The College of the Canyons theatre department will host a pair of open audition dates for students and community members interested in performing in one of the college’s two upcoming fall semester productions.

The COC theatre department’s fall lineup includes productions of “Fuddy Meers” by Pulitzer Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire, and “The Illusion” by Pulitzer Prize winner Tony Kushner and 17th century French dramatist Pierre Cornielle.

In all, there will be 15 roles available. Actors of all ethnicities between the ages of 15 to 50 are encouraged to audition.

Those interested in auditioning for one or both of the department’s fall productions should prepare a one to two-minute contemporary comedic monologue (“Fuddy Meers”) or classical dramatic monologue (“The Illusion”), and attend an audition date on either Tuesday, Aug. 26, or Wednesday, Aug. 27.

Each audition date will begin at 6:45 p.m. in the college’s Studio Theatre, located in Student Center, Room 130, on the college’s Valencia campus.

All those cast will be required to register in a section of the COC course Theatre 190: Theatre Production.

“These are two exceptional production opportunities for both students and community members to participate in,” said Paul Wickline, chair of the COC theatre department. “Both of these Pulitzer Prize-winning playwrights are considered among the finest of their generation, crafting masterful plays and creating memorable characters that actors love to inhabit. Now we need to find the actors.”

Interested actors are encouraged to visit the COC theatre web page for further details.

“Fuddy Meers”

“Fuddy Meers” tells the story of a chronic amnesiac, Claire, who awakens each morning as a blank slate, without any knowledge of who she is.

Each day, Claire’s husband and son are forced to tell her the facts of her life, which are recorded in a book that can be reviewed.

One morning Claire is abducted by a man claiming her husband wants to kill her — throwing a wrench into this already chaotic situation. However, this is only the beginning of her adventure.

The COC theatre department production of “Fuddy Meers” will include roles for four men and three woman, ages 20 to 50.

Performances will be staged Oct. 10-19 in the Black Box Theater.

“The Illusion”

Adapted from French-Baroque playwright Pierre Cornielle’s “L’Illusion comique,” this production follows the story of contrite father, Pridamant, who is seeking news about his prodigal son from the powerful sorcerer, Alcandre.

In response to this request, the magician conjures three episodes from the young man’s life. However, as Pridamant views each of the scenes he finds his boy in a slightly different world, where names have been changed and allegiances have shifted.

Though Pridamant continues to watch, he will not learn the ultimate truth about his son until the strange tale reaches its conclusion.

The COC theatre department production of “The Illusion” will include roles for four men and two women ages 20 to 50, as well as two non gender-specific roles.

Performances will be staged Nov. 14-23 in the Black Box Theater.

For more information about either of the College of the Canyons theatre department’s fall productions or for additional details about the audition process please visitwww.canyons.edu/Departments/THEATR.