Auditions for Curious Savage Coming Soon

Iowa City - Dreamwell's auditions for John Patrick's The Curious Savage are coming soon. Gerry Roe will direct. Performances will take place November 11-19 in Iowa City.

AUDITION WHEN and WHERE:
Friday, Sept. 23, 6 p.m. Iowa City Public Library, Room B
Saturday, Sept. 24, 1 p.m. Iowa City Public Library, Room C
Sunday, Sept. 25, 1 p.m. Iowa City Public Library, Room D

ABOUT THE SHOW:
The Curious Savage is about a recently widowed woman, Ethel Savage, whose step children don’t want her to use her inheritance for good works, so they commit her to an institution. Ethel becomes close to the unique individuals in the institution, who might just be more sane than her own step children. The Curious Savage is a comedy with a lovely message about the human spirit and choosing one’s identity.

HOW TO PREPARE
Sides will be provided. No preparation necessary. Copies of the play will be on reserve at the Iowa City Public Library.

AVAILABLE ROLES and DESCRIPTIONS:

The Guests of Cloisters:
Florence - polite, somewhat 'proper' patient. She believes her son John Thomas lives with her at The Cloisters.
Hannibal - friendly, but somewhat serious. Over weight. A statistician before becoming a guest at The Cloisters.
Fairy May - young, flighty but intelligent. Needy.
Jeffery - young, handsome but mired in self doubt and recrimination. Crippled by his own fears.
Mrs. Paddy - Older, somewhat brutish. Has chosen not to speak expect for occasional rants against anything and everything.
The Family:
Titus Savage - A US senator of dubious reputation. Serious, overbearing. Not overly intelligent.
Samuel Savage - a District Judge who has the distinction of having more decisions over turned than any other judge. Swallowed up by his brother's shadow.
Lilly Belle Savage - A bitter, humorless, controlling socialite with more husbands than Zsa Zsa Gabor.
Ethel Savage - The stepmother of the three Savage children. Trying to live a meaningful life. She is clever and has a clear vision of what she thinks is important in life. Possess a good sense of humor.

The Staff:
Miss Miss Wilhelmina - Kind, gentle and efficient, Miss Willie is responsible for most of the direct patient care. She is friendly, loving but no push over.
Dr. Emmett - The Doctor in charge of The Cloisters. He is solid, dependable, compassionate and pretty much the only stable person (except for Miss Willie) in the play.

NOTE FROM GERRY:
These character descriptions are accurate, but they are not set in stone. Ethel must be at least 10 years older than her stepchildren, but their ages are indicated only by their occupations. The doctor should be of mature years--he is, after all, entrusted with the care and maintenance of the guests of The Cloisters, some of whom are far less acclimated than the guests we meet. They are in the last stage before release, meaning they have made considerable progress toward a normal life. John Patrick says of them: "it is important...that the gentle inmates of The Cloisters be played with warmth and dignity. Their "Home" is not an "asylum" nor are these good people "lunatics." Any exaggeration of the roles will rob them of harm and humor. The whole point of the play is to contrast them with Mrs. Savage's children and the insane outside world. To depart from this point of view for the sake of easy laughs will rob the play of meaning. And both the performers and the playwright will have failed in their purpose."

Contact Gerry at 351-4952 with questions or to arrange an alternate time.