Audition Notice: All My Sons
Wheaton Drama, Inc. (WDI) announces auditions for Arthur Miller’s Pulitzer Prize winning play, All My Sons.
All My Sons, Arthur Miller’s first commercial success, tells the story of an American family caught up in the struggle between personal responsibility and duty to their country. Joe Keller, a successful, self-made man has done a terrible thing: during WWII, hurriedly trying to meet an order from the Army, he knowingly sold them defective airplane parts which later caused the planes to crash and killed 21 men. He engineered his own exoneration and falsely turned in his business partner; now, his son is about to marry the partner’s daughter, the situation is revisited, and his lie of life is revealed.
Marge Uhlarik-Boller is directing, assisted by Barb Giblin. Scott Neidl is the production manager.
Auditions will be at 7pm on Sunday, January 30 and Monday, January 31, 2011, at Playhouse 111, 111 North Hale Street in Wheaton, IL.
Actors are asked to prepare a one to two minute monologue of their choice. Monologues may be read or memorized. In addition, monologues from the show will be made available at audition time and may be received by emailing the director at muhlarik@ameritech.net. Callbacks are scheduled for Tuesday, February 1 and will involve cold readings from the script.
Note: Auditions for the role of “Bert” will be held on Saturday, January 29 at 2pm.Young boys aged 7-10 are encouraged to audition. Auditions for “Bert” will comprise of cold readings from the script.
To save time on audition nights, please download and fill out the All My Sons Audition Form.
Roles to be cast:
Joe Keller – (50’s-60’s) A genial, uneducated but hardworking manufacturer, Joe is secretly responsible for the death of 21 pilots because he allowed damaged cylinder heads to be shipped during WWII. For 3 ½ years he has blamed everything on his former friend and partner, Steve Deever, but during the course of play, his secret is divulged.
Kate Keller (Mother) – (40s-50s) Kate maintains that their son, Larry, is alive although the war is over more than 3 years. She is nervous, compelling and truly charming. She is a part of Joe’s secret and has fabricated a web that includes denying her son Chris’s opportunity to marry the girl of his dreams because she used to be “Larry’s girl”.
Chris Keller – (30’s) A strong, steady everyman, Chris served in the war and returned a man with ideals and beliefs. He idolizes his father and believes in his innocence. Chris is devastated when he discovers the truth. He loves Ann and hopes this is the start of a new life for both of them.
Ann Deever – (20’s—30’s) An intelligent, lovely girl, Ann has returned home in hopes of marrying Chris. After her father’s imprisonment, she left the area and has been living in New York. She has shunned her father and during the course of the play reveals that Larry committed suicide after hearing about his father’s issues with the law.
George Deever – (30’s) George is Anne’s brother, a successful attorney and WWII veteran and childhood friend of Chris’s. He initially believed in his father’s guilt, but upon visiting Steve in jail, realizes his innocence and becomes enraged at the Kellers for deceiving him. He returns to save his sister from her marriage to Chris and is the catalyst that destroys the Keller family.
Frank Lubey – (30’s) Another childhood friend, Frank was ahead of the draft. He married Lydia and with her has three small children. He is helping Kate by drawing up a horoscope that proves Larry couldn’t have died. He is somewhat simple, but a kind family man.
Lydia Lubey – (20’s—30’s) Frank’s wife and George’s former girlfriend, Lydia is the picture of domestic bliss and a sweet, positive example of the one-who-got-away.
Jim Bayliss – (40’s—50’s) Jim is a successful doctor, but is frustrated with the stifling domesticity of his life. He wants to become a medical researcher, but continues in his job as it pays the bills. He is a close friend to the Keller family and spends a lot of time in their backyard.
Sue Bayliss – (30’s—50’s) Sue is Jim’s wife: needling and dangerous but affectionate, she too is a friend of the Keller family, but is secretly resentful of what she sees as Chris’s bad idealistic influence on Jim. Sue confronts Ann about her resentment of Chris in a particularly volatile scene, revealing to Ann that the neighbors all think Joe is guilty.
Bert – Bert is a little boy who lives in the neighborhood; he is friends with the Bayliss’ son Tommy and frequently visits the Kellers’ yard to play “jail” with Joe. He appears twice in the play.
Performances of All My Sons are March 25 through April 17, 2011. Shows are Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 3pm. All My Sons is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc.
For tickets and information, please visit http://www.wheatondrama.org, or call 630-260-1820.
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