Description:

Cuckoo's Theater will be holding auditions for Big Love by Charles L. Mee, directed by Melissa Golden on Saturday, October 5 from 10am - 4pm and Monday, October 7th, 6:30 pm - 10:00 pm. Looking for all roles; strong actors with some basic experience in hand-to-hand stage combat (with the exception of Piero, Bella, and Guiliano) and who can communicate well through movement. The roles of the three sisters will be cast entirely with non-white women of any ethnicity. Please read the character descriptions and come in with a single character in mind. Prepare audition materials to compliment the character of your choice.

CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS:

Thyona: (early 30's) Betrothed to Constantine. Embodies feminist rage, female supremacy, and violent revolutionaries. The kind of a woman who is truly fearless in the face of death and the patriarchy. All of her anger, and the action she takes because of it, is fueled by the intense love and loyalty she feels towards her sisters. She has a history of sexual abuse and is desperate to save her sisters from the same fate.

Olympia: (late 20's) Betrothed to Oed. Embodies traditional femininity, submissive roles, and adherence to the status quo. The kind of woman who relies on the kindness of strangers. Her actions are fueled by her love for her sisters, but she has an intense desire to be free of them and to live a life entirely of her own choosing. She sees men as the avenue to this freedom but fears stepping out of line with her family.

Lydia: (early 30's) Betrothed to Nikos. Embodies the indecisiveness and the uncomfortable complexities of inter-sectional feminism. The kind of woman who can't help but play devil's advocate. Her actions are fueled by her need to understand the complexities of everything put before her; she is incredibly observant almost to a fault. She's more in love with the idea of love than the man she's betrothed to.

Constantine: (early 30's) Groom; the ultimate misogynist with a strong mind for militaristic strategy. He loves men and hates women, and must compensate for that by establishing his dominance over women. All of his actions are fueled by the love he feels for his brothers and, in his mind, he is trying to save them (and himself) by giving them the woman they feel entitled to.

Oed: (late 20's) Groom; a very laconic individual. He doesn't speak much and prefers to communicate via movement (an actor with a background in Dance is preferred). His actions are entirely fueled by the love and loyalty he feels towards his brothers. He doesn't care much about getting married, but wants Constantine and Nikos (in particular) to be happy.

Nikos: (early 30's) Groom; smaller than the average man with a gentle, inquisitive, and easily excitable demeanor. He is also someone who is more in love with the idea of love than the woman he's betrothed to. He is the favorite of both brothers, loves them deeply, and relies on them for physical, mental, and emotional support.

Piero/Leo: (40's) Owner of the Italian manor providing sanctuary to the brides. He embodies centrism and privilege all while keeping up with the appearance of being a "good man". / Leo is a guest at the wedding; comic relief.

Bella/Eleanor: (late 50's, early 60's) The embodiment of The Matriarch. She is Piero's mother and Giuliano's grandmother, but she is really everyone's mother/grandmother. A smart and fair-minded woman with a bias toward the conventional and traditional, but her mind is truly open. / Eleanor is a guest at the wedding; comic relief.

Giuliano: (early 20's) The grandchild of Bella and child of Piero's brother. They are kind and welcoming and embodies the hope and optimism of future generations, but they are also sometimes discouraged by the violence and hatred of the world they live in. They are non-binary and identifies as gender-queer with a romantic interest in men/masculinity.

Time Commitment:
Big Love show dates February 3rd - March 7th 2020 at the Den Theater in Chicago.

Material To Prepare:
Actors will need to bring a headshot and one monologue that they feel very strongly about/comfortable with, and that features their strengths. This can be dramatic or comedic but it must also be versatile and preferably something that can be read in more than one way. The director may ask for the same monologue to be read more than once.