Auditions for original musical Abraham's Land

About the project and the company

Abraham’s Land is a full-length musical set against the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, during the First Intifada (1990).  An Israeli sergeant (Yitzhak) fatally shoots a Palestinian young man (Ismail) during a street demonstration in Jerusalem, only to realize that his victim was unarmed.  Haunted by Ismail’s ghost, Yitzhak journeys to the victim’s home in a Gaza refugee camp to return Ismail’s identity card and ask his family for forgiveness.

Originally developed and produced by New Image Theatre, Seattle, in 1992, as a Jewish-Arab collaboration between Lauren Goldman Marshall, Hanna Eady & David Nafissian and further developed and performed in 1999 with Israeli and Palestinian teens at Seeds of Pace camp in Maine, this new incarnation features a substantially revised libretto and exciting new score by Pulitzer-nominated composer Roger Ames. Earlier versions have been workshopped at Village Theater and Nautilus Music Theater.  The production is supported by a grant from 4Culture.

Abraham’s Land will be performed at Broadway Performance Hall, Seattle, Sept 17-27 2020 (Thu-Sat at 7:30 and Sun at 2).  (Preview 9/16; brush-up or added performance 9/23; possibility of adding Saturday matinees or Sunday evening performances).  Rehearsals start August 3.  Script development workshop (non-mandatory) June 26-28.  It will be directed by John Vreeke, http://johnvreeke.com/, a highly seasoned veteran of the DC and national theater scene, with music direction by Paul Linnes, and assistant direction/choreography by Crystal Dawn Munkers.

Theater of Possibility explores human potential through educational programs and productions of new works or new takes on established works. Since 2010, TOP has offered drama programs to youth with autism and other unique challenges, and two Gilbert & Sullivan summer youth productions. This will be TOP’s first professional mainstage production. TOP founding director Lauren Goldman Marshall is a nationally produced and published playwright and was the Producing Artistic Director of Seattle Public Theater for 5 years before stepping down to start a family in 2001.  She oversaw SPT’s move to and first season in the Green Lake Bathhouse, where she directed its acclaimed production of Joshua Sobol’s Ghetto.

Abraham’s Land has book & lyrics by Lauren Goldman Marshall and music by Roger Ames, with additional book material by Hanna Eady and additional music by David Nafissian & Joan Szymko.

Location of Audition

Theater Puget Sound, 4th floor, Armory Building, Seattle Center, 305 Harrison, Seattle, WA 98109 March 13 - Studio B; March 15 - Studio E; March 22 (kids audition) - Studio G; March 22 (callbacks) - First Floor Conference Room (go inside lobby for Center Theater)

Other details

We are committed to non-traditional casting! Israelis and Palestinians come in all skin tones. Moreover, the precipitating action of the play, in which a law enforcement officer, blinded by fear and subconscious rage, fatally shoots an unarmed young man is all too familiar in our country. We desire a cast that reflects the diversity of America and the world in hopes that the audience will draw its own parallels to universal themes in the play.

Audition requirements

Adults & teens (ages 15+): 5 minute slots 3/13 & 3/15. Please bring a 1-2 minute monologue and 16-32 bars of a song. Accompanist provided. Sheet music must be in the correct key. Recorded backup tracks permissible, but sheet music preferred. No a capella singing please. Children (ages 9-16): 3/22, 4-5:30 PM Children do not need prepared materials. All children should plan to be there for the full 90 minutes to learn a song and do some theater activities. Children who have prepared materials will have a chance to show them 5:30-5:45. Teens ages 15-16 with prepared materials and any young men whose voices have changed are encouraged to sign up for the adult auditions. Video auditions are accepted from adult performers who live out of town or cannot attend auditions. Please send demo or link via email via Casting Manager site or to Shburf44@gmail.com by March 15.