SMALL MOUTH SOUNDS AUDITIONS

Audition Dates: September 26 & 27 at 7pm (No Appointment Necessary)

Production Dates: November 18 – 27, 2022

Director: Emma Sue Harris

What to Prepare:

Actors will be asked to present a personal ritual rather than a monologue at the audition – since Small Mouth Sounds is a largely silent play, we are looking for actors who are willing to silently experiment with how using their body in space can dictate the way a story is told and the way a moment of action unravels into the next action. Below are guidelines for the personal ritual actors will create & then present at the audition. If you have further questions after reading through the guidelines, feel free to reach out to Dir. Emma Sue Harris (they/them) at ohemmasue@gmail.com for clarification. No appointment necessary, but if you have individual scheduling issues that would be eased by having a certain time slot, reach out and let us know.

*Note: the characters of ALICIA and RODNEY have an intimate and implied-sexual scene in this piece that will require some physical touch between the two actors playing those roles. We will be following the best practices in the rehearsal room regardless- but, if you are interested in these roles and NOT comfortable with physical touch and intimate contact, please make note of it on your audition sheet so we can take your comfort and safety into account as we move forward. 

RITUAL GUIDELINES/TIPS:

Rituals can be….

• Private (grooming/hygiene tasks; rituals relating to personal hobbies done alone; cleaning tasks; etc)
• Professional (tasks relating to ones’ job/workplace/profession)
• Religious/spiritual (prayer; meditation; rituals relating to grief/mourning; rituals relating to birth; rituals related to religious holidays;etc)
• Vices (smoking; drinking alcohol; morning coffee; extreme couponing; etc)

Rituals ≠ Routines! A routine is a series of rituals- you don’t need to show your whole morning routine, just one personal ritual

About the Show: In the overwhelming quiet of the woods, six runaways from city life embark on a silent retreat. As these strangers confront internal demons both profound and absurd, their vows of silence collide with the achingly human need to connect. Filled with awkward humor, this strange and compassionate new play asks how we address life’s biggest questions when words fail us.

Available Roles:

Joan (Age Late 40s):  A therapist and sex educator. Warm, open, and compassionate, she is also incredibly, mind-bendingly angry underneath.

Judy (Age c.50): Joan’s partner. Works at O magazine as a top editor in the art department. She’s the kind of person who only needs four hours of sleep per night—she’s direct, competent, and capable. She was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, and, as the doctor said, she “will not have a good outcome.”

Alicia (Age c.30): Around thirty-ish, from Southern California. She is the kind of person who manages to make a lot of noise even when she’s “in silence.” She recently went through a very bad breakup and is looking for something– or somebody–to make her feel okay again.

Ned (Age 39):  A Jewish guy from Great Neck who works for a non-profit called Earthwatch and has had a severe run of bad luck worse than the worst country-western song. Anxious, insecure, and angry.

Rodney (Age Mid-30s): ageless, fit, gorgeous, grew up in the Pacific Northwest, teaches yoga in New York and the Hamptons. Though he is married, his extensive man jewelry does not include a wedding ring.

Jan (Age c.50s): from a small town in Finland. He does not speak much English. He is pale and sweet, with a wide-eyed, continually curious air about him, like a sprite or a woodland creature. He is a pastor at a small, Lutheran church back in Finland.

Teacher (Age ANY): A disembodied, androgynous voice with a strange, slightly accented way of talking. The androgynous tone might be the result of some kind of sickness, or might be just the way the teacher sounds. Never seen, only heard.

For questions or to request further information contact Artistic Director Daniel Eilola at daniel@lakeworthplayhouse.org

The Lake Worth Playhouse encourages people of all races, abilities, and genders to audition for the roles they most identify with. The Lake Worth Playhouse strives to make all of our staff and volunteers feel valued, appreciated, and free to be who they are at work regardless of gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, age, neurodiversity, disability status, citizenship, or any other aspect which makes them unique. Please let us know if you have any questions, concerns, or if there are any accommodations we can provide.