Auditions

Directed by Bob Arnold

Rehearsal and recording dates: March 21 - April 2, 2010

Auditions: Monday, March 8, 7:00 pm
The Next Stage at Theatre Memphis
630 Perkins Extd, Memphis, TN 38117

Please prepare a 3 - 5 minute monologue that echoes the qualities of the role you would like to audition for. Monologues can come from any source and need not be memorized. Remember that you are auditioning as a voice actor, so movement, gestures, etc. should be kept to a minimum. You will be asked to list your conflicts for the rehearsal and recording dates above. Show and role descriptions are below. A full PDF of each script can be requested by emailing scriptrequest@chatterboxtheater.org.

Callbacks: Tuesday, March 9, 7:00 pm
Callbacks will consist of cold reading from the scripts. Callbacks are by invitation only.

MARKHEIM

Three men (aged 30 - 50)

Markheim visits an antique store on Christmas Day under the pretext of buying a gift for his fiance. The suspicious antique dealer toys with Markheim, who grows increasingly erratic. Eventually, unable to discover anything admirable or even decent about the dealer, Markheim stabs him to death. He begins searching for the dealer's safe, though he is frightened by every noise in the shop and on the street outside. He then hears footsteps upstairs. Upon investigating, Markheim discovers a visitor -- strongly implied to be the devil -- who offers to help him find the dealer's hidden money and escape. Markheim, unnerved by the visitor's interest in him, argues desperately for his personal worth, while the visitor maintains that Markheim may as well accept his fate and side with evil. As the play progresses, Markheim must confront what he has become and decide whether to give in to his destiny or attempt to overcome it.

Characters:

MARKHEIM
Earnest but unbalanced, Markheim has spent his life performing evil acts. Despite this, he genuinely believes himself to be a good person. During his conversation with the dealer, he must be nervous and erratic. He is then shocked into self-examination by the appearance of the visitor. For the remainder of the play, Markheim is essentially arguing for his soul. He should be achingly desperate without becoming hysterical.

DEALER
A petty, greedy, embittered man, the shopkeeper represents all that is base in humanity. He is suspicious of Markheim but willing to cater to him if it means a sale. He is alone in his shop on Christmas, counting his money. He is egotistical, condescending, and impatient -- yet the play suggests that he does not deserve his fate.

VISITOR
The visitor never offers his name, but the play strongly implies that he is Satan -- at least until its closing moments. Regardless, the visitor should not be played as a sinister, cackling villain. He is excessively considerate and even mild, amused by Markheim's self-delusion and his convoluted arguments. He evinces considerable charm but also a sense of inevitability, underscored by only the slightest hint of malice. In certain moments, this malice bubbles to the surface. But for the most part he will be calm and courteous, to a level that feels creepily artificial.

The three actors in this show will also be responsible for performing sound effects.

FEATHERTOP

Three women (one younger, two older)
Two men (one younger, one older)

Mother Rigby, a witch in colonial America, assembles a scarecrow for her cornfield. She is so pleased with the result that she decides to bring it to life instead. She uses a magical pipe to give the scarecrow breath and the appearance of a man. Mother Rigby then sends her "puppet" -- whom she names Feathertop -- into the world to cause mischief. His first task is to romance the daughter of a magistrate against whom Mother Rigby holds a grudge. Feathertop charms the daughter until she catches a glimpse of his true form in a mirror. Feathertop returns to Mother Rigby in great distress, smashing the clay pipe that keeps him alive. Mother Rigby reflects that there are many men in the world with less in their hearts and heads than Feathertop, and who thrive nevertheless.

MOTHER RIGBY
A witch. She cackles and casts spells, but she should not be played as a Halloween cliche. Instead, she is a seasoned old woman with a wicked sense of humor -- rough-edged, resourceful, and genuinely pleased with herself. Her magic is underscored by a dark, demonic power, which we only see in glimpses. After Feathertop is "born," she takes on the tones of a doting mother. The first third of the play is essentially a monologue by Mother Rigby, so she must have plenty of personality.

FEATHERTOP
A scarecrow come to life, Feathertop is awkward and eager at first. He cannot wait to get out into the world and experience everything it has to offer. For a time, he enjoys being the wealthy, mysterious Lord that everyone believes him to be, and he learns to make meaningless sentiments seem profound. After he is discovered, however, he must experience a deep feeling of betrayal and shame -- a feeling so devastating that he chooses non-existence rather than trying to bear it.

JUSTICE GOOKIN
The magistrate who has some unspecified history with Mother Rigby. Gookin is protective of his daughter and suspicious of the man who shows up to court her.

POLLY
Justice Gookin's daughter. Polly is shallow and self-absorbed but is also completely innocent. She wants so desperately to be in love that she swoons over Feathertop's every word, even when he is speaking nonsense. She is genuine, sweet, and not terribly bright.

SARAH
The Gookins' maid. She converses with Justice Gookin as the two of them keep an eye on Polly and Feathertop. She is simple but not stupid, and also deeply protective of Polly.

JUSTICE GOOKIN, POLLY, and SARAH will be responsible for performing sound effects as well as the voices of several townspeople.