Wheaton Drama is pleased to announce casting for our upcoming production of “Wit” by Margaret Edson. Director Lisa Dawn & Production Manager Mike Boyna, along with the entire creative team for “Wit”, wish to thank everyone who auditioned & look forward to bringing this poignant, moving piece of theatre to the stage in January!
“Wit” will be on stage from January 18 through February 10, 2019 at Wheaton Drama’s Playhouse 111, located at 111 N. Hale Street in downtown Wheaton. Showtimes are Thursdays, Fridays, & Saturdays at 8pm; Sundays at 3pm. Tickets & information available by phone at 630-260-1820 or online at www.wheatondrama.org.
“Wit” is presented through special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York.
Wheaton Drama (WDI) proudly announces auditions for the Pulitzer Prize winning drama, “Wit”, by Margaret Edson. Directed by Lisa Dawn and produced by Mike Boyna. Auditions will be held Sunday, November 11th and Monday, November 12thstarting at 7pm, with callbacks as needed on Tuesday, November 13th. Auditions will be held offsite at 112 N Wolf Rd, Northlake IL. To request an audition, please fill out the audition form and email it to WDIWitAuditions@gmail.com, along with your preferred audition date. The date and scheduled time for your audition will be emailed back to you, along with sides for you to prepare and directions to the audition site. Walk-ins are welcome but will only be seen as time allows.
Performances of “Wit” will take place January 18 through February 10, 2019; Thursdays/Fridays/Saturdays at 8pm; Sundays at 3pm.
Vivian Bearing, Ph.D., a renowned scholar and professor of English who has spent her life studying and teaching the metaphysical sonnets of John Donne, has been diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer. During the course of her illness – and during her stint as a patient in an experimental chemotherapy program – Vivian comes to reassess her life and her work with a profundity and humor that are transformative both for her and the audience.
“[A] brutally human and beautifully layered play…you feel both enlightened and, in a strange way, enormously comforted.” – The New York Times
Characters:
NOTE: All characters in “Wit” are open to all ethnicities. Age preferences are listed* Vivian Bearing, Ph.D. (Age 50’s) – The play’s main character and narrator. As a professor, she is infamously tough, and as a scholar she is unrelenting in her pursuit of knowledge. But as her disease and its painful treatment progress, she begins to question the single-minded values and standards that have always directed her, finally coming to understand the aspects of life that make it truly worth living. You’ll also find that she contains elements of…humor.
Harvey Kelekian, M.D. (Age 50’s) – Chief of Medical Oncology and not only responsible for Vivian’s treatment but all of the medical fellowships, including that of Jason Posner. Vivian and Kelekian are like-minded peers who speak different languages.
Jason Posner, M.D. (Late 20’s) – A medical fellow in Dr. Kelekian’s Oncology unit responsible for much of Vivian’s care. Coincidentally, he was once a student of Vivian’s. Much like Vivian, his passion for research far outweighs his interest in personal connections.
Susie Monahan, R.N. (late 20’s-30’s) – Vivian’s primary care nurse. Though not considered “book smart” by scholarly standards, she shows Vivian that there is more to life than what can be taught in a classroom.
E.M. Ashford, Ph.D. (Age 50-80’s) – Professor Ashford is Vivian’s college professor/mentor. Though Ashford passed on to Vivian her unrelenting work ethic and thirst for knowledge, she also urged Vivian to find balance in life through personal connection – which she gives to Vivian in her time of need. Ashford is first seen at age 50 in a flashback, and then again at age 80.
Mr. Bearing (Played by the same actor as Kelekian) – Vivian’s father seen in a flashback from Vivian’s early childhood during the moment she acquired her passion for words.
Lab Techs, Clinical Fellows, Vivian’s students, Code Team (Age 20-30’s, preferably 2M, 2F) – Each of four actors will play four distinct characters, one from each of the above groups. These are roles that drive the action and represent aspects of Vivian’s journey, past and present, continually. Seeking actors well versed in characterization and improv.
“Wit” is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Services, Inc., New York, NY.
Wheaton Drama, Inc. (WDI) announces the cast for the next show in its 2018-2019 season, “Silent Laughter” by Billy Van Zandt and Jane Milmore (“Love, Sex and the IRS,” “Confessions of a Dirty Blonde,” “The Senator Wore Pantyhose”). An homage to the slapstick days of early silent movies, “Silent Laughter” is the story of Billy, a hapless schnook in New York, 1917. Not just a retread of pie fights and pratfalls (although they are certainly present), “Silent Laughter”takes up the challenge of presenting death-defying Buster Keaton/Charlie Chaplin/Harold Lloyd style gags, with a bit of Laurel & Hardy and Musty Suffer.
“Silent Laughter” will run November 16 through December 9 at Wheaton Drama, 111 N. Hale Street, Wheaton, IL. For reservations and information, go to www.WheatonDrama.org.
Director: Craig Gustafson Production Manager: Elyse Willis. Stunt Choreographer: Andrew Trygstad.
THE CAST
Billy (The Hero) – Jake Murphy
Ruth (The Heroine) – Mackenzie Grattan
Billy’s Pal (Billy’s Pal) – Peter Lemongelli
Lionel Drippinwithit (Billy’s Arch-Enemy) – Matt Hellyer
Sarge (Billy’s Nemesis) – Steve Schroeder
Max the Thug/Brewster Thickwad III/Maitre D’/Newsboy – Sage Brown
A six week workshop designed to strengthen the acting “muscle”. Through acting games and exercises, each week students will work on a different aspect of acting technique such as movement, voice, characterization, pantomime, plus others. Teamwork, focus and listening are added benefits in this acting workshop. Students will also work on a short 15 min skit to apply the skills learned and will perform at the end of the last class. Session will be posted throughout the year as they become open for registration (roughly a month before the class starts).
All sessions will be on Tuesday afternoons at these times:
Late Fall Session: October 30 – December 11 (Make Up December 18 – Note no class November 20 due to Thanksgiving) Registration Now Open!
Winter Session: January 8 – February 12 (Make Up February 19)
Spring Session: March 5 – April 9 (Make Up April 16)
Late Spring Session: April 30 – June 4 (Make Up June 11)
Note: Classes are subject to change based on enrollment. Registration for each class will be open one month before the class begins. If there are not enough students enrolled in any given session then the class may be cancelled. Notification of a cancelled class will be sent out one week prior to the start of class and all money will be refunded. Registration for classes close the sunday before class begins.
Staff: All staff are certified teachers who go through extensive background checks each year.
Contact Elyse Willis for more information at wdieducation@gmail.com or call 630.260.1820 and leave a message about registration.
Wheaton Drama, Inc. (WDI) announces auditions for the next show in its 2018-2019 season, Silent Laughter by Billy Van Zandt and Jane Milmore (Love, Sex and the IRS, Confessions of a Dirty Blonde, The Senator Wore Pantyhose). An homage to the slapstick days of early silent movies, Silent Laughter is the story of Billy, a hapless schnook in New York, 1917. Not just a retread of pie fights and pratfalls (although they are certainly present), Silent Laughter takes up the challenge of presenting death-defying Buster Keaton/Charlie Chaplin/Harold Lloyd style gags, with a bit of Laurel & Hardy and Musty Suffer. If you love this type of comedy, now is your chance to perform it.
What to expect at auditions:
“DELIGHTFUL! An affectionate amusing tribute to the heyday of silent film comedy with romance, high and low jinks and a climactic pie fight.”– The New York Times
“A tour-de-force! Hilarious! Clever! This is one crowd-pleaser where you needn’t feel embarrassed to be part of the crowd. Van Zandt directs the uproarious proceedings with precision and flair. An ensemble of 10, which executes gifted mime, balletic pratfalls, and operatic emotions, all with brio.”– The Village Voice
“An adoring salute to the golden age of film and an innovative twist on live theater! You won’t hear a single word uttered in Silent Laughter, but the show offers quite a bit to see and hear.Silent Laughterdisplays a wholly original brand of ‘musical theater.’ There is considerable sophistication and subtlety in this production.” – Associated Press
“An imaginative, respectful, reverential stage recreation of the slapstick antics of Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Mack Sennett’s Keystone Kops, and the rest. Cleverly devised. The silence may be on stage, but the laughter is in the audience!” – Two River Times
Craig Gustafson is directing. Production Manager: Elyse Willis. Stunt Choreographer: Andrew Trygstad.
To get a feel for what the show will be like, check out the commercial for the original off-Broadway production:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fPxYPWtJDI, or start watching all the Buster Keaton silent films you can find; especially Sherlock, Jr.
In order to best utilize the time of actors auditioning for Silent Laughter, auditions are by appointment only at Playhouse 111, 111 N. Hale Street in downtown Wheaton.
When asked what actors will have to do for auditions, director Gustafson’s response has been, “Monologues.” Well… not exactly. When you apply for an appointment, you will be sent audition sides unrelated to the show. “These will be dialogue scenes,” explains Gustafson. “People talk to each other in silent movies; we just don’t hear them. What I will be looking for is how you physicalize the scene; how visually expressive you can be.” Additionally, stunt choreographer Andrew Trygstad will have exercises to gauge how physically adept the actors are. Dress to allow movement.
The process is as follows:
Beginning on September 16 (and not before): to schedule an appointment, please e-mail SilentWDI@comcast.net. State your name and which day you would like to audition. Attaching a headshot and resume is acceptable but not required. Audition sides will be sent to you when your appointment is scheduled.
Actors will be scheduled for October 1 or 2.If all slots fill up on those dates, other dates will be added.
Actors will be assigned a call time, either 7:00, 7:30, 8:00, 8:30, 9:00 or 9:30 p.m.
Actors will be assigned to a group and will spend 30 minutes in the audition.
Walk-ins will be seen onlyif there are any cancellations or open slots, so making an appointment is strongly encouraged.
Those cast or called back will be called by noon on Wednesday, October 3.Actors who are not cast or called back will be contacted by e-mail. If necessary, callbacks will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 3.
Performances of Silent Laughter are November 16 – December 9, 2018. Shows are Thursdays/Fridays/Saturdays at 8pm; Sundays at 3pm. There will be no performance on Thanksgiving. Auditions, rehearsals, & performances will take place at Wheaton Drama’s Playhouse 111, located at 111 N. Hale Street, Wheaton, IL 60187.
Silent Laughter is presented by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.
CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS
Cast size is eight men and two women. All actors must be able to perform dexterous physical comedy. Any actor cast as someone other than those listed below will play many characters. Many, many characters. It is truly an ensemble show with major comedic moments for all.
BILLY – The Hero.
RUTH – The Heroine.
BILLY’S PAL – Billy’s Pal.
LIONEL DRIPPINWITHIT – Billy’s Arch-Enemy.
BREWSTER THICKWAD – Billy’s Boss and Future Father-in-Law.
MAX THE THUG – Billy’s Cellmate and Foxhole Buddy.
