Theater-by-the-Grove, the performance ensemble at the IUP Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance, is excited to announce auditions for the workshop premiere of a new, previously unproduced full-length play from the incredible John Spellos.
In August 1969, six young people meet on the way to the Woodstock Festival, completely unaware that the weekend will change them forever. It starts when five different strangers in need of refuge from the rain happen upon Hank, who’s been left alone to guard his family’s country cabin from the supposed drugged-out criminal hippies invading a small town en masse for a strange music festival. Over the course of the weekend, all of them confront their deepest fears and desires in the midst of the greatest event in modern history that defied all the predictions of a major disaster.
Auditions for By the Time We Got to Woodstock will be held in the Waller Hall Main Theatre on Wednesday, December 10, at 6:00 p.m. Callbacks will be held on Thursday, December 11, at 6:00 p.m. in Waller Hall Main Theatre.
Audition Preparation
Those interested in auditioning should prepare two memorized, contrasting (comedic/serious) contemporary monologues, no more than one minute each.
A callback sheet will be posted the morning of December 11, and sides will be provided for auditionees to study for their callbacks that evening.
Auditionees are encouraged to bring headshots and résumés, but it is not required.
A signup sheet will be available on arrival for auditions. Auditionees will be seen in the order of their signup times, and auditions will continue until everyone has been seen.
Cast Breakdown
The cast breakdown (in order of appearance) and character descriptions are:
- Hank, 21, man, straight-laced, reserved, all-American type
- Bernie, 20, woman, smart, no-nonsense, take-charge person
- Cindy, 20, woman, innocent, doesn’t realize her beauty or worth
- Donna, 20, woman, groovy, thrill-seeking photographer
- Roger, 20, man, Black, aspiring guitarist, nervous and shy
- Wally, 21, man, crazy hair, seems in an altered state at times
Rehearsal Times
Rehearsals for By the Time We Got to Woodstock will begin Monday, January 19, and run through the production dates, February 26–March 1. Rehearsals will be held Monday through Friday evenings, from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., but not all actors will be called during all rehearsal times. For the first couple of weeks, actors should expect to be called in smaller groups for select hours on various nights. Schedules can be adjusted around availability to a reasonable point. Full cast rehearsals (act runs and full runs) will begin sometime in mid-February, during which all cast members must be available for full-evening rehearsals.
Conflicts
If you are interested in auditioning but have questions about the rehearsal schedule or possible conflicts:
Please attend, audition, and discuss potential conflicts with the director and stage manager. Many conflicts can be worked around with the right cast and planning. We’d love to see you!
If you are interested in auditioning but cannot make the audition or callbacks:
Please email production director Joshua Kelly (jtkelly@iup.edu) to schedule an alternate audition time. These alternate times are extremely limited, so prioritize attending the auditions and callbacks to guarantee being seen. Alternate audition times are not guaranteed to all.
Commitments and Expectations
Professional Behavior and Decorum
Performing in productions at IUP is great fun and open to all—it is also a commitment and a training tool for our students for entry into the professional theatre. It is therefore expected that those who audition and accept a role will prioritize their production commitment and attend rehearsals and performances in a timely, reliable, and consistent manner. Please do not agree to accept a role if you cannot meet those obligations, as failure to do so may result in removal from the production at the director’s discretion.
Welcome to All
Not a theatre major? No audition experience? Not an IUP student? Want to try, but unsure if you want to be cast? Attend auditions anyway. We would love to talk to you about your experience and interest, and being a theatre student is not a requirement to join us.