Santa Paula Theater Center announces auditions Sunday Dec. 12th 2:00-4:00 PM, Monday Dec. 13th 7:00-9:00 PM, and callbacks Tuesday Dec. 14th 7:00-9:00 PM for the first Main Stage show of Season 2022, the award-winning play THINGS I KNOW TO BE TRUE by Andrew Bovell. Auditions will be held at The Santa Paula Center. 125 S. Seventh Street, Santa Paula, CA 93060. Phone # 805-525-4645. www.santapaulatheatercenter.org. THINGS I KNOW TO BE TRUE will play from February 25th-April 3rd, 2022 with performances on Friday and Saturday Evenings at 8:00 PM and Sunday Matinees at 2:30 PM. No appointments necessary, cold readings from the script, BE PREPARED FOR MOVEMENT in the auditions. This is a non-equity production. THERE IS NO PAY. Jessi May Stevenson directs and inquiries about auditions and play may be directed to her at jessimaystevenson@me.com. *all personnel, including actors, must be vaccinated to enter the theater.
Bob and Fran Price have been together for over thirty years. It should be time for them to slow down and smell the roses – until the lives of their 4 adult children come crashing through the back door... Set over the course of one year, the grown children try to redefine their lives separately from the hopes and dreams of their parents. As what is real and genuine in the Price family falls apart under scrutiny, Bob and Fran must redefine their relationships with their children and with each other. But ultimately, beating its way steadily through the work, is the low-level fears we all must live with: that we love too much, or that we don’t love enough; and that one day we will have to say goodbye. Things I Know To Be True is about love in its many forms. At times comforting and supportive. At others suffocating and destructive. But always love.
What is most exciting about this play is its unique way of storytelling. While the acting is naturalistic, it features great use of well-oiled, non-naturalistic physical movement to represent the familiarity and unconscious patterns of this nuclear family. It emphasizes their emotional connection and creatively adds another layer of understanding to what each character is going through. As they address the audience in long, personal monologues, bodies are lifted, turned, tumbled; hands caress and hold, brush past others; gestures and actions are hinted at, and furniture is pushed across the stage. This brings an elegance, a fluidity that is deceptively simple and more than a little bit magical.
“This is a story about family, that thing you spend your life trying to escape from only to yearn for what you’ve lost if you ever do,” said Bovell.
“A thing of beauty. Exquisitely observed. An absolute gem.” -Daily Telegraph
“An intricate, inventive study of family life. Genuinely beautiful.” -Evening Standard
“Genuinely haunting and fervently recommended.” -Independent
ALL ROLES OPEN!
Bob: 60-70
cis-male, father and retired auto factory worker. A family man, through and through, Bob has worked hard to provide his children the opportunities he did not have. Forced into early retirement, he meticulously tends his garden maintaining a control there he is unable to achieve with the world around it. Actor must also be comfortable with physical theater.
Ethnicity: All Ethnicities
Fran: 55-65
cis-female, mother and career senior nurse. Fran has a fierce strength to accompany her deep commitment to her family. In the wake of her husband’s early retirement, she finds herself more and more the decision maker. She’s a realist who can allow the practicalities of life to eclipse her more maternal instincts. Actor must also be comfortable with physical theater.
Ethnicity: All Ethnicities
Pip: 30-45
cis-female, the oldest child and education department administrator. She’s a mother of two in a seemingly content marriage. However, she is on the verge of pursuing happiness in a way that departs radically from the ideal life her family believes she has. Actor must also be comfortable with physical theater.
Ethnicity: All Ethnicities
Mia/Mark: 30-40
transgender female. Mia is introduced and seen for the majority of play as Mark and begins the process of transitioning to female at the start of the second act. She is the second child born and an I.T. Specialist. In most people’s eyes, Mia is the no-drama child, leading a stable, relatively uncomplicated life. But when she shares her true identity with her family, their support and understanding are put to the test. Actor must be comfortable performing as both masculine and feminine on stage and must also be comfortable with physical theater. *We highly encourage submission of trans or non-binary identified actors for this role.
Ethnicity: All Ethnicities
Ben: 28-35
cis-male, enjoying life as the youngest child until age 10, Ben is the apple of his mother’s eye. He has successfully forged a career in finance and leads the free-wheeling life money can bring. Ben effortlessly drops in and out of family life until shady professional decisions catch up with him. Actor must also be comfortable with physical theater.
Ethnicity: All Ethnicities
Rosie: 18-25
cis-female: the baby of the family who doesn’t know who she is yet or what she wants to be. She adores her family and the comfort it brings to be with them. Returning home from a foray into the outside world, she finds the family structure she’s known her entire life to be in the throes of change. Actor must also be comfortable with physical theater.
Ethnicity: All Ethnicities
Bob and Fran Price have been together for over thirty years. It should be time for them to slow down and smell the roses – until the lives of their 4 adult children come crashing through the back door... Set over the course of one year, the grown children try to redefine their lives separately from the hopes and dreams of their parents. As what is real and genuine in the Price family falls apart under scrutiny, Bob and Fran must redefine their relationships with their children and with each other. But ultimately, beating its way steadily through the work, is the low-level fears we all must live with: that we love too much, or that we don’t love enough; and that one day we will have to say goodbye. Things I Know To Be True is about love in its many forms. At times comforting and supportive. At others suffocating and destructive. But always love.
What is most exciting about this play is its unique way of storytelling. While the acting is naturalistic, it features great use of well-oiled, non-naturalistic physical movement to represent the familiarity and unconscious patterns of this nuclear family. It emphasizes their emotional connection and creatively adds another layer of understanding to what each character is going through. As they address the audience in long, personal monologues, bodies are lifted, turned, tumbled; hands caress and hold, brush past others; gestures and actions are hinted at, and furniture is pushed across the stage. This brings an elegance, a fluidity that is deceptively simple and more than a little bit magical.
“This is a story about family, that thing you spend your life trying to escape from only to yearn for what you’ve lost if you ever do,” said Bovell.
“A thing of beauty. Exquisitely observed. An absolute gem.” -Daily Telegraph
“An intricate, inventive study of family life. Genuinely beautiful.” -Evening Standard
“Genuinely haunting and fervently recommended.” -Independent
ALL ROLES OPEN!
Bob: 60-70
cis-male, father and retired auto factory worker. A family man, through and through, Bob has worked hard to provide his children the opportunities he did not have. Forced into early retirement, he meticulously tends his garden maintaining a control there he is unable to achieve with the world around it. Actor must also be comfortable with physical theater.
Ethnicity: All Ethnicities
Fran: 55-65
cis-female, mother and career senior nurse. Fran has a fierce strength to accompany her deep commitment to her family. In the wake of her husband’s early retirement, she finds herself more and more the decision maker. She’s a realist who can allow the practicalities of life to eclipse her more maternal instincts. Actor must also be comfortable with physical theater.
Ethnicity: All Ethnicities
Pip: 30-45
cis-female, the oldest child and education department administrator. She’s a mother of two in a seemingly content marriage. However, she is on the verge of pursuing happiness in a way that departs radically from the ideal life her family believes she has. Actor must also be comfortable with physical theater.
Ethnicity: All Ethnicities
Mia/Mark: 30-40
transgender female. Mia is introduced and seen for the majority of play as Mark and begins the process of transitioning to female at the start of the second act. She is the second child born and an I.T. Specialist. In most people’s eyes, Mia is the no-drama child, leading a stable, relatively uncomplicated life. But when she shares her true identity with her family, their support and understanding are put to the test. Actor must be comfortable performing as both masculine and feminine on stage and must also be comfortable with physical theater. *We highly encourage submission of trans or non-binary identified actors for this role.
Ethnicity: All Ethnicities
Ben: 28-35
cis-male, enjoying life as the youngest child until age 10, Ben is the apple of his mother’s eye. He has successfully forged a career in finance and leads the free-wheeling life money can bring. Ben effortlessly drops in and out of family life until shady professional decisions catch up with him. Actor must also be comfortable with physical theater.
Ethnicity: All Ethnicities
Rosie: 18-25
cis-female: the baby of the family who doesn’t know who she is yet or what she wants to be. She adores her family and the comfort it brings to be with them. Returning home from a foray into the outside world, she finds the family structure she’s known her entire life to be in the throes of change. Actor must also be comfortable with physical theater.
Ethnicity: All Ethnicities
AUDITION DATES are Sunday Dec. 12th 2:00-4:00 PM, Monday Dec. 13th 7:00-9:00 PM, and callbacks Tuesday Dec. 14th 7:00-9:00 PM.
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-Bob & Fran, from the top of page 84 and ending bottom of page 87.
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-Ben, Rosie, Fran, Bob, starting on page 73 with BEN, “Where’s Mom and Dad?” And ending on the bottom of page 83.
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-Bob, Mia/Mark, Fran, Rosie, starting on Page 55 with BOB- “So are you hungry?” Ending Page 61, MARK/MIA “I don’t want to hurt you, Mom. But I can’t do this here. There’s no place for me here.”
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-Bob, Fran, Pip, Rosie, starting in the middle of page 28 with Fran “Is this about Steve?” And ending on Page 36 with BOB, “Go and see of your Mother’s all right... I want a moment with Pip.”
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-Rosie, Pip, Bob, Fran, Mia/Mark, Ben, Page 12 starting at ROSIE- “Mom, I’ve just walked in the door...” ending bottom of Page 19 BEN- “I’ve got to get going.”
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Monologues
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Ben page 69
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-Mia/Mark, Page 66 starting with “I hear the sound of the horn...” through end of Page 68.
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-Pip, starting on top of Page 26 and ending on Page 27 “This yard was the world.”
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-Rosie, Page 4 starting with “I Skype home once a week...” ending at “She tells me to get my things and to get out of her house.” Page 6
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