The Department of Theatre and Cinema in the School of Fine Arts at Missouri Western State University will hold open auditions for Steve Martin’s “Picasso at the Lapin Agile” on Monday, Oct. 7, and for Tabula Rasa, a student directing showcase, on Wednesday, Oct. 9. Actors can learn more and sign up for time slots at missouriwestern.edu/auditions.

“Picasso at the Lapin Agile” is set in a Parisian bar at the beginning of the 20th century. The play imagines a comical encounter between Pablo Picasso and Albert Einstein, both of whom are in their early 20s and fully aware of their amazing potential. In addition to the two historical figures, the play is populated with an amusingly incontinent barfly, a gullible yet lovable bartender, a wise waitress and a few surprises.

Auditions for “Picasso” will be 6-10 p.m. Monday, Oct. 7 in the Potter Hall Theater, with callbacks Tuesday, Oct. 8. Rehearsals are tentatively scheduled to begin January 13. “Picasso” will be performed Feb. 13-16, the third show in Missouri Western’s “A Season of Laughter.”

Tabula Rasa: Directing for the Stage Showcase is a series of short student-directed plays to be performed at 7:30 p.m. Actors can choose sides from any of the nine plays at missouriwestern.edu/auditions. Some of the plays contain mature subject matter. Actors are encouraged to read the plays and be aware of the content before accepting a role.

Auditions for Missouri Western theatre productions are open to everyone. For academic considerations, priority is given to theatre majors first, and then other students of Missouri Western. Members of the St. Joseph community are strongly encouraged to audition. There are many excellent roles available throughout the year and many non-majors and actors from the community are cast each season.

Missouri Western State University is a comprehensive regional university providing a blend of traditional liberal arts and professional degree programs. The university offers student-centered, high quality instruction that focuses on experience-based learning, community service, and state-of-the-art technology. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit www.missouriwestern.edu.