The 2012 Student Directing Festival!
April 26-27-28
Lab Theatre
7:30 pm
Plays are listed alphabetically by title. All auditions are the week of February 27th as part of the South Stage spring season.
THE DANCERS
by Horton Foote
directed by Julia Spector
stage managed by Taylor Beidler
Synopsis: Horace, a teenage boy severely lacking in self-confidence, arrives in Harrison, Texas, to visit with his sister, Inez, and her husband, Herman. Inez sets up a date for Horace to go with Emily Crews, the most popular girl in town, to a dance. Emily refuses to go with Horace on the grounds that her boyfriend won’t approve, crushing the already-insecure Horace. Depressed, Horace goes to the local café for a cup of coffee where he meets Mary Catherine Davis, Emily’s friend. Horace and Mary Catherine share an instant connection, and he asks her to the next dance. Unbeknownst to Horace, Emily’s mother, Elizabeth, forces Emily to attend the next dance with Horace. Loyal to Mary Catherine but fearful of hurting Emily, Horace must choose who to go to the dance with, but only if he can find the inner strength to go to the dance at all.
Character List
Horace (m.)- teens, highly insecure
Mary Catherine Davis (f.)- teens, less insecure than Horace, kind
Emily Crews (f.)- teens, manipulative, the popular girl of Harrison, Texas
Elizabeth Crews (f.)- early forties, Emily’s mother, prim but engaging
Waitress (f.)- early 20s, sassy
Inez Stanley (f.)- late twenties/early thirties, Horace’s sister, welcoming, sociable, slightly obnoxious but always well-meaning
Herman Stanley (m.)- late twenties/early thirties, Inez’s husband, kind and understanding
Velma (f.) doubles with Mrs. Davis- teens, whiny friend of Mary Catherine and Emily
Tom Davis (m.)- early forties, kind and hard-working
Mrs. Davis (f.) Doubles with Velma- early forties, friendly, very maternal
OEDI
by Rich Orloff
directed by Peter Harrington
stage managed by Gil Blume
2 females, 2 males
This farcical retelling of the Oedipus Rex story confronts the overlooked fact that if Oedipus married his mother, she had to be old enough to be his mother. When Oedipus' two advisors first explain to him that he married his mother, he's distraught. But Jocasta and the advisors only want to find a way to spin the story so that Oedipus looks good...
THE PRINCESS REBECCA BIRNBAUM by Jerome Kass
directed by Allie Haber and Hannah Leikin
stage managed by Max Simon
1 man, 4 women
THE STORY: In the living room of the Birnbaum's Bronx apartment, Rebecca's mother, her married sister and her piano teacher wait eagerly for Rebecca's appearance in the dress she has chosen for her first prom. When she whirls in they are distressed to find that she has picked an ultra-simple white frock, which may complement her natural, fresh charm but, in their view, does nothing to "gild the lily." First they suggest a little make-up here and there with leads to mascara, false eyelashes and a total obliteration of Rebecca's girlish complexion. Then a few other touches are pressed on the reluctant girl; a bright colored sash, a bunch of artificial flowers, a high fashion red wig to cover her "too plain," carefully combed hairdo. The final touch is her mother's mink stole, and then Rebecca turns nervously to greet her escort, transformed into her well-meaning family's idea of a young girl of taste and status. But her boyfriend has also gone through the same ordeal. Whereas he too had agreed that simplicity was to be the keynote, he turns up with a pink tuxedo jacket, a plaid cummerbund, patent leather shoes and a bunch of red roses sprayed white for the occasion.
Character List:
Rebecca Birnbaum (f) age 18- A subdued teenage girl.
Elsie Birnbaum (f) age 46 – Elsie is the stubborn mother of Rebecca and Helen.
Helen Birnbaum (f) age 23- Helen, married with a child, is Rebecca's older sister.
Shirley Levy (f) age 50 – Shirley is a family friend and neighbor, she used to teach piano to Rebecca.
Maury(m), age 18 – Maury is Rebecca's prom date and friend.
