Lydia by Alchemy Theatre Company

Lydia
by Alchemy Theatre Company

Jul. 25 - Aug. 10

Set in the 1970s in El Paso, Texas, LYDIA is an intense and lyrical story. The Flores family welcomes Lydia, an undocumented maid, into their home to care for their daughter Ceci, who was tragically disabled in a car accident on the eve of her quinceañera. Lydia’s immediate bond with the girl sets the entire family on a mysterious and shocking journey.

This family drama is universal in its themes -- sex, desires, memories, guilt and shame, and its beauty, poetry, intimacy and violence make for a gorgeous, brutal and deeply emotional portrait of a Mexican-American immigrant family trying to live the American Dream. Solis’ story delves into the dark corners of family relationships and is much like O'Neill's LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT in its intense exploration of family dysfunction, unspoken truths, and the corrosive impact of the past.

Contains strong language and sexual situations.

CASTING NOTICE

LYDIA

by Octavio Solis

THE ALCHEMY THEATRE

Austin, Texas

Directed by Michael Cooper

Produced by Marnie Near

LYDIA will be staged in-the-round.

Performance Dates:

Opening Date. Friday, Oct 17, 2025

Last Performance Date Sunday Oct 26, 2025

Number of Performances: 8

Fri, Sat evenings and Sun matinee 10/17, 10/18, 10/19

Weds, Thur, Fri, Sat evenings and Sun matinee 10/22, 10/23, 10/24, 10/25, 10/26

Rehearsals will begin Sept 15 with Tech Week scheduled for Oct 10 - 16

Exact rehearsal dates and times during September and October will be determined by cast availability, but primarily rehearsals will be held on weeknights and weekend days. Please note there will be a required, heavier commitment to our Tech Week dates.

AUDITIONS WILL BEGIN WITH ONLINE SUBMISSIONS:

If you are interested in a particular role, please let us know by submitting the following:

YOUR HEADSHOT AND RESUME
THE ROLE (S) YOU ARE INTERESTED IN

Please send to the attention of Michael Cooper, Director at: mcooper@thealchemytheatre.org

PLEASE SUBMIT BY THE DEADLINE OF AUGUST 10, 2025. Both your headshot and resume should be in PDF format. Requests should be sent to the above address with a valid email address included for the purpose of return correspondence.

IN-PERSON CALL-BACKS WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY AUGUST 23 and SUNDAY AUGUST 24. Call-backs to include reading from character specific sides.

PAY: There is pay.

CASTING NON-EQUITY, AUSTIN AREA TALENT FOR:

CECI - the sister. Must be 18 or older to play 17

The teenage daughter of the Flores family who is left brain-damaged after a car accident. She has lost her speech, mobility and clear eyesight, but unbeknownst to those around her, she retains compassion, cognition, affection, intimacy, love, trust and even lust. She exists in her semi-vegetative state, but via magical realism, expresses -- openly and poetically -- her feelings, the family’s situation and some deeply hidden truths. This story is an exploration of the duality of her world.

MISHA - the younger brother. Must be 18 or older to play 16

Innocent and perhaps even naïve. Sensitive, artistic and sympathetic. Harbors romantic feelings for Lydia. He often feels fear due to his abusive father.      

RENE - the older brother. Must be 18 or older to play 19

Haunted by the secret of his involvement in Ceci's accident. Guarded, hard, and struggling with his sexuality.      

ROSA - the mother

Struggling with the loss of her beauty, overwhelmed with the burden of caring for Ceci and trying to maintain a semblance of the American Dream, she places her hopes on Lydia to help her broken family.

CLAUDIO - the father

Often withdrawn and lost in his own world, particularly while watching telenovelas or listening to music. Brooding and restrained. A flawed character with a volatile temper and a hidden desire for Lydia

ALVARO - the cousin. Must be 18 or older to play 22

A Vietnam War veteran working for the border patrol – adding another layer to the play’s exploration of borders and identity. He embodies the complexities of the American Dream while facing the challenges endured by those who served in Vietnam.

LYDIA - the maid

An undocumented Mexican immigrant who is welcomed into the Flores family as the maid and caretaker for Ceci. She possesses an uncanny ability to understand Ceci’s thoughts and communicate with her. She seems also to be aware of this family's hidden truths. Her presence disrupts the family's equilibrium, attracting their attention while forcing them to confront their pain, secrets and desires.     

PLEASE NOTE: LYDIA incorporates some Spanish dialogue, written as a bilingual script that includes Spanish slang. For audience members who don't speak Spanish, the Spanish-language elements are comprehensible through context.

The Alchemy Theatre is committed to equality of opportunity in all aspects of employment. It is the policy of The Alchemy Theatre to provide full and equal employment opportunities to all artists without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, marital status, veteran status, age, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, physical or mental disability or any other legally protected status. We are committed to building a creative and dynamic workplace that celebrates individual differences and diversity, treating everyone with fairness and respect.

Thank you!

The ALCHEMY THEATRE’s production of LYDIA