AUDITION NOTICE

Hat Box 

A new play by Lola Binks

Hat Box is a dark comedy about polygamist wives trapped in their lives (and a parlor) by their husband and fundamentalist frontier prophet. Their isolated religious community is being connected via the railroad to the United States they left behind years ago, and their husband is opening an embassy to greet the new visitors. He needs a hostess, and it will go to the wife he is the most proud of. It's the first chance these women will have to secure their role as favored wife and escape the limbo of their gilded cage. There can be only one. God help them.

AUDITIONS
Monday, Jan 8th
Tuesday, Jan 9th

7:00PM - 9:00PM

CALLBACKS
By appointment only on Wednesday, Jan 10th

No monologue needed, sides will be provided.

The Garage Theatre
251 E 7th St
Long Beach, CA 90813

PERFORMANCE DATES
March 15th - April 20th
Thursday, Friday, & Saturday @ 8PM
No performances March 28th - 30th

CHARACTERS

ESTHER
Pretty and resentful. A doll-like woman clinging to her youth. Esther is on the verge of being old news, trapped in a middle-child role, not strong enough politically to run the house but too "old" to tantrum like Melvina. She retreats into her lavish outfits and smutty novels, sweet and bitter at the same time. Plays the other wives against each other just to feel alive.

MELVINA
A pert and perky disaster. Wears exactly the right sort of clothing a young bride ought with no understanding of what it means. The human embodiment of an enraged pomeranian trapped in a car. 

DOROTHEA
Childless and not allowed downstairs. A washed-out woman with secrets who hasn’t yet found her voice.

MILLIE
A girl child, living upstairs in the house. Young and extremely neglected.

BOY CHILD
Any age, slightly less neglected. Trying to emulate his father as much as possible.

HENRY
A neglected boy child with a job who loves his mothers unconditionally.

IRIS
Esther’s sister, bitter and married to a pig farmer.

MARCO
A handsome soldier with a heart of gold.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Violence in Hat Box

Girl Child shoves a candy wrapper into Boy Child's mouth when he attempts to flirt.

A stylized/slow-motion dance sequence at the end of act 1 where the wives "throw" a javelin through Husband who "dies" offstage. It's stylized and abstract but may feature confetti blood "spray" for laughs.

Intimacy in Hat Box

Flirting and physical touch/attempted snuggles from Husband towards Melvina in both acts.

Esther and Dorothea trade kisses on the cheek near the end of act 2.

QUESTIONS

contact@thegaragetheatre.org