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Auditions for ‘Madame Buttermilk’

December 21, 2021

Madame Buttermilk 2022 Logo

Monday, February 7 and Tuesday, February 8
6 p.m.
Pull-Tight Theater

Directed by Laurel Aiello and Beth Woodruff
Produced by JK Gregg and Melanie McBurney

Performance dates: April 1, 2, 6-9, 13-16 at 7:30 p.m.; April 3, 10 at 2:30 p.m.

We are so happy to announce auditions for our next mainstage production at Pull-Tight, a new musical by Ross Carter being produced for the first time in Middle Tennessee. All roles are available. You may attend both nights, but priority will be given to new people on February 8.

Everyone auditioning will be asked to sing a prepared selection. Please have sheet music available in the appropriate key. Women auditioning for “Carly” should prepare something to show operatic ability, as well as the ability to sing musical theater style with the ensemble. Other roles will require a Broadway selection. See the character breakdowns below.

There will also be cold readings from the script. No prepared monologues. Headshots and theater resumes are welcome, but not required.

You may download the audition form below and complete it prior to auditions. Copies will also be available at the theater.

COVID-19 safety guidelines

The Pull-Tight Players Board of Directors requires that all cast and crew involved with our production of Madame Buttermilk must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Bring your vaccination card to auditions. A board member will check your card against your photo ID as you check in. Mobile phone photos of your vaccination card will be accepted.

Also be prepared to remain masked when not actively auditioning.

If you are cast, our director will provide any further guidelines on masking during rehearsals as needed.

Thank you for cooperating with our safety measures as we return to live mainstage shows.

Pull-Tight Players Audition Form – MusicalDownload

Sides

Madame Buttermilk side 1: Kit & CarlyDownload
Madame Buttermilk side 2: Art, Carly & FordDownload
Madame Buttermilk side 3: Jan Swaggart & BeemerDownload
Madame Buttermilk side 4: Connor & FordDownload
Madame Buttermilk side 5: Carly & ConnorDownload
Madame Buttermilk side 6: Connor, Carly & FordDownload
Madame Buttermilk side 7: Dody & SwaggartDownload
Madame Buttermilk side 8: Carly, Kit, Beemer & FordDownload

Synopsis

Carly Speranza’s dream is to sing the title role in Carmen. Unfortunately, despite her talent and conservatory training, she can’t seem to land a role in anything. Then, one day, the phone call comes. It’s Carmen, with a performance tomorrow! Can she come right away?

It’s a dream come true, until she is taken to a state fair to sing for a country music band called The Car Men. Their big hit at the local VFW was “Clutch Me.” Her stage name is Pinto Packard.

Carly knows that if she breaks the contract she’ll never work again. And if she goes through with it, she’ll never be taken seriously.

Roles

Carly Speranza: a struggling opera singer – female, age range, 25-35

Kit McCandless: Carly’s roommate and agent – female, any age

Connor Duke: Carly’s college sweetheart – male, age range, 25-35

Ford Fairlane: Country band leader – male, age range 40-65

Dody (non-speaking role): Ford’s longtime girlfriend – female, age range 40-65

Beemer Wilson: Singer and business manager for Ford’s band – male, any age

Art Flanagan: Radio host of an arts program – male, any age

Jan Swaggart: Domineering stage manager, female, any age

Filed Under: Auditions, Blog Tagged With: Auditions, madame buttermilk

Cast Is Set for ‘Crimes of the Heart’

December 17, 2021

Cindy Davis Massey, director of the upcoming production of Crimes of the Heart for Franklin’s Pull-Tight Players, announced her cast for the show. The announcement follows the first show auditions the organization has held in two years, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Crimes of the Heart, written by Beth Henley, first appeared on the Pull-Tight stage during the 1989-1990 season. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1981 and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play. The story details the lives of three sisters in mid-20th century Mississippi.

Director Davis Massey and stage manager Jeanne Drone appeared in the first Pull-Tight production of the play.

‘Crimes of the Heart’ cast

  • Nicole Turner
  • Rachel Humphrey
  • Nathan Fink
  • Joey Echeverria
  • Bre Hall
  • Breanna Theobald

From upper left:
Nicole Turner as Lenny
Rachel Humphrey as Meg
Nathan Fink as Doc
Joey Echeverria as Barnette Lloyd
Bre Hall as Babe
Breanna Theobold as Chick

Davis Massey reminisced about her appearance in the first Pull-Tight production.

“In 1990 the late Wesley Fox cast me in the role of Meg MaGrath. I was thrilled and immediately became a fan of playwright, Beth Henley,” she said.

Crimes of the Heart cast from 1990. From left, Jeanne Drone (Babe), Suzanne Drone Hoyal (Lenny), Cindy Davis Massey (Meg)

“There were so many different directions I could have gone with casting. We had a plethora of talent at auditions. What I ended up with is the perfect blend of actors to bring this story to life. They are energetic, experienced and eager to take the stage.”

“I am excited to bring live theatre back to Franklin and look forward to spending these next two months with this outstanding group of people.”

Crimes of the Heart will run February 4-19, 2022 at Pull-Tight Theater. General public tickets will go on sale 10 a.m. January 24.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: 2021-22 season, cast announcement

Holiday Happenings

November 16, 2021

ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY

Pull-Tight Theater
Sunday, December 19 at 5:30 p.m.

Join us for a fun evening of refreshments, keepsake photos, and festivities.

  • There will be a “Mystery Holiday Ornament Exchange.” If you would like to participate, bring a WRAPPED ornament to add to the gift pile.
  • Masks will be required to be worn while in the theater except when eating or drinking.
  • If you plan to attend, please email an RSVP to Carmela Hofstee with the number of attendees in your group.

HOLIDAY DECORATING PARTY

We will be decorating the theater on Saturday, December 18th. If you’re interested in helping, please email Carmela Hofstee. We’d love the help to trim our theater with tons of festive holiday décor!

Enjoy these photos from Pull-Tight’s 2020 Christmas party, and come make new memories on December 19th!

Filed Under: Blog

The President’s Blog – November 2021

November 16, 2021

Carmela Hofstee

Have you been wondering what’s happening at Pull-Tight Players? Well, with a heart full of hope for the holiday season, I’m excited to say that our theatre has a few things in the works!

First, thank you to Claudia Finnegan for adding lovely fall décor to our Pull-Tight Theater sign and front doors. It certainly gives a wonderful seasonal feel to our little theater.

Theatre Fall 2021

In case you missed our annual Fall Artist Membership Meeting on Sunday, October 24 at Pull-Tight, artist members were welcomed to come and discuss updates on past, current, and upcoming activities for our theatre. Attendees were reminded of our recent postponement of The Curious Savage that was slated to open in December 2021. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the show was postponed and existing ticketholders from the past season would have their tickets converted to gift certificates. If you have any questions regarding your converted tickets, please contact the Box Office at tickets@pull-tight.com.

It was also announced at the meeting that the 2020-2021 Board of Directors acknowledged two valuable artist members by making them Lifetime Voting Members for Pull-Tight Players. Peggy Macpherson and John Davis were both recognized for their extensive contributions and accomplishments through the decades with Pull-Tight. Learn more about Peggy and John.

Now for thrilling news on our next production, Crimes of the Heart directed by Cindy Davis Massey. Auditions are scheduled for Monday, December 13, and Tuesday, December 14, 2021 at 7 p.m. Audition forms, script sides, and COVID-19 safety guidelines are available online. Performance dates are February 4-5, 9-12, and 16-19 at 7:30 p.m.; and February 6 and 13 at 2:30 p.m. Stay tuned for ticket information in January.

Crimes of the Heart at Pull-Tight Players

Finally, the holiday season is fast approaching. We will hold our Annual Christmas Party at the Pull-Tight Theater! Join us on Sunday, December 19 at 5:30 p.m. for a fun evening of refreshments, keepsake photos, and festivities. There will be a “Mystery Holiday Ornament Exchange.” Please bring a WRAPPED ornament to add to the gift pile if you would like to participate. Masks will be required to be worn while in the theater except when eating or drinking. Please email Carmela Hofstee if you plan to attend.

We will also decorate the theater the day before on Saturday, December 18. If you’re interested in helping, please email Carmela Hofstee. We’d love the help to trim our theater with tons of festive holiday décor!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and I hope to see you at auditions on December 13 & 14!


Carmela Hofstee, President

Pull-Tight Players Board of Directors

Filed Under: Blog, President's Blog

Auditions for Crimes of the Heart

November 16, 2021

Crimes of the Heart at Pull-Tight Players

Monday Dec. 13 & Tuesday Dec. 14, 7 p.m.
Pull-Tight Theater

Directed by Cindy Davis Massey
Produced by JK Gregg

Performance dates: February 4-5, 9-12, 16-19 at 7:30 p.m.; February 6 and 13 at 2:30 p.m.

We are thrilled to announce our return to live performances with our next mainstage production at Pull-Tight. All roles are available. You may attend both nights, but reading priority will be given to new auditioners on Dec. 14.

There will be cold readings from the script. No prepared monologues. Headshots and theatre resumes are welcome but not required.

You may download the audition form below and complete it prior to auditions. Copies will be available on site as well. Use the included audition sides to prepare to read for the roles of your choice.

COVID-19 safety guidelines

The Pull-Tight Players Board of Directors requires that all cast and crew involved with our production of Crimes of the Heart must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Bring your vaccination card to auditions. A board member will check your card against your photo ID as you check in. Mobile phone photos of your vaccination card will be accepted.

Also be prepared to remain masked when not actively auditioning.

If you are cast, our director will provide any further guidelines on masking during rehearsals as needed.

Thank you for cooperating with our safety measures as we return to live MainStage shows.

Pull-Tight Players Audition Form – PlayDownload

Audition sides

COTH sides – Meg and BabeDownload
COTH sides – Lenny, Meg and Babe 1Download
COTH sides – Lenny, Meg and Babe 2Download
COTH sides – Lenny and ChickDownload
COTH sides – Lenny and BabeDownload
COTH sides – Doc and MegDownload
COTH sides – Barnett and BabeDownload

Synopsis

The three MaGrath sisters are back together in their hometown of Hazelhurst, Mississippi for the first time in a decade. Lenny, the eldest, never left Hazelhurst. She is the caretaker of the sisters’ cantankerous Old Granddaddy. Meg, the middle sister, left home to pursue stardom as a singer in Los Angeles, but has, so far, only found happiness at the bottom of a bottle. And Babe, the youngest, has just been arrested for the murder of her abusive husband, Zackery Bottrelle. Under the scorching heat of the Mississippi sun, past resentments bubble to the surface, and each sister must come to terms with the consequences of her own “crimes of the heart.”

Character sketches

Lenora (Lenny) Magrath. (Lead) Lenny, at the age of thirty, is the oldest of the three sisters. Her sisters have forgotten her birthday, only adding to her feeling of rejection. Lenny is frustrated after years of carrying heavy burdens of responsibility. Most recently, she has been caring for Old Granddaddy, sleeping on a cot in the kitchen to be near him. Lenny loves her sisters but is also jealous of them, especially Meg, whom she feels received preferential treatment during their upbringing. Meg has also been surrounded by men all her life, while Lenny has feared rejection from the opposite sex and become withdrawn as a result. She fears continuing the one romantic relationship, with a man named Charlie Hill from Memphis.

Chick Boyle. (Featured) Chick, the sisters’ first cousin, is twenty-nine years old. She is a very demanding relative, extremely concerned about the community’s opinion of her. When news is published of Babe’s shooting of Zackery, Chick’s utmost concern is how she’s “gonna continue holding my head up high in this community.” Chick is critical of all aspects of the Magrath’s family and is always bringing up past tragedies such as the mother’s suicide. Chick is especially hard on Meg, whom she finds undisciplined and calls a “low-class tramp,” and on Babe, who “doesn’t understand how serious the situation is” after shooting Zackery. Chick seems to feel closest to Lenny, and is genuinely surprised to be ushered out of the house for her comments about Lenny’s sisters.

Doc Porter. (Featured) Doc is 30 years old and Meg’s old boyfriend. He is still known affectionately as “Doc” although his plans for a medical career stalled and eventually died after he was severely injured in Hurricane Camille. His love for Meg (and her promise to marry him) prompted him to stay behind with her while the rest of the town evacuated the storm’s path. Many people now have the perception (as Meg and Lenny discuss) that Meg “baited Doc into staying there with her.” Doc, who now has his own wife and children, nevertheless remains close to the Magrath family. Although Meg abandoned him when she left for California, Doc remains fond of her, and Meg is extremely happy to have his friendship upon her return to Mississippi.

Margaret (Meg) Magrath. (Lead) Meg is the middle sister at twenty-seven years of age. As an eleven year-old child, Meg discovered the body of their mother (and that of the family cat) following her suicide. This traumatic experience provoked Meg to test her strength by confronting morbidity wherever she could find it, including poring over medical photographs of disease-ridden victims and staring at March of Dimes posters of crippled children. At the beginning of the play Meg returns to Mississippi from California, where her singing career has stalled and where, she later tells Doc, she had a nervous breakdown and ended up in the psychiatric ward of the county hospital.

Rebecca (Babe) Botrelle. (Lead) Babe is the youngest Magrath sister at the age of 24. At the start of the play, she has shot her husband, Zackery, a powerful and wealthy lawyer. At first, the only explanation she gives for the act is the defiant statement: “I didn’t like his looks! I just didn’t like his stinking looks!” Eventually, she reveals that the shooting was the result of her anger at Zackery’s cruel treatment both of her and of Willie Jay, a fifteen year-old African American boy with whom Babe had been carrying on an affair.

Barnette Lloyd. (Supporting) Barnette Lloyd, at the age of 26, is Babe’s lawyer. An ambitious, talented attorney, Barnette views Babe’s case as a chance to exact his personal revenge on Zackery. “The major thing he did,” Barnette says, “was to ruin my father’s life.” Barnette also seems to have a strong attraction to Babe, whom he remembers distinctly from a chance meeting at a Christmas bazaar. Barnette is prevented from taking on Zackery in open court by the desire to protect Babe’s affair with Willie Jay from public exposure. He is willing to make this sacrifice for Babe, and the play ends with some hope that his efforts will be rewarded.

Filed Under: Blog

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Pull-Tight Players Theatre
P.O. Box 105
Franklin, TN 37065
Box office: tickets@pull-tight.com
General: info@pull-tight.com

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