CHICKASHA, Okla. - Open auditions for “Te Ata” will begin 9 a.m. Feb. 25, 2006 at the H.B Atkinson Theatre on the campus

of Rose State College, Midwest City, Okla.

“Te Ata,” by Chickasaw Playwright JudyLee Oliva, is a fulllength play with music based on the real life story of Te Ata Fisher, a Chickasaw actress from Oklahoma.

Te Ata performed a one-person show of Indian folklore for more than 70 years, including performances in the White House as a guest of President Franklin Roosevelt and first lady Eleanor Roosevelt. Te Ata also performed for the King and Queen of England.

Actors, singers and dancers are needed to fill 13 roles for the world premiere of the play scheduled August 5-13, 2006 at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, Chickasha.

“Te Ata was a remarkable Chickasaw actress and her story, told on stage through words, songs and dance is a spiritual journey,” wrote Ms. Oliva in an open letter. “The play has been 13 years in the making, from my initial research, to meeting Te Ata and her family, to recording the music in Tucson, to workshopping it at OU and at Te Ata’s alma mater, USAO, to an Off Broadway reading in New York, and at long last, to premiering it on the very stage where Te Ata learned her craft.”

Actors are asked to prepare a one-minute monologue and 16 bars of a song. An accompanist will be provided.

While auditions are open, Ms. Oliva has said that she wants to cast as many Oklahomans as possible. She anticipates taking the play on the road to venues across the state as a precursor to Oklahoma’s Centennial celebration.

As part of the world premiere, the auditorium at USAO will be re-named “The Te Ata Memorial Auditorium.”

Original compositions and musical arrangements for the play are by Tucson composer Jay Vosk.

For more information, visit www.TeAtaWorldPremiere.com.