Brundidge Historical Society sets auditions for fall season of popular folklife play

Published 3:00 am Saturday, September 6, 2014

The Brundidge Historical Society has set auditions for the fall season of Alabama’s Official Folklife Play, “Come Home, It’s Suppertime” from 2 until 4 p.m. on Sunday Sept. 14 and from 6 until 8 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 15.

Les Jackson, chair of the BHS play committee, said he is excited that most of the cast members will return for the final season of 2014.

“And, we are always excited to welcome new members to the cast,” he said. “They bring new energy and enthusiasm to the play and that’s always good.”

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“Come Home, It’s Suppertime” is set during the Great Depression and tells the stories of Hard Times in the rural South.

“The stories are true, mostly,” Jackson said, with a smile. “We tell them just as they are told to us by those who milled around Pike County during the Depression years and ‘strowed around’ stories that have endured with time.”

Jackson said in holding auditions for cast openings, the play committee is not looking for actors.

“We are looking for real people to tell real stories in a real way,” he said. “You don’t need any acting experience to be in ‘Come Home,’ just a love for history and the desire to tell a good story.”

The cast openings for the fall production of ‘Come Home’ include four women’s roles, a male role and two teenage boys and teenage girl.

The women’s roles include the stereotypical farm-wife, an old maid, a mama of many and more-to-come and a busybody aunt.

“The male role is actually an understudy role for several parts,” Jackson said. “So this person will wear many hats. We really need a teenage boy would could ‘act’ and sing. The teenage girl’s role is basically a speaking part. But being able to sing is always a plus because we do have a good bit of music in the play.”

Jackson said there may possibly be a place for a small child to sing a solo part.

“That one song would be all the role requires, but the child could also be a part of the closing church and dinner-on-the-ground scenes if that is something the child would like to do,” he said.

Jackson said singers are needed as members of the choir and musicians are also asked to audition.

“We would like to have a harmonica player, a fiddler and a dulcimer player,” he said. “Those are instruments of the times and they would be a great addition to the music.”

Anyone who would like to assist with staging, costumes and props is encouraged to attend the auditions.

The dates for the fall production of “Come Home, It’s Suppertime” are Nov. 6,7 and 8 and 13, 14 and 15.

“Come Home, It’s Suppertime” is in its 14th year of production and has played to more than 23,000 people from 15 states and four foreign countries.

BOX IF POSSIBLE

Auditions

4 women

1 male

1 teenage boy

1 teenage girl

1 small child, singer

Choir members

Musicians

Stage crew