[Capdist-auditions] I Hate Hamlet at Homemade Theater, Saratoga

[Stephen Pelletier]

I HATE HAMLET

by Paul Rudick

directed by Stephen Pelletier

 

Where:  Homemade Theater, Saratoga Springs – In the Spa Little Theatre –
Saratoga State Park

When:   February 11 & 12 – 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm (Callbacks most likely Feb 13)

              Rehearsals begin in early March

              Performances: April 20, 21, 27, 28, May 4 & 5 – 8:15pm April
29 & May 6 – 2:00pm

How:     No appointment is necessary, scripts are available at the Saratoga
Springs Library for reading on site.  Sides will be provided at the
audition.  Please bring current photo and resume (photos cannot be
returned).

Information: http://www.homemadetheater.org/ - (518) 587-4427

 

A NOTE ON THE PLAY

 

I Hate Hamlet is a comic romp through a ghost story.  Faced paced and funny,
I Hate Hamlet will be a challenge for the ensemble cast: in addition to
doing all the usual work necessary to bring a character to convincing life
on the stage, each actor must also master the timing and physical
choreography required by the script.  While most of the characters can be
described as larger-than-life and the situations farcical and outlandish,
the ensemble must fill those characters and those circumstances with a real
emotional life to avoid becoming simply caricatures.  All the characters in
I Hate Hamlet are transformed in some positive and meaningful way by what
happens to them during the course of the play, so by the end, the audience
not only knows they’ve been taken a wild, crazy and fun ride but one that
has the potential to stay with them beyond the laughter.

 

CHARACTER BREAKDOWN

 

Andrew Rally (Late 20’s to early 30’s) – Andrew is a handsome and charming
television actor who starred in a recently cancelled hospital drama.
Returning to New York City to explore other opportunities, he has been cast
as the lead in Shakespeare in the Park’s summer production of Hamlet.
Andrew’s success has come easily; his good looks and affability have allowed
him to glide through life and while he craves a challenge, that challenge
also scares the hell out of him.  Andrew has the polished ease of a
television star and is not without ego, but he is also the most “normal” and
down-to-earth member of the ensemble.  The actor who plays Andrew Rally must
be physically able to perform an extended sword fighting scene with
choreography calling for climbing on and leaping from the set and set
pieces.

 

John Barrymore (40’s to 60’s) – John Barrymore (considered the best Hamlet
of his generation) rises from the dead to help Andrew Rally prepare to play
the role of Hamlet.  Barrymore is a lover of wine, women and
 himself.  The
actor who portrays Barrymore must be able to play scenes of realistic
emotion convincingly as well as have a capacity for representational,
bombastic acting and do that convincingly as well.  As Barrymore says of
himself, “I do not overact.  I simply possess the emotional resources of ten
men.  I am not a ham; I am a crowd!”  With a strong voice and body Barrymore
must “perform with gusto and an artist’s finesse to make the theatre
resound”.  The actor must also be physically able to perform an extended
sword fighting scene with choreography calling for climbing on and leaping
from the set and set pieces.

 

Felicia Dantine (Late 30’s to 50’s) – Andrew Rally’s real estate agent.
Felicia is absolutely passionate about Manhattan apartments, their history
and finding the right new owner for the right apartment.  So confident of
her ability, she matches Andrew with John Barrymore’s former apartment even
though its décor is nothing like what Andrew requested she find him.  She is
a big personality full of enthusiasm and confidence; she is a salesperson.
Felicia has a Queens dialect; not quite the Nanny, but as the writer
describes, “A jubilant New York Honk.”

 

Lillian Troy (70’s) – Andrew’s Agent.  Lillian is a stylish, elegant woman
in her seventies.  She is strong, intelligent, witty and loyal.  She has a
regal German accent and a no–nonsense manner that belies a delight in any
sort of high-jinks; she is mischievous and playful but does it with a
straight face.  She has a smoker’s cough and must smoke on stage.  The actor
who plays Lillian need not be in her 70’s.  I am looking for a
character-actor and we will use makeup to get the look.

 

Deirdre McDavey (Early 20’s to early 30’s) – Andrew Rally’s girlfriend and
“possible” fiancé.  Deirdre is energetic, youthful and ecstatically
enthusiastic about nearly everything.  For her, “life is a miracle a
minute.”  It would be easy to play Deirdre as a goofy, mental lightweight
but she is not.  The actor who plays Deirdre must be able to play the
enthusiasm convincingly with 100% sincerity to keep the character from
becoming a caricature.  Andrew Rally says about her: “
 in the strangest
way, she’s the most passionate woman I’ve ever met 
 she makes me think that
love is as amazing as it’s supposed to be.”

 

Gary Peter Lefkowitz (30’s to 40’s) – Gary is a hyphenate
(Writer-Producer-Director) who worked with Andrew on the recently cancelled
hospital drama and wants to put together another show starring Andrew.  Gary
is a happy, overgrown child with money who fits right in to the Hollywood
scene with his shaggy-chic wardrobe.  For him, it’s all about the deal; the
product could just as well be orange juice as a television show.  It’s not
that he doesn’t take no for an answer, he just assumes no means, “give me
more money and I’ll do it.”  The actor who plays Gary will have the
challenge of keeping this guy likeable.  He is not mean or sleazy, he is a
simply a creature of Hollywood and doesn’t know any better.

 

DIRECTORS NOTE: The ages and age ranges are given as a guide, not a hard and
fast rule.  The actor who can play the role/play the age can be made – with
the magic of theatre makeup – to look the look.  If you feel a connection to
a character, please don’t hesitate to audition regardless of your actual age
or look.  I am most interested in finding those actors who can express the
inner life of the character.  I wish you well and look forward to seeing you
at the audition.

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://capdisttheater.org/pipermail/capdist-auditions/attachments/20070207/9b6c183f/attachment.html>