[Capdist-auditions] CORRECTION to Previous MADWOMAN OF CHAILLOT Audition Notice

[John William Hickman]

  *OPEN AUDITIONS at SCHENECTADY CIVIC PLAYERS *

*                Tues and Thurs, June 5th & 7th* *for . .** .*

*THE MADWOMAN OF CHAILLOT*

*by Jean Giraudoux, adapted by Maurice Valency*

*Directed by Chris Howard*


*At Schenectady Civic Playhouse 12 South Church Street, Schenectady NY
12305*

* @ 7:30PM, Sign-ups beginning 7:00PM*

*TUESDAY, JUNE 5 & THURSDAY JUNE 7*



*(Performance dates: October 12 through 21, 2018)*



*(Exact rehearsal dates determined at auditions) *



*The story takes place in Paris*, "a little before noon in the Spring of
next year". Act 1 is set in a sidewalk café where the waitress, assorted
customers, a ragman, a street musician, a juggler, a deaf child and
peddlers mingle with a Corporation President, a Baron, a prospector and a
broker. The business people are intent on bombing the office of the City
Planner and drilling for oil throughout Paris.  Act 2 takes place in the
ancient cellar of Countess Aurelia-the Madwoman. She gathers her friends
together for tea and a mock trial to save Paris from destruction. Her first
step is to ask the sewer man for the secret of the moving stone..

*Director’s Note*: Giraudoux’s themes- Love conquers all. Money isn’t
everything. Stand up to bullies. Art and beauty forever!- are crystal
clear. An open stage, minimal props, costumes from at least 5 different
eras, pantomime, whimsical lighting and music will be used to capture the
imagination of the audience. We’ll play with movement, color and visual
effects. The goal is to create a world where fantasy and reality blend
beautifully. The underdog will triumph with grace and wit. We need to keep
it simple. Our quest is to comfort our ‘tribe’ in these troubled times just
as Giraudoux did for theater lovers right after World War II.

​CAST will be racially and ethnically diverse-5 women, 1 little girl or
boy, and 8 men.

​*SINGLE ROLES FOR WOMEN:*

*Irma*, the waitress will absorb the roles of the Waiter and the Doorman.
Age range is 20-mid 30s. Friend to Countess Aurelia. Attractive.
Trustworthy. Falls in love with Pierre.

*​Countess Aurelia- The Madwoman of Chaillot*. Age 50-70. The Countess is
eccentric NOT crazy. She is confident-not haughty. “Being alive and
savouring the beauty of each moment is all the wealth she wants.” Quote
from the Stratford Festival program.

*Deaf child, previously ‘Deaf-Mute’*  Age 6-8. This child will communicate
only with sign language. Gypsy children have always been a part of Paris
street life. We have chosen to give them, and all children, a ‘voice’ in
this production. \

*SINGLE ROLES FOR MEN:*

*​The President*, Age 40-70. Crooked, greedy, wealthy, powerful,
untrusting, self-centered, bigoted.

*The Ragpicker*, Age 40-70. Observant, kind, eloquent, well-read.

*The Broker*, Age 30-40. Wall-street, financial wizard. Overly confident.
Minimal social skills. Smartly dressed. Constantly looking at his
cell-phone.

*The Prospector*, Age 40-70. Weathered, meticulous, cuts to the chase.
Engineer, explorer and entrepreneur. Connoisseur of ‘mineral water’ as it
were!

*Pierre*, Age 20-30. He has been hired to plant a bomb. Instead, he
attempts to commit suicide by jumping into the Seine. This character must
enter the fantasy world of Countess Aurelia and stay connected to real
life. Attractive. Gentlemanly. He falls in love with Irma.

*MULTIPLE ROLES FOR WOMEN:*

*Therese the Blonde, Countess Gabrielle, 1st Lady*, Age 30-50. Therese is a
café customer. Countess Gabrielle is a mature woman pretending to be sweet
and innocent. She must use pantomime during the tea party scene. 1st Lady
is a self-absorbed trend-setter-or as we say nowadays- an influencer.

*Flower-seller, Dr. Jadin, Countess Constance, 2nd Lady*, Age 50-70. The
Flower-Seller peddles on the sidewalk and to café customers, Dr. Jadin is a
café customer who believes she is a physician. Her ‘office’ is the table in
back corner.  Countess Constance has an imaginary dog-Dickie. She uses
pantomime as she interacts with the dog and at the tea party. 2nd Lady is a
self-absorbed trend setter.

*Shoelace-seller, Countess Josephine, 3rd Lady*, Age 50-70. The Shoelace
Peddler sells to passersby and café customers, Countess Josephine plays the
part of The Judge in a mock trial after the tea party, 3rd Lady, is a
self-absorbed trend-setter.

*MULTIPLE ROLES FOR MEN:*

*​Baron, Sewer-man 2nd President, Press Agent #1, Adolphe Bertaut (bearTOE)
#1*: Age 50-70. The Baron  has squandered the family fortune. Thanks to his
title and some influence, he is a willing pawn in the President’s latest
get-rich scheme. 2nd President is one of The President’s cronies. Press
Agent #1- member of ‘the media’. Adolphe Bertaut #1 is Countess Aurelia’s
would-be fiancé from her youth. He represents well-meaning, baffled suitors
past and present.

*Juggler, Singer, 3rd President, Press Agent # 2, Adolphe Bertaut #2* Age
20 and up. Ideally, we’d like to cast someone able to juggle three
flashlights or bowling pins. The Street Singer role can be a musician
strolling with a violin, concertina or guitar…or NO instrument if need be. *If
we cast a woman as a juggler and singer, she will be a female President and
Press Agent and cross dress for Adolphe Bertaut*. *PLEASE REFER TO THE
DESCRIPTIONS ABOVE OF THE PRESIDENTS, PRESS AGENTS AND ADOLPHE BERTAUTS*.

*​Little Man/Investor, Policeman, Press Agent #3, Adolphe Bertaut #3* Age
30 and up. The Little Man/Investor is a café customer who overhears the
conversation with the Broker, gets excited about making a killing in the
stock market and hands over his life savings. The Policeman goes back and
forth between professional and clueless. Nice guy.

PLEASE *REFER TO THE DESCRIPTIONS ABOVE OF THE PRESIDENTS, PRESS AGENTS AND
ADOLPHE BERTAUTS*
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