[Capdist-auditions] RPI Players Auditions for The Importance of Being Earnest

Tue Sep 3 10:05:30 EDT 2013

RPI Players Present Auditions for 

The Importance of Being Earnest

Director Eric Shovah
Producer Matthew Scorza

AUDITION DATES:     Tuesday, September 3 and Thursday, September 5, 2013

AUDITION TIME:     Auditions will begin at 7pm.  If you need to arrive late or set up an alternate time, please contact the director as soon as possible to make arrangements.

AUDITION LOCATION:     RPI Campus, Ricketts Building, Room 203

PRODUCTION DATES:     November 15-17 and 22-23, 2013

The production and most rehearsals will be held at the RPI Playhouse.

All auditioners should come prepared to read from the script.  No monologue is necessary.  Familiarity with the characters and story is helpful.  The play is public domain, so full copies are available to read online.  All auditioners will be given the opportunity to read from desired roles.  After an initial round of readings, some auditioners may be called back or asked to stay for additional readings.  Auditioners are encouraged to try British (RP) accents, though this is not a necessity as dialects will be taught.  Please bring a headshot and resume if available, as well as a list of conflicts.  The staff will do its best to accommodate cast conflicts presented at the auditions.  All roles are available.  

PLAY SYNOPSIS:

The subtitle for The Importance of Being Earnest is “a trivial comedy for serious people.”  The play is a comical farce in which the protagonists maintain double lives to escape burdensome social obligations. 

Whenever Jack Worthing slips away to London from his Hertfordshire estate he says he is going to see his (fictitious) wayward brother Ernest.  Once there he keeps his privacy by calling himself Ernest which is fortunate as his beloved Gwendolen declares she could only love an Ernest.  Her cousin Algy is one person who knows Jack’s secret and one day he travels to Jack’s estate, announcing himself to Jack’s attractive ward Cecily as bad brother Ernest.  Cecily is much taken with him and with his name, so on Jack’s return home and Gwendolen’s unexpected arrival it becomes clear there are both too many and too few Ernests earnestly courting.   

CHARACTERS:

Jack Worthing (male) – a young gentleman from the country; in love with Gwendolen Fairfax.  He is seemingly a responsible, respectable man who is very dashing and self-assured (as well as living a double life).

Algernon Moncrieff (male) – a young gentleman from London, the nephew of Lady Bracknell; in love with Cecily Cardew. He is a charming and idle bachelor who enjoys a good time and loves leisure.

Gwendolen Fairfax (female) – a young lady in London society, loved by Jack Worthing. She is sophisticated, intellectual, cosmopolitan, and utterly pretentious.

Lady Bracknell (male or female) – a society lady and Gwendolen’s mother. She is snobbish, mercenary, domineering, cunning, narrow-minded and authoritarian.

Cecily Cardew (female) – a young lady, the ward of Jack Worthing.  She is young, impulsive, and vibrant.

Miss Prism (female) – Cecily’s governess.  She is rigid in her beliefs though seemingly has a soft side.

The Reverend Canon Chasuble (male) - the vicar of Jack’s parish.  He entertains secret romantic feelings for Miss Prism.  

Lane (male) – Algernon’s butler.

Merriman (male) – Jack’s butler/servant at the Manor House.  

* Lane and Merriman may be played by the same actor as Lane is only in Act I and Merriman is in Acts II and III.

If you have any additional questions regarding auditions, please contact director Eric Shovah at bialystockandbloom at nycap.rr.com or (518) 526-1300.  Thank you and we hope to see you at auditions!  

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