AUDITION DATES: Sunday, March 7 and Monday, March 8 (you do not need to attend both nights).
CALLBACKS: Monday, March 8 at 8:00 pm (By Invitation Only) 
AUDITION TIME:  7:00 pm
DIRECTOR: Annie Priestner 
PERFORMANCE DATES: April 30 - May 16

DIRECTOR'S NOTES:

• Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script. No monologue is required.
• All roles require a Southern accent.
• Age ranges given are playing ages. 

SYNOPSIS:
In Hazlehurst, Mississippi, the three Magrath sisters gather to await news of their grandfather, who is living out his last hours in the local hospital. Lenny, the oldest sister, is unmarried at 30 and facing diminishing marital prospects; Meg, the middle sister, who quickly outgrew Hazlehurst, is back after a failed singing career on the West Coast, and Babe, the youngest, is out on bail after having shot her husband in the stomach. Their troubles, grave yet somehow hilarious, are highlighted by their priggish cousin, Chick, and by Babe’s awkward young lawyer, who has clearly fallen in love with her.

​Content Disclosure: Although there are many comedic elements, Crimes of the Heart also includes themes of self-harm, domestic violence and emotional trauma. The script also includes period-specific racial terms that may be uncomfortable for some performers. Great care will be taken to assure that rehearsals take place in an emotionally safe environment for everyone involved.

CHARACTERS:

• Lenny McGrath: Female presenting. The eldest sister, age 30. She is responsible,
  self-sacrificing, and very insecure. She feels left behind by life, but remains warm and loyal to
  her family at all times. This role requires strong comedic timing rooted in emotional truth.
• Meg McGrath: Female presenting. The middle sister, age 27. Charismatic and somewhat
  reckless, she left home years before to try to make it as a singer in Hollywood. Upon returning
  home, she carries her bruised pride and rebellious energy with humor and charm. The
  performer playing Meg needs to be comfortable briefly singing a capella onstage.
• Becky (Babe) Botrelle: Female presenting. The youngest sister, age 24. Married young to a
  prominent lawyer, she is a mix of childlike innocence, impulsivity, and awkward comedy. Her
  sincerity is as disarming as her ability to stumble into chaotic situations. Babe is responsible for
  triggering the events of the play.
• Barnette Lloyd: Male presenting, age 26. Babe’s young, intense defense lawyer who holds a
  personal grudge against Babe’s husband and is fiercely protective of her. While competent and
  ambitious, Barnette must exude a nervous energy onstage.
• Doc Porter: Male presenting, age 30. Doc is Meg’s former love interest whose feelings for her
  have gone unresolved, even after he married and had children. He is kind and steady, and must
  convey a genuine emotional warmth.
• Chick Boyle: Female presenting, age 29. She is the McGrath sisters' overbearing first cousin
  who lives next door to Lenny. Self-important, socially proper, and easily scandalized, Chick is
  both something of an antagonist and a comedic presence in her cousins’ lives.