Cleveland Public Theatre announces Auditions for
a Summer Outdoor Workshop of

Panther Women: An Army for the Liberation

By India Nicole Burton

Directed by: India Nicole Burton, CPT Artistic Associate
Assistant Director: Zyrece Montgomery, CPT Education Associate
Choreographer: Lexy Lattimore
Stage Manager: Jaytionna Wells

Looking to cast the following roles…

• Woman 1: Angela Davis & Ensemble: Black Woman, 20-35  
• Woman 2: Assata Shakur & Ensemble: Black Woman, 20-35
• Woman 3: Elaine Brown & Ensemble: Black Woman, 20-35
• Woman 4: Ensemble: Black Woman, 25-45
• Woman 5: Ensemble: Black Woman, 25-45
• The Ancestor: Black Woman, 30-50

Equity agreements may be considered for this production. Please note that Equity agreements are contingent on a significant decrease of COVID-19 infections in our region.

Cleveland Public Theatre is committed to diversity and engages in a policy of equal employment opportunity designed to promote a positive model of inclusion. As such, CPT encourages performers of all races, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, and ages, as well as performers with disabilities, to attend every audition.

Disclosure: Some actors have been cast in this production, and their specific roles will be determined when full casting is complete. The current cast includes Mary-Francis R. Miller and Maya Jones.

About the Play…

Panther Women: An Army for the Liberation centers 3 prominent Women who were part of the Black Panther and Liberation movement of the 60’s and 70’s. The play uses their stories as a catalyst to explore the dilemmas, obstacles, and joy of the African American woman in general. It is very high energy and involves movement, poetry, monologues, dance, and song.

About the Process…

This process will be a hybrid of Zoom rehearsals and outdoor in-person rehearsals. There will be a minimum of 4 Zoom rehearsals, with the remainder of rehearsals being outdoors, inside a 6-week process. This play contains a rigorous amount of physicality including but not limited to dance and abstract movement. Actors may be onstage for the duration of the show. Actors will be asked to create dance phrases, make bold decisions, and collaborate with the team to devise certain sections of the play. We ask that every actor meets deadlines and comes to rehearsal prepared and on time.

Rehearsals will begin on or around May 17, 2021. Rehearsals are 5-6 times a week, with evening, weekday rehearsals, and some daytime weekend rehearsals. This will be a six to seven week rehearsal process.

Performances will begin in early to mid-July, with a two-week run. Actors may be asked to perform during the weekdays. All performances will be outdoors. This show has a strong possibility of touring in the greater Cleveland area. Actors may be asked to participate in set up of the stage, and to move and lift heavy equipment.

CPT COVID-19 Safety Protocols

All participants must sign a safety agreement and have their temperature checked before rehearsal and entering any CPT facility. Everyone must wear masks unless the Director permits them not to. While masks are off, COVID-19 safety protocols around distance will be followed. Creating theatre in a pandemic takes a lot of work, but the safety of our artists, staff, and crew is our highest priority.

Important Information about the Play…

Panther Women: An Army for the Liberation is a play about racism and contains depictions of violence, explicit language, and sexual content. The play contains blunt conversations about racism and its repercussions.

Auditions…

Please note actors may be called back up to two times.

First round of auditions will need to be pre-recorded and submitted electronically.

Artists should record themselves performing the following:

• A 1 to 2 minute dramatic monologue or poem.
• Sing 30 seconds of the spiritual “Wade in the Water” acapella.
• Prepare 4 to 8 counts to Nina Simone’s song “Images” telling a story of part of your dramatic monologue. (This does not need to necessarily be a dance; abstract movement is encouraged)
• When submitting your video audition, please attach a recent headshot and resume to the email.

NOTE: If you cannot submit a video submission, please contact India Nicole Burton at iburton@cptonline.org.

All pre-recorded material must be submitted in one video file in Mp4 format. Material should be submitted to iburton@cptonline.org.

Pre-recorded video and all materials must be submitted by February 12, no later than 11pm (ET).

About the Playwright & Director:

India Nicole Burton is an actress, director, playwright, and producer. She is a native of Akron, OH and graduated from The University of Akron in 2011 with a BA in Theatre Arts with an emphasis on performance. Upon graduating, India founded Ma’Sue Productions, an African American theatre company located in Akron, Ohio. She has directed, produced, and performed in several of Ma’Sue’s plays and was Co-Artistic Director until 2015. Some of India’s favorite acting credits include Julius Caesar (Portia), Bootycandy (Actor One), An Octoroon (Dido), and Orlando (Orlando). India just recently ended a Virtual National Tour of American Dreams by Leila Buck in 2020. India played the role of Briana Coffman. She originated this character when it had its World Premiere at Cleveland Public Theatre in 2018. India’s directing credits include for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf (Heads Up Productions), The Laramie Project (Heads Up Productions), Daybreak’s Children (Ma’Sue Productions), A Happening on Imperial (Ma’Sue Productions), O Patria Mia (Ma’Sue Productions), Little Women (Hathaway Brown Theatre Institute), Fire on the Water (Cleveland Public Theatre, co-directed), Panther Women: An Army for the Liberation (in development at Cleveland Public Theatre), “inside out” by Francisca Da Silveira (Company One, as part of their C1: Inauguration project), a workshop of “Welcome to the Taj Palace (Motel)” by Riti Sachdeva (Playwrights Center), Crack the door for some Air by Mary Weems (Dobama Theatre), and three short plays produced at Cleveland Public Theatre’s Station Hope: What we could have, Maya: The Poet, and We Call you George. India’s assistant directing credits include the 2014 production of The Color Purple at Karamu House, A brownsville song (b-side for tray) at Dobama Theatre, Cleveland Public Theatre’s Barbecue, and Good at Heart, featured in BorderLight International Theatre + Fringe Festival. India is a board member for New World Performance Lab and a two-year recipient of The NNPN’s Producer in Residence program for Cleveland Public Theatre. She is currently receiving her MFA in writing from The University of Nebraska’s Creative Writing Program.