Auditions for our next project: When The Light Leaves
High Line Theatre and Citizen Theatre are currently casting for their June production of ‘When The Light Leaves’ at the La Mama Courthouse. ‘When The Light Leaves’ premiere season is set to coincide with the introduction of Assisted Dying Laws in Victoria on the 19th of June.
Content Warning and Advice: this play contains scenes that portray the end of a life, in a way which some may find distressing. It also deals with challenging subject matter around an individual’s right to access the pathways offered through a process of voluntary assisted dying.
Synopsis: Dan’s dreaming of dead ducks and cartoon skeletons. He’s also dying. His partner Liam is doing his best to be supportive, his sister has good intentions and the nurse is trying to provide the comfort prescribed in the rule book. But none of them can give him what he needs. Death is personal but everyone has an opinion in how you live and die. It’s time for Dan to choose how he goes. WTLL is told through fragmented memories and time from the perspective of people trying to reconcile their grief when the death of a loved when death becomes complex. The final act of the play is told through bursts of memory, fragmented text and interspersed action from the wildness of Dan’s death.
“I know from close observation that Rory Godbold understands the brutal nuances of this issue in ways that very few can claim. He brings a perspective to it, both as creator and as witness, which has the unmistakable ring of truth. Nothing in performance is more powerful than the truth.” – Andrew Denton (for When The Light Leaves)
Roles:
Dan: 30-35. Hotel worker. In a long term same sex relationship with his partner Liam. Dan loves to travel. He has a non-operable brain tumour and is worried about existing in a state where he has lost his autonomy. Confronted with the lack of options he acquires the life ending drug Nembutal. Potential actors should be comfortable with portraying an intimate same sex relationship and forms of intimate touch (kissing, hand holding, chest touching, hugging). Details to be negotiated with actors in rehearsals following intimacy guidelines.
Kate: 35-40. Corporate lawyer. After being distant from her brother over the years, Kate is trying to reconnect before the opportunity passes by. While she has a lot of love for those around her, she can not always find the right way to express it.
Alice: 50-60. A district nurse with a background and passion in palliative care. Alice has a past connection to the family that has shaped the way she sees death and dying. She develops a relationship of trust with Dan despite disagreements on care and religion.
Key Dates:
Auditions at Southbank Location: Week of 4th of March, 2019
Rehearsals: scheduled around actor availability, part time from April - June 2019
La Mama Courthouse Season Dates: 12-23 June, 2019 (actors must be available for tech and dress 10 and 11 June during the day, tech hold on 12 June)
Regional Tour Dates: 20-23 September, 2019.
Things to note:
Sides will be made available to those invited to audition.
Actors must also be available for rehearsals for a short regional tour in September
Successful candidates must have good availability and will need to be able to commit
to around 10 hours of rehearsal a week from April.
Payment for ‘When The Light Leaves’ is by profit share arrangement, with shared
transport, accomodation and a small per-diem provided for the tour season.
How to apply
Email CV, headshot and showreel links to auditions@citizentheatre.com.auGeneral queries
jayde@citizentheatre.com.au