[Capdist-auditions] “Arcadia” Auditions at RPI

[LWAndruski at aol.com]

“Arcadia” Auditions at RPI  


Troy, NY – May  26, 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. 
**************We found the real ‘Hotel California’ and the ‘Seinfeld’ 
diner. What will you find? Explore WhereItsAt.com. 
(http://www.whereitsat.com/#/music/all-spots/355/47.796964/-66.374711/2/Youve-Found-Where-Its-At?ncid=eml
cntnew00000007)
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://capdisttheater.org/pipermail/capdist-auditions/attachments/20090528/9bac9747/attachment.html>