CREW If you are interested in being on crew only, please fill out the form on pages 4-5 and return to Mrs. Chipman by 3:30 on Monday, November 17.

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1 AAHS THEATRE DEPARTMENT AUDITION INFORMATION Precious Bane, adapted by Meryl Friedman from the novel by Mary Webb Directed by Jessica Chipman AUDITIONS Open to all students in grades Students are only required to attend one audition session. Auditions will be held in the AAHS PAC. Monday, November 10 3:30-6:30pm Tuesday, November 11: CALLBACKS Thursday, November 13: 6:30-9:30pm 3:30-6:30pm CREW If you are interested in being on crew only, please fill out the form on pages 4-5 and return to Mrs. Chipman by 3:30 on Monday, November 17. PRECIOUS BANE Meryl Friedman adapted this beautiful story for Lifeline Theatre in Chicago. Summary of the novel can be found here: Meryl Friedman s adaptation focuses on Prue s spirit, Gideon s drive for wealth and Jancis, and the Weaver s saving of Prue, in more ways than one. CAST OF CHARACTERS 5f, 4m Prue Older/Mother, f Prue, f Gideon, m Jancis, f Kester Woodseaves (Weaver), m Beguildy/Feyther, m Missus Beguildy, f Huglet, m Tivvy, f Notes on characters Prue Older: the actor who plays Prue Older must be a convincing and dynamic narrator who is able to color language, play with pace, and understand the literary impact of their lines. Prue: Prue is a spirited young lady who is likeable to an audience for her humor, her hard-working attitude, and her humility. She must not be overly dramatic, tragic, or sad--she is a cheerful, hopeful girl who deserves love and saving at the end of the play. 1

2 Jancis: Jancis is beautiful, alluring, and dynamic. She is confident and musical in an a way that allows Gideon to fall for her. Gideon: Gideon is quite the challenge. He must be likeable but driven, sometimes in a way we can t understand. He thinks he is doing the right thing until Jancis death, when he realizes his priorities were wrong. Weaver: Weaver is nearly the opposite of Gideon. He is charming and laid-back, joking and teasing Prue before she realizes he loves her. What the director is seeking Versatile students who: display a desire to create a team want to tell a story well show versatility in acting, movement, and musicality display a competitive spirit and desire to learn demonstrate respect for their peers and advisors REHEARSAL SCHEDULE / DATES Up-to-date schedule found at the following link: e.com&ctz=america/chicago Rehearsal period: November 24-January 28 Times: Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 3:30-6:30 with exceptions Performances: Subsections: January 29 Public Performance: January 30 Sections (if applicable): February 5 State Once Act (if applicable): February CREW TIMES Wednesdays, 3:30-5:30. SET CONSTRUCTION TIMES Saturdays, as needed. Cast and crew members can serve on construction crew, as well as non-cast and crew members. STAGE MANAGER We are seeking a dynamic, competent, knowledgeable individual to serve as stage manager. Interviews will be conducted for the stage manager. Please see the crew sheet for further information. 2

3 CONTACT The following pages will serve as audition material. Please fill out the audition form and have it prepared at auditions. Please prepare one or more monologues or scenes below and have them ready to perform at auditions. Break a leg! Jessica Chipman jchipman@alexandria.k12.mn.us 3

4 ALEXANDRIA AREA HIGH SCHOOL THEATRE DEPARTMENT AUDITION FORM Name: Grade: PLEASE LIST PARTS YOU WOULD BE MOST INTERESTED IN: Phone number: address: Parent names: Parent address(es): Age: Gender: Height: Hair color: Eye color: Are you willing to... Dye your hair? YES No Cut your hair? YES No Perform a stage kiss? YES No X Signing by the x indicates you will accept any role offered to you. Are you available for callbacks, if needed? (Thursday, November 13 at 3:30) YES NO Please list any physical limitations the directors might need to know (medical conditions, etc.): What musical background do you have? (If you sing, what part do you sing? What instruments do you play?) What dance, gymnastics, or movement background do you have? Do you have any special talents, such as juggling, etc? Please list any and all previous acting experience (include show and role): Please list any and all previous crew experience (include specific responsibility): 4

5 Alexandria Area High School Theatre Department treats theatre as a team, and the crew is the foundation of the production. Our crews are important to the success of the production we love our crew members! Please number your TOP FOUR crew interests, with one meaning most interested (leave blank if you are not interested in crew): Stage manager: multitude of responsibilities, calls cues during run, director s right hand person Costume Crew: will pull, fit, find, and put together costumes Light Crew/Operator: sets, rotates, gels, focuses lighting equipment; operator programs and runs board Sound Crew/Operator: finds and mixes sound clips; operator programs and runs sound board Properties Crew: finds or creates all properties Publicity Crew: develops and distributes promotional materials including videos and posters Hair and Make up Crew: designs styles for each character; applies during run of show Construction Crew: works with set designer to build set; construction experience is helpful House crew: works to ready the theatre for production, sells tickets, hands out programs, ushers In order to be considered for a role in this production, please list ANY AND ALL recurring OR one time conflicts you have on weekdays from 3:00 9:30 p.m. Also list where you work or any church or school related activities. PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE ANYTHING OUT. 5

6 ONE It s too late for sleep, Prue. It s been a hard night, but tomorrow be come. Now listen to what I have to tell ye. You and me has got to get on. And Mother. Ah, Mother too. But she s old. You and me ha got to work, Prue. I amna afeerd of work. Well, there ll be plenty. I want to make money on the place, a mort of money. Then, when the time s ripe, we ll sell it. Then we ll go and buy a house, and you shall be a rich lady and hold up your head with the best. I dunna mind about that, being rich. Well, you mun mind. And I ll be a proper gentleman. And we ll buy a grand house, a place full of furniture and silver plate and china. I dearly love my pretty china. Can we get some of them new cups and saucers, with the little people on em? You can get anything you like. Only you mun help me first. It ll take years and years Dear to goodness, lad! It mun be the lightening in you that makes you feel this way. Well it ll take a deal of lightening in the blood to do what I m set to do. The place never did more than just keep us, and Feyther left nought 6

7 Whatever shall we do, if we d only just enough afore, and Feyther to work for us? We ll never put by money, lad. I shall do what he did and a deal more beside. You never can I can do all as I ve a mind to do! Feyther is gone and I be maister! (Pause.) Ah, Prue, you must mind you ve promised to work for me. I ve got such a power in me that not even death can bind it. And with you to give a hand... being as how things are... you ll never marry, Prue. (A silence, we hear the rooks.) Not wed? Oh, ah! I ll wed for sure. I m afeerd nobody ll ask you, Prue. Not ask me? Why for not? Well... you inna like other girls... but you can have a house and furniture and all just the same, if you give a hand in the earning of em. But not an usband, nor a babe? No. For why? Best ask Mother for why. Maybe she can tell ye why the hare crossed her path. But I m main sorry for ye, Prue, and I be going to make ye a rich lady, and maybe when we ve gotten a deal of gold, we ll send away for a doctor s cure. 7

8 What do ye say, Prue, seeing now as how things stand? (softly, not looking at him) I ll do what mun be done... You mun swear it, Prue. A solemn oath on the Book. Maybe if you didna, you d tire and give over soon. And I ll swear what I promised too. (He runs off to get Bible.) OLDER What a crazy, criss crossed world where you bury your feyther at midnight, and straight away begin to think of housen and gold with the first light of dawn Where you ve got to go curst all your life because a poor silly hare looked at your mother afore you were born; where a son loads his poor soul with all his feyther s sins. Making you feel like you want what he wants, though you dunna. Come, Prue, come and swear. (Grasping her hand.) Now hold the Book... (Hesitating.) Do you think Mother ll give us leave? It inna for her to give us leave! The farm be mine! The farm be mine forever and ever until I choose to sell it! Now swear! Say I, Prudence Sarn, promise to vow and obey my brother Gideon Sarn 8

9 TWO OLDER The days moved on, and Mother was busy at her spinning all June. (Music ends.) It s a shame you had to be in the fields all day, Prue. Weaver s a kind man, so strong and considerate! Wanted to know if I d any other family aside Sarn, so I told him. Oh, Mother, what did you tell him? I told him I got the best girl in the world, and a good daughter to me, and very tidy and slender, with long silky hair and dark, meltin eyes, and such a pleasant way merry and mocking! Dear to goodness, Mother! What a tale you made out! No tale, my dear, for tis the truth. Did you... tell Weaver I was hare shotten? Why no, why for should I do that? Well... it met be that he ll be thinking of me a bit, seeing as you said such things... and then if he met me ever... Well, my dear, if he met you and he s the man I think him, he d be bound to like you right well. (She catches, pulling her close.) Would you care, Prue, if he had but one arm or leg, or was all pitted with the pox? Care? Of course I shouldna care, I should love him the more for it! MOTEHR I knowed you did, my dear. I knowed you loved him. And I m right glad of it. Now dunna you hide form him, Prue! Risk all, my love! (pulling away) 9

10 No! No, never will I! Oh, Mother, it was unkind in you to catch me like that! (drawing her closer) I only wanted to know, Prue. I be getting ancient and old, and the time raws nigh when life ll be a burden. I d life know there was good in store for the best girl ever. v OLDER The days moved on, and Mother was busy at her spinning all June. (Music ends.) It s a shame you had to be in the fields all day, Prue. Weaver s a kind man, so strong and considerate! Wanted to know if I d any other family aside Sarn, so I told him. Oh, Mother, what did you tell him? I told him I got the best girl in the world, and a good daughter to me, and very tidy and slender, with long silky hair and dark, meltin eyes, and such a pleasant way merry and mocking! Dear to goodness, Mother! What a tale you made out! No tale, my dear, for tis the truth. Did you... tell Weaver I was hare shotten? Why no, why for should I do that? Well... it met be that he ll be thinking of me a bit, seeing as you said such things... and then if he met me ever... Well, my dear, if he met you and he s the man I think him, he d be bound to like you right well. (She catches, pulling her close.) Would you care, Prue, if he had but one arm or leg, or was all pitted with the pox? Care? Of course I shouldna care, I should love him the more for it! 10

11 I knowed you did, my dear. I knowed you loved him. And I m right glad of it. Now dunna you hide form him, Prue! Risk all, my love! (pulling away) No! No, never will I! Oh, Mother, it was unkind in you to catch me like that! (drawing her closer) I only wanted to know, Prue. I be getting ancient and old, and the time raws nigh when life ll be a burden. I d life know there was good in store for the best girl ever. 11

12 THREE JANCIS Oh, I couldna bear it, Prue! Oh, dear Prue, dunna scold! It was more n anybody could bear. What be you going to say to Gideon? Jancis! What ye be doing here? Gideon enters. Now, Gideon... Lad, it was terrible hard Broke her time? You broke your time? She s come to our door, draggled and half dead! JANCIS (crying) Oh, Gideon... Now then, dunna do that, husht, husht! (After a beat.) Well, how bin ee? JANCIS Not right well, these past few months, but thank you for asking. (clearing his throat again) Got an acquaintance over yonder? JANCIS No, Sarn. You be my acquaintance forever and ever. Not JANCIS No. I ran away because you be the only acquaintance I do want, Sarn! 12

13 So you ran away all those miles and miles because I was your dear acquaintance! JANCIS Ah. (moving towards her) Give us a kiss, wench! 13

14 FOUR What? Will ye run away? Why, Prue Sarn? (She does not answer and tries to look away.) I do think that it be a very funny way to treat a chap as comes to thank ye kindly for saving of his life. OLDER And, oh... the summer in his voice, then and always... What were ye looking at when I came? The dragon fly, coming out of its shroud. Ah. Once out they re out for good. It costs a deal to get free. But once free they never fold their wings. No, and some of em go so high, I think, times, they might flitter right into heaven. We d all like to do that. But I d like my heaven afore I die. (quietly) Ah. I ve thought of my own heaven. Ohhhh. And what would it be? I ve thought of it, Mister Woodseaves, but my thoughts be my own. (laughing) You can write a dommed good letter, Prue. (small pause) They were Gideon s letters. Well, I take it very kind in Sarn to write with the cough cure. I tell you it fairly bowled me over, for I heard Sarn was a hard man! I especially liked that part about die for you by bite of dog or any way, my dear. I must thank Sarn for his kind thoughts concerning the cough cure 14

15 (grabbing him) Oh dunna Ah, there s a grudging girl, not wanting her brother to be thanked. ( is speechless, she lets him go and stands very awkward. WEAVER continues very quietly.) Well, Prue, there s no use iffing and anding anymore. You wrote the letters and you made em up. And all I can say is, the chap you were thinking of when you did say the things you said, is a lucky chap. Lucky indeed. I hanna got an acquaintance. Oh, that s a pity to my mind. But anyway, you ve got a friend. You write in your memory, when you go back, that Kester Woodseaves is your friend till time stops. (A long moment of silence as they look at each other.) 15