Tradewind Arts and The Coterie Theatre will partner on the NEA Award winning project, Justice at War, by Mimi Jo Katano, Wendy Lement, and Jordan Winer in the fall of 2023.
Directed by Tradewind Arts Producing Artistic Director, Andi Meyer, we are seeking submissions from AEA and Non-AEA actors 18+ who identify as Asian, Asian American/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, South and Southeast Asian, with particular interest in actors of Japanese descent. Roles will be cast inclusively.
Instructions:
- Please submit your headshot and resume for consideration using the following form:
CLICK HERE for Justice at War submissions
- Send a letter of interest to Andi Meyer at TradewindArtsAAA@gmail.com by March 6th to be contacted for an appointment.
*Please note that The Coterie Theatre is a fully vaccinated company.*
Auditions will be held Tuesday, March 13th from 5-8 PM
Potential callbacks will be March 14th from 6-8 PM
Location:
Coterie Theatre, Crown Center
2450 Grand Blvd, Suite 144
Kansas City, MO 64108-2520
Justice at War by Mimi Jo Katano, Wendy Lement, and Jordan Winer
Producer–Andi Meyer, Jonathan Thomas, and Heidi Van (through July 31)
Director–Andi Meyer
Workshop–May 15-20, 2023
First Rehearsal–August 29, 2023
Opening–September 22, 2023
Closing–October 15, 2023
Contract–TYA
SUMMARY:
Justice At War – Through a TIE (Theatre in Education) framework, the cast will enact the Supreme Court case of Mitsuye Endo vs the United States, one of the three Supreme Court cases which challenged the legitimacy of the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII. The interactive play format follows the presentation of the evidence by the attorneys and witnesses, some diabolical and some sincere in their wish for justice.
Characters:
- Bailiff–Officiously dispatches their job.
- General Dewitt–Commonly viewed as one of the key villains who played a major part in the rounding up of tens of thousands of Japanese Americans and placing them into brutal conditions in remote locations across the continent.
- James Purcell–An attorney passionately invested in justice, diligently working his entire career on criminal law, civil defense, unions, and the Japanese American community over his career.
- General Fahy–Over his career, General Fahey prepared and argued all four cases of Japanese Americans vs the United States. During this trial, he does his best to be seen as level headed and fair, and over his career, General Fahey became a Judge and even had a hand in forming the United Nations Years later his more unjust methods have come to light. One year after his death, it was found to have suppressed evidence on those cases. That suppression of evidence was the deciding factor in three key cases of the incarceration of Japanese Americans (Hirabayashi, Yasui, and Korematsu), which were eventually vacated.
- Chief Justice Stone–A fair and thoughtful Judge, Chief Justice Stone works through the presentations with deep investment. Holding the attorneys and witnesses accountable he pushes them to make their cases. He holds the courtroom to the highest justice.
- Mitsuye Endo–Deemed “concertedly loyal” and the perfect person for the case against the United States. She was born and raised in California and subsequently fired from her job with the California State Department of Employment in the weeks following the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Mitsuye tries not to make waves, but will stand up for the truth.
The Coterie will announce callback auditions for the upcoming 2023/2024 Season in Spring 2023.
The Coterie does not offer general open call auditions for youth. Callbacks are by invitation. Our suggestion is to take a Coterie class to help us know you and your talent. We urge interested youth in grades 5-7 and grades 8-12 who would like to be a young professional on our mainstage to join a spring or summer Audition Lab class.
- Audition Lab class is for those auditioning just for the experience, or future mainstage seasons. The class is also an audition for The Coterie's invitation-only Master classes. The final day of each Audition Lab culminates in an audition with professional directors of our mainstage season.
About youth auditions at The Coterie
Advice by Nancy Marcy, Coterie Master Class instructor emeritus
Usually auditions will entail:
- A one-minute to one and a half minute memorized monologue. No poetry, please.
- A short improvised momement pantomine. The improvisation will be described on the audition form that you fill out when you arrive. As you wait your turn to audition you should plan a beginning, middle and an end to the improvisation and then rehearse it to match the time limit given.
- A photo of yourself. School or family photos are fine but they will be kept by the theatre for future reference.
- A simple resume. If you have a resume, bring it with you. If this is not possible, there are questions on the audition form that will provide the theatre with necessary information.
You will be notified by email if you need to come to a "callback" to read for a specific part. It is important to clearly print an email address on the form that will be checked regularly. Please understand that sometimes these callbacks are held months after your initial audition! Do NOT call the theatre to ask about whether or not your are being considered for any role.
How a Play is Cast
By its very nature, the selection of a cast is a difficult and sometimes unpleasant process for all concerned. The actors who audition are risking rejection, and usually most of them come away empty-handed. Some win roles and some do not, so it is vital for young actors to develop a healthy perspective towards what this process is all about. No matter how many times one auditions, there will always be disappointment at not being cast. Rejection is rejection; it goes with the territory. An actor, no matter what age, must find a perspective for the audition process. The Coterie is looking for something specific in an actor to fill a given role. Whether or not you are called back or cast for a role depends upon production requirements, and there are very few roles for young actors. As difficult as it is to accept, rejection is seldom the result of an actor's incompetence or lack of inherent talent.
How to Perform the Best Monologue
Choose something that is close to yourself in terms of age and experience. Never audition with a character you would not be cast to play - if you're 13 years old, don't audition with a 25 year old's monologue. Rather than using monologues from "books of monologues", you might try to find a monologue from a piece of literature that you love. You will know and understand the character and his/her story, and that will benefit your performance tremendously. Be sure the monologue stays within the time limit and that it is a self-contained selection that has or implies a beginning, middle, and end. Prepare your monologue - rehearse it "out loud" many times. You shouldn't memorize it like you memorize material for a test in school. If you are just thinking the words, they will leave your brain when you need them the most. Keep in mind that the theatre is larger than your bedroom - practice with projection!
To Do's…and NOT To Do's
- Bring something to do while you wait. This will help to keep you focused and to avoid the "jitters."
- Be polite to everyone you meet. Your audition begins the moment you arrive at the theatre, and your ability to be a cooperative team player is vital to casting. Everyone who works for the theatre is aware of the attitude and energy needed for a Coterie actor!
- Dress: don't wear sandals, clogs, crocs, platforms, outrageous clothing, hats, dangling jewelry, or hair that covers your face - you don't want to distract attention away from you. Maximize your assets.
- Do not apologize about yourself or your monologue. Audition with confidence - think "I've got something very important to share with you."
- Do not explain the monologue. You need to simply state the name of the play or book that it's from and the author.
- Avoid delivering your monlogue directly to those sitting at the table, or glancing at them while performing. Create a "fourth wall" for yourself.
Break a leg at your audition!
