Producer: Black Coffee Productions, Georgina Simon
Venue: Theaterlab, NYC
Directors: Jessica Ryan, Dana Iannuzzi, Sivan Battat, Dunya J. Karam
Playwrights: Vicki Vodrey, Adrienne Dawes, T.J. Petty, Emerson Fd
Casting: Black Coffee Casting
Auditions: December 3rd, December 4th
The following staged readings will be part of Black Coffee Production's FRESH GRIND FESTIVAL, a new works festival comprised of 10 plays and musicals. The festival will take place in New York City during the week of January 16th. For more information, please consult this link: http://www.blackcoffeeproductions.org
THANK YOU NOTES: HEADED TO HEAVEN W/ FLAT JIMMY FALLON
Director: Jessica Ryan
Playwright: Vicki Vodrey
1st Rehearsal: January 19th, 2017 (less than 30 hours of rehearsal)
Opening: January 21st, 2017
Closing: January 22nd
Contract: Non-Equity, high potential of stipend
After deciding life was too unbearable to continue, Angela put a bullet through her head. Her will included three requests: First, she wanted to be buried with her dog. Next, her cardboard cut-out of The Tonight Show’s host Jimmy Fallon had to rest by her side for the rest of eternity. And the third wish – that her twin brother, Ethan give her eulogy by reading the handwritten notes that she left behind, all of which have been conceived in the format of Jimmy Fallon’s “Thank You Notes” segment. As Ethan goes through each letter, Angela takes us through the hilarious, touching, and ultimately shocking journey of her life.
SEEKING:
For THANK YOU NOTES: HEADED TO HEAVEN W/ FLAT JIMMY FALLON:
ANGELA
(20’s+ to play mid 30’s) Quirky. A firecracker. Angela marches to the beat of her own drum. She is quirky and ballsy, yet vulnerable, using her dark, offbeat humor for protection at times. Probably a defense mechanism, as she has always been an outsider. Not afraid to shock, but Angela feels hurt very deeply. She is a whirlwind of emotions and feelings, and can shift at the drop of a hat. Must have strong comedic AND dramatic abilities, and overall a firm grasp of authenticity and truthfulness.
ETHAN
(20’s+ to play mid 30’s) Angela’s twin. A practicing attorney, Ethan is ambitious and wants to climb the career ladder. Unlike his sister, who rebelled against her cookie-cutter suburban upbringing, Ethan tries to fit the mold society has cut out for him. Attractive, and slightly boring, but with a dark secret that is reflected in his behavior in subtle ways throughout the play.
BETSY
(mid 20’s) Ethan’s wife. Pretty, stylish, and very conventional. Not the brightest bulb in the room. She did the right thing, marrying a successful lawyer who will provide for her for the rest of her days. She’s satisfied to be his arm candy and act as she believes a good wife should. The ability to portray a significant shift in emotion and character is imperative.
HOW TO TALK TO A GIRL WEARING HEADPHONES
Director: Dana Iannuzzi
Playwright: Adrienne Dawes
1st Rehearsal: January 16th, 2017 (less than 30 hours of rehearsal)
Presentation: January 20th, 2017
Contract: Non-Equity, high potential of stipend
Guy meets girl. You’ve heard that story before…But what about when guy meets girl wearing headphones? HOW TO TALK TO A GIRL WEARING HEADPHONES is a millennial twist on the classic meet cute -- full of rich characters, hilarious dialogue, and a story that’s become all too true in the age of social media.
A GUY:
(20’s+ to play 20s-30s) Host of popular podcast “HELLO I LOVE YOU WON’T YOU TELL ME YOUR NAME” and he has the perfectly monotone podcast drone voice to prove it. Outside of the recording studio, he’s a normal, and even kind of insecure guy. Smart, witty, but incredibly awkward around women. He is crushing hard on A GIRL but she’s always wearing headphones when he sees her at the coffeeshop. He has no idea how he will ever work up the nerve to talk to her or figure out her name. Comedy and improv experience is a plus.
A GIRL:
(20’s+ to play 20s-30s). A GIRL named Alice Murders. She has sort of a dry sense of humor, but is super smart and quick with the comebacks. She comes to this coffeeshop often, looking for a quiet space to work and listen to her favorite podcast. She is totally unimpressed and unamused by ANOTHER GUY, but A GUY could be cool. Could be even cooler now that she knows he hosts her favorite podcast. Seeking a perfomer with a strong sense of physicality, which should manifest subtly. Comedy and improv experience is a plus.
ANOTHER GUY:
(20’s+ to play 20s-30s) Brash. Impulsive. Life of the party. Fearless. Overly confident. A bro. He is NOT afraid to approach a girl wearing headphones, even if she is clearly busy and obviously has zero interest in him. He (hardly) works at the coffeeshop. Loves iced coffee. Not so secretly has a thing for A GUY’s mom. Likes to pick up women at estate sales. Kind of an asshole but we still like him. Comedy and improv experience is a plus.
PROMISED KINGDOM
Director: Sivan Battat
Playwright: T.J Petty
1st Rehearsal: January 16th, 2017 (less than 30 hours of rehearsal)
Presentation: January 20th, 2017
Contract: Non-Equity, high potential of stipend
When an outcast walrus asks directions from a starving polar bear on a lonely slab of ice, they enter a friendlier dynamic than might be expected. But that lasts too briefly before the bear threatens the walrus with his life if he doesn’t lead him back to the walrus herd for some lunch. As the pair get acquainted, tension both eases and bubbles. Turns out that neither fully meets the stereotype the other expected for their species, and as they swim along, they try to make some sense out of the end of the world, or at least the end of the Arctic as they know it.
BEAR:
(20’s+. Seeking actors from across the gender identity spectrum to play male) Tall and lean. Alpha. Vigorously independent. He’s been hardened by the world and approaches every situation with mistrust and skepticism. He tries to find the humor in things, but it’s often a dark humor. He puts on a thick skin because he’s used to the hurt of being disliked or feared by others. But he’s much more sensitive than he lets on, and much of his aggression is to cover a lot of sadness and loss. He is very, very fatigued by hunger, which has made him irritable and physically exhausted. Seeking an actor with great comic skills.
WALRUS:
(20’s+. Seeking actors from across the gender identity spectrum to play male) On the shorter, stouter side. Very ritzy, almost snobbishly so, if he weren’t so good-natured. He's spent the greater part of his life being bullied, and was ultimately exiled from his herd. He's lonely and fearful, which often manifests as a nervous over-friendliness. He tries to remain optimistic in spite of his uncertainty, being separated from his community for the very first time. Despite his best efforts, he still holds some of the elitist qualities of the community he comes from. Seeking an actor with great comic skills.
DEEPER ALEXANDRIA
Director: Dunya J. Karam
Playwright: Emerson Fd
1st Rehearsal: January 16th, 2017 (less than 30 hours of rehearsal)
Presentation: January 20th, 2017
Contract: Non-Equity, high potential of stipend
In the human experience, thinking and doing are two very different things. To a robotic mind, however, absolutely everything is an action. DEEPER ALEXANDRIA depicts a conversation between George and Martha, two intelligences who may or may not be artificial. Their words seem blunt, ridiculous, and out of place at times. However, as their dialogue progresses, it becomes increasingly clear that the two of them aren’t just reveling in their own sentience and ability to make sentences, but desperately trying to grab hold of something, anything close to humanity.
GEORGE:
(20’s+ Seeking actors from across the gender identity spectrum to play male.) Sarcastic, unmotivated and disheveled. Living paycheck to paycheck. Easily disliked, constantly made fun of growing up. Forceful, messy physicality, but also an artificial intelligence. Wants something more from his reality. The ability to adopt the vocal quality of an automated voice recording a plus. Seeking a skilled actor who can portray the artificial intelligence of this character, and who can evoke a sense of humanity in a way that is subtle, implicit, and truthful. Seeking an excellent physical performer with experience in devised and experimental work.
MARTHA:
(20’s+ Seeking actors from across the gender identity spectrum to play female.) Very cut and dry. Uncompromising. Exudes brilliance and commands respect. Physicality reflects that. Also an artificial intelligence. Extremely advanced. Wants something more from her reality. The ability to adopt the vocal quality of an automated voice recording a plus. Seeking a skilled actor who can portray the artificial intelligence of this character, and who can evoke a sense of humanity in a way that is subtle, implicit, and truthful. Seeking an excellent physical performer with experience in devised and experimental work.
Please send headshots, resumes, and reels if you have them to:
Black Coffee Casting
blackcoffeecast@gmail.com
Black Coffee Productions is committed to representing the diversity in ethnicity, race, and gender identity of our city and our world. Actors of all backgrounds and orientations are encouraged to submit.
Videos
