Spain
Spain
by Jen Silverman
Direction by Jason J. Flannery
Auditions: Friday, July 12 from 6-9pm; Saturday, July 13 from noon-3pm. If you are unavailable at one of the listed days/times, please email us at info@atgr.org and we'll make accommodations for a video audition submission or other in-person day/time.
Location: Spectrum Theater at 160 Fountain NE
Callbacks: TBD at auditions based on auditionee availability.
Rehearsals: Will begin July 31 at the earliest. Rehearsals are generally weekday evenings for a 3-hour period of time between 6-10pm. If any weekend rehearsals are needed to accommodate cast availability, those would be scheduled for specific times that work for the team.
Performance Dates: Sept 11-13, 18-20 at 7:30; Sept 14 at 3pm
Audition Requirements: A perusal script is available here. Nothing needs to be memorized but we highly encourage you to be very familiar with the characters and their journeys in order to make specific choices throughout the audition process. Headshots and resumés encouraged. Please be prepared to list any potential schedule conflicts throughout the rehearsal process.
Characters:
All roles are open to individuals of all races and ethnicities, abilities, body sizes, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic statuses. Trans, nonbinary, and genderqueer actors highly encouraged to audition.
Joris Ivens: Male-identifying, 30s (flexible), infiltrator, “deployed to be likeable”, and wants to be liked.
Film-Geek. Life of the party. Artist. Charismatic, if not a bit neurotic. Does not need to look like
the historical figure. Needs to drink various beverages onstage; may have some surreal, interpretive-dance-like
movement.
Helen van Dongen: Female-identifying, 30s (flexible), infiltrator, “deployed to be hot”. An expressive, experimental
film-artist-turned-producer. Sharp, people-oriented, knows how to manipulate, but doesn’t enjoy
it. Misses her art. Does not need to look like the historical figure. Needs to drink various beverages onstage; needs to get very wet onstage; may have some surreal, interpretive-dance-like movement.
John “Dos” Passos: Male-identifying, 40s (flexible), easygoing, decent, friendly, a little dorky. An artist who is clever and on the rise, but averse to self-promotion. Lets his work speak for itself. Sensitive, aware,
people-oriented. Does not need to look like the historical figure. Needs to drink various beverages onstage; may have some surreal, interpretive-dance-like movement.
Ernest Hemingway: Male-identifying, 30s (flexible). Unpredictable. A keen awareness under his bombast. Enjoys
performing his persona… until it becomes a prison. Hates himself almost as much as he wants
your love. Keeps the room wrapped around his finger at all times. Throws his weight around.
Does not need to look like the historical figure. Needs to drink, almost constantly; may have some surreal, interpretive-dance-like movement.
Karl / Ivor: Male-identifying, 40s-60s (flexible). Russian Handler. Menacing. Professional. Effective. When alone: bleak and claustrophobically sad. A brilliant artist and lover, buried deep, deep down. Can play “customer service smile” on a dime when asked. Needs to eat "steak"; cut, light, and smoke a cigar; needs to sing brief phrases and full verses of opera with an “Incredible” voice; Has some brief text in Russian, and performs a scene with a
Russian accent; may have some surreal, interpretive-dance-like movement.
Synopsis:
Step into a sophisticated, slippery world where the line between truth and fiction is all in the packaging. It’s 1936, and a pair of passionate filmmakers have landed their next big project: a sweeping Spanish Civil War film with the potential to change American hearts and minds… it just happens to be bankrolled by the KGB. This seductive and funny new play about the ongoing Disinformation Age explores how art can drift into propaganda – and how the best-meaning creative minds can be coerced by applying “just a bit of pressure” in the right places.
*Michigan Premiere*
About the Director:
Jason J. Flannery is a Grand Rapids artist and educator; teaching courses in theatre, directing, acting, and improvisation, and directing collegiate productions at Grand Rapids Community College (WILDERNESS (2019), EURYDICE (2022), A DOLL'S HOUSE, PART 2 (2022), GRAND CONCOURSE (2023), BOOM (2025)), at Grand Valley State University (DEFY THE STARS (2018), BARD TO GO: BARDIC INSPIRATION (2022)), and Aquinas College (THE FOREIGNER (2019)). He holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Directing from Lindenwood University (2017), where he studied directing, acting, script adaptation, and scenic art. At Actors’ Theatre, he serves as a member of the Play Selection Committee, and as a Social Media Coordinator, Scenic Artist, and as a performer; appearing in productions of THE WHALE (2018), THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME (2018), AT THE TABLE (2018), SWEAT (2019), PETTY CRIMES (2023), and WITCH (2023). This is his third appearance as a director for Actors' Theatre, following last season’s BOTTICELLI IN THE FIRE and 2024’s PARADISE LOST.