All auditions take place at The Sauk (240 E. Chicago St. in Jonesville, MI) unless otherwise noted. ​​​​​​

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The Shootout Saloon

Auditions will consist of cold reads from the script and improv exercises. No preparation necessary. No experience necessary. Josh Lightner will direct. 

​PLEASE NOTE: Although this is NOT a Sauk production, The Sauk co-produces this event with the Hillsdale Senior Center each year. All auditions, rehearsals and performances are held at the Senior Center. 

ALSO NOTE: This production does conflict with THE OUTSIDERS. Actors cannot be in both productions. 

About the Play

​          The Shootout Saloon sits at the junction of the only three ways in ... and out ... of Horse Thief Valley. Bandits call The Shootout Saloon the best place to meet up after a robbery to split the loot. Bounty Hunters, hunting for a head with a price on it, call the saloon a good place to start. Horse thieves call The Shootout home.

​          Tonight an uneasy alliance of horse wranglers are gathering at the Saloon. Notorious horse thief, Rusty Spurs, has called a parley. He has a plan that will make them all rich. If they work together. Rusty’s plan is to steal horses from the Mounties and horses from the Ranchers and blame each incident on the other guy. What could go wrong?

​          Sweet Sadie Jane is singing at the Shootout tonight. Sadie showed up at The Junction a couple of weeks ago searching for the dirty skunk who used to be her boyfriend. The varmint stole her cash and her heart then headed for the hills. At least, that’s what Sadie says.

​          Jackpot Jackson, an alcoholic miner, slouches at the bar, drowning his sorrows and trying to forget the terrible accident he witnessed two years ago. He’s not doing a very good job of it. His heart is filled with bitterness, his pockets are filled with dust and his valise is filled with dynamite.

​          Racing into town on the heels of disaster comes the Express Stagecoach. Calamity Kate, who rides shotgun, tells of a rockslide closing the road to the north. The horses were thrown into a panic and the stagecoach driver was thrown under their hooves as they broke away. Calamity is looking for a new driver.

​          Rumors have it that the infamous outlaw Quick Draw Guffaw was spotted bursting across the river just before it flooded, closing the road to the west. Other rumours tell of The Blasting Bandits charging into the valley. These notorious train robbers blow up bridges and roads to stop trains carrying gold or payrolls from getting through ... and then they rob them.

​          Hot on the trail of The Blasting Bandits, are a pair of deadly bounty hunters, two brothers, known as Dead Eye and The Devil who blaze into town bearing news of a wildfire closing the south, and final road access to The Junction.

​          Welcome to the Shootout Saloon, where everyone is waiting for a way out of town. At least the telegraph is still working ... for now.

Available Roles

• ​Ruthless Devil - The Victim/Dead Eye - The Detective
• Rusty Spurs - Notorious Horse Thief
• Sweet Sadie Jane - Saloon Singer
• Jackpot Jackson - Destitute Drunken Miner
• Calamity Kate - Stagecoach Owner & Shotgun Rider
• Junction Clack VI - Telegraph Operator 

Teen Theatre Project

Auditions will be held for local teenagers interested in being a part of the 2026 Teen Theatre Project production. Title TBA. The play will be completely teen-acted with the cast and crew also making artistic decisions on the scenery, lighting, costumes, sound effects, properties and even marketing materials. While Trinity Bird directs and Mandee Howard will stage manage, the artistic direction the play takes will be decided by the teens.

At the audition, teens are expected to perform a self-created original piece of theatre (it can include dialogue, dance, music, original songs, pantomime, puppetry, rap or any other unique art form) telling a story about their life. We will also do some group related improv activities. To audition, you must currently be in grades 7-12 in a Hillsdale County school (or home school). You must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. You must have a good attendance record at your school. You must have an open mind. You must be willing to participate in a group ensemble. This project only works if everyone works together as a team.

Please come to the audition in comfortable clothes as there will be a movement element. Everyone must be at the audition at 6:30 p.m. No late arrivals. Auditions may last anywhere from one to two hours in length.

Production meetings for marketing and design will take place in 2025. Rehearsals will begin in 2026. This production will have a specific rehearsal schedule based around no school days and half days as well as some weekends. A regular rehearsal schedule will take place for the final weeks of production. There will be three public performances at The Sauk in May 2026. In addition, schools will be invited to bring students to day-time performances at the theatre.

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe

Audition requirements to be announced at a later date. Tim Ambrose will direct. 

About the Play
This dramatization of C.S. Lewis' classic work faithfully recreates the magic and mystery of Aslan, the great lion, his struggle with the White Witch, and the adventures of four children who inadvertently wander from an old wardrobe into the exciting, never-to-be-forgotten Narnia. The intense action features chases, duels and escapes as the witch is determined to keep Narnia in her possession and to end the reign of Aslan. All the memorable episodes from the story are represented in this exciting dramatization: the temptation of Edmund by the witch, the slaying of the evil wolf by Peter, the witnessing of Aslan's resurrection by Susan and Lucy, the crowing of the four new rulers of Narnia, and more. The supporting characters are also here: the unicorn, the centaur and other forest animals, along with Father Christmas, Mr. and Mrs. Beaver and Tumnus the Faun. This story of love, faith, courage and giving, with its triumph of good over evil, is a true celebration of life. 

Available Roles

• ASLAN - a great lion
  
• WHITE WITCH - an evil queen
  
• LUCY
  
• EDMUND
  
• SUSAN
  
• PETER
  
• MR. BEAVER
  
• MRS. BEAVER
  
• UNICORN
  
• CENTAUR
  
• TUMNUS - a faun
  
• FENRIS ULF - a wolf, head of the Witch's secret police
  
• DWARF - a servant to the Witch
  
• FATHER CHRISTMAS - a bringer of gifts
  
• ELF - Father Christmas' helper
  
• WHITE STAG - an elusive omen of good fortune. 
  
• ENSEMBLE consisting of Aslan's followers, the Witch's Army and Wood Nymphs. ​