Keely and Du, A Play by Jane Martin
SUMMARY:
Trigger Warning: Abortion, marital rape, violence.
Keely is seeking an abortion. Her violent ex-husband raped her and she wants nothing to do with him or this pregnancy. But on her way to the clinic, she is knocked unconscious and abducted. She wakes up in a basement, hundreds of miles from where she was, chained to a bed, sitting across from an older woman named Du, who has been assigned to watch over and care for Keely, while Keely is being held captive and forced to carry her pregnancy to term. Along with Walter, the religiously-motivated organizer who coordinated Keely’s abduction, Du does her best to convert Keely to a pro-life stance. On the surface, the arguments for and against Keely’s abortion seem predictable, with clear villains and heroes. But as the taut narrative unfolds, the characters and audience are faced with a reality that is far more complex and complicated than pro/anti labels could ever describe.
SCRIPT: A reading copy of the script can be accessed by clicking this link.
CHARACTERS:
Keely - This role will be played by a student in the MFA in Television, Film and Theatre in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the MFA degree program.
Du - This role will be played by a student in the MFA in Television, Film and Theatre in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the MFA degree program.
Walter - Late middle-aged man. A member of Operation Retrieval, a group of like-minded Christians motivated by a belief in the sanctity of life and the rights of unborn children.
Cole - Keely's abusive ex husband. Recently converted to Christianity in repentance for his rape of Keely.
Prison Guard
Orderlies
References to Salvador Dalí Make Me Hot, a play by José Rivera
SUMMARY:
Set in the desert of Barstow, California, where Gabriela, the wife of career soldier Benito, dives into a surreal fantasy world during her husband’s prolonged absences and imagines the mating rituals between a coyote and a cat.
CHARACTERS:
All students who audition will be considered without regard to physical ability, age, race, national/ethnic origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Everyone is welcome!
Moon: The moon in the sky, Gabriela’s friend. Omniscient, poetic, melancholy, world-weary, “inconstant” and in love with Gabriela.
Attributes: Moves well. Any of the following skills are optimum but not mandatory: stilt walker, aerial artist (silks, rope, ring, etc.), gymnast (tumbling, rings), dancer (any style), clown
Coyote: A wild one. Cagey, a trickster, a hunter, dangerous, lives by its wits, driven by their base animal instincts and appetites. Lusts after the Cat. Comes alive at night.
Attributes: Moves well. Any of the following skills would be optimum but are not mandatory: gymnast (tumbling, rings), dancer (any style), clown
Cat: Gabriela’s beloved pet. A well-fed domesticated indoor cat cherished and spoiled. Flirtatious. Does not show or give emotions away easily. Teases and manipulates the Coyote.
Attributes: Moves well. Any of the following skills would be optimum but are not mandatory: Aerial artist, (pole, ring, silks), gymnast (tumbling), dancer (any style), clown
Martín: A Latinx of fourteen, Gabriela’s neighbor. A Peeping Tom, they are infatuated with Gabriela. Raging pubescent hormones and obsessed with making love to Gabriela although they has no idea what that means. Talks of nothing else, obnoxious, clueless chatterbox.
Attributes: Able to portray a 14 – 16-year-old. Comedy skills a plus. Any of the following skills would be optimum but are not mandatory: able to do pratfalls, dance (any style), clown
Gabriela: This role will be played by a student in the MFA in Television, Film and Theatre in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the MFA degree program.
Benito: This role will be played by a student in the MFA in Television, Film and Theatre in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the MFA degree program.
Recommended Research to prepare for the audition:
“References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot” / Script https://theasp16.files.wordpress.com/2016/04/references-to-salvador-dali-make-me-hot.pdf
Gabriel Garcia Marquez (1927 -2014) Colombian novelist, journalist, short story writer. Nobel Prize Winner for Literature (1982). Seminal book 100 Years of Solitude. Creator of “Magical Realism”.
Salvador Dalí (1904-1989) Spanish surrealist painter. Look at his painting, Two Pieces Of Bread Expressing The Sentiment Of Love”. A friend and contemporary of Lorca. https://www.wikiart.org/en/salvador-dali/two-pieces-of-bread-expressing-the-sentiment-of-love
Federico Garcia Lorca (1898- 1936) Spanish playwright, poet. For this play, look at his iconic play “Bodas de Sangre” (“Blood Wedding”). A friend and contemporary of Dali. http://shiraz.fars.pnu.ac.ir/portal/file/?970429/Blood-Wedding-Original.pdf
Pedro Calderon de la Barca (1600-1681) Spanish playwright. This is one of the great plays of world literature. Calderon ponders dream vs reality and free will vs fate, “La Vida es Sueño” (“Life is a Dream”) https://www.gutenberg.org/files/2587/2587-h/2587-h.htm
Loop Group, or Shia LaBeouf's Version, a play by Bernardo Cubría
SUMMARY:
On a Los Angeles sound stage, seven Spanish-speaking actors assemble to “loop” or dub background vocals for a Hollywood film about a Mexican narco-trafficker. The day takes a very unexpected turn when the star of the film shows up with an unusual request!
CHARACTERS:
Xochitl Romero (20’s) – an actor by skill but not personality. She is hyper intelligent and just can’t ever play the game.
Eddie Chevez (20’s) – fancies himself a free thinker like his hero Joe Rogan.
Jenny Polonia (20’s) – loves to be loved. Funny and talented, but keeps hoping to be validated through fame.
Flora Gomez (20’s) – Afro-latina. She’s a true artist. And just trying to break down barriers.
Elena Cambell Martinez (50’s) – has been acting for years. Has given up on her initial dreams and takes things more day to day.
Carlos Lacamara (50’s) – doesn’t give a fuck anymore. Not married. Not looking to date. Kind of thinks this whole career is hilarious and can’t believe he doesn’t have a day job.
Sergio Bastani – (20’s) Miami Cuban. Thinks he’s what his mom tells him he is (special). Hates woke culture and is waiting to be discovered. The kind of guy who knows every actors name. Like all of them.
Barbara Harris (50’s) Black. A Casting director who thinks they matter in the grand scheme of things.
Fighting Back! Defending and Reclaiming our Rights
SUMMARY:
The rise in white nationalism and fascism across the US has fueled hate-filled backlashes at immigrants, women, the LGBTQIA+ community, and the indigenous, Black, Brown and Asia-American communities.
But we fight back! Drawing from personal experiences, news reports, manifestos and theories, we will use our voices as artists to create an original theatrical production that inspires us all to push back against hate and oppression and keep pushing forward for justice and equity.
The semester will culminate with a public showing of a draft of the project, which will have a full production in the Spring semester. Participation in this Fall project is not obligatory to participate in the Spring.
CASTING:
The project will be created by the students involved including characters and roles. This will be an ensemble-based project, working collectively, exploring and experimenting as the production emerges. Seeking actors and artists with curiosity, passion and courage.