The African Community Theater will put on a production of the Cheryl West play “Jar the Floor.”

Tryouts for the play will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. today and tomorrow at the African Community Theater on the second floor of Oscar Ritchie Hall. There will also be another audition from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday in the theater.

The script calls for four black women between the ages of 20 and 70 and one white woman. Jennifer Jeter, adjunct faculty member, said to come prepared to the tryout with a three-minute monologue.

The play explores the hopes, humilities and humbleness of four generations of women living together.

Jeter, who also teaches the African theater arts practicum, said the four main characters are all women who have extra levels of estrogen.

She said the matriarch is living in her granddaughters’ home, and the play depicts the energy it takes to live in a multi-generational home.

“It is a well-written play,” said Francis Dorsey, a professor in Pan-African studies and producer of the play. ” … Jennifer and I are familiar with (the script). We had the opportunity to work with this particular production at another theater. And the fact that it deals with several generations of women will add a little flare to the script.”

Cheryl West is a playwright who confronts taboo issues such as incest, homosexuality, bisexuality and transvestitism, said Harry Fowler, a freshman theater major. Other works of hers include: “Before it Hits Home,” “Dirty Blue” and “Holiday Heart.”

This will be the first production at the African Community Theater since the renovations at Oscar Ritchie Hall.

“There are still some things that need to be done within the theater,” Dorsey said. “They’re not major things, but we can move forward with our rehearsals. Most of those things will be completed within the next three to four weeks.”

The show will open April 9 with performances through April 12, and additional shows April 16 to April 19

– Kyle Roerink