The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas moves into town this May 2013

ACT has announced the cast of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Y'all come see the show this May. Tickets are assigned seating and go on sale this week! Bandleader – Chris Desjardins MISS WULLA JEAN – Liz Wilczak MONA STANGLEY – Sue Hawes JEWEL – Linda Lee THE GIRLS AT MISS MONA'S – Linda Lou – Abbie Sawyer Dawn – Kay Levesque Ginger – Brenda Pothier Beatrice – Jennifer Armstrong Taddy Jo – Amy Danziger Ruby Rae – Wende Donahue Eloise – Aja Rea Durla – Lisa Jones ANGEL – Amy WB SHY – Casey Hatch Working Girl Ensemble Crystal – Amy McCarthy Estelle – Lauren McCarron Donna – Caitlyn Hawes Tammy - Melissa Belliard Maggie Mae- Emilee Clapp Daisy Mae- Julie Day MELVIN P. THORPE – Tim Johnson ASSISTANT (TV Show) – Samantha Ellis SHERIFF ED EARL DODD – Rick Snyder CJ SCRUGGS, INSURANCE MAN – Tim Sipsey DOATSEY MAE, WAITRESS – Cara Kennedy SENATOR WINGWOAH - Stan Swieck ANGELETTE IMOGENE CHARLENE - Wende Donahue ANGELETTES Amy WB Amy McCarthy Brenda Pothier Abbie Sawyer Jen Armstrong T.V. COLORMAN – Tom Aylward REPORTER #1 – Kelly Swieck REPORTER #2 – Melissa Belliard REPORTER #3 – Mimi Pare GOVERNOR – Tom Aylward GOVERNOR'S AIDE – Leanne Merrill ACT Theater Company www.actandover.com

ACT "goes" Full Monty, gears up for Parton show Whorehouse and then Les Mis

Andover Townsman, Andover, MA. February 6, 2013 ACT "goes" Full Monty, gears up for Parton show Auditions for 'Best Little Whorehouse' next week By Dustin Luca Staff Writer ---- — On the heels of a two-night performance of The Full Monty, ACT Andover will launch into auditions next week for its next adult-themed performance, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Meanwhile, the ACT youth theater group, ACTjr is a month away from its spring performance of Seussical, a musical with "characters from a lot of the books (children are) familiar with, Cat in the Hat, The Grinch, The Who from Whoville. They're all in the musical," said Mark Gracy, executive producer. The performance coincides with National Dr. Seuss Month. The Full Monty, performed by ACT Andover's adult cast on Jan. 25 and 26 at the Sullivan School in Lowell, tells the story of six unemployed Buffalo steelworkers who, low on both cash and prospects, decide to present a strip act at a local club. "The cast does a wonderful job showing how these characters grow and become self-confident and more aware of themselves," Gracy said. "It really centers around tough economic times and how these guys and their families and their friends are struggling, and what they do creatively to solve problems they're having." They're so creative, they eventually leave nothing to the imagination. In the final scene of the show, the cast performs "Let It Go" and the men go "full monty," removing all their clothing. But rest assured, ACT's performance was age-appropriate. Stage techniques are used with intense lighting to give the impression that the actors' presence on stage is blinding. "It's more the illusion of it, but they don't actually see (nudity)," Gracy said. In their next production, the adult cast will take on The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, based off the movie of the same name starring Dolly Parton and Burt Reynolds. In that musical, the audience follows the story of a brothel exposed by a televangelist who, ultimately, blows the lid on the entire operation, according to Gracy. Auditions for the musical will be held on Feb. 12 and 13 at ACT's headquarters at 250 Canal St., fourth floor, in Lawrence. The group casts for their adult shows based on the age of the characters, so it's expected that all cast members will be young adults or older, Gracy said. To end the year, ACT's adult cast will be the first group in New England to put on a production based on the recent Les Miserables movie, as ACT is the first group in the region to secure the rights to the musical following the release of the movie, according to Gracy. Auditions for Les Miserables will run over the summer, with performances to be held at the end of October, Gracy said. Once ACTjr's Seussical is in the books, the organization will then start building up for its ACTjr and ACTkids camps, which will both run from July 15 to Aug. 11. ACTjr will put on the musical RENT, with ACTkids performing Disney's The Little Mermaid. For more information or to take part in one of ACT's productions, visit actandover.com. For more information on next week's auditions, email cara.kennedy@actandover.com or theater@actandover.com. Article from http://www.andovertownsman.com/arts/x1746085571/ACT-goes-Full-Monty-gears-up-for-Parton-show

Auditions for The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas in Massachusetts ACT Theater Company

Join us for auditions for our spring musical, "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas." Lots of parts for adults and teens! Newcomers and veterans are welcome to audition! This production requires a large cast of men and women. Actors ages 14+ and all ethnic backgrounds are encouraged to audition.

Audition Dates:
Tuesday February 12, 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday February 13, 7:00 p.m.

What to expect: 
Please come prepared with sheet music, to sing 16-32 bars of a song (not from the show). Wear comfortable clothing, as there will be a general movement portion of the audition. You may be asked to do a cold reading from the script. 

Location: ACT Rehearsal Space (250 Canal Street, 4th Floor, Lawrence, MA) Email cara.kennedy@actandover.com for directions.

Rehearsals will be held on Tuesday, Thursdays and Sundays from 7:00-10:00. 

Production Staff:
Charles Gracy, Director
Beth Kennedy, Choreographer
Chris Desjarsins, Music Director

Show Dates: 
May 3rd, 4th and 5th

About the show: 
This happy go lucky view of small town vice and statewide political side-stepping recounts the good times and the demise of the Chicken Ranch, known since the 1850s as one of the better pleasure palaces in all of Texas. Governors, senators, mayors, and even victorious college football teams frequent Miss Mona's cozy bordello until that puritan nemesis Watchdog focuses his television cameras and his righteous indignation on the institution.

 

Characters: 

MISS MONA STANGLEY (F) Ex-working girl and proprietor of The Chicken Ranch. A business woman who plays house mother to the girls. Charming, attractive, well kept Madam, heart of gold. Endearing stage presence. Alto age 35 – 55

SHERIFF ED EARL DODD (M) The town’s Sheriff and long-time friend of MONA – a good ol’ boy who is blind to the power of the media. He tends to shoot off his mouth and gun before thinking. Towering actor. Sings. Baritone age 35 - 55

MELVIN P. THORPE (M) Publicity-seeking, self-styled-champion-of-moral-virtue, and
presenter of popular television programme “Watch Dog”, fanatical character man. Good Mover - Baritone age 30 - 55

JEWEL (F) Housekeeper and Miss Mona’s confidant. Sassy but respectful. An experienced, long-serving girl at The Chicken Ranch – Torch, blues style singer. Alto/Mezzo age 30 - 45

SHY (F) A naive, inexperienced girl, fresh off a farm, who arrives at
The Chicken Ranch looking for work. Some dancing. Mezzo age 18- 25

ANGEL (F) A somewhat experienced, street-wise working-girl, who
arrives at The Chicken Ranch looking for work. Mezzo age 25 - 35 

DOATSEY MAE (F) A seemingly introverted waitress at the local diner/cafe, with secret
dreams of being wild and outgoing – Sings Country and Western. Alto 25 - 35 

GOVERNOR (M) A Texas politician with a brilliant knack for managing to
sidestep all the important issues. Good mover, does a soft shoe - Sings. Tenor age 35 - 65 

NARRATOR/BANDLEADER (M) Opens the show and the occasional-narrator of the story. Country and Western voice. Good speaking voice. Ability to play Guitar a plus! Age 18 + 

THE GIRLS who work at The Chicken Ranch
LOU, DAWN, GINGER BEATRICE, TADDY JO, DURLA, RUBY RAE, ELOISE
All different characters. Singers/Dancers. Various ages 18 - 35

MAYOR RUFUS POINDEXTER (M) The local Mayor and used-car salesman. 35 – 65

C. J. SCRUGGS (M) President of local committee and insurance salesman. Age 35 - 65

EDSEL MACKEY (M) Editor of local newspaper. Age 25 - 55

SENATOR WINGWOAH (M) Local politician who takes the local football team, THE AGGIES, to The Chicken Ranch after a big win. Age 35 - 65

IMOGENE CHARLENE (F) Attractive cheerleader. Sings and Dances/ tapping. Age 18-25

Ensemble are also featured as
THE DOGETTES Melvin's singers
MELVIN P. THORPE SINGERS Gospel type singers
ANGELETTES Cheerleaders, some lines, dancing and some tapping required.
THE AGGIES High testosterone football team. "Singing, dancing with some solo dancing and tapping".

Other Roles:
COWBOYS; A FARMER; A SHY KID; MISS WILLA JEAN; A TRAVELLING SALESMAN; A SLICK DUDE; CHOIR; LEROY SLINEY; SOUNDMAN; STAGE MANAGER; TOWNSPEOPLE; TV ANNOUNCER; PHOTOGRAPHERS; REPORTERS; GOVERNOR’S AIDES.