IF INTERESTED, PLEASE CONTACT TOM FERRIS AT tjferris49@gmail.com ON OR BEFORE FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2015.
RIVERWALK THEATRE is once again looking for actors who are interested in playing the defendant and witnesses in mock trials for the MSU College of Law Trial Practice Institute. If you are interested in an unusual acting gig where you will be taking case materials, building a character consistent with those materials and playing that character in the highly improvisational environment of a civil court case, this gig is for you! There is a stipend for the work, the amount of which varies depending on the role and the number of trials in which you participate.
The current mock trial case arises out of a barroom fight between Bruno Summers and Ed Hard at the Garage Tavern, two patrons with a history both between them and with the law. (Bruno was a Neo-Nazi, Ed had numerous arrests and felony convictions). Both men had been drinking at the Garage Tavern and prior to their respective arrivals at the tavern. The altercation concluded with Ed Hard shooting Bruno Summers. Bruno Summers at first seemed to be recovering from the gunshot wound. However, he contracted pneumonia and died on September 7. Plaintiffs Hans and Gretchen Summers individually and as personal representatives of Bruno’s estate and guardians of the children and Deborah have filed a complaint for damages against Edward Hard, M. C. Davola, the owner of the Garage tavern, and the tavern as a corporate entity.
There are two Trial Practice I classes. Each class will be organized into two trials, for a total of 4 trials. In order to cast the mock trials, Riverwalk Theatre is seeking actors of various ages and genders to play these roles, who should be prepared to testify in all four trials, which occur over two days.
Actors would need to be available on ALL of the following dates:
· TBA – Actor meeting with TP Professor.
· Monday, Oct. 19 and Wednesday, Oct 21, 6-9pm -- Witness interviews
· Sat. Nov. 21 and Sun. Nov. 22, 8:30-3pm -- Trials
THE CHARACTERS and a brief explanation of their approximate ages and role in the trial are listed below. If you are interested in playing any of these characters or obtaining further information, please contact TOM FERRIS at tjferris49@gmail.com, by FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11. Please include a photo (If you have not participated previously), your acting age range, contact information (email, phone and home address) and any information you believe might be helpful to us, including the role(s) in which you are interested. Please note that the expert witnesses (Dr. Gage, Dr. Hann, Dr. Martinez, Dr. Monday) can be played by either male or female actors.
NOTE: Further actors will be needed for witnesses not yet determined.
SUMMERS V. HARD & DAVOLA
WITNESSES FOR PLAINTIFFS:
Deborah Summers (Bruno Summers’ widow, ex-girlfriend of Ed Hard) PLAINTIFF 21 years old. Deborah is the widow of Bruno Summers. She claims she saw Ed Hard confront Bruno and saw the shooting. Bruno and Ed were three feet apart at the time of the shooting. Since the shooting and Bruno’s death Deborah has suffered from sleeplessness, nervousness and inability to eat. (2 actors needed)
Dr. Pat Gage (Psychiatrist retained by plaintiffs), 40’s & up. She is a psychiatrist who has a private practice focusing on the treatment of children and adolescents. Plaintiffs’ have retained Dr. Gage as an expert to support Deborah Summers’ damage claim for emotional injuries; specifically, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) directly as the result of being present at the fatal shooting of her husband, Bruno Summers.
Dr. Bruce Hann (Economist retained by the Summers family), Mid-Late 30’s and up. Bruce Hann is an Associate Professor of Economics retained by the Summers family to assess the economic loss caused by the death of Bruno Summers. He has an opinion as to the economic loss due to the death of Bruno Summers.
WITNESSES FOR DEFENDANTS:
Edward Taylor Hard (Shot Bruno Summers, DEFENDANT), 27 years old. Hard claimed shot Bruno Summers “by accident” and fear of his life. Hard told his attorney, “[W]hen I saw Bruno Summers go for his knife, I reached for the gun in my jacket pocket, drew the gun and simultaneously cocked it. I was going to aim away from him to scare him, but it went off.” Hard thought Bruno was going to cut him with a knife. Ed Hard’s breathalyzer test at 11 p.m. on September 3rd indicated .16. Hard claimed he was not intoxicated.
M.C. Davola (Owner of the Garage tavern & DEFENDANT), Late 40’s and up. He is the owner of the Garage tavern Corporation He knew of a previous incident in the bar between Summers and Hard, but claims he did not give any special instructions to Mary Apple, the waitress or Tom Donaldson, the bartender, either before or after the incident. He is being sued for negligence in serving alcohol to both participants in the fight, despite their history and state of inebriation.
Dr. Ennis Martinez: (Psychologist retained by the defendants), Mid-Late 30’s and up Dr. Martinez is a psychologist who works full-time for the Ruston Police Department. Defendants have retained Dr. Martinez as an expert to evaluate Deborah Summers’ damage claim for emotional injuries. Dr. Martinez is prepared to testify that Deborah does not suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as the result of being present at the fatal shooting of her husband, Bruno Summers.
Dr. Thomas Monday (Economist retained by Davola and Hard), 40’s Dr. Monday is a professor of Economics at the University of Santa Laura. He has been retained by defendants Davola and Hard to assess the economic loss caused by the death of Bruno Summers. He has an opinion about the economic loss to the Summers family and it is less than that of Dr. Hann who is the economist for the Summers’ family.
IF INTERESTED, PLEASE CONTACT TOM FERRIS AT tjferris49@gmail.com ON OR BEFORE FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2015.
RIVERWALK THEATRE is once again looking for actors who are interested in playing the defendant and witnesses in mock trials for the MSU College of Law Trial Practice Institute. If you are interested in an unusual acting gig where you will be taking case materials, building a character consistent with those materials and playing that character in the highly improvisational environment of a civil court case, this gig is for you! There is a stipend for the work, the amount of which varies depending on the role and the number of trials in which you participate.
The current mock trial case arises out of a barroom fight between Bruno Summers and Ed Hard at the Garage Tavern, two patrons with a history both between them and with the law. (Bruno was a Neo-Nazi, Ed had numerous arrests and felony convictions). Both men had been drinking at the Garage Tavern and prior to their respective arrivals at the tavern. The altercation concluded with Ed Hard shooting Bruno Summers. Bruno Summers at first seemed to be recovering from the gunshot wound. However, he contracted pneumonia and died on September 7. Plaintiffs Hans and Gretchen Summers individually and as personal representatives of Bruno’s estate and guardians of the children and Deborah have filed a complaint for damages against Edward Hard, M. C. Davola, the owner of the Garage tavern, and the tavern as a corporate entity.
There are two Trial Practice I classes. Each class will be organized into two trials, for a total of 4 trials. In order to cast the mock trials, Riverwalk Theatre is seeking actors of various ages and genders to play these roles, who should be prepared to testify in all four trials, which occur over two days.
Actors would need to be available on ALL of the following dates:
· TBA – Actor meeting with TP Professor.
· Monday, Oct. 19 and Wednesday, Oct 21, 6-9pm -- Witness interviews
· Sat. Nov. 21 and Sun. Nov. 22, 8:30-3pm -- Trials
THE CHARACTERS and a brief explanation of their approximate ages and role in the trial are listed below. If you are interested in playing any of these characters or obtaining further information, please contact TOM FERRIS at tjferris49@gmail.com, by FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11. Please include a photo (If you have not participated previously), your acting age range, contact information (email, phone and home address) and any information you believe might be helpful to us, including the role(s) in which you are interested. Please note that the expert witnesses (Dr. Gage, Dr. Hann, Dr. Martinez, Dr. Monday) can be played by either male or female actors.
NOTE: Further actors will be needed for witnesses not yet determined.
SUMMERS V. HARD & DAVOLA
WITNESSES FOR PLAINTIFFS:
Deborah Summers (Bruno Summers’ widow, ex-girlfriend of Ed Hard) PLAINTIFF 21 years old. Deborah is the widow of Bruno Summers. She claims she saw Ed Hard confront Bruno and saw the shooting. Bruno and Ed were three feet apart at the time of the shooting. Since the shooting and Bruno’s death Deborah has suffered from sleeplessness, nervousness and inability to eat. (2 actors needed)
Dr. Pat Gage (Psychiatrist retained by plaintiffs), 40’s & up. She is a psychiatrist who has a private practice focusing on the treatment of children and adolescents. Plaintiffs’ have retained Dr. Gage as an expert to support Deborah Summers’ damage claim for emotional injuries; specifically, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) directly as the result of being present at the fatal shooting of her husband, Bruno Summers.
Dr. Bruce Hann (Economist retained by the Summers family), Mid-Late 30’s and up. Bruce Hann is an Associate Professor of Economics retained by the Summers family to assess the economic loss caused by the death of Bruno Summers. He has an opinion as to the economic loss due to the death of Bruno Summers.
WITNESSES FOR DEFENDANTS:
Edward Taylor Hard (Shot Bruno Summers, DEFENDANT), 27 years old. Hard claimed shot Bruno Summers “by accident” and fear of his life. Hard told his attorney, “[W]hen I saw Bruno Summers go for his knife, I reached for the gun in my jacket pocket, drew the gun and simultaneously cocked it. I was going to aim away from him to scare him, but it went off.” Hard thought Bruno was going to cut him with a knife. Ed Hard’s breathalyzer test at 11 p.m. on September 3rd indicated .16. Hard claimed he was not intoxicated.
M.C. Davola (Owner of the Garage tavern & DEFENDANT), Late 40’s and up. He is the owner of the Garage tavern Corporation He knew of a previous incident in the bar between Summers and Hard, but claims he did not give any special instructions to Mary Apple, the waitress or Tom Donaldson, the bartender, either before or after the incident. He is being sued for negligence in serving alcohol to both participants in the fight, despite their history and state of inebriation.
Dr. Ennis Martinez: (Psychologist retained by the defendants), Mid-Late 30’s and up Dr. Martinez is a psychologist who works full-time for the Ruston Police Department. Defendants have retained Dr. Martinez as an expert to evaluate Deborah Summers’ damage claim for emotional injuries. Dr. Martinez is prepared to testify that Deborah does not suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as the result of being present at the fatal shooting of her husband, Bruno Summers.
Dr. Thomas Monday (Economist retained by Davola and Hard), 40’s Dr. Monday is a professor of Economics at the University of Santa Laura. He has been retained by defendants Davola and Hard to assess the economic loss caused by the death of Bruno Summers. He has an opinion about the economic loss to the Summers family and it is less than that of Dr. Hann who is the economist for the Summers’ family.
IF INTERESTED, PLEASE CONTACT TOM FERRIS AT tjferris49@gmail.com ON OR BEFORE FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2015.
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