Audition Information

Director Cindy Schneider invites you to audition for the inspiring and riveting story of real-life character Catherine Donohue.

These Shining Lives, written by Melanie Marnich, is based on the true story of four women who workedfor the Radium Dial Company - a watch factory based in Ottawa, Illinois in the 1920’s into the 1930’s. The play showcases the danger women faced in this workplace and highlights the wider lack of concern companies had for protecting the health of their employees. The company that hires the women to do the painting, tells them that there is no evidence that radium is harmful, and even that it has health benefits. The play follows the journey of Catherine Donahue as she learns otherwise. This story is both inspirational and tragic, and the main characters are all well-developed and have depth and dimension.

Audition Dates: Sunday, January 25th & Tuesday, January 27th @ 7pm

Callbacks: January 29th @ 7pm. Callbacks are by invitation only. 

Audition Location: 810 North Whitford Rd, Lionville, PA 19353

Shows:

Fridays: April 24, May 1, 8, 2026 — 8pm

Saturdays: April 25, May 2, 2026 — 8pm , May 9, 2026 — 2pm

Sunday: May 3*, 2026 — 2pm*

Female leads (20-35)

Catherine Donohue - The main protagonist. The actor is required to switch between her character in the part of the narrator and her character in the story as she succumbs to radium poisoning.

Charlotte Purcell - Straight talking and tough. Although she is sharp when she first meets Catherine, they soon become good friends.

Frances O’Connell - Viewed as having the moral backbone of the four women, which could suggest she is a little older.

Pearl Payne - Easy-going and chatty. Likens to Catherine straight away.

Male leads

Tom Donohue – (20-40). Catherine’s husband. Feels emasculated when Catherine first gets the job, but warms up quickly to it. Fiercely protective of his wife.

Mr Reed (30-60). Radium Dial Supervisor.

Other named characters

*Dr Dalitsch - Doctor in Chicago who diagnoses radium poisoning.

*Leonard Grossman - The attorney who agrees to take the case to court.

Unnamed supporting characters

Company Doctor
Judge
*Radio Announcer
*Reporters

Son - Son of Catherine and Tom.

Daughter - Daughter of Catherine and Tom.

(* May be doubled with Dr Rowntree , Dr Dalitsch, Leonard Grossman)

Please contact Cindy at cinschn@gmail.com with any questions.

AUDITION SIDES

Audition sides can be found here.

REVIEWS

“THESE SHINING LIVES is powerful, poignant, moving, and thought-provoking.”
— Elaine Mura

“… both director and playwright find the humanity and humor in what could be melodramatic material. This is a lovely and moving show.”
— Laura Foti Cohen

Teens are invited to audition for Merrily We Roll Along at BSP. (must be at least 13 years old at the time of auditions to participate; those who graduated from high school prior to the year in which auditions are held are not eligible)

Audition Dates/Times:

Sunday, April 26 7:00 pm

Tuesday, April 28 6:00 pm

Please note: You only need to come to one of the auditions.  Please stay for the entire time.

Doors will open 15 minutes prior.

To prepare:

Please complete the Online Audition RSVP Form

Bring the completed Audition Form with you

Callbacks:

Thursday, April 30 6:00 pm (by invitation only)

Audition Details:

Auditions will consist of:

Singing a 30 seconds - 1 minute long cut of a Stephen Sondheim song of your choice

Cold readings from the script

Audition Workshop:

Friday, April 17 6:00 pm

Attend the audition workshop to gain valuable audition tips, warm up your vocals, and receive feedback on your singing and cold readings!  Please RSVP here.

Audition Location:

810 North Whitford

Lionville, PA 19353

Parking is available only at Marsh Creek Community Church (101 Crump Rd, Exton, PA 19341) down the street. Auditionees with mobility issues may park in the small lot behind the theater.

Questions?

If you have questions, please email us bspteenshows@gmail.com

Important Dates:

🎭Performances - Evenings - July 10, 11, 16, 17 ,18  Matinees - July 12 & 19

📆 Rehearsals - Sundays 7-10pm, Tuesdays, & Thursdays 6-9 PM

🛠️ Set Building - June 21, 27, and July 4  (must attend part of at least one)

🎭 Tech Week will be July 5-8 (Sunday-Wednesday)

Set Build & Strike: We are a volunteer organization therefore, we require our cast members to assist with our set build and strike. Strike will happen immediately after closing on July 19.

Production Team:

Director & Intimacy Coordinator: Kayla Corbo

Consulting Director & Music Director: Mike Macri

Producer & Lighting Designer: Joe Harrison

Character Descriptions:

Franklin Shepard

His character ranges from an influential songwriter and film producer to an innocent, bright-eyed optimist in NYC. Talented and handsome but misled, tragic, and tormented.

Charley Kringas

A stubborn, intense man with average looks. He ranges from a successful lyricist and Frank's long-time friend to a bright-eyed optimist creating his own opportunities in NYC.

Mary Flynn

A middle-aged theatre critic. Her character arcs to the youthful, gorgeous 20-something living in NYC with best friend Frank. Sardonic, bitter, and witty.

Gussie Carnegie

The flamboyant, self-invented actress. Her character begins at the end of her relationship with Frank, but throughout the show we see her grow more and more helplessly in love with him. Greedy and seductive.

Joe Josephson

Big-talking Broadway producer and husband to Gussie. He later becomes pathetic and poor.

Beth

A naive and insecure middle-American who is the mother of Frank's son. She arcs from a down-trodden housewife at her wits end to a hopeless romantic at the beginning of her engagement to the man of her dreams.