In 760 CE, Laila, a 16 year old girl with a boundless curiosity only matched by her wild imagination, wants to be a biblical scribe like her uncle Mordechai, a caring man more keen on her having a traditional and secure livelihood. Present day, historical archaeologist Alicia Jacobs has been unearthing an ancient structure for years, but is struggling to put the disparate pieces together when a new scholar, Oscar, enters the scene with a personal mission to shake things up. As these stories unfold, Laila and Alicia's realities weave together in ways that blur the lines between the real and the imagined and ask us to question the meanings of history, knowledge, expertise and narrative and who has the authority to decide which stories are worth telling.

BREAKDOWN (Non-Union actors only at this time please):
Alicia "Al" Jacobstein - 29/Female/African-American
Tough as nails, partially to hide some insecurities. She knows she's good at her job - but the pressure of constantly having to prove it has begun to wear on her. She goes at any issue, problem or perceived slight like a bull in the ring. Take no prisoners.

Robert Gonzales - 30 /Male/Hispanic/Latino-American
The nurturer. He has worked hard to be as unoffensive and likable as possible. As Alicia's best friend in college, he spent many a night apologizing over his shoulder while following her out of the room. Homosexual, but very private - he would never want to make anyone uncomfortable. Become his close friend and you have the privilege of hearing his witty one liners.

Dr. Victoria Tolentova - 40s-50s/Female/Russian American - White
A powerfully intelligent woman who knows how to work the system and has more than succeeded in a male-dominated field. She is pragmatic and no nonsense. Effortlessly commands the respect of the room and is more interested in results and work ethic than fighting the man or taking a principled stance.

Oscar Cumberland - 30s/Male/British - Caucasian
As charming as the day is long, but he is a duck. On the surface he glides along smoothly while underneath his feet are madly kicking to keep propelling himself forward. He is desperately seeking to set himself apart from his father (a formidable and famous scholar), while also gaining his father's respect.

Oren Tal - mid-30s/Male or Female/Israeli *ability to speak Hebrew a bonus.
The security for the dig site provided by the Israeli Antiquities Authority. Very easy going and fun loving. Extroverted and physically attractive. Extremely witty and a bit of a flirt - though its unclear if the flirting is a statement of sexual interest or just a way to gain attention from anyone and everyone in the room, no matter their gender.

760 CE Characters (in Tiberias)

Laila bat-Yeshiyahu - 16/Female/Jewish *ability to speak Hebrew a bonus.
A wildly precocious, curious, intelligent and imaginative soul. Suffers from crippling insecurity about her own desirability and future. She is a fast and clever liar, who knows how to manipulate the men in her world to get what she wants. While marriage and romantic love are extremely attractive to her - she wants to be wanted, truly, for who she is and be able to continue her academic pursuits.

Mordechai ben-Naphtali - mid-40s/50s/Male/Jewish *ability to speak Hebrew a bonus.
He would describe himself as a devout and traditional man, but in truth there is a soft spot for Laila which leads to him giving in to certain things (like not forcing her to marry one of the last two suitors he chose for her) that he never would imagine himself giving in to. He is deeply compassionate. And while he will put his foot down on the day to day chores and tasks that he feels Laila should attend to as a woman of her age - in the end he is hopelessly wrapped around her finger, infinitely proud of her, and just wants (he can't even believe he is saying this) her to be happy.

Anan - 19-22/ Male/Babylonian Jewish (i.e. swarthier skin) *ability to speak Hebrew a bonus.
A student and admirer of Mordechai's work, suitor to Laila. He puts on a strong and traditional front, but his inner world is a bit quirky. He is drawn to Laila's quirkiness for that reason, and while outside perception matters to him, the idea of sharing a home with a woman as delightfully surprising as her holds a lot of appeal.

Assaf - mid-40s /Male/Jewish *ability to speak Hebrew a bonus.
A curmudgeonly gossip who continuously puts his nose where it doesn't belong and passes moral judgement on everyone he encounters.