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Breakdown
VENUS IN FUR:
Thomas
Mid-late 30s. Writer/director of the play within the play. “Smartest man in the room” type. While certainly “theatrical”, must present a strong & masculine presence. Actor must be able to switch between styles/accents very quickly.
Vanda
Mid 20s-mid 30s. Quirky, flighty, crude modern day actress. Quickly reveals talent & ability to inhabit skin of character she is auditioning for. Tour de force role for actress that demands comic chops, the ability to switch on a dime between styles & accents, & ultimately a power that can be awe inspiring & scary.
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SOMETHING INTANGIBLE:
Tony Wiston
Late 30s. Creative genius behind success of Wiston Studios. Bit on manic side of things, bounces from childish whimsy to ego trips very quickly. Athletic & charismatic, is at home among the glitz & glamour of Hollywood. Actor must have strong dynamic stage presence.
Dale Wiston
Early 40’s (CAST)
Sonia Feldman
Mid 50s. Psychologist is treating Dale, she exudes warmth & understanding, though she can turn to stone when necessary. Very good at her job, & great lover of films, though doesn’t fit in very well with the glitz & glamour of Hollywood. Must knit throughout play.
Leo Baxter
20s. Young & energetic animator at Wiston Studios. Full of ideas that are sometimes met with disdain from Tony. Living secret life because of his homosexuality, has to make choices about what he is willing to put up with from Tony
Doc Bartelli/Gustav Von Meyerhoff
60s. Doc is the moneyman that funds the Wiston brothers’ movies. An elegant older. Von Meyerhoff is a world famous conductor & larger than life presence. Need actor with range. Comic chops a must, though Doc is certainly not played for laughs, and Von Meyerhoff, while a huge presence, is not a cartoon.
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JACOB MARLEY’S CHRISTMAS CAROL:
This show is already CAST
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THE GOD GAME:
Tom is a VA Senator and rising star in the Republican Party. He’s asked to join the ticket as the Vice-Presidential candidate. The only catch: he needs to sound “more Christian” on the campaign trail. Will he sacrifice his firmly held belief that faith and religion are private matters or give up an opportunity to govern the most influential country in the world? World Premiere Drama
Tom
40s. Junior Senator from VA, Tom is a rising star in Republican Party. Former Marine, Tom is very intelligent, charming, & passionate about issues he takes on. Was on everyone’s “Most Likely To Succeed” list, & has gone on to exceed all expectations. The central theme of the play focuses on Tom’s belief or non-belief in God, which has always been rather ambivalent, & after the recent tragic death of his brother, Jay, Tom has completely lost any faith in God he ever had. Is adamant that this is a private matter & should have nothing to do with his public life.
Lisa
40s. Tom’s wife of 20 years, runs a shelter for women in Richmond. A life-long Republican & devout Christian, the loss of her brother-in-law, Jay has only deepened her relationship with God. Lisa is smart, beautiful, & independent, a very devoted wife & mother, though she has not fully recovered from the death of Jay, & she becomes protective & territorial when she perceives a threat from Matt.
Matt
40s. Tom & Lisa’s oldest friend & former lover of Jay, Tom’s recently deceased brother. Shares the news that his boss would like to vet Tom for the Vice-Presidency. A veteran of many campaigns, Matt has made it his life’s work getting powerful Republicans elected to high office, though perhaps is beginning to be disillusioned about the life he has chosen & the sacrifices he has made. Pragmatic, smart, Matt is not easily dissuaded from a goal he sets out to accomplish. Equally comfortable in huge crowds & back room deals, has made a career of reading people, & using his charms to get them to do what he wants. Matt believes deeply in Tom’s ability to be a great asset to the ticket.
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THE GAME’S AFOOT:
William Gillette
Late 30s-early 40s. Already Cast.
Felix Geisel
Early 40s. The company’s character actor, Felix is histrionic & arch. Actor must have great comic chops & be physically strong.
Simon Bright
25. The mangenue of the company, Simon is an enthusiastic young man, eager to please & find success. A bit of a naïf, can occasionally be overly sensitive.
Inspector Harriet Goring
40s-50s. English, eccentric, Inspector Goring is completely one of a kind. By turns, witty and incisive, suddenly lost and dim, she is disarming in her inability to be defined. Always off the mark, yet never far from the truth, somehow she always gets her man. Wonderful opportunity for a character actress; must have great comic chops.
Martha Gillette
70s. Gillette’s dotty mother, elegant though a bit foggy, never shies away from a fight. Always willing to lob a criticism when necessary, all the same, Martha is loyal to Gillette & his gang of theatrical misfits. Must have great comic chops.
Madge Geisel
Early 40s. Wry and outspoken (think Rosalind Russell), Madge, like her husband Felix, is a lifelong theatrical. Is game for anything, but back her into a corner and she will come out swinging. Must have great comic chops.
Aggie Wheeler
25- Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, Aggie is the ingénue. Good-natured, kind, Has had tragedy in her past, though she seems to have dealt with it well, & even moved on. Recently married to Simon-makes a charming and wonderful couple. Actress needs to have a dark side.
Daria Chase
Mid 30s-Mid 40s. Glamorous, gorgeous, the theatre critic we all love to hate. Biting, bitchy, & utterly charming, you can’t help but like Daria, despite the terrible things she says & writes. Wonderful sense of humor goes a long way towards endearing Daria to the audience. Actress must have wonderful comic timing & be a skilled physical comedian.
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ALL MY SONS:
Joe Keller
Late 50s. Self-made businessman, who still has the sense of the machine-shop worker about him. This is a role for an actor of great depth.
Kate Keller
Early 50s. ‘…a woman of uncontrolled inspirations, and an overwhelming capacity for love.’ Holding onto hope that her soldier son, who is missing and presumed dead, is still coming home. The emotional strain of this is catching up
Chris Keller
32. Solidly built, a listener & capable of great loyalty, though is chafing somewhat at the expectations of his parents. Struggling to come out of the shadow of his dead younger brother, & struggling with the desire to please both parents. The romantic lead. We want to root for him.
Ann Deever
26- Larry Keller’s former fiancée. Has come home to pursue a romance with Chris, Larry’s older brother. Beautiful young woman, gentle, earnest. Strong & has overcome the challenges that life has thrown her way with dignity.
George Deever
32- A serious man, a war vet & lawyer, who until recently had cut off ties to his father in prison. Now, is on the warpath to set things right & make sure that Joe pays for the damage he did to the Deevers. An intense righteousness lives within this man.
Dr. Jim Bayliss
Late 30s. Easy-going man, neighbors of the Kellers, quick to make jokes about his lot, but perhaps there is a sad truth to those jokes. An intuitive & smart man, tries very hard to see that everyone is taken care of.
Sue Bayliss
Late 30s. Jim’s wife, she is cynical and pragmatic, wants her husband to keep the money coming in & not get caught up in idealistic fantasies.
Frank Lubey
32- Pleasant, opinionated man, uncertain of himself, with a tendency towards peevishness when crossed, but always wanting it pleasant and neighborly. Balding. Married to Lydia.
Lydia Lubey
27- Married to Frank. Laughs easily, & other than her children, doesn’t have a care in the world. Used to have a thing with Ann’s brother George.
Bert
8 to 10 Playful neighborhood kid.
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