An Academy production for ages 11-17
When thirteen-year-old Meg Murry’s father mysteriously vanishes, three eccentric and otherworldly neighbors appear. They send Meg, her younger brother Charles Wallace, and their friend Calvin O’Keefe on a mystical journey through the stars to find Mr. Murry and save humanity. Meg and her companions travel across galaxies, through space and time, as the power of love and light battles darkness and the forces of evil. This 50-minute stage adaptation of the beloved young-adult science-fantasy novel is a dramatic adventure for a small ensemble of young actors.
Cast size is 11+ and flexible.
Meg: Age 13. Very smart, but a misfit at school who is often teased for her “different” brother, Charles Wallace, and her absent father. Meg is stubborn, loyal, shy, affectionate, fierce, brave, scared, and loving.
Charles Wallace: Meg’s gifted younger brother. His talents range from advanced factual and scientific knowledge to an unusual ability to understand the minds and feelings of others. His assurance of his abilities proves to be his vulnerability, until Meg’s love saves him.
Calvin: Age 14, but so smart that he’s in 11th grade. Also a talented athlete. He enters the Murrys’ lives in an unexpected way but practically becomes one of the family (though he may mean something more to Meg). His talent for communication comes in handy on other planets, and his love and courage sustain the group.
Mrs. Whatsit: First appearing as an old, eccentrically dressed woman, Mrs. Whatsit is described as a guardian angel. She and her companions are there to help but not directly intervene in what the children must do to save their father and themselves. Any gender.
Mrs. Who: An old woman with huge spectacles, she finds it difficult to verbalize and speaks mostly in quotations. Shakespeare, Dante, and Scripture feature prominently in her speech. Like Mrs. Whatsit, her human form is not her natural state of being. Any gender.
Mrs. Which: The oldest and wisest of the trio, the most experienced and solemn of them all. Though not as affectionate with the children as Mrs. Whatsit, her strength sees them through. Has trouble finding an earthly form and speaks with an unusual speech pattern of long, drawn-out words with extra syllables. Any gender.
Ensemble: A strong ensemble acts as a Greek chorus. Features many characters including Mother, Father, Sandy, Dennys, Teacher, Postal Worker, Bully, Camazotz Mother, Little Boy, Newspaper Boy, Lobby Guard, and Red-eyed Man.
There will be a free, optional, pre-audition workshop on Saturday, December 2 at 11 a.m. Led by co-directors Dani Moreno-Fuentes and Erin Sylvester, this practical workshop is ideal for both newcomers and experienced performers to meet the show’s creative team, learn about the audition process, and practice for their audition. RSVP here: https://forms.office.com/r/xM3HG2rCRm
Students must be between ages 11-17 at the time of auditions. A prepared short monologue is preferred, but not required. Choose one date to audition: Saturday, December 16 at 10 a.m. or Sunday, December 17 at 10 a.m. For those who are called back, callbacks will be held on the second audition date. Reserve an audition slot here: https://forms.office.com/r/UE02emSrHc
Rehearsals will be held on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 5-7 p.m., January 8 through February 15. There will be four performances: Friday, February 16 during the daytime, for a student audience (time TBD), and at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, February 17 at 2 p.m.; and Sunday, February 18 at 2 p.m.
As we strive to make choices that reflect the best of our community, showcasing the incredible talent and rich diversity, there is always more to learn and more to do. As members of this community, we prioritize our continuous education, reflection, and action. Ocala Civic Theatre is committed to casting diverse artists who reflect the demographics of our city and our society.