Auditions: Things I Know to be True - Andrew Bovell's drama

Things I Know to Be True
Directed by Emma Love

Auditions: Sun, 30 June from 10.30am (callbacks Monday, 1 July if required).
Rehearsal schedule: Tues & Thurs at 7pm, & Sun at 2pm.
Season: 7-28 Sept

Copies of the script are available from info@hlt.org.nz.

Synopsis
Fran and Bob Price have passed all of life’s milestones. They’ve brought up four kids. They’ve paid off the house. And they’ve loved each other for 30 years. But just when things finally look like slowing down, the lives of their complicated adult children come crashing through the door. Things once believed to be true are exposed, relationships are strained, and the foundations of family are put to the test. (NB: this production contains adult themes, physical intimacy & physical conflict).

Roles
Ages are indicative only. If you feel you may be suitable for a role you are encouraged to audition.

Fran (Female, 57)
Married to Bob and the driving force. A dedicated senior nurse, she is perceptive and critical, and approaches life with a no-nonsense practicality. While she acts out of love, her fierce maternal instincts and protective nature can be crushing to some of her family.

Bob (Male, 63)
Dedicated husband and lifelong hard worker. After being made redundant from the car factory, he now spends a lot of time tending his garden. He loves his children despite his sometimes more traditional values putting him at odds with them.

Rosie (Female, 19)
The youngest. Recently returned home from a European OE with a broken heart, she is struggling to figure out what she wants as she navigates the uncertainties of young adulthood.

Pip (Female, 34)
The eldest and a high achiever. Married with children and working as an education department bureaucrat, she yearns for a change and personal fulfilment beyond her career and family.

Mark (presenting as male, 32)
The second child. A successful IT specialist grappling with a life-altering secret and the implications it may have on family relationships. Over the course of the story, Mark transitions and returns late in the play as Mia.

Note: While the role of Mark is open to all actors who can approach this subject with sensitivity and empathy, we particularly encourage auditions from gender diverse or non-binary actors comfortable portraying this transition.

Ben (Male, 28)
The younger son and the black sheep. Works in financial services and cultivates an image of success with a flashy lifestyle, but his latest behaviour really tests his parents’ patience.

Director’s Notes
As an actor, director, and audience member, I am drawn to raw, honest stories that challenge and force us to question what we “know to be true”. The play's themes are profound but entirely relatable: the values we live by, our dreams and disappointments, the pain that can accompany any of life’s transitions, the complex relationships within a family, and the bonds that must sometimes be broken to move forward.
I am looking for a cast who wish to be challenged, and can develop their character with love and sensitivity, but who also like to have fun with a beautiful piece! I like to work collaboratively and welcome ideas from the entire team.
The play covers a range of sensitive and challenging topics, both in its story and the individual characters. If you would like to confidentially discuss any of these prior to auditioning, contact me directly at emma@cetech.co.nz.

About the Director
Emma Love has been involved in community theatre for many years as a performer, director and creative. She was most recently seen on stage as Mrs White in Dolphin Theatre’s season of Clue (2024), and previous roles including Calendar Girls (2023), Anne of Green Gables (2022), and Goodnight Mister Tom (2018). Her directing credits include Kimberly Akimbo, which won the Dolphin Award for Best Direction and the ACTT Award for Best Production in 2023, and Steel Magnolias for Papakura Theatre Company, which won the ACTT Awards for Best Direction and Best Production in 2022.