Hoping to provide Honolulu audiences with meaningful, challenging and engaging theater, a group of seasoned Island-based actors has established a new Hawai'i Repertory Theatre. Organizers plan to launch a first production in October.

Hawai'i Repertory Theatre will hold auditions for Tom Stoppard's Tony Award-winning play, "The Real Thing," from 6:30 to 10 p.m. Aug. 4 and from 2 to 5 p.m. Aug. 5, with callbacks at 7 p.m. Aug. 8. The site for the tryouts, as well as performances, is the Princess Kawananakoa Theatre, adjoining Kawananakoa Middle School in Nu'uanu. Parking is available at the school, 49 Funchal St., accessible from Pauoa Road.

Rehearsals for the first show begin Aug. 28 , with a seven-performance run Oct. 13 through 22.

"We recently held an in-house reading to see how the play sounded," said director Susan Park. "It was a terrific reading. ... everyone was enthusiastic about the play and the new venue."

Last seen in The Actors' Group's "Betrayal," Park has directed and acted at Manoa Valley Theatre and Diamond Head Theatre and also has performed at Kumu Kahua, where she served on the board of directors. She received Po'okela awards for her direction of Edward Albee's "Three Tall Women" and Aaron Sorkin's "A Few Good Men" at MVT. Away from Hawai'i for a time, Park has moved back to Honolulu.

The start-up ensemble includes several local theater veterans. Peter Clark, David Farmer, Eden-Lee Murray, Kristine Altweis, Reb Allen, Christopher Doi and Dusty Behner joined Park for the trial-balloon reading; they're now searching for serious actors to join the effort.

The Stoppard work examines adultery, theater, radical politics and more, and provides roles for performers age 50 down to their late teens. The parts range from an English couple, Max (40 to 50) and Charlotte (35 to 45); an English playwright, Henry (40 to 50); another English actress Annie (30 to 40); another English actor, Billy (20 to 25), who must be able to deliver a Scottish accent; an English daughter, Debbie (17); and a Scottish lad, just out of prison, Brodie (mid-20s).

For audition inquiries, call Park at 561-9698, or general manager Brian Sackett at 428-4948.

LEARN MORE

For more about the repertory company, see www.hawaiireptheatre.org.

Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com.