HOME

What's Playing?

Tickets

Classes

Auditions

Volunteer

Sponsorships

Yesterfest©

YOUTHeatre©

About Bastrop
Opera House©

Building Rental

Booking Shows

Driving Directions

Links

^{Bastrop Opera House©}

Auditions

Auditions for The Christmas Carol Rag directed by Chester Eitze
&
Auditions for Lady Pirates of Captain Bree directed by Engela Edwards

---

• Needed 6 females, 3 males (9-15 actors possible: 6-11 females, 3-5 males)
• Rehearsals to be scheduled
• Performances:  Fridays and Saturdays, Dec. 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18 at 7:30 p.m.

• FRED, 20s, Scrooge's nephew, a struggling actor.
• AGNES, 20s, a Jewish immigrant in Scrooge's sweatshop.
• RUTHIE, 20s, an immigrant worker in Scrooge's sweatshop
• ANNE CRATCHIT, 28, a hard-working and practical woman.
• MRS. EVELYN SCROOGE, 50s, a hardened businesswoman.
• SYLVIA, 20s, Fred's beloved, a struggling actress.
• JANET MARLEY, 60s, Scrooge's deceased business partner.
• CHRISTMAS PAST, ageless, a Yiddish-spouting spirit.  (Can double with Agnes.)
• MR. FEZZIWIG, 50s, a jubilant mento to young Miss Scrooge.  (Can double with Fred)
• TIM FEZZIWIG, 20s,Fissiwig's son, in love with Miss Scrooge. (Can double with Fred)
• MISS SCROOGE, 20s, Young Scrooge, still innocent. (Can double with Anne Cratchit.)
• CHRISTMAS PRESENT, Ageless, a Gospel-singing, joyous spirit.  (Can double with Ruthie.)
• GLADYS, 60s, a former grande dame of the theatre.  (Can double with Janet Marley.)
• BOBBY, 50s, a struggling actor. (Can double with Fezziwig.)
• EDIE, 20s, a struggling playwright. (Can double with Agness and Christmas Past.)
• WORKERS
• MERCHANTS
• CAROLERS

Director Chester Eitze, has been the Executive Director of the Bastrop Opera House since 1984.  He began his theatrical career in his hometown of Austin enrolled in Mrs. Mobley’s speech class at age five. Later, aiming at a Bachelor’s in Drama Education-Secondary Level, Chester enjoyed numerous roles in stage plays and dance dramas. He joined Ashland’s Oregon Shakespearean Festival as assistant choreographer/dancer/actor, where he soared into arts management.  Returning to U.T., Chester sought a Master’s Degree in Directing. He was offered the Special Activities Coordinator with Austin Parks and Recreation which allowed him to build arts curricula with playground leaders, recreation center managers, and direct the Zilker Park Outdoor Musical. He was then offered the artistic directorship of Austin Civic Theater. He melded ACT with the recreation program, eventually getting parks land for the new ACT building which was christened Zachary Scott Theater, a facility he designed. Chester then turned toward the stars and left for New York City. Offered the Phantom in Phantom of the Opera, an original play pre-dating the musical, Chester was awed to be performing in the Greenwich Village Provincetown Playhouse where Eugene O’Neill had worked. Flying back home to Texas with regional theatre in Houston or Dallas in mind, Chester took time to gear-down after a lengthy stay in Manhattan. After a few months he was challenged by three Longhorn grads to do summer stock in 1984 at the preserved Opera House in Bastrop. He found a neat frontier playhouse that flirted with him during those four months of preparing the facility, the program and the personnel for melodrama and vaudeville. Chester became artistic director of Bastrop Opera House and began building a theatre program as a tourism destination. Preserving the landmark structure, developing youth, adult, and senior performance art programs, joining TNT and AACT as well as the Austin Circle of Theatres, and captaining the Bastrop Opera House as an historic downtown business has made the theatre successful. Chester has just under a hundred directing credits, thirty-six dance programs and years of creative dramatics and children’s theater production.

The rehearsal schedule was designed for busy adults. Performers must be able to attend once-a-week rehearsals during September, October, and November, plus work day, tech and dress rehearsals and performances during January.  See schedule below.  If there are any conflicts you must note it at the auditions.  Performers provide talent, energy, positive attitude, and costume. 

This production is intended for people who have the dedication to memorize (on their own) lines, songs, lyrics, and choreography outside of the group rehearsal time.
This is for an adult cast, but those 14 and older may audition. 
You may listen the music at http://www.pioneerdrama.com/SearchDetail.asp?pc=LADYPIRATE&id=50 Click on song titles on the right.

• AUDITIONS: August 24 at exactly 6:30 p.m. Bring a prepared short excerpt from a song to sing.  You will also read from the script, and repeat a dance combination that will be taught.  Needed 10 men 11 women 1 that can either. 
• Weekly rehearsals September 7 to November 23, 6:30 to 9 p.m.
• Program and publicity photos:  October 19 at 6:30 p.m.  Wear your costume and makeup to rehearsal.
• Work day: Sunday, January 2, from 2 p.m. until done.
• Tech rehearsal:  January 4, 6:30 p.m.
• Dress rehearsals:  January 10-13, dressing rooms open at 5:30 p.m. rehearsals start promptly at 6 p.m. and last until we're done.
• Public Performances:  January 14, 15, 21, 22, 23; Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Bastrop Opera House, (Actor's call 1 hour before show time)
• Private Performance:  January 20 at 6:30 p.m. (Actor's call 1 hour before show time)
• Additional public performance opportunities:
• Sunday, October 31, participate in costume from 6-8 p.m. for the Bastrop Halloween event.
• Participate in the Bastrop Christmas Parade, Sat. Dec. 11.  (in costume)
• Austin Trail of Lights: Date TBA

Director Engela Edwards has a BFA in Theater.  Since 1999, Engela has produced 71 production (including 29 world premières) with her company EASY Theatre which has performed in 42 venues. Engela has been directing and performing in Bastrop since 2001.  Since that time she's produced and co-produced 40 productions at the Bastrop Opera House, including 16 world premieres; some of which she wrote or co-wrote, plus she was in and worked on many other shows during that time.   She has directed or co-directed 66 plays and musicals. 
Engela Edwards theatre resumes: Acting  / Technical / Directing / Other

Cast of Characters: 

• Old Pirate:  Weather-beaten (singer with no lines)

• CAPTAIN BREE:  Captain of the lady pirates; hard on the outside, yet soft on the inside
• JANE:  Second in command and close to Captain Bree
• MOLLY:  New recruit; still doesn’t think like a pirate and wants everyone to get along
• JOSEPHINE:  Can never remember the rules of pirating
• GABRIELLA:  Only one who can understand the cook; very talkative
• SHAWNA:  Man crazy, especially for Samuel
• PATTY:  From Ireland; helps to save fellow countryman Ferguss
• MAGGIE:  Mean and tough
• GEORGIA:  Feels men are nothing but trouble

• MADAM PRESCOT:  Wife of a British ambassador; snooty upper-crust
• SAMUEL PRESCOT:  Nephew of Madam Prescot; will have to wear a dress at one point
• JULIA PRESCOT:  Niece of Madam Prescot and sister to Samuel; long for adventure
• CAPTAIN JENNINGS:  Captain of the ship transporting the Prescots
• FERGUS:  Irish sailor who can’t swim
• PROFESSOR BIDWELL:  Pompous old man and a famous writer
• THOMAS:  Cabin boy
• COOK:  Speaks with a Swedish accent heavier than his meatballs
• JOHN:  A prisoner, more brawn than brains
• JACK:  Another prisoner
• GEORGE:  Another prisoner

• ADMIRAL MOORE:  Admiral of the British fleet
• OFFICERS ONE-FOUR:  Under Admiral Moore’s command

Along with Captain Bree' hearty crew of mean and nasty mates (and a couple of new recruits in training who keep forgetting to be rough and tough), you'll find the haughty Professor Bidwell and the pretentious Madam Prescot constantly battling for special treatment and respect (ha!)  from the pirates, Samuel Prescot masquerading as a girl to avoid becoming shark bait, and Julia Prescot bursting with desire to join the lady pirates — much to her aunt's dismay!  After the pirates send Thomas, the cabin boy, out to sea with a ransom note demanding gold from the British in exchange for the Prescots' lives, they amuse themselves by auctioning off the male prisoners to do their dirty work and showing Julia the ropes of pirating.  But what is in store when Thomas returns with a British fleet, set on hanging the pirates for their deeds?  Madam Prescot and Bidwell are equally set on seeing Captain Jennings hang for his defenseless approach to the lady pirates.  Both cast and audience will love the swashbuckling ending as the two captains work together to save their crews from the British.

Bill Francoeur's zesty music adds the perfect touch of authenticity to this spirited pirate play.