Kaleidoscope Crown by playwright Ashleigh Akilah Rucker tells the story of a young girl who awakes with a shocking new ability: with every new feeling her hair is catapulted into multicolor tresses. Her new development throws the uniformity and peace of her small traditional village into disarray. Rucker draws inspiration from the art and traditions of the African Diaspora bringing the culture to the forefront of this new work.

This world premiere production of Kaleidoscope Crown has been partially developed through a series of readings and workshops that have engaged COCA’s COCAwrites students for the past two years as part of the TYA/USA’s Reimagining TYA Program. The cast is comprised of professional adult actors and COCA pre-professional artists ages 10–18. Rehearsals begin March 15, 2025, and performances are April 10–13, 2025.

Auditions

NOV 1 | 6:00–8:00PM
NOV 3 | 1:00–3:00PM

Interested students and adults should sign up for a 10-minute audition slot and prepare two contrasting, 1-minute monologues. Please bring a copy of your headshot and resume to the audition. Callbacks will be held on November 3 from 3:00–5:00PM for those students asked to return. The callback will involve readings from the script. Students cast will be asked to pay a $300 participation fee, sliding scale tuition is available to qualified students.

Character Breakdowns for Kaleidoscope Crown

All characters are members of a West African village and should be strong movers

Nia: teens, female, playful and silly, she is faced with the difficult decision of being next in line to be councilwoman like her mother although she has her own thoughts and opinions, learns she has a secret super power

Mother/Councilwoman Amara: adult, female, traditionalist, the leader of the village, she carries the weight of the village on her shoulders, is big about honor, legacy and lineage

Sanaa: teens, female, Best friends with Avery and Nia, quick and witty, the self assigned mother of the friend group

Avery: teens, male, Best friend of Sanaa and Nia, asks genuine questions, is unbothered by Sanaa’s snarky comments, creative and imaginative

Ade: age 8-10, male, younger brother of Nia in the most younger brother ways possible, is annoying and ready to leverage what he knows for personal advantage, loves his sister deeply

Bibi: adult, female, Mother of Amara, Grandmother of Nia, the former council leader of the village, open to the newness that comes with the generation of her grandkids, time has softened her and her heart; also has a secret super power

Council Members 1–4: various ages, the tribe like leaders of the village; for example something like mayors

Villagers 1–5: various ages and genders, will double with council members, these are the people that make up the village (no pun intended); the core of the community. They are a part of the “we” that the Amara is constantly refers to in her speeches