Book by Perrin Post * Book & Lyrics by Laurie Flanigan Hegge * Music by Dina Maccabee
Based on the movie Sweet Land by Ali Selim and short story A Gravestone Made of Wheat by Will Weaver.
Based on the movie Sweet Land by Ali Selim and short story A Gravestone Made of Wheat by Will Weaver.
Sweet Land, the musical follows the story of Olaf Torvik, a Norwegian immigrant and bachelor farmer, and Inge Altenberg, the woman who came to America in 1920 to be his bride.
Production Information
|
Auditions--February 17, 18, 24 (see below)
Callbacks if necessary--February 24 (see below) Kickstarter Campaign--March 4-April 4 Rehearsals begin--March 6ish (most will be at Des Moines Social Club) Performances--May 8-or-9 through 12 (at The Viking Theatre, Grand View University) |
Elizabeth Reaser, 2005 film
|
Cast:
|
OLAF TORVIK / LARS TORVIK: Olaf, age 30-35, a Norwegian immigrant and bachelor farmer: stoic, strong, and handsome. He came to Minnesota as a young man. He has a Norwegian accent. Lars (played by the same actor) is his grandson, age 35 years.
INGE ALTENBERG: German immigrant, 25-30 years old, intelligent, strong-willed, pretty. When she arrives, she speaks only German (but sings in English!) ALVIN FRANDSEN: Olaf’s friend and next-door neighbor. Comic, quirky, 35 to 40. Known as Frandsen to friends. MARTA “BROWNIE” FRANDSEN: Alvin’s wife and mother of eight children, 35 years old, strong and more man-of-the-house than her husband. PASTOR SORENSON: A Lutheran minister. 40 to 50 years old, stern but kind. |
Actors in these ensemble roles may be double-cast.
GAIL THORVIK: Lars’ wife. ESTHER LARSON: Arrives on the train with Inge. Helpful and kind, but a bit of a busy-body. JON LARSON: Esther's husband. Happy that she's home, but a little suspicious about Inge. TRAIN STATION AGENT: Friendly, overworked. TRAIN CONDUCTOR NELSON: A serious but friendly guy, selling people on the Farmers' Cooperative. AMUNDSON: Neighboring farmer who owns a threshing machine and sometimes uses it to help others harvest. ANNA: Kindly neighbor who bakes great pies. "A Christian woman" HAROLD: Frandsen's cousin, but a bit of a crank. And a banker who forecloses on Frandsens. TOWNSPEOPLE/NEIGHBORS |
Elizabeth Reaser, Alan Cumming
Music:
All/Any actor/singers who can do so may be playing instruments.
Any musicians who can do so may be playing ensemble roles.
Needs are guitar, fiddle, cello, reeds, piano/keyboard, accordion, bass .
All/Any actor/singers who can do so may be playing instruments.
Any musicians who can do so may be playing ensemble roles.
Needs are guitar, fiddle, cello, reeds, piano/keyboard, accordion, bass .
$$$$
We are a "sharing" company in that the creative artists and the company receive a share of finances remaining after fixed costs (royalties, design/technical elements, rent, etc.) Income will derive from Kickstarter campaign/s, gifts, and ticket sales--the larger proceeds from those are, the greater the value of a 'share.' Producer receives no individual financial returns.
DUE TO BAD WEATHER, WE HAVE ADDED
A SESSION NEXT SUNDAY, 2-24.
Audition Information
Dates and Times:
Sunday, February 17, 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm--Open Auditions
Monday, February 18, 6:30 to 8:30 pm--Open Auditions
Sunday, February 24, 6:30-8:30 pm--Open Auditions, 8:30-??--Callbacks, if necessary.
***If you are not available at any of these times, please contact us about a potential alternate time and place.***
SIGN UP FOR A 5 MINUTE SLOT BELOW
Sunday, February 17, 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm--Open Auditions
Monday, February 18, 6:30 to 8:30 pm--Open Auditions
Sunday, February 24, 6:30-8:30 pm--Open Auditions, 8:30-??--Callbacks, if necessary.
***If you are not available at any of these times, please contact us about a potential alternate time and place.***
SIGN UP FOR A 5 MINUTE SLOT BELOW
Place:
Des Moines Social Club, 900 Mulberry Street, Des Moines, IA 50309
Monday 2/18: Culinary Loft; Sunday 2/24: 2nd floor Workshop Room
Free parking in the garage/lot across the street to the east--weekends and after 5 on weekdays.
Des Moines Social Club, 900 Mulberry Street, Des Moines, IA 50309
Monday 2/18: Culinary Loft; Sunday 2/24: 2nd floor Workshop Room
Free parking in the garage/lot across the street to the east--weekends and after 5 on weekdays.
|
What to Prepare:
--Contemporary monologue, no longer than 60 seconds, comic or serious, not from Sweet Land. Memorized and rehearsed preferred. --Song, no longer than 60 seconds, not from Sweet Land. The show's music is in the folk-ish/early country-ish style, so doing something in there might be good. An accompanist will be provided if you bring your cut, clearly marked, sheet music. If you play guitar, you can also accompany yourself. You can ALSO sing with recorded accompaniment, but you should play it on your own phone/device/gadget. --You MIGHT be taught a short dance/movement combination in the country/folk style so don't wear clunky shoes or super tight clothes. |
Elizabeth Reaser, Tim Guinee
|
Callbacks:
If necessary, might involve any of the following: more singing (possibly from this show), read from script, playing your instrument/s, dance/movement, dialect (Scandinavian, German.)
Some people may be cast who are not called back. And some people called back may not be cast.
If necessary, might involve any of the following: more singing (possibly from this show), read from script, playing your instrument/s, dance/movement, dialect (Scandinavian, German.)
Some people may be cast who are not called back. And some people called back may not be cast.
|
Sign up:
Ready to sign up for a 5 minute audition slot?
|
Other tools:
|