AUDITIONS!
BOLT (Be Out Loud Theatre) is excited to announce auditions for the first play of it’s inaugural season.
Tennessee Williams little known work, “And Tell Sad Stories of the Death of Queens” will audition September 26th and 27th at The District Theatre (627 Massachusetts Avenue), from 6 p.m.

In “And Tell Sad Stories of the Death of Queens” Williams writes blatantly about openly gay culture and gay men, set against the backdrop of Mardi Gras. This play was never produced in Mr. Williams’ lifetime, probably due to subject matter. The script is remarkable in the fact that even though he most likely started writing this script in 1953, the themes and situations could be ripped from a page of today’s social climate. Therefore, the script was chosen because the purpose of BOLT is to look at a society’s history, give attention to the struggles, honor the warriors, and celebrate the journey. “And Tell Sad Stories of the Death of Queens” explores the boundaries of love, survival, passion, and heartbreak. It also explores what it is to be “aging” in the gay world, as well as the struggles of sexual identity. It does this while blurring the lines of gender identification.

The characters:

Candy Delaney
We meet Candy on the eve of his 35th birthday. Recently dumped for a younger version, Candy longs for the stability of a relationship, like the one “she” had for 17 years. Candy is a successful interior designer with several properties in the Quarter. Candy announces that he is also a “transvestite.” We refer to this as transgender today, and Candy lives as a female at home. Candy is not a “drag queen” as in a performer type of way, but an individual who has found her sexual identity.

Karl
A Merchant Marine that has come back to Candy’s home after allowing himself to be picked up at a gay bar. Karl is brutally sexy and rough. He uses his physical appearance to swindle money and booze from unsuspecting women. He claims to be heterosexual, but something more than cash keeps him with Candy, but only when she presents as a female. He has a violent streak when challenged.
Note: Karl does have a very brutal kiss with Candy and the actor needs to be comfortable being seen in underwear.

Alvin and Jerry
These two are Candy’s tenants. They are “catty younger queens.”
Both are kind hearted but inexperienced about life, so therefore they sit in judgement of “older queens.” However, they must be likable and do actually care for Candy.
As in most of Williams’ plays, there is a bit of comedy amidst the tragedy. Alvin and Jerry provide this for this script. Ideally both need to be in their 20s, or the actors should be able to play 20-something.

*Please prepare a contemporary monologue, no longer than 2 minutes in length. We also will read from the script.*

For more information, please email Michael Swinford at swimford1963@gmail.com
swimford1963@gmail.com

This show is the kick-off for Indianapolis’s premier LGBTQ theatre company.

NOTE: All actors will receive a stipend.
Production dates are the first 3 weekends of January.