Infinite Audition by Charlie Petch

Infinite Audition is a work that explores all spoken word poetry can be. The sections range from solo performance, to musical, dance and puppetry collaborations, to monologues and audition pieces for trans and non-binary actors from Petch’s theatrical and operatic works. Each poem is its own little world: sometimes it is the voice of a hotel, a closet, Medusa’s serpent, or surgically removed body parts out for a night on the town. Expect only the unexpected.

Praise for Infinite Audition

“Reading Petch’s poetry is like watching a play that starts as a drama, then transforms itself into a circus, and then a joyful opera. This collection is original, poignant and playful.”—Farzana Doctor

“Charlie Petch writes with feeling at the nexus of knowledge and experience, obliterating false binary. He foresees futures and remakes classics closer to the truth. This book will come and get you when you forget who you were meant to be.”—Donna-Michelle St. Bernard

“‘I used to think moths / were enamoured with light / now I know it traps them.’ In this brutal, beautiful, and boisterous confessional volume, Petch gives us the gift of a thousand ways of seeing queer life glimpsed in all its raucousness, tenderness, sorrows and celebrations. We are very lucky to have it.”—Anthony Olivera

Reviews of Infinite Audition

“…this book is a reminder what it means to be a creator, and how brilliantly some hold the most intimate honest-to-god painful truths to their chests, and with all their love, hand it over to us, trusting us to not only hear all these words, but to grasp at them as they float above us…”—Alison Gadsby, The Miramichi Reader

Infinite Audition Educator Guide

Who is the Book For?

While Infinite Audition is rich in accessible language and story, and could appeal to all ages, it does have some content warnings: addiction, drug use, domestic violence, and sexual assault. This book will do best in high schools and universities. It could be a resource in both English and Theatre classes.

It also demonstrates collaboration with music, puppetry, and longer forms such as libretto and spoken word theatre.

It has massive appeal for the 2SLGBTQ+ crowd, as it is written by a disabled transmasculine person; much of its story is concentrated on what it is like to grow up without knowing who you are.

Download the Infinite Audition educator guide here.