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Breakdown
All actors will be members of an ensemble and may play multiple characters. Most actors will understudy other actors. Some may also manipulate puppets in some scenes.
Note if you play a bugle or other brass instrument.
ALBERT NARRACOTT:
Late teens. Unsophisticated farm boy in a rural community in Devon, England. Has an unguarded curiosity, particularly about the animals around him. Develops a remarkable bond with his horse, Joey, and becomes obsessive and fierce in his devotion to him. A winning young man, he’s chock full of emotions, although he’s not able to articulate them. Actor should weigh less than 160 pounds. Devonshire Accent.
TED NARRACOTT:
L30s–E50s. Father to Albert, Husband to Rose, a struggling farmer in Devon, England. Doesn’t easily express himself. Impulsive and sometimes volatile, fiercely independent, very stubborn. Gruff, brusque and unaffectionate, he loves his wife deeply & wants to do the right thing, even though he makes mistakes. An unsentimental & stoic man with a weakness for drink and betting. Devonshire Accent.
ROSE
L30s–40s. Ted’s wife and mother to Albert. A Devonshire farm woman. Strong, earthy, tough, practical, no nonsense, she’s the one who keeps the farm running. Loyal, clear eyed & unsentimental. Aware of her husband’s faults, but loves him nonetheless. Absolutely devoted to her son, but never coddles him. Devonshire Accent.
FRIEDRICH:
E30s-40s. German officer who befriends & cares for Joey during World War I. An educated, charming and warm man with an independent mind, his painful experiences in the war lead him to question everything he has believed in all his life. A brave and strong man, energetic, tireless and powerful, he has a very kind heart. German Accent.
ARTHUR NARRACOTT:
40s–50s. Billy’s father & Ted’s older brother, a Devonshire farmer, a country man, respected, ambitious, successful, strategic and calculating. Knows Ted’s weaknesses & is not hesitant about exploiting them. Unsentimental & opinionated. Devonshire Accent.
BILLY NARRACOTT:
Late teens. Albert’s cousin, the son of a Devonshire farmer, a country boy. Bullied by his father, Arthur, Billy in turn tries to bully Albert, but he’s not good at it. Almost crippled by his father’s expectations, & is not the strong and imposing man his father is. Actor should weigh less than 160 lbs. Devonshire Accent.
DAVID TAYLOR
Late teens. Working class young man. Probably from London, but could be from any large English City. A regular guy & a good time, he’s instinctively cheerful & optimistic, the kind of guy who is the butt of a joke, but laughs as loudly as anyone else. Sweet natured, he is unprepared for what he must face in the war. He & Albert are in the same unit and become close friends, with Albert emerging as the leader of the two of them. Cockney or other English Regional Accent (i.e. Manchester, Yorkshire, Liverpool, etc).
LIEUTENANT NICHOLLS:
20s-30s. A British military officer from Albert’s village, who rides Joey into war. Upper class/officer class. He’s an educated man with a quiet authority. Commands the respect of his men naturally, without demanding it. Fair minded, sensitive, upright, strong, he has confidence in Britain’s military superiority. Calm under pressure, morally certain. Is also an artist, who enjoys sketching images from the Devon countryside. English Accent (RP). Actor should not weigh more than 160 pounds.
SONGPERSON 1
20s–40s. Male or Female. Great folk singer. His/her songs serve many functions including narration and the character is a member of a rural Devon farming community that comprises the world of the play. Must have a great voice with the ability to sing in a traditional English folk style. (be prepared to sing at audition)
SONGPERSON 2
20s–40s. Male or Female. Great Accordion player. Must also have some singing ability in a traditional English folk style, but first and foremost must have great instrumental ability and will accompany Songperson 1 on some songs. His/her songs serve many functions including narration and the character is a member of a rural Devon farming community that comprises the world of the play. Performer will double with some other roles. (be prepared to play accordion at audition)
PAULETTE:
30s-40s. A tough French farm woman, mother to Emilie, practical, strong, a real survivor who will do whatever it takes to protect her daughter and survive the war. French Accent.
EMILIE
18+ play an 8-12 year old French farm girl, cheeky, inquisitive, active. Actor should be short. French accent.
SGT THUNDER
L30s–E50s. Working class, blustery, authoritative Sergeant in the British Army in World War I. Although you never see a smile on his face, he has a tough and funny sense of humor and loves to give his men a hard time whenever he possibly can. Cockney accent
CHAPMAN CARTER:
30s-E40s. Auctioneer and member of a rural, Devon farming community. Genial, energetic, cheerful, good at his job. Warm, outgoing, confident & a good salesman. Devonshire Accent.
KLAUSEN
L20s-E30s. German officer serving under Friedrich, fiercely patriotic and loyal. Single minded in his task and will stop at nothing to accomplish it. Impulsive and volatile. German accent
STEWART
20s-30s. A captain in the British military in World War I who rides Topthorne. Completely confident about Britain’s military superiority. Educated, officer class, a bit competitive with Lt. Nicholls. English Accent. Actor should not weigh more than 160 pounds.
PADDY
20s/30s. Irish soldier often made fun of by the other men, who must find a way to communicate with a German soldier in No Man’s Land. Irish accent.
JOHN GREIG
20s/30s. A villager in a rural Devon farming community; takes pleasure in watching the auction’s bidding war that emerges between Ted and Arthur Narracott. Later, enlists in the army and fights in France. Devonshire Accent.
THOMAS BONE:
Mid-Late 30s. Member of a rural Devon farm community. Enjoys a good wager & enjoys a good time. Devonshire Accent
DR. SCHWEYCK
20s–30s. A doctor in the German army. Orders Friedrich to take the reins of the ambulance (driven by the horses Joey and Topthorn), loaded with German soldiers to the hospital. German accent.
SGT. FINE:
20s–E40s. Sergeant in the English army. Working class, authoritative. Cockney Accent
MANFRED
A German soldier trapped in no man’s land who must find a way to communicate with an English soldier. German Accent.
JOEY & TOPTHORN:
Actors should be between 5’7' - 6’2'. Male or female. Joey and Topthorn are both horses. They are played by puppets created and designed by Handspring Puppet Company and each horse is acted/portrayed by a team of three performers. Although the characters do not speak, the actors may have some understudy assignments of speaking roles. Seeking performers who can move with precision, specificity and great control. Performers must be very strong and in superb physical conditioning, as the roles require stamina and control. The horses are ridden at times during the show, so actors must be strong. Interested in actor/performers of varying training backgrounds and experience and ask that actors inform us on their resumes with as much relevant information as possible: Particularly interested in actors with previous experience in any kind of exacting, precise and expressive physical theatre and ensemble based work and movement work, in dance, with experience in technical mime (i.e. LeCoq) and previous experience with puppets. As these may include speaking understudy assignments, actors should choose a speaking role to audition for. Make sure to include any specific physical theater, movement and dance training on resume.
BABY JOEY
Joey, as a colt. A different kind of puppet, created and designed by Handspring Puppet Theatre. It is acted/portrayed by a team of three performers, who will also play other characters in the play.
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