CASTING NOTICE
Speaking in Tongues
By Andrew Bovell
A drama exploring betrayal, lust, and longing. Part mystery, part thriller, part love drama.
VENUE: Ad Astra Theatre, 57 Misterton St, Fortitude Valley
DIRECTED BY: Heidi Gledhill
PERFORMANCE SEASON: 5 SEPTEMBER - 28 SEPTEMBER , 2024
PERFORMANCE TIMES: THURS, FRI & SAT 7.30PM and SUNDAY MATINEES 2PM
REHEARSALS: - Two week nights 7-10pm and a weekend day 9-5 - actual days/times will be confirmed when production is fully cast.
PAYMENT: This is a co-op production; all get a share of ticket sales after expenses.
AUDITIONS: Saturday 1 June 10am – 3pm
CALL BACKS: Monday 2/Tuesday 3 June 6pm – 9pm
To apply, please email creatives@adastracreativity.com Please include your current CV in Word or Google Doc only, as well as a RECENT colour headshot. Please make sure you specify the role/roles you will be auditioning for.
CREATIVE TEAM
Director – Heidi Gledhill
Heidi has over 25 years of experience in theatre direction and production sharing her passion for physical theatre and Commedia dell'arte, influenced by her scholarship at La Sapienza in Rome, where she worked alongside Nobel Laureate, Dario Fo. Trained with Frantic Assembly in London, a world-renowned physical theatre company, she directed and produced several acclaimed shows, such as The Bald Prima Donna by Ionesco, Mistero Buffo by Dario Fo, Afterplay by Friels, Red Sky Morning by Tom Holloway, Beginning by David Eldridge, and Banging Denmark by Van Badham. She is founder and Artistic Director of Room to Play, an independent theatre company that explores the boundaries of theatre and play. She is Board Director at Anywhere Festival, lecturer at the Australian Performing Arts Conservatory, and an Intimacy Director, bringing consent-based artistic practices to workspaces and productions.
Creative Director - Fiona Kennedy
Formed in Brisbane in 2018, Ad AstraTheatre Company has its home at 57 Misterton Street, Fortitude Valley and is very similar in vibe to the cool small theatres of LA, London and NYC. It produces challenging, local and international plays as well as those written by its in-house creative team ‘Astra Nova’. All plays must meet the Ad Astra motto of ‘to the stars and beyond’ and deliver an experience to the audience that leaves them contemplating either their thoughts about a subject or their own morals. Previous productions include : Equus, 2.20am, Spike Heels, Toy Symphony, Brilliant Traces, The Normal Heart, Loot and The Realistic Joneses.
Producer - Gregory Wilken
Gregory is Executive Producer (EP) for Ad Astra Theatre Company. He is also an actor with numerous credits in both Sydney and Brisbane. He personally produced The Normal Heart by Larry Kramer & Toy Symphony by Michael Gow, and was also Lead Actor. Gregory is also Head of Acquisitions & Sales for Radioactive Pictures a film development, production and distribution company which supports Australian filmmakers to get their film completed and distributed.
ABOUT THE PLAY
Nine lives are woven together in Andrew Bovell’s mystery-drama, Speaking in Tongues. Leon is married to Sonja; Jane is married to Pete, and one night, each spouse chances upon the other’s. Tandemly, they wind up in seedy motel rooms. While Pete and Sonja resist the one-night stand; Leon and Jane do not. Neil, a lonely man, pines for Sarah, the love of his life, who moved on decades ago. John’s wife Valerie goes missing and her stiletto is last seen in Nick’s car. The tension of love, marriage, infidelity, and trust is navigated in this tense, dramatic mystery. A complex, non-linear structure with rich language makes this play a challenging gem for experienced actors.
WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?
We are looking for versatile actors able to play a range of complex mid-life characters. The cast is made up of four actors who will play two/three characters each. The actors we are seeking should have a strong body awareness, be comfortable with physicality and improvisation, have a broad emotional range, and can convey complex emotions convincingly.
Characters :
The play has been written in three parts.
Each part has been written for four actors: two male and two female.
JANE/VALERIE
LEON/NICK
SONJA/SARAH
PETE/NEIL/JOHN - this role has already been cast
PART ONE
LEON, Sonja's husband SONJA, Leon's wife
JANE, Pete's wife, Nick's neighbour PETE, Jane's husband, Nick's neighbour
PART TWO
VALERIE, John's wife, Sarah's therapist
SARAH, Valerie's client, Neil's ex-girlfriend
NICK, Jane's and Pete's neighbour
NEIL, Sarah's ex-boyfriend
PART THREE
JOHN, Valerie's husband
LEON
SARAH
VALERIE
With much appreciation for your time and effort in submitting, not all applications to audition will be able to be accepted due to time constraints. A scene will be sent out appropriate to your character selections if selected to audition. You will be given a section from the script to prepare and asked to do a cold read from the script. Everyone will receive notification and/or feedback (if desired).
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