Produced and Directed by Andy Diskes

Auditions for Adults and Teens!

(Our goal is to cast Adults / Teens as the children in the play.)

AUDITION DATES and TIMES:

Monday, September 18

Wednesday, September 20

Time: 5pm - 7:30pm

(You can choose whichever audition night and time that best suits your schedule. If you can't make either date, please let us know.)

Middleton Senior Center

38 Maple St., Middleton, MA

(Building says "Old Town Hall")

Please email Andy to let him know you are coming

at [email protected] (or text at 978 500-8832

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MORE INFO:

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WHAT TO PREPARE FOR AUDITIONS:

1. We would like you to present something that is memorized. It doesn't have to be long but we want to see your memorization skills.

2. A scene/monologue of your choice that shows your comedic skills. If you want to read two different types of scenes/monologues, you are welcome to do that. It can be from the play or not. (It does not have to be memorized.)

We may ask you to read something from the play also in addition to what you have prepared.

Please try to show us as many different voices / accents that you feel comfortable doing. Also if you have any other hidden talents such as juggling, playing an instrument, ventriloquism, singing (good or bad), dancing, acro, skateboarding, riding a unicycle, roller blading, speaking a foreign language, yodeling, jump roping or anything else, show us that also! You don't even have to be good at it as the play is supposed to be 'bad'.

We are known for making auditioners (especially new people) feel welcome and we give everyone ample time to show us 'their stuff'.

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REHEARSALS / SHOW DATES:

(First Rehearsal: Monday, October 2)

MONDAYS from 6:15pm - 10pm

(Mondays begin Oct. 2)

THURSDAYS from 6:15pm - 10pm

(Starts Nov. 2)

(We will rehearse Tues eve, Nov 21 instead of on Thursday, Thanksgiving.)

(There are several smaller roles that do not require being at every rehearsal. You are welcome to inquire about those.)

REHEARSAL LOCATIONS:

A combination of two spots:

The Black Box Theater and The Middleton Senior Center in Middleton.

SCHEDULE FOR LOAD IN / TECH WEEK:

NOVEMBER LOAD-IN and assistance with props/costumes :

We ask each cast member to devote a two hour minimum to helping at our storage unit in Salem or at theater helping to load/transport props or helping to prep / organize costumes / our storage area. We will post times when people can assist.

Some projects can even be done during rehearsal time.

MANDATORY TECH WEEK at Black Box:

Sunday, 26 - 4pm - 8:30pm

Monday, 27 - 6:15pm - 10pm

Tuesday, 28 - Night Off from rehearsal

(But we will be there decorating the stage and actors can come for extra work with each other but we encourage you also to rest up and try to get to bed early!)

Wednesday, 29 - 6:15pm - 10:30pm

Thursday, 30 - 6:15pm - 10:30pm

SHOW DATES: December 1 - 10, 2023(6 performances)

(We will have exact dates before the audition date.)

(Cast Call on Show Days: 90 minutes before show time.)

ALL CAST CLEAN UP / STRIKE: Monday, December 11 It is required to come for at least one hour anytime between 5:30pm - 8:30pm

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FINANCIAL INFO:

Our theater receives its revenue solely from show fees and ticket sales. (A small amount also on concessions and well-wishes/ads/sponsors.)

Each cast member is responsible for the following:

ADULTS: $100

AGES 14 - 17: $150

(Averages to approx $3 an hour to be involved in this production from start to finish. - These fees help to cover the cost of theater, royalties, insurance and other costs.)

(Show fees are due one week after a role has been offered.)

SHOW FEE INFO:

There are no refunds on show fees.

SELLING TICKETS TO THE SHOW:

Since the majority of the audience comes from family and friends of the cast, we ask that each cast member sells ten tickets to the show. (Tickets will probably be in the $20 range .) Thank you.

MEMORIZATION:

Each week we will block one or two scenes. You will know ahead which scene(s) that is.

There will be a deadline to memorize each scenes.

REHEARSAL ATTENDANCE / CONFLICTS:

At auditions we will ask for specific conflicts you have. You will be cast with those conflicts in mind. (We do plan to rehearse on Monday Holidays.) New Conflicts that were not approved at time of Auditions/ Role acceptance, can result in change in casting.

CAST STRIKE on Monday, December 11:

It is mandatory to attend this evening. If you have a problem with this date, please talk to the director. We can make some other arrangements for you to participate in helping.

ABOUT THE SHOW:

THE BEST (Worst?) CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER

Synopsis from the play's website:

In this hilarious Christmas classic, a couple struggling to put on a church Christmas pageant is faced with casting the Herdman kids – probably the most inventively awful kids in history. You won't believe the mayhem – and the fun – when the Herdmans collide head-on with the story of Christmas!

This delightful show is adapted from the bestselling Young Adult book by Barbara Robinson, and has become a holiday staple for groups across the United States. The crowd-pleasing comedy features plenty of great roles for all ages, a few favorite Christmas Carols, and lots of laughs.

(In our production, we are going to cast teens/adults as the children)

CAST LIST

FATHER (Bob Bradley) – Solid family man, 35-38

MOTHER (Grace Bradley) – Trim, attractive, 35ish

BETH BRADLEY – The narrator, strong voice and presence, 10-11

CHARLIE BRADLEY – Traditional kid brother, 8-9

RALPH HERDMAN – Ragged, scroungy, slouching manner, touch of adolescent cool, 12-13

IMOGENE HERDMAN – Loud, bossy, crafty, 11-12

LEROY HERDMAN – Tough, sure of himself, 10-11

CLAUDE HERDMAN – Tough, combative, 9-10

OLLIE HERDMAN - Looking for trouble, Claude's usual partner in crime, 8-9

GLADYS HERDMAN – Small, wiry, fiesty, 7-8

ALICE WENDLEKEN – Prim, proper, pain in the neck, 10-11

MRS. ARMSTRONG – Largish woman, managerial in voice and manner, 50ish

MRS. SLOCUM – Pleasant, motherly woman, 35-60

MRS. CLARK – 35-60

MRS. CLAUSING – 35-60

MRS. MCCARTHY – A younger, less imperious version of Mrs. Armstrong, middle 40s

MAXINE – 10-11

ELMER HOPKINS – 12-13

HOBIE – 9-10

DAVID – 8-9

BEVERLY – 7-8

FIREMAN – 25-30

FIREMAN - 25-30

SHIRLEY – 5-6

JUANITA – 5-6

DORIS – 9-10

REVEREND HOPKINS – middle to late 40s

Extra angel choir members, baby angels, shepherds

LINK to Copy of Script