Auditions for The Nance

Elmwood Playhouse in Nyack, NY, will be holding auditions for its upcoming production of “The Nance,” written by Douglas Carter Beane and directed by Alan Demovsky. “The Nance” Chauncey Miles leads a risky double life, starring as a gay burlesque caricature on stage while hiding his homosexuality offstage at a time when it was easy to play gay and criminal to be gay.

AUDITIONS: Sunday February 23, 2025 at 1:00 pm and Monday February 24, 2025 at 7:00 pm

CALLBACKS: Tuesday February 25, 2025 at 7:00 pm (by invitation only)

PERFORMANCES: Friday, May 16, 2025 thru Saturday, June 7, 2025 (Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays with possible Wednesday and Thursdays)

SHOW DESCRIPTION:
THE NANCE recreates the naughty 1930s burlesque world as it follows the poignant story of Chauncey Miles, a comedian whose outrageous effeminate antics on stage have made him a star, a direct contrast to his discreet offstage life which is threatened by desire and persecution.

CAST REQUIREMENTS: (3 Males, 3 Females)
All auditioners should prepare a comic upbeat song and wear clothing
 appropriate for the character and for easy movement. (Note: the time period is 1937.)

Characters:

CHAUNCEY MILES. Male. 40’s to 50’s. Charismatic, witty, seasoned, and jaded. Chauncey is a closeted gay man who has been performing in Vaudeville/Burlesque his entire life. Filled with self-loathing and fear of being outed, he is a conservative Republican who has
been carefully evading the legal consequences of being a homosexual in an era where being gay was considered criminal.

JOAN. Female. 30+. A stripper. On the stage, she appears much younger, but up close you would wonder. Unpolished but resourceful.

CARMEN. Female. 30’s to late 40’s. Clever, compassionate, and insightful. A stripper and formerly a paid companion to many men — a role she might still pursue in addition to her Burlesque career.

SYLVIE. Female. Late 40’s to 50’s+. (Older than the other women.) A survivor and a passionate liberal with ties to the communist party. Attractive and practical. Her career began in the chorus of legit musicals, but as the years moved on, she stumbled into burlesque, thinking it was temporary. She’s been stripping for 15 years.

NED. Male. Mid 30’s. Handsome, sincere man/boy. He is naive and inexperienced in all things. Realizing he is probably gay, he recently divorced his wife and relocated to NYC. Lack of available work and political circumstances have driven him to live on the
 streets.

EFRAM. Male. 60s+. An old-time burlesque performer who was “born in a trunk.” He started in show business at the age of 3. He has evolved through the years as the quintessential “top banana”.  Hysterically funny but shrewd. A total no-nonsense professional.

Sides from the script will be made available at the audition. All roles available. Casting is open to all ethnicities and races. Newcomers are especially welcome. Crew and other volunteers are also needed for the event. For more information or directions, call 845-353-1313 or visit https://www.elmwoodplayhouse.com/auditions

Elmwood Community Playhouse is committed to providing equal opportunity to all and we strive for nondiscrimination in all areas of our organization. We are a non-Equity playhouse and therefore cannot cast members of the Actors Equity Association.

Elmwood Playhouse has an open auditions policy for every role in every show. Any member of the community is invited to audition, regardless of race, ethnic origin, sexual orientation or identity, age, or special need. In accordance with our Code of Conduct policy, Elmwood Community Playhouse is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all our functions.

Actors do not need previous experience on the Elmwood stage to be offered a role. Many actors have been offered a role after the first time they audition. Further, Elmwood maintains a no pre-casting policy. All roles are available during the initial audition.

Dates for upcoming auditions are listed on our website, on social media, and announced in the members’ newsletter. If, in the opinion of the director, a suitable role cannot be cast from those who have auditioned, auditions may be extended beyond the original schedule, or specific individuals may be invited to audition to meet the needs of the production.

Upon arriving at the audition space, all actors will be asked to fill out an audition form. While not required, actors are encouraged to bring a headshot and/or suitable resume. If there is a specific role in a show that is of interest, please identify it on the audition form so the director is aware. Please be prepared to list all schedule conflicts from the day of audition through the closing performance of the show.

All casting decisions are made on the basis of the actor’s skill and ability demonstrated during the audition(s), as well as upon the actor’s appropriateness and suitability (physical, vocal, mental, and/or emotional) for the available roles. Certain circumstances, such as in plays where race, gender, or age are core to the show, may influence casting choices, however, casting is solely decided based on skill and ability.