Men wanted for historical theatre show

The nationally awardwinning The South Devon Players Theatre & Film Company, from Brixham urgently need to cast some male actors to fill principal roles as historical personages, in their historical next production

1307 is a historical, medieval theatre, and radio production with spinoff short film. 
This production is gaining a huge amount of interest. It will be primarily theatre show (full length) touring venues in South Devon, plus being filmed/ livestreamed for an invite-only US theatre award festival, as the only UK entry, mid/late June and into July.  It will also be performed as a dramatic radio play (full length) being for local radio, then made available online for download, with an additional spinoff short 10 min film filmed later in summer at mutually agreed time for festivals.  The one stumbling block - we need some more male cast!


1307 is titled from the historical date of the main event around which the show centres.
In October 1307, an inquisition was called against the powerful, and international organisation, which had grown up from a religious order of warrior monks, during the medieval Crusades, who are now famed in legend as the Knights Templar., or more properly “The Poor Knights of the Temple of Solomon”. Accused of heresy, and confessing under torture, their Grandmaster , was burned at the stake in 1314. 
In the centuries since, myths, legends, theories and questions grew and remain. Were the Knights Templar heretics? They certainly had secrets, with guarded secret initiations; but what was their secret? Were they simply fanatical medieval Christian crusaders who had grown too powerful for their own good, around whom a mythos had grown? Were they guardians of an ancient Holy secret that the church in Rome needed to destroy? 
1307 is based on those legends, and one line of theory. Beginning in the fall of Acre, on of the last Crusader ports, in a dramatic siege in 1291, in what is now modern-day Israel, and continuing to medieval Paris, and thence to England, and linking to legends in the Southwest of England, surrounding the Knights Templar. This drama follows a Templar knight, and his secret. 
This is a heavily researched historical drama, about what might have been. 

Rehearsals commence this month, on Wednesdays 6.30pm - 9.30pm & Sundays 12.30pm - 4.30/5pm at Chestnut Community centre, 1-3 Poplar Close, Brixham, Devon, TQ5 0SA,


TO APPLY 
Please email [email protected] asap to arrange an audition. Due to people needing to attend rehearsals, and performances, we can only really consider people based in south Devon. We do require all cast to be auditioned in person. 


ROLES STILL OPEN

Jacques De Molay (a principal main role)
Male. ideal playing age 50s-mid 60s. 
Major role in the show, Templar, begins as one of the Grand masters council at Acre, and later becomes Grand Master, accused of heresy and finally burned at the stake under the orders of King Phillip. A matter of fact, intelligent man with little interest in politics, he is far more at home as a knight than a politician. Unshakably loyal to his ideals. Historical personage.

Roger Flors (a principal main role)
Male, age flexible. (20-50s) 
Templar at Acre, uses the panic of the attack on the city for his own ends, selling passage out of the doomed city to the highest bidder. Later fakes his own death. Historically a controversial character, who is accused by some historians of desertion, and by others of leaving under orders. Flors is later excommunicated, and seeks revenge against the Order, preferably in favour of his own pocket.

Guillaume De Nogaret (main, critical role in Act 2)
male, age flexible (age 20-60s) 
The main advisor to King Philip the Fair, and leader of the Inquisition against the Templars. A cunning, intelligent politician, who seeks to please the fanatical King Philip and line his own pockets under the guise of religious righteousness. Historical personage

Geoffrey de Charnay (minor role act 2)
Male, ideal playing age 40s-50s, but can be flexible. 
Minor role, senior Templar arrested and imprisoned alongside Jacques De Molay, and can be combined with another role, appears in final scene when he and Jacques de Molay are burned at the stake. Historical personage

Thomas Martel (intermittent role through whole show)
Male, playing 30s-40s
husband of Ann, tavern owner who has fallen on hard times, appears intermittently throughout the production. Fictional personage.

De Villiers (minor role Act 1)
Male, playing age 30s - 60s
Grand master of the Hospitallers. Minor role in Act 1 at the siege of Acre. Could be combined and taken on by an actor playing another role, later. Historical personage
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