Jerusalem

By Jez Butterworth

Directed by Jeff Knupp

On St. George's Day, the morning of the local county fair, Johnny "Rooster" Byron, local waster and modern day Pied Piper, is a wanted man. The council officials want to serve him an eviction notice, his son, Marky wants his dad to take him to the fair, Troy Whitworth wants to give him a serious kicking and a motley crew of mates want his ample supply of drugs and alcohol.

Stroller’s Theatre will be presenting one of the first Midwest productions of Jez Butterworth’s smash hit: “Jerusalem”. This raucous, profane, poignant, and controversial comedy/drama homes in on a section of the English population that might be termed the “silent majority”, those living outside the metropolitan centers whose unglamorous existences have pushed them to the margins. Make no mistake: Johnny Byron is not silent. He’s a former stunt motorcycle dare devil turned village ne’er-do-well, and it’s to his shabby, trailer-home in the middle of the woods that all kinds of drifters, disaffected teens, clueless yokels, and an ex-wife keep flocking. In search of what? Illicit late-night raves? Drugs? These things for sure, but also something more intangible: a sense of belonging, and an inexplicable relationship with a spirit of native wildness that stands in defiant opposition to the forces of law, order and “progress.” Johnny is an intimation of something genuinely wild, a force that’s escaped the ever tightening strictures of what passes for civilization. Change the accents from British to American, and you could find yourself deep in rural Wisconsin.

Produced by Strollers Theatre at Bartell Theater's Drury Stage, 113 E. Mifflin St. , Madison

Performances: May 9-31, 2014

Performance Times:
Friday May 9th 8:00 PM
Saturday May 10th 8:00 PM
Thursday May 15th 7:30 PM
Friday May 16th 8:00 PM
Saturday May 17th 4:00 PM
Saturday May 17th 8:00 PM
Thursday May 22nd 7:30 PM
Friday May 23rd 8:00 PM
Saturday May 24th 4:00 PM
Saturday May 24th 8:00 PM
Thursday May 29th 7:30 PM
Friday May 30th 8:00 PM
Saturday May 31st 8:00 PM

Ticket Prices: $20; $15 seniors, students & Strollers Theatre members; group rates

Call 608-661-9696 x2 for reservations or more information.

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Auditions

Auditions will be held on the following days:

2/17/2014
2/18/2014

Auditions will be held Monday, 2/17, & Tuesday, 2/18, 7-9 pm in the Drury at the Bartell Theatre, 113 East Mifflin St., Madison.

8 Men - ages 18-60
5 Women - ages 18-45
1 young boy - age 6-11

Auditioning actors will be asked to read from scripts provided. Any women auditioning for the roll of "Phaedra" will also be asked to sing a song of their choosing a cappella.

Sides will be available in the Bartell Theatre lobby if you wish to look them over before the auditions. Call backs, if necessary, will be held on Feb. 19th.

Contact the director, Jeff Knupp, with questions at 608-244-5599.