THE BARN PLAYERS ANNOUNCE AUDITIONS

“LONG CHRISTMAS RIDE HOME”
by Paula Vogel
directed by Chris McCoy
(A Barn Alternative Series Production)

Audition dates: Saturday, June 2, 1:00pm to 4:00pm.
Audition Location: Colonial Church, 7039 Mission Road, Prairie Village, KS 66208
WHAT TO BRING: Auditioners can bring a prepared monologue or cold readings will be available from the script.
Performances: August 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26 at the Barn Players Theater: 6219 Martway, Mission, KS

A Japanese-style play with puppets, Long Christmas Ride Home is a Christmas story as only Paula Vogel can tell. A family of five takes a car ride to their grandparents’ home where Christmas rituals go awry. Driving back, the father loses control of the car and the symbolic crash thrusts the children into the future to see how each of them is going to die. Humorous and heart-wrenching, this beautifully written play by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of How I Learned to Drive proves that magic can be found in the simplest breaths of life.

“When theatergoers talk about a play as a religious experience, they usually just mean that it had charismatic performances or some exciting dance numbers…Paula Vogel is not indulging in such hyperbole. She means her play to be a religious experience in the way that a Christmas Mass might be for committed Roman Catholics: an exalted communal ritual of redemption and solace…It’s enough to make even die-hard agnostics believe…in the mystical powers of drama.” —NY Times.

Characters
Man and Woman: Any ages, they narrate the first half of the story playing all roles (Mother, Father, and Children). Looking for rich, sonorous voices and strong character voice work.

Rebecca, Claire, Stephen: The children played by adult actors and puppets. Each character has a dramatic monologue and operates a puppet. No puppetry experience necessary.

Minister/Grandfather/Grandmother: Played by a single actor. Looking for an actor with strong character and comedy skills.

Total characters: 6

Please Note: This show is for adult actors only (18 and over) and deals with very mature themes.

CONTACT DIRECTOR CHRIS MCCOY FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, cmccoy2002@hotmail.com or (913) 908-0541.