Auditions for Big Idea Theatre

Men on Boats, by Jaclyn Backhaus

Ten explorers. Four Boats. One Grand Canyon. Men on Boats is the true(ish) history of an 1869 expedition, when a one-armed captain and a crew of insane yet loyal volunteers set out to chart the course of the Colorado River.

Note on casting from playwright Jaclyn Backhaus in 2017: The characters in Men on Boats were historically cisgender white males. The cast should be made up entirely of people who are not. I’m talking about racially diverse actors who are female-identifying, trans-identifying, genderfluid, and/or non-gender-conforming.* It is my strong preference that Tsauwiat and The Bishop be played by Native cast members. If there are no Native actors in your production, the Utes must at least be cast as non-white.

*Big Idea is specifically looking for actors who are trans, non-binary, genderqueer, women, and those who have experienced marginalization due to their gender identity and presentation. Except as noted above, roles are open to actors of any intersectional identity and no roles assume the presence or absence of disability.

• John Wesley Powell – One-armed leader of the expedition.
• William Dunn – Hunter/Trapper.
• John Colton Sumner – Former soldier/current explorer.
• Lieutenant Bradley – Lieutenant, manic with youth.
• Old Shady – Powell’s older brother & Civil War Vet.
• O.G. Howland – Printer/Hunter.
• Seneca Howland – O.G.’s quiet little brother.
• Frank Goodman – Oh-so-excited/British.
• Hall – Mapmaker/old soul.
• Hawkins – The Cook.
• Tsauwiat – A Ute Chief
• The Bishop – Tsauwiat’s wife
• Mr. Asa – Desert settler

**Tsauwiat, The Bishop and Mr. Asa will likely double with other characters