Women in Theatre will hold auditions this weekend for its upcoming production of “Mayhem in the Mansions.” “East and West come together in this evening of two classical one-act farces where physical theatre turns the world of masters and servants
Women in Theatre will hold auditions this weekend for its upcoming production of “Mayhem in the Mansions.”
“East and West come together in this evening of two classical one-act farces where physical theatre turns the world of masters and servants upside down,” states a release for the production.
Mayhem in the Mansions will include two plays: “Busu” (or “Poisoned Sugar”), a 14th century Japanese Kyogen, or comedy, and “Dolce Veleno” (or “Sweet Venom”), from 16th century Italian commedia dell’arte traditions.
Director Dallas McCurley said both plays will run between 30 and 40 minutes and will be performed in English.
“A lot of slapstick and traditional kind of movements,” she said.
McCurley is calling on actors age 16 and over and said most of the roles can be cast as male or female.
“We just need people to come prepared to move,” she said. “Every role in here is heavily movement-based.”
McCurley is looking to fill seven roles with additional people needed for behind-the-scenes help. Performances will be the first three weekends in October.
Those who are chosen for the roles will be rewarded with the rare opportunity to work with McCurley, a master of Kyogen and Commedia dell’arte theatre.
“A retired professor of Asian Theatre, Queens College-City University of New York, Dallas is a multi-lingual published author, who has also taught theatre and dance on three continents,” states the release. “Her inter cultural productions have been invited to European, Australian, Africa and Asian festivals.”
For Mayhem in the Mansions, McCurley will share her professional performing experience with commedia dell’arte troupes in Florence and Venice, Italy, as well as her years of training in nihon buyo and various traditional Japanese theatre forms with the University of Hawaii and the National Theatre of Japan, the release stated.
“It’s going to be very authentic,” said Producer Melissa Mojo, adding that WIT plans to arrange something with the local and traveling Japanese community, since the production will coincide with the Kauai Japanese Cultural Society’s annual Matsuri Kauai festival.
“We’re trying to really make this something that is cross-cultural,” she said.
Group auditions will be help Saturday and Sunday at 10 a.m., 11:15 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. at WIT’s End in the Coconut MarketPlace in Kapaa. No prepared material is necessary and auditionees need to attend only one session.
“We’re going to have fun with this production,” McCurley said.
For more information visit www.womenintheatre.org or call Melissa Mojo at 482-0818.
