Birmingham Festival Theatre opens the first local production of 2013 with Steven Dietz’ Yankee Tavern this Thursday, directed by Mel Christian and featuring Joshua Butler, Trista Baker, Terry Hermes, and Brad Riegel. Check out Lou Dina’s fine production photo gallery on Facebook.

Director Emily Lunsford will hold auditions for ACTA’s Life With Father on February 25 and 26; read here for more details.

Park Players have just begun rehearsals for their upcoming production of Barefoot in the Park with the following cast:

• Corie - Noelle Gunn
• Paul - Tanner McCracken
• Mom - Mary Lynn Bates
• Velasco - David Gauntt
• Telephone Gal - Yvonne Gauntt
• Delivery Man - Len Ward

Director Clay Boyce as announced the following cast for South City Theatre’s upcoming production of David Auburn’s Proof (opening February 21):

• Robert - Ron Dauphinee
• Catherine - Nancy Moore
• Hal - J. Ashley Renfroe
• Claire - Karla Stamps

ACTA’s Arsenic & Old Lace opens February 15 with the following cast and crew:

• Abby - Sally Montgomery
• Martha - Erica Egan
• Mortimer - Cliff Keen Jr.
• Teddy - Jeremy Soileau
• Jonathan - Allen Hammack
• Dr. Einstein - Danny White
• Elaine - Judy Wilson
• Rev. Harper - Ed Potts
• Officer Brophy - Tommy Riley
• Officer Klein  - Lynne Long
• Officer O’Hara - Lonzell Wilson
• Officer Rooney - Ron Landry
• Mrs. Witherspoon - Fran Richardson
• Spenalzo & Hoskins - Madelyn Harbison
• Lights & sound - Kerry Burrell
• Backstage crew - Madelyn Harbison
• Construction crew - James Sims, Ed Potts, Cliff Keen Jr., Jeremy Soileau, Judy Wilson, Tommy Riley, Lonzell Wilson, Lynne Long, Fran Richardson, Madelyn Harbison

Under the direction of Kelsey Crawford, Theatre Downtown opens Sarah Ruhl’s In the Next Room, or the Vibrator Play with the following cast:

• Dr. Givings - Chuck Evans
• Mrs. Catherine Givings - Holly Croney
• Mr. Daldry - Bates Redwine
• Mrs. Sabrina Daldry - Karen Black
• Annie - Amy Light
• Elizabeth - Odette Noelle Petties
• Leo Irving - Karow Wilson

Terrific New Theatre’s Carl Stewart presents Jeffrey Hatcher’s Mrs. Mannerly, opening next week with the following cast:

• Jeffrey - Daniel Martin
• Mrs. Mannerly - Debbie Smith

Director Jonathan Fuller has announced the following cast for City Equity Theatre’s production of August: Osage County, opening on the mainstage at the Virginia Samford Theatre in June:

• Beverly Weston - Jesse Bates
• Violet Weston - Sandra Taylor
• Barbara Fordham - Carolyn Messina
• Bill Fordham - John McGinnis
• Jean Fordham - Gracie Brazeal
• Ivy Weston - Leah Luker
• Karen Weston - Julie Steward
• Mattie Fae Aiken - Tam DeBolt
• Charlie Aiken - Edwin Booth
• Little Charles Aiken - Dane Peterson
• Johnna Monevata - Natalie Kinsaul
• Sheriff Deon Gilbeau - Brad Riegel
• Steve Heidebrecht - Patrick Ian McCall

Co-directors Jonathan Fuller & Cheryl Hall have nearly finished casting for the CET/Aldridge Rep co-production of Lynn Nottage’s Ruined, opening February 28 in the Martha Moore Sykes Studio at the Virginia Samford Theatre; that cast should be finalized by the end of this week.

(For the record: we haven’t forgotten about the VST’s production of 9 to 5: the Musical opening later this month, but a cast list seems hard to come by online; feel free to email with a link or pertinent details.)

‘Tis the season! Your choices for the weekend’s theatrical entertainments include:

• Sister Robert Anne’s Cabaret Class continues its run at Terrific New Theatre (reviewed here at al.com).
• Birmingham Children’s Theatre’s Peter Pan plays its final public performance this Saturday at 2pm (previewed here at al.com).

If you missed auditions for Theatre Downtown’s upcoming original production, Must Come Down, playwright/director Billy Ray Brewton will be scheduling a second round next week specifically to fill a few younger roles in the cast:

• NICOLAS (16-28) - jock type
• CHARLOTTE (16-28) - a total bitch
• TERESA (16-28) - trendy blogger
• GERT (16-28) - a kitsch tornado

Email TDT with your interest.

City Equity Theatre has amended its announcement for its upcoming Ruined and August: Osage County auditions.

1. The original listing designated the nights of Wednesday and Thursday, 12/12 & 13, for callbacks; instead, they will be held the nights of Tuesday and Thursday, 12/11 and 12/13.
2. The original listing suggested that only those interested in the role of
   Sophie
   need consider preparing a musical audition; a musical selection will also be required for consideration for the role of
   Mama Nadi.

3. There have been some questions regarding the posted audition sides. We ask that come prepared with two contrasting pieces: one in the vein of the character for which you’re auditioning, and one contrasting piece that shows your best work. The selected sides are offered as choices, but choosing one in no way limits your consideration to that particular role. Callbacks will consist of reading from the script.

Coming this Saturday:

• Auditions for The Last Flapper by William Luce, running June 2013 at Birmingham Festival Theatre.
• Auditions for Must Come Down by Billy Ray Brewton, running late February & early March at Theatre Downtown.

Also: City Equity Theatre has posted sides from Ruined by Lynn Nottage and August: Osage County for their upcoming combined auditions on Saturday, December 8. Find them here online, or on the CET Facebook page.