Next at Peppermint Creek Theatre Company comes “How To Defend Yourself,” an insightful play from Liliana Padilla, directed by Sally Hecksel.
Auditions take place 7-10 p.m. on Nov. 28 and 29 at Sycamore Creek Church, 1919 S. Pennsylvania Ave. in Lansing.
Performances will be held Feb. 1-4, 8-11, 2024 at PCTC’s new home at Stage One Performing Arts Center, 2200 Lake Lansing Rd., Lansing.
Additional audition information is available here:
https://peppermintcreek.org/auditions-announced-for-how-to-defend-yourself/
Tickets are also on sale now at this link:
https://peppermintcreek.org/event/how-to-defend-yourself/
Director Sally Hecksel is particularly seeking an Iranian American actress to play Mojdeh. Mojdeh is a college student who is desperate to lose her virginity and get into a sorority. She desires being wanted, and looks to others to know what is cool. There are many roles available with open casting beyond Mojdeh.
About “How To Defend Yourself”
Seven college students gather for a DIY self-defense workshop after a sorority sister is raped. They practice using their bodies as weapons. They wrestle with their desires. They learn the limits of self-defense. This new play explores the intersection of sex, community, and what it means to heal in a violent world. Padilla shows how learning self-defense becomes a channel for these college students’ rage, anxiety, confusion, trauma, and desire. The play examines what one wants, how to ask for it, and the ways rape culture threatens one’s body and sense of belonging.
Audition Information
What is required for auditionees: All auditionees will be given sections from the script to read from during auditions. No other preparation is required.
Playwright: Liliana Padilla
Director: Sally Hecksel
Rehearsals will begin: December 4, 2023
Production dates: February 1 – 4 & 8 – 11, 2024
When a character is listed as open, this indicates that there is true blind casting for this character’s ethnicity. If this character resonates with you and you feel connected to them, please audition for that character.
We believe that this is a show about a communal reaction to the events of the play. We believe that our cast should accurately reflect what a community looks like, so we are actively seeking and strongly encouraging people of color to audition for this production.
Diana – (18, Mexican-American) a student and the childhood best friend of Mojdeh. Obsessed with guns and never afraid to go first, she loves confrontation except when she is the one who has made a mistake. She has a promiscuous sexual history, which puts her in conflict with the less-experienced Mojdeh.
Mojdeh – (18, Iranian-American) a student who is desperate to lose her virginity and get into a sorority. She desires being wanted, and looks to others to know what is cool.
Nikki – (20, open) a wallflower with a vivid inner world. Over the course of the class, she begins to find her strength, but her boldness soon leads her to danger.
Brandi – (21, open) the vice president of the sorority and a valedictorian, with a black belt in karate. She is obsessed with self-defense and never feeling vulnerable, heavily implied to be due to some past sexual trauma.
Kara – (21, open) the sisterhood chair of the sorority and Susannah’s best friend. She maintains an air of humor and wit, but hides her own guilt over events that may have led to Susannah’s rape.
Andy – (21, open) a varsity athlete and leader in the Alpha Epsilon fraternity. He can be insensitive, but he is earnest in his efforts to fight rape culture. He feels guilt as he may have witnessed Susannah’s assault but did not intervene because he did not realize it was non-consensual.
Eggo – (20, open) a fraternity member who is confused by consent culture and terrified of rejection. Much of his confusion was caused by a previous partner breaking up with him due to his failure to “surprise” her in bed, leading him to question if there is a difference between sex that is a surprise and sex that is assault.
Susannah – (6, open) The largely unseen victim whose sexual assault sets off the events of the play. She only appears at the end of the show in a flashback, aged 6.
Description of the play: In a DIY self-defense class, college students learn to use their bodies as weapons. They learn to fend off attackers. They learn “not to be a victim.” Self-defense becomes a channel for their rage, anxiety, confusion, trauma and desire – lots of desire.
How to Defend Yourself discusses but does not depict sex or sexual violence.
Content:
- Discussions and descriptions of sexual violence
- Descriptions and aftermath of physical assault
- Simulated drug use
- Simulated vomiting and forced vomiting
- Pantomimed oral sex
- Simulated underage drinking
- Discussions and deep exploration of misogyny and sexism towards both minors and adults
Auditions take place 7-10 p.m. on Nov. 28 and 29 at Sycamore Creek Church, 1919 S. Pennsylvania Ave. in Lansing.
Performances will be held Feb. 1-4, 8-11, 2024 at PCTC’s new home at Stage One Performing Arts Center, 2200 Lake Lansing Rd., Lansing.
Additional audition information is available here:
https://peppermintcreek.org/auditions-announced-for-how-to-defend-yourself/
Tickets are also on sale now at this link:
https://peppermintcreek.org/event/how-to-defend-yourself/
Director Sally Hecksel is particularly seeking an Iranian American actress to play Mojdeh. Mojdeh is a college student who is desperate to lose her virginity and get into a sorority. She desires being wanted, and looks to others to know what is cool. There are many roles available with open casting beyond Mojdeh.
About “How To Defend Yourself”
Seven college students gather for a DIY self-defense workshop after a sorority sister is raped. They practice using their bodies as weapons. They wrestle with their desires. They learn the limits of self-defense. This new play explores the intersection of sex, community, and what it means to heal in a violent world. Padilla shows how learning self-defense becomes a channel for these college students’ rage, anxiety, confusion, trauma, and desire. The play examines what one wants, how to ask for it, and the ways rape culture threatens one’s body and sense of belonging.
Audition Information
What is required for auditionees: All auditionees will be given sections from the script to read from during auditions. No other preparation is required.
Playwright: Liliana Padilla
Director: Sally Hecksel
Rehearsals will begin: December 4, 2023
Production dates: February 1 – 4 & 8 – 11, 2024
When a character is listed as open, this indicates that there is true blind casting for this character’s ethnicity. If this character resonates with you and you feel connected to them, please audition for that character.
We believe that this is a show about a communal reaction to the events of the play. We believe that our cast should accurately reflect what a community looks like, so we are actively seeking and strongly encouraging people of color to audition for this production.
Diana – (18, Mexican-American) a student and the childhood best friend of Mojdeh. Obsessed with guns and never afraid to go first, she loves confrontation except when she is the one who has made a mistake. She has a promiscuous sexual history, which puts her in conflict with the less-experienced Mojdeh.
Mojdeh – (18, Iranian-American) a student who is desperate to lose her virginity and get into a sorority. She desires being wanted, and looks to others to know what is cool.
Nikki – (20, open) a wallflower with a vivid inner world. Over the course of the class, she begins to find her strength, but her boldness soon leads her to danger.
Brandi – (21, open) the vice president of the sorority and a valedictorian, with a black belt in karate. She is obsessed with self-defense and never feeling vulnerable, heavily implied to be due to some past sexual trauma.
Kara – (21, open) the sisterhood chair of the sorority and Susannah’s best friend. She maintains an air of humor and wit, but hides her own guilt over events that may have led to Susannah’s rape.
Andy – (21, open) a varsity athlete and leader in the Alpha Epsilon fraternity. He can be insensitive, but he is earnest in his efforts to fight rape culture. He feels guilt as he may have witnessed Susannah’s assault but did not intervene because he did not realize it was non-consensual.
Eggo – (20, open) a fraternity member who is confused by consent culture and terrified of rejection. Much of his confusion was caused by a previous partner breaking up with him due to his failure to “surprise” her in bed, leading him to question if there is a difference between sex that is a surprise and sex that is assault.
Susannah – (6, open) The largely unseen victim whose sexual assault sets off the events of the play. She only appears at the end of the show in a flashback, aged 6.
Description of the play: In a DIY self-defense class, college students learn to use their bodies as weapons. They learn to fend off attackers. They learn “not to be a victim.” Self-defense becomes a channel for their rage, anxiety, confusion, trauma and desire – lots of desire.
How to Defend Yourself discusses but does not depict sex or sexual violence.
Content:
- Discussions and descriptions of sexual violence
- Descriptions and aftermath of physical assault
- Simulated drug use
- Simulated vomiting and forced vomiting
- Pantomimed oral sex
- Simulated underage drinking
- Discussions and deep exploration of misogyny and sexism towards both minors and adults
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