The Oldest Profession
by Marian Kansas
Sep. 28
As Ronald Reagan enters the White House, five aging practitioners of the oldest profession are faced with a diminishing clientele, increased competition for their niche market, and aching joints. With wit, compassion, and humor, they struggle to find and learn new tricks as they fight to stay in The Life.
The Oldest Profession Audition Information
The Oldest Profession by Paula Vogel will be directed and produced by Marian Kansas and will be performed at Hyde Park Theatre in Austin on December 4th - 13th, 2026. Rehearsals will begin late October and will take place three to four times per week in the evenings or weekends and will last two to three hours per rehearsal. Rehearsals will typically be scheduled Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings, and Saturday mornings. The final rehearsal schedule will be created to accommodate availability as possible.
Auditions will take place Monday, September 28th from 6:30 to 9:30pm at the Dougherty Arts Center Room 2W, located at 1110 Barton Springs Rd. Please note that the DAC parking lot can fill up quickly, we recommend arriving early to ensure you have time to find adequate parking. Callbacks will take place on Thursday, October 1st at the Dougherty Arts Center Room 2W from 6:30 - 9:30 pm. Performers will be notified regarding callbacks by 5 pm on Wednesday, September 30.
All performers will receive a $400 stipend. Actors of all backgrounds and experiences are encouraged to audition.
About Marian Kansas: Marian Kansas is a director, playwright, and producer with ten years of experience in producing and directing new work and contemporary plays in Austin. She was the co-founder and producer of The Heartland Theatre Collective from 2016-2020 and has been a core company member of Bottle Alley Theatre Company since 2021. Her credits include Trash Planet (Director & Playwright), We Have Always Lived in the Castle (Director & Adaptor), The Man From Earth (Director), Dry Land (Director), The Vineyard (Director & Producer), Little Bird (Director & Producer), and Dust (Director & Producer).
Interested in auditioning?
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First, fill out our audition form - https://forms.gle/e6fRjpczuTFhwu7u8
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Second, sign up for a spot HERE
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And finally, email your headshot and resume to mariankansas@gmail.com with "The Oldest Profession" in the subject line
If you have any questions about the audition process, please let me know at mariankansas@gmail.com.
Characters:
Please note that we are interested in female-identifying performers over the age of 50 for all roles.
Vera: The youngest, 72. Loves the sun.
Edna: Next in line, 74. A good time girl. Best friend of Vera. Loves her work.
Lillian: 75. Age has been gentle. Sure of herself, a woman of great style and great audacity. The Rose of Mae’s stable.
Ursula: 79. Germanic, bossy, set and determined. Believes in rules, promotion, work ethic. Horsey and big boned, she slumps now. Can be very crabby. Can not stand the sound of Vera eating with loose dentures. Fond of adages with harsh, moralistic messages.
Mae: 83. A self-made woman, a leader who finds the management of men ridiculously easy and has mastered the management of women as well. She looks after her girls.
