Use your acting and improvisational skills, have fun, help students and get paid at the same time!
RIVERWALK THEATRE is looking for actors who are interested in playing the defendant and witnesses in mock criminal 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 criminal court case, this gig is for you! There is a stipend of approximately $140-$250 for the work, depending on the role and the number of trials/hearings in which you participate.
The spring semester case involves a case of alleged conspiracy to commit arson. The first trial ended in a hung jury. In this second trial, one of the accused, Sonia Peterson, has accepted a plea agreement in exchange for offering testimony against Arthur Jackson, her co-defendant in the first trial.
There are two Trial Practice II classes this spring. Each class will be organized into two trials, for a total of 4 trials. In order to cast the mock trials, Riverwalk is seeking a minimum of 2 men to play the Defendant, in 2 trials each and 7-12 other individuals to play the remaining witnesses, who should be prepared to testify in all four trials.
Actors would need to be available on all of the following dates:
Saturday, Feb. 7, from approximately 10 am to 12 pm for a coaching session with the class professors.
Saturday, Feb 14 from approximately 9 am to 1 pm for interviews with the student lawyers.
Tuesday, March 3 and Wednesday, March 4, from 6:00-9:00 pm, for Preliminary Examinations.
Saturday, April 25 and Sunday, April 26, from 8:00-3:00 pm, for the Trials.
Students may wish to contact you during February, March and early April for an additional meeting for trial preparation. These meetings will be individually arranged between the witness and the attorneys.
THE FOLLOWING ARE THE WITNESSES. WE ARE LOOKING FOR 7-12 PEOPLE TO PLAY THESE ROLES. (If you are available on only one of the April trial dates, you may still be eligible for a role – Contact Tom Ferris for further information.)
ARTHUR JACKSON (Defendant), 40-50. (2 ACTORS NEEDED) He is accused of conspiring with his assistant, Sonia Peterson to hire George Avery to destroy plant of Flinders Aluminum Fabrication Corporation, of which Jackson s the President and sole owner, on November 16, 2011, by burning the plant. Avery died in the fire. The two defendants were charged with commercial arson.
FOR THE STATE:
MARIE WILLIAMS, 35-45 Former Bookkeeper and Ass’t. to the President at Flinders. She is a former lover of Jackson , who was fired after accusing him of burning the plant.
SONIA PETERSON, 30-35 Assistant to the President after Williams, hired to help build a business plan to rescue Flinders. Introduced Jackson to Avery. Single mother of two. Turned State’s evidence after the first trial.
JOHN/JOAN, 40-50 (May be male or female) President of First Trust Bank. His/Her bank turned down a request from Jackson to refinance a loan before the fire.
DONALD/DONNA OLSEN, 50-60 (May be male or female) Chief Fire Marshal of Nita City, 22 years of investigating fires. May be upset that he/she didn’t have enough evidence to cause arrest of Avery in the past.
FOR THE DEFENDANT:
JANICE JACKSON, 40-50 Wife of Arthur Jackson, separated a couple of months before the fire. Refused to lend some of her independent wealth to save Flinders, but doesn’t believe Jackson would burn the company he loved.
DAVID PINKUS, 50-65 Former Deputy Chief Fire Marshal of Nita City – retired when Olsen was named Chief, and now an investigation legal consultant. Viewed as even handed and fair by lawyers for both plaintiffs and defendants.
MATTHEW KORN, 40-50 President and owner of Yaphank Company. Employed Avery several years before Jackson, and rumored to have used Avery to burn his plant.
If you are interested in playing any of these characters or obtaining further information, please contact TOM FERRIS at tjferris49@gmail.com, by January 23. Please include a photo, 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.
RIVERWALK THEATRE is looking for actors who are interested in playing the defendant and witnesses in mock criminal 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 criminal court case, this gig is for you! There is a stipend of approximately $140-$250 for the work, depending on the role and the number of trials/hearings in which you participate.
The spring semester case involves a case of alleged conspiracy to commit arson. The first trial ended in a hung jury. In this second trial, one of the accused, Sonia Peterson, has accepted a plea agreement in exchange for offering testimony against Arthur Jackson, her co-defendant in the first trial.
There are two Trial Practice II classes this spring. Each class will be organized into two trials, for a total of 4 trials. In order to cast the mock trials, Riverwalk is seeking a minimum of 2 men to play the Defendant, in 2 trials each and 7-12 other individuals to play the remaining witnesses, who should be prepared to testify in all four trials.
Actors would need to be available on all of the following dates:
Saturday, Feb. 7, from approximately 10 am to 12 pm for a coaching session with the class professors.
Saturday, Feb 14 from approximately 9 am to 1 pm for interviews with the student lawyers.
Tuesday, March 3 and Wednesday, March 4, from 6:00-9:00 pm, for Preliminary Examinations.
Saturday, April 25 and Sunday, April 26, from 8:00-3:00 pm, for the Trials.
Students may wish to contact you during February, March and early April for an additional meeting for trial preparation. These meetings will be individually arranged between the witness and the attorneys.
THE FOLLOWING ARE THE WITNESSES. WE ARE LOOKING FOR 7-12 PEOPLE TO PLAY THESE ROLES. (If you are available on only one of the April trial dates, you may still be eligible for a role – Contact Tom Ferris for further information.)
ARTHUR JACKSON (Defendant), 40-50. (2 ACTORS NEEDED) He is accused of conspiring with his assistant, Sonia Peterson to hire George Avery to destroy plant of Flinders Aluminum Fabrication Corporation, of which Jackson s the President and sole owner, on November 16, 2011, by burning the plant. Avery died in the fire. The two defendants were charged with commercial arson.
FOR THE STATE:
MARIE WILLIAMS, 35-45 Former Bookkeeper and Ass’t. to the President at Flinders. She is a former lover of Jackson , who was fired after accusing him of burning the plant.
SONIA PETERSON, 30-35 Assistant to the President after Williams, hired to help build a business plan to rescue Flinders. Introduced Jackson to Avery. Single mother of two. Turned State’s evidence after the first trial.
JOHN/JOAN, 40-50 (May be male or female) President of First Trust Bank. His/Her bank turned down a request from Jackson to refinance a loan before the fire.
DONALD/DONNA OLSEN, 50-60 (May be male or female) Chief Fire Marshal of Nita City, 22 years of investigating fires. May be upset that he/she didn’t have enough evidence to cause arrest of Avery in the past.
FOR THE DEFENDANT:
JANICE JACKSON, 40-50 Wife of Arthur Jackson, separated a couple of months before the fire. Refused to lend some of her independent wealth to save Flinders, but doesn’t believe Jackson would burn the company he loved.
DAVID PINKUS, 50-65 Former Deputy Chief Fire Marshal of Nita City – retired when Olsen was named Chief, and now an investigation legal consultant. Viewed as even handed and fair by lawyers for both plaintiffs and defendants.
MATTHEW KORN, 40-50 President and owner of Yaphank Company. Employed Avery several years before Jackson, and rumored to have used Avery to burn his plant.
If you are interested in playing any of these characters or obtaining further information, please contact TOM FERRIS at tjferris49@gmail.com, by January 23. Please include a photo, 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.
RSS Feed
