Auditions
A Midwife Trial
Written, produced, and directed by Dr. Cyd Ropp.
This play reconstructs the 1997 criminal trial of a California midwife through the fictional defendant, Midwife Dutton, whose prosecution exposes the volatile intersection of law, medicine, and women’s birthing knowledge. Using verbatim testimony and documented events, the drama immerses audiences in a high stakes inquiry into responsibility, risk, and authority. By placing spectators in the role of the jury, the play transforms a historical case into an urgent, participatory reckoning.
CHARACTERS:
IRENE DUTTON: Late 50s. Competent, confident. Wild grey hair; hippy-style cotton dress.
CONSTANCE EDER: 60's. A Mennonite midwife in traditional black garb and cap. Soft-spoken but knowledgeable.
CAMILA MARTINEZ: A 40-year-old woman pregnant with her first child. Anxious but brave.
ALEX MARTINEZ: CAMILA's husband. 40-something. Protective, out of his depth.
MR. ANDERS: Ambitious Associate District Attorney.
MR. FRAZIER: Seasoned criminal defense attorney.
JUDGE VOGEL: An older man [or woman] with appropriate gravitas.
DR. MORGAN: 50's. Head of Gynecology and Obstetrics at a large, metropolitan hospital. Smugly confident.
A Midwife Trial is scheduled for 6 performances during the last 2 weekends of August—Saturday and Sunday evenings, August 23/23 and 29/30, plus 2 matinees, August 23 and 30 at The Modern Prometheans, 310 N Main St, Suite C, Phoenix.
Casting Call:
Saturday, May 30, 1:00—4:00 PM.
310 N Main St, Suite C, Phoenix, OR 97535
Please come with a 2 minute spoken audition piece and be prepared to read your desired part from one of the sides in the linked folder below:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1L80N31_sjKlRAk3otHNq6FrVAMR4mluP?usp=sharing
For more information contact Cyd Ropp at cropp7@hotmail.com