[Capdist-auditions] ARCADIA June 17 & 18 at RPI (Troy, NY)

[LWAndruski at aol.com]

“Arcadia” Auditions at  RPI 
Auditions:  June 17 & 18,  7-10pm 
Performance Dates:  September 4-6 & 11-12,  2009 

The Delta Xi Cast  of Alpha Psi Omega, the National Theatre Honor Society 
at Rensselaer Polytechnic  Institute will hold auditions for Tom Stoppard’s “
Arcadia” in the RPI Playhouse, 15th Street, just  south of Sage  Avenue, in 
Troy, New  York.  Audition dates are June 17 and 18 from  7-10:00 P.M.  
Monologues are not necessary, those auditioning will read  directly from the 
script.  Auditions are open to all.   For  additional information, please 
contact the director, Peter Kantor, directly at  at 518-334-3690 or email him at 
_business at daaq.net_ (mip://04d1e7e0/business@daaq.net) .

Arcadia is set in Sidley Park, an English country house, in the  beginning 
of the 19th century and in the present day, juxtaposing the activities  of 
two modern scholars and the house's current residents with the lives of those 
 who lived there two centuries earlier.

In 1809, Thomasina Coverly,  the daughter of the house, is a precocious 
teenager with ideas about mathematics  well ahead of her time. She studies with 
her tutor, Septimus Hodge, a friend of  Lord Byron, , who is an unseen 
guest in the house. In 1989, a writer and an  academic converge on the house: 
Hannah Jarvis, the writer, is investigating a  hermit who once lived on the 
grounds; Bernard Nightingale, a professor of  literature, is investigating a 
mysterious chapter in the life of Byron. As their  investigations unfold, 
helped by Valentine Coverly, a post-graduate student in  mathematical biology, 
the truth about what happened in 1809 is gradually  revealed.

The show is a comedy of words dancing around serious  themes.  As with much 
Stoppard, it is not so much a play as a dance that  has words for music, 
and emotions for dance steps. Also, almost all the adult  roles need to be 
masters of the pro forma backstab, since they move in circles  where such 
things are required but not to be taken offence at. You do not need  to prepare 
anything for this audition. Just bring yourselves, your voices, and  your 
manners of presentation. 

English accents will be needed by almost  all characters, though in a pinch 
some of the modern day cast members can be  most anything. Accents will not 
be required for auditions, but will be  appreciated if well done. 

Available Roles

Characters of  1809 

· Thomasina Coverly, age 13-16:  The daughter of  Lord and Lady Croom, 
Thomasina is a precocious young genius. She proposes  mathematical models that 
echo modern day chaos theory well before its time,  performing math no one 
thought to attempt before computers made it “possible”.  She has a sharp wit 
thinly hidden behind the veneer of youthful innocence that  is expected of 
her. She has a crush on Septimus which grows into a more mature  love by the 
end of the show.
· Septimus Hodge, early 20’s: Thomasina's  tutor and the academic colleague 
and friend of Lord Byron (an unseen but  important character in the play). 
While teaching Thomasina he works on his own  research. Educated, civil, and 
a hallmark of propriety, he has an ongoing affair  with Mrs. Chater. At the 
end of the show, he acknowledges his love for Thomasina  and ends up 
devoting the rest of his life to her, even though she will no longer  be there to 
share that devotion.
· Jellaby, middle-aged: The Crooms'  butler at Sidley  Park. His chief 
functions  are to spread gossip and deliver letters.
· Ezra Chater, early 30’s:  An amateur poet and marginal botanist staying 
at Sidley Park. His wife's affairs lead him to  challenge Septimus to a 
series of duels, each avoided by Septimus’ quick wit.  Ezra, thought certainly 
well educated, is not exactly the sharpest knife in the  drawer.
· Richard Noakes, middle-aged: Mr. Noakes is Lady Croom's  gardener. 
Throughout the play he is working on transforming the romantic,  Arcadia-like 
landscape of Sidley Park into the Gothic style popular at the  time (an idea 
that Lady Croom begrudgingly agrees to). 
· Lady Croom,  late 30’s: Thomasina's mother, who rules the Coverly estate 
with an iron fist.  There is a good deal of flirtation between her and 
Septimus (as well as other  gentlemen) through the play. She may come off a tad 
flighty, but it is clear  that Thomasina got her sharp wit from somewhere.
· Captain Brice,  mid-30’s: The brother of Lady Croom is a sea captain. He 
does not think much of  Mr. Noakes and his Gothic style, but is very much in 
love with Mrs. Chater, whom  he marries after the unfortunate death of Ezra 
in a botany accident.
·  Augustus Coverly, age 15: Thomasina’s brother and one year younger than  
she. He only appears and the end of the show. He is arrogant in that 
teenager  trying to prove they are a man sort of way. He is the antithesis of Gus 
(see  below), who is played by the same person.

Characters of the  present 

· Hannah Jarvis, late 30’s: An author of historical  treatises on 
gardening, Hanna is researching the elusive hermit of Sidley Park, who lived in the 
hermitage there in  the early 1800s.  Very practical and pragmatic, a jeans 
and t-shirt sort of  scholar not afraid to tromp about in the mud, she has 
intentionally forgotten  how to even spell the word frivolity.
· Chloe Coverly, age 18:  Chloe is the modern day Thomasina, the daughter 
of the modern day Lady  Croom. Like Thomasina, Chloe is very perceptive and 
intelligent. She may not be  a precocious genius, but she also doesn’t hide 
herself behind social custom.  Chloe tries to play matchmaker to Hanna and 
Bernard, but ends up with him  herself.
· Bernard Nightingale, late 30’s:  A don at a modern  university, Bernard 
comes to Sidley Park hoping to work with Hannah on his  theory about Lord 
Byron staying at the estate. He tends to forget everyone and  everything else 
when caught up in an idea, which proves his moral downfall when  the 
resulting paper is quickly proven to be in error based on evidence that had  been 
right in front of him. He is a very flamboyant dresser with a penchant for  
bright colors.
· Valentine Coverly, late 20’s:  A graduate  student of mathematics, where 
he is trying to mathematically model grouse.  Valentine is Chloe's older 
brother. A foppish eccentric in that subtle  born-to-wealth sort of way. After 
poring over several old documents he finds on  the estate, he reluctantly 
comes to acknowledge Thomasina's genius. He abandons  his own research to 
finish proving her theories.
· Gus Coverly, age  15:  Pathologically shy, he never speaks during the 
show, and has not  spoken since the age of five. Has a crush on Hannah. He is 
the antithesis of  Augustus. Both are played by the same person. Gus/Agustus 
helps to pass several  important props from past to present, and helps 
connect key moments in the  play.

Chartered at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1937,  The Delta Xi cast 
of Alpha Psi Omega was formed to honor outstanding work in  theater on the 
RPI campus. To date, over 300 members have been inducted into our  cast.  
Although most members of the Delta Xi cast are RPI students, the  cast 
unhesitatingly accept alumni and community members who demonstrate  excellence in any 
field of performing arts. 

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