The Resident Theatre announces auditions for Julia Cho’s
The Language Archive
July 11, 7-9pm
and July 13, 2-4pm
Callbacks: July 18
George, a linguist consumed with preserving languages, can’t find the words to tell his wife Mary he loves her. Mary is reduced to leaving cryptic notes for George, right up until she leaves him. Alta and Resten, the last surviving (married) speakers of a dying language have recently stopped talking to each other. And Emma, George’s lab assistant learns a whole new language to confess her love for George, but can’t bring herself to actually do it. The Language Archive explores the intersection of what we say, feel, and do – amidst language and meaning, living and loving, what’s said and what’s unsaid – in a funny, moving, and ultimately affirming ode to being human.
Prepare your best one-minute contemporary monologue.
An optional 30-second piece in the dialect of your choice is welcomed. This does not need to be memorized.
Schedule and performances
First rehearsal is September 23. Rehearsals run Monday-Wednesday evenings and Saturday afternoons. Thursday evening will be added for tech week.
Performances are November 8-23 (ten performances including one designated understudy show).
Pay
$200 stipend for principal roles; $100-$150 stipend for supporting roles and understudies.
Characters
All roles are open to actors of any racial, sexual, or
gender identity. Genders and ages listed are those of the
characters.
GEORGE (male, 30s-50s)
A linguist who has trouble expressing himself in words.
MARY U/S (female, 30s-50s)
A woman who rediscovers herself when she finally leaves
her partner GEORGE. A baker. (This role is cast, looking
for understudies only.)
ALTA (female, ancient)
and RESTEN (male, ancient)
The married, last-surviving speakers of a lost language
that sounds like a bubbling brook. Immeasurably old.
Seeking actors of any age, who must be comfortable with
dialect work, speaking a made up language, and finding
truth in caricature.
EMMA (female, 20s-40s)
GEORGE’s lab assistant and fellow linguist. EMMA loves
GEORGE. It is unrequited.
INSTRUCTOR (female, 40+)
EMMA’s Esperanto teacher. Speaks with a German accent.
No-nonsense and psychologically adept.
MR. BAKER / ENSEMBLE (male, 60+)
Alternately suicidal and hopeful. This actor may also play
other small roles and assist with effects and staging.
ZAMENHOF / ENSEMBLE (male, 60+)
19th-century, Jewish inventor of Esperanto from Poland.
A wise opthamologist. This actor may also play other small
roles and assist with effects and staging.
CONDUCTOR / ENSEMBLE
(any gender, any age)
A train conductor. Real or imagined. This actor may also
play other small roles and assist with effects and staging.
Scheduling
To make an appointment, email headshot and resume to info@edgeofthewood.com beginning June 24.