Bonnie Gifford
Contributing Writer
On Saturday, February 24, the Pocahontas County Drama Workshop will hold auditions for the 2018 Opera House PlayFest, to be performed May 18-19, 2018. The auditions will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. in the multi-purpose room of McClintic Library at 500 Eighth Street in Marlinton.
The first Opera House PlayFest was in May of 2016 and featured an evening of seven short plays primarily written by playwrights from West Virginia and greater Appalachia. The 2018 PlayFest will continue to follow that format, featuring the work of new and a few returning playwrights. The subject matter of the plays will range from the comedic to the dramatic to places that blend the two.
The plays that are planned to be included in the festival include: “Bankin’ on the Grand” by Chris Shaw Swanson, depicting a man and wife who find themselves stranded on the roof of their home during a historic flood; “Beans & Franks Never Tasted So Good” by Jonathan Joy, in which an older couple argue and reminisce about a meal they had during their first date; “Daughters These Days” by T.K. Lee features a pair of sisters who must come to terms with the tragic passing of their mother; “Petting Zoo Story” by Jason Half depicts what happens when an overzealous petting zoo employee must contend with a germ phobic patron; “A Woman’s Place” by Gena Taylor Ellis, is a comedy set at a fundraiser for a women’s shelter in which Appalachian misconceptions and class struggles play havoc between a wealthy donor and a woman she assumes is a graduate of the shelter; and “A Game of Twenty…” by Eric Fritzius, in which a man gains answers to the mysteries of the universe while in the waiting room of the afterlife.
The Opera House PlayFest is an excellent opportunity for people who have been interested in acting in a play to get their feet wet. The rehearsal period for each play will only amount to around four hours of rehearsal per week, for four weeks. There will be roles for nine female characters and five male characters of a variety of ages, from late teens to late 70s and in between. Actors of all levels of experience are encouraged to audition.
No prepared audition materials will be necessary. Those auditioning will be asked to read a scene from one or more of the plays. The process does not take long and those wishing to audition may arrive any time between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. on February 24.
Rehearsals for the festival will take place on weeknights during the months of April and May at the Pocahontas County Opera House. While the rehearsal schedule is flexible, please bring any known conflicts for those months to the audition, as well as known April/May work schedules.
The Opera House PlayFest will be performed May 18-19, 2018. Again, auditions will take place February 24, from 4 to 7 p.m. at McClintic Library at 500 Eighth Street in Marlinton.
For more information or in case you cannot make this date, contact director Eric Fritzius at eric.fritzius@gmail.com or 304-647-1355.