Auditions for Failure: A Love Story

A bit about the show & auditions from Director Anna Basile:

Auditions for Failure: A Love Story

A clock shop in 1920’s Chicago. A river: of life, of death, and of time. And three sisters, each swimming against the currents of memory, love, and ambition. 

The play itself: 

Kind of a wild romp! A piece of absurd poetry plopped onstage! Failure is a script jam-packed with dense language, and expansive in its opportunities for innovative staging. 

The five principal characters will each be played by a designated actor, and a chorus will be tasked with playing many different parts with the help of puppets and shadow play and more. Two actors will be responsible for performing live foley (think radio play or practical sound effects) and another two will perform as the Gramophone and its accompanist, bringing to life the musical component of the show. 

What to expect in auditions: 

Come dressed ready to move; this is an ensemble heavy show whose engine is high-energy, embodied storytelling. ***Actors with mobility aids or access needs of any kind should not feel discouraged from auditioning. I firmly believe that all bodies are compelling messengers of story and deserving of accommodation.  

Actors will audition in groups, using pieces of text from the show (printouts provided day of). You need not be memorized, I prefer that you focus on showcasing your comprehension and facility with language. Be straight up goofy with it. Silly voices, added sound effects, mimed sequences, all of it yes please!

There will be a short portion of the audition when we will generate material as a group. I will provide a prompt and ask the group to create a vignette. Nothing polished, nothing complete, low stakes environment. I am looking for: playfulness, teamwork, and an openness to failing without hiding and with a sense of humor. 

Characters, briefly

NELLY FAIL, the youngest

JENNY JUNE FAIL, the middlest

GERTRUDE FAIL, the eldest

JOHN N. FAIL, the brother

MORTIMER MORTIMER, the lover

Auditions are August 30th starting at 1:00. Please use the Audition Sign Up Sheet to confirm your timeslot and fill out the Audition Form.

If you have any questions regarding the show or auditions, please reach out to Abby Medeiros (amedeiros_3150@email.ric.edu)

Thank you!

Auditions coming up!

Audition information for Slot 1's performance of Failure: A Love Story will be posted shortly!

Auditions will be Sunday, 8/30 starting at 1pm, with callbacks on the following night at 7pm.

Rehearsal dates/times and the tech and performance schedule can be found on the calendar tab as well if you'd like more info.

In the meantime, please take a read of the script (linked here) if you plan to audition!

ASMs needed!

If you're interested in ASMing shows this semester (either slot 1, slot 2, or growing stage), please email Nicki to let her know! (You can indicate interest dependent on auditions for the shows as well, just indicate that in your email.)

Please use NBFSHAW@GMAIL.COM as the RIC email accounts are still down. Thanks!

Actors Needed for Original Piece

We were recently contacted by Julie Batten, director of Glass Houses Shelter Project. She is looking for actors to help out with an original play written by a young student. If you are interested, please contact her at glasshouseshelterproject@gmail.com. Here are the details: 

I work one-on-one with students interested in producing longer works (plays, novels, etc). Earlier this summer, I helped a 17 year old who attends Phillips-Exeter Academy put the finishing touches on a play that is scheduled to be performed at the Providence Public Library on August 26th. Rehearsals will run every day 1-5 pm at the PPL from August 11-15; 17-21. Tech rehearsals will take place  August 24-25 and the actual performance is on August  26th (7-8:30 pm). We are calling it a staged reading as the rehearsal time is so short but some memorization would be helpful.

While we have some room to double up roles for characters not appearing in the same scenes, we need a minimum of 7 young actors (five male and two female) and one 8 (ish) year old boy (or a petite teenager who can pull that off). 

The PPL and Ocean State Media will be advertising this, so we anticipate that it will be well-attended and participants will be in the spotlight.

Right now, my priority is to round up enough interested actors to hold an informal audition next Thursday evening (7/30 -- location TBD). Please note that my co-collaborator, Christopher Hoyt (Program Manager at First Works) will be helping us deliver a professional production complete with sound, lights, minimal props, etc.!

.    

 

Audition Notice for Wilbury -- Amplified by Trinity's Becky Gibel!

Hello, all --

Regional actress Becky Gibel has reached out to us regarding the upcoming Wilbury season. 

Here is her message:

"I wanted to amplify an audition opportunity for young people at the Wilbury, because so many of your students are so darn gifted, hard-working, and READY!

Rebecca Willingham, a friend and wonderful director (formerly Chicago-based, a Jeff Award-winner, and all around fantastically brilliant human), is gearing up to hold auditions for the rock musical, “Seagulls” at Wilbury Theatre Group in PVD. The piece is very loosely inspired by The Seagull and follows four close friends, who are in a college band together, as they navigate making art, fame, and relationships

They're specifically looking for actors who are college age/early 20s who can play instruments. Folks can audition in-person or submit a video but must be local for the show. 

We have a full season ourselves at RIC, but do check out the audition information, just in case. It's always good to see what is going on professionally in the area, and to see what projects are being produced. Also -- while you may not be able to do Seagulls, you may be interested in other shows that don't conflict with our Theatre and Dance schedule.

Here is the Playbill LINK.

Email Notice!

Many Adjunct Faculty / Staff have lost access to their RIC emails over the summer. 

If you've been trying to reach someone and have not gotten a response, please reach out to Gel (acardente1@ric.edu) so she can connect you!

Thank you!

Summer Shoutouts

 Hi Folks, 

Rey reached out to our RIC theatre instagram account to let us know about their exhibit that they made and is posted in Adams Library (which you should definitely check out!!). Also stay tuned for a shout out featuring Rey on our account!

If you're doing anything fun/cool/industry related this summer, take some pictures and send it over to our RIC Theatre account, with a little blurb describing your connection to RIC theatre and a little information about the project/classes/work so that we can get a shout out put up for you too! 

It's important to show that RIC students regularly work in theatre/performance related jobs before they graduate!

Theatre & Dance Student Ambassador Program

I’m excited to introduce a new Theatre & Dance Student Ambassador Program designed to strengthen our department’s presence and connections in the community. 

The program has two parts: 

Sponsorship – Student ambassadors will build relationships with local businesses, helping to secure sponsorships that support our performances. This offers valuable experience in outreach, communication, and professional engagement. 

• Interested students should be available to begin in late June or early July for in-person onboarding and summer work in July, particularly related to sponsorship and community outreach initiatives. 

Recruitment – Ambassadors will participate in outreach to local studios and high schools by visiting classes, sharing their experiences at RIC, and encouraging prospective students to consider our program. 

• Interested students would begin in September 

The ideal candidate would possess the following qualifications:  

• A major in Theatre, Dance, or both. Any concentration (performance, musical theatre, tech)  in Theatre is welcomed.  
• Work-study eligibility through Financial Aid for the fall semester is preferred; however, we will still consider strong candidates who do not have work-study status.  

Who is a good fit?:  

• The student should ideally not already hold a highly time-intensive executive council position within theatre or dance, as we want to broaden involvement opportunities while also being mindful not to overwhelm students. 
• Residency in Rhode Island or Southern Massachusetts, as the position benefits from familiarity with the local community and surrounding arts landscape. 
• A self-motivated individual who believes in the Theatre & Dance Department is willing to learn what they do not understand and is interested in becoming more actively involved in the department's growth and outreach. 

Must Haves:  

• Must have a vehicle and a valid license with car insurance.   
• Availability and willingness to work independently approximately 4–5 hours per week during the summer or during the academic year.

If you are not sure if you have work-study or if you are eligible, I can help you navigate. 

If you are interested in serving as a student ambassador, please contact Jessica, jpearson@ric.edu, immediately. 

Thank you,

~ Jessica

Our 2026-2027 Season!

 

JCS Photos Link and Google Photos Announcement

 Hello Folks, 

I hope that you all are having a nice start to your break! Please find the link to the JCS PHOTOS here. 

Additionally, I am currently working on archiving all of the photos from previous shows because we are running out of space on our drive. This means that I will be removing many shows from our drive and storing them on an external hard drive for safe keeping. I will however, be keeping a rotation of the last five years of shows (which will be updated each year) active on our drive for folks to pull from for reels and portfolios. 

All of this is to say (and please tell your friends), if you would like any of the photos from previous shows that you have been in or worked on, please obtain them before AUGUST 1, 2026. This is when I will be removing all shows beyond the past 5 years. 

If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to Taylor Santoro.