Trenchant Productions is pleased to announce auditions for its premiere of 'Newsboy' by Gary D. Cole, directed by Iris Sowlat.

Trenchant Productions is Gary D. Cole's producing company. He has produced theatre professionally on both the East and West Coasts for more than 30 years. 'Newsboy' marks his producing debut in his hometown of Chicago. This is the show's site: NewsboyonStage.com

Iris Sowlat is a Chicago-based director. She holds an MFA in directing from UMass Amherst and has directed in Chicago for nine years.

Synopsis:
'Newsboy' is a new play based on Gary D. Cole's acclaimed memoir of his childhood paper route in 1960s and '70s Chicagoland. The play, told as a nearly-solo show by two actors in turn portraying Gary as a young boy and a teenager, is a coming-of-age tale, tracking his growth from sheltered suburban innocent to keen student of the turbulent world around him - and his place in it. Gary shares stories about some of the biggest moments in Chicago and national history gleaned from the newspaper he reads and delivers each morning, as well as cross-generational friendships formed through his paper route, with realism, freshness, and humor.



Characters:
Younger Gary - Seeking an actor age 12+ who could play Gary from the ages of 9-12 in the first act of the play. We are seeking an actor who has excellent storytelling skills, spontaneity, imagination, comic timing, and actor/audience connection. He's someone who could keep the audience engaged in his story. We're looking for an actor who can tackle both the humor in Gary's childhood as well as the more serious moments. This role would require memorizing about a third of the play's text. He/him, white presenting

Older Gary - Seeking an actor age 16+ who could play Gary from the ages of 13-15 in the second and third acts of the play. We are seeking an actor who has excellent storytelling skills, spontaneity, imagination, sense of humor, and actor/audience connection. He's someone who could keep the audience engaged in his story. We're looking for an actor who can play the range in the character's development as he handles the challenges of growing up and dismantling his own privilege as he is thrown into the world around him. This role would require memorizing about two-thirds of the play's text. He/him, white presenting.

Stipend:
Stipend of $2500 each for Younger Gary and Older Gary.
$1000 for understudies.