Description:

Male-Identifying Actor, (20s-40s), POC, Height: 5'10 or taller. Dance/Movement experience needed. (Basic Waltz knowledge a plus) for "The Ballad of Lydia Pinkham..." for one of the Narrators. This Narrator's track: Newspaper Factory Operator (Main track), The Doctor, Virginia's Husband, NYC Citizen, Train Passenger, and others.

After a hugely successful preview run, Moving Bench Theatre is holding auditions for the full-length extension of "The Ballad of Lydia Pinkham's Magical, Miracle, Sure-Cure for All Female Weaknesses" being produced at the Greenhouse Theatre Center in November, 2019.

The hilarious, somewhat disturbing, (mostly) true tale of the first woman to ever be "trolled" through the media. With an eclectic mix of storytelling techniques, this play shines a comedic yet poignant light on how little things have changed for women in the limelight today. The year was 1873 and all Lydia Pinkham wanted to do was to help women in a time when getting medical advice was nearly impossible. Testimonials called her Vegetable Compound a miracle cure, but when her well-intentioned, dim-witted sons decided to use their mother's face on all the products and ads, it lit a firestorm of criticism and cruelty from the public. "The Ballad of Lydia Pinkham..." tells the tale of this stoic, heroic woman and the challenges she had to face in order to navigate and succeed in a man's world. The story will be told by a small ensemble who will each play multiple roles as well as add to the musicality of the tale.

Production Team:
Written by: Jenilee Houghton
Direction & Staging by: Chris Causer

Auditions will take place at end of August/Beg. of September depending on Actor's availability.

Time Commitment:
Rehearsals take place at About Face Theatre
Rehearsals start: September 15
Tech Week: Sunday, 11/3 - Thursday, 11/7
Performances: Nov 7-24 (Thursdays - Sundays) @ Greenhouse Theatre Center (2257 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60614) Thurs, Fri, Sat @8pm Sun @2pm