Audition Notice: Of Mice and Men at Hole in the Wall Theater
The Hole in the Wall Theater (HITW) in New Britain, CT is seeking a large cast of 9 men and 1 woman for Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, the first production of its’ 2015-2016 season. Auditions will be held on July 19th and 20th at 7:00p.m. at Hole in the Wall Theater on 116 Main Street in New Britain, CT. Actors will read from the script.
Performances run Fridays & Saturdays from September 25th through October 17th with one Sunday matinee on October 11th. Of Mice and Men is under the direction of Jill Ann Dvorsky of Middletown. Visit
www.hitw.org for more information and updates.
Adapted by Steinbeck’s 1937 novel of the same name, Of Mice and Men tells the story two drifters, George and his friend Lennie, with delusions of living off the fat of the land.” They have just arrived at a ranch to work for enough money to buy their own place. Lennie is a man-child, a little boy in the body of a dangerously powerful man. It's Lennie's obsessions with things soft and cuddly that have made George cautious about who the gentle giant, with his brute strength, associates with. His promise to allow Lennie to tend to the rabbits on their future land keeps Lennie calm, amidst distractions, as the overgrown child needs constant reassurance.
Below is a complete character breakdown:
Lennie - A large, lumbering, childlike migrant worker. Due to his mild mental disability, Lennie completely depends upon George, his friend and traveling companion, for guidance and protection. The two men share a vision of a farm that they will own together, a vision that Lennie believes in wholeheartedly. Gentle and kind, Lennie nevertheless does not understand his own strength. His love of petting soft things, such as small animals, dresses, and people’s hair, leads to disaster.
George - A small, wiry, quick-witted man who travels with, and cares for, Lennie. Although he frequently speaks of how much better his life would be without his caretaking responsibilities, George is obviously devoted to Lennie. George’s behavior is motivated by the desire to protect Lennie and, eventually, deliver them both to the farm of their dreams. Though George is the source of the often-told story of life on their future farm, it is Lennie’s childlike faith that enables George to actually believe his account of their future.
Candy - An aging ranch handyman, Candy lost his hand in an accident and worries about his future on the ranch. Fearing that his age is making him useless, he seizes on George’s description of the farm he and Lennie will have, offering his life’s savings if he can join George and Lennie in owning the land. The fate of Candy’s ancient dog, which Carlson shoots in the back of the head in an alleged act of mercy, foreshadows the manner of Lennie’s death.
Curley’s wife - The only female character in the story, Curley’s wife is never given a name and is only mentioned in reference to her husband. The men on the farm refer to her as a “tramp,” a “tart,” and a “looloo.” Dressed in fancy, feathered red shoes, she represents the temptation of female sexuality in a male-dominated world. Steinbeck depicts Curley’s wife not as a villain, but rather as a victim. Like the ranch-hands, she is desperately lonely and has broken dreams of a better life.
Crooks - Crooks, the black stable-hand, gets his name from his crooked back. Proud, bitter, and caustically funny, he is isolated from the other men because of the color of his skin. Despite himself, Crooks becomes fond of Lennie, and though he derisively claims to have seen countless men following empty dreams of buying their own land, he asks Lennie if he can go with them and hoe in the garden.
Curley - The boss’s son, Curley wears high-heeled boots to distinguish himself from the field hands. Rumored to be a champion prizefighter, he is a confrontational, mean-spirited, and aggressive young man who seeks to compensate for his small stature by picking fights with larger men. Recently married, Curley is plagued with jealous suspicions and is extremely possessive of his flirtatious young wife.
Slim - A highly skilled mule driver and the acknowledged “prince” of the ranch, Slim is the only character who seems to be at peace with himself. The other characters often look to Slim for advice. For instance, only after Slim agrees that Candy should put his decrepit dog out of its misery does the old man agree to let Carlson shoot it. A quiet, insightful man, Slim alone understands the nature of the bond between George and Lennie, and comforts George at the book’s tragic ending.
Carlson - A ranch-hand, Carlson complains bitterly about Candy’s old, smelly dog. He convinces Candy to put the dog out of its misery. When Candy finally agrees, Carlson promises to execute the task without causing the animal any suffering. Later, George uses Carlson’s gun to shoot Lennie.
The Boss - The stocky, well-dressed man in charge of the ranch, and Curley’s father. He is never named and appears only once, but seems to be a fair-minded man. Candy happily reports that the boss once delivered a gallon of whiskey to the ranch-hands on Christmas Day.
Whit - A ranch-hand.
THE CAST (all roles are available):
Reverend Parris: Minister in Salem. He believes a faction plans to force him to leave Salem, so he attempts to strengthen his authority through the witch trial proceedings.
Betty Parris: Parris' daughter. Her father discovers her dancing in the woods, and she later accuses individuals of practicing witchcraft.
Abigail Williams: Parris' niece. She instigates the witch trials by falsely accusing others of witchcraft. She pretends to see spirits and instructs the other girls to pretend as well.
Tituba: Parris' slave, from Barbados. Parris discovers her casting spells and making potions with the girls in the woods.
Mrs. Ann Putnam: Wife of Thomas Putnam. She believes that a witch is responsible for the deaths of her seven infant children. Her jealousy of Rebecca Nurse leads her to accuse Goody Nurse of being a witch.
Thomas Putnam: A greedy landowner in Salem. He systematically accuses his neighbors of witchcraft so that he might purchase their lands after they hang.
Ruth Putnam: The Putnams' daughter. She accuses individuals of practicing witchcraft. A witness claims to have heard Putnam say Ruth's accusations helped him obtain land.
Mary Warren Servant to the Proctors. She goes along with Abigail and the girls by falsely accusing others of witchcraft; however, she later admits that she was lying.
Mercy Lewis: Servant to the Putnams and friend to Abigail. She participates in the witch trials by pretending to see spirits and falsely accusing individuals of witchcraft.
John Proctor: Salem farmer and former lover of Abigail's. He openly denounces Parris and does not attend church.
Elizabeth Proctor: Wife of John Proctor. She is a decent and honest woman, who dismissed Abigail because of her affair with John Proctor.
Reverend Hale: Minister in Beverly. The people of Salem summon him to investigate Betty's condition and determine if witchcraft is responsible. He supports the witch trials, but later denounces them when he learns that Abigail is lying.
Rebecca Nurse: Wife of Francis Nurse. She is one of the most respected individuals in Salem because of her kindness and charity. She argues against the witch trial investigations. Mrs. Putnam accuses her of witchcraft.
Francis Nurse: Farmer and landowner in Salem. He is a respected member of the community often called upon to settle disagreements between individuals.
Susanna Walcott: Friend to Abigail. She also takes part in the trials by falsely accusing others of witchcraft.
Giles Corey: Elderly inhabitant of Salem. He challenges the court in an attempt to defend his wife who has been convicted of witchcraft. He is pressed to death as a result.
Sarah Good: Beggar in Salem. She is the first individual accused of witchcraft.
Judge Hathorne: A judge in the Salem court.
Deputy Governor Danforth: A special judge serving in the Salem court during the witch trials. He signs the death sentences for those individuals who refuse to confess their crimes. He refuses to delay any execution for fear that he will appear weak and irresolute.
Ezekial Cheever: Appointed by the court to assist in arresting accused individuals.
Marshal Herrick: Appointed by the court to arrest the accused individuals.
Hopkins: Jailer.About Hole in the Wall Theater:
Hole in the Wall Theater (HITW) has been a leader and beacon in the Greater Hartford arts community since 1972. It is an award-winning, non profit, community theater and staffed entirely by volunteers.
HITW was founded by Ray Shinn and Ted Guhl; both of whom were instrumental in the theater’s mission and longevity. It is HITW’s goal to present theater to all regardless of resources. Unique in its creation as well as the manner in which it was run, HITW was the only theater in the state to be run solely by its members through its biweekly gatherings, termed “General Meeting.” General Meeting is responsible for choosing the plays presented, maintaining the physical plant, and creating, revising and upholding the philosophy by which HITW was run.
Over the course of four decades, the theater has seen many homes throughout New Britain including Oak Street, North Street, Harvard Street and its current home, Main Street. Despite its location, the philosophy of presenting Quality Theater to everyone remains the same.
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