AUDITIONS for THE CAKE
A Comic Confection by Bekah Brunstetter
Directed by Scott Dunlap
ABOUT THE SHOW:
From the television writer of “American Gods” and “This is Us,” “The Cake” is a contemporary comic “confection” about a vivacious baker from North Carolina, Della. She makes cakes, but not judgment calls. Those she leaves to her husband, Tim. But when Jen, the girl she helped raise, comes back home to get married, and the fiancé is actually a fiancée, Macy, this bubbly baker’s life gets turned upside down. With the opportunity to be a contestant on “The Great American Bake-Off” hanging in the balance, she can’t really afford to refuse a cake for such a wedding, can she? In this touching and topical dramatic comedy, the fiercely conservative Della faces a crisis of conscience and, for the first time in her life, she is going to have to think for herself. Presented in the Circle Theatre. (Appropriate for mature audiences)
ABOUT CASTING:
The ages listed are a suggestion, that’s why they are labeled “stage age.” The actors should appear to be within that age range. There are always talented exceptions, however we will try to cast age appropriately. You must be 18 or older to audition for this show. The Theatre Centre is “color conscious” when casting, meaning all roles are available to anyone of any ethnicity, where it isn’t germane to the plot. It should be noted that all adult actors and volunteers must pass a background check before accepting a role.
ABOUT THE CHARACTERS:
4 ROLES TOTAL (3 Female and 1 Male)
DELLA, female, stage age: 40s to early 60s. Great sense of humor. Lively and fun. She will call you “honey” and “sugar” and not only mean it, but make you feel special when she says it. She is married, but never had children of her own. “Mother” to anyone who needs one. An incredible baker, who owns her own bakery in a small town in North Carolina. While conservative, her faith doesn’t make her cold or malicious, she simply likes to follow “the directions.” She is warm and witty and loves all the ingredients of her cakes and of her life, for now. Jenny’s (or Jen’s) revelation has started her thinking about her own marriage and her own happiness, but she doesn’t really have time for all of that right now, because she is going to be a contestant on national tv show, “The Great American Bake-Off!”
TIM, male, stage age: 40s to 60s. Funny guy. Dry humor. He is a plumber with a big gut and the poster boy for the working class. He is the kind of man that would pull over and help you fix a flat tire and have you laughing before you hit the road again. He loves his wife immensely, though their marriage has become less physically affectionate in the past few years. He’s happy, though, if he doesn’t think about it, or talk about it. Like his wife, his faith doesn’t make him uncaring. He can compartmentalize his feelings, and rationalize his beliefs, even though he has never met a gay person. Except for Robert, the realtor with the bow ties, but that was 15 years ago, and we don’t know that he was gay.
JEN, female, stage age: late 20s to early 30s. She is the bride to be. She is “full of manners and sweet tea.” An old family friend of Della, who helped raise her. She has planned and dreamed of the perfect wedding her whole life, even if she herself is a bit surprised to be marrying a woman. She is head over heels in love with Macy and wants nothing more than her favorite baker to make her wedding cake. She is kind, and quirky, and desperately wants Della’s approval, since her own mother (and Della’s best friend) has passed away.
MACY, black female, stage age: 30s. She is a highly intelligent writer from New York, Brooklyn specifically. She is much more “no nonsense” than Jen. She has a beautiful “tomboyish-ness” about her. She is all about self-control. No sugar, no butter, no fat, soy milk and no joy. She is a little more worldly and skeptical than Jen and distrusting of the South, where “everybody thinks the exact same thing.” She is also fiercely in love with Jen and trying to protect her from being hurt.
ABOUT AUDITIONS:
The auditions will be IN PERSON by appointment (please, do not sign up for same day auditions, if you decide to audition at the last minute, contact [email protected]) on Monday, FEBRUARY 27 or Tuesday, FEBRUARY 28, 7:30pm at the Chattanooga Theatre Centre (Circle Lobby Entrance). Auditions generally last between 60 to 90 minutes depending on the number of actors auditioning. Parking is free in the lot across from the theatre. You may obtain a parking pass when you arrive.
If you have problems with the form or questions about the audition, please contact Scott Dunlap by email at [email protected] or the Box Office at 423-267-8534 (M-F 10am – 2pm).
ABOUT CALLBACKS:
If necessary, are planned for Thursday, March 2 at 7:30pm. Callbacks are an opportunity for the director to see more from an actor. Not everyone will be called back, and it is possible you will be cast, even if you aren’t called back and some actors who are called back might not be cast.
HOW TO PREPARE:
24 hours prior all those who have signed up will receive any updated information you need for the audition. The only preparation necessary is that you have a list of ANY conflicts you might have with rehearsal. This is vital! We MUST know any days you will miss in ADVANCE of casting.
REHEARSALS:
Rehearsal for this show might begin as early as the Sunday, March 5 and our normal rehearsal schedule will be Sundays through Fridays 7:30pm to 10pm. All rehearsal schedules are made by the Director. These decisions are based on several factors such as cast and staff availability, space availability, progress made on scenes and blocking, etc.
A potential rehearsal schedule will be available at auditions, this isn’t definitive, because an actual rehearsal schedule is NOT made until we know your availability. We might rehearse on holidays. (This includes March 17: St. Patrick’s Day, April 7: Good Friday, April 9: Easter Sunday Evening, and we have a performance on May 5: Cinco de Mayo) This doesn’t mean you can’t have conflicts with those days, it just means that we will still rehearse, and you will be responsible for getting any information you might’ve missed.
ABOUT TECH REHEARSALS:
“Tech” involves actors and backstage crew, so it is vital that everyone participate. Attendance at ALL technical (tech) week rehearsals as well as ALL performances is mandatory. Be certain there are no conflicts with performances or tech week. Tech Week is the week in which the actors begin to work with the crew on all the technical aspects of the show: sound cues, lights, costumes, and sets. Tech will begin SUNDAY, APRIL 16 from 1:30 to 5:30pm (or 7 to 11pm, depending on cast availability) and resume MONDAY, APRIL 17 THROUGH THURSDAY, APRIL 20 from 6-11pm.
ABOUT PERFORMANCE DATES:
PUBLIC PERFORMANCES are APRIL 21 through MAY 7. (11 performances), Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays 2:30pm and Thursdays at 7pm (Actors are called one hour prior to showtime).
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