Ghostlight Ensemble is seeking actors for its May production of Drink the Past Dry, a vignette-style, site-specific production set in a nondescript neighborhood bar in the middle of Chicago. It looks like every other bar in every other neighborhood in the city with a few regulars sipping drinks, making small talk, doing the things people always do in bars. But this bar has a secret. It can take you anywhere in time, but only once and only within the walls of the bar (so it turns out it’s not as popular a place as one might think). But there are some souls who still need to reach out to the past – or to the future – and this is where they come when they do.
Character Type:
Ghostlight will be casting for 8 actors. Roles range in age and are not restricted to gender. We are seeking a strong, ethnically diverse cast of all shapes and sizes that represent the culturally rich fabric of Chicago. In addition, we are ideally seeking an older Greek-American actor to play a mother who has just been diagnosed with dementia. A few actors will play multiple roles. We are also seeking understudies for three roles. There will be a guaranteed understudy performance.
Time Commitment:
Rehearsals will be 3-4 times/week on weeknight evenings and/or weekend days in April 2025. Final dates will be confirmed after review of cast conflicts.
Cast members and understudies MUST be available the following dates:
Tech: Thursday, April 24 and rehearsals on Friday, April 25 in the evenings and Saturday, April 26 during the day.
Preview: Sunday, April 27 at 3 p.m.
Performances:
Friday & Saturday, May 2 & 3
Friday & Sunday, May 9 & 11
Friday & Sunday, May 16 & 18
Friday, Saturday & Sunday, May 23, 24 & 25
Thursday & Friday, May 29 & 30
Sunday, June 1
Thursday May 29 is a designated understudy performance. There will be a put-in rehearsal for the understudies on May 27 or May 28, depending on actor availability.
Performance take place at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. on Sundays. The performance will take place upstairs at Mrs. Murphy and Sons (3905 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60613). Call for preview and performance will be an hour before showtime.
Pay:
Actors and understudies will receive a $100 stipend for rehearsals, tech and preview, plus $25 per performance stipend.
Audition Time & Location:
Auditions will be held at the Lincoln Square Presbyterian Church Community Space at 4635 N. Rockwell St, Chicago, IL 60625. (Across and a few buildings down the street from the Rockwell Brown Line Station.)
Auditions will take place from 6:30 to 9:30 on Wednesday, March 19. Callbacks will be held from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 22.
Materials To Prepare:
Please submit your headshot and resume to Maria Burnham at casting@ghostlightensemble.com. Please clearly indicate if you have any conflicts during indicated audition times on March 19 or callbacks on March 22. Sides will be provided.
Contact:
Maria Burnham
Email: casting@ghostlightensemble.com