The Marion Art Center (the MAC) Theater announces open auditions for the June 2023 production of Belles, written by Mark Dunn and directed by Kate Sorensen-Young. Told in “two acts and 45 phone calls,” Belles visits six southern sisters, who, over the course of an autumn weekend, seek to bridge the physical and emotional distance between them via the telephone, and in the process come to terms with their shattered family history. The gold standard among Mr. Dunn’s many plays about southern women and offering very strong roles for an ensemble of six actresses, Belles continues to pack an emotional punch after all these years.
Auditions will be held in the MAC’s Anne Braitmayer Webb Theater on Saturday, April 1, 6:00-8:00 pm and Sunday, April 2, 1:00-3:00 pm. The MAC is located at 80 Pleasant Street in Marion. A total of eight performance dates are scheduled: June 9-11, 16-17, 23-25, 2023. Some dates may be subject to change. Evening shows begin at 7:30 pm, while Sunday matinees begin at 2:00 pm.
Auditions will be from the script, and actors should contact the director for a copy of the sides pertinent to the role you are seeking. Anyone interested who cannot make it to audition on these dates may also contact the director to request an alternative time. For contact information and to view the announcement online, visit marionartcenter.org/auditions. Ages and genders are flexible at the discretion of the director and depending on the final ensemble. All races, colors, sizes, genders, gender-identities and experience levels welcome. Only fully vaccinated actors will be considered for roles.
The cast of characters includes six sisters over varying ages as they explore themes of gender, sexuality, family, trauma, intimacy and what it means to be a woman. Available roles include: Peggy Reece (the eldest; Memphis, TN); Aneece Walker (second eldest sister; Philadelphia, PA); Audrey Hart (middle daughter, amateur ventriloquist; Collierstown, MS); Dust Walker (middle child, non-binary or trans; Elk Run, WA); Roseanne Johnson (2nd youngest, preacher’s wife; Atlanta, GA); Paige Walker (the baby; Austin, TX.)