RUN ON SENTENCE

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by Stacie Lents

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"Hope is the most frightening thing..."

 

In 2016, Prison Performing Arts commissioned Stacie Lents, professional playwright and Theater Program Director at Fairleigh Dickinson University, to write a play based on her experiences working with individuals experiencing incarceration at the Women's Eastern Reception, Diagnostic, and Correctional Center (WERDCC) in Vandalia, MO during a two-week residency.

 

The play, Run-On Sentence, tells the story of cellmates whose lives are turned upside down by the arrival of a new inmate. The play was performed at WERDCC in 2017 and 2018 by the artists who helped Ms. Lents develop the piece and St. Louis based theatre company, SATE, produced a production in 2018. 

 

Run-On Sentence was Prison Performing Arts' first commission for its New Plays Initiative, a project focused on the creation of new works by professional playwrights exploring the issues concerning mass incarceration in the United States.  

 

 Both moving and funny, the play asks: should people be defined by our worst mistake?

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Directed by Rachel Tibbetts,

Artistic Director- Prison Performing Arts

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Auditions Monday March 6 and Tuesday

March 7 at 6:30pm for 5 roles, seeking female performers ages 18+.

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Performances April 20-23, 2023

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Content warning: Run-On Sentence contains dialogue of a highly sensitive nature that may be emotionally challenging including sexual violence. The production will let you know in advance when potentially triggering material will be discussed and scenes including dialogue of a highly sensitive nature will be blocked.  

 

Seeking actors for the roles of Mary, Bug, Giant, Miss Alice

and Officer Wallace:

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• MARY--new to prison, well educated, lacking in street smarts, white.  

  • ​The character of MARY is written to perform stage kisses with the character of MEL.  

• BUG--hyper, always has a strong point of view, tries to be tough.  

• GIANT--likely has suffered some brain damage from drug use or physical abuse, has a big heart.  

• MISS ALICE--in her sixties, both educated and street smart, wise, well- respected.  

• OFFICER WALLACE--very young, naive, southern, well-intended, doesn’t know what she doesn’t know. 

• Please note that the role of MEL has already been cast.  

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• Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script. 

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• Please click HERE to download the audition readings- scenes begin and end at the highlighted lines.

 

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