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Dickens Christmas Fair 2008 - Book Character Auditions This Friday
(sent October 6th, 2008)

Just a quick reminder that the book character auditions are this Friday, October 10th. If you have questions and/or would like to audition for one of these roles, please email Robert Young at robert@redbarnproductions.org with the information listed at the bottom of this missive.

Thanks,

Cat

PS Remember that all previous missives can be found at http://www.cattaylor.com/missives.html


Book Character Auditions - Friday October 10th
The book character groups are ensemble casts that pride themselves on showcasing the vast panoply of Dickens' brilliantly wrought characters. The characters are big, bold and quirky. Audience interaction is our raison d'etre and our lives are one big theatrical banquet of scenery chewing throughout the day. We need energy, commitment, fearlessness and willingness to be part of an ensemble. We are interested in casting as many of these characters as possible, which range across all ages, classes and emotional quirks. We encourage interested parties to read one of the books, or at least view one of the superb adaptations currently available to get a clearer picture of these characters. 

We are specifically looking for the following characters, although we are willing to cast other characters.  If there is a character in a Dickens book or adaptation that you want to play, or simply find appealing, prepare a brief piece to read, and act, for the audition team.  It will give us a clearer idea of your capabilities and the type of character you want to play.


A Christmas Carol
Bob Cratchitt - Father of the brood and clerk to Mr. Scrooge
Mrs. Cratchitt - Mother of the brood
Martha Cratchitt-oldest of the Cratchitt kids


Oliver Twist
Oliver: Oliver Twist is an unlucky young man who makes it good in the end.  He is a true innocent and all around stand up boy to whom fate plays crewel tricks.  An avid young man is needed for this roll...  as the namesake of the book he is involved in a great many scenes.  But us White Chapel folk are a cheerful lot, despite our questionable morality, and a fun day is to be had amongst the toil of acting.

Fagin: Fagin is a bad-un, and no doubt about it!  A avaricious old fence who runs a cadre of young thieves, he is the man who's greed nearly brings young Twist to ruin.  This role is acting and audience intensive, with a busy schedule, but very rewarding!  The ability to skeeve people out in a non-threatening way is a bonus.

Dodger: Dodger is a plucky young man with very light fingers.  He is the older brother that Oliver Twist wished he never had, and Fagin's protoge.  This is a scene and audience heavy roll, that requires a lot of in the streets action - with great glory comes great responsibility!

Bet: Bet is Nancy's best friend, a minor but important role in the Twist Saga.  There's a lot of free time during the day, so this role really needs a self starter - it's a great opportunity for gigging in the streets and playing with customers!

Charlie Bates: Charlie Bates is Dodger's best friend.  He is a lad who loves to laugh, especially at the wrong time!  This is a roll that requires a great deal of self-starter-dom, but has a lot of options for audience interaction and all around good times.

Monks: Monks is an all around bad guy, a genteel who is the boogy man's boogy who prefers the shadows.  He is the string puller of the puppet that is Fagin's gang, and the bitter half brother of Oliver Twist.  This is a roll for someone who likes to be the bad guy, and has no problems being icky all day long.


Pickwick Papers
Sam Weller: Sam Weller is the irrepressible manservant of Mr Pickwick.  One of the most popular character in all of Dickens' works, he councils his master with Cockney wisdom, and is totally devoted to him.  He is a friendly and courageous young man who makes friends easily and is always quick with a joke or a plan to get his master out of trouble.


David Copperfield
David Copperfield - heroic young male ingenue (portrait of the author as a young man)
Uriah Heep - oily, unctuous villain
Betsy Trotwood - David's eccentric but sensible and good-hearted aunt
Dan Peggoty - rough, gruff, salt-of-the-earth friend to David


Great Expectations
Herbert Pocket - Pip's cheery friend and roommate.
Abel Magwich - Ex-felon. Pip's secret benefactor.
Molly - The extremely reserved, mysterious and slightly unnerving servant to Mr. Jaggers (she has a secret)
 

Our Mutual Friend
Nicodemas "Noddy" Boffin - The "golden dustman," jolly working class gentleman made rich by a stroke of good fortune.
Mrs Boffin - His kindly wife
Bradley Headstone - A tight-wound schoolmaster and would-be nemesis of Eugene Wrayburn.
Miss Georgiana Podsnap - Sweet but dim society girl, in the thrall of the Lammles
Miss Abbey Potterson - The educated, no-nonsense proprietress of the Six Jolly Fellowship Porters tavern  


Little Dorritt
Arthur Clennam - Long-suffering, poetically morose gentleman (early middle age - Mrs. Finching's former fiance).
Daniel Doyce - Indefatigable inventor and entrepreneur, the "Spirit of the Age" made manifest


Martin Chuzzlewitt (only casting English, NOT American)
Mercy "Merry" Pecksniff - The younger Miss Pecksniff, lively to the point of pertness, the "pretty one"
Charity "Cherry" Pecksniff -   The elder Miss Pecksniff, very proper on the surface, the "smart one"
Martin Chuzzlewit (the elder) - Rich and cantankerous old gentleman.
Mary -  The elder Mr. Chuzzlewitt's companion and nurse, poor but proud, restrained and  sensible
Martin Chuzzlewit (the younger) -  A vain, strong-willed, egotistical and ambitious young man, the elder Martin's contentious nephew
Mark Tapley - Relentlessly upbeat companion to young Martin
Tom Pinch - Martin's preternaturally cheery and optimistic (to the point of delusion!) friend, and dogsbody to the Pecksniffs 
Montague Teague (Tig Montague) - Boisterously flamboyant con man.
Mrs. Todger - Very proper, very nervous, very Dickensian landlady.


Auditioning for Dickens characters is like any other theatrical audition - it is best to come prepared.  When considering auditioning for any of these roles, please take the time to do some research on the character to determine both that it is a role that you would be able to play and something you would enjoy doing.   Being prepared also makes it easier for you to show yourself at your best and will make the process move more smoothly for all parties. 

Participation in the Dickens Fair book character cast requires the ability to make the time and energy commitment, and the willingness to work in an ensemble cast.  If you are cast, it is expected that your commitment to the cast will be your primary performing responsibility.  You will be expected to provide your own, Dickens approvable, costume.

Be aware that participating in the audition process does not guarantee you a part.  However, there are several other ways to participate in Dickens, including other acting ensembles and performance groups, Christmas Keepers or being a part of the front gate troupe.

Book character auditions will be held Friday October 10th starting at 6:00PM at a private home in San Francisco, you will be given the address when you sign up for a time for your auditions. The location is easily accessible by public transportation and there are no pets for those of you with allergies. No smoking, please.

The character parts listed above are open as of now, if you played one of them last year and would like to do so again, please contact your director.

If you would like to audition for one of these roles, please email Robert Young at robert@redbarnproductions.org with the following information:

1. Your full name, email address and phone number
2. The character(s) you would like to audition for. (Please prepare a bit of the dialogue for that character - see web resources above - and be prepared to improvise as that character.)
3. Your first, second and third choice of audition time on October 10th. The auditions will be scheduled at 15 minute intervals, please be patient as we sometimes get a bit behind when auditioning promising actors.
4. Optional: A brief note of any experience you would like us to know about. We will have applications and accept resumes (not required) at the auditions.

Here's a great page to learn more about the characters and the books:
http://www.fidnet.com/%7Edap1955/dickens/works.html



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