BUCKHANNON, West Virginia – Wesleyan Department of Theatre & Dance announces auditions for our fall semester theater productions. Any member of the Wesleyan and Buckhannon community is welcome to audition. All shows for the fall semester audition Wednesday, August 23 at 6:30 p.m. in the Virginia Thomas Law Center for Performing Arts. Those interested should submit an electronic audition form found at https://forms.gle/NseNLgY8kM4kMzHY6 before Tuesday, August 22 at midnight. Be sure to list your potential conflicts and check the details below about the individual shows and their requirements. 

Actors are asked to prepare by memorizing a brief (30-60 second) comedic monologue with or without a hillbilly twang. “PIG” is heavily reliant on improvisation, so be prepared for improv exercises as well as cold readings from either script. If necessary, callbacks will be held on Thursday, Aug. 23 at 6:30 p.m.

If you have questions about auditions, please contact Thomas Schoffler, Chair of the Theater & Dance Department, at schoffler_t@wvwc.edu. 

“Proof, by David Auburn, and directed by Thomas Schoffler, chair of the WVWC Theatre Department, will run Thursday, Oct. 5 through Saturday, Oct. 7 in the Virginia Thomas Law Center for the Performing Arts.

Winner of the 2001 Tony and Drama Desk Awards for Best Play as well as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Proof is the story of an enigmatic young woman, Catherine, her manipulative sister, their brilliant father, and an unexpected suitor, all pieces of the puzzle in the search for the truth behind a mysterious mathematical proof. This poignant drama about love and reconciliation unfolds on the back porch of a house settled in a suburban university town, that is, like David Auburn’s writing, both simple and elegant.

This play contains adult language, physical intimacy and frank depictions of mental illness.

CHARACTERS:

Robert: 50s, father, genius, struggles with mental health

Catherine: 25, daughter, brilliant, sarcastic and haunted

Claire: 29, big sister, big city, organized and together 

Hal: 28, graduate student, self-proclaimed nerd, kind and goofy

Rehearsals run Sunday – Thursday nights 6:30 – 9:30 p.m,. beginning Sunday, Aug 27 until longer technical rehearsals begin Sunday Oct 1 through opening performance on October 5.

 

The Case of the Sleepwalking Pig,” written and directed by Greg Mach, professor, will be performed Friday, Nov. 3 at the Buckhannon Opera House, Saturday, Nov. 11 at the Randolph County Arts Center and Sunday, Nov. 12 at The Lodge in Alpena (two shows). 

Two mountain families feuding may sound familiar, and these wacky hillbilly families have definitely got it in for each other, so there’s sure to be murder-most-ridiculous before it’s all over! The play starts with a meeting to announce that Curly Boy, the 977 pound MacRoy family pig, has been kidnapped, and the MacRoy’s know it was one of the Flatfields that did it and they want the pig back before things get out of hand like back in the feuding days. The pastor tries to keep the peace as accusations and old  animosities fly, stirring up the feud again. Many hilarious insults are thrown back and forth, and the Pastor gets pretty loopy when his water is replaced with moonshine, and we’ll even shoot some guns off for excitement. The murder victim turns out to be the pig, so it’s barbecue pork for dinner at this dinner theatre show!

 CHARACTERS:

 Pastor Hiram- a very upright leader of the Cass/upscale Whittaker Heights community, who tries to keep peace between the two clans. Drinks lots of water because he talks and sweats so much.

 Mamaw Minnie Flatfield is the matriarch of the Flatfields and is old-fashioned in her ways, disgusted by the new-fangled world she has to live in.

Ruby Flatfield is Minnie’s daughter, a college-educated brainiac business woman with no fashion sense and a daunting vocabulary.

 Leland Flatfield is Minnie’s son, the security officer for Whittaker Heights and takes his job very seriously.

 Uncle Parrot, tied to both clans, tries to keep things hopping by playing music throughout.

 Vernon MacRoy is the gruff patriarch of the MacRoys and owner of a 977 lb. prize pig named Curly Boy.

 Little Bobby MacRoy is a local crime boss involved in lots of illegal activities, primarily drugs and moonshine.

 Eloise (eh- LOW- iss)  MacRoy is a flashy, flirty actress that made a couple of unmemorable B-movies in Hollywood before returning home to live off daddy’s money.

 Rehearsals start in September around “Proof” rehearsals, and then daily Sundays through Thursdays, 8-11 p.m., October 8-31, with an on-campus performance November 1, and dress rehearsals at each of the venues the evenings or afternoons before each performance. Additional performances may be added at each of the venues, depending on ticket sales.