Maurer Productions OnStage, Inc. Presents Auditions for Scenery By Ed Dixon Audition Dates: Saturday & Sunday, November 20 & 21 12:00 PM to 5:30 PM Show dates: February 4, 5, 11, 12, 2022 at 8:00 pm February 6, 13, 2022 @ 2:00 pm Audition Appointment Options: Sign up online for an audition slot at www.mponstage.com/CastMe E-mail us at [email protected]Call (609) 882-2292 NOTE: Walk-ins are welcome but will be seen on a time-available basis. All actors must be fully vaccinated in order to audition. The production staff is fully vaccinated.
Transcript
Maurer Productions OnStage, Inc. Presents Auditions for
Scenery By Ed Dixon
Audition Dates:
Saturday & Sunday, November 20 & 21 12:00 PM to 5:30 PM
Show dates:
February 4, 5, 11, 12, 2022 at 8:00 pm February 6, 13, 2022 @ 2:00 pm
Audition Appointment Options:
Sign up online for an audition slot at www.mponstage.com/CastMe
AUDITION: Scenery by Ed Dixon Audition Dates: Saturday & Sunday, November 20 & 21 12:00 PM to 5:30 PM Location: Mercer County Community College, West Windsor Campus 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor, NJ 08550
Performance Dates: February 4, 5, 11, 12, 2022 at 8:00 pm
February 6, 13, 2022 @ 2:00 pm Company: Maurer Productions OnStage, Inc. Director: Judi Parrish (she/her) Stage Manager: Jennifer Boutros (she/her) Producers: John M. Maurer & Diana Gilman Maurer
Audition Packet Contents Section Page
About the show .............................................................................................. 3
Character Descriptions ............................................................................... 4, 5
Basic Audition Info ....................................................................................... 6
Audition Form ................................................................................................ 7
Maurer Productions OnStage presents Scenery by Ed Dixon. The story of Richard and Marion Crane, two famous theater actors dealing with their “highly irregular” marriage, backstage on the opening night of their long awaited Broadway “comeback.” As pressures rise, tempers flare and fur flies in this unique look behind the curtain of two people’s insane lives. Richard and Marion Crain, a Broadway acting couple with 20 years of practice at turning argument into art. In the dressing room of the Belasco Theatre, just before the opening of “The Anniversary Wake,” they slice and dice each other, as well as producers, rude audiences and even Domino’s Pizza. Produced by Maurer Productions OnStage, Scenery gives the audience a glimpse of the off stage life two aging actors. Kelsey Forward Initiative is committed to actively assisting Kelsey Theatre in advancing an environment of diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism in all productions and programs offered by the resident theatre companies. We acknowledge the need for growth and are committed to learning from our past mistakes. We aim to foster an inclusive environment for people of all races, genders, religions, sexual orientations, creeds, socio-economic statuses, nationalities and abilities.
CHARACTERS (Roles are open to performers of all races, gender identities, sexual orientations, body types, ages (over 18) and abilities.) Richard Crane – actors identifying male, 50+, any race Marion Crane – actors identifying female, 50+, any race The Crains are a typical theatre couple. They would like to be thought of as another as Lunt & Fontanne but know that they’re not. Like all theatre people they have deep seeded superstitions and rituals. They can both bring the snark and will give as good as they get! All actors must be fully vaccinated in order to audition. The production staff is fully vaccinated.
Scenery By Ed Dixon
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR THE AUDITION
1. You can now use our online audition sign-up site to schedule your audition. Go to
www.mponstage.com/CastMe; choose Scenery and sign up for an available slot. If you cannot access the website or if you have any problems signing up, you can still call (609) 882-2292 or email at [email protected] to schedule an audition time. If all audition slots are full and you wish to audition for the show, please call and we will try to set up another time for you to audition.
2. All actors are required to audition with a monologue. You must use the the monologues provided
in the downloadable packet on the website. Please prepare all of the monologues for the character you are auditioning for. You may be asked to read additional monologues or to read scenes with other actors.
3. Sign up for a slot on the audition schedule and arrive at least 10 minutes before the start of your
audition slot. The audition process may last 15 - 30 minutes, or more if you are asked to read scenes with other actors. Appointments are requested and HIGHLY recommended; walk-ins will be seen on a time-available basis. Without an appointment, you may have to wait a while to audition.
4. In order to sign up for an audition slot you must register on the Cast Me 1-2-3 system. You can
now upload your resume and headshot, as well as any additional information you feel would be appropriate and helpful, into the MPOnStage Cast Me 1-2-3 system. This can save you the time and expense of downloading and filling out lengthy forms, having headshots printed, and copying resumes. Registration is free and your information is private and will never be shared.
5. Bring to the Audition:
A. Your conflicts, using the calendar pages. (Available in the Downloadable Packet) B. A completed Audition Short Form. (Available in the Downloadable Packet) C. Your resume & headshot IF THEY ARE NOT ALREADY ON THE CAST ME 1-2-3 SYSTEM
6. You should expect two to three rehearsals in the evening during the week and one weekend day
rehearsal per week. Later in rehearsal process, more days may be added. These rehearsals will be broken up by scenes. Call sheets will be made available to the cast on a weekly basis to tell you which rehearsals you will need to attend.
7. The read-through is tentatively set for November 29, 2021. The cast will get their scripts and rehearsal schedules, fill out some paperwork, have their head shot taken and get measured for costumes.
8. All cast members are required to assist with load in and load out. Load-in occurs on the Sunday
evening (January 30) after OUR TOWN closes. Load-out occurs after the Sunday afternoon performance on the second weekend of performances (February 13th). (Since the next show is also an MPO production, Popcorn Falls will be loading in earlier than normal.)
9. Please print the audition form page and conflict sheets and bring them with you.
Maurer Productions Onstage Inc. _________________ Do not write on this line
Scenery
AUDITION FORM
Preferred Name & Pronouns: ___________________________________________________________ Primary Contact #: ___________________________________________________________ Primary role of interest: ___________________________________________________________ Are you willing to take the other role if offered? YES NO Is there any other pertinent information you would like to share?
List All Conflicts on the Following Calendars including holidays
November
Sun Mon Tues Wed Thur Fri Sat 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
AUDITIONS
21 AUDITIONS
22 23 24 25 NO REH
26 27
28
29 READ THROUGH
30 - - - -
December
Sun Mon Tues Wed Thur Fri Sat - - - 1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9
10
11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23
24 NO REH
25 NO REH
26
27
28
29
30
31 NO REH
1 NO REH
January
Sun Mon Tues Wed Thur Fri Sat 2 3
4 5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12 13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
23
23
26
23
28
29
30 LOAD IN
31 TECH
- - - - -
February
Sun Mon Tues Wed Thur Fri Sat - - 1
TECH 2 TECH
3 TECH
4 SHOW 8PM
5 SHOW 8PM
6 SHOW 2PM
7 8 9 10
11 SHOW 8PM
12 SHOW 8PM
13 SHOW 2PM LOAD OUT
14 15 16 17 18
19
20
21 22 23 24
24 25
26
27
28
-
-
-
-
SCENERY
MONOLOGUES FOR AUDITIONS MARION (A dressing room in the Belasco Theater just before half hour.) (Sitting at her makeup table rehearsing very grandly.) “Oh, Cecil, you know I always loved you. Even when I didn’t like you, I loved you. I remember the first time I met you. You were so… You were so…” (Going back to the beginning very quickly and not grandly.) “Oh, Cecil, you know I always loved you. Even when I didn’t like you, I loved you. I remember the first time I met you. You were so… You were so…” CRAP! CHARMING! Charming. “You were so CHARMING and everything about you seemed to be just right.” (Faster) “You were so charming and everything about you seemed to be just right.” (Faster) “You were so charming and everything about you seemed to be just right.” (The phone rings.) Hello. Oh, Ross, where have you been? It’s opening night and it’s almost half hour. Why haven’t you been round to wish me luck? Don’t be silly! Richard likes you. Perhaps too much… No, I haven’t told him. But I’m going to… soon. Stop worrying. I’ll see you at the party. Don’t be late! (Rehearsing again.) “Oh, Cecil, you know I always loved you. Even when I didn’t like you I…” Oh, screw these new lines. I’ll just open some more presents. MARION We should have had a normal life like some ordinary couple. Maybe we are a little late. Maybe we’re just so ordinary that we can’t look at it. Maybe we’re just so nothing that we have to stir up all this hoopla so we won’t notice how meaningless we really are. Nothing. We’ve just been living on brute strength. How long do you think we could have kept it up? We can’t get ahead, we can’t stop, we can’t rest. How could we have put away money for retirement? It’s all a trick. No matter how much we make, the government takes fifty percent off the top and our agent takes ten… and of course our beloved union gets another three, then about six for social security which we’ll never see and FICA whatever that is. Then there’s state and miscellaneous deductions all of which leaves us with about fifteen percent. What does that come to? $100??
RICHARD You are not sharing a dressing room with little POLLYANNA. I’m just one of the last remaining dinosaurs who’s getting ready to open a play on the tar pit of broken dreams. Knocking the play we’re about to debut to the theatrical world isn’t demeaning? And anyway, we’re both dinosaurs, ask the New York Times. But we can’t ask them. They’re not here. Neither is the “theatrical world’. The you-know- whos don’t come on opening night anymore. They come three days before and write their you-know-whats and stick them in a drawer like torpedoes. And tonight we are the Lusitania. But there’s no point in giving out our coordinates. For you to join them in sinking the vessel we have yet to bring into port is more than demeaning, it’s nautically… I’m tired of the seafaring metaphor. RICHARD I think I look pretty good for my age. (pause) All right, I can’t stand being my age. I don’t look in mirrors even when I’m standing in front of one. When I’m putting on my make up, I just study the sponge going back and forth and keep my attention on the color. I see an old man in a store window as I walk down the street and then suddenly I realize… it’s me. Nothing has turned out as I intended. I hate almost everything about my life and I’m one of the “successful ones”. This does not comfort me. Can we do the play now?
SIDE #1
RICHARD: You’re just nervous, that’s all. It’s that stupid present. MARION: I thought we weren’t going to talk about that anymore… and I am not nervous. I’m frustrated. Do you know how long it’s been since we’ve had sex? RICHARD: What? MARION: You heard me. RICHARD: It’s opening night. MARION: Wrong answer. It’s going on eight years. RICHARD: Marion… MARION: I’m only human. No matter what people say. RICHARD: Perhaps this isn’t the ideal time for this. MARION: That’s what you always say. What do you suppose Mr. Freud would have to say about our little partnership? RICHARD: I think he’d say “at a time like this you should be thinking about the play.” MARION: Maybe we should try thinking about real life for a change. RICHAR: Real life says we have to be a happily married couple on stage in less than half an hour. MARION: I’m not that good an actress. RICHARD: You said it, not I. MARION: What?! RICHARD: Are you by any chance having “female” issues? MARION: That was stupid and sexist. RICHARD: Guilty as charged. Are you? MARION: No, are you? RICHARD: What’s that supposed to mean? MARION: If the balls fit, go bowling. RICHARD: You have enough for both of us.
SIDE #2 page 1
MARION: My god! You’re having an anxiety attack. RICHARD: Very observant. MARION: Breathe in, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. Breathe out, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. Breathe in, tell me something that you see. RICHARD: (Breathing in.) I see a tube of leading man number 2 makeup. MARION: Breathe out. Tell me something that you hear. RICHARD: (Breathing out.) I hear your voice and my breathing. MARION: Breathe in. Tell me something that you smell. RICHARD: (Breathing in.) I smell greasepaint. MARION: No one uses greasepaint anymore. RICHARD: (Still breathing in.) It was a metaphor. MARION: Be more literal. Breathe out. RICHARD: I don’t smell anything. I’m breathing out. MARION: Have it your own way. Your color looks more natural. RICHARD: That’s because I have on a pound of makeup, but I think I am feeling better now. MARION: That would sound more convincing if you sat up. RICHARD: There, I’m sitting up. (He slumps back down.) Oh, god. MARION: Breathe in… RICHARD: Stop it, I’m just dizzy. MARION: So you say. Shall I call the stage manager? RICHARD: For what? MARION: To alert the understudy? RICHARD: You want to do THE ANNIVERSARY WAKE on opening night with Ed Skunk? MARION: It’s Ed Skump, dear. And no, I don’t actually, but will I have to? RICHARD: He can’t act, he doesn’t know the words, and he’s never had a rehearsal. And besides, I always go on.
SIDE #2 page 2 MARION: Even when you’re dying? RICHARD: I don’t know. I’ve never been dying. I know I can do a show dead drunk or stoned out of my mind, so I don’t see why I shouldn’t do it during or even after death. MARION: That’s a good press angle. THE ANNIVERSARY WAKE starring the ghost of Richard Crain… and his lovely wife, Marion.
