Roles for ages 18+

December 4 & 7

Auditions

Interested in Crew? SIGN UP HERE

Thank you for your interest in auditioning for a GREAT show! If you’ve auditioned for us before, welcome back! If this is your first time auditioning at GREAT, we’re thrilled to have you! We are in our 27th season and are excited to add new people, new talent, and new voices to our company as well as welcome returning volunteers to our stages! Whether you’re a seasoned performer or you’ve never been on stage before, we encourage you to audition!

BE PART OF THE STORY 

Steel Magnolias provides an opportunity for female-presenting actors who are interested in character and dialect work. The six women onstage are funny, complicated, and nuanced — they’re real people who go through a wide range of emotions in this two-hour show, supporting each other through the challenges of life. So if you’re interested in deep character work (discussion and exploration!) and learning alongside other complex women, this may be the show for you. 

The production will be double-cast, which also provides a unique learning opportunity as multiple actors are able to realize these roles uniquely yet collaboratively.

Synopsis:
Set in a tight-knit community in a small Louisiana town, Truvy’s salon is the go-to place for a beauty fix with a hearty side of gossip. Through witty banter and wisecracks, a hodgepodge group of women navigate the joys and hardships of life. From weddings and births to illness and loss, they find solace and strength in their friendships. Striking a balance between humor and heartache, Steel Magnolias portrays the enduring strength and beauty that can be found in authentic relationships.

KEY DATES

Information Session: November 17th from 7-8pm (via Zoom) SIGN UP HERE

Auditions:
Located at our Helgeson Learning Lab– 710 Sundial Drive, Waite Park
Wednesday, December 4th (7-9pm) and Saturday, December 7th (11am-2pm)

Callbacks: Wednesday, December 11th (6pm – 9pm)

Cast Meeting: Wednesday, December 13th (6pm – 9pm)

Rehearsals: Rehearsal days vary for this production, falling on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays between 6-9pm and some Saturdays from 10-4pm. Please see the schedule dates provided for specific rehearsal times, and provide your availability understanding not everyone will be called to every rehearsal. After casting, we solidify the rehearsal schedule based upon actor availability.

Tech/Dress Rehearsals: February 24th-27th (5-10pm)

Performances: 

  • Friday, February 28th from 6:00p-10:00p (7:30p Performance)
  • Saturday, March 1st from 12:30p-4:30p (Hold) (2:00p Performance)
  • Saturday, March 1st from 6:00p-10:00p (7:30p Performance)
  • Sunday, March 2nd from 12:30p-4:30p (2:00p Performance)
  • Friday, March 7th from 6:00p-10:00p (7:30p ASL Performance)
  • Saturday, March 8th from 12:30p-4:30p (Hold) (2:00p Performance)
  • Saturday, March 8th  from 6:00p-10:00p (7:30p Performance)
  • Sunday, March 9th from 12:30p-4:30p (2:00p Performance)
  • Friday, March 14th from 6:00p-10:00p (7:30p Performance)
  • Saturday, March 15th  from 12:30p-4:30p (Hold) (2:00p Performance)
  • Saturday, March 15th  from 6:00p-10:00p (7:30p Performance)
  • Sunday, March 16th from 12:30p-4:30p (2:00p Performance)

 

WHAT TO PREPARE

Please choose two monologues from the provided options that reflect the role(s) for which you wish to be considered. CLICK HERE for the monologues and tips!

A Note On Theatrical Intimacy:
Theatrical intimacy is any action on stage where the given circumstances of the scene or the overall production calls for touch, both physical and imaginative, or moments between actors of simulated sexuality or sexual violence.

GREAT has been learning from Intimacy Directors & Coordinators (IDC) to improve processes and incorporate safer practices for theatrical intimacy in our rehearsals.

All scenes with intimacy follow a specific set of staging and rehearsal protocols rooted in consent and safety for the actors.

A Note on Dialect:
The women of Steel Magnolias live in the fictional town of Chinquapin Parish which is based on the town of Natchitoches, Louisiana. For dialect purposes we will be working on this accent specifically (the movie is not a great reference point). Below are some resources if you are interested in listening to the accent we will be working on during the rehearsal process.  

Using a dialect for auditions is not required/expected. 

 Resources: 

A Note on Casting:
GREAT intends to double-cast this production, meaning there will be two complete casts of six actors in each. The performances will be split between the casts with one cast performing four shows and the other performing five shows (unless additional performances are added). 

Character List & Descriptions

Author’s Note: The women in this play are witty, intelligent, and above all, real characters. They in no way, shape, or form are meant to be portrayed as cartoons or caricatures. 

Truvy Jones – 40ish. Southern Belle, big personality, huge heart. Owner of a small town in-home beauty salon; she knows everyone’s business and is full of advice. Loves doing hair and nails and making others look fabulous. 

Annelle Dupuy-Desoto – 19ish. Shy, private, creative, and quirky, she is new to town and seeks out a job as a hair stylist at Truvy’s salon. Annelle is kind and gracious towards the woman she meets in the beauty salon. 

Clairee Belcher – 66ish. Widow of the former mayor of Chinquapin. She is wealthy and, like Truvy, knows everyone’s business. She is the sarcastic member of the group who loves to laugh and poke fun. Lifelong close friend of Ouiser. 

Shelby Eatenton-Latcherie – 25ish. Excited bride-to-be and the daughter of M’Lynn. Kind, hopeful, a dreamer, loved by all. She is obsessed with the color pink. She has Type 1 Diabetes and refuses to be seen as fragile. 

M’lynn Eatenton – 50ish. Mother of Shelby. Loving, over-protective, and feels the need to be in control of everything in her world. She is especially concerned for her daughter’s health and meddles from a place of love. 

Ouiser (pronounced “Weezer”) Boudreaux – 66ish. Wealthy curmudgeon. Acerbic but loveable. Unique personality and sense of humor. Lifelong friend to Clairee; the two of them act like bickering siblings.

PRODUCTION TEAM
Director: Kendra Norton Dando
Scenic & Lighting Designer: Alice Endo
Costume Designer: Jessica Mancini
Sound Designer: Steven Sanders
Properties Manager: Bonnie Bologna