Stageworks Theatre announces an open audition call for its next show of the 2023/2024 season, Blithe Spirit by Noël Coward.

 

A smash comedy hit in London and New York, this much-revived classic from the playwright of Private Lives concerns fussy, cantankerous novelist Charles Condomine, who has remarried but finds himself haunted (literally) by the ghost of his late first wife, Elvira. Clever, insistent and well aware of Charles' shortcomings, Elvira is called up by a visiting “happy medium,” the eccentric and flighty Madame Arcati. As everyone's personalities clash, Charles’ current wife, Ruth, is accidentally killed. She “passes over” and joins Elvira, allowing the two “blithe spirits” to haunt the hapless Charles into perpetuity.

 

Auditions are open to the community and parts may be cast with actors of any ethnicity.  All actors are required to be at least 18 years old at the time of auditions. Roles may be cast without callbacks. 

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Compensation: Actors age 18 and up are paid a modest stipend.

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Audition Schedule

• Open Audition Call: Saturday, October 28, 2023, 1-4pm

• Video auditions are accepted via registration form until 10pm on Friday, October 27.

• Callbacks (if necessary):  Monday, October 30, 2023, 7-10pm

• Final Casting: Those auditioning will receive individual notification of results and cast will be announced on our website and Stageworks Theatre Open Auditions Facebook group.   

 

How to Audition 

Register for your audition here: https://airtable.com/app2Kj7HI7jlPA0hR/shry2eW5KfSra1yhf

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Actors will sign up for a specific time slot at time of registration.

 

Please prepare a 1-2 minute monologue showcasing your individual personality and interpretation of a character. Could be dramatic or comedic.

 

Unable Attend Auditions?

We’ll accept video auditions until October 27 at 10pm.  The registration field has a link for a video submission, if needed.  Use Vimeo or YouTube and provide a password if needed.

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Rehearsal Schedule

• First rehearsal is December 4.

• In general, rehearsals will be Mon-Thurs, 7-10pm, and on Sunday, January 7, 6-9pm.

• Tech/Dress Rehearsal Schedule

  • Monday, January 15, 7-11pm​

  • Tuesday, January 16, 7-11pm

  • Wednesday, January 17, 7-11pm

  • Thursday, January 18, 7-11pm

• Due to the small cast and ensemble nature of this production, it is imperative that each actor have flexible availability. We respectfully ask that conflicts be limited to 2 per cast member. More than that may affect casting eligibility. No conflicts will be accepted after January 8, 2024.​

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Performance Dates

• January 18 - February 4 (11 performances)

  • Friday, January 18 at 7:30pm​

  • Saturday, January 19 at 7:30pm

  • Sunday, January 20 at 3pm

  • Thursday, January 25 at 7:30pm

  • Friday, January 26 at 7:30pm

  • Saturday, January 27 at 7:30pm

  • Sunday, January 28 at 7:30pm

  • Thursday, February 1 at 7:30pm

  • Friday, February 2 at 7:30pm

  • Saturday, February 3 at 7:30pm

  • Sunday, February 4 at 3pm

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Inclusive Casting

The creative team is committed to casting practices that advance diversity and inclusion. All ethnicities, types, and abilities will be considered for every role. The genders listed in the breakdown below are specific to the pronouns used in the script.​

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Available Roles

Charles Condomine (male- presenting, 30s-50s) - a novelist. Charles is bright, sophisticated, articulate, and debonair but somewhat at the mercy of his wives, past and present. His interest in spiritualism as a subject for a novel leads Charles to ask Madame Arcati to dinner and a séance. He is skeptical but becomes a believer when the ghost of his first wife appears—and stays.

 

 

Ruth Condomine (female-presenting, 30s-50s) - Charles’s second wife. Like her husband, Ruth is witty and sophisticated, and she is quite the society matron. Ruth is a bit stuffy and a little predictable. She is convinced that Charles has lost his mind when Elvira appears. Ruth acts as a concerned wife, trying to restore Charles to normalcy.

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Elvira (female-presenting, 20s-40s) - the ghost of Charles’s first wife. Only Charles can see or hear her. In life, Elvira was spirited, outgoing, wild, and carefree. In death, she is no different. She does love Charles, if somewhat casually, and is jealous of Ruth.

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Madame Arcati (female-presenting, 30s-70s) - the local spiritualist and medium. Elderly but spry, Madame Arcati comes into the play talking to an eight-year-old contact on the other side. She truly is in contact with the other world and inadvertently is the “medium” through which Elvira is called back to this one. She is eccentric, effusive and boisterous.

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Dr. George Bradman (male-presenting, late 30s-50s) - is a good friend of the Condomines who is invited to dinner and the séance. He is entirely skeptical of anything to do with the occult but tries his utmost to go along with the proceedings for the sake of Charles’ research.

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Violet Bradman (female-presenting, late 30s-50s) - is Dr. Bradman’s wife. Simple and naïve, she is quite excited about being in the presence of the medium, whom she finds fascinating.

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Edith (female-presenting, late teens-30s) - is the Condomine’s new maid. She is nervous and tears around at breakneck speed trying to do things right and make a good impression.