09/18/2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to act in an old-fashioned radio play? Now’s your chance to find out!
The Pawling Public Radio Theatre Hour Committee is excited to announce auditions for two new plays by local playwrights! “The Human Touch,” an award-winning one-act by Jude Albert will be directed by Kathie Freston. Additionally, Christine O’Neill has written a mystery set in historic Pawling that will be directed by Amy Emke.
No acting experience is necessary, and there is a minimum time commitment required, because the plays will be recorded with scripts in hand. There will be two or three rehearsals with the directors before the plays are recorded at PPR’s studio in the Village of Pawling, next to the CVS on Main Street.
Auditions will be held at the PPR studio on October 3 at 7 p.m. Sides from the script will be provided for the actors to read from. The audition will be relaxed and fun, so don’t be shy about coming over and letting us hear your wonderful voice!
The character break-downs for the plays are as follows:
“The Human Touch” by Jude Albert
NURSE ELEANOR PHILLIPS: 40-50 year old woman. Head Nurse in the neonatal
intensive care unit.
CHRISTOPHER ANTHONY THOMAS: 18-22 year old man from the Bronx, who is
volunteering at the hospital.
MRS.VANESSA EVERETT: 25-35 year old mother of a newborn baby who is not
expected to live.
“The Dutcher House Mystery” (title may change) by Christine O’Neill
THE DUTCHER HOUSE is the narrator. She should be played by an adult female. Since she is well into her hundreds, the Dutcher House should exude an air of quiet wisdom – she has also observed people all her life without ever interacting with them, which has lead to a calm, steady attitude about everything. She is in love with JOHN DUTCHER, her builder and proprietor, and affectionately refers to him as ‘my John’.
NELLIE BRANNIGAN is the surly, Irish maid who has worked at the Dutcher House since its grand opening in 1884. She has a thick, Irish brogue and has a tendency to prattle on about whatever is on her very opinionated mind. Although she was born with a predisposition to violence and high alcohol tolerance, she has a good heart and maternal tendencies.
SOPHIA WILHELMINA BRECHT will have you know that she is heiress to the Brecht family fortune (of a rather ambiguous nature), and you ought to treat her accordingly. She would also like you to pronounce her name So-fye-uh, and definitely not So-fee-uh. Extremely proud of her heritage, Sophia is carrying on a Brecht family tradition of transporting the best pumpkin from her father’s farm to the Dutchess County Faire. She is torn between her identity as a New York farm girl, and the daughter of a rich business man.
JOHN B. DUTCHER is a vivacious businessman, Senator, banker of 19th-century Pawling. From his humble beginnings as the son of a cattle broker, he quickly became responsible for much of the tourism coming into Pawling, as owner of the Harlem Railroad Company and two hotels (one of which is THE DUTCHER HOUSE). He has a very good head on his shoulders and, after years of dealing with clients and constituents, has excellent people skills. He is very invested in solving the mystery of Miss Brecht’s robbery, and puts much effort into maintaining his cool. His arch-nemesis is ALBERT J. AKIN.
NORMAN RAWLES has given up his life on the farm to strike out on his own in New York City. After a disappointing few months working in a sweatshop, he finds himself longing to rejoin his brother on their farm in Rhinebeck, but that business isn’t doing too well either. He’s a hardworking young man, a bit jaded from his time away from home, who is hoping that his brother’s favorable showing at the Dutchess County Faire will turn his family’s failures around.
ALBERT J. AKIN is the straight-laced, grouchy old Quaker who owns the Mizzentop Hotel. He is JOHN B. DUTCHER’s arch-nemesis and would love nothing more than to see John lose business as a result of this robbery. Over ninety years old, this crotchety businessman would jump at the chance to sabotage JOHN, but is utterly offended at the insinuation that he might be behind the theft.
YOUNG AKIN is a younger version of ALBERT J. AKIN at the age of 40 or so, used during the flashback.
YOUNG JOHN is a younger version of JOHN B. DUTCHER at the age of 12 or so, used during the flashback.
CHRISTINA DODGE is a sassy 10-year-old girl who will someday marry JOHN B. DUTCHER.
The Pawling Public Radio Theatre Hour Committee is chaired by Jim Muller, and includes Susan Stone, Kim Blacklock, June Schlesinger, Kathie Freston, Christine O’Neill, Christine Bexley, Stacey Dumont, Carol Kantor, Jude Albert, and Amy Emke. PPR’s Theatre Hour, featuring radio plays from the 30’s and 40’s, in addition to new radio plays by local playwrights, can be heard weekly on Sundays at 6 p.m. and Wednesdays at 7 p.m.
