Rantoul Theatre Group will hold four open auditions for its Spring 2014 production of The Silver Queen. Auditions are scheduled for January 30 and 31 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and February 1 and 2 from noon to 5:00 p.m. Auditions will be held at the Grissom Hall Theatre, located at 914 Arends Blvd. in Rantoul.
Director Larry Smith is seeking male/female actors from age 13 thru adults for this production. The play contains such parody characters as: Marshall Dillon, Calamity Jane, Doc Holiday, Big Nose Kate, Billy “The Kid” Clyde, and his Rat Creek Gang. At least 20 cast members will be selected for the play.
The play will be performed May 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, and 11. No preparations are necessary. Readings will be available at the audition. Actors are asked to wear western clothing, for their auditions, including boots, belts, vests, hats, etc.
The Silver Queen is a western play written by Champaign County author and playwright James Dedman. It relates a Wells-Fargo tale of a widow, Elisa McKinn Adams (a former dance hall actress and Wild West Show performer) who travels from Boston to Leadville, Colorado in 1879 to take over an inherited western saloon, The Silver Queen, and gold mine, Star of the West, only to find out that the gold mine is depleted and others wish to swindle the saloon away from her.
In addition to actors, technical support staff is needed for light and sound technicians. Also, a keyboardist is needed to play, on-stage, honky-tonk style music typical in western saloons.
Rantoul Theatre Group has 190 seats and is located at 914 Arends Blvd., on the former Chanute Air Force Base in Grissom Hall. Interested actors can visit the website at rtgonline.org, email the director at larry @ rtgonline.org.