Silk Road Rising is seeking actors and understudies for their upcoming production of Through the Elevated Line by Novid Parsi, directed by Carin Silkaitis. Having fled Iran where he was imprisoned for being a gay man, a damaged Razi arrives at his sister's Chicago doorstep only to disrupt the life she and her American husband have built together. As the Chicago Cubs vie to make history, rivalries of a different kind simmer in the Uptown two-flat that Razi tries to call home. With echoes of A Streetcar Named Desire, Novid Parsi's world premiere drama probes the boundaries between family, loss, prejudice, and desire.

Pay: Equity: $246.25 a week Non-Equity: $150 a week Non-Equity Understudy: $65 a week

Auditions will be held at Historic Chicago Temple, 77 W Washington St James Parlor (2nd Floor)

Seeking:
Razi Gol, M, 31, Iranian. Razi has fled Iran, where he was imprisoned for being a gay man. Razi is handsome, slender, almost slight, with short, neatly parted hair and carefully tended clothes, but he is also worn beyond his years. His homesick love for the culture and especially the poetry of Iran conflicts with his experience living there. There is more to Razi's past than he reveals. He has a sharp wit and speaks near-fluent English with an Iranian accent. Actor must be comfortable with partial nudity.

Soraya Rafferty, F, 29, Razi's sister, Iranian-American. Soraya emigrated from Iran to the States at age 18. After 11 years in Chicago, she has a faint accent that can't quite be placed, which only adds to her exotic allure. Lovely, voluptuous, she has long curly locks of jet-black hair. With a curvy build and a keen mind, she's an intoxicating mix of intellect and physicality. A dermatology resident, Soraya is concerned with looks and clothes, but she's also serious and ambitious. Actor must be comfortable with partial nudity (potentially seen in bra/underwear).

Chuck Rafferty, M, 30, Soraya's husband, white American. Tall, blond, quite muscular, and loud, Chuck brims with physical confidence. He takes pleasure in his body and in the pleasure that others take in it. He considers himself a straight-shooter. Beneath the surface, there's an anger and insecurity stemming from class resentment. A lifelong Chicagoan who grew up in the South Suburbs, Chuck is a realtor and an aspiring property developer. Actor must be comfortable with partial nudity. Benjamin, M, early 30s, Chuck's friend, third-generation Japanese-American. Benjamin is a well-to-do financial adviser who works in the Loop. He's a lifelong Chicagoan, a die-hard Cubs fan, and a loyal friend. And he's got a big laugh.

Beth, F, early 30s, Benjamin's wife, white American. Beth is a white-collar professional, a loyal friend, and a no-nonsense Chicagoan. Like her husband, Benjamin, she loves a good time-baseball, beer-but between the two of them, she's the boss.

Sean, M, early 40s, Beth's brother, white American. Sean is a successful Chicago lawyer. He's quieter and more serious than his sister, Beth. A wealthy single gay man, he wants to settle down yet is wary of being taken advantage of. He's been burned before.

Vendor/Cesar/immigration officer, M, all Mexican-American. The three characters, who are all played by the same actor, represent increasingly Americanized Mexican immigrants. The street vendor does not speak English. Cesar, a construction worker, has a family at home and a sex life outside the home. And the immigration officer, a child of Mexican immigrants who speaks with an American accent, embodies the "successful" transition into American identity.