Sunday, February 5, 2017

Labor Heritage Foundation (LHF)


Love Songs from the Liberation Wars: The 1940s Tobacco Workers Struggle - Casting Call

The Labor Heritage Foundation (LHF), under the direction of Elise Bryant, will sponsor a fully staged production of the new "jazz opera" Love Songs, a show about an early victory against Jim Crow in the 1940's. The songs are a mix of jazz, blues, and folk styles. Experience in blues and jazz will be extremely helpful, as is the ability to sing harmonies.

The production will be performed on March 30 and 31, 2017 with two shows on April 1, 2017 (with an option to travel to North Carolina the following weekend). Performances will be held at the Tommy Douglas Conference Center Auditorium in Silver Spring, MD.

LHF is a non-profit cultural arts organization that works to strengthen the labor movement through the use of music and arts. There will be an Actors Equity special appearances agreement and contract. You do not need to be an Actors Equity member to be in the show.

Roles:

· Five (5) women of African American descent: Theodosia, Moranda, Ruby and Joanne (ages 20 to 45).

· One (1) young woman of African American descent: Geneva (age10-15).

· Five (5) men of African American descent: Paul Robeson (age 20-60); Buck Simpson (age 20 to 45): Isaac Smith (age 35 to 45) and James McCardell (age 20 to 45). Sailor Two - (age 20 to 40)

· Eight (8) men of European American descent: Jim Crow (age 30 to 65); RJ Reynolds (age 30 to 65); Foreman Strader (age 30 to 65); Karl Korstad (age 25 to 45); Slim Sheppard (age 25 to 45); Woody Guthrie (age 25 to 45); Pete Seeger (age 25 to 45); Sailor One (age 20 to 40).

· Three (3) women of European American descent: Frances Korstad (age 20 to 45); Emma Goldman (age 25 to 45); Company Nurse (age 20 to 45).

Performers of all ethnic and racial background are encouraged to attend.

AUDITIONS

Place: Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church, 9601 Cedar Lane, Bethesda, MD http://www.cedarlane.org/welcome-home/directions.html

Dates:
Sunday, February 5 from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the Cedar Lane Chapel (CLC)
Wednesday, February 8 from 7:15 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. (CLC)
Thursday, February 9 form 6 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Appointments: Call Steve Jones, Music Director and Composer, 301 807-5348, or Elise Bryant, Director at 202-637-3963 to schedule an audition. Please bring 2 songs of contrasting types to share.

Callbacks on Friday, February 10, 2017 from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the Cedar Lane.