PS122 seeking actors for season opener. Info below. To schedule an interview or inquire about the project please contact: international@ps122.org

‘Hotel Savoy’ Casting Call for non-actors:

A narrative installation to take place in conjunction with Performance Space 122 and the Goethe Institut NYC is looking for 5 individuals to guide patrons through 1014 5th Avenue, a six-floor mansion located directly across from the Metropolitan Museum. This project is an exploration of space and memory; it is a slice of the diversity of New York; it is a series of real conversations in a frame of experience. We are searching for individuals who consider themselves near or exactly how the characters are described. Some theatrical experience and an appreciation of the arts is a plus, but we are not seeking professional actors.

The ‘characters’ we are looking for are as follows:

The Bartender
Female. Age 40s-60s. Any ethnic background. Friendly and comforting. The kind of person you can sit down with and pour your heart out too. A bartender who you might call Mama, both in reference and in person. Greets you with a refreshing drink when you need it and a shot of your favorite liquor when you need it more. If not a bartender then perhaps a waiter or a receptionist, someone who knows you from the moment they meet you.

Elevator Operator
Male. Age 40-60s. Any ethnic background. Knowing and stoic. An individual who watches the world with a sense of comfort in having some control. History becomes them and they perfectly meld to their environment. Money-wise and highly professional. Perhaps a doorman or the owner of a restaurant.

The Girl
Female. Age 15-19. Any ethnic background. Young, bright-eyed and ambitious. A girl you might meet who explains to you that she has tried art, psychology, horse back riding, and helicopter piloting and is now giving fashion design or ballet dancing serious consideration for her future plans. She would say this with complete sincerity, knowing she can accomplish anything she puts her mind to. She is the personification of hope. She reminds you that humanity is beautiful.

The Clerk
Male. Age 25-45. Any ethnic background. Perhaps an accountant, programmer, cashier or manager. Maybe thin and tall. Knows numbers and plays with them endlessly in their mind. Someone whose name you might have to call a couple times before they turn around. Lost in thought. May know the currency exchange rate immediately when asked. A person who is compelled to question the world around them.

The Haircutter
Male. Age 30-50. Any ethnic background. Professional experience as a barber or stylist, maybe freelance. Passionate speaker with plenty of anecdotes. Talkative and enthusiastic. Has a sense of professional intimacy. They can enthrall you for hours as they lead you from thought to thought, a tour guide of memories. This person can lightly brush the hair out of your eyes while telling you what happened on Dancing with the Stars last night or why they are afraid of the dark.

If in reading these descriptions you picture someone you know or you feel we were describing you or you from a past life please respond or pass this on as you see fit. Interviews will be held at 1014 5th Avenue.

Additional Information on structure and Payment:

The show itself would open September 28th and run throughout October. This does not mean rehearsals will happen up until October, in fact there will be very few rehearsals since the project is founded on real conversations in a devised framework. The schedule of performances is determined by the cast, or casts, we find. Payment will be $100 per performance. Each performer will likely average 11-13 shows in the one month run.

The general structure consists of each audience member commencing the show seven and a half minute after the previous, and entering a structured frame creating a narrative. The performers will lead the audience through the building, handing them to other performers or leading them to the next section of their experience. For the audience members the total run of the show is one hour.

The first step of the process would be an interview with part of the creative team. This interview would inform you further on the project. It would be casual and include a showing of the building we are holding the performance in. We are flexible on the time of the interview and the creative team is available for the next couple weeks.

To schedule and interview or inquire about the project please contact:
international@ps122.org