W&M Featured Events

Location

Auditions: Thursday, November 3rd beginning at 6:30 pm  

• In-Person or Virtual Self-Tape 
• Self-Tapes should be submitted to [[amcathcart, Dir. Abbie Cathcart]] via unlisted YouTube link by 6:30pm for consideration 
• In-Person Sign-in registration for audition required, sign-in available from 6pm-6:30 pm. 
• Sign-in will close and auditions will begin at 6:30pm.

Callbacks: Friday, November 4th from 6:30 – 10 pm

Seeking: 

Actors for various roles. See breakdown below. 

W&M grad students and faculty are strongly encouraged to audition. 

Preparation: 

Please prepare a 1-minute memorized monologue in the style of Contemporary Realism

Location: 

Campus Center Little Theatre

Personnel: 

Director: [[amcathcart, Abbie Cathcart]]

Stage Manager: [[zdtownsley, Zach Norris]]

Critical Dates: 

• Fall Rehearsals begin the week of November 28th  
• Spring Rehearsals begin the week of January 25th 
• Tech Rehearsals will be February 17 – 19th  
• Dress Rehearsals will be February 20 – 22nd  
• Performances will be February 23 – 26th  

Please Contact Dir. Abbie Cathcart or SM Zach Norris for Any Questions or Additional Information

Synopsis: 

From The Pulitzer Prizes: Proof is the story of an enigmatic young woman, Catherine, her manipulative sister, their brilliant father, and an unexpected suitor. 

They are all pieces of the puzzle in the search for the truth behind a mysterious mathematical proof. 

In Proof, the young but guarded Catherine grieves over the loss of her father, a famous mathematician who had become a legend at the local university for solving complicated proofs, and for suffering from dementia. Just as Catherine begins to give in to her fear that she, too, might suffer from her father’s condition, Catherine’s older sister Claire returns home to help “settle” family affairs and Hal, one of the father’s old students, starts to poke around the house. What Hal discovers in an old speckle-bound notebook brings to light a buried family secret. 

It tests the sisters’ kinship as well as the romantic feelings growing between Catherine and Hal. 

This poignant drama about love and reconciliation unfolds on the back porch of a house settled in a suburban university town, that is, like David Auburn’s writing, both simple and elegant.

Character Breakdown: 

Catherine: Catherine feels deeply and is fiercely protective of her father, Robert. Her tough exterior and dry sense of humor are her first line of defense. At times she is afraid of her own potential, but the flame of brilliance burning within Catherine cannot be snuffed out. She put her own life on hold to be Robert's caretaker and struggles to get back on track. Strong, independent, logical, secretly kind. Mid-twenties. Some strong language required. Role requires two moments of kissing Hal.   

Robert: Brilliant former professor who’s afraid his best work is behind him. Robert struggles with mental health issues but doesn’t like being coddled. He’s brilliant, observant, whimsical, and at times volatile. He shares Catherine’s dry humor. He wants Catherine to carry on his legacy. Preference for an actor who can play older in age (grad student or faculty member at W&M). Some strong language required.  

Hal: Robert’s former PhD student, Hal is intelligent but worried he’s destined for mediocrity. A sweet, thoughtful, and good-humored guy who is drawn to Catherine. He puts Robert on a pedestal which distorts his perspective. Late-twenties. Some strong language required. Role requires two moments of kissing Catherine.   

Claire: Claire is practical, ambitious, outgoing, and stylish. She’s made a life for herself in New York City and has distanced herself from her childhood home. She’s taken care of Robert and Catherine from afar and struggles to let Catherine have independence. She cares for Catherine though she cannot relate to her. Early thirties. Some strong language required.  

A Note on Staged Intimacy:

There are two scripted instances of intimate physical contact in the play (kissing between Catherine and Hal), which will be led in rehearsals by a consultant trained in staging intimacy. Roles with scripted intimacy required are indicated in the character breakdown above. You will have the option to audition for roles requiring intimacy or not.

W&M Theatre Casting Policy: 

All productions are cast from auditions which are open to freshmen through seniors, majors and non-majors. Keeping in mind that our priority is to provide learning opportunities to undergraduates and particularly majors and minors, we may also consider graduate students, unclassified students, faculty and staff for participation in Theatre and Dance productions. Guest artists may occasionally be invited to take part when their presence furthers the goals of the production and provides an educational opportunity for the students involved.

Participation Policy: 

All William & Mary students are eligible for participation in William & Mary Theatre and Dance productions. In assigning roles and production positions, our intention is to find the person best able to handle the responsibility given the artistic and educational objectives of our program. We are committed to inclusive, diverse casting that challenges practices of type-casting while still honoring the action of the play or the artistic vision of its creator or director.

Commitment to Diversity: 

The William & Mary Department of Theatre, Speech and Dance aspires towards a broad spectrum of cultural and artistic diversity. We recognize that the contributions of a diverse community of students, faculty and staff are to the advantage of its holistic endeavors in both scholarship and performance practice. We are committed to an educational mission, a creative environment, and the making of productions that promote a lively engagement with, and between, differences of race, ethnicity, gender, faith, political and ideological perspectives, sexual orientation, social and economic status, (dis)ability and artistic disciplines. We welcome, examine and share diversity through collaboration and debate, and create a safe, inclusive and supportive environment for our students, faculty, staff, audiences and visitors. 

Contact

[[amcathcart, Dir. Abbie Cathcart]] and [[zdtownsley, Stage Manager Zach Norris]]