The Providence Players of Fairfax will be holding auditions for our production of John Guare’s The House of Blue Leaves, Directed by Michael Donahue on January 7th, 8th, and 9th from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM at the James Lee Community Center at 2855 Annandale Rd, Falls Church VA 22042.
Eleven Roles (6 Women – 5 Men) – All Open
The Providence Players of Fairfax is a non-profit community theater troupe. All participation is on a volunteer, non-compensated basis.
The House of Blue Leaves
By John Guare
Directed by Michael Donahue
In this whacky, poignant comedy, Zoo attendant Artie Shaughnessy is a failed songwriter with visions of fame and glory. He copes with an overly medicated wife, an impatient mistress, an AWOL and homicidal son being pursued by military police, and beer-drinking nuns on the day the Pope visits New York City. His girlfriend convinces Artie to call his old school buddy Billy Einhorn, a famous film director from Los Angeles, to finagle a job writing music for Billy’s movies in a desperate attempt to find stardom. Set in 1965 in Queens NY, House of Blue Leaves is a unique blend of farce, dark comedy and drama. It illuminates the American dream and an obsession with celebrities that is still relevant today. Winner of the Obie and Drama Critics’ awards for Best American Play. This production contains mature themes and graphic language.
Performance Dates and Times
Preview:
Thursday, March 13, 7:00 pm Curtain
Evening Performances:
Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays; 7:30 pm Curtain
March 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, & 29
Matinees:
Sundays; 2:00 pm curtain
March 16 & 23
Audition Dates
Tuesday, Jan 7, 6:30 -9:30 pm (In the James Lee Multi-purpose Rm)
Wednesday, Jan 8, 6:30-9:30 pm (In the James Lee Multi-purpose Rm)
Call-Backs (if needed):
Thursday Jan 9, 6:30-9:300 pm (In the James Lee Urbanites Rm)*
Location
The James Lee Community Center
2855 Annandale Road
Falls Church, VA 22042
(Look For Signs To Audition Room)
*If you are not able to make initial auditions on Jan 7th or 8th, some initial auditions may be scheduled for early in the evening of Thursday January 9th with prior approval of the director. He may be contacted at mpdonahue60@gmail.com
Audition Information/Instructions
- PLEASE RSVP to providenceplayers@cox.net with the dates you plan on auditioning.
- HOW WE WORK: You are encouraged to plan to come to auditions on more than one of the audition evenings. This is not a requirement. Most PPF auditions have actors up and down to read multiple times in multiple combinations and scenes. Most actors find this fun. As space allows, you will be able to watch all the auditions. You may be asked to go into the hallway with audition partners and work a bit on a scene. We will do our best to get you up multiple times reading for parts you are interested in. You will also be asked to read for other parts you may not be auditioning for. The Providence Players strives to make our productions open to interested and engaged actors & actresses, regardless of their level of experience. We try and make our auditions as relaxing and fun as possible.
- AUDITION PROCESS: Auditions will consist of readings from the script – No monologue required.
- AUDITION SIDES: Sides for the audition process will be supplied at auditions.
- AUDITION FORM: Resumes and headshots will be accepted, but are not required. Please ALSO complete the attached PPF The House of Blue Leaves Audition Form and bring it with you to the audition. This will also be available on our website.
- MEMBERSHIP: The Providence Players of Fairfax is a membership organization. Membership is not required to audition. If cast, actors in addition to production team members will be asked to become members of the Providence Players ($10) for the season (if they are not already).
- RSVP: Please send us an RSVP if you plan to audition to providenceplayers@cox.net .
Rehearsal Schedule:
A copy of the preliminary stage rehearsal schedule is included with this announcement and will be available online and at auditions. In addition to the stage rehearsal schedule, additional full cast readings of the play and some selected scene study and character work will scheduled based on actor availability prior to or in addition to the stage schedule. The schedule for these will be finalized a week or two after auditions. Unless indicated otherwise, all rehearsals will happen at the James Lee Community Center. Rehearsals will be held in the evenings roughly from 6:30/6:45 to 9:45pm. and on Saturdays and Sundays as indicated.
Please come to auditions prepared to list any availability conflicts over this time period.
Character Summary – 6 Women – 5 Men – All Open
The House of Blue Leaves Characters – Women (6 Roles)
Bunny Flingus (40s/50s)
Artie’s girl friend and downstairs neighbor. Amazing cook and supportive of Arti’s musical ambitions. Once Bananas (Artie’s wife) is out of the way, she plans on marrying Artie. Controlling of Artie and jealous of Bananas. But at the first chance she gets,, (an offer to move to Australia) she dumps Artie for a new life.
Bananas Shaughnessy (40s/50s)
Artie’s wife. Suffering from mental illness for a long time. Has not left apartment in months. Fears going to mental hospital, Although ill, she can be lucid and insightful at certain moments. She is killed by Artie at end of play.
Corrinna Stroller (20s to mid 30s)
Girlfriend of Billy. Famous actress who was injured in an accident on a movie set and was rendered partially deaf. She has not worked since the accident. She is a kind person.
Head Nun (Older)
Second Nun (mid 30s to mid 40s)
Little Nun (20s)
The Little Nun is one of three nuns who get trapped on the roof of Artie’s apartment after the Pope drives by. She has not taken her final vows and is not enthusiastic about becoming a Nun. After the two other nuns die in the explosion, she decides not to return to the convent. She is eventually hired by Billy to live in Bunny’s apartment and take care of Bananas.
The House of Blue Leaves Characters – Men (5 Roles)
Artie Shaughnessy (40s/50s)
The story’s protagonist. His life is at a turning point and he is frustrated on a number of levels. His marriage to Bananas is empty. Because of her illness he feels little more than a caretaker. He has a girlkfriend (Bunny) who is selfish and controlling. He works as a zoo keeper but is really a frustrated song writer. Artie is also worried about his son Ronnie who is in the Army but, like Bananas, suffers from severe mental illness and has violent and paranoid fantasies. At end of play, feeling trapped and helpless, he kills Bananas.
Ronnie Shaughnessy (18 – early 20s) –
Teenage son of Bananas and Artie. In the Army but is AWOL and is at home. His parents are unaware of his presence in the Apartment for most of the play. He is severely mentally ill and plots to build a bomb to blow up the Pope on his visit to New York. Instead of blowing up the Pope he blows up two nuns and Corrinna Stroller. He is arrested but Billy gets him released.
Billy Einhorn (40s/50s)
Artie’s childhood best friend and has known Bananas for many years and gave her the nickname. Je is a famous Hollywood director and is involved romantically with Corrinna. At Bunny’s urging, Artie gets Billy to help him revive his career as a movie song writer but fails. When Corrinna dies, Billy convinces Bunny to go to Australia leaving Artie alone with Bananas.
A Policeman
The White Man