Tag Archives: Mariemont Players

Auditions Announced for THE LAST NIGHT OF BALLYHOO at Mariemont Players

MPI_logo 2020Mariemont Players and director Aaron Whitehead announce auditions for THE LAST NIGHT OF BALLYHOO by Alfred Uhry. 

Since auditions are virtual and you won’t be interacting with other actors, the director is looking for a monologue. You should select a monologue that reflects the way you think the character might speak or think.
If you are interested in auditioning for Adolph, Sunny, Joe, or Boo, in addition to your monologue, please record the following sides:

Virtual auditions will open for recorded submissions on June 14, 2021. All recorded submissions are due June 25, 2021.

For those with technical challenges, live (but virtual) auditions will be held Saturday, June 26, 2021, by appointment only, from 10am-12pm.

CALLBACKS: Callbacks will be held on July 23, 2021 from 7-9pm and July 24, 2021 from 2-4pm. 

PERFORMANCE DATES: November 5-21, 2021

SIGN UP/SUBMIT YOUR AUDITION HERE!

SYNOPSIS:
In December 1939, Gone with the Wind is having its world premiere and Hitler’s invading Poland, but members of Atlanta’s Jewish-German elite are more concerned with who’s going to Ballyhoo, the social event of the season. Amidst comedy, romance, and unexpected turns, the Freitag family is forced to face where they come from and deal with who they really are. Winner of the 1997 Tony Award for Best Play.

CHARACTERS:

  • Adolph Freitag (40s-60s): Brother of Boo and uncle of Sunny and Lala. Adolph took over the family business even though he is not incredibly ambitious nor is he a social climber. But he is a hard worker and a provider. More than anyone else in the family, he’s more inclined to choose his moments to really speak his mind.
  • Sunny Freitag (20s): Sunny is a young college student who is hard-working and intelligent but largely unaware of how charming she is. She is aware of struggle and suffering on an academic level but has never had to experience much of it herself.
  • Lala Levy
  • Reba Freitag
  • Peachy Weil
  • Joe Farkas (20s): Joe is a passionate but disciplined young man who grew up with his Jewishness being part of his everyday life – and proud of it. A New Yorker, his normal level of confidence has been challenged by being so out of his element in the Deep South.
  • Boo Levy (40s-60s): Boo’s mission in life is to be the epitome of the classy Southern society lady. She is a remarkably determined lady, especially when it comes to making sure that her daughter becomes everything that Boo thinks she should be.

For questions, contact director Aaron Whitehead at awhitehead1981@gmail.com.

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Auditions Announced for THE OUTSIDER at Mariemont Players

MPI_logo 2020Mariemont Players and director Douglas Berlon announce auditions for THE OUTSIDER by Paul Slade Smith.

Since auditions are virtual and you won’t be interacting with other actors, the director is simply looking for a contemporary, comedic monologue. You should select a monologue that reflects the way you think the character might speak or think. The monologue does not have to be memorized.

Virtual auditions will open for recorded submissions on June 14, 2021. All recorded submissions are due June 25, 2021.

For those with technical challenges, live (but virtual) auditions will be held Saturday, June 26, 2021, by appointment only, from 10am-12pm.

CALLBACKS: If necessary, callbacks will be scheduled and arranged at a later date. 

PERFORMANCE DATES: September 10-26, 2021

SIGN UP/SUBMIT YOUR AUDITION HERE!

SYNOPSIS:

Ned Newley doesn’t even want to be Governor. He’s terrified of public speaking; his poll numbers are impressively bad. To his ever-supportive Chief of Staff, Ned seems destined to fail. ​But political consultant Arthur Vance sees things differently: Ned might be the worst candidate to ever run for office. Unless the public is looking for… the worst candidate to ever run for office.

CHARACTERS:

  • PAIGE CALDWELL, female, 30s-50. A professional pollster. A smart, confident woman with a professional’s view of politics: she sees it as a series of contests to be won.
  • DAVE RILEY, male, 30’s-50. The Chief of Staff to the new Governor. Very smart, but – despite years of experience in government – endearingly earnest and naive on the subject of politics.
  • LOUISE PEAKES, female, 40’s-60. A temporary employee hired as the Governor’s executive assistance. Personable, likable, impressively confident, and entirely inept. Without knowing it, she has the air of a politician about her. The friendliness of her smile, and the confident way she looks you in the eye, would make you think, “I’d vote for her.”
  • NED NEWLEY, male, 50’s-60’s. The new Governor. A person of impressive ability, but a complete lack of confidence. A man awaiting permission to enter a room in which he is already standing.
  • ARTHUR VANCE, male, 50’s-60’s. One of the most experienced and successful political consultants in the country. His overbearing personality, and confidence in his own opinions over the opinions of others, should make him dislikable, but his ego is more than tempered by the joy – even glee – he brings into the room. He’s a showman, but his excitement is 100% genuine, and it’s contagious.
  • RACHEL PARSONS, female, 30’s-40’s. A TV reporter. She has the looks to be an on-air correspondent – though, if television had never been invented, she still would have been a journalist. Straight-forward and honest, and inquisitive by nature. She’s seen enough of life – and politics – to be cynical, but she’s more apt to make a wry joke.
  • A.C. PETERSEN, male, 30’s-60. A TV camera guy. A working man, and – for most people – the guy you didn’t notice was there. Which is fine with A.C.; he has a low tolerance for idiocy, and would rather not interact with anyone. His near-silence doesn’t make him seem unfriendly, just a bid of a mystery.

For questions, contact director Douglas Berlon at 1dxberlon@gmail.com.

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2021-2022 Season Announced by Mariemont Players

MPI_logo 2020Mariemont Players, Inc. is pleased to announce our 2021-2022 season! Circumstances permitting, we are hopeful to start our season as planned in September. This is, of course, subject to change, and specific dates for each production will be determined and announced closer to the summer. Information on ticketing and subscriptions will also be available at a later date. We look forward to welcoming you all back to the theater when it is safe to do so!

The Outsider – By Paul Slade Smith
Directed by Doug Berlon
Comedy
September 2021

Ned Newley doesn’t even want to be governor. He’s terrified of public speaking, and his poll numbers are impressively bad. To his ever-supportive Chief of Staff, Ned seems destined to fail. But political consultant Arthur Vance sees things differently: Ned might be the worst candidate to ever run for office – unless the public is looking for… the worst candidate to ever run for office. A timely and hilarious comedy that skewers politics and celebrates democracy.

The Last Night of Ballyhoo – By Alfred Uhry
Directed by Aaron Whitehead
Comedy/Drama
November 2021

In December 1939, Gone with the Wind is having its world premiere and Hitler’s invading Poland, but members of Atlanta’s Jewish-German elite are more concerned with who’s going to Ballyhoo, the social event of the season. Amidst comedy, romance, and unexpected turns, the Freitag family is forced to face where they come from and deal with who they really are. Winner of the 1997 Tony Award for Best Play.

To Be Announced
Directed by Derek Snow
January 2022

Ripcord – By David Lindsay-Abaire
Directed by Becky Collins
Comedy
March 2022

For 4 years, irritable and sarcastic Abby Binder has kept a room to herself at the Bristol Place Senior Living Facility, through sheer force of her rude personality. Nursing disappointment at the direction her life has taken, she has no room for distraction. When bubbly, bright, and unbearably cheerful Marilyn Dunne is placed in her room, Abby tries her usual tricks, but fails to scare her annoying new roommate away. Ripcord is an enemies-to-friends story for a pair of excellently well-rounded, mature women.

Ada and the Engine – By Lauren Gunderson
Directed by Darren Lee
Biographical/Drama
May 2022

As the British Industrial Revolution dawns, young Ada Byron Lovelace sees the boundless creative potential in the “analytic engines” of her friend and soul mate Charles Babbage, inventor of the first mechanical computer. Ada envisions a whole new world where art and information converge—a world she might not live to see. A music-laced story of love, friendship, and the edgiest dreams of the future.

Harvey – By Mary Chase
Directed by Jerry Wiesenhahn
Comedy
July 2022

Harvey is the story of a perfect gentleman, Elwood P. Dowd, and his best friend, Harvey – a pooka, who is a six-foot tall, invisible rabbit. When Elwood begins introducing Harvey around town, his embarrassed sister, Veta Louise, and her daughter, Myrtle Mae, are determined to commit Elwood to a sanitarium. A mistake is made, however, and Veta is committed rather than Elwood! Eventually, the mistake is realized, and a frantic search begins for Elwood and the invisible pooka.

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2020-2021 Season Updated at Mariemont Players

MPI_logo 2020As we continue to navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic, we are taking all government and public health official recommendations into consideration.

Based on the current status and projections for the coming months, the MPI Board of Directors has decided to postpone our September production of THE OUTSIDER and our November production of THE LAST NIGHT OF BALLYHOO. Although it saddens us to delay the opening of these two shows, both productions will be moved to our 2021-2022 season and we are so excited to bring these shows to life the way they deserve to be!

If possible, EARTH AND SKY which was cancelled at the beginning of the pandemic will be produced in January 2021.

It has been so difficult to continue putting live theater on hold the last 5 months, but we remain committed to keeping everyone who enters our theater safe and well so that, when it is safe to return, we can do so stronger than ever.

Regarding season ticket subscriptions:
Because of the uncertainty surrounding when live theater will be safe to resume, the Board of Directors has decided not to sell season ticket subscriptions for the 2020-2021 season. Instead, we will sell tickets on a show-by-show basis, giving priority/presale opportunities to last season’s subscribers. Depending on when we are able to produce shows again, we may also sell a reduced subscription package, which will be based on the number of shows our 2020-2021 season produces.

The Board of Directors will decide, two months before a show’s scheduled opening, whether or not the show will be produced, and make announcements accordingly.

Please check our website, www.mariemontplayers.com, or our Facebook page (Mariemont Players Inc.) for the most current information and updates.

Thank you for being part of our community. We miss you, and we look forward to seeing you at MPI as soon as it is safe to do so.

See this announcement on YouTube.

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2019-2020 Orchid Awards for Mariemont Players

MPI_logo 2020GREASE

  • EXCELLENCE IN MUSICAL THEATER PERFORMANCE – Adrianna Boris
  • EXCELLENCE IN MUSICAL THEATER PERFORMANCE – DeVohn Jackson
  • EXCELLENCE IN CHOREOGRAPHY – Jackie Miesle
  • EXCELLENCE IN SET DESIGN – Dan Dermody
  • EXCELLENCE IN HAIR/WIGS – Manny Frias
  • EXCELLENCE IN COSTUMES – Katherine Jane
  • EXCELLENCE IN VOCAL DIRECTION – Zachery Riggins

IS HE DEAD?

  • EXCELLENCE IN ENSEMBLE – The Cast
  • EXCELLENCE IN ACTING – Patrick Kramer
  • EXCELLENCE IN ACTING – Danny Davies
  • EXCELLENCE IN ACTING – Ryan Bowron
  • EXCELLENCE IN ACTING – Cat Cook
  • EXCELLENCE IN ACTING – Darren Lee
  • EXCELLENCE IN SET DESIGN – Dan Dermody
  • EXCELLENCE IN SET DECOR – Vicki Rafferty, Dan Dermody
  • EXCELLENCE IN SET CONSTRUCTION – Bill Pauly & Crew
  • EXCELLENCE IN COSTUMES – Elizabeth Molloy
  • EXCELLENCE IN PRODUCING – Jackie Miesle, Vicki Rafferty, Aimee Ward
  • EXCELLENCE IN PROGRAM – Teresa Johns
  • EXCELLENCE IN PROPERTIES – Vicki Rafferty, Patricia Mullins

BROADWAY BOUND

  • EXCELLENCE IN OVERALL PERFORMANCE QUALITY – Jerry Wiesenhahn & Cast
  • EXCELLENCE IN ENSEMBLE – Jerry Wiesenhahn & Cast
  • EXCELLENCE IN ACTING – Linda Callahan
  • EXCELLENCE IN ACTING – Jake Hart
  • EXCELLENCE IN COSTUMES – Sharon Ann Shelton
  • EXCELLENCE IN DIRECTING – Jerry Wiesenhahn
  • EXCELLENCE IN PRODUCING – Kristen Vincenty
  • EXCELLENCE IN PROGRAM ART – Teresa Johns
  • EXCELLENCE IN SET DECOR – Vicki Rafferty
  • EXCELLENCE IN SET DESIGN – Bill Pauly, Ryan Oelker

EVELYN IN PURGATORY

  • EXCELLENCE IN ENSEMBLE – Jennifer Keith & Cast
  • EXCELLENCE IN ACTING – Heather Abbott
  • EXCELLENCE IN ACTING – Cathy Ross
  • EXCELLENCE IN ACTING – Chessie Vigran
  • EXCELLENCE IN ACTING – Evan Blanton
  • EXCELLENCE IN ACTING – Chuck Ingram
  • EXCELLENCE IN ACTING – Aimee Ward
  • EXCELLENCE IN COSTUMES – Dennis Murphy
  • EXCELLENCE IN PRODUCING – Betsy Bossart, Patrick Kramer
  • EXCELLENCE IN SET DESIGN – Ryan Oelker
  • EXCELLENCE IN SET DECOR – Vicki Rafferty
  • EXCELLENCE IN DIRECTION – Jennifer Keith
  • EXCELLENCE IN LIGHT DESIGN – Jef Brown
  • EXCELLENCE IN STAGE MANAGEMENT – Becky Collins

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