Show information and audition pieces
Play on (by Rick Abbott)
Play On is a play about a plucky amdram group who are about to produce a show called Murder Most Foul, a new “murder mystery play” with the same title as an Agatha Christie novel but with no relation whatsoever. There are three acts, a rehearsal, the full-dress rehearsal and first night.
The play within a play is hilariously amateur, the “murder mystery” plot doesn’t really have a murder, and the playwright keeps changing the story and script! The cast is disgruntled, and the playwright accidentally deletes the entire sound effect board. All of the disasters come to fruition in Act III when the company performs the actual show with hilarious mishaps as every turn.
The cast are:
Geraldine Dunbar (Gerry) – a middle-aged lady who is the director of the play being staged. She is desperately trying to pull things together but is finding herding cats very difficult!
Aggie Manville – the stage manager and prompt who is frustrated with the demands of the cast and the director!
Henry Benish – Henry is a man in his 50’s who plays Lord Dudley in the murder mystery and is married to Polly Benish.
Polly Benish plays Lady Maragret in the murder mystery. Both Polly and Henry are ‘character actors’ who have seen it all before and find the amateurism tedious.
Marla Smith (Smitty) – who is late teens/early 20’s, a bit awkward and plays Doris (the maid) in the murder mystery.
Saul Watson – a middle-aged man who is married to Margie (not in the play) who plays Dr Rex Forbes (the villain) in the murder mystery. He has a hint of the reprobate about him but is charming with it.
Billy Carewe – a confident, athletic young man in his mid-twenties who plays Stephen Sellers in the murder mystery.
Violet Imbry – a pretty young woman who play Diana Lassiter in the murder mystery. In both roles she is unsophisticated and innocent, if she were blonde it wouldn’t come as a surprise!
Louise Peary – the sound and lighting technician who is middle aged and very much put upon. She is competent but frustrated by the ever-changing requirements of the director.
Phyllis Montague – the author of the play, middle aged, ‘artistic’ and scatter brained who has no conception of the consequences of any of her actions.
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Performances: 6/7th June
13/14th June
Auditions:
The auditions will be for anyone interested in being involved in the production. We will take into account any preferences when auditioning to ensure you get to read the part you prefer – if any. You may be asked to read more than one part during the evening just to allow us to see how different combinations work. If you want to join in backstage, then you’d be welcome to come along to see what involved.
There will be 3 audition pieces, one from each act, and we may do these pieces more than once. Each piece will be about 10 minutes long and will be sent out prior to the audition so people can have a read through – it is not expected that anyone should have to lean anything for the audition.