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Wellesley Players announce auditions for "Next Fall"

The Wellesley Players are proud to announce auditions for their May 2014 production of Geoffrey Nauffts’ Next Fall, directed by Todd Sandstrom.

Next Fall takes a witty and provocative look at faith, commitment and unconditional love. The play’s central story focuses on the five-year relationship between Adam and Luke, exploring the internal, social, and familial obstacles faced by a same-sex interfaith couple. One an atheist and one a devout Christian, the two men struggle to reconcile their differences and accept themselves and each other. This timely and compelling new American play forces us all to examine what it means to “believe” and what it might cost us not to.

Audition Dates: Monday February 3rd and Tuesday February 4th from 7-10 PM. Callbacks will be held on Thursday, February 6th also beginning at 7:00 PM.

The auditions will take place at Christ Episcopal Church, 1132 Highland Avenue in Needham. Coming from 95, parking is across the street on the right just before the Needham Public Library.

What to Bring: Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script. Please bring a resume of your acting experience and a current headshot. If you don’t have a headshot then we will take your photo for our audition records. If possible, please print out and complete the audition form ahead of time.

Rehearsals: Beginning on 2/23/13, rehearsals will generally take place Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Sundays 5-8PM at the Christ Episcopal Church. The full cast will not be needed at every rehearsal.

Performances: May 2, 3, 4 (Fri-Sun) and May 8, 9, 10, 11 (Thurs-Sun) at the Arsenal Center for the Arts Black Box Theater, 321 Arsenal Street, Watertown MA.

We are seeking four men and two women to fill the following roles:

Characters:

Adam (mid 30’s-early 40’s) – A lovable hypochondriac living in New York City. He is a complete atheist and has a fatalistic view of his relationships and of the world, resulting in panic attacks and an ever-present short fuse. He is dissatisfied with his career choices and looking for a way to find fulfillment. His self-esteem issues generate internal feelings that suggest that he is not deserving of a decent man who will stay. He is completely irresistible to Luke. He puts his faith in rationalism and finds it easy to debunk Luke’s beliefs, insisting that they only lead to self-loathing. He expects Luke to choose between him and God.

Luke (mid-late 20’s) – Adam’s five-year relationship partner, though his family would never know it. A committed Christian, he dropped out of law school to become an aspiring actor (cater waiter). He embraces life, love, and laughter. He is so devout that he believes in the Rapture, the plan of Salvation and that his own sexual orientation is, to an extent, a sin. He is torn between the love that he feels for Adam and the moral judgment represented by the religious authorities of his church. He wants Adam to accept Jesus into his life so that they can both be saved together.

Brandon (late 20’s-early 30’s) – A successful property developer in his prime. A deeply religious friend from Luke’s “past.” He wants the best for his loved ones, in this life and afterward. He sees human life as a series of black and white contrasts and his perceptions of sin are specific and confined.

Holly (mid 30’s) – A quirky, artsy owner of a candle shop . Adam’s longtime best friend and former employer. She maintains the position of peacekeeper as tensions flare at the hospital. She is committed to self-help groups and open to changes in her belief system.

Butch (early 50’s) – Luke’s father. A proud Southern man and born-again fundamentalist whose faith is so strong that he may not be able to see or accept the people closest to him. He is seemingly blind to his son’s homosexuality and exhibits fierce creationism. He is blind to science and evolution. He raised Luke on his own during Luke’s formative years.

Arlene (late 40’s) – Luke’s brassy mother. An eccentric and vivacious spitfire with an affinity toward anti-stress medication. She is a chatter-box who freely admits to “flapping her gums.” She desperately wants to be a competent and supportive mother to her son since she was not able to fulfill that role for him earlier in his life.

This is an open call and appointments are not necessary. Auditioners will be seen in the order in which they arrive and sign in. If you are interested in auditioning but cannot make these scheduled dates, please contact director Todd Sandstrom at todd.sandstrom@gmail.com and we will do our best to accommodate you.

For further information please see www.wellesleyplayers.org.

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