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Agnes of GOD Audition Packet A Production of Oeuvre Arts Omnimedia at The Play Ground Theatre, Duluth, Minnesota About the play Agnes of God is a play written by John Pielmeier which tells the story of Agnes, a novice who gives birth to a child she is accused of killing in her room. She insists that the dead child was the result of a virgin conception. A psychiatrist and the mother superior of the convent clash during the resulting investigation. The title is a pun on the Latin phrase Agnus Dei, or, Lamb of God. The drama is widely believed to have been based on an actual incident that occurred at a convent near Rochester, New York. The play opened on Broadway on March 30, 1982 at the Music Box Theatre. The original cast was Elizabeth Ashley as Dr. Livingstone, Geraldine Page as Mother Miriam Ruth and Amanda Plummer as Agnes. During the run, Diahann Carroll also played Dr. Livingstone and Carrie Fisher played the role of Agnes. About the playwright JOHN PIELMEIER (born February 23, 1949) is an American playwright and screenwriter. Born in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Pielmeier earned a Bache- lor of Arts degree from the Catholic University of America in 1970 and a Master of Fine Arts degree from Pennsyl- vania State University in 1978. He began his career as an actor, working with such repertory companies as Actors Theater of Louisville and the Guthrie Theater. In 1976, Pielmeier’s first play, A Chosen Room, was pro- duced in Minneapolis. Three years later, Agnes of God was performed in a staged reading at the O’Neill National Playwrights’ Conference in Waterford, Connecticut and won the 1979 Great American Play Contest. A full produc- tion was mounted for the Humana Festival of New Amer- ican Plays at the Actors Theatre of Louisville in 1980, and the Broadway production opened in March 1982 at the Music Box Theatre, where it ran for 599 performances. His screenplay for the 1985 screen adaptation earned him a nomination for the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium. Agnes God of Director: Dennis Kempton. Questions? [email protected] Roles Needed: Three women. Age range: 18-60 Audition information When: Monday, October 19, 2009 Time: 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. Where: The Play Ground Theatre, 11 E. Superior Street, Duluth. Callbacks: Tuesday, October 20, 2009 Time: 7 p.m. Where: The Play Ground Theatre, 11 E. Superior Street, Duluth. If you have a serious schedule conflict and you wish to audition for this play, please contact the production manager at: 218.464.7291. Some audition time may be available on Tuesday, October 20. All actors auditioning for the play will be contacted personally whether or not they are cast in the show. Performance dates: March 11-20, 2010. Thursday-Saturday 7 p.m. at The Play Ground Theatre. Rehearsal dates: Beginning Monday, January 11, 2010. Rehearsals will run Monday through Thursday each week beginning at 6:00 p.m. until 9 p.m. Actors will be paid a $100 honorarium at the conclusion of the run in appreciation of their dedication of time and talent for the show. This honorarium is paid by Oeuvre Arts Omnimedia and not through the Duluth Playhouse or The Play Ground Theatre, which holds no responsibility for honoraria paid on this particular production. Audition preparation: Auditions are open. This means you are welcome to audition for this production whether or not you have previous experience in community theatre. Actors interested in auditioning are strongly encouraged to read the play prior to auditions and familiarize themselves with the production. It is an intense drama. During the audition process, the director may ask you about your views on the subject matter. Actors interested in auditioning for the play are asked to select a one to two minute memorized contemporary monologue from any published source with which they are confident and reflects either the character they desire to play or that reflects the strengths of their acting ability. The material cannot be from Agnes of God. During the audition, either before, after, or during your monologue, you will be engaged in questions from the director about your choice and about the play. Actors should not come dressed in costume nor appear with props for their monologue auditions. Actors will be given sides (a brief selection) from the play at callbacks and should be prepared to perform a cold reading (directly from the script without preparation) with production staff at that time. Description of Characters: Agnes. A 21 year old novice nun. Actor should be a solid vocalist as well, preferably soprano, as Agnes is described as having a singular angelic voice. Agnes is a true innocent, and dependent upon the Church for her well-being and security. She is a true believer without artifice or agenda. She is accused of killing a child to whom she gives birth in the convent although she refuses to acknowledge the birth. She is ordered to complete an evaluation with a court-appointed psychiatrist to determine her suitability to stand trial. IMPORTANT: Actors who wish to audition for the role of Agnes, please indicate this on your audition cover form and be prepared to sing 8-16 bars a capella (preferably a religious piece consistent with the play). Mother Miriam Ruth. Age range: early 50s-60. Mother Superior of the convent at which Agnes lives. She has been previously married and came into the Church later in life. She has children from which she is estranged. She is tough, smart, and fierce in her protection of Agnes. Her true-believer self and her pragmatist self are at odds. Dr. Martha Livingstone. Age range: 40s. She is Agnes’ appointed psychiatrist, a lapsed Catholic driven, in this case, as much by her skepticism and resentment of the Church as by her faith in psychiatry and women’s liberation. She is smart and hardened by her past. Audition Tips for Monologues A monologue is a speech that one actor makes in a play. It is usually one minute in length and may or may not be spoken to another person. Find a monologue you enjoy. Monologue books may be found at your bookstore. For a first time auditioner, choose a character that is someone similiar to yourself. If you are auditioning for specific role, find a monologue that exposes traits of that chracter. Make sure you select material that has an age range you can play convincingly. A good audition monologue can show off a few different sides of yourself for the director. No matter how prepared you are, you will probably experience at least a little stage fright. Even the most experienced performers get nervous. Don’t focus on your failures (do learn from them) but remember your successes. Think of auditions as learning processes, then the fear of failure won’t have as much power. Break in material in other venues before you come to audition. Practice monologues in front of family or friends first. Some possible sources for your monologues: One on One: The Best Monologues for the 21st Century The Actor’s Book of Monologues for Women Audition Monologues: Power Pieces for Women Audition Form Agnes God of Actors, please print this page and bring with you to your audition. Thank you. Name Home Address Email Primary Phone Other Phone If you have previous stage experience, please select your most recent shows to list below. Show title Role Location When Which role is your preference for being cast? Will you accept a different role if asked by the director? If you are not cast, would you be willing to assist on the crew? Do you have any conflicts with the rehearsal or performance schedule? Please list any and all conflicts and be prepared to discuss these with the director if you are called back. You may use the reverse if you need more room. .

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