Description:

Human Needs Theatre Project's mission is to spotlight the commonality all humans share in striving to satisfy universal human needs. We aspire to illuminate these universal needs through the works of playwrights ranging in style, time period, or genre; as well as storylines varying in circumstance, culture, race, or religion. The Human Needs Technique (HNT), a new approach for actors, is based on Human Needs Psychology, giving the actor a systematic way to categorize motivation for human behavior. This powerful skill set serves as a conduit for discovering just how universal human experiences actually are.

Human Needs Theatre Project takes a deep dive into how a system of personal awareness can awaken theatrical characterization with SMALL MOUTH SOUNDS by Bess Wohl. Rehearsal will include some explorations in HNT, Laban, Chekov and various movement methodologies, culminating in 3-6 performances.

Synopsis:
In the overwhelming quiet of the woods, six lost souls embark on a silent retreat. As these strangers confront internal demons both profound and absurd, their vows of silence collide with the achingly human need to connect. SMALL MOUTH SOUNDS, a unique and compassionate new play, filled with awkward and insightful humor, asks how we address life's biggest questions when words fail us. (This 2016 Critics' Pick (The New York Times, New York Magazine, Time Out New York) was written by Drama Desk Award winner BESS WOHL (Pretty Filthy) The New York Times says, "It leaves you moved, refreshed and even enlightened." The Huffington Post calls it "a play unlike any other." And Variety calls it "flawless.")

BREAKDOWNS:

Actors with movement experience in Physical Theatre, Laban, Viewpoints, Chekhov, and/or Grotowski would be helpful. This is a play with minimal spoken words, physical expression is the dialogue.

The TEACHER. They are never seen on stage. Catalyst for show. Voice of power, God, guru. Leader of the group. Disembodied, Androgynous voice with a strange slightly accented way of talking.

ALICIA. 30s. Strawberry-blonde (sometimes more strawberry, sometimes more blonde) from Southern California. She was a child actor and beauty pageant star. Attention-seeker. Vain. These days, Alicia gets her performance fix by doing karaoke alone. She belts out "Someone Like You" with an intensity that would rival Adele's.

JOAN. 40s-50s. She wears a lot of clothes and jewelry from India. Sex-therapist. It's about pleasure, people. At six, her parents got divorced and her mother told her, "Daddy doesn't love us enough." She is a constant attendee of these kinds of retreats. Judy's partner.

JUDY. 40s-50s. She is a CEO. She likes control. Her soft spot is Joan.

NED. 30s-50s. He is outdoorsy. Embattled emotionally and psychologically. He has had a severe run of bad luck worse than the worst country western song.

RODNEY. 30s. He is handsome. Confident. Yoga aficionado. Thrives off of attention. Wears a lot of man-jewelry but he is pulling it off. *Note: Nudity (Non-Sexual) may be required. Note comfortability in submission. Also, the characters of ALICIA and RODNEY have an intimate and implied-sexual scene in this piece that will require some physical touch between the two actors playing those roles.

JAN. 30s-40s. He is a Finnish pastor. He is pale and sweet, with a wide-eyed, continually curious air about him, like a little sprite of a woodland creature. Suffering from the death of a child. He also greatly overestimated his familiarity with the English language.