UCR Department of Theatre, Film, and Digital Production

AUDITIONS

OPEN TO ALL UCR STUDENTS REGARDLESS OF MAJOR

AIRNESS

By Chelsea Marcantel

Directed by Hannah Wolf

Airness is an exuberant comedy that follows Nina's air guitar mission to shred or be shredded. Through her journey, she learns about competition, determination, and finding the airness within. This heartwarming story is a reminder that everything we need to rock is already inside us.

SEPTEMBER 29, 2023

Friday, 5:00-9:00pm

Studio Theatre (ARTS 113)

Callbacks: Saturday September 30, 10:00am-2:00pm

Meet the Director (Zoom): Hannah Wolf will be holding a “meet the director” session on Tuesday, September 26th from 6:30-7:30pm in Zoom. This is not required, but you are welcome to come say hello and ask questions about the show. If you want to attend the meet-and-greet please email Marissa Vera, Stage Manager: mvera017@ucr.edu, for the Zoom link.

Needed: 7 cast members.

Actors should prepare:

• A one-minute contemporary comedic monologue from a play.
• Please bring the monologue prepared and memorized. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A PREPARED MONOLOGUE, we can also provide a scene for you to read at the audition. Please request the sides at the time you are requesting the audition time slot and come prepared with the sides.

• Tips for the audition:
  • Read the play before auditioning. An online copy of the play can be read here.
  • Wear clothes you are comfortable and can move in.
  • Being “honest” is preferable to being “theatrically interesting.” Being “earnest” is preferable to trying to force comedy. Being enthusiastic is preferable to being a good dancer.
  • If you get a callback, please
    • Come dressed in comfortable clothes and closed-toed shoes (i.e. sneakers), ready to move. Be prepared to work with each other and make your scene partners look great – because that makes you look *awesome*! 
    • Please bring one minute from a song that makes you want to dance/sing/jump on the couch. 
    • In the spirit of air guitar, it’s not about perfect technical ability, the director wants to see how you move to music. Pick a song that speaks to you and go for it. Above all, it should be fun.

How to audition:

• You must sign-up in advance for a five-minute time slot here.
• Download and fill out the Audition Form here (in either PDF or Word format). Once this form has been filled out and you have signed up for a time slot, email your completed Audition Form and a headshot photo to Marissa Vera, Stage Manager: mvera017@ucr.edu.

Please note:

• Please review the cast schedule here before signing up to audition. You must be fully available for all dates and times listed on this schedule.
• Cast members will be enrolled in four units of TFDP 170 in the fall quarter under Professor Hannah Wolf.

Character information:

2 f, 4 m, 1 either (7 actors: 2-3 f, 4-5 m)

Each character represents one of the pillars of air guitar. This pillar is reflected in performance, song choice, approach to the competition, and personal interactions with others while in character.

THEATRICAL INTIMACY NOTES

Please read the script before auditions. The script includes kissing, discussions of sexual intimacy, profanity, partial nudity (male character removing their shirt), and consistent use of profanity.

Ed “Shreddy Eddy” Leary: Male, 20s

Think John Cusack in "High Fidelity"; he’s from South Side, Chicago; generous; full of heart and kindness; he still wears flannel; he doesn’t realize how handsome he is.

Ethnicity: All Ethnicities.

Gabe “Golden Thunder” Partridge: Male, 20s. 

What he lacks in guitar-playing accuracy, he makes up for in originality and interpretive glory; from Big Sky, Montana; he likely owns a horse; has a wide-open-spaces personality as well; generous and kindhearted. He uses air guitar to promote world peace. 

Ethnicity: BIPOC. 

Mark “Facebender” Lender: Male, 30-43

Older than the rest; the sweetheart of the group; open and exceptionally gregarious; from San Diego; a New Age hippie, but takes air guitar very seriously; he takes most things very seriously; his performances are full of feeling; he’s pushing against a well of sadness and depth of need; can sometimes feel like a man out of time, like Don Quixote.

Ethnicity: White. 

Astrid “Cannibal Queen” Anderson: Female, 20s.

A badass, no-nonsense rocker; does not suffer fools; can be a little cold, stiff, and crass; a classically trained guitarist, she prides herself on her exceptional technical ability.

Ethnicity: All Ethnicities.

Nina “The Nina” O’Neal: Female, 20s

The newcomer to the group; skeptical about this new world she’s come into, she has some reservations and judgment about how dorky it is; a trained rock musician; smart, articulate, and driven; totally out of her element, but finds her way to greatness by the end of the play.

Ethnicity: All Ethnicities.

David “D Vicious” Cooper: Male, 20s. 

The reigning National US Air Guitar Champion who has lost the joy of the sport; has the ability to make the crowd love him, then hate him, then love him again, in 60 seconds; extremely charismatic and smart; his ego has achieved epic proportions. This role requires a very skilled dancer/mover. 

Ethnicity: All Ethnicities.

Announcer: Any Gender, Any Age. 

Plays the Announcer, Sprite Exec, Hooded Figure. Looking for an actor who is skilled in voice over, has experience with being an MC and can pump up a crowd. 

Ethnicity: All Ethnicities.

About the play:

When Nina enters her first air guitar competition, she thinks winning will be easy. But as she befriends a group of charismatic nerds all committed to becoming the next champion, she discovers that there’s more to this art form than playing pretend; it’s about finding yourself in your favorite songs, and performing with raw joy.

INFORMATION:tfdp@ucr.edu