History Boy Theatre Company in Jefferson recently announced its first production since being shutdown last year.

The non-profit organization will be doing a summer production of “The Burnt Part Boys.” Auditions will be held at History Boy this Sunday at 3pm. There are about ten roles in the show, with the individual characters ranging in age from 13-18, a father figure in his 30s, and four dead coal miners between the ages of 20s and 60s.

Audition materials will be given out the day of the audition, unless requested earlier. Organizers feel the space in History Boy is large enough to accommodate proper social distancing, but if anyone who wants to audition and doesn’t feel comfortable, they can request to schedule another date and time that will work better. 

Contact History Boy at 515-370-2532 for more information. The character descriptions can be found below.

Character descriptions:

Pete- 14. About to be a freshman in high school. Intense and very imaginative but occasionally still hovers on the precipice of childhood playfulness. Loves the Alamo, started losing his self in films when he was five, and reads everything.

Jake- 18. Pete’s older brother, would be a senior in high school. Dropped out to go into mining to support his family, and under consideration for leadership role in mining company. Angry but accepting of being responsible for being responsible for fathering Pete due to depressed mother and dead father. Caustic sense of humor, underpinnings of melancholia, even sadness he fiercely pushes down. Very good athlete when in school.

Dusty- 14. Pete’s best friend. Under the thumb of his postman dad. Awkward/ overwhelmed in his puberty-deluged body, doubts his physical strength. Generally amiable, loves to talk. Clothes never really fit right. Given to sudden existential thoughts. Religious. Always carries a saw for an occasional tune.

Chet- 18. Jake’s confidante and co-worker in the mines. An outgoing guy, bit of a wise-ass. Decided to go into the mines, will stick with it, would never turn his back on family tradition. Saving up to get himself a real home, currently crashing in the mining company shed, which makes him nervous. Does not realize his leadership potential.

Frances- 13. Dry wit, with a “hotness”/ temper she’s always trying to keep a hold on. Needs to be in control. Ran away from home and alcoholic mother, and now lives in the woods three months later. Tries any way possible to find all information about her father and his death. Would read Gary Snyder.

Pete’s Fantasy Men/ Dad – 30’s. Appears as Pete’s Alamo fantasies, and in the mines his father. But really, the dad. Very versatile, always a subtle father figure when fantasy man.

Dead Miners- Men ages 20-60. A group of 4 men who died with Pete and Jake’s dad in the 1952 mining accident, ranging in age. Two are the fathers of Frances and Chet, one is Roy Tinns.