Tag: Gwinnett Daily Post

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A New Play

Last Monday, I was looking around various theatre websites and looking at Red Clay Theatre and their upcoming plays, noticed that New Dawn Theatre Company was doing A Streetcar Named Desire. The audition notice was on their website and apparently, according to my biggest fan: Mom, in the Gwinnett Daily Post, but not on Atlanta Performs, where I find most of the community auditions.

I was a little sceptable about the group, but they were performing at Red Clay. I called and talked to someone about the audition. Just show up.

OK. So I did. I was getting the feeling that this was real hometown community and that the cast was sort of already selected. So I really did not hold much enthusiasm for getting a role. There were other shows I wanted to audition for so I decided not to take any role other than STANLEY or MITCH, the lead male roles. (I hope I don’t sound arrogant, but there other plays I wanted to audition for.)

The director, Rick Thompson, remembed me from a prior audition (I am bad with that type of thing). He was very attentave to the actors and I was impressed by that. He said he would notify those he wanted by email on Thursday. I had not seen anything by dinner and figured I did not get a role.

I did get an email and was offered MITCH. Cool!

First read though is Tuesday night. I am excited to be doing a drama.

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Barefoot in the Gwinnett Daily Post

As posted in the Gwinnett Daily Post on June 22, 2008:

Casting call
Button Theatre role up for grabs in ‘Barefoot in the Park’

By Jamie Ward

Staff Writer

Lory Cox and Jake Cullens

Special Photo
Lory Cox and Jake Cullens rehearse their roles as Ethel and Paul for the Button Theatre’s upcoming production of Neil Simon’s “Barefoot in the Park.”

DULUTH – For any adult who’s ever dreamed of becoming a professional actor, now’s your chance.

In a unique effort to generate community interest in its upcoming show, Gwinnett County’s professional theatre troupe – Button Theatre – is selling one of the roles in their production of Neil Simon’s comedy classic “Barefoot in the Park.”

“This role is an exciting opportunity for anyone to experience theater from the performer’s point of view,” said Director Celia Rosenblum. “Our hope is that the community will become involved in the production, and that involvement will help us give back to Gwinnett County.”

The walk-on role for sale is that of an elderly delivery person who trudges up five flights of stairs in a New York apartment building. Out of breath and exhausted, the role will allow the actor to deliver the package and receive a signature while failing to utter a word. Considering Neil Simon’s many humorous works, the role will offer the actor the chance to receive a few laughs from the audience while demonstrating their acting chops and comedic abilities at the same time.

“It’s a great way to get audience participation in a show and it’s a novel idea,” said Jake Cullens, an actor and also the drama teacher at Peachtree Ridge High School in Suwanee. “It should generate a good buzz.”

According to Mary Conti, a founding member of the group and its artistic director, the role has already been sold for several performances. She also said selling the role seemed appropriate considering professional actors are paid for their services and the Button group is a nonprofit.

“It wasn’t fair to an actor to just sit there the rest of the night anyway,” she said.

“Barefoot in the Park” will run at 8 p.m. July 5 through 27, Thursdays through Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Sundays at the Hudgens Center for the Arts. Any individual or business interested in purchasing the role should contact Button Theater at 770-831-0591 or by sending an e-mail to info@buttontheatre.com.