Photos courtesy of
Centre Theatre, Norristown, PA
Monday, January 1, 2007
Audition Information
Unless something changes, auditions will be Sunday, January 21st at 5:00pm and Monday, January 22nd at 6:00pm. Please be very familiar with the audition scenes listed on this blog. There are 8 audition scenes so make sure you see them all. Not all of the audition scenes fit on the Home Page of this blog so once you reach the bottom of the Home Page, click on "Older Posts" to see the rest of them. A couple of things you should be aware of when auditioning: first, this is a very spiritual play. With that in mind, realize that there are church hymns sung throughout this play and all are sung a cappella. In fact, I will be opening this production with an a cappella version of "Amazing Grace". (don't worry, I'm not looking for strong vocals) Also, keep in mind that this play takes place during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl of the 1930's. People didn't have a lot of food or much of anything else. Costumes will be very scaled down and the set will be minimal. We are going to tell this story using only the basics...that means auditions will be critical because we have to rely solely on strong acting. Do your homework. Know about the Great Depression. Understand the circumstances in which these characters lived. Bring that research to life in your audition. If you have any questions, please contact me at kelly.stgermain@lmberry.com
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Play Description
The Diviners takes place in the fictional Indiana town of Zion...population forty. Zion is a small, rural community with a few houses and farms along the river. It takes place during the 1930's in the middle of the Great Depression. The characters in this play are all good, simple people. Their lives and livelihood depend on the soil for they are farmers and small town workers. They don't own or covet "possessions". They are very hard workers and their sole purpose is to survive during a time in history when survival wasn't easy. The people in this town are therefore very close. Everyone knows everyone and they depend on each other to do his or her part. One person who definitely does do his part is Buddy Layman. Buddy is in his teens, but he is brain-damaged due to a near drowning that happened when he was only four...a traumatic event that resulted in the death of his mother. The effects of this event have left Buddy with some peculiar behaviors...the main one being that he never progressed psychologically or intellectually beyond the age of four. He is therefore a four-year-old boy in the body of a teenager. His speech, body movements, interests and outlook are all that of a four year old little boy. He sees the world only with the limited understanding of a very young child so his innocence is pervasive. Another result of the event is that he has an irrational fear of water. As a result, he refuses to bathe or even be touched by water. He is severely eaten up with ringworm and rashes and is dirty all the time. But the most interesting result of his near-drowning experience is that he has the divine power to "water-witch". He can accurately predict, to the minute, when it will begin to rain. He is invaluable to the community of Zion because he can pinpoint the exact spot to dig for water in the ground. When he tells the local farmers it's going to rain, they lay their fields in rows and know it will be a good season. He is the local water-witcher, seeker and diviner and he is invaluable to a community that is almost solely dependent on their crops.
Into the town of Zion walks C.C. Showers. Showers is an ex-preacher who figures the only way he can put the life of the pulpit behind him is to escape to a town where no one knows he's been a preacher. He wants desperately to begin fresh somewhere else doing something else...anything but preaching. When he first enters Zion he meets Buddy and begins an instant friendship with the boy, his sister, Jenny Mae and their father, Ferris. Ferris gives him a job as a mechanic in his shop and a room as a boarder in their home. Showers and Buddy form a bond and Showers begins working with Buddy to try to get him to let go of his fear of water in an effort to try and clear the boy's infestation of ringworm and rashes.
Unfortunately for Showers, word gets out in Zion that he used to be a preacher and the townspeople, being desperate for a preacher of their own, keep pressuring and pestering him to take up the pulpit once more. This pressure culminates in the last scene of the play when Showers finally gets Buddy to trust him enough to go into the river...the same river that took the life of his mother and very nearly his own. While down at the river, several of the townspeople approach and in their zest for a "baptizin" Buddy loses his footing and is overtaken by the one thing he feared the most...water.
It must be understood that this is a very spiritual and even lyrical play. Several church hymns are sung throughout the play and the prevailing theme revolves around spirituality, faith and purity. This is a play about having faith...faith in the future, faith in others, faith in oneself and most of all faith in the divine. The metaphor of purity and water is also very prevalent. We see it in the main synopsis of the play where the idea of avoiding water has had an extremely negative effect. We see it in the name of the character who tries so hard to bring Buddy back to water...C.C. SHOWERS. We see it in the idea that without water, this community would not and could not survive. Think of purity in every way...purity of mind, body, soul, perception, love...Jim Leonard Jr. touches on each and every one of these throughout the play. He calls for a very minimal set and very scaled down costumes...purity and honesty must be so obvious throughout the production that they are almost tangible. As the director, I will be very focused on this idea of purity and how it relates to one's spirituality. I will expect honesty from the characters and will be looking for honesty at the auditions. Think minimalist, natural, honest, back to basics, purity, only what is necessary. These ideas will help you at auditions and throughout rehearsals. Be very familiar with the audition pieces posted on this blog.
Into the town of Zion walks C.C. Showers. Showers is an ex-preacher who figures the only way he can put the life of the pulpit behind him is to escape to a town where no one knows he's been a preacher. He wants desperately to begin fresh somewhere else doing something else...anything but preaching. When he first enters Zion he meets Buddy and begins an instant friendship with the boy, his sister, Jenny Mae and their father, Ferris. Ferris gives him a job as a mechanic in his shop and a room as a boarder in their home. Showers and Buddy form a bond and Showers begins working with Buddy to try to get him to let go of his fear of water in an effort to try and clear the boy's infestation of ringworm and rashes.
Unfortunately for Showers, word gets out in Zion that he used to be a preacher and the townspeople, being desperate for a preacher of their own, keep pressuring and pestering him to take up the pulpit once more. This pressure culminates in the last scene of the play when Showers finally gets Buddy to trust him enough to go into the river...the same river that took the life of his mother and very nearly his own. While down at the river, several of the townspeople approach and in their zest for a "baptizin" Buddy loses his footing and is overtaken by the one thing he feared the most...water.
It must be understood that this is a very spiritual and even lyrical play. Several church hymns are sung throughout the play and the prevailing theme revolves around spirituality, faith and purity. This is a play about having faith...faith in the future, faith in others, faith in oneself and most of all faith in the divine. The metaphor of purity and water is also very prevalent. We see it in the main synopsis of the play where the idea of avoiding water has had an extremely negative effect. We see it in the name of the character who tries so hard to bring Buddy back to water...C.C. SHOWERS. We see it in the idea that without water, this community would not and could not survive. Think of purity in every way...purity of mind, body, soul, perception, love...Jim Leonard Jr. touches on each and every one of these throughout the play. He calls for a very minimal set and very scaled down costumes...purity and honesty must be so obvious throughout the production that they are almost tangible. As the director, I will be very focused on this idea of purity and how it relates to one's spirituality. I will expect honesty from the characters and will be looking for honesty at the auditions. Think minimalist, natural, honest, back to basics, purity, only what is necessary. These ideas will help you at auditions and throughout rehearsals. Be very familiar with the audition pieces posted on this blog.
Character Descriptions
Buddy Layman - as young as 14 years old or as old as 19 years old. Mentally-challenged. Very honest, loving, trusting, free-spirited, innocent, child-like
Jennie Mae Layman - late teens, possibly very early 20's if necessary. Buddy's sister. Loving, innocent, curious, responsible, mother-figure to buddy
Ferris Layman - 40's. Father of Buddy and Jennie Mae. Mechanic, hard-worker, dependible, honest, strong
C.C. Showers - Late 20's to mid 30's. Ex-preacher. Handsome, fast-talking, "preachy", lost, searching, caring, questioning
Norma Henshaw - 30's to older. Owner of the Hoosier Dry-Goods store, a "true believer", spriritual, Bible quoting, searching
determined, solid, unyeilding
Darlene Henshaw - teens to early 20's. Norma's neice. Questioning, flirty, prissy, dramatic, flair, rebellious
Goldie Short - early 30's to 40's. Owner of the Dine-Away-Cafe. Pretty, bossy, caring, honest, tells it like it is
Basil Bennett - late 40's to older. A farmer, the local "doctor", wise, backbone of the community, EF Hutton (when he talks...)
Luella Bennett - late 40's to older. Basil's wife. Doubter, arguer, steadfast, opinionated, hard
Melvin Wilder - teens to early 20's. a farmhand (works for Basil). not too bright, comic relief along with Dewey
Dewey Maples - teens to early 20's. a farmhand (works for Basil). goofy, naive, comic relief along with Melvin
Jennie Mae Layman - late teens, possibly very early 20's if necessary. Buddy's sister. Loving, innocent, curious, responsible, mother-figure to buddy
Ferris Layman - 40's. Father of Buddy and Jennie Mae. Mechanic, hard-worker, dependible, honest, strong
C.C. Showers - Late 20's to mid 30's. Ex-preacher. Handsome, fast-talking, "preachy", lost, searching, caring, questioning
Norma Henshaw - 30's to older. Owner of the Hoosier Dry-Goods store, a "true believer", spriritual, Bible quoting, searching
determined, solid, unyeilding
Darlene Henshaw - teens to early 20's. Norma's neice. Questioning, flirty, prissy, dramatic, flair, rebellious
Goldie Short - early 30's to 40's. Owner of the Dine-Away-Cafe. Pretty, bossy, caring, honest, tells it like it is
Basil Bennett - late 40's to older. A farmer, the local "doctor", wise, backbone of the community, EF Hutton (when he talks...)
Luella Bennett - late 40's to older. Basil's wife. Doubter, arguer, steadfast, opinionated, hard
Melvin Wilder - teens to early 20's. a farmhand (works for Basil). not too bright, comic relief along with Dewey
Dewey Maples - teens to early 20's. a farmhand (works for Basil). goofy, naive, comic relief along with Melvin
Audition Scene 1 (Melvin, Dewey, Darlene)
Melvin: Now, you see how that is, Dew? Girls're tricky business. Real tricky business. But you gotta let 'em know how you stand, see? Now you want a take this girl dancin'. You want to take Darlene to the dance.
Dewey: I'm not sayin I love her or nothin.
Melvin: But you gotta let her know what you're thinkin'.
Darlene: Hey, Melvin.
Melvin: We're tryin to talk man to man. You understand?
Darlene: What're you talkin about Melvin?
Melvin: We're talkin on how nice you're lookin', Darlene. My pal Dewey, he can't hardly stand it. Now you see how that is, Dew?
Darlene: You really think I look nice, Dewey?
Melvin: Tell her how it is, pal. Tell her you mean business.
Dewey: (crosses to Darlene, very shy) Hey, Darlene.
Darlene: Hey, Dewey.
Dewey: I don't love you or nothin'.
Melvin: Dewey, what're you sayin'?! That's not what he's meaning, Darlene.
Darlene: (A little upset) Well, what are you meanin?
Dewey: I guess I'm kind a wonderin what you might think about dancin.
Darlene: (warming) I like dancin just fine.
Dewey: Me too. I don't know how or nothin but I sure like to watch.
Melvin: This guy puts the dance floor to shame.
Darlene: Maybe you could teach me a step or two, Dewey.
Melvin: (referring to Dewey) Hell of a dancer.
Dewey: Well, my feet're kind of sore. I got planters warts,see?
Melvin: Now, Dewey that ain't the way to her heart.
Dewey: (exiting) I can't dance if my feet hurt.
Dewey: I'm not sayin I love her or nothin.
Melvin: But you gotta let her know what you're thinkin'.
Darlene: Hey, Melvin.
Melvin: We're tryin to talk man to man. You understand?
Darlene: What're you talkin about Melvin?
Melvin: We're talkin on how nice you're lookin', Darlene. My pal Dewey, he can't hardly stand it. Now you see how that is, Dew?
Darlene: You really think I look nice, Dewey?
Melvin: Tell her how it is, pal. Tell her you mean business.
Dewey: (crosses to Darlene, very shy) Hey, Darlene.
Darlene: Hey, Dewey.
Dewey: I don't love you or nothin'.
Melvin: Dewey, what're you sayin'?! That's not what he's meaning, Darlene.
Darlene: (A little upset) Well, what are you meanin?
Dewey: I guess I'm kind a wonderin what you might think about dancin.
Darlene: (warming) I like dancin just fine.
Dewey: Me too. I don't know how or nothin but I sure like to watch.
Melvin: This guy puts the dance floor to shame.
Darlene: Maybe you could teach me a step or two, Dewey.
Melvin: (referring to Dewey) Hell of a dancer.
Dewey: Well, my feet're kind of sore. I got planters warts,see?
Melvin: Now, Dewey that ain't the way to her heart.
Dewey: (exiting) I can't dance if my feet hurt.
Audition Scene 2 (Basil Monologue)
Basil: The boy is dead, don't you see? Buddy Layman's gone. There's no tellin the weather. When he said it would rain we layed our fields in rows and we knew it would be a good season. You see, a man works, a man waits, and he hopes and plans, but it was the boy who told us the weather. And that boy...he was somethin. Somethin else for a fact. He couldn't talk for two cents or take the time to tie his shoes, but he seemed to know things you figured nobody knew. Without drillin rigs or men with machines -without nothin but a willow rod in his hands-Buddy Layman came onto my land in late spring and he set himself to witchin a well. Call it vein-findin, water-witchin, smellin, seekin or divinin,...the boy had a touch and a feel for water.
Audition Scene 3 (Buddy, C.C.)
Buddy: You think you're maybe gonna stick around awhile, C.C.?
Showers: It all depends, Bud.
Buddy: They's lots a stuff here you know?
Showers: There is, huh?
Buddy: Yeah! They's lots a good stuff. You see the woods over there don't you?
Showers: Bud, I sure do.
Buddy: Well that's where the birds live.
Showers: Do they, now?
Buddy: Yeah! Way up the trees they do. Way up the leafs.
Showers: Now that's a good thing to know.
Buddy: You see the ground right there don't you?
Showers: Mr. Layman, I do.
Buddy: Well that's where the doddle bugs are.
Showers: Well, you're just chock-full a knowledge, my friend.
Buddy: He thunk he might be.
Showers: (as if he didn't hear right) I beg your pardon?
Buddy: He says he thunk he might be.
Showers: (unsure) Now, you're talkin about you?
Buddy: Yeah. Can't you hear him?
Showers: Yeah. Yeah, pal, I hear you.
Buddy: You see the sky up there, pal?
Showers: Bud, I'm lookin right at it.
Buddy: You know who lives up there?
Showers: Who?
Buddy: (amazed) Jesus.
Showers: Way up there?
Buddy: Jesus Son a God does.
Showers: What do you figure he does up there, Bud?
Buddy: (thinks this over) Well...he's maybe got him a little house.
Showers: (interested) Yeah?
Buddy. Yeah. Maybe got him a runnin toilet inside.
Showers: Now that's a good thing to have.
Buddy: He thunk it might be.
Showers: Mr. Layman, it does my heart good to meet a man who knows his way around the Church.
Buddy: We ain't got no Church, C.C. Don't you know nothin?
Showers: Your Mom taught you the Gospel at home, huh?
Buddy: His Mama?
Showers: Yeah.
Buddy: (Concerned) You seen her, C.C.? You seen his Mama?
Showers: No...
Buddy: He can't find her nowhere, C.C.
Showers: (gentle concern) How long she's been gone?
Buddy: Well he ain't sure no more. He looks in his house and his yard and the woods and he can't find her nowhere.
Showers: Well, I'd imagine she'll be home before long, don't you think?
Buddy: Sometimes he hears her. Sometimes at night he hears her right there...and her voice is right there...like he can touch her almost when he's sleepin...
Showers: (gentle) You mean your Mama's passed away, Bud?
Buddy: You know where she is?
Showers: Well...I'd imagine she's livin in Heaven. You know what angels are don't you?
Buddy: What?
Showers: Angels're what we call the people in Heaven. The folks on beyond us, you see?
Buddy: What's angels do?
Showers: For the most part, they all tend to fly around singin.
Buddy: (likes this idea) Angels can fly?
Showers: That's what they say.
Buddy: Like the birds?
Showers: Like the birds.
Showers: It all depends, Bud.
Buddy: They's lots a stuff here you know?
Showers: There is, huh?
Buddy: Yeah! They's lots a good stuff. You see the woods over there don't you?
Showers: Bud, I sure do.
Buddy: Well that's where the birds live.
Showers: Do they, now?
Buddy: Yeah! Way up the trees they do. Way up the leafs.
Showers: Now that's a good thing to know.
Buddy: You see the ground right there don't you?
Showers: Mr. Layman, I do.
Buddy: Well that's where the doddle bugs are.
Showers: Well, you're just chock-full a knowledge, my friend.
Buddy: He thunk he might be.
Showers: (as if he didn't hear right) I beg your pardon?
Buddy: He says he thunk he might be.
Showers: (unsure) Now, you're talkin about you?
Buddy: Yeah. Can't you hear him?
Showers: Yeah. Yeah, pal, I hear you.
Buddy: You see the sky up there, pal?
Showers: Bud, I'm lookin right at it.
Buddy: You know who lives up there?
Showers: Who?
Buddy: (amazed) Jesus.
Showers: Way up there?
Buddy: Jesus Son a God does.
Showers: What do you figure he does up there, Bud?
Buddy: (thinks this over) Well...he's maybe got him a little house.
Showers: (interested) Yeah?
Buddy. Yeah. Maybe got him a runnin toilet inside.
Showers: Now that's a good thing to have.
Buddy: He thunk it might be.
Showers: Mr. Layman, it does my heart good to meet a man who knows his way around the Church.
Buddy: We ain't got no Church, C.C. Don't you know nothin?
Showers: Your Mom taught you the Gospel at home, huh?
Buddy: His Mama?
Showers: Yeah.
Buddy: (Concerned) You seen her, C.C.? You seen his Mama?
Showers: No...
Buddy: He can't find her nowhere, C.C.
Showers: (gentle concern) How long she's been gone?
Buddy: Well he ain't sure no more. He looks in his house and his yard and the woods and he can't find her nowhere.
Showers: Well, I'd imagine she'll be home before long, don't you think?
Buddy: Sometimes he hears her. Sometimes at night he hears her right there...and her voice is right there...like he can touch her almost when he's sleepin...
Showers: (gentle) You mean your Mama's passed away, Bud?
Buddy: You know where she is?
Showers: Well...I'd imagine she's livin in Heaven. You know what angels are don't you?
Buddy: What?
Showers: Angels're what we call the people in Heaven. The folks on beyond us, you see?
Buddy: What's angels do?
Showers: For the most part, they all tend to fly around singin.
Buddy: (likes this idea) Angels can fly?
Showers: That's what they say.
Buddy: Like the birds?
Showers: Like the birds.
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