AUDITION At FTC!

CHARACTERS:

Helsa Wenzel – Helsa is the maid of the Grossenknueten estate. She is killed in the first scene of the play, or so we think. This actress plays a total of four characters.

(Female, 20s and up)

*German Accent

Elsa Von Grossenknueten – Elsa is the eccentric owner of the mansion and is the financial backer of many musicals. Elsa summons the group together in an attempt to find out who murdered her “friend” Bebe McAllister. She is extremely eccentric, often seeming naïve and flighty. She thinks that the idea of chasing after a killer is great fun. Her grandfather was a spy, and she claims that espionage runs in her blood.

(Female, 40s and up)

Michael Kelly – Kelly is an undercover cop. Elsa appeals to him to help solve the mystery of the Stage Door Slasher, and Kelly at first pretends to be her butler. Kelly’s tough, no-nonsense attitude puts him at odds with Elsa and the dramatic types that visit.

(Male, 30s and up)

Patrick O’Reilly – An Irish tenor—or is he? He begins acting as the stereotypical Irishman—loving the spotlight, drink, and his homeland. His interactions with the others are fraught with suspicion, especially when it comes to Helsa. The two engage in a physical brawl.

(Male, 30s and up)

*Multiple Accents- Irish, Bronx, German

Ken De La Maize – Ken is a “typical” director, speaking of theater as a “pure art.” He also has an annoying habit of name-dropping, constantly citing the various celebrities he has worked with over the years. Everyone always claims to have seen the films he makes, only for him to reveal that they have not yet been released. He is pompous and self-absorbed.

(Male, 40s and up)

Nikki Crandall – Nikki is considered a typical chorus girl-but she tougher than she seems. She is also interested in solving the mystery of the Stage Door Slasher, and helps to break the code in Bebe’s notebook. She may or may not have a thing for Eddie.

(Female, 20s- 30s)

Eddie McCuen – Directly based on Bob Hope, Eddie is the out-of-work comedian that ties the different story lines together, and goes from being cowardly at the beginning of the play to heroic at the end. He is attracted to Nikki, but fumbles when he tries to talk to her.

(Male, 20s-30s)

Marjorie Baverstock – Marjorie is a Broadway producer. She constantly flatters everyone around her, and speaks in elevated language; her “new word” is “divoon.” She is larger than life, seems silly at times, but her whole life is dedicated to a passion for the arts.

(Female, 40s and up)

Roger Hopewell – Roger is the composer for “White House Merry-Go-Round”, and Bernice’s partner; the two have had a string of Broadway hits. Roger enjoys teasing Ken about his artistic ways, and makes snide remarks throughout the play, but flares up whenever someone insults his musical style. He also knows how to deal with Bernice’s many quirks.

(Male, 30s and up)

Bernice Roth – The perpetually thirsty lyricist, she is Roger’s partner. Bernice is very odd and emotional, frequently losing her composure and screaming. She spends the entire second act attempting to “fix” the play, even when she is held hostage. She’s hyper, emotional, easily upset, and wildly creative.

(Female, 30s and up)