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Born Yesterday

Auditions

BORN YESTERDAY by Garson Kanin

Rochester Community Players announces open-to-all auditions for the first production of its 100th  season in 2025: Born Yesterday by Garson Kanin, a native Rochesterian! The director is John Jaeger.

Auditions will be Thursday, November 21 and Friday, November 22, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. at Community of the Savior Church, 4 East Henrietta Road. The performances of Born Yesterday will be February 7-15, 2025, at the Multi-use Community Cultural Center (MuCCC).  

Born Yesterday, an immediate hit when it opened on Broadway in 1946, was produced by Rochester Community Players in 1952, shortly after the play had been successfully adapted into a movie in 1950.

In this now classic comedy, an uncouth, corrupt, but rich junk dealer, Harry Brock, brings his showgirl mistress Billie Dawn to Washington, D.C., with him. When her ignorance becomes a liability to Brock’s business dealings, he hires a news reporter to educate his girlfriend. However, Billie soon realizes how corrupt Harry is and begins interfering with his plans to bribe a Congressman into passing legislation that would allow his business to make more money. 

Auditions will consist of cold readings from provided copies of the script. Prepared monologues are not needed. Rehearsals will generally be Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays from late November 2024 through February 6, 2025. Breaks will be taken for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year holidays. 

Director’s Note: Billie Dawn was originally played by Judy Holliday in both the Broadway production and on film, for which she earned an Oscar. She put her stamp on this role, but I do not want Holliday’s take on it. It’s been done. Try something new! 

Important: The relationship between Harry and Billie is abusive and he strikes her during the play.

CHARACTERS:

HARRY BROCK: Script says a huge man in his early forties. Could “huge” be metaphorical? Certainly a bully. The actor needs to be agile enough for action sequences.

BILLIE DAWN: Former Showgirl, Harry’s mistress. She insists she’s 29. Hmmm.

PAUL VERRALL: News Reporter. Script says middle thirties.

ED DEVERY:  Mature. Was once Attorney General for an unspecified state. Now an alcoholic and “fixer” for Harry Brock.

EDDIE BROCK: Harry Brock’s cousin and servant. Any age.

SENATOR NORVAL HEDGES: Mature. Open to sell their vote and influence.

MRS. HEDGES: Will be cast to compliment the Senator.

ASSISTANT HOTEL MANAGER: Any sex, any age.

HELEN: Hotel maid. Any age.

Also: Bellhops, Barber, Manicurist, Bootblack.

Rochester Community Players practices color- and gender-blind casting.  Actors will be cast based on ages they can play, not the age they are. 

    Your Name (required):

    Your Email (required):

    Your Phone Number (required):

    Pronouns:

    I am comfortable playing a character who is:

    Please list previous experience or upload a resume:

    Your Resume, if you have one.

    Your Headshot, if you have one.

    Roles you are interested In

    Will You:

    Are you available to attend callbacks on November 22nd, 2024?

     

    There will be moments of intimacy and combat in this show, choreographed by an Intimacy and/or Stage Combat Director in accordance with our policies on Touch and Consent. Are you open to the following:

    • Performing or witnessing realistic theatrical intimacy?

    • Kissing?

    • Speaking text that discusses or alludes to sexual activity?

    • Performing or witnessing simulated acts of violence?

    • Performing or witnessing on-stage costume changes?

    I would like to be involved in:

    Please list any real or potential conflicts you would anticipate between November 21, 2024 and February 15th, 2025:

     

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