Sponsored by the Africana Repertory Theatre of IUPUI (A.R.T.I.) in partnership with IndyFringe, the ONYXFEST 2022 CASTING CALL for Indianapolis area actors is open until Wednesday, August 3, 2022! Indiana’s first and only theater festival exclusively for African American playwrights is scheduling auditions for the OnyxFest 2022 fall festival, which will be held on November 3-6 at the IndyFringe Basile Theater and November 10-12 at the IUPUI Campus Center Theatre.
In addition to actors, OnyxFest is needing experienced directors, technical crew, musicians, poets, and dancers! See roles available for varied gender, race, age, and ethnicity along with play descriptions at https://onyxfest.com/onyxfest-2022/#actors-callout. The casting call will end on Wednesday, August 3, 2022, at 11:59 pm.
Available roles for OnyxFest 2022 plays are as follows:
“BLACK IS MY COLOR” by Celeste Williams. In 1989, poet/philosopher Mari Evans wrote an essay entitled, “Ethos & Creativity” for a publication edited by David Hoppe. This story tries to capture her essence.
CAST
- Mari Evans (Black woman, 70-80s)
- Sistah Two (Black woman, 50s)
- Young Mari (Black girl, 8-12 yrs.)
- Poet
- Interpretive Dancer
- Jazz Saxophonist
CREW
- Director
- Tech
“HOUSELESS, NOT HOMELESS” by Michael Florence. The story of five homeless people, how they came to be homeless and how they survive day-to-day.
CAST
- Lonnie (Black male, mid 40s)
- Rita (White or Hispanic female, mid 20s)
- Soldier (Corporal Jackson) (Black or White male, early 20s)
- Pauline (Black or White female, mid 50s)
- John (White or Hispanic male)
- Matt (White or Black male, mid 30s)
“MAJESTIES” by Charla Booth. Three Black women from three generations meet on a journey to discover themselves and their worth.
CAST
- Andre Porter (Black male, late 50s)
- Andrea Porter (Blackish female, 20s)
- Gloria Steele (Black female, 40s)
- Ruth Ellyn Steele (Black female, 60s)
- Leslie Molar (Black female, late 50s)
- Judith Jael (Black female, early 70s)
“YOUR LOVE WILL BE JUDGED” by Gabrielle Patterson. Six jurors residing in a world where divorce is only an option if a jury of your peers says so, is quite the challenge when everyone has vastly different opinions about love and marriage.
CAST
- Forman (Black male, 35-45 yrs.)
- Juror 4 (Black male, 60-75 yrs.)
- Juror 5 (Black female. 20-25 yrs.)
- Juror 3 (Italian male, 30-35 yrs.)
- Juror 1 (Black female. 35-50 yrs.)
- Juror 2 (White female. 30-40 yrs.)
“A NOISE IN THE ATTIC”by Vernon A. Williams. The life of a suburban housewife – neglected by her ambitious husband and disrespected by her spoiled stepdaughter – becomes even more complicated by sudden, unexplained noises in their new house.
CAST
- Rita (Black woman, late 30s)
- Reginald (Black male, 40ish)
- Kathy (Black female, teenager)
- Helen (Black or Latino female, late 30s)
- Mavis (Black or Latino female, 20s)
- Walker (Black or Latino male, late 20s-early 30s)
CREW
- Director
- Tech
Learn more about roles, plays, and playwrights by visiting https://onyxfest.com/onyxfest-2022/. For questions, email OnyxFest at onyxfestindy@gmail.com or call (317) 274-8710.
About A.R.T.I. (Africana Repertory Theatre of IUPUI):
The Africana Repertory Theatre of IUPUI (ARTI) is a program of study offered by the IU School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI, the School of Education and the IUPUI Office of Community Engagement using a multidisciplinary approach to “edutainment.” ARTI was developed to document and artistically reflect the history, cultural life, and politics of peoples of the African Diaspora. As a public arts initiative, ARTI has a deep commitment to and focuses on artistic and community engagement. The Office of Community Engagement and the Schools of Liberal Arts and Education are supporting this proposal because it advances the idea that learning in the arts is invaluable at all stages of life, and the integration of the arts into the fabric of community life may advance civic engagement while also creating a college and career pathway.
About IndyFringe:
The Indianapolis Theatre Fringe Festival (IndyFringe) founded in 2005 is a place, an event, a movement, an incubator for new talent and a magnet for imaginative and thoughtful people. IndyFringe established OnyxFest in 2011 to counter the lack of diversity both on stage and in audiences of Indianapolis theatre. The annual festival is a vehicle to expose theatergoers to new and emerging Black playwrights. IndyFringe is best known for the annual IndyFringe Festival that transforms Mass Ave in downtown Indianapolis into a vibrant, eclectic and exciting festival avenue.
