Back Alley hosting auditions in LaFayette for ‘1984’
In arrangement with Dramatic Publishing, Back Alley Productions invites you to audition for George Orwell’s timely and relevant dystopia drama “1984.”
Auditions will be held at the Mars Theatre in LaFayette on Monday, Jan. 27, and Tuesday, Jan. 28, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. each day. Performances will be held weekends in late March, directed by Gavin Russell.
The theatre is located at 117 N. Chattanooga St. in LaFayette, Ga. More information can be found at https:// www.BAPshows.com.
The story takes place in an imagined future of an alternative history in the year 1984, when the world is oppressed by war, and an authoritarian and seemingly omniscient government controls everything.
Great Britain, known as Airstrip One, has become a province of a superstate called Oceania that is ruled by the Party who employ the Thought Police to persecute individuality and independent thinking. Big Brother, the leader of the Party, enjoys an intense cult of personality despite the fact that he may not even exist.
“’1984’ is a story that, while written in the mid20th century, has a warning for every generation,” Russell said. “It shows how easily a populace can hand everything over to a totalitarian party, one which thrives on mass surveillance, misinformation, and silencing any opposition.”
The protagonist, Winston Smith, is a diligent and skilful rank-and-file worker and Party member who secretly hates the Party and dreams of rebellion. He enters a forbidden relationship with a co-worker, Julia, that soon triggers far-reaching events throughout the world.
“Winston’s struggle explores themes of what it means to be free. What do you do when everyday life has been engineered?” Russell asks. “How do you survive when even your thoughts are closely monitored and every opposition is controlled and sponsored by one all powerful party? We’re excited to bring this powerful story to life.”
Characters: Winston Smith, Julia, O’Brien, Charrington, Martin, Syme, Parsons, Mrs. Parsons, Female Child.
Tips on nailing the audition
There’s a lot you can do to prep for an audition, but the keys are confidence and studying your character. Here’s a few tips on how you can stand out:
THINK ABOUT THE CHARACTER that you’re auditioning for: what is their background, their personality, their motivation and goals? Ask questions about who they are and how you can demonstrate these qualities in body language, inflection, and performance.
DRESS NICE, BUT COMFORTABLY: First impressions are important but make sure you aren’t restricted.
STUDY THE MATERIAL in a quiet place, and really take the time to understand the material.
STUDY THE EMOTIONAL RANGE of the scene, and be prepared to show diversity. Don’t oversimplify emotions. You can blend angry and happy, sad and optimistic. There’s a lot of choices to make. Speaking of which...
MAKE CLEAR CHOICES: Know what you want to do and do it. If you’re confused about what your character is doing it shows. The people who audition with a clear understanding of who they are and what they want tend to stand out.
BE CONFIDENT: We all get nervous before an audition, but Back Alley will do our best to make you comfortable during the audition process. Confidence is key to landing the role you want. We hope you’ll be excited, not anxious, and your passion for theatre will make you break away from the crowd.