Grosse Pointe Community Theatre Auditions

"The Trip to Bountiful" Auditions

Auditions for the Grosse Pointe Community Theatre’s production of “The Trip To Bountiful” will be held on September 17th and 18th in Grosse Pointe, MI. Show dates begin November 6th – 19th. Rehearsals are Tuesday, Friday and Sunday afternoons beginning September 20th.

Auditions Details:

Saturday, September 17th from 12:00pm – 4:00pm
Sunday, September 18th from 10:00am – 1:00pm

Grosse Pointe Theatre Building
315 Fisher Road
Grosse Pointe, MI

The Story:

This is an all-but-forgotten American classic. The time is 1953, the place is Houston. Carrie is an elderly woman who wants only one thing, to visit her hometown of Bountiful, Texas, one last time. Her efforts are thwarted by her son, who feels she’s too frail for the trip and her selfabsorbed daughter-in-law. A determined Carrie turns to strangers to help make her dream come true. A bittersweet tale of recapturing love and compassion in a world that no longer seems to care.

Available Roles:

  • CARRIE: 60s (lead) Carrie, pardon the pun, carries the show. She is childlike and petulant at the beginning, but determined to see Bountiful again. She is given to dwelling on the past and is unhappy with her present status. Though weary and given to worrying herself into spells, she has a reserve of childlike willfulness she taps into in reaching her ultimate goal – getting back to Bountiful.
  • LUDIE: 40s (support) Carrie’s put-upon son. He is recently recovered from a long illness which wiped out his small savings and brought him, his wife and mother to the cramped apartment they live in. He is constantly
    running interference between the two women, and it has nearly worn him out. He is too busy trying to get through each day to think about the past, but he is working hard to give himself and his family a better future. This character will be required to smoke onstage.
  • JESSIE MAE: 40s (support) She calls herself plain-spoken, others might say rude. She is self-absorbed, living only for the present; dwelling on the past is a waste, she says, as is worrying about the future. Fascinated by Hollywood, she tries to fashion herself after the stars of the 1940s, making herself slightly ridiculous in the process. Though she spends her days taunting and reprimanding Carrie, she has a strong streak of humanity she doesn’t often show. This character will be required to smoke onstage.
  • THELMA: 20 (featured) A sweet, innocent young newlywed who helps Carrie on her trip. She is young and in love, facing an exciting new world as a married woman, a sharp contrast to the life Carrie had in a loveless marriage. Her scene with Carrie on the bus to Bountiful is the heart of the play.
  • SHERIFF: 50s-60s (featured) Sent to collect the runaway Carrie, he instead helps her get to her final destination. He has a gravitas that comes with his position, but also the humanity of a small-town officer who knows that sometimes the law gets in the way of doing what is right. Another great part for an actor of a certain age. Will also be one of the bus-station travelers.
  • HARRISON TICKET MAN: any age, (featured) A sweet, helpful man who helps Carrie overcome one last hurdle to Bountiful. It’s a small role that shows the difference between the big city way of life and the small town way of life. Will also be one of the bus-station travelers.
  • HOUSTON TICKET MAN: any age
  • SECOND HOUSTON TICKET MAN: any age
  • TRAVELERS: (nonfeatured) These roles are people in the bus stations and add atmosphere. The two ticket men have lines. These characters will also help make the scene changes, which are choreographed, done in character in full view of the audience and are part of the action.

NOTE: All characters will have a slight Southern drawl.

Compensation:

These are not paid roles.

How to Apply:

If you are interested in applying please notify us at YourEntourageAgency@gmail.com and attend one of the open auditions.

NOTE: Scripts are now available at the theater box office in Grosse Pointe. For more information please contact the Producer, John Casey at 313-885-8880.