CONTACT: Denise Bayer 330.286.0450
Sam Luptak Jr samluptakjr@aol.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Youngstown, OH – The Oakland Center for the Arts will hold auditions on Sunday January 22, 2012, and Monday, January 23, 2012, for Distracted, written by Lisa Loomer and directed for the Oakland stage by Sam Luptak Jr.

What’s wrong with nine-year-old Jesse? He can’t sit still, he curses, he raps, and you can’t get him into—or out of—pajamas. His teacher thinks it’s Attention Deficit Disorder. Don’t we all have ADD, to some degree? Throughout, Jesse is an offstage voice, becoming louder and angrier. Everyone is distracted, even the actors—they’re breaking character! A hilarious, provocative, and poignant look at a modern family and an epidemic dilemma: Are we so tuned into our 24/7 info-rich world that we’ve tuned out what really matters?

The script calls for:
2 adult men
4 adult women
1 teenage girl
1 boy age 8-11

Auditions will be held in the Star Gallery beginning at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 22, and 7:00 p.m. on Monday, January 23. Auditoners must be prepared to read from the script.

Performances will be March 16th through 31st, Friday and Saturday evenings at at 8:00 pm. Rehearsals will be held on weeknights at the Oakland Center for the Arts.

For more information, please email contact@oaklandcenter.com, call or visit The Oakland Center for the Arts on the web at www.oaklandcenter.com.

Youngstown, OH – The Oakland Center for the Arts will hold auditions on Monday, November 14, 2011, for Shining City, written by Conor McPherson and directed for the Oakland stage by Tom Smith.

Shining City is set in Dublin, where a guilt-ridden man reaches out to a therapist after seeing the ghost of his recently deceased wife. Wrestling with his own demons, the therapist can only do so much to help. Routine visits between the two men quickly become a gripping struggle to survive, changing both of them for the rest of their lives. (Dramatists Play Service)

The script calls for three men and one woman:

• John, 50’s, haunted by his dead wife and struggling to get back to his normal life
• Ian, 30’s-40’s, a novice therapist trying to help others while dealing with his own demons
• Laurance, 30’s, man of the streets
• Neasa, 20’s-30’s, a strong, blue-collar woman

Auditions will be held in the Star Gallery beginning at 7:00 p.m. Auditoners must be prepared to read from the script. All actors will be asked to demonstrate a light Irish dialect.

Performances will be February 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, and 18 at 8:00 pm. Rehearsals will be held on weeknights at the Oakland Center for the Arts.

For more information, please email contact@oaklandcenter.com, call or visit The Oakland Center for the Arts on the web at www.oaklandcenter.com.

CONTACT: Denise G. Bayer – 330.286.0450 dbayer@glinatsisbayer.com
Robert Dennick Joki – 330.398.6659

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Youngstown, OH – The Oakland Center for the Arts will hold auditions on Monday, October 24, and Tuesday, October 25, for the Sixth Annual production of How the Drag Queen Stole Christmas, written and directed by Robert Dennick Joki.

In what is quickly becoming a favorite annual event, How the Drag Queen Stole Christmas blends an eclectic mixture of many traditional holiday stories. Audiences will follow Starrlet O’Hara as she discovers the true meaning of Christmas. Robert Dennick Joki writes, directs, and stars in the production.

For the first time since its inception, the Oakland is holding open auditions for this smash holiday hit.

Auditions will be held in the Star Gallery beginning at 6:00 p.m. each night. Auditoners must prepare one song in the style of the show. Auditioners are also asked to dress comfortably and be prepared to dance.

Performances are at 8:00 pm December 2, 3, and 9; and 8:00 pm and midnight on December 10. Rehearsals will be held on weeknights at the Oakland Center for the Arts.

For more information, please email contact@oaklandcenter.com, call or visit The Oakland Center for the Arts on the web at www.oaklandcenter.com.