Alberta Theatre Projects is holding auditions for Bombay Black in Calgary, Alberta.
Play: Bombay Black by Anosh Irani
Director: Rohit Chokhani
Production Dates: Feb 7, 2023 – Mar 26, 2023 (includes one potential holdover week)
Audition Dates: July 27, 2022
Audition Location: Calgary, Alberta (but as provided for in 8:06 (V) of the CTA, we can accept self-tapes or arrange for video conferencing in order to accommodate an Actor who is unable to attend in person)
Casting Personnel in Attendance:
• Rohit Chokhani – ATP Artistic and Executive Director, Director of Bombay Black
• Additional ATP team members and decision makers may be present
HOW TO APPLY:
Submit an e-mail containing the following items to auditions@atplive.com with:
“BOMBAY BLACK + YOUR NAME + the ROLE + CAEA Status + Location” in the email subject header
• a photo and résumé saved as a single PDF
Deadline to Apply: July 18, 2022, noon MT
No calls, please. Canadian Actors Equity Association members will be seen first at all open audition calls.
CAEA Members: please bring your membership number to the audition. Equity and Non-Equity members cast in this production will be engaged under a CTA contract.
Alberta Theatre Projects is committed to reflecting the diversity of our community on our stage. We encourage submissions from artists of all genders, cultures, ethnicities, body types, abilities and identities. We are interested in removing existing barriers to casting and auditions, and as such if you feel prevented from auditioning by an existing barrier, please let us know and we will work with you to remove that impediment.
ABOUT THE PLAY
Why would a blind man visit an exotic dancer? Set in present-day India, Bombay Black is a powerful love story of vengeance, betrayal, and seduction. Apsara resides in Bombay with her mother Padma, making a living by selling erotic dances to wealthy men. When Kamal, a blind man, arrives for an appointment, the lives of Apsara and her embittered mother are altered as their complex and brutal past rise to the surface. Mythic, brave and featuring a remarkable poetic text, bold theatrical imagery and contemporary Bombay bar dancing, Bombay Black is a thought-provoking work by one of Canada’s leading playwriting voices.
Funny, violent, and humane, this Governor General Award nominated script by award-winning playwright Anosh Irani brings together magical fables and the gritty reality of street life. Directed by Mumbai-born, Jessie Richardson Theatre Award Winner, and ATP Artistic & Executive Director Rohit Chokhani, Bombay Black was picked by the Georgia Straight among the 20 best shows on Vancouver stages in 2017.
***Please note that this production has graphic depictions of raw content that is sexual or violent in nature. It also has heightened lighting, visuals, occasionally loud soundscapes and complete dark outs during certain portions of the play. Viewer discretion is advised.
ROLE / RANGES:
APSARA
A south Asian dancer in her twenties. Strong to medium dancing skills preferred. Encourage you to apply regardless of your dancing skills. A Bombay exotic dancer who dances for men in exchange for money. She is not a stripper, not a prostitute. She is a courtesan. She lives off of men’s desire to see her dance. They are not allowed to touch her when she dances. Her money goes to her mom who is the only close person in her life and also her pimp.
KAMAL
A South Asian man in his thirties, Kamal is a blind man who hires Apsara (Exotic Dancer) to dance. He has a deep dark past and is a man with an edge. Romantic but not to be trusted. Makes you wonder why he wants to visit a dancer when he cannot see?
Alberta Theatre Projects is extremely conscious of the health and safety of our workforce and audiences. As a condition of employment or engagement, all Alberta Theatre Projects’ artists and staff must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 using a Health Canada approved vaccination dosage before any in-person work commences (including rehearsals or preparation). Artists and employees must provide proof of their vaccination status to our human resources department upon engagement.
