one national tour. Mr. Evers then pursued another passion, Drama Therapy, and earned his MST in Special Education from Pace University. He worked as a special education drama teacher in the south Bronx, where he taught children with severe emotional behavior disorders how to regulate their emotions and appropriate social interaction skills. Education: Pace University MS.Ed Special Education- 2013 California State University, Fullerton M.F.A. Theatre-Acting- 2007 University of Texas at Arlington B.F.A. Theatre Performance- 2002
Open Auditions for "Our Town"
Directed by Dan Evers
Open Auditions: November 29 & 30 from 6-9 PM
Performances: February 16, 17, & 18 at 7:30 PM & February 19 at 2:00 PM
Actors must also be available for a student matinee performance on February 15 at 10 AM.
Where: Altoona Community Theatre Rehearsal Hall, 1213 12th Street
How: Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script. Auditionees need only attend one night unless asked to attend callbacks, expected to be held on December 1.
Actors must be available for all performances. Availability for rehearsals will be asked at auditions, please be prepared to list all conflicts from auditions to performance dates. Rehearsals are expected to begin December 5 with limited rehearsals through December to give time off for the holidays. If you are unable to attend general auditions, please contact the ACT Office to discuss scheduling an alternative audition time.
"Thornton Wilder’s story of the fictional small town of Grover’s Corners and its citizens. Spanning the years between 1901 and 1913, Our Town is narrated by a stage manager in three acts: “Daily Life,” “Love and Marriage” and “Death and Eternity”. The play depicts the simple daily lives of the Webb and Gibbs families as their children fall in love, marry, and eventually – in one of the most famous scenes in American theatre – die.
Described by Edward Albee as “the greatest American play ever written,’ this classic of American theatre has endured for 84 years."
Available roles:
All roles available. Altoona Community Theatre welcomes anyone to audition for any role they like regardless of age, gender identity, race or color. We encourage and affirm trans and nonbinary actors to submit for whatever role feels best to them.
ACT is dedicated to being a diverse, inclusive, and equitable community theatre. We strive to hold open auditions where community members have an equal and fair opportunity to be cast.
Stage Manager – The omniscient narrator of the play. The Stage Manager exercises control over the action of the play, cueing the other characters, interrupting their scenes with his own interjections, and informing the audience of events and objects that we cannot see. He occasionally assumes other small roles in the story.
George Gibbs – Dr. and Mrs. Gibbs’s son. A decent, upstanding young man, George is a high school baseball star who plans to attend the State Agricultural School after high school. His courtship of Emily Webb and eventual marriage to her is central to the show. George’s age in the show ranges from 16 to 28.
Emily Webb – Mr. and Mrs. Webb’s daughter. Emily is George’s schoolmate and next-door neighbor, then his fiancée, and later his wife. She is an excellent student and a conscientious daughter. Emily suffers an untimely death and the show continues to follow her in the afterlife. Emily’s age in the show ranges from 16 to 28.
Dr. Gibbs – George’s father and the town doctor. Dr. Gibbs is also a Civil War expert. He and his family are neighbors to the Webbs.
Mrs. Gibbs – George’s mother and Dr. Gibbs’s wife. A homemaker with desires to travel to Paris, a wish never fulfilled. Mrs. Gibbs must find her satisfaction within this small town.
Mr. Webb – Emily’s father and the publisher and editor of the Grover’s Corners Sentinel. Mr. Webb’s gives a news report that breaks the fourth wall with the audience in Act 1.
Mrs. Webb – Emily’s mother and Mr. Webb’s wife. At first a no-nonsense woman, Mrs. Webb later shows her innocent and caring nature.
Mrs. Soames – A gossipy woman who sings in the choir along with Mrs. Webb and Mrs. Gibbs. Mrs. Soames helps give a sense of the intertwined lives of the citizens of Grover’s Corners.
Simon Stimson – The choirmaster, whose alcoholism and undisclosed “troubles” have been the subject of gossip in Grover’s Corners for quite some time. *Trigger warning: suicide* Mr. Stimson appears in the land of the dead souls in Act III having committed suicide by hanging himself in his attic.
Rebecca Gibbs – George’s younger sister. Rebecca’s role is minor, but she does have one very significant scene with her brother. Young girl about 11-13
Wally Webb – Emily’s younger brother. Wally is a minor figure, but he turns up in Act III among the group of dead souls. Wally dies young, the result of a burst appendix on a Boy Scout trip. Young boy about 11-13
Howie Newsome – The local milkman. Howie reappears during every morning scene—once each in Acts I, II, and III
Joe Crowell, Jr. – The paperboy.
Si Crowell – Joe’s younger brother, also a paperboy.
Professor Willard – A professor at the State University who gives the audience a report on Grover’s Corners. Professor Willard appears once and then disappears.
Constable Warren – A local policeman. Constable Warren keeps a watchful eye over the community.
Sam Craig – Emily Webb’s cousin, who has left Grover’s Corners to travel west, but returns for her funeral in Act III.
Joe Stoddard – The town undertaker. Joe prepares Emily’s grave and remarks on how sad it is to bury young people.
Foley Artists – We are seeking one to two individuals who will be on stage creating the sound effects of the show in real time. These artists will need to attend rehearsals regularly through the whole process to work with the props master and actors to practice getting the sounds & timing correct. No props, sound, or foley experience required, but is definitely a plus!
About the Director:
Dan Evers is a native Texan with over 19 years of teaching experience at the university/college and public/private school levels and 23 years as a professional actor and director. Dan moved to Southern California in 2004 to earn his MFA in Theatre from California State University, Fullerton. After successfully completing the three-year program, Mr. Evers worked as an adjunct professor, director, dialect coach, and actor before moving to New York City to further his acting career. While he lived in New York City, he became a proud member of Actor’s Equity, performed in several Off-Broadway and Off Off-Broadway productions, and one national tour. Mr. Evers then pursued another passion, Drama Therapy, and earned his MST in Special Education from Pace University. He worked as a special education drama teacher in the south Bronx, where he taught children with severe emotional behavior disorders how to regulate their emotions and appropriate social interaction skills.