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Ohio Valley Summer Theater presents RAGTIME
July 12-15, 19-22, & 26-29
The Elizabeth Baker Theater
Kantner Hall, Ohio University
Book by Terrence McNally / Music by Stephen Flaherty / Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens
Based on the novel “Ragtime” by E. L. Doctorow / Directed by Dale Ricardo Shields
Called by Time Magazine, “A triumph for the stage,” and by the International Herald Tribune, “the best musical in twenty years,” this acclaimed musical won 1998 Tony Awards for Best Score, Book and Orchestrations. It also won both the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Musical and Best Score. Ragtime invites huge scenic, costuming and technical treatments, but critics have sometimes found it lacking in humanity for that very reason. The show really does have a heart and we’re excited about staging it in a more intimate space than the show is often performed in.
RAGTIME is a powerful portrait of life in turn-of-the-century America, and a relevant tale for today. Based on E.L. Doctorow’s distinguished novel, the musical intertwines the stories of three extraordinary families, one upper middle-class white, one socialist immigrant Jewish and one Harlem black family who also encounter historical characters such as Booker T. Washington, Emma Goldman, Henry Ford, Evelyn Nesbit, J.P Morgan and Harry Houdini. Together, they confront history’s timeless contradictions of wealth and poverty, freedom and prejudice, hope and despair, and what it means to live in America. The show will be performed by an expansive, multi-cultural, intergenerational cast.
The Tony-winning score by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty is just as diverse as the melting pot of America itself. It draws upon many musical styles from the ragtime rhythms of Harlem and Tin Pan Alley to the klezmer of the Lower East Side, from bold brass band marches to delicate waltzes, from up-tempo banjo tunes to period parlor songs and expansive anthems. The new music of the era, ragtime, permeates the score as a metaphor for a changing world, with its off-beat rhythms, varied speeds and beautiful melodies.
Dale Ricardo Shields * (Ragtime – Director) is a member of Actors Equity Association, Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artist, American Guild of Musical Artist and Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers. He received his B.F.A. and M.F.A. degrees (summa cum laude) from Ohio University.
He is an Associate Board member of Audelco and Archivist of the Iforcolor.org website.
His extensive professional credits as a Director, Stage manager and Actor (Broadway, Off Broadway, Off Off Broadway and Regional) include various projects and assignments at Lincoln Center (State Theatre), The Henry Street Settlement House (New Federal Theatre), The Negro Ensemble Company, The Joseph Papp Public Theatre (New York Shakespeare Festival), City Center (NY), Upward Bound, The Hilberry Repertory Theatre, George Street Playhouse, Playwrights Horizon, Manhattan Theatre Club, The Ensemble Studio Theatre, The Actors Studio, The Actors Theatre of Louisville, The York Players, South Bronx Action Theatre, The Dobama Theatre and Columbus Stage Center. His television credits include: The Bill Cosby Show, Another World, The Guiding Light, Saturday Night Live, and Ann Margaret’s Salute to Radio City Music Hall.
Professor Shields has been seen in the OVST productions of The Great White Hope, The Music Man, Fiddler on the Roof and Hello Dolly.
ANNOUNCING
Auditions May 18th 6 PM–10 PM
Callbacks May 19th 11 AM–3 PM
Casting location: Glidden Hall rm. 480 (the Music building)
Please bring prepared 16 bars of a song (Ballad) from a Broadway musical, an accompanist will be provided.
AVAILABLE ROLES:
COALHOUSE WALKER, JR: (Baritone, intense dance). Star pianist, proud, confident, stubborn. (African American)
BOOKER T. WASHINGTON: (Baritone) Civil rights pioneer. (African American)
EVELYN NESBITT: (Soprano, intense dance) Sexy starlet loved by all men. (Caucasian)
FATHER: (Baritone) Traditional, cautious, resistant to change. (Caucasian)
MOTHER: (Soprano) -Strong Belt. Graceful and gracious on the surface, but spirited and compassionate inside. (Caucasian)
GRANDFATHER: (Baritone) Very outspoken. (Caucasian)
HARRY HOUDINI: (Tenor) World famous magician. (Caucasian)
LITTLE BOY: (Tenor) Mother and Father’s son, precocious, observant and curious. (Caucasian)
TATEH: (Baritone) Strong and proud character actor. (Jewish)
LITTLE GIRL: (Soprano) Tateh’s daughter, quiet and shy. (Jewish)
SARAH: (Alto) Mother of Coalhouse’s child. Despondent, discouraged. (African American)
EMMA GOLDMAN: (Alto) Strong Character Actress. A force to be reckoned with!
WILLIE CONKLIN: (Tenor) New Rochelle’s fire chief. Obnoxious and cruel. (Caucasian)
YOUNGER BROTHER: (Baritone) Mother’s brother, an anarchist who is in love with Evelyn Nesbitt. (Caucasian)
HENRY FORD: (Baritone) Founder of the Ford motor company. (Caucasian)
J.P. MORGAN: (Baritone) Banking mogul. (Caucasian)
PLUS additional supporting roles, and a large, multi-ethic singing/dancing ensemble to play New Rochelians, Immigrants and Harlemites.
For more information and updates
Check www.ovst.org or call (740) 593-0070
Contact email: tinkhamm@ohio.edu
Ohio Valley Summer Theater, in its 62nd year of Community Theater, will be holding auditions for The Cherry Orchard and technical interviews for the summer season on April 21 and 22 from 2-6 pm in Glidden Hall (The Music Building), rooms 476 and 480–located on the North Green of The Ohio University campus at 3 Heath Center Drive, Athens, Ohio 45701.
The Cherry Orchard, Anton Chekhov’s classic comedy about an aristocratic Russian family in dire financial straits facing the loss of their estate at a time of social upheaval, has been newly translated by Lyrr Descy, who will also direct the play. Performances will be on June 21-24 and June 28-July 1 in The Forum Theater. Copies of the script will be available at the reserve desk in Alden Library and The Athens Public Library for short-term loan. A copy of the new translation can be read here. You are urged to read this translation rather than a different one which would give you a different impression of the play.
Technical staff will be filled through a combination of volunteer, scholarship and paid contracts. Acting positions are all volunteer and/ or scholarship-based. Students attending Ohio University who wish to be considered for practicum credit and/ or scholarship will need to apply. Forms will be provided upon request.
Bring copies of resume and/ or headshot, if possible. Actors: Please prepare a one monologue (or two contrasting if you wish) roughly a minute or two in length. A list of available roles and character descriptions is here.
April 21st: initial auditions and interviews
April 22nd: callbacks
Accommodations can be made for scheduling. Questions, concerns and specific requests should be directed to:
Marlo Tinkham, Managing Director
tinkhamm@ohio.edu
(740) 593-0070
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Roles in The Cherry Orchard
All the characters are quirky and delightful to play. Chekhov conceived the play as a comedy, even a farce. By interposing a layer of irony between their experiences, expressed truthfully, and how we perceive them from the outside, Chekhov prevents us from identifying too closely with any one of them, or with any specific group or point of view in a time of financial disarray and social upheaval. This encourages strong ensemble playing. By not neglecting the farcical elements, the play also becomes faster paced than is all too often (erroneously) associated with Chekhov. Gloom and doom? No way!
Age ranges are suggestions only, except where specified in the text
We’re more interested in whether you can play within these ranges than what your actual age is.
Mme Ranyevskaya, charming, warm-hearted spendthrift, with moods like quicksilver. Originally played by Chekhov’s wife Olga Knipper — Requires a woman who can play any age 45 to 60
Anya, her daughter, both a realist and a dreamer, fresh and sweet — 17 years old
Varya, Ranyevskaya’s somewhat uptight foster daughter, unlucky in love, but the person who tries to hold things together — About 24
Gayev, Ranyevskaya’s brother, aristocratic, kind, ineffectual, slightly buffoonish, a billiards buff. Role originally played by Stanislavsky — Says he’s 51, but could be a bit older if Ranyevskaya is a bit older
Lopakhin, socially insecure but very successful businessman, a rough diamond. The role Chekhov had had in mind for Stanislavsky — 40 to 55, but at any rate should appear younger than Ranyevskaya
Trofimov, a “perpetual” student with revolutionary ideals, though it’s not clear how successful he is in practice — 27-30 years old
Simyonov-Pishchik, good-natured, eccentric neighboring landowner, chronically short of cash, possibly stoutly built, suffers from gout and high blood pressure — In his 60s or 70s
Charlotta Ivanovna, German governess with a repertoire of party tricks. Comical without trying to be a comic. Must be agile. Chekhov’s favorite role which he’d wanted his wife to play — Of indeterminate age, 30 to 55
Yepikhodov, verbose and accident-prone clerk with intellectual pretensions, desperately in love with Dunyasha. Requires a flair for physical comedy — Anywhere from 30 to 45
Dunyasha, a parlor/lady’s maid who aspires to be a lady herself — Probably in her 20s
Fiers, a deeply loyal but quirky manservant bordering on senility — 87 years old
Yasha, upwardly mobile, smart-alecky young manservant with social pretensions — 25 to 35
[Transient, age not important; Stationmaster, age not important, though Chekhov wanted someone with a bass voice; Postmaster, any age; Party guests (?), servants, coachmen. All these could be managed with some doubling.]
Interested in attending this years OVST Youth Theater Camp at Arts West?
Click HERE for a PDF application, please mail back to
OVST / PO BOX 303 / Athens, Ohio 45701.
We hope you will come and join us this summer for a historic season of the old mixed with the new!
“THE CHERRY ORCHARD”
By ANTON CHEKHOV
Newly translated and Directed by LYRR DESCY
June 21-24, June 28-July 1
The Forum Theater
“RAGTIME”
Book by TERRENCE MCNALLY | Music by STEPHEN FLAHERTY | Lyrics by LYNN AHRENS
Based on the novel “RAGTIME” by E.L. DOCTOROW
July 12-15, 19-22, 26-29
The Elizabeth Baker Theater
Audition dates, character descriptions, and more production information to follow!
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THE CHERRY ORCHARD CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS
Chekhov’s comedy The Cherry Orchard, which saw its first production just months before he died in 1904, concerns a household of lovable Russian eccentrics in financial difficulties. Some characters try to hold on to the past, some are anxious to move on to a new life, while the pragmatists make the most of opportunities as they arise.
All the roles are delightful to play. The comedy and indeed farcical elements of the play reveal themselves through Chekhov’s artistry, without the actors having to work very obviously at being comical.
Madame Ranyevskaya, owner of the cherry orchard, newly returned from Paris. Charming spendthrift, warmhearted, moods like quicksilver – requires a woman who can play any age 45 to 60. Originally played by Chekhov’s wife Olga Knipper.
Anya, her daughter, both a realist and a dreamer, just 17 years old, but sometimes seems more mature than her mother.
Varya, Ranyevskaya’s somewhat uptight foster daughter, unlucky in love, about 24. Religious and rather superstitious, easily brought to tears, yet the member of the household trying hardest to hold things together.
Gayev, Ranyevskaya’s brother, aristocratic, kind, ineffectual, slightly buffoonish, a billiards buff, says he’s 51, but could be older – originally played by Stanislavsky
Lopakhin, son of an emancipated serf, socially insecure but very successful businessman, a rough diamond. 40 to 55. The role Chekhov had had in mind for Stanislavsky.
Trofimov, a “perpetual” student, passionately committed to ideals of social justice, though it’s not clear how effectual a revolutionary he is in practice, 27-30 years old.
Syemyonov-Pishchik, good-natured, eccentric neighboring landowner, chronically short of cash, possibly stoutly built, suffers from asthma and gout. Very typically Russian in appearance — think of Tolstoy. In his 60s or 70s.
Charlotta Ivanovna, German governess with a repertoire of party tricks, of indeterminate age – 30 to 55. Comical without trying to be a comic. Chekhov’s favorite role which he had wanted his wife to play. Must be very athletic as she was once a circus performer.
Yepikhodov, verbose and accident-prone clerk with intellectual pretensions, desperately in love with Dunyasha, anywhere from 30 to 45. Requires someone with a flair for physical comedy.
Dunyasha, a parlormaid who puts on airs and aspires to be a lady herself, probably in her 20s. Caught in a love triangle.
Fiers, a deeply loyal but quirky manservant (butler-valet-footman in one), salt of the earth type, a bit hard of hearing. 87 years old.
Yasha, upwardly mobile, smart-alecky young manservant with social pretensions, anxious to get away from the backwardness of provincial life in Russia and rejoin the smart set in Paris. 25 to 35.
Ages not important with the following: a slightly tipsy transient; the Stationmaster who recites poetry, ideally someone with a deep baritone or bass voice; the Postmaster and possibly other party guests; servants, coachmen. Expect some doubling with these roles.
Auditions will be held mid-April. Actual dates, times, locations and available roles will be posted soon!
June 11th-June 29th. M-F
Morning 9-11:30 Rising Grades 2-6
Afternoon: 12:00-3:00 Rising Grades 7-12
at ARTS/West
There will be a morning camp for the younger group and afternoon for the older group. We will continue to have special workshops with master teachers giving specialized training.
Each camp will mount their own performance on the 29th.
OVST Ticket Office
Kantner Hall, 1st floor lobby
S. College St.
Athens, Oh
(740) 593-9696
Summer Hours: Wed-Fri, 2 pm -5 pm
OVST’s Summer Youth Camp information is here:
Bye Bye Birdie Audition Update:
Anyone who was not able to attend this past Saturday can be seen this Saturday, May 7th at 4:00 PM at Glidden 494. The director is especially looking for those of “a certain age” (older folks) who can play various adults in the chorus and roles in specific scenes. Also looking for orchestra members.
Show dates are July 14-17, 21-24 and 28-31
Bring a 1-2 minute prepared musical theater piece for the audition. Sides will be provided.
Roles: www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bye_Bye_Birdie#Roles
- Albert Peterson, Conrad Birdie’s manager
- Rosie Alvarez, his Spanish secretary and long suffering girlfriend
- Conrad Birdie, a 1950s rock and roll star a la Elvis Presley
- Teen Chorus, a group of teen singers
- Kim MacAfee, a teenage girl from Sweet Apple, Ohio who is chosen to receive the ‘one last kiss’ from Conrad Birdie
- Mr. MacAfee, Kim and Randolph’s befuddled father whose one dream is realized when the family gets to appear on the Ed Sullivan Show
- Mrs. MacAfee, Kim and Randolph’s mother
- Hugo Peabody, Kim’s boyfriend who doesn’t like Conrad Birdie
- Ursula Merkle, Kim’s hyperactive best friend who is Conrad Birdie’s biggest fan
- Randolph MacAfee, Kim’s precocious ten year old brother
- Gloria Rasputin, the woman whom Mae Peterson tries to get Albert with
- Charles F. Maude, the proprietor of Sweet Apple dive bar Maude’s Roadside Retreat
- Sad Girl, a young New York City girl who is sad about Conrad leaving for the army (featured dance role)
- Deborah Sue, Alice, Penelope Ann, Margie, Helen, Nancy, Suzie, Kim and Ursula’s friends, teenage members of the Conrad Birdie fan club
- The Mayor, the mayor of Sweet Apple
- The Mayor’s Wife, his wife who is secretly a huge Conrad Birdie fan
- Harvey Johnson, the town nerd, just can’t seem to get a date
- Mr. Johnson, Harvey’s father
- Mrs. Merkle, Ursula’s mother
- Maude’s Barflies, featured quartet singers in the song “Baby, Talk To Me”
- Ed Sullivan, the host of the Ed Sullivan Show and the only unseen character
- Sweet Apple Adults, Sweet Apple Kids, Sad Girls, Reporters, Conrad’s Roadies, Ed Sullivan Stage Crew, Shriners, ensemble roles
- Mrs. Mae Peterson, Albert’s crazy mother who hates Rosie
- Stage Crew for The Ed Sullivan Show, a group of people doing the technical work for the show
Auditions will be Thursday, May 19th from 6:30 -8:30 at Ohio University Glidden Hall (The Music Bldg.) Room 494. Please prepare a monologue. Callbacks will be Friday, May 20th from 6:30-8:30. Show dates are June 23-30 and July 1-2.
Rex McGraw, retired professor, experienced actor and director, will return to the Ohio Valley Summer Theater stage to direct To Kill a Mockingbird. McGraw has directed eleven productions for OVST including Little Mary Sunshine and The Sound of Music. After years of teaching, McGraw moved to Athens in 1969 where he taught acting and directing and eventually be-came head of the Professional Graduate Directing Program.
Scripts are available on closed reserve at two Athens libraries. The Ohio University Alden Library (at the circulation desk) has a 2-hour loan. The Athens Public Library on Home St. will let you read it in the library but not check it out. We encourage you to read the play.
Set in Alabama during the Great Depression, To Kill a Mockingbird follows the journey of Jem and Scout Finch, whose father has been appointed to defend Tom Robinson, a black man framed for a crime he didn’t commit. As the trial progresses, Jem and Scout witness their community in a tense tug of war between justice and racism. This timeless classic compels us to take an honest look at our nation’s past and our moral responsibility to each other. Harper Lee found instant fame after To Kill a Mockingbird was published in 1960. The novel was showered with literary awards, including the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1961. After Mockingbird, Lee collaborated with childhood friend Truman Capote on his nonfiction masterpiece In Cold Blood, but never published another novel. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by George W. Bush in 2007. Christopher Sergel’s stage adaptations include Winesburg’, Ohio, Cheaper by the Dozen, Up the Down Staircase and Black Elk Speaks.
Place: Maycomb, Alabama
Time: 1935
Character list: 12 Men and 8 Women, Extras
Jean Louise Finch (Scout as a grown woman, Narrator)
Scout (a young girl)
Jem (her brother, a few years older)
Atticus (their father, around 50 yrs. old)
Calpurnia (the housekeeper, African-American)
Maudie Atkinson (a neighbor, younger than Atticus)
Stephanie Crawford (a neighbor, a gossip)
Mrs. Dubose (a neighbor, an old woman)
Nathan Radley (Boo’s older brother and guardian)
Arthur “Boo” Radley (a recluse)
Dill (a young boy)
Heck Tate (the sheriff)
Judge Taylor (the judge)
Reverend Sykes (an African-American pastor)
Mayella Ewell (a young woman)
Bob Ewell (her father)
Walter Cunningham (a farmer)
Mr. Gilmer (public prosecutor)
Tom Robinson (young African-American man)
Helen Robinson (his wife)
Townspeople
Farmers