News : ACT 1 announces auditions for \'Picnic\'

ACT I of Benton County is pleased to announce the audition dates for the March production of Picnic by William Inge.

Auditions will be held on Saturday, January 8 at 2:00 PM; Sunday, January 9 at 7:00 PM, and (if needed) Monday, January 10 at 7:00 PM. Location for auditions will be in the ACT I Studio above Clingman Pharmacy in Vinton.

The following roles are available:

Women Men Helen Potts, about 50, a wild young girl in her past which has given her a degree of wisdom about the present.

Hal Carter, about 22, young and muscular. Has seen some hard times and is crazy and impulsive, but has a softer side that longs to fit in somewhere.

Millie Owens, 16, tomboyish for much of the play, but she has a softer side despite the toughness she shows to the world. She has has big dreams but is uncertain about how to relate to people, especially boys.

Bomber, about 15, a newspaper carrier with a crush on Madge Madge Owens, 18, Millie's sister, a beautiful girl who inwardly finds being "the pretty one" to be tedious and wants to find her place in the world.

Alan Seymour, about 22, somewhat wealthy and level-headed, in love with Madge even if their relationship is superficial.

Flo Owens, about 40, Mother to Madge and Millie, has led a hard life since the girls' father left many years ago. Is sometimes overprotective of her children, and desperately wants them to have a better life than she has had.

Howard Bevans, about 40, businessman who is set in his ways and has been seeing Rosemary but he is not certain how he wants their relationship to progress.

Rosemary Sidney, about 35, an aging schoolteacher who sometimes brags about not having a man, but inwardly understands that the years are catching up to her. She has a breakdown when she understands she is not as young as she would like to be.

Irma Kronkite, about 30, a schoolteacher with Rosemary and likes to gossip.

Christine Schoenwalder, about 30, a schoolteacher who has just moved to the area and is getting to know Rosemary and Irma, and trying to make a good first impression on the community
Note that it is not necessary for the actors to actually be the described age of the characters, as long as the actor can pass for that age.

Picnic is a drama, sometimes humorous and occasionally intense. It is an engaging character study and presents enormous opportunities for actors to who want to portray a complex, three-dimensional character with motivations that are often hidden from the other characters but which must be communicated to the audience.

Actors interested in the roles of Madge, Hal, Rosemary and Howard must be prepared for extended, intense, passionate love scenes (PG rated).

The rehearsal schedule for Picnic will be finalized after casting, but is expected to begin January 16 with rehearsals 3 evenings per week and Sunday afternoons. In the evenings, rehearsals will not extend past 9:00. Some members of the cast will not need to be at all rehearsals. Production dates for Picnic are March 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, and 20.

Any questions about the roles, audition information, or other questions about the play can be sent to director Anthony Bopp at ajbopp@gmail.com.

Further notifications will be sent out as audition dates approach.

Thank you and see you at auditions!

ACT I of Benton County