Arena Stage | Washington, DC

DESCRIPTION

AUDITION DATE

Monday, January 13, 2025

10:00 AM - 7:00 PM (E)

BREAK: 1:00PM - 3:00PM

and

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

10:00 AM - 7:00 PM (E)

BREAK: 1:00PM - 3:00PM

APPOINTMENTS

Auditions will be run on a first-come first-served basis. Doors will be open at 9:00AM to begin sign-ups.

CONTRACT

LORT Non-Rep

$1197 weekly minimum (LORT B+)

SEEKING

Equity actors for roles in WE ARE GATHERED (see breakdown).

All roles will be understudied.

PREPARATION

Please prepare a contemporary monologue. Please bring your headshot and resume stapled together.

LOCATION

Arena Stage

1101 6th St SW

Washington, DC 20024

Please enter the building through the main doors on Sixth St.

PERSONNEL

Tarell Alvin McCraney - Playwright

Directed by Kent Gash

EXPECTED TO ATTEND:

Raiyon Hunter - Casting Director

OTHER DATES

First Rehearsal: 4/15/25

First Preview: 5/16/25

Opens: 5/22/25

Closes: 6/15/25

OTHER

www.arenastage.org

An Equity Monitor will not be provided. The producer will run all aspects of this audition.

Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimination. Equity is committed to diversity and encourages all its employers to engage in a policy of equal employment opportunity designed to promote a positive model of inclusion. As such, Equity encourages performers of all ethnicities, gender identities, and ages, as well as performers with disabilities, to attend every audition.

Always bring your Equity Membership card to auditions.

BREAKDOWN

WE ARE GATHERED

SYNOPSIS: Wilson and Free met in a dark park searching for fun, not expecting to find love, light, and each other. Now a milestone anniversary has got them wondering if they have met Mr. Right or a long one-night stand with a lovely Mr. Maybe? With a little support and a lot of confusion from family, friends, and a stranger in the dark, the question remains: will Free and Wilson find their way together or will they let fear, and a secret lead them asunder?

Director’s Note:

Actors should be comfortable with direct address/speaking to the audience while in character and sustaining extended passages of text. Most actors will portray more than one character and must be equally comfortable with bold and dynamic transformation in an instant while maintaining nuance and truth, quickly transforming physically and vocally from one character to another. While not a musical, but a play with some music and dance elements, many in the company and may sing and should have strong pitch and be able to hold contemporary harmonies. Actors within the LGBTQIA community welcomed and encouraged. As the play is having its first production, roles and doubling assignments are subject to change and evolve with the refinement of the text throughout the rehearsal process. Age Appropriateness is less important is less important than specific acting skills.

NOTE: Black actors, LGBTQIA actors, those with facility with heightened and vernacular Black American Language, and facility with contemporary black social dance styles are encouraged to audition.

SEEKING:

MS./PUNKIN: Black, 30-40s, Feminine Presenting An older sister of W. TRE. wise, smart, honest and direct. Knows how and when to keep it moving. Sings well.

DAD/CEDRIC: Black, 50-60s, Masculine Presenting. A Strong Alpha Male figure of considerable gravitas who struggles to keep up with a rapidly changing LGBTQIA inclusive world, politically conservative but ultimately loves his gay son, in spite of not yet knowing how to do so.

XI/NANA J: Black, 30s-40s Plus size, of great warmth, and innate likability and versatility. Doubles both the Grandmother of Free and the good friend who will always speak truth with unflinching candor.

POP-POP/CHAUNCEY: Black, 60s, Masculine Presenting Grandfather, Married to NANA J. Both are wise, loving, candid and often surprising. Innately warm but capable of directness. Should feel familiar and then surprise us.

W. TRE: Black, 40s, Masculine Presenting. Extremely attractive, sensitive and expressive. Possessing elegance and ease grace that is covering a range of anxieties. Burningly intelligent, eloquent and thoughtful. Full of love for Free yet stalled in taking the big step towards marriage… late thirties or forty. A man who feels deeply and needs to understand before he can act decisively. A soulful man. Profoundly in love with FREE. A superb, expressive, soulful singer. Is extremely comfortable with direct address to the audience.

FREE: Black, 30s-40s, Masculine Presenting. A music maker, and as his name implies a go-with-the-flow, grounded, self-knowing, self-loving same gender loving brotha keenly tuned to the moment. He is fully present, conscious, thoughtful, expressive, free-loving, well-adjusted and knows who he is. He is keenly perceptive. Profoundly in love with W. TRE. An excellent singer who moves extremely well. Is very comfortable with direct address to the audience.

SALARY

LORT Non-Rep $1100 weekly minimum (LORT B+)

UNION

AEA