Uptown Players announces auditions for the Texas premiere of Designing Women, a new comedy written by original series creator Linda Bloodworth-Thomason and directed by Linda Leonard. The production runs December 4 through 13, 2026 at the Kalita Humphreys Theater. 

This timely Southern comedy fast-forwards the iconic Atlanta interior design quartet into the turbulent quarantine of 2020, where they must navigate intense political divides, personal revelations, and a looming crisis that threatens to split up their firm.

All roles are open to both union and non-union actors. There are two LOA/LORT principal equity contracts available for this production.  The production is under the direction of Linda Leonard.

  • JULIA SUGARBAKER (Female, 50s-60s): The elegant, sharp-tongued, and fiercely progressive president of the firm. Known for her legendary, highly opinionated takedowns. Requires an actor with powerful stage presence and masterfully fast verbal delivery.
  • SUZANNE SUGARBAKER (Female, 40s-50s): Julia’s self-absorbed, glamorous, and fiercely loyal sister. A wealthy, multi-divorced conservative and former beauty queen. Must possess impeccable comic timing and charm while navigating modern cultural shifts.
  • MARY JO SHIVELY (Female, 40s-50s): The pragmatic, cynical, and grounded head designer. A single mother surviving the modern stresses of a chaotic world. She provides the realistic, relatable anchor to the explosive Sugarbaker sisters.
  • CHARLENE FRAZIER STILLFIELD (Female, 40s-50s): The sweet-natured, trusting, and fiercely protective former office manager. Known for her endearing naivete, pop-culture obsession, deep faith, and unshakeable loyalty to her friends.
  • CLEO BOUVIER (Female, Black, 40s-50s): Formidable, sharp-witted, and highly capable. She joins the mix to help steer the firm's modern business operations, bringing a refreshing, contemporary, no-nonsense perspective to the Atlanta office.
  • HALEY McPHEE (Female, 20s): A tech-savvy, millennial or Gen-Z workplace addition. Her presence highlights the hilarious generational divides, social media obsession, and changing cultural norms of the modern era.
  • ALFIE (Female, Black, late teens-early 20s): Cleo's highly intelligent, progressive, and socially conscious daughter who represents the youngest generation's views on current societal movements.
  • CAULDER TIPTON III (Male identifying, Late 30s to 50s): Suzanne Sugarbaker’s soon-to-be-ex-husband. He is a staunch, vocal "MAGA-man" whose unyielding conservative views directly clash with the modern, outspoken environment of the design firm.
  • WYNN DOLLARHYDE (Male identifying, 30s to Early 40s): A handsome, charismatic local builder who becomes Julia Sugarbaker’s new romantic interest. He spends much of the play navigating a hilarious, high-energy romance through the design shop's glass window during the pandemic quarantine.

Auditions will be held by appointment on Sunday, September 13 from 11a to 7pm at the Uptown Players offices, 1327 Motor Circle, Dallas TX 75207. Callbacks will take place on Monday, September 14 from 6pm to 9pm at the same location. To schedule an appointment or access the audition sides, go to https://bit.ly/UPDesigning.

.Auditions will consist of reading selections from the script using sides posted on the signup site. Sides will be posted by August 24. A headshot and resume are required to audition. Video submissions will not be accepted for this production.

Rehearsals begin November 10 and will be weekday evenings and weekends. Rehearsals and performances will take place at the Kalita Humphreys Theater, 3636 Turtle Creek Blvd, Dallas TX 75219 from December 4-13, 2026, with 4 performances per week.​​​​​​​

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