"On Golden Pond"

***AUDITION*** "On Golden Pond" by Ernest Thompson Directed by Trevor Dhu Season Dates : May 9 – 25 2013 (11 performances) Harbour Theatre’s 2nd season for 2013, our 50th year of entertaining Fremantle, will be “ON GOLDEN POND” directed by Trevor Dhu (The 39 Steps). This is the love story of Ethel and Norman Thayer, who are returning to their summer home on Golden Pond for the forty-eighth year. He is a retired professor, nearing eighty, with heart palpitations and a failing memory—but still as tart-tongued, observant and eager for life as ever. Ethel, ten years younger, and the perfect foil for Norman delights in all the small things that have enriched and continue to enrich, their long life together. They are visited by their divorced, middle-aged daughter and her dentist fiancé, who then go off to Europe, leaving his teenage son behind for the summer. The boy quickly becomes the "grandchild" the elderly couple have longed for, and as Norman revels in taking his ward fishing and thrusting good books at him, he also learns some lessons about modern teenage awareness—and slang— in return. In the end, as the summer wanes, so does their brief idyll, Time, they know, is now against them, but the years have been good and, perhaps, another summer on Golden Pond still awaits. Presented to great critical and popular acclaim first off then on Broadway, this touching, funny and warmly perceptive study of a spirited and lovable elderly couple facing their twilight years formed the basis for the much-acclaimed 1981 film adaptation starring Henry Fonda, Katharine Hepburn & Jane Fonda. "ON GOLDEN POND is a work of rare simplicity and beauty, and in Thompson our theatre has found a fresh new voice." —NY Daily News. "...a rare and memorable theatrical experience..." —Variety. "What courage it must have taken for Mr. Thompson in the 1970s to write a play with so much affection in it!" — The New Yorker. Auditions will be held on Sunday 24th February at 10.00am at the theatre with a call-back the following week if required. Sections of the script will be emailed to auditionees and can be read during auditions. A cold reading may be needed to ascertain sensibility to the role. Please contact the director Trevor Dhu on 0409 373 374 or trevordhutae@gmail.com for further information. CHARACTERS REQUIRED : Norman Thayer, Jr. – male, spoken 70 – 80 lead Ethel Thayer - female, spoken 60 – 80 lead Chelsea Thayer Wayne – female, spoken 40 – 50 lead. Norman and Ethel’s daughter. Missed the boat in a lasting relationship and the chance to have children. Charlie Martin – male, spoken 40 – 50 supporting. A local man who has known the Thayers most of his life. He has been the mailman for many years. He has been harbouring feelings for Chelsea since their youth. Charlie is helpful, sincere and sociable but he has never married. Bill Ray – male, spoken 40 – 55 supporting. Chelsea's fiancé, Bill Ray, is a dentist from California. He is father to Billy. Bill is an honest person who confronts issues in a straightforward way. Billy Ray – male, spoken 13 – 16 supporting. For this production it is intended that he is a challenging boy with potential long term problems. He changes as the play progresses.