From Mid Michigan Family Theatre
Simply Cinderella. Friday, March 24 - Sunday, March 26, 2017.
Mid Michigan Family Theatre 2630 Bennett Road in Okemos. 7:00 on Friday and Saturday, and 3:00 on Sunday. Tickets at the door: $5.00 for adults; $3.00 for seniors and children.
Next up for Mid Michigan Family Theatre,
The Orphan Train by Aurand Harris
3/27-28 - Mid Michigan Family Theatre will be holding auditions for the play, The Orphan Train on March 27 and 28 from 6:30 to 8:00 at the 2/42 Church community building which is located at 2630 Bennett Road in Okemos. This is the building located closest to the roundabout at Hulett Road.
Rehearsals will be on Mondays and Wednesday with additional rehearsals on Tuesdays or Thursday with select cast members. There are no rehearsals scheduled during spring break.
Production dates are scheduled for May 17 – 21.
The play tells the story of nine orphans on an "orphan train" that left New York City on May 28, 1914. The train travels to Midwestern towns in search of homes, any homes, anywhere for the orphaned and unwanted children. There's Mary, Evie, spunky Pegeen, Annie and Little Lucy, a quiet one. Other orphans include Frank (who later becomes Frankie, a small girl), Raymond, Lucky and Danny the song-and-dance boy. And there are the men and women hoping for children. The lonesome whistle wails as the train chugs between encounters of anxiety, laughter, wistfulness, rejection and acceptance. Eight stories unfold, each a memorable surprise. The Orphan Train is a charming heart-warmer and all we expect from one of legendary playwrights for children, Aurand Harris. The staging creates a highly theatrical story, moving, amusing and always tellingly human.
Here is some information about the cast breakdown and descriptions:
Girls
Mary: Anywhere from 6-12 yrs. old: Shy, sweet, intelligent, and polite. Initially placed in an abusive home, but gets re-placed into a loving home.
Frank(ie) 8-14 yrs. old: A tomboy. Tough and cocky. Disguised as a boy, but revealed to be a girl during the scene.
Evie 15/16 yrs. old: Enthusiastic, confident, flirtatious, and streetwise, relies on her feminine charm. Sings a little but needn’t be a strong vocalist.
Pegeen 12/15 yrs. old: Likeable and strong. Must be able to do an Irish accent. Sings a song in the scene.
Annie. 12-15 yrs. old: Responsible, maternal, strong build. Takes care of Little Lucy
Little Lucy 5-7 yrs. old: No lines. This character cannot speak but signs to Annie in a language only the two of them understand. Must be able to express emotion without words.
Boys
Newsboy/Harvey 12 - 14 yrs. old: Newsboy; Confident cheeky. Harvey; A bully who becomes repentant.
Raymond 7-15 yrs. old: Downtrodden. Has a bad leg. Placed in a poor home. Runs away to join a carnival. Must have an ability to express deep emotion.
Lucky 8-15 yrs. old: Cocky. Can play both the innocent victim and the menace.
Danny: Anywhere from 7-16 yrs. old: A street performer. Confident and cool. Considered a musical “wonder child”. Must be a strong singer, and preferably dance as well.
Adult Female Roles
MRS HENDERSON: Age 50+: A cruel and abusive self-righteous woman. Thinks she is doing a great favor by bringing on Mary as help.
A WOMAN: Age 50s: Eccentric and kooky. Rather theatrical, loves to sing and dance. Was once a diva, then a stage mom, now looking for a project.
HANNAH: Age 20/30s: A simple farmer’s wife with a great sense of humor.
A WOMAN: 30s/40s: Obnoxious and judgmental. Shouts from her soap-box that these children are dangerous and not to be dumped in their communities.
EMILY: Age 20s: A proper and sweet young woman.
TEACHER: 30/40’s: A woman who holds cruel subtle prejudices but views herself as sweet and kind.
A WOMAN: 20’s/30/s: Snobby and precious, a socialite who values good looks.
Adult Male Roles
MR WILLIAMS: 30’s/40s: An official with the foster care system. Compassionate.
CARNIVAL MAN: Age 50+: His words are sweet but his motives are questionable (hints of a predator).
OLD MAN: 60’s+: A very loving and accepting man who is proudly eccentric and surprisingly boisterous.
A MAN: Any Age: A straight talking hard working farmer.
A MAN: Any age: As above. Wants to believe the best of these kids.
HENRY: 30s: A simple farmer, a family man who gets more than he bargains for.
A MAN: Any age: A simple farmer not certain about the whole foster care thing.
JAMES: 20’s: An optimist, believes the best of people, and is in love with Emily.
Additional cast members include newsboys and news girls and classmates of Pegeen.
Bill Gordon
Mid Michigan Family Theatre at 2/42 Community Building
2630 Bennett Road
Okemos, MI 48864
(517) 339-2145 Business
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