@ The Arts Asylum

You won’t be able to resist the spoofy fun of Reefer Madness: The Musical The addictive, clever musical numbers range from big Broadway-style showstoppers to swing tunes like “Down at the Ol’ Five and Dime” and the Vegas-style “Listen to Jesus, Jimmy,” featuring J.C. Himself leading a chorus of showgirl angels. Reefer Madness is a highly stylized and satirical political commentary that will leave you wanting more.

Inspired by the original 1936 film of the same name, this raucous musical comedy takes a tongue-in-cheek look at the hysteria caused when clean-cut kids fall prey to marijuana, leading them on a hysterical downward spiral filled with evil jazz music, sex and violence.

Please note that due to the themes of this show, parental discretion is advised. IDs will be checked upon entry.

Ever wondered what would happen if you took Bram Stoker’s legendary vampire tale and put it into a blender with Mel Brooks, Monty Python, and The 39 Steps? DRACULA, A Comedy of Terrors is a Bram-new comedy you can really sink your teeth into. Filled with clever wordplay and anything-goes pop culture references, it’s a 90-minute, gender-bending, quick-changing, laugh-out-loud reimagining of the gothic classic, perfect for audiences of all blood types!

“If you’ve been craving a break from the frights of real life, this campy, vampy romp is a scream!” – TimeOut NY

“A raucous, 90-minute party in full swing.” – New York Sun

ANNOUNCING AUDITIONS

Mother of Monsters

Written and Directed by Elaine Elizabeth Clifford and Shelly Verden

WHERE:

The Arts Asylum

824 E Meyer Blvd

Kansas City, Missouri 64131

WHEN:

Auditions - Sunday, September 29 from 6-10pm

Please email  MONSTERS@theartsasylum.org expressing your interest in auditioning, and list any conflicts you may have during the audition time. We will shape more specific calls based on availability and number of auditioners. (Please include a headshot and resume, if you have them.) 

Upon receipt of your email, you will receive a Google Form link to fill out as well as materials to help you prepare. Auditions will consist of monologue excerpts from the book "Frankenstein" and/or cold readings from the script. 

All audition requests must be emailed before Sept 22.

There will be no callbacks for this show.

REHEARSALS: 

Initial read through in mid-October (exact date & time TBD)

Rehearsals begin November 11, 2024 (days off TBD based on cast availability)

Shows run November 22-25, 2024

SYNOPSIS:

Mary Shelley - the queen of science fiction and Gothic horror. Before becoming a literary icon, she was just a 19-year old girl with high ideals, passions, dreams, and nightmares of her own. On the night that the idea for her most famous novel is conceived, those nightmares manifest and Mary must confront her own monsters. Fears are realized; loves are tested; and a masterpiece is created- "One which would speak to the mysterious fears of our nature... and quicken the beatings of the heart."

CHARACTER BREAKDOWN:

Victor (20s, male, any ethnicity):  A student of science. Focused and passionate, often to the point of single-mindedness. Haunted by a secret "other", he becomes increasingly anxious and guilty as the night progresses. 

Elizabeth (20s, female, any ethnicity): A student of life. Practical, sympathetic, and cherished by all, especially Victor. She maintains a firm belief in the miracle of life and all its fleeting beauty, even as chaos and tragedy build around her. 

(NOTE: The roles of Mary and Percy are precast.)

Mary: A tortured writer. Eventually becomes the author of "Frankenstein" and inventor of the science fiction genre.

Percy: A romantic poet. Known works - "Love's Philosophy", "Ozymandias", "Prometheus Unbound", and "The Necessity of Atheism".

A NOTE ON CASTING: We are committed to inclusive casting. Seeking actors of all physical types, gender identities, racial identities, and physical abilities. Due to the content of the show, all cast members must be over the age of 18 years. All roles will be paid a stipend.


TBA

When does ambition become psychopathy? NOVEL explores institutional abuse and madness as two writers mine their trauma to create a masterpiece in a writing program helmed by a horror novelist, only to find themselves trapped in a twisted experiment.

“Every secret of a writer’s soul, every experience of his life, every quality of his mind is written large in his works.”


TBA

An original play by Jamie Lin Pratt, a second generation Chinese-American, set in a diner that is stuck in a mysterious time loop. The characters must work together to find a way to stop the cycle and return to the outside world. 'The Rhaelin Green Show' A comedy about a young black teen that dreams of having a talk show. Although he feels he has been gifted by God to be a star, everyone else feels he's reaching too far considering he's autistic. So he sets out to prove everyone else is wrong by launching his show with a few trusted friends. A modern day, "I think I can, I think I can" story.

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! Playwright Keenan Scott II's "Thoughts of a Colored Man" explores the lives, pressures, and passions of seven contemporary Black men who live in one Brooklyn neighborhood. The characters—never given names—are identified by the traits they embody: Lust, Love, Anger, Passion, Wisdom, Depression, and Happiness.

Cultural Significance:  The play is the first Broadway show written and directed by Black men with a Black man in the lead role.