Auditions are set for Delta Center Stage’s final show of the 2019-2020 season, “A Time to Kill.”
A dramatization of John Grisham’s 1989 novel, “A Time To Kill” tells the story of a young, idealistic lawyer, Jack Brigance, defending a black man, Carl Lee Hailey, for taking the law into his own hands by killing the two men who committed a horrific crime against his young daughter. Brigance sees Hailey’s act of vengeance against the racist men who attacked his daughter as a desperate bid for justice, and he’s willing to risk everything to defend his client’s life.
As the trial heats up and racial tensions are high, the community begins to be torn apart.
Bixler said the script is a well-done adaption of Grisham’s famous novel that was turned into a movie in 1996 featuring actors such s Samuel L. Jackson, Matthew McCounaghey, Sandra Bullock, Kevin Spacey and Donald Sutherland.
“I was very surprised at the quality of the script. Adaptations are oftentimes not up to par with the craft of the novel and sometimes falls a little flat. This one’s going to be very, very good, it’s a wonderful adaptation of a great book,” Bixler said.
The show is written to include 10 male actors and three female actors.
“We’ll try to be as flexible as possible about casting females in male roles wherever possible,” Bixler said, noting playwright Rupert Holmes has offered extensive advice and authorized the substitution of several male actors for female.
Auditions are set to start at 6:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday at the DCS Rehearsal Hall behind Jake & Freda Stein Hall at E.E. Bass Cultural Arts Center, 323 S. Main St. No formal preparation is necessary.
“Auditions at DCS are informal, free-wheeling, and open to any and all who are interested. The main focus of auditions is to identify potential, and not to name a winner of a ‘best performance.’ Best advice, particularly for a show of this style, is to read in a natural manner,” Bixler said.
The cast of characters, in order of appearance, include:
* Jake Brigand, male attorney;
* Vernon Pate, court deputy;
* Ozzie Walls, sheriff of Ford County;
* Omar Noose, circuit judge for Ford County (may be cast as female);
* Drew Tyndall, a public defender (may be cast as female);
* Carl Lee Hailey, the accused at trial;
* Rufus R. Buckley, district attorney for Polk County;
* Norma Gallo, court reporter;
* Billy Ray Cobb, redneck arraigned on rape charges, murdered by Carl Lee Hailey;
* Cora Cobb, mother of Billy Ray Cobb;
* Pete Willard, redneck, Billy Ray Cobb’s partner in crime;
* Lucien Wilbanks, mature, alcoholic, eloquent, colorful;
* D.R. Musgrove, co-counsel to district attorney;
* Ellen Roark, young, bright, aggressive and likable. Aide to Brigance;
* Gwen Hailey, Carl Lee’s wife;
* Dr. W.T. Bass, expert witness for defense, older white male;
* Terrell Grist, redneck, Klan member;
* Dr. Wilbert Rodeheaver, head of staff at Whitfield Mental Hospital, could be cast as female; and
* Additional guards, clerks and deputies as the production warrants.
The show is set to run April 30-May 3. Tickets will cost $10 for adults and $6 for students or anyone ages 16 and younger.
To request an electronic version of the script for review, call Bixler at 662-820-5489. For more information, visit deltastage.com.
