Steel Magnolias Audition @ Playhouse Theatre Somerset West
Venue: The Playhouse Theatre | Somerset West
Dates: 09/11/2014 to 09/11/2014
Times: 18:30
Playhouse Theatre Somerset West is auditioning for ‘Steel Magnolias’ on Sunday 9 November.
When: Sunday 9 November
Where: The Playhouse Theatre, Somerset West
Directed by: Darryl Spijkers for the HHDS
Show dates: 13 – 21 FEB 2015
Rehearsal Days: Rehearsals begin as soon as the cast is confirmed and will be held on days suitable to the cast. This is a small cast and all members are required at every rehearsal.
About: This highly acclaimed movie and play is based on a true incident of the playwright Harling’s mother and sister. The story is set in a small-town hair salon in Chinquapin Louisiana, and spans several years in the lives of the shop’s owner and her customers. There is a small cast of only six women, but they are all equally important. This play deals with the bond between women, especially in times of despair, and this really needs to come across on stage. I therefore need a cast of strong female actresses. The ages span across the spectrum and the characters are quite specific. I will be keeping the accents (Southern US).
Authors Note: The women in this play are witty, intelligent, and above all, real characters. They in no way, shape or form are meant to be portrayed as cartoons or caricatures.
Accents: Should be US but we might make an SA version – so please try both. A decision will be made after the audition. As such race should not be an issue.
Character Breakdown:
Truvy Jones (late 30s to mid 40s); owner of the beauty salon where the action of the play takes place; married with two college-age kids; friend and neighbour to her clientele. Very friendly, bubbly character. Will be required to do hair on stage.
Annelle Dupuy-Desoto (18 – 30); Truvy’s new assistant, new in town; married but separated from her outlaw husband; she’s naive, serious, full of apprehensions, but she truly loves and cares the people in her life. She also becomes quite religious. Will be required to do hair on stage.
Clairee Belcher (50 – 70); widow of the former mayor of Chinquapin, Louisiana; she is a true grande dame; very comfortable in her own skin; very wealthy; socially prominent but unpretentious.
Shelby Eatenton-Latcherie (20 – 30); a lovely, independent, adventurous young woman; knows what she wants in life and won’t let anything stop her, not even her well-meaning mother. She has quite a bad form of diabetes and has an ‘attack’ in the first scene.
M’Lynn Eatenton (late 40- mid 50s); Shelby’s mother; married 30 years with three children, two boys and Shelby; very protective of Shelby but not smothering; she works as an administrator at the Mental Guidance Center.
Ouiser Boudreaux (50 – 70); a true character; a very wealthy woman who doesn’t look or play the part; she’s an eccentric and a curmudgeon; speaks her mind at all costs; she possesses a wicked tongue but a heart of gold.
Note: Please do not watch the movie before coming to audition. We don’t want replicas of the characters in the movie, I would like to see what you come up with.
For audition pieces, or if you would like to be involved backstage, please contact the Darryl Spijkers on email at thedashingwriter@gmail.com
Venue Details & Map
The Playhouse Theatre | Somerset West
Physical Address: Cnr Lourensford & Swalle RoadSomerset West
Mobile No.: +27(0)72 824 0768 Email: hhdsinfo@gmail.com Latitude: -34.073422 Longitude: 18.837605