Nashua
Theatre
Guild

Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help

By Katie Forgette

 

Audition Information

 

Audition Dates & Venue

Saturday, February 8, 12:30 - 3pm

Tuesday, February 11, 6 - 8:30pm

Nashua Public Library Theater, 2 Court Street, Nashua

 

Audition Requirements

• A comedic monologue from a published play (please, not from TV shows or movies), no longer than 30 seconds

• All conflicts for rehearsal dates (see below)

• Familiarity with the script is encouraged

• Sides will be provided

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Questions? Email director Vicky Sandin at vsandin@nashuatheatreguild.org

 

Performance Dates & Venue

April 25 & 26, 2025 @ 7:30pm

April 27 @ 2pm

Court Street Theatre (Janice B.Streeter Theatre), 14 Court Street, Nashua, NH

 

Rehearsal Dates & Venues

Readthrough: Thursday, February 13, 6:30 - 8:30pm, Location TBD

Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings  (and 2 Sundays, see below) beginning Monday, February 24

6:30 - 8:30 pm (time may be pushed to 9 or 9:30pm as we approach show)

• Mondays (and Tuesdays until4/1) @ Nashua Public Library

  • 2 Court Street, Nashua

• Thursdays (and Tuesdays beginning 4/8) @ Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashua

  • 58 Lowell Street, Nashua

• There is no rehearsal on Mondays 3/10 and 4/14. Instead, we will rehearse at the Nashua Public Library Sundays 3/9 and 4/13, 12:30 - 2:30pm

Tech Week: Saturday, April 19 - Thursday, April 24

• Time Saturday and Sunday TBD

• 6:30-10pm Monday - Thursday

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About the Play

New Hampshire Premiere!  Katie Forgette’s bittersweet memory play about a Catholic childhood in the 1970s takes the stage at Court Street Theatre in Nashua, NH: A gently funny, often hilarious and touching production directed by Vicky Sandin.

Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help focuses on the O’Shea family, a prototypical middle class Irish-American Catholic family in Boston who grapple with the daily struggles of making ends meet, raising two daughters, and caring for each other within the context and constraints of their Catholic upbringing and community. The universality of the characters, and their quest for compassion and forgiveness, gives the work its heart.

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Characters

Linda O’Shea (female 20s - early 30s). Linda is a highly intelligent, caring, and curious 19-year-old young woman about to enter college. She alternates between thinking she knows everything and thinking she knows nothing. Responsible and rarely impetuous.

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Josephine “Jo” O’Shea (female, late 40s to late 50s). Jo juggles more plates than Cirque de Soleil. A great mom who defines multi-tasking. She's also a little more emotional and prone to outbursts than usual because, well...you’ll see.

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Theresa “Terri” Carmichael (female, mid 50s to early 60s). Terri is definitely going through a rough patch, but she is not depressed or phlegmatic. Think Thelma Ritter or Eve Arden, with a touch of Dorothy Parker. Fast talker.

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Becky O’Shea (female, late teens - 20s). Becky is an unusual 13-year-old child: Bright and verbal, full of energy and a crazy-huge imagination. She speaks quickly, not unlike some of the characters in the movies she loves, like "His Girl Friday."

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Triple role!!!

Mike O’Shea (male, 50s-60s)/ Father Lovett/ Betty Heckenbach.

• Mike is loud, loyal, and single-task oriented. His definition of a father is: Breadwinner and disciplinarian. Lousy listener.

• Father Lovett is an old school Catholic priest. Egotistical, imperious and

pampered. Unused to any kind of pushback from parishioners—or anyone else for that matter.

• There is a Betty Heckenbach in everyone's life. She's right up there with death and

taxes—only less fun. Even though the role is played by a man, it has to be played absolutely straight—no winking or flamboyance. Just a homely, judgmental, middle-aged woman sticking her big puss into other people's business.

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