The Meantime Sides

The Meantime is a new work to be developed during the rehearsal process at Theater Emory. It is an evening’s entertainment with a focus on live radio-style performance (both classic and original) performed by an ensemble of time traveling performing artists who have arrived with a secret purpose. Depending on the individual talents of the performers, it may include music, dance, clowning, mime, or any other thing that we come up with. For audition purposes we are focusing only on radio style readings, reflected in the sides. Vocal dexterity and an understanding of period atmosphere are of utmost importance.

Contrary to tradition, the director is open to cross-gender casting. Flash Gordon, Porky, or Montresor could be voiced by a male or female for the purposes of the show. That having been said, if female actors wish to present a monologue of their choosing from any 1930s play, that would be welcome. Men may also exercise this option if they wish. 1. THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO

Montresor THE thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge. You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that I gave utterance to a threat. AT LENGTH I would be avenged; this was a point definitively settled. It must be understood that neither by word nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will. I continued as was my wont, to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my smile NOW was at the thought of his immolation.

He had a weak point -- this Fortunato -- although in other regards he was a man to be respected and even feared. He prided himself on his connoisseurship in wine. In painting and gemmary, Fortunato was a quack, but in the matter of old wines he was sincere. In this respect I did not differ from him materially; I was skilful in the Italian vintages.

2. Radio Play: The Thing on the Fourble Board

PORKY (narrates, in conversation with an unheard guest): Me, I'm a roughneck. Well, I was a roughneck, I mean, twenty years ago -- a little too old, too slow now. Besides, I got a dollar now, I don't have to be a roughneck, y'see. Married, got a nice home. Hafta meet my wife. (calls out) Hey, Mike! Her name's Maxine but she likes to be called Mike. Mike! I guess she's busy out in the kitchen someplace. Besides, she doesn't hear very well. Shame, too -- she's so pretty and everything. Well, you'll meet her... Sit down... I was sayin' I was a roughneck... Well, no, that doesn't mean exactly what you think it means. A roughneck is an oil field worker, specifically, a guy on a drilling crew. Call 'em roughnecks like ya call a section hand on the railroad a gandy dancer or a garage hand a grease monkey. Same time, you work around a drilling crew for a while, you're gonna be a roughneck in every sense of the word, boy. The derrick floor or a fourble board's no place for a guy with a bow tie 'cause when you have to fool around with drillin' holes that go farther down in the ground than it is from the top of Pike's Peak down to sea level... Yeah, sure they do.

(MUSIC IN AND UNDER)

PORKY (narrates): Sure, I don't think there's an oil man in the world that don't wonder one time or another what's down there besides rock and oil and gas. Oil that's made out of trees that died twenty million years ago. Oil that's made out of dinosaur bones. Oil that's maybe... made out of the flesh and blood of men, maybe, that beat each other to death with a stone axe, ate saber tooth tiger for lunch. We found somethin' once, me and Billy Gruenwald. And-- something found us. I'll tell ya about it.

3. Flash Gordon Excerpt— (Treat this as a multi-character monologue. Each actor will voice all of the characters.)

ZARKOV I know who you are, Flash Gordon! The world's greatest athlete! But your trained strength will not save you, only my mind! The mind of Zarkov, the scientist can save you. Can save any human soul upon the Earth! DALE: DALE The turbo drive! He's reaching for the controls! FLASH: FLASH Stand aside, Dr. Zarkov ZARKOV: ZARKOV (LAUGHS) Feel it! The gravitation pull of the new planet! We crash in five seconds! (LAUGHS) SFX: SFX: CRASH MUSIC: MUSIC: UP THEN UNDER ANNCR: ANNOUNCER The rocket ship hits the planet! Dr. Zarkov and Dale are thrown from the rocket ship unconscious. Flash is thrown clear of the wreckage and lands on his feet, uninjured. He rushes to the side of the unconscious girl, picks her up, and starts to carry her toward the distant towers of a city on this weird new planet. Suddenly, strange soldiers armed with ray guns appear, and capturing Dale and Flash, force them to come with them to the throne room of Ming the Merciless, emperor of Mongo and supreme ruler of the universe. MUSIC: MUSIC: UP AND OUT SLAVE: SLAVE Oh, thou indulgent Ming, most merciless majesty of Mongo, supreme ruler of all the peoples of the new planet, thy slaves salute thee. MING: MING Good. Ming shall want the Earth people. SLAVE: SLAVE Thy slaves obey, oh Ming the Merciless. FLASH: FLASH Get your hands off me! I'm no slave, I'll meet your emperor as a free man and an equal. MING: MING So, Earth man, you are a free man, and my equal. Throw him to the red monkey- men in the arena. I would be forced to make this free man my equal. SLAVE: SLAVE THERE is thy freedom, Earth man. Now you go into the arena to meet the red monkey-men of Mongoid. DALE: DALE No!

MONKEY-MEN SQUEAL FLASH: FLASH Don't worry dear. (TO MING) Emperor Ming, I will show you that I, a free man from the Earth, are more than a match for your brainless red monkey-men. ANNCR: ANNOUNCER Flash reaches the bottom step leading to the arena. He leaps and swings at the nearest red monkey-man. Then grasping the fallen man-beast under the armpit, Flash whirls him around in a flail, knocking the others in all directions. Emperor Ming, fearing that his monkey-men will all be killed, orders his soldiers to destroy Flash with their ray guns.