TRIAL PRACTICE ACTING GIG Fall 2026!
Use your acting and improvisational skills, have fun, help students and get paid at the same time!
RE: THE ASCENT – Jordan Ellis v Avery Cole
RIVERWALK THEATRE is once again looking for actors who are interested in playing the plaintiff, defendant and witnesses in mock trials for the MSU College of Law Trial Practice Institute. If you are interested in an unusual acting gig where you will be taking case materials, building a character consistent with those materials and playing that character in the highly improvisational environment of a civil court case, this gig is for you!
In the current mock trial case Plaintiff Jordan Ellis, a student at Capitol State University, suffered injuries when participating in The Ascent – a physical endurance event he needed to complete to qualify for membership in The Aegis Leadership Society at CSU. The injuries caused a “serious impairment of a life function”. Defendant Avery Cole, also a student and Aegis’ New Member Coordinator, designed and supervised The Ascent. Ellis sued claiming that Cole was negligent by failing to provide reasonable care for Ellis’ physical health and safety during the event. There is also a question of whether The Ascent bordered on hazing.
There are 4 trials, all using the same case study over 2 days. We are looking for a total of 16 actors --2 actors to play the plaintiff, 2 actors to play the defendant and 12 other actors to play the other witnesses. Each character will appear in 2 trials, one on Saturday, November 21, and one on Sunday, November 22.
Actors must be available on ALL of the following dates:
• Saturday, October 3, 10- 11 am – Actor orientation meeting at Riverwalk Theatre
• Saturday, October 24, 10 am – 2 pm - Witness interviews via ZOOM
• Saturday, November 21 and Sunday, November 22, 8:30am-3pm – Trials (at courthouse)
Witnesses, except for plaintiffs and defendants, receive a $250 stipend for this project and may leave the court after testifying on Saturday and Sunday. Plaintiffs and defendants receive a $300 stipend because they remain at the court until the verdict is given on each day of the trial.
WITNESSES NEEDED: - The Witnesses, their approximate ages, and a brief explanation of their roles in the trial are listed below. Except as noted, the actors may be male or female.
FOR THE PLAINTIFF
Jordan Ellis (Plaintiff, Male, 23) – 2 actors needed – Jordan was badly injured while trying to complete a physical challenge needed to qualify for membership in The Aegis Leadership Society.
Morgan Patel (Female, Eyewitness, 21) – 2 actors needed - Morgan was 19 and a first-year student at the time of the incident. Maya was one of four Aegis candidates and withdrew from the organization after Jordan was injured.
Dana Kessler (CSU Administrator, Records 30-50) – 2 actors needed - Dana is the Associate Director for Student Engagement, and supervises student-organization registration and training, advises officers, coordinates event-risk reviews, and works with student conduct.
Dr. Lena (Len) Turner – (Medical Expert, 40-60) – 2 actors needed - Dr. Turner is board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation and sports medicine, directs an exertional-injury clinic, and did not treat or examine Jordan.
FOR THE DEFENSE –
Avery Cole (Defendant, Student, 24) - 2 actors needed - Avery was 22 and a senior at the time of the incident. As New Member Coordinator, Avery organized meetings, tracked completion, planned The Ascent, and made completion recommendations to the Aegis chapter board.
Logan Price (Student, President of Aegis, 24-26) – 2 actors needed - Logan was Aegis chapter president, completed hazing-prevention training, and had access to Avery's written plan and its limits. Logan was present at the event.
Casey Minh Reed ( Eyewitness, 22-26) – 2 actors needed - Casey was a student operations assistant at Harlan Stadium, responsible for evening access, equipment checkout, and basic facility monitoring, and was not an Aegis member.
Dr. Evan Park (Medical Expert, 45-60) – 2 actors needed - Dr. Park is board certified in emergency medicine and sports medicine, works in emergency preparedness and academic medicine, and did not treat or examine Jordan.
If you are interested in playing any of these witnesses or obtaining further information, please contact
TOM FERRIS at tjferris49@gmail.com, by FRIDAY, September 19.
Please include a photo (If you have not participated in MSU Mock Trials previously) , your acting age range, contact information (email, phone and home address) and any information you believe might be helpful to us, including the role(s) in which you are interested.