Calendar Girls – Auditions 8/26

Description:

Westmont Performing Arts, in association with the Westmont Park District is seeking actors to cast their upcoming production of Calendar Girls by Tim Firth, based on the Miramax motion picture by Juliette Towhidi and Tim Firth. Auditions are being held at the Westmont Community Center, 75 East Richmond St., Westmont, on Monday and Tuesday, August 26 and 27 at 7:00 pm. Callbacks will take place Thursday, August 29 at 7:00 pm.

Synopsis:

When Annie’s husband John dies of leukemia, she and her long-standing best friend Chris resolve to raise money for a new settee in the local hospital waiting room. With varying levels of encouragement, they persuade four friends and fellow members of the Women’s Institute (W.I.) to pose nude with them for an “alternative” calendar. The success of the calendar goes beyond their wildest dreams and their efforts catch the attention of the national and international press, who soon descend on the small village. Chris and Annie’s friendship is put to the test with their new-found fame. Tim Firth’s play is based on the true story of eleven W.I. members who famously posed nude for a calendar to raise money for the Leukemia Research Fund in 1999.

ROLE BREAKDOWN:

CHRIS – 50s. You want Chris at your party. She will talk to people she doesn’t know, and things to say to all silences and generate laughter. Part of this is because Chris is at home in crowds, holding court, being the center of attention. Without Chris in her life, Annie would be better behaved, her life less fun. The two of them are like naughty schoolgirls.

ANNIE – 50s. Annie will join in mischief but is at heart more conformist and less confrontational than Chris. She has enough edge to be interesting, and enough salt not to be too sweet.

CORA – 40s. Cora is the joker in the pack, but never plays the fool. Her wit is deadpan. It raises laughter in others, but rarely in herself. Cora doesn’t need to sing like a diva but must be able to sing well enough to start the show with Jerusalem and sing the snatches of other songs required. Able to play basic chords on the piano.

JESSIE – late 60s/70s. Jessie is a teacher and a lover of life. Jessie doesn’t bother with cosmetics but bothers about grammar and will correct stallholders regarding their abuse of the apostrophe “s”.

CELIA – 35-50. The fact that Celia is in the WI is the greatest justification of its existence. A woman more at home in a department store than a church hall. She always feels like she’s drifted in from another world. Which she has. There is a rebelliousness in Celia that sets her apart from the vapid materialism of her peer group and made her defect.

RUTH – 40s. Ruth’s journey is from the false self-confidence of the emotionally abused to the genuine self-confidence of the woman happy in her own skin. Ruth is eager to please and despite to keep everyone happy. The women are protective of her because they sense there is something better in Ruth than her life is letting out.

MARIE – 50s. Marie has gradually built the current ‘Marie’ around herself over the years as a defense mechanism. The WI is a trophy to her, which justifies her entire existence. There is a lingering part of Marie that would love to be on that calendar.

JOHN – 50s. John is a good man and Annie’s husband. Not a saint. Not a hero. Just the kind of man you’d want in your car when crossing America. Must be bald in select scenes.

ROD – 50s. Rod is Chris’s husband. He can give back what he gets and has a deadpan sense of humor. He would work every hour to make his shop a success. Friends with John, even though the relationship was originally channeled through their wives.

LAWRENCE – late 20s. Hesitant without being nerdy, Lawrence is a shy young man with enough wit to make a joke and enough spirit to turn up at the WI hall in the first place.

LADY CRAVENSHIRE – 60s. Lady Cravenshire really doesn’t mean to be so patronizing. But the WI girls seem from another world. The world of her estate workers.

ELAINE – 20s. Elaine really doesn’t mean to be so patronizing, but the ladies seem from another world; the world of her grandmother.

LIAM – late 20s. Liam would like to be directing other things than photoshoots. He’s not so unprofessional as to let it show, but we can sense a slight weariness at having to deal with these women. There’s a resigned patience to his actions.

Important Notes on Casting:

Actors of every race, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, and body type are encouraged to audition for any and all roles for this production. Age ranges are labeled for roles individually. English accents are not required. No actual nudity will be presented; the actors will suggest the illusion of exposure only.

Time Commitment:

If called, callbacks will take place on Thursday, August 29th starting between 7:00 pm. Performers must be available this date to be considered for a role.

Rehearsals will take place on weekdays Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays from 9/10 to opening night Friday, 11/01. Availability on all weeknights from Monday 10/28 through Thursday, 10/31, and tech rehearsal on Sunday, 10/27.

Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2:00 pm from 11/1 to 11/10. All performances will take place at Westview Hills Middle School, 630 65th Street, Willowbrook, IL.

Material To Prepare:

Audition sides will be provided at the audition and callback.

Contact Info:

If you have any questions please contact Zack Johnson at zjohnson@westmontparks.org