MACT

Fall 2025 One Act Festival

We’re casting actors for three one-act plays that explore LGBTQ+ identity, history, and humor with bold storytelling and emotional depth.

AUDITIONS:
No need to sign up. Actors will audition in the order they arrive.
Date: Monday, August 4th
Time: 5:30 – 7:00 PM
Location: Conference Room
5280 Grandview Square, Edina, MN 55436

Date: Tuesday, August 5th
Time: 5:30 – 7:00 PM
Location: Full Meeting Room ABC – Brookdale Library
6125 Shingle Creek Pkwy Suite 800, Brooklyn Center, MN 55430
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CALLBACKS: If Needed
Date: Thursday, August 6th
Time: 5:00 – 6:30 PM
Location: TBD

​​​REHEARSALS:
Begin week of August 11.
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PERFORMANCE DATES AND LOCATIONS:
At The Hive Collaborative:
September 11th – 13th, 7:00 PM
September 14th, 2:00 PM
September 18th – 20th, 7:00 PM

PREPARATION:
Cold readings from the script will be available.
Please bring:
Your acting resume (if available; newcomers welcome).
A list of conflicts between August 11th and September 10th.
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NOTES: Performers of all backgrounds and experience levels are encouraged to audition. This is a non-union production.

CONTACT:
For more information, email Deb Schneider. Don’t miss your chance to bring bold, hilarious, and deeply human LGBTQ+ stories to life on stage this fall!
SHOWS & ROLES:

The Precious Scars
by Brian Farrey-Latz • Directed by Deb Schneider

The Precious Scars is a powerful fictional imagining rooted in a real-life act of heroism and betrayal. Inspired by the true story of Oliver “Billy” Sipple, the gay Marine who saved President Gerald Ford’s life in 1975, the play delves into the emotional aftermath of his unwanted outing by Harvey Milk and the media.

The play takes place in the middle of a sleepless night, as a deeply conflicted Billy finds himself in a surreal conversation with two uninvited visitors: Harvey Milk, the famed LGBTQ+ rights activist who helped publicize Billy’s sexuality to the world, and Cookie, a dazzling, defiant drag queen who serves as a sharp-edged spiritual conscience and comic relief.

Through memory, dialogue, and biting truths, The Precious Scars explores themes of identity, visibility, trauma, pride, and the burden of representation. It is intimate and raw, with moments of unexpected humor and deep emotional catharsis. The play asks: What do we owe to ourselves—and to our communities—when the spotlight finds us, whether we want it or not?

Character Descriptions

Billy Sipple – Male-presenting. 40s. Gay. Veteran.
Billy is a private, wounded soul carrying the weight of trauma from both his military service and his abrupt outing. Loyal and brave, he never sought the public eye, and is deeply uncomfortable with the way his heroism was politicized. He speaks with restraint but feels deeply, and his inner conflict is the emotional heart of the play.
Actor Note: This role requires emotional nuance and an ability to portray guarded vulnerability. Billy’s pain is complex, but so is his strength.

Harvey Milk – Male-presenting. 40s–50s. Gay. Activist.
Charismatic, persuasive, and politically strategic. Harvey is full of fire and wit, but not without a sense of guilt. He represents a hard-driving approach to LGBTQ+ visibility that clashes with Billy’s quiet privacy. He truly believes in the righteousness of his cause—but must reckon with the personal cost it inflicted on someone else.
Actor Note: Must balance charm and intensity with layers of moral ambiguity. This Harvey is not a cartoon hero—he is human.

Cookie – Any gender identity. Appears in glamorous drag.​
Fierce, funny, and unfiltered. Cookie is a glorious, glittering truth-teller—half diva, half Greek chorus. She uses humor to slice to the emotional core of the moment and holds the other characters accountable. She’s both outsider and oracle, full of heart and sass.
Actor Note: Requires presence, comedic timing, and depth. Cookie is not a caricature—beneath the sparkle is someone who’s lived, lost, and learned to survive with style.

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Mr. Charles, Currently of Palm Beach
by Paul Rudnick • Directed by Brian Farrey-Latz

Mr. Charles, Currently of Palm Beach is a hilarious, subversive, and emotionally resonant one-act that skewers stereotypes while celebrating flamboyant authenticity. The play centers on the unapologetically extravagant Mr. Charles, an aging gay man exiled from New York for being “too gay,” who now hosts a late-night cable access show in Palm Beach called Too Gay.

With sharp wit and gleeful theatricality, Mr. Charles delivers monologues, answers viewer letters, and offers unapologetic commentary on gay identity, culture, and assimilation. Through a blend of campy spectacle and poignant truth, the play critiques sanitized respectability politics while honoring queer individuality and history.

This satirical gem is not just a comedy—it’s a bold reclaiming of space, joy, and voice.
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Character Descriptions

Mr. Charles – Already cast.
An ageless, fabulous, proudly “too gay” icon. Think Palm Beach meets Broadway flair. Mr. Charles lives for flair, grand gestures, and gleaming one-liners—but beneath his dazzling veneer is a deep longing for authenticity and connection. He is equal parts hilarious, heartbreaking, and heroic.

Shane – Male-presenting. 20s–30s. Any ethnicity.
A sweet, muscled go-go boy and Mr. Charles’s sidekick. Shane is dim but earnest, comic but grounded, and delightfully unpredictable. He frequently appears in absurd costumes and bursts into dance routines, but his loyalty to Mr. Charles and growing curiosity about queer identity give him surprising depth.
Actor Note: Requires physicality, dance comfort, comic timing, and the ability to embody both absurd humor and endearing sincerity.

Joann Milderry – Female-presenting. 20s–30s. Any ethnicity.
A soft-spoken, young single mom working as a receptionist at the studio. Joann appears briefly but makes a powerful emotional impact. She brings her baby on stage, seeks connection and hope, and is profoundly moved by Mr. Charles’s unapologetic presence.
Actor Note: A small role with big heart. Joann must convey warmth, vulnerability, and a quiet sense of wonder.

The New Century
by Paul Rudnick • Directed by Brian Farrey-Latz and Benjamin Farrey-Latz

The New Century is a bold, hilarious, and deeply heartfelt one-act play that brings together three unique characters who represent the ever-evolving spectrum of LGBTQ+ identity and family. Set in the maternity ward of a Manhattan hospital, the play becomes a surprising meeting ground for flamboyant former TV host Mr. Charles, loving-yet-exhausted mother Helene, and quirky Midwesterner Barbara Ellen. As their outrageous and poignant stories unfold — joined later by fashion-forward Shane and earnest young mom Joann — the play transforms into a celebration of resilience, reinvention, and human connection. Bursting with humor and warmth, The New Century is both a sharp social commentary and a glitter-drenched affirmation of life.
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Character Descriptions

Mr. Charles – Already cast, same as above
Flamboyant, witty, and proudly “too gay,” Mr. Charles is a former public access television personality banned from New York for being overly fabulous. He’s dramatic, outrageous, and full of heart.

Helene Nadler – Female presenting. 40s–60s.
A fiercely loving Jewish mother from Long Island whose three adult children all identify along the LGBTQ+ spectrum. She’s open-minded yet overwhelmed, and her character blends hilarious oversharing with genuine vulnerability.

Shane – 20s–30s, same as above
A young, energetic, fashion-obsessed gay man who finds beauty, identity, and optimism in shopping and sparkle. He’s a whirlwind of movement and joy, with a surprisingly thoughtful center.

Joann Milderry – 20s–30s, same as above
A former Florida receptionist and single mom who moves to New York to give her baby a life filled with diversity and acceptance. Inspired by Mr. Charles, she offers a hopeful view of motherhood and chosen family.

Barbara Ellen Diggs – Female presenting. 40s–60s.
A kind, creative woman from Decatur, Illinois who makes elaborate outfits for her cats and ends up in a hospital after a kitty couture mishap. She brings warmth and an unexpected emotional depth as she reveals the loss of her gay son.