Brighton Beach Memoirs

By Neil Simon

Directed by Joan Brooks

The hilarious portrait of an American family in the 1930s. Fifteen year old Eugene Jerome is an aspiring writer with only two things on his mind -- baseball and girls. His adolescent insights into his family, the Great Depression and growing up are alternately hysterical and touching.

Living with six members of his extended family doesn't afford Eugene much privacy, but it does give him plenty of ammunition for his career as a writer. Through his eyes we watch the interplay between his hardworking mother and father, his ambitious older brother, his girl cousins and his Aunt Blanche. This is a classic coming-of-age story which is funny, warm and affectionate.

"Brighton Beach Memoirs" is the first play in Neil Simon's autobiographical trilogy. (Guess who Eugene is?) The Madison Theatre Guild plans to present the next two parts of the story, "Biloxi Blues" and "Broadway Bound" in coming seasons. Here is where it all begins!

Produced by Madison Theatre Guild in the Drury at the Bartell Theatre, 113 E. Mifflin Street, Madison

Performances: October 10-25, 2008

Performance Times:
Friday, October 10, 2008 - 7:30 PM;
Saturday, October 11, 2008 - 7:30 PM;
Sunday, October 12, 2008 - 3:00 PM;
Friday, October 17, 2008 - 7:30 PM;
Saturday, October 18, 2008 - 7:30 PM;
Sunday, October 19, 2008 - 3:00 PM;
Friday, October 24, 2008 - 7:30 PM;
Saturday, October 25 - 7:30 PM

Ticket Prices: $15. Seating is limited.

Call 608-238-9322 for reservations or more information.

Auditions

Auditions will be held on the following days:

8/7/2008
8/8/2008

Auditions will be held at Madison Theatre Guild, Firehouse 7, 2410 Monroe Street, Th & F, August 7-8 at 7:30. Auditioners will read from the script. Auditioners will be asked to stay after their audition to come back in and read for various parts. Callbacks are set for Saturday, August 9, time TBA.

Kate and Blanche, sisters and mothers, are 38 and 40, according to the script.
Laurie is 13.
Nora is 16-17 and a budding dancer. (She doesn't dance in the play, but looks like she could.)
Eugene is 14.
Stanley is 18-19. 
Jack is 40-ish, and looks perhaps older. He is tired. He works 2 jobs to keep his family going.

REHEARSAL SCHEDULE

MON Sept. 1 CAST Read-through ‘in place’
Discussion

TUE Sept 2 Block pp. 1 - 47

WED Sept 3 Block pp. 48 - 79

THU Sept 4 Block pp. 79 - 103

FRI Sept 5 Block pp. 104 - 130

SAT Sept 6 NO REHEARSAL (one night only)

SUN Sept 7 Work pp. 1 - 47

MON Sept 8 Work pp. 48 - 74

TUE Sept 9 Work pp. 77 - 103

WED Sept 10 Work pp. 104 - 130

THU Sept 11 Stagger Through

FRI Sept 12 NO REHEARSAL
SAT Sept 13 NO REHEARSAL

SUN Sept 14 LINES 7:00 E, K, S Character Work pp. 22-30;
8:00 E, S Character Work pp. 54 - 59;
73-74; 81- 85; 104 - 108;
127 - 128

MON Sept 15 LINES 7:00 J, K Character Work pp. 33 - 35;
86 - 88; 104 - 108
8:00 K, B Character Work pp. 60 - 64;
96 - 101; 117 - 119

LINES 7:00 S, J Character Work pp. 69 - 72; 120 - 125
8:00 N, S Character Work pp. 39 - 40
8:30 N, L Character Work pp. 19 - 22
9:00 N, B Character Work pp. 112-116

WED Sept. 17 LINES CAST Character Work pp. 31 - 38;
41 - 53; 65 - 68; 94 - 103; 126 - 130

THU Sept. 18 CAST Run-through, Discussion

FRI Sept. 19 NO REHEARSAL
SAT Sept. 20 NO REHEARSAL

SUN Sept. 21 CAST Work Act 1

MON Sept. 22 CAST Work Act 2

TUE Sept. 23 CAST Work Act 1

WED Sept. 24 CAST Work Act 2

THU Sept. 25 CAST Run-through

FRI Sept. 26 NO REHEARSAL
SAT Sept. 27 NO REHEARSAL

SUN Sept. 28 CAST Run-through

MON Sept. 29 CAST TBA

TUE Sept. 30 CAST Run-through

WED Oct 1 CAST Run-through

THU Oct 2 CAST Run-through

FRI Oct 3 NO REHEARSAL
SAT Oct 4 NO REHEARSAL

SUN Oct. 5 CAST Tech Rehearsal

MON Oct. 6 CAST Tech Rehearsal

TUE Oct. 7 CAST Tech / Dress Rehearsal

WED Oct. 8 CAST Tech / Dress Rehearsal

THU Oct. 9 CAST Dress Rehearsal

THU Oct 16 7:00 Brush- up Rehearsal

THU Oct 23 7:00 Brush- up Rehearsal

SAT Oct 25 8:00 Evening STRIKE