Audition Notice for Purdah

 
 

Bay Area Drama Company invites you to audition for their upcoming production

WHERE DID I LEAVE MY PURDAH?

Written by Mahesh Dattani

Directed by Rita Bhatia

June 1 – June 8, 2024

Sunnyvale Theatre

Auditions: Feb 17 & 18

Tech: May 27 - 31

Shows: June 1-8

Rehearsal & Performance Schedule

In-person rehearsals will be held at our rehearsal studio in San Jose. We typically rehearse two days a week on weekday evenings and both weekend days.

Rehearsals will begin the week of Feb 26. To be considered for the cast of this play you must have very good availability from Mar 15th onwards and you must be available from May 11 - June 8, when run-throughs, tech rehearsals and performances are scheduled.

All performances will be held at Sunnyvale Theatre, Sunnyvale.

About the play

Where Did I Leave My Purdah? tells the story of Nazia Sahiba, a veteran theatre actor and her complex relationships with those closest to her. Spanning four decades, the play moves seamlessly, between the past and the present. Purdah is about love, loss, betrayal and redemption, with a generous sprinkling of humor.

Auditions

In-person auditions will be held on Feb 17 & 18, at our rehearsal studio at 1585 N. 4th Street, Unit I, San Jose 95112. If you are interested in auditioning but are not available on these dates, please indicate this in the Audition Form below. We may be able to audition you separately, but would greatly prefer that you came to the main auditions.

Monologue auditions will be held between 11 - 1PM on Feb 17. Please come prepared with a two minute audition in English. Each auditionee will be given an individual slot for their monologue audition.  Auditionees who are successful in this stage of the audition will be invited to Callbacks, the afternoon of Feb 18.  At Callbacks, auditionees will read from the play’s script along with other auditionees.

The Callbacks on Feb 18 will start at 1 PM. This time is subject to change as we get closer to the audition day.

Actors who have been in the cast of a recent BADCo production may come straight to Callbacks but they must still fill out the Audition Form.

Please fill out and submit your audition form to receive further instructions about the auditions. 

Roles Available

The age range given against each role should be treated as guidance only. If you can credibly play the role, we will consider you. 

All roles are for actors who can play South Asian characters.

Here are the details of the roles available:

  • Ruby - Costume designer, historian, shares a turbulent relationship with her aunt, Nazia Begum. Can play F, early 60s.

  • Young Nazia - Feisty, determined and passionate. Also plays Shakuntala (titular character in Abhignana Shaakuntalam - play within the play) and Nikhat (Ruby’s daughter and Nazia’s grand niece). Can play F, early to mid-20s.

  • Suhel - Nazia’s husband in the 1940’s - 50s. Will also play Dushyant - Nazia's co-star in Shaakuntalam stage production, and Vinay - film assistant director. Can play M, late 20s.

  • Zarine - Nazia’s elder sister. Mid - late twenties. Will also play Anasuya. 

  • Young Actress - Aspiring actor auditioning for role in modern Shaakuntalam. Will also play Priyamvada and Gautami (older version of the 1940s and ‘50s.) Can play F, early to mid-20s.

If you would like to be a part of the crew of Where Did I Leave My Purdah? as part of the backstage or design teams, please write to us at info@bayareadrama.company.

We are a non-union company. All roles are unpaid, volunteer positions.

For more information please reach out to us at info@bayareadrama.company.

Basab Pradhan