Actors Wanted

Seven actors are required for a script workshop of the first draft of a new play, Man in a Suitcase by Lynda Chanwai-Earle, commissioned by The Court Theatre. Though fictional, it is inspired by some real-life events, and deals with a number of issues and experiences relating to Chinese and other immigrants in New Zealand. The workshop is to be held at The Court Theatre in Christchurch:

Tuesday 22 June (afternoon only)

Wednesday 23 June (all day)

Thursday 24 June (all day)

Friday 25 June (all day).

Actors needed:

Male Chinese or part Chinese, 50s.  Plays Mr Tung, son of immigrants to New Zealand.  He is a General Practitioner with a good sense of humour.

Female Chinese or part Chinese, 50s.  Plays Mrs Tung, who works in the GP practice as a receptionist, as well as being a homemaker.  She has a sense of humour too.

Male Chinese or part Chinese, 18. Plays Liam, Mr Tung’s son who is in his final year of high school. Uncomfortable with some of the traditionalism of his parents.  Speaks Kiwi English and (a small amount of) Cantonese. Doubles as Pete, one of the Chinese crims.

The Tung family is Christian. 

Male Chinese or part Chinese, early 20s.  Plays Wen, a recent arrival from China. He is gay and initially optimistic and impressionable with a great comic voice.

Female Chinese or part Chinese, early 20s. Plays Amy, Mr Tung’s daughter.  An economics student. Has Pakeha student boyfriend.  Speaks English and (a small amount of) Cantonese.

Male Pakeha, early 20s.  Plays Stuart, Amy’s boyfriend.  He is an economics student and is also taking some law papers. He is an opportunistic party boy, under an eager-to-please exterior. Keen to make good impression on Amy’s family.  Speaks English. He is agnostic.

Male Burmese, mid to late 20’s. Plays Bo Min, a refugee who came as a child from Myanmar. He thought he was coming to a safe place and is now very disillusioned. He is a hotel cleaner who discovers Wen's body.  Doubles as Kim, one of the Chinese crims by whom Wen is killed.

All actors may play other small roles in addition to these listed above.

There will be a second workshop of a new draft of the play later in 2010, and a third, possibly followed by a production, in 2011. 

The workshops and production will be directed by Dr Joseph Graves, Director of the Peking University Institute of World Theatre and Film in Beijing. He will be assisted in this project by Chinese director/actor/playwright Xiaoqing Hu.

It is hoped that a successful New Zealand production of the play will be followed by a tour to Beijing and Shanghai.

The project is supported generously by Creative New Zealand, and Joseph Graves has pledged the support of the Peking University Institute of World Theatre and Film in Beijing for future tours or activity within China.

Auditions will be held at The Court Theatre in Christchurch Friday June 4th.