The Stage Hands
STAGE HANDS AUDITIONS FOR ‘BE MY BABY’ JAN. 24, 25 2012
The Stage Hands are inviting South Monterey County residents to audition for six roles in their late April-early May production of Ked Ludwig’s “Be My Baby,” described by one critic as a “funny, feel-good kind of show that makes you warm all over.”
Anthony Toohey is directing the production for the South County-based theatrical group. Auditions will be held Jan. 24 and 25 at 6:30 p.m. at St. Mark’s Church Guild Hall, Third and Bassett streets, King City.
Toohey said previous acting experience is not a requirement. Anyone afflicted with the “acting bug,” or who thinks they might become infected upon auditioning, is encouraged to audition, adding that The Stage Hands are committed to welcoming newcomers into their passion for live theater.
Performance dates are still being finalized, but current plans call for shows during the final two weekends of April and the first weekend of May. Cast members need to be prepared to rehearse a few nights a week for several weeks leading up to the performance dates.
“The Stage Hands are familiar with Ken Ludwig’s work,” said Toohey. “We’ve performed two of his plays, ‘Lend Me a Tenor’ and ‘Moon Over Buffalo,’ and have gotten great reviews from our audiences. It seemed natural to stick with a winning theme.”
The play tells the story of John, an irascible Scotsman, and Maud, an uptight English woman, both in their late 50s, who take on the journey of a lifetime. They are brought together when John’s ward marries Maud’s niece. Then, when the young couple decides to adopt a newborn baby, the older couple has to travel 6,000 miles to California to pick up the child and bring her safely home to Scotland.
The problem is: John and Maud despise each other. To make matters worse, they’re stranded in San Francisco for several weeks and are expected to jointly care for the helpless newborn. It is during that period that they deal with a series of whacky misadventures and learn you’re never too old to fall in love.
Toohey is looking for actors to portray John and Maud and the young couple, who are in their 20s. The cast also includes a man and woman portraying various roles during the course of the story. The original cast in the play’s 2005 premiere featured Hal Holbrook as John and Dixie Carter as Maud.
“This is going to be a fun show for everyone involved,” said Toohey. “It’s a funny, gentler type of comedy. Our cast will appreciate the story, and I’m sure our audiences will enjoy it as well.”
The Stage Hands have been offering theatrical productions to South County residents for nearly 30 years. Their goal is to foster an appreciation for live theater and to offer their patrons (and cast and crew members) a variety of theatrical opportunities. Their most recent production of “The Mousetrap” played to sold-out dinner-show presentations at the Guild Hall.
