Act I – Voices from the Heart – Preview (PDF)
5-30 roles for students to participate in readers’ theatre group pieces and individual performances. The roles are based on the pieces chosen from the script or created by the students themselves.
Act II – Dance with Me – Preview (PDF)
13+ roles
Cast of Characters – in order of appearance
- Cricket
- Teenage girl
- TOM (or TAM)
- CRICKET’s older brother (or sister) with Down syndrome. Role played by a performer, male or female, with Down syndrome or similar disability. Female performer uses the name TAM.
- REESE
- Teenage boy. Friend of CRICKET.
- BENNETT
- Science teacher. May be male or female.
- STUDENTS
- TODD, ASHLEY, RYAN, JAMES, KATY, JOE, KEITH, AMY and NICK. (Additional STUDENTS may be added to the scenes.)
- CRICKET and TOM’s AUNT
- Role may be divided and played by two actors–one as Aunt Lena the other as Uncle Len
- GARTH
- A country music star in western wear and cowboy hat, TOM’s visualization of his inner self.(Note: GARTH may appear as a character throughout the play, shadowing, coaching and reassuring the actor playing TOM.)
- TOM VOICE OVER
- Tom’s Voice Over represents Cricket’s memories from the past. They can be pre-recorded and played on the sound system or they can be performed live—on or off stage.
- STUDENTS (IN DREAM)
- COMPANY
- Members of COMPANY join in dances at end of Scenes 3, 7 and 9.
SETTING: The play moves seamlessly between TOM’s bedroom, a science classroom, TOM and CRICKET’s living room,and TOM’s imaginary world. The staging can be quite simple–boxes and a projection screen– or somewhat more complex and realistic.
MUSIC: The musical selections contained in the stage directions are suggestions only. Directors should check with ASCAP regarding performance rights for music use at http//www.ascap.com/contact.
ALTERNATIVE VERSIONS:Some productions of the play have substituted other performers for Garth and used other music and styles of dance. Minor adjustments may be made to the scenes to accommodate these substitutions.
