SHARING THE STAGE IS MURDER
A World Premiere by Carol M. Rice
Directed by Molly Bower
AUDITIONS ARE:
April 6 from 10am to 1pm
April 7 from 1pm to 4pm
Audition appointments are very strongly suggested. For an appointment time, please email
audition14@roverdramawerks.com. See below for a show synopsis, role descriptions, more information regarding the content of auditions, and the director’s bonus content.
BRIEF SYNOPSIS:
David and Catherine are engaged, but Catherine’s mother intends to set Catherine up with Philip, a friend’s son. Janie and Blake have escaped to Janie’s dad’s timeshare; but unbeknownst to them, Janie’s dad Ken, and his girlfriend Elena, have also settled into the timeshare for a weekend away. Tony, Dalinda, Frank, and Ma finally made it to the safehouse to store their cash and recoup from their recent mob escapades. Also... there is a Policeman... whose story remains a mystery. And, did we mention all of these stories are being produced on the same stage on the same night? Complete with a nervous understudy and a beleaguered stage manager, Sharing the Stage is Murder is an absurd comedy with - yes, you guessed it - both murder and mystery!
ROLES AVAILABLE FOR 6 WOMEN AND 3 MEN:
All actors cast will play multiple roles, except for individuals cast as Sarah or Liz. Seeking strong character actors who can be realistic in their portrayal while embodying entirely different people from one page or even one moment to the next (and who are thus capable of and comfortable with quick changes, as necessary). Some characters’ blocking includes kissing and/or other intimate non-sexual contact, although this will not be performed as part of auditions.
SARAH, THE STAGE MANAGER (female, any age)
General American dialect; contentious relation with the show’s producers; she is the one to attempt to explain reality to the characters although they never quite understand or believe her; makes an ...interesting choice in response to her stress
ACTOR 1 (female, 40s to 60s)
Lady Charlotte Walburton - Standard British dialect; Aunt to Catherine and friend to Lady Landershire; she is a bit pushy about other people's business and mainly concerned about the finer things of life
Ma - “mobster” dialect (roughly Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, or NYC + boroughs); used to run a whorehouse and has a bazooka and the authority to go with it; would like more than anything to “get out of the business” and for her son Tony to settle down and have some kids
Elena - general American dialect; appears in a casual negligee/nightgown appropriate for someone her age; excited to be on a weekend getaway with her boyfriend Ken
ACTOR 2 (male, 20s to 30s)
David - British dialect; proposes to Catherine in secret; sincerely in love with her and ultimately convinces her to run away with him
Blake - general American dialect; appears in a swimsuit and shirtless or in a tank top; excited to be on a weekend getaway with his girlfriend Janie; patient and even-keeled in the midst of chaos
Policeman - no dialect indicated; there to investigate the murder and is aware of all the storylines/characters
ACTOR 3 (female, 20s to 30s)
Catherine Walburton - Standard British dialect; gets engaged to David in secret; sincerely in love, she just wants to be a part of a happy rom-com without the drama and to escape the watching eye of her Aunt Charlotte
Dalinda - “mobster” dialect (roughly Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, or NYC + boroughs); Frank’s girlfriend and moll but also sleeping with Tony; appears to be a floozy but does actually knows what’s going with the mob business (although she never does quite get the whole “actor” thing)
ACTOR 4 (female, 20s) - this is her second acting job ever and she's sleeping her way through the cast
Janie - general American dialect; appears in a swimsuit; takes her boyfriend Blake on a weekend getaway to her dad Ken’s timeshare, without Ken’s knowledge; makes a startling discovery and kind of unravels due to stress
Nancy, the Maid - stereotypical British dialect for the stereotypical British maid; works for Rogers who has planned a “you've been a bad girl” roleplay bit she's just not into; a bit nervous as the plotlines get complicated
ACTOR 5 (male, 40s to 60s)
Frank - “mobster” dialect (roughly Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, or NYC + boroughs); mob boss who is escaping after his third attempt at turning a funeral parlor into a speakeasy; pushy and direct; thinks of his girlfriend Dalinda as delicate and is easily swayed by her sexual advances
Rogers, the Butler - stereotypical British dialect for the stereotypical very proper butler; appears to be the only character who is aware of the concept of “acting” and has innate awareness of Sarah the stage manager and the crew; is chronically sexually predatory with the actresses who play Nancy
Ken - general American dialect; takes his girlfriend Elena on a weekend getaway to his timeshare in the Hamptons
ACTOR 6 (male, late 20s to 40s)
Tony - “mobster” dialect (roughly Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, or NYC + boroughs); the brains and execution for Frank’s plans; believes he’ll be killed if he tries to get out of the mob; figures out a lot of the mystery regarding Sarah’s involvement
Philip Landershire - Standard British dialect; a proper gentleman with an education; can be intimidating; in love with a woman other than the one his mother is planning for him to marry
ACTOR 7 (female, late 40s to 70s)
Lady Lydia Landershire - Standard British dialect; thrives on drama and is easily overwhelmed; so desperately wants her son Philip to be married and planning his wedding without his knowledge
Alice - General American dialect with a splash of Long Island NY; caretaker of the timeshare property in the Hamptons; maternal in her interactions with guests
LIZ, THE UNDERSTUDY (female, 20s to 30s) - General American dialect; the understudy for Nancy the maid; fails to fully settle on a dialect for her portrayal of Nancy; initially tries to play along with Rogers but ultimately refuses and becomes increasingly frustrated with him
All roles are available. Seeking a diverse cast. Go to
http://bit.ly/STSIMAuditionBonus to read the director’s audition notice bonus content - you don’t want to miss it!
OTHER INFORMATION:
? Those with appointments will be given priority over walk-ins. We will do our best to work in those without appointments as time allows.
? Email
audition14@roverdramawerks.com for an appointment time, and access to the script will be made available to you. Please be familiar with the script prior to auditions.
? Auditions will consist of scene readings from the script and possibly some brief movement improv activities.
? Please bring a resume and headshot to your audition. References may be required.
? Actors hired for this show will receive a stipend.
? The rehearsal schedule for this show is intense. Please come to auditions with full knowledge of your schedule for April 14 through May 24. Tech week begins on May 26. Performances will be Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings, and Saturday matinees from May 30 to June 15. Actors with extensive conflicts or conflicts during tech week or during any of the performance dates should not audition.
? Please visit the website at
www.roverdramawerks.com or call 972-849-0358 for more information
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