Auditions

The New Jewish Theatre is pleased to announce auditions for THE BEE PLAY by Elizabeth Savage and directed by Sarah Whitney. This world premiere play will be performed in September of 2022. Our casting process will be auditions via taped video submission followed by in-person callbacks at a date to be determined.

Casting information:

• All positions are paid. Pay range is $500-$700 flat fee for the project.
• The New Jewish Theatre (NJT) is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages inquiries about these opportunities from a broad spectrum of candidates reflecting the diversity of our community we serve.  We welcome trans and genderqueer performers.
• We are seeking local non-equity actors.
• All actors and production personnel must have current COVID vaccinations and provide a copy of vaccination card.

General schedule information:

• First Rehearsal: August 15, 2022
• Opens: September 8, 2022
• Closes: September 28, 2022

Rehearsal schedule:

• Weeknights 6pm-10pm
• Weekends 10am-4pm with one day off per week.
• Please note: There will be a workshop in the Spring of 2022. Specific dates/times to be determined.

Performance schedule:

• Thursdays at 7:30pm
• Saturdays at 4pm and 8pm
• Sundays at 2pm

Show synopsis:

Carver Washington finds his only respite from caring for his little sister and housebound grandmother by escaping to his oasis on his apartment roof. Rooftop visits from Devora lead them to share their dreams, anxieties, and hopes. With the city far below, they wonder together what forgiveness might look like in the 21^st century.

Character Breakdowns:

• CARVER WASHINGTON – MALE AND MALE-IDENTIFYING, AGE 17-27, BLACK.
  Carver is a brilliant high school senior living in the Bronx and obsessed with the bees he keeps on his roof. He is a sensitive young man and a close observer of the world and has a strong command of scientific subjects and language. Carver’s age is 18.
• PARIS FRANCE WASHINGTON – FEMALE AND FEMALE-IDENTIFYING, AGE 7-12, BLACK.
  Paris is the charismatic little sister to Carver. She shines bright through her intelligence, optimism, and incredible talent. She is an amazing singer and dancer for her age (ballet, tap, and classic Broadway styles). Paris’ age is 7.
• MA’DEAR – FEMALE AND FEMALE-IDENTIFYING, AGE 40-65, BLACK.
  Ma’Dear is grandmother to Carver and Paris. She is a diabetic and primarily uses a wheelchair but can walk with the aid of a cane. She carries a weariness earned from a life of disappointment. She can be hard, and though she struggles to express it, loves her grandchildren fiercely.  Ma’Dear’s age is early 60s.
• DEVORA – FEMALE AND FEMALE-IDENTIFYING, AGE 18-27, JEWISH.
  Devora is an urban kibbutznik and friend to Carver. A Yale graduate originally from Scarsdale, she is now living in the Bronx. She’s idealistic, bordering on naïve, but super smart, well-meaning, and kind. Devora’s age is early 20s.

Taped video submission material required:

• For the roles of Carver, Ma’Dear, and Devora, please submit 2 contrasting monologues not to exceed 3 minutes.
• For the role of Paris, please submit a 1-minute monologue, poem, or story and a 1-minute dance video of any style.

Please email your headshot and resume to auditionsnjt@jccstl.org. Submissions should include a video link for viewing on either YouTube or Vimeo. Please note that the video should be listed as “Unlisted” rather than “Private” on YouTube and as “Anyone” or “People with a private link” on Vimeo. If your video link requires a password, please include it in your email. Please do not share via WeTransfer, Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud, or any other file-sharing platforms that require downloading to view.

No phone calls, please.

Deadline for audition submissions is February 25, 2022 at 11:59 pm.

The Bee Play Creative Team

• Eddie Coffield – Artistic Director
• Elizabeth Savage – Playwright
• Sarah Whitney – Director
• Megan Cahill – Stage Manager
• Dunsi Dai – Scenic Designer
• Jayson Lawshee – Lighting Designer
• Ellie Schwetye – Sound Designer
• TBD – Costume Designer
• TBD – Choreographer

Casting Authority: Eddie Coffield – Artistic Director, Sarah Whitney – Director, and Elizabeth Savage – Playwright.