Description:

Two sisters come of age listening to the simultaneously comforting and unsettling fairytales their grandmother tells them. Now adults, the sisters are living through Grandma's stories once again-this time in a very unexpected and real way.

When Maeve moves in with their grandmother, ostensibly to care for her ailing health, her younger sister Kat learns that Maeve has become entrenched in solving the mystery at the heart of the stories they always took for fantasy. As Grandma's health continues to deteriorate, Maeve becomes convinced that defeating the curse echoed throughout the fairytale will restore her Grandma's vitality. Venturing into the world hidden beneath the garden at the edges of their backyard, Kat will follow her sister down the rabbit hole to the depths of the darkest fairytale. There, they face the darkness encroaching and the darkness within.

Character Breakdown:
The Impostors Theatre Company desires to work with all kinds of artists. We encourage people of all backgrounds, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, ethnicities, disabilities, and religions to submit for consideration.

KAT (21-30, femme, race non-specific)
A reluctant peacemaker, Kat looks ahead instead of backward. She resents being relegated to the role of "little sister" and still harbors unresolved anger over her older sister's childhood taunts. Nevertheless, her love for her family runs deep. She rises to the occasion when called upon in an unexpected trial, stamping down her anxieties and own disbelief to summon a fierce courage.

MAEVE (21-30, femme, race non-specific)
Enigmatic and mercurial, Maeve is a secret keeper. Beneath her tough and witty exterior is a fear and melancholia she hides from her loved ones. Her strong attachment to her grandmother compels her to go to great lengths to save her from the darkness that has her in its clutches, and her blind spots will uncover old wounds for both sisters.

GRANDMOTHER (40-60, femme, race non-specific)
At once a gifted storyteller and a maternal anchor in her granddaughters' lives, Grandmother is the catalyst for this story. When her steadfast presence is undercut by alarming behaviors, the question is raised of whether her episodes are caused by illness or something much more sinister. With a deep commitment to her cherished ones, at the heart of Grandmother's actions is the desire to protect.

MORRIGAN (30-40, femme, race non-specific)
A malevolent and cunning creature, the Morrigan rules the land of the Fae. Though she is undoubtedly the figurehead, she governs with cruelty and trickery. She sniffs out weaknesses and uses them to her advantage, making playthings of all her subjects.

THE WATCHER (21-30, femme, race non-specific)
Straddling two worlds at once, the Watcher guards the entrance to the Fae realms and keeps track of the comings and goings between both dimensions. Though unnerving but outwardly unthreatening, the Watcher bargains with travelers to grant them passage to the next world. By divulging their darkest truths, travelers arm the Watcher with information that can harm them should the creature prove untrustworthy.

THE FEY COURT/ENSEMBLE (3-5 performers, 21-35, gender non-specific, race non-specific)
Like their ruler, the Fae are cruel and cunning beings who enjoy reveling and hunting humans for sport. This troupe will also shape the play's world through movement, choreography, and fantastical styles of storytelling.

Audition & Callback Dates:
Auditions will be done by video submission. Please record a 2 minute contemporary monologue or passage from your favorite fairy-tale. In addition, fill out the attached audition form in its entirety.

All submissions are due by 10am (CST) on Saturday, December 16. All tapes submitted before December 16 will be accepted. Please submit your headshot, resume, and video submission to impostorstheatre@gmail.com with the subject "GARDEN GATE (YOUR NAME)." Additionally, please fill out the attached audition form below and send along as a PDF with your required material.

*Callback: Monday, December 18, 5:30PM-10:00PM (Callbacks will be split into groups. Details are provided on the attached audition form. Actor must be available for part of one of the callback time slots. Time slots will be 5:30PM-6:50PM; 7:10PM-8:30PM; 8:40PM-10:00PM)

*We will try our utmost to fit you in closest to the time slot you request. However, there is no guarantee.

Callbacks will be held at:
The Edge Theater, 5451 North Broadway, Chicago, IL 60640.

Written by Mallory Swisher
Directed by Stefan Rosee Pay: There is a $190 stipend