AUDITION NOTICE – Weekend One-Acts at Darien Library

Auditions will be held at Darien Library for Weekend One-Acts on Tuesday, August 17, from 6 – 9 p.m. (Callbacks (if necessary) will be on Wednesday, August 18, from 6 – 9 p.m.)

Weekend One-Acts will include performances of “The Golden Fleece” by A.R. Gurney, Jr., and “Waiting for Philip Glass” by Wendy Wasserstein (inspired by Shakespeare’s Sonnet 94).

The performances of Weekend One-Acts take place in the Community Room at Darien Library on Friday, October 15 at 7:30 p.m., and on Sunday, October 17 at 2 p.m. Performances are Actors’ Equity approved .

Please contact and confirm audition appearance at darientheater@darienlibrary.org to give approximate time of arrival.

THE GOLDEN FLEECE

By A.R. Gurney, Jr.

Betty and Bill tell the audience they are going to show them the golden fleece. To prove it is authentic, Jason and Medea are to deliver it. A hitch develops. Jason is taking off with another doll and Medea is doing a slow burn. Everyone remembers the impending tragedy, but no one envisioned it taking place here and now with hilarity.

30-minute, two-character, one-act comedy.

Directed by Marie Reynolds

Character descriptions:

JIM: MALE 30-45

Knows Jason-- sailed with him during the war.

BETTY: FEMALE 25-45

Bills’ wife putters in pottery with Medea.

Upwardly striving, they are anxious to impress us with their celebrity friendships and ready to capitalize on it. The actors can be any race, but must have good sense of comic timing.

Please bring headshot and resume for files. Audition sides will be provided.

Also seeking production assistance. To inquire, please contact ReynoldsML@aol.com.

Flexible evening and weekend rehearsal schedule starting August 23.

WAITING FOR PHILIP GLASS

By Wendy Wasserstein, inspired by SHAKESPEARE’ S SONNET 94

In “Waiting for Philip Glass,” a socialite throws a benefit at her posh East Hampton estate for composer Philip Glass. When the guest of honor is late arriving, the other guests are forced to mingle among themselves, and examine their own lives while poking fun at arrivistes of every stripe.

Lots of dry humor mixed, gossip, and a dash of pretentious drama, in a 12-15 minute one act play.

Directed by Donna Wyant.

Casting:  7 speaking parts, 2 non-speaking parts.

Character descriptions:

HOLDEN: FEMALE 35

Very attractive socialite and hostess of Philip Glass benefit.

SPENCER: FEMALE 30-40

Holden’s attractive, social-climbing friend.

HARRY: MALE 50-60’s

An excessively warm guest.

LAURA: FEMALE 40-50

Columnist and Harry’s date.

GERRY: MALE, 40-50’s

Life-of-the-party, commands attention.

RINA: FEMALE 20-30

Gerry’s attractive young new wife.

JOE: MALE 40-50

Holden's date for the night. Burly, outdoorsy type, over achiever in designer loafers with matching belt.

FEMALE: 50's Non-speaking, attractive guest.

MALE: 50-60 Non-speaking, attractive guest.

Flexible evening and weekend rehearsal schedule starting August 23.

Please bring headshot and resume for files.

Also seeking stage and production assistants: contact dmwyant@aol.com.

Paul Epstein, ND, is a Naturopathic Physician,  mind-body therapist and Buddhist meditation teacher who integrates the teachings of the Buddha, mindful awareness and contemplative psychotherapy in his whole-person approach supporting people on their self healing journey and spiritual path. He is a 1984 graduate of the National College of Naturopathic Medicine, where he did a residency in holistic medicine. Paul co-founded and co-directed the Israel Center for Mind-Body Medicine.  He is also a certified yoga instructor, and has studied Buddhist psychology, mindfulness meditation, clinical guided imagery, stress reduction and psychotherapy in a spiritual context and has successfully advocated the clinical application and integration of  mind-body-spirit therapies in health care for over 25 years. He graduated from the Academy for Guided Imagery, completed the three year training program for Community Dharma Meditation Leaders at the Spirit Rock Meditation Center, and has trained in the Internal Family System Model of Psychotherapy.   He currently writes and lectures extensively, leads workshops and mindful healing retreats and mind-body medicine training worldwide.  He is a core faculty member of the Graduate Institute Masters Program in Experiential Health and Healing. Paul maintains a private practice in Westport CT. where he is the guiding teacher of the Insight Meditation Community of Fairfield County, and teaches ongoing Mind-Body Health classes at the Westport Center for Senior Activities, and Mindfulness Meditation and Stress Reduction classes in Norwalk. 

Our goal with Monday at Seven has been (and continues to be) to provide a resource and meeting center for Job Seekers and Networkers by opening our doors every Monday from 7 to 9 a.m. Happily, we're helping many in the community achieve their goals, too.

The adult winners of the 52^nd Annual Darien Art Show are currently displaying their artwork in the Library's Art Gallery until July 26. Winners were selected from artwork in oils and acrylics, watercolor, mixed media, sculpture, photography, and paste ls.

Participants in the Darien Art Show include adult and student artists who live or work in Darien, and others enrolled in Darien Arts Center classes. Artwork had been submitted to Darien Arts Center at Weatherstone Studio at Town Hall for judging. Prizes and ribbons were awarded on June 4.

The adult 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd prize winners (except sculpture) of the 2010 Darien Art Show, now exhibiting at the Library, are Anne Anderson, Adam Campbell, Robert Carley, Lori Glavin, Pierre Lahaussois, Christine Leddy, Mary Morant, Gillian Marshall, Nobuko Miki, Kazumasa Oda, Stan Pastore, Leslie Rottner, Vicki French Smith, and Lisa Thoren. The images above are just a small sampling of the exeptional winning works of art gracing our building right now. (Here's news! The photograph at right was taken by Darien resident Bob Carley and it  took first place for color photograhy. On Friday, July 2nd, The Advocate ran a story about Bob and his focus on the red, white, and blue. Click here to read the feature.)

Please come on by and catch this Art on View exhibit through July 26th.

The Art Gallery is located on the Library's Lower Level.

Pete ‘n' Keely by James Hindman, with original music by Patrick Brady and lyrics by Mark Waldrop, is a song trip down memory lane and an opportunity for Music Theatre of Connecticut (MTC) to showcase a pair of wonderful, singing/entertainers, Kristin Huffman and Tony Lawson, who are nicely accompanied by Dan Asher, bass, Chris Johnson, drums and Mark Wolfson, piano.

Under Kevin Connors' direction, MTC’s audience is transported to an imaginary NBC TV studio’s live telecast in 1968. The setting comes complete with a flashing “Applause” sign, several impromptu props, and a clever use of a folding screen that opens to provide additional scenery. The plot concerns a pair of singers who were once a great success until they became divorced and went back to their individual careers. The couple is reunited on this TV broadcast with the original song, “It’s Us Again.”  Woven into the plot are solos and duets of original and old-time song favorites: “Lover Come Back,” “Besame Mucho,” “Hey Daddy,”  “My Secret Love,” etc.

Flashbacks relive the history of this popular couple from the time they were children. How they ended up touring and quarreling their way across the world provides the opportunity for a dizzying variety of songs and amusing gags. Hindman/Brady/Waldrop’s work sparkles intermittingly during the fast-paced skits.

Huffman and Lawson fit perfectly together. Huffman is very attractive in her lovely gowns and Lawson with his mustache and Tux is as handsome as any male star of that period. They each have strong voices and expressive styling.

This is professional singing done right.

Plays at MTC in Westport through June 13.  For tickets call: 203-612-7025.