Image: UGA Theatre will hold auditions and callbacks for our Spring semester productions of John Proctor is the Villain, the New Georgia production The Art of Noticing, and Murder on the Orient Express in person at the Fine Arts Building on Baldwin Street on Friday, October 18 between 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. in Room 400. Auditions are open to all students at UGA, whether undergraduate or graduate, regardless of major. Some auditions may be recorded for a potentially absent director, but will not be shared beyond the creative team. For questions, email stage manager Chelsea Taylor at chelsea.taylor@uga.edu STEPS TO SECURE AUDITION Fill out your audition information form and submit: Spring 2025 Audition Form Pick a time slot for your audition: Spring 2025 Audition Online Sign Up Upload Headshot/Resume to campuscasting.uga.edu (highly recommended, but not required) If you do not upload a headshot and resume, please bring 3 copies of your headshot/resume) Preparation Prepare a 1-2 minute contemporary monologue. For Murder on the Orient Express, you will be asked to pick an accent monologue from a list as well (attached below). Murder on the Orient Express may also require a brief singing role. More information below. ACCENT HELP Callbacks Callbacks for John Proctor is the Villain will be held on Saturday, Oct. 19, 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. in Room 352. Callbacks for Murder on the Orient Express will be held on Saturday, Oct. 18, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in Room 115. Callbacks for New Georgia Group Award winner The Art of Noticing will be held on Sunday, Oct. 20, 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in Room 352. CALLBACKS SIDES Productions John Proctor is the Villain Performance Dates: February 14 – 23, 2025 Synopsis At a rural high school in Georgia, a group of lively teens are studying The Crucible while navigating young love, sex ed, and a few school scandals. Holding a contemporary lens to the American classic, they begin to question who is really the hero and what is the truth, discovering their own power in the process. Alternately touching and bitingly funny, this new comedy captures a generation in mid-transformation, running on pop music, optimism, and fury, writing their own coming of age story. FULL CASTING CALL Rehearsal Rehearsals will begin November 25, 2024 with two more rehearsals prior to fall semester exams. Actors must be off book upon return to rehearsals on January 6, 2025. A typical rehearsal week will include rehearsals Monday-Friday 6:30-10:30pm and Saturdays 10:00am-4:00pm, though every attempt will be made to release actors when not needed. Cast Breakdown 3M/6W + Ensemble Role Description Carter Smith teacher, mid-late 30s, M, white. a former golden boy, but one of those rare smart and sensitive ones. now he’s a great teacher: charming, engaging, goofy. Shelby Holcomb student, 16, F. her brain works faster than her mouth, but her mouth works pretty dang fast. people have always underestimated her Beth Powell student, 17, F. nervous and ambitious and enthusiastic. kind of like if Rory Gilmore and Paris Geller had a baby and raised her in the Deep South Nell Shaw student, 16, F, Black. from Atlanta. grounded and sincere. genuinely curious about things. A good judge of character, and a quick study. Ivy Watkins student, 17, F. fiercely loyal and always well-intentioned. from money. resist the urge to play her as a mean girl. Raelynn Nix student, 16, F. a cheerleader type who’s always lived her life by other peoples’ standards. she was paying careful attention the whole time. will require work with intimacy choreographer. Mason Adams student, 17, M. he’s never really tried before, and he’s surprised by how good it feels. earnest and affable. Lee Turner student, 16, M., white. a carhartt-wearing good ol’ boy. deeply insecure and without the tools to deal with it. he’s always been good at getting what he wants. will require work with intimacy choreographer. Bailey Gallagher counselor, 24, F. sweet in all the ways Southern women are supposed to be. this is her first real job out of college. she’s trying her best. An ensemble of 5 actors will play unnamed students (with their own line/s) in the large classroom scenes while understudying Mason, Beth, Nell, Ivy, or Raelynn. The Art of Noticing Performance Dates: March 20-24 Synopsis Whether it is the small exchanges we share with strangers, the quiet moments with someone we love, the beginnings of a friendship, a breaking heart, or a healing one, life itself is a magical thing to notice. In The Art of Noticing, we are given a glimpse into the twisting lifelines of eight individuals over five years as they find love, loss, and a deeper understanding of what life means. Through abstract storytelling and devised theatre, this show explores the complexities of individual lives while weaving the audience into the threads of interconnectivity within humanity. After all, if we all are lucky enough to be alive together, at the same time, are we not all connected? FULL CASTING CALL Rehearsal Rehearsals will begin the week of January 27th with performances March 20th-23rd. Tech Week will be March 17-19, with an additional rehearsal on March 15th, from 10-3. Cast Breakdown Role Description JAMIE 20s. A young, aspiring doctor with clear plans and dreams for their future. Has scripted intimacy- stage kisses. CHARLIE 20s. A young entrepreneur who lives in the moment. Has scripted intimacy- stage kisses. BAILEY 20-24, she/her. An empathetic, driven student who treasures her relationships with those she loves. Has scripted intimacy- stage kisses. MARGARET 40s/50s, she/her. A voice of reason and hope, Bailey’s mother and a high school science teacher. MARIA 20-24, she/her. A hardworking, hopeful student used to the weight of responsibility and expectation. ELI 20-24, he/him. A charming, smart, and witty student balancing family and future. Has scripted intimacy- stage kisses. QUINN 16, she/her. Avery’s sister. An artist and lifeline for those who love her. AVERY 15, she/her. A high school freshman grappling with a life she did not envision. Content disclosure: Mentions of trauma, suicide, and mental health. Murder on the Orient Express Performance Dates: April 10 – 19, 2025 Synopsis Ken Ludwig’s stage adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express is a heart-racing suspense thriller, a knee-slapping comedy and a head-scratching who done it all wrapped in one. Set in 1934 on the glamorous Orient Express, a long-distance passenger train connecting continental Europe to west Asia, the play takes place primarily in route between Istanbul and Yugoslavia, with a passenger list of dignitaries from all over the globe.\ Just after midnight during a routine trip, a snowdrift stops the Orient Express in its tracks. The luxurious train is surprisingly full for the time of year, but by the morning it is one passenger fewer. An American tycoon lies dead in his compartment, stabbed eight times, his door locked from the inside. While details of an American tycoon’s brutal death come to light, detective Hercule Poirot begins unraveling the sordid circumstances of his demise. Interviewing subjects, securing alibis, and forming theories, Poirot races to unmask the killer before they can strike again. Ken Ludwig’s stage adaptation of Agatha Christie’s influential mystery novel is a wildly glamourous ride from start to finish, culminating in a shocking conclusion audiences won’t soon forget. FULL CASTING CALL ACCENT MONOLOGUES MUSIC CUT Rehearsal Rehearsals will begin in early February and will typically be M-F 6:30 – 10:30pm and usually 1 weekend day (typically 1:00 – 5:00pm). Performances are scheduled for mid-April (April 10 – 19, 2025). All conflicts communicated prior to the acceptance of the role will be considered and the staging staff will do our best to accommodate requests. However, please note that this heavy ensemble driven production will require a large time commitment if you are cast in one of the major roles. Cast Breakdown ROLE DESCRIPTION HERCULE POIROT A retired Belgian police officer. Poirot is Christie's most famous detective and is known for his short stature and long, curly moustache. A “Big” personality, authoritative, witty, charismatic and slight pompous; driven to find the answers, good or bad, with a strong moral sense. Poirot is very intelligent, extremely aware of his ability and his well-deserved reputation. Meticulous and exacting, Poirot is a keen observer of detail and an astute judge of character. Certain that the crime was committed by someone on the train, he confidently and patiently works his way to a shocking solution. Accent: French/Belgian Character’s Gender: Male – (Age: 55-65) MONSIEUR BOUC The director of the Compagnie Wagon Lits and formerly worked for the Belgian police force with Poirot. A Beligan man of good humor; playful, proud, generous; a predilection for grandeur; a whirlwind of energy; must be a good comedian. M. Bouc asks Poirot to take the case. M. Bouc provides comic relief in the novel, constantly frustrated with the case and confused by Poirot. Monsieur Bouc is an old friend of Poirot’s. He appears removed from the crime, often acting as Poirot’s sounding board, but no one on the train is above suspicion. Accent: French/Belgian Character’s Gender: Male – (Age: 30 – 40) MARY DEBENHAM A governess - Capable yet romantic; a calm, cool and unruffled lady. Mary bears a certain sadness in her eyes. When she first appears, she is very anxious. Perhaps she is harboring a terrible secret… Accent: British Accent/Potential Regional Accent Character’s Gender: Female – (Age: 25-35) HECTOR MACQUEEN Ratchett's personal secretary. Tightly wound, edgy; he seems to always be on the verge of falling apart or coming unwound. A nervous young American of Irish decent in his thirties with a strained, rather beleaguered face, Hector appears to be suppressing something. Perhaps he knows more than he is willing to tell. Accent: Slight Irish influence Character’s Gender: Male – (Age: 30 - 40). MICHEL - THE CONDUCTOR A good-looking Frenchman, about forty, Michel has a quiet, almost grave sense of humor. He’s seen a lot in his years on the Orient Express, and he knows his way around the train, making him particularly well positioned to get away with murder. Accent: French Note: Potentially might double the Head Waiter [Marcel] Character’s Gender: Male – (Age: 35-40) PRINCESS DRAGOMIROFF An old Russian dowager; very formal, a sweeping, impressive presence; imperial, impatient. She tells Poirot many stories about the other passengers' identities. Described as entering her compartment “like a galleon in full sail.” Expensively dressed and handsomely bejeweled, she certainly wouldn’t need to kill for money. But might she have another motive? Accent: Russian Character’s Gender: Female – (Age: 60+) GRETA OHLSSON Plain and modest, but inherently odd. She is a very devout Swedish woman. Greta has a frightened, sheep-like quality about her. There is something odd about this woman. Could she be harboring a deadly secret? Accent: Swedish Character’s Gender: Female – (Age: 25-30) COUNTESS ELÉNA ANDRENYI The countess is quite young, dark-haired and beautiful, like something out of a fairy tale. Impeccably put together, with warmth that wins over everyone she meets; her delicacy belies a steely edge; she is no wilting flower. But she seems too good to be true Accent: Hungarian accent – later American accent Character’s Gender: Female – (Age: 25-30) HELEN HUBBARD An outspoken American in her fifties, well dressed with a touch of flamboyance. Must be a good comedian. Mrs. Hubbard is an outspoken and tough-talking broad with rough edge and a bold sense of humor from the Midwest – jovial, obnoxious, domineering, deliciously nosy and brash; unapologetic. She seems the least likely to commit murder, but is there something about her the others don’t know? (NOTE: This character does sing to radio. SEE ALEXANDER’S RAGTIME BAND SHEET MUSIC ATTACHED) Accent: Midwest/Minnesotan accent Character’s Gender: Female – (Age: 50s) COLONEL ARBUTHNOT Colonel Arbuthnot Scotsman, middle aged, handsome and very matter of fact and hard-willed. He’s hopelessly in love with Mary. Would he kill for her? Accent: Scottish accent Character’s Gender: Male – (Age: 30-40) SAMUEL RATCHETT Poirot describes Ratchett as a wild animal. A middle-aged American businessman, evil at heart and frightening, Ratchett is brusque and unforgiving, with a threatening demeanor and a whiplash of a voice. He’s made plenty of enemies… almost everyone has wished him dead – a man with a past – who is he really? Accent: American Accent – Philadelphian/New Yorker potential – Disguises Italian heritage Character’s Gender: Male – (Age: 30 - 4 HEAD WAITER (MARCEL) A Turkish waiter, snooty, smooth; must have good comic timing. Professional in demeanor, he is knowledgeable and a bit overconfident. Mystery fans know it’s a cliché, but never rule out the possibility that The Butler Did It. Accent: Turkish Character’s Gender: Male – (Age: 25-30) Additional Roles/Voiceover Roles To be determined as we move forward with the design how these roles will be assigned: Little Girl (Daisy Armstrong)The NannyMotherThe ManAnnouncer Radio Voice
