Grey Area Productions
Theatre+Game
“Portrait of a Man Drowning” is the play-component of a live-action video game, “Who’s Afraid of Fascism,” taking place under an authoritarian third-term administration. Actors’ final performances will be recorded with diegetic security cameras from a bugged apartment. In the final game, footage will be scrubbable by a player who is performing digital jury duty, attempting assign political views (& eventually guilt for a murder in a third act twist) to each of the 8 people present at this party. The innovative recording + delivery method means that the whole play is performed simultaneously, with all eight actors staying in character and having their own conversations, and their own experiences, in a uniquely ensemble piece. The play itself is an Edward Albee-inspired whirlwind dinner party of eight people each figuring out how to live under Fascism and will be performed as a traditional play, despite its unique format.
Please submit your audition by Friday, March 6th by 8 p.m.
Material to Prepare:
Sides include scenes split across the script. A big advantage of this ensemble format is the code-switching of all characters. Try to analyze both who this character is, and who they are trying to be with different people around.
SIDES: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1RCVBR5iUOkQogevQ5exsmC41Y3a-UzFb?usp=sharing
Time Commitment:
Rehearsals will take place in the northside of Chicago and will be Monday and Wednesday nights March 18th - April 8th. A final tech check will be the afternoon of April 11th and the sole recording date will be April 12th.
Character Type/Restrictions:
Tim Clyborn, Age (25-33), Male, Open Race:
A gay man in name only. More masculine, reserved, but still out. Likes football, beer, and his marketing job. Christian family, still in contact.
Jude North, Age (22-30), Male, White:
A thoroughly queer white man. Comfortable with himself. A "girls gay." Christian family, no longer in contact. Art dealership role at a gallery.
Ella Oakton, Age (25-33), Female, White:
White woman, demeanor of a drill sergeant got her bullied throughout her childhood. Secretly works in "politics." Has realized most people need to know very little.
Robert Howard, Age (25-33), Male, White:
Not undeniably gay, but potentially experimented in college. Works in marketing for Nike. Likes, really likes Tim. And football. And his new hot fiancé.
Bertram Rockwell, Age (23-30), Male, Black:
Black man from affluent suburbs of Kansas city. Tries to stay out of politics, comments often on how tense things are getting. Works in finance.
Avery Western, Age (22-28), Female, Latina:
Tired of everyone thinking she's stupid because she's femme. Puerto Rican, works as a paralegal for the ACLU chapter in Kansas City. Wants to go to law school to slowly help the world.
Katie Dempster, Age (25-33), Female, Non-white:
Bisexual non-white woman, works with Tim for PBR marketing. Just really loves people in front of her. Concerned where things are at, but her girlfriend cares more.
Molly Noyes, Age (23-30), Female, Non-white:
A non-white, communist, "Gold Star" lesbian as a badge of honor. Works as a barista at a leftist cafe. Political contacts, works w/ Jude for his political works.
To apply for this job email your details to greyareaproductionschicago@gmail.com