What is this ensemble all about?

The SouthCity Theatre Ensemble is composed of young (generally we are all 22 - 30), creative individuals who create, develop and perform honest, compelling, entertaining theatrical pieces.  That's the short version. 

The longer version?  The SouthCity Theatre Ensemble is made up of and looking for dynamic, talented individuals who are capable writers and performers.  We strive for material that asks questions about the modern day but is also fun to watch and interesting to perform.  We exist to support one another's ideas. 

The bulk of our focus tends toward, but is not forever limited to, short (10 seconds to 4 minutes) pieces that vary widely between comic and dramatic, fully-scripted and partly-improvised, realistic and expressionistic.  We also tend toward high-brow humor and steer away from straight sketch comedy.  We ran our best-known show, MOSAIC, at ImprovBoston this spring.  MOSAIC received a standing ovation on its closing night and was included at this year's Lowell Comedy Festival and ImprovBoston's "Goonfest" comedy festival. 

In the fall, MOSAIC will open at Boston Playwright's Theater, 10 pm Fridays and Saturdays, October 6 - 21.  Here are some examples of pieces from MOSAIC: Wesley Willis "Does" Tom DeLay, Words of a Madman, and Wrestlemania.

The previous show, entitled Meet Mr Manley, ran late-nights on Saturdays for about 10 weeks and featured pieces much like what we are continuing to develop.  Here are some examples of pieces from Meet Mr Manley: Ohio Farewell, Our Town Rooftop and Bingo Pledge.       

What can this ensemble offer me as a performer?

Artistically, the ensemble acts to its members as a capable writers' group, performance ensemble and, on a very small scale, an improvisation group.  During rehearsals, we spend some time reading one another's work out loud and giving feedback, staging that work in creative ways, rehearsing those pieces and, on occasion, practicing long-form improvisation.  Because we also serve as directors for one another's pieces, we're interested in directorial experience as well.  

We've received excellent press, most recently for MOSAIC  in the Boston Globe calendar's article subtitled "Five Productions That Make a Strong Argument For Why Smaller is Better."  Only five shows of the hundreds of small theater shows running at any given time were chosen for the article.  MOSAIC was the first show listed, among companies including The Speakeasy Stage Company.

The ensemble also strives to offer its members exposure by avoiding performance ruts in venue and audience.  We have performed at the Footlight Club in Jamaica Plain, the Cantab Lounge in Cambridge, MA, and the Devanaughn Theatre in Boston.  MOSAIC enjoyed several runs at ImprovBoston. Because the ensemble is directly connected to its own producing organization (SouthCity Theatre), it immediately has a backing force as far as finding, using and renting performance spaces.  We have strong connections with the Devanaughn Theatre, ImprovBoston, Boston Playwrights' Theater, Suffolk University, and others.

What should I offer in return / bring to auditions?

Auditions are Monday, September 11 in Cambridge at 6:30 pm.  For directions and to schedule a slot, email us or call 781-724-0316.  If you can't make the given time and day, it's possible an alternate audition can be arranged.