Audition Notice The Odyssey
Burjesta
Theatre @ The Casa, Hope Street
Wednesday 27th January 2016, 6.30pm - 9.30pm
Burjesta Theatre are holding auditions for their in-house adaptation
of Homers spell-binding tale The Odyssey which they
will be performing in April at their place of residence for fringe theatre
in Liverpool, The Casa, as well as at Liverpools Unity Theatre.
Below you can find specific dates, times and requirements for the audition,
as well as the dates of the performances and production details. In addition
theres an outline of the plot and details of the characters. Where
applicable please forward on to your contacts/blog sites/mailing lists
etc.
The Odyssey
Homers The Odyssey is an epic tale of magic, monsters,
seductresses, romantic and sexual love, revenge, gods and goddesses. Its
a wonderful story without compare which has been entrancing audiences
for 3, 000 years now. It tells the tale of Odysseus, King of Ithica who
departed from his homeland, his beloved wife Penelope and his young son
to fight alongside the rest of the Greek nation at Troy following the
abduction of Helen (of Troy).
After ten years of war, Odysseus has to contend with all manner of monsters
and witches as he tries to make it home, meeting along the way, the one-eyed
giant Cyclops who eats men for breakfast, the seductive Sirens who attract
men to their deaths, Circe the witch who turns men into pigs, Scylla the
six-headed serpent and Charybdis the whirlpool of death, as well as vengeful
gods such as Poseidon the Earth-Shaker. He is compelled to visit the dead
in the Hall of Hades to meet the blind prophet Tiresias.
Fortunately he is helped along the way by the goddess Athene who remains
infatuated with him. Once at home, in a bloody climax to the tale, he
must deal with the baddies of the story, the many royal Suitors who have
besieged his wife in his absence for her hand in marriage and lay waste
to his estate living in luxury in his palatial home.
The Audition
Auditions will take place from 6.30pm until approximately 9.30pm on Wednesday
27th January at The Casa, Hope Street, Liverpool, L1 9BQ. They
are open to anyone whether or not you are an experienced actor or a beginner
who has never acted before. You will not need to prepare anything in advance
for the audition which will consist of a mixture of script extracts from
the play (which will be given to you only on the evening) and devising
exercises.
Prior to the audition itself we will be running two
support workshops on Wednesday 13th
and 20th January also at The Casa but starting slightly later at
7pm. These will look at themes and aspects from The Odyssey.
Please note we will only audition actors who
have attended at least one of the workshops, though we would prefer
you to attend both.
The Production
We will be performing The Odyssey on the following dates 12th,
13th, 15th and 16th of April at The Casa as well as on the 21st
April at the Unity Theatre. Other important dates are 6th and 9th
April which will be set aside for a tech day and dress rehearsal. Rehearsals
will begin in the first week of February. Please note this is unpaid work
for everyone involved ourselves included. More info will be given out
within the workshops prior to the audition.
List of Characters in The Odyssey
Below is a list of the many characters which make up the story grouped
into like types with gender given and also the main characters. Actors
cast will be played multi-roles of half a dozen characters so will need
to be adaptable. This approach ensures that actors get plenty of stage
time and exposure. There are plenty of wonderful roles for both men and
women and for actors of all ages.
(f) = female
(m) = male
Protagonist
Odysseus (m) hero of the story, around which the whole adventure
and journey of the The Odyssey is centred (main role)
Main Gods and Goddesses
Zeus (m) father of all the other gods
Athene (f) infatuated with Odysseus (main role)
Poseidon (m) god of the sea an enemy of Odysseus, who he tries
to drown.
Hermes (m) messenger of the gods delivers commands from Zeus.
+ Muse (f) narrates parts of the story
Household at Odysseus palace at
Ithica
Penelope (f) Queen of Ithica, wife of Odysseus (main role)
Telemachus (m) Odysseus son, just come of age (main role)
Eurycleia (f) Odysseus old nurse
Eumaeus (m) Odysseus loyal swineherd
Philoetius (m) cowherd
Melanthius (m) - goatherd
Maids (f)
Irus (m) a beggar
Suitors to Odysseus wife, Penelope,
Queen of Ithica
(the baddies of the play)
Antonious (m) ringleader of the Suitors (main role)
Eurymachus (m)
Amphinomus (m)
Leodus (m)
Odysseus Crew Members on his journey
home from Troy
Eurylochus (m) leader of Odysseus crew
Polites (m)
3rd Crew Member (m)
4th Crew Member (m)
Monsters, Witches, Seductresses, Supernaturals
etc
Polyphemus (m) the one-eyed giant Cyclops who attempts to kill
and eat Odysseus and his men
Circe (f) a minor goddess who transforms men into animals and then
imprisons them.
The Sirens (f) enchantresses who lure men to their deaths with
their divine singing.
Calypso (f) a witch and minor goddess who imprisons Odysseus on
her isle for seven years
Scylla (f) monstrous six-headed serpent
Charybdis (f) deadly whirlpool that sucks down to their deaths
seamen.
Ino (f) minor goddess who saves Odysseus from drowning at the hands
of Poseidon.
Aeolus (m) King of the Wind, presents Odysseus with a bag in which
is contained the winds of the oceans in order to help him on his way home.
Hyperion (m) the Sun-god from whom Odysseus men steal immortal
cattle causing their deaths.
Ghosts in Hades (the underworld)
Tiresias (m) Blind Theban prophet who guides Odysseus home to Ithica
Anticleia (f) Odysseus mother
King Agamemnon (m)
Achilles (m)
Ajax (m)
+ other ghosts
Phaeacians
King Alcinous (m) helps Odysseus return to Ithica
Nausicaa (f) his daughter
For further information:
Website
Email to info@burjesta-theatre.co.uk
(though expect delays in communication between the 5th and 12th of January)
Text 07913 449 396
|