April 3 - 26, 2009

Director: Bridget Muehlberger

The 1999 massacre at Columbine High School finds this provocative exploration of alienation and social pressure America’s high schools. “Authentic notes of adolescent anxiety and yearning in briskly drawn scenes … enlivened by a sharp jab of wit.” —NY Times

Evening Performances:
April 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24 and 25 at 8
Sunday Matinees:
April 12 and 26 at 2

Director's Notes:

I am extremely excited and honored to direct the area community theater premiere of "columbinus" at Silver Spring Stage in April, 2009. While still many months away, I would like to provide the following brief information about the play and cast needs:

THE STORY
The first act, set in a fictitious high school anywhere in America, melds fact and fiction before getting into the specifics of the 1999 Colorado tragedy. Eight actors guide the audience into the complex world of adolescence as a group of stereotypes from any American high school slowly reveal their inner landscapes. As the characters humanize and discover their commonality, the play moves from fiction to fact as two outsiders become Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, the two gunmen who killed 12 students and one teacher at Columbine High School in April of 1999. Using dialogue taken directly from Harris and Klebold's journal entries, web postings, videos, and other police archives, along with interviews with Columbine teachers, students and their families, the second act focuses on the events leading up to, including, and following the Columbine shootings, prompting examination of this horrendous American tragedy and the cultural climate that created it.

CAST
The cast is comprised of eight young people (3F/5M, all Caucasian) playing high school students, with some doubling in other brief roles as parents, guidance counselors, etc. The primary roles are as follows:

• Faith - female
• Perfect - female
• Rebel - female
• Prep - male
• AP (Advanced Placement) - male
• Jock - male
• Loner/Dylan Klebold - male
• Freak/Eric Harris - male

AUDITIONS
Saturday, January 10, 2 - 5 pm
Sunday, January 11, 2 - 5 pm
At Silver Spring Stage

The rehearsal schedule has also not yet been determined and will depend largely on potential cast conflicts. At this time, I anticipate rehearsing either three nights per week or two nights and a Saturday. All rehearsals will be at Silver Spring Stage.

Please note, this play contains sensitive situations and strong language and will likely not be suited for young people under 14.

SCRIPT
Auditions will be comprised of cold readings from the script. I strongly recommend obtaining and reviewing a copy of the script in advance of auditions. Copies can be purchased from Dramatic Publishing.

CONTACT
Please don't hesitate to contact me directly at widgetann@yahoo.com if you have questions or need any additional information.

I hope you will share my enthusiasm for this compelling and powerful play and I look forward to seeing you at auditions!