Patrick Atkinson and Venee Call-Ferrer starred in last year’s production of Agatha Christie’s Towards Zero.
The Orinda Starlight Village Players (OrSVP) 2023 season returns this summer. The community theater’s productions start with Agatha Christie’s murder-mystery The Secret of Chimneys in June, continues with Ray Cooney’s farce It Runs in the Family in July and concludes in September with Malcolm Cowler’s musical adaptation of Carlo Collodi’s Pinocchio. Production dates are listed at www.orsvp.org.
The actor audition process is an open call on dates in March and April, listed below, for the three productions. Anyone interested in performing with OrSVP is encouraged to attend.
In The Secret of Chimneys, Anthony, a drifter, agrees to deliver a package to an English country estate for a friend. Little does he suspect this simple errand will place him in the center of a murderous international conspiracy, where someone is determined to prevent the monarchy being restored in Herzoslovakia, a fictional country in Eastern Europe. Exiled royalty, an elusive criminal and the combined forces of the French Sûreté and Scotland Yard are involved.
Directed by Laura Martin-Chapin, auditions are March 18, 11 a.m. at the Orinda Community Center Park Amphitheater and March 21, 7 p.m. at the Orinda Community Center, Room 3. British accents for all roles are desirable. Two roles need French accents.
Suzan Lorraine and Jill Gelster are co-directing Ray Cooney’s It Runs in the Family. Set in a hospital in the 1980s, Dr. Moritmore is nearing the pinnacle of his career and is hoping for a knighthood once his Ponsonby lecture is successfully delivered. He is interrupted by misunderstandings and subterfuge involving a potential paternity suit, an ex-wife, punkish son, elaborate lies and farcical antics.
Auditions are April 1 at 2 p.m. at the Orinda Community Center Park Amphitheater and April 4 at 7 p.m. at the Orinda Community Center, Room 3.
For the final production, Carlo Collodi’s Pinocchio, director Malcolm Cowler is looking for 20-30 actors and/or singers, ages 3-90 of all genders and ethnicity. Many of the parts are not gender-specific, and range from leads to ensemble roles. Pinocchio must have excellent acting and singing skills and can be played by any gender.
Auditions for Carlo Colodi’s Pinocchio are April 22 at 2 p.m. at the Orinda Community Center Park Amphitheater and April 25 at 7 p.m. at the Orinda Community Center, Room 3.
Presenting live theater in Orinda for 40 years, this all-volunteer group is always looking for people working behind the scenes to learn about theater production as stage managers, prop makers, set painters, stagehands and sound and light operators or box office staffing/management. No experience is necessary. Stop by during any audition calls listed above.
For more information and for those interested in any aspect of theater who would like to help, contact www.orsvp.org or 925.528.9225.
“This is a great place to get your feet wet in community theater, so come play with us in the park,” said Lorraine.
David Dierks can be reached at david@theorindanews.com.
