NATIONAL THEATRE: AUDITION CALL: COOKING OIL

AUDITION CALL: COOKING OIL
A play written by Asiimwe Deborah, Directed by Emily Mendelsohn
PLAY SUMMARY:
Cooking Oil, a new play by Deborah Asiimwe, tells the story of a teenage girl murdered while selling her village's food aid to raise money for her school fees. Using song, dance and storytelling, the play asks the questions - is it ever alright to take something that is not yours? Is it ever alright to judge difficult choices that one is not forced to make? This production is a collaboration between Ugandan and American artists and will be showing at National Theatre, Kampala from October 8, 2010.

Further Inquiries:
www.cookingoilplay.com or for inquiries while in Uganda, call 0752 841 567

AUDITIONS:
- We are looking for 12 actors and actresses, aged between 15 years and 60 years, with abilities to sing and act.
- Open Auditions will be held at the National Theatre, Kampala on Saturday 14 August, 10:00am to 3:00pm and Rehearsals will run from August 23, 2010.
- Interested? Please come for auditions prepared to sing a song.

We are looking for actors and actresses for the following roles:
MARIA – Spirit. 18 years old, Intelligent, beautiful, looks much younger than her age. Hawks gallons of Cooking Oil and also smuggles it across the boarders of her country. Her ambition-to attain university education.

HON. DR. SIR SILVER BIBALA – Politician. Mid 40s. Eloquent, handsome, loyal to his friends. His ambition is to build a strong political career, never to allow poverty into his household ever again, dreams of one day becoming the president of his country.

KAFUKO – Silver’s nephew, his right hand man. Early 30s. He is the brain behind Silver’s political career. Shrewd. He does what he can to get what he wants. He does as he is told without questioning especially if he knows that there is something for him. His motto is “eat while your mouth can chew!”

BATAKA – A peasant. Mid 40s. Silver’s childhood friend, Maria’s father. He lost his property during the war and became very poor. However, with Silver’s help, the economic condition of his household has slightly improved. He looks much older than his age. His ambition is to educate his sons (Maria’s brothers) and find a day’s meal for his family. He runs a retail shop in the nearby trading centre. He becomes a haunted man.

NEEZA – Housewife. Late thirty’s. Maria’s mother and Bataka’s wife. Beautiful but tired. She is a traditional woman who tries to keep out of her husband’s way. Her ambition is to kick poverty out of their household and see Maria back in school.

NDEEBA – Fresh graduate social worker. Mid 20s. Turns activist. Nurses political ambitions. Upfront, idealistic. Her ambition is to turn her country into a corruption free society. Can she succeed?

VOICES (6) – Of the crowd, of journalists; echoes of the characters’ dreams, males and females. Performers who can play drums or other musical instrument preferred.
Asiimwe Deborah
Currently working as Specialist for Sundance East Africa, Deborah Asiimwe is a playwright and performer from Uganda. Forgotten World, Cooking Oil, Appointment with gOD and Untitled received readings and workshops in the United States of America. Lagoma is Searching, You are that Man, and My Secret were produced at the Uganda National Cultural Centre/National Theatre. Asiimwe has participated in many artists’ gatherings and conferences, including, the annual Arts in the One World Conference (CalArts, Valencia, California), a project of More Life Initiative: Genocide and Cultural Studies, a collaboration between CalArts and the Interdisciplinary Genocide Study Center in Kigali, Rwanda; Eti! East Africa Speaks at Dartmouth College (2008); the Women Playwrights International Conference in the Philippines (2003); and is the 2003 Sundance Theatre Lab international observer. Asiimwe received her MFA in Writing for Performance from California Institute of the Arts. She is the overall winner of the BBC African playwriting competition

Emily Mendelsohn is an LA based director. She has traveled to Rwanda and Uganda for the past three summers as part of the More Life Initiative, a conversational community exploring ways art can respond to violence. Emily teaches arts and civics at Vassar College’s Powerhouse Theater Program. She received her MFA in directing at California Institute of the Arts and she will be spending the year in Kampala on a directing Fulbright Fellowship.