Auditions Feb 29 & March 1 @1pm
PERFORMANCE DATES: May 22,23,24,29,30,31 REHEARSALS begin March 19th (Thurs-Sun) 3-4 days a week)
AUDITION INFORMATION: Bring a 30 second comedic monologue, and there will be cold readings from the script.
Directed by Cooper Helm
by Ken Ludwig (LEND ME A TENOR, MOON OVER BUFFALO)
It is December 1936, and Broadway star William Gillette, admired the world over for his leading role in the play Sherlock Holmes, has invited his fellow cast members to his Connecticut castle for a weekend of revelry. But when one of the guests is stabbed to death, the festivities in this isolated house of tricks and mirrors quickly turn dangerous. It is then up to Gillette himself, as he assumes the persona of his beloved Holmes, to track down the killer before the next victim appears. The danger and hilarity are non-stop in this glittering whodunit set during the Christmas holidays.
Time: December 1936 Setting: The living room of the mansion of William Gillette on the Connecticut
River near East Haddam, Connecticut.
@ Cité des Art
CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS (3 m, 5 F)
WILLIAM GILLETTE (LEAD) 40's Male, a dynamic and charming stage actor (based on a real man). Has made a fortune from his stage adaptation of Sherlock Holmes, whom he also plays. Recently shot in the arm in a bizarre incident, Gillette is determined to bring his Sherlockian skills to bear on solving the case. Must have great comic chops.
MARTHA GILLETTE (LEAD) 70's Female, Gillette’s dotty mother, elegant though a bit foggy, Martha never shies away from a fight. Always willing to lob a criticism when necessary, all the same, Martha is loyal to Gillette and his gang of theatrical misfits. Must have great comic chops.
FELIX GEISEL (LEAD) 40's Male, the company’s character actor, Felix is histrionic and arch. A true theatrical that has given his life to the stage, Felix is Gillette’s best friend and occasional sidekick. Married to Madge. Actor must have great comic chops and be physically strong.
MADGE GEISEL (LEAD) 40's Female, wry and outspoken (think Rosalind Russell), Madge, like her husband Felix, is a lifelong theatrical. Is game for anything, but back her into a corner and she will come out swinging. Must have great comic chops.
SIMON BRIGHT (LEAD) Mid 20's Male, the 'mangenue' of the company, Simon is an enthusiastic young man, eager to please and find success. A bit naive, Simon can occasionally be overly sensitive. Recently married to Aggie, they make a charming and wonderful couple.
AGGIE WHEELER (LEAD) Mid 20's Female, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, Aggie is the ingénue of the company. Good-natured and kind, Aggie has had tragedy in her past, though she seems to have dealt with it well, and even moved on. Recently married to Simon, they make a charming and wonderful couple. Actress needs to have a dark side.
INSPECTOR GORING (LEAD) 40's-50's Female, English and eccentric, completely one of a kind. By turns, witty and incisive, suddenly lost and dim, she is disarming in her inability to be defined. Always off the mark, and yet never far from the truth, somehow she always gets her man. Wonderful opportunity for a character actress; must have great comic chops.
DARIA CHASE (LEAD) 30's-40's Female, glamorous and gorgeous, Daria is the theatre critic we all love to hate. Biting, bitchy, and utterly charming, you can’t help but like Daria, despite the terrible things she says and writes. A wonderful sense of humor goes a long way towards endearing Daria to the audience. The actress must have wonderful comic timing and be a skilled physical comedian.