Big Idea Theatre

Happy Friday! Only TWO more chances to see THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF LEENANE at Big Idea Theatre! Come out tonight or tomorrow at 7:30pm! You don't want to miss this dark Irish drama!

Ray (and the Kennedys) would love to see you come out for the last Thrifty Thursday performance of The Beauty Queen of Leenane! 7:30pm tonight! 🔥🔥🔥

Join us for a gripping performance of Martin McDonagh’s THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF LEENANE, a darkly comic tale of family and isolation set in rural Ireland, today at 2pm!

Make the 21st of September a night to remember with a performance of THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF LEENANE! Don't miss out on this critically acclaimed play that explores the complex bond between a mother and daughter. Doors open at 7pm!

Check out this fabulous review of BEAUTY QUEEN! ✨ Then join us for an Thrifty Thursday show tonight at 7:30, and support your local community theatre. 🎟️ See you there!

Review: THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF LEENANE is the Hit of the Season at Big Idea Theatre What can I say? Big Idea Theatre has some of the best picks in town. Constantly evolving and pushing through what feels comfortable and even sane, they’ve upped the ante with their latest offering. The Beauty Queen of Leenane is a deliciously dark and suspenseful tale by Martin McDonagh.

Announcing the cast for POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Du***ss Are Seven Women Trying To Keep Him Alive, written by Selina Fillinger, and directed by Devin Valdez! The show runs October 18th through November 9th. Mark your calendars! 🇺🇸

WHAT? The Beauty Queen of Leenane has TWO more performances this weekend? Catch this amazing dark-comedy tonight at 7:30pm or tomorrow at 2pm!

Happy Friday the 13th! If you want to avoid bad luck, come watch THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF LEENANE tonight at 7:30pm!

Couldn't have said it better ourselves!

"Written by award-winning British-Irish playwright Martin McDonagh, (THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF LEENANE) seems a perfect choice for Big Idea Theatre, known for producing innovative, often daring works." - Sacramento News & Review - SN&R

THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF LEENANE by Martin McDonagh and directed by Carissa Meagher opens TOMORROW night at 7:30pm! Tickets available online now and at the door. See you there!

Check out the cast of The Beauty Queen of Leenane on Good Day Sacramento! Then check out opening night which is THIS Friday at 7:30pm! Tickets on sale at the door and our website🤩

Sade is previewing the big production ‘The Beauty Queen of Leenane' Calling all local theater fans—join us for a gothic dark comedy production! Sade Browne is meeting the cast and previewing the big show.

Opening next week!

A great transition into the Fall season. Come see this "Gothic Dark Comedy" written by the Academy Award nominated writer of "The Banshees of Inisherin", "In Bruges", "Three Billboards outside Ebbings, Missouri". And the Tony Award nominated writer of "The Lieutenant of Inishmore", and "The Pillowman".

Get tickets at bigideatheatre.org

Big Idea Theatre

AUDITIONS!!!!

POTUS
or, Behind Every Great Du***ss are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive

by Selina Fillinger

Saturday August 24, 2024 11:00am-3:00pm
Sunday August 25, 2024 5:00-8:00pm
Callbacks Tuesday August 27, 2024 at 6:30pm
at
Big Idea Theatre
1616 Del Paso Blvd

Please sign up using the link in our Bio or at https://forms.gle/nuG4sB7hdnYYmVwW9
Email [email protected] with any questions

Directed by Devin Valdez
Runs: October 18 - November 9, 2024
1st Rehearsal: Early September 2024
Tech Week: October 13 - 17, 2024

*Auditions will consist of readings from the script. Sides will be sent along with your time slot in the week before your audition date. You will not be required to stay for the entire audition time*

A derogatory comment, a summit gone awry, an a**l abscess—it’s a bad day at the White House. When the President unwittingly spins a PR nightmare into a global crisis, it inevitably falls on the seven women he relies on most to clean up the mess. Take a raucous romp through the halls of the West Wing in a riotous and irreverent farce about the men who hold the power vs. the women who get the job done.

*For all roles, unless specifically noted, we will be considering actors of any ethnicity. Age ranges are an approximation*

- Harriet: 40s-60s, woman or female presenting, any ethnicity. Chief of Staff. A political strategist who has chosen every aspect of her life, appearance, and personality in service of her career. She is focused, disciplined, and unwavering in her pursuit of political success.
- Jean: 30s - 40s, woman or female presenting, any ethnicity. Press Secretary. A hawk in a turtleneck. High-strung, quick-witted, can handle any pressroom and sterilize any scandal. A single working mom. Harriet’s more polished and more tactful counterpart. Reminiscent of CJ from The West Wing, but with an added layer of cynicism and paranoia.
- Stephanie: 20s-40s, woman or female presenting, any ethnicity. Presidential Secretary. Dedicated and anxious, she strives for perfection and fears failure. Perpetually on the verge of a breakdown. Despite her constant self-doubt and imposter syndrome, she possesses a brilliant mind and even more brilliant power stance. **NOTE: Character spends several scenes in underwear/pantless
- Dusty: 20s-30s, woman or female presenting, any ethnicity. President’s dalliance. A vibrant, curious, and sex-positive young woman with a diverse skill set and bright future. Loves civic duty! Loves democracy! Determined to make the world better! **NOTE: Character wears underwear or some sort of sc****ly clad outfit in a few scenes, dances
- Bernadette: 30s-50s, woman or female presenting, any ethnicity. President’s sister. A coked-up tornado with irresistible charm, a blazing temper, and a killer sense of humor. Jean's ultimate kryptonite.
- Chris: 30s-40s, woman or female presenting, Black. Journalist. A determined and overburdened reporter juggling the challenges of postpartum life, a recent divorce, and career pressures. A dogged reporter with much to gain and everything to lose. **NOTE: Character wears breast pumps and simulates pumping during the show
- Margaret: Late 40s-60s, woman or female presenting, Black. First Lady. A sophisticated and regal figure with a background in high fashion, corporate affairs, and law. Beneath her composed exterior lies a well of bitterness and restrained anger. Goes for the jugular.

Announcing the cast of THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF LEENANE, running September 6th-28th!

Audition slots are still available for THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF LEENANE by Martin McDonagh on Wednesday 7/10 and Saturday 7/13. Learn more in the post and join us!

Auditions for Big Idea Theatre
The Beauty Queen of Leenane, by Martin McDonagh

Wednesday July 10, 2024 7:00pm-10:00pm
Saturday July 13, 2024 11:00am-3:00pm
Callbacks Monday July 15, 2024 at 6:30pm
Big Idea Theatre
1616 Del Paso Blvd

Please sign up at https://forms.gle/eg9uxfRv23NsQFSZ6
Please email [email protected] with any questions

Show runs: September 6 - 28, 2024; Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays @ 7:30pm
Sundays, September 15th and 22nd @ 2pm
Rehearsals begin July 22nd
Tech week is September 1 - 5, 2024

*Auditions will consist of readings from the script. Sides will be sent along with your time slot in the week before your audition date. You will not be required to stay for the entire audition time.*

Set in the mountains of Connemara, County Galway, THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF LEENANE tells the darkly comic tale of Maureen Folan, a plain and lonely woman in her early forties, and Mag, her manipulative aging mother, whose interference in Maureen’s first and possibly final chance of a loving relationship sets in motion a train of events that leads inexorably towards the play’s terrifying dénouement.

NOTE ON ACCENTS: The play is set in Western Ireland, specifically in Connemara, County Galway. We will be using region specific accents in this production. If you are inexperienced with accents, please do not let that keep you from auditioning. We will have an accent coach on the team for the production. Please do your best at the audition to use an Irish accent, but know that your acting work is what we will be most focused on at this point.

Here are a couple accent samples close to the area the play is set in to help you prepare:
https://youtu.be/deNTL9HUcoU?si=T6W_xKCmdnGGZWm5

https://youtu.be/6AslI2eHGM0?si=uchkq9XdRZsDAMaG

*For all roles, we will be considering actors of any ethnicity. Ages of characters are approximate*

Roles available
Maureen Folan (35-45 years old) Plain
Mag Folan - (60 - 80 years old) Maureen’s mother, frail
Pato Dooley - (35 - 45) a good-looking local man
Ray Dooley - (18-25) Pato’s brother

HAPPY CLOSING to MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING! Celebrate our final performances with us this afternoon at 2:00 pm and tonight at 7:30 pm 🫶🏳️‍🌈🍷

📸: Iris Garcia

Have you heard? It's CLOSING WEEKEND of MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING! Don't miss your last chances to see this hilarious show tonight and tomorrow at 7:30pm! And Saturday at 2pm!

📸: Iris Garcia

Come admire Don Pedro with us at tonight's Thrifty Thursday performance! $15 at 7:30pm!

📸: Iris Garcia

OMG! Our AC is fixed and we're back, baby! Your last chances to see this hilarious show are Thursday, Friday and Saturday night at 7:30p, and an extra special Saturday matinee at 2pm!

📸: Iris Garcia

CANCELLED!! Due to a broken AC system today's matinee of Much Ado About Nothing is CANCELLED. If you purchased tickets the box office will be in touch with you to refund or exchange your tickets.

We apologize for any inconvenience. With the current heat wave it is unsafe to have our actors and audience in the space with no AC.

Thank you for your continued support!