Hutchinson, Kan. – September 13, 2015, the Hutchinson Theatre Guild will be holding auditions for its annual fundraiser, Talking Tombstones. Auditions will be held at Stage 9 (9 S. Main) from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in downtown Hutchinson. There are roles available for four men and three women.
Actors, volunteering their time and talents, portray local residents of Hutchinson who have passed away and are buried in Hutchinson’s Eastside Cemetery. This year’s featured residents include Leander Bigger, former Hutchinson mayor, Laura Alton Payne, local poet and police woman, Martin and Emma Hoagland, Captain Alfred Emmett Noonan, former Reno County Treasurer, Olive Miller Ramsey, early Hutchinson resident and W.H.S. Benedict, one of the men responsible for bringing the Kansas State Fair to Hutchinson.
All roles will be cast from auditions held on Sunday, September 13, 2015 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. All auditions are open to the public and will be held at Stage 9, located at 9 S. Main in Hutchinson, Kan.
Those auditioning for Talking Tombstones will need to fill out an information form and perform a cold reading from the script. Actors are asked to bring a copy of their schedule indicating conflicts which might interfere with rehearsals. Rehearsals for Talking Tombstones generally require actors to meet a couple of times with the director privately. Attendance is required on October 23rd, 2015 at 5:30 pm for the dress rehearsal. Rehearsal schedules will be built around availability.
Talking Tombstones will be held on Saturday, October 24, 2015. Eastside Cemetery, located across from the Hutchinson Correctional Facility on Severance Street, will be serving as the location for the fundraiser. There are two performances. At 5:30 p.m., a performance takes place in the mausoleum. The walking tour, by far the most popular performance, happens at 7:30 p.m. Patrons who have difficulty walking are encouraged to attend the performance in the mausoleum.
Talking Tombstones is a partnership with several local organizations. The characters in the fundraiser are researched by the Reno County Genealogical Society throughout the year. Hutchinson Theatre Guild Board of Director member Deidre Mattox, who is in charge of the event this year, takes the information researched to write scripts, audition actors and prepare their performances. The Hutchinson Municipal Band will be assisting by donating the use of their chairs for the 5:30 pm performance in Eastside’s mausoleum. Finally, RSVP and HCC Theatre graciously provide volunteers who assist in leading people on the 7:30 pm tour of the cemetery.
To find out additional information about auditions, please contact the Hutchinson Theatre Guild by email at [email protected] or by phone at 316-350-PLAY (7529).
For more information about Talking Tombstones or to schedule interviews with the director, contact Charles Johnston at 646-628-4353 or [email protected].
