Open Auditions in Louisville, Kentucky for “DEATH BY CHOCOLATE”

Open auditions for “DEATH BY CHOCOLATE” BY Paul Freed

Location: Louisville, Kentucky

Type: Theater

Announcing Open Auditions for DEATH BY CHOCOLATE

Clarksville Little Theatre will conduct open auditions for the upcoming production of “Death by Chocolate” Sunday and Monday, November 13 & 14, beginning at 7 PM both evenings at the theater located at 301 E. Montgomery Ave., Clarksville, IN 47127. The show is under the direction of John Hardaway.

Auditions will be by cold reading from the script. No special preparations are necessary. Auditioners should bring their personal calendars with them. A headshot & resume are not necessary but would be nice, if available. Audition forms should be downloaded from https://www.dropbox.com/s/hdujm5gtltqq5z3/Death by Chocolate (CLT) audition form.pdf?dl=0
and filled out before arriving.

Rehearsals for this show will be on a rather compressed timetable in order to allow the cast 4 days off for the Thanksgiving holiday and 10 days off for Christmas and New Years. Very little allowance can be given for missed rehearsals caused by conflicts.

PLAY SYNOPSIS: Members of the newly renovated Meadowbrook Health Resort are dropping like flies – including famed chef Edith Chiles! On the eve of the grand re-opening, this is not the best advertisement and so it’s up to John Stone, the manager, to find the cause and the murderer.
Delightfully sarcastic and cynical, Stone finds himself teaming up with Ed Parlor, mystery writer and amateur sleuth, in a wacky race against time. The clues point to a sinister box of chocolates, and the suspects include all the outlandish characters working for the resort.

CHARACTER BREAKDOWN (6 Men / 6 Women) ***Indicates role can possibly be played in Drag:

***LADY RIVERDALE ~ Age 30 to 65+ – owner of Lady Riverdale Chocolates, Inc. and the new owner of the Meadowbrook Health Resort. She is the pompous, high society type except when occasionally required to use a “viscious street shrewdness” to survive. (This character is very similar to Dixie Carter aka Julia Sugar Baker from Designing Women.)

DYSLEXIA ~ Age 21 to 99 – Lady Riverdale’s assistant and long-suffering secretary. (This part is the epitome of Carol Burnett’s classic character, Mrs. Wiggins.)

JOHN STONE ~ Age 30 to 60 – the new manager of the Meadowbrook Health Resort (and how he got there, no one knows). He is quick-witted and finds almost everything absurd (a basicly cynical sort of person).

RALPH DEADWOOD ~ Age 40 to 65+ – the Gym Manager and all-around cad. Knowing all about Lady Riverdale’s past, he has used that knowledge to get whatever he can from her. (Used Car Salesman Type)

MARGARET DANIELS ~ Age 25 to 65+- an attractive woman who is trying to write a feature story on the resort for a leading gossip magazine. (Over Eager News Paper reporter type.)

ALFRED MELLOX ~ Age 35 to 70 – he is in charge of the janitorial staff and maintenance for the resort (a position given to him only because he was the trusted companion of the late Henry Meadowbrook). He is very stiff, rigid, and typical “butler-type” with a clipped British accent.

***EDITH CHILES ~ Age open – the Head Chef. She is a rather large, buxom sort of woman with a jovial personality and New England Matronly manners (whatever that means). (Can be played as chef Julia Child with her speech patterns.)

***”SWEET PEA” MEADOWBROOK ~ Age 21 to 35 – daughter of the late Henry Meadowbrook. Extremely overweight, she seems to be trying to eat herself to death because of the trauma of losing her father. Her mouth is always full of food and no one can understand her without the help of Alfred Mellow. (Very few lines and, possibly, in a fat suit)

DICK SIMMERING ~ Age Open – the Aerobics Instructor. Always garbed in a jogging outfit, he is a bright, hyperactive, effeminate person. (Think Richard Simmons on crack.)

ANNE ~ Age Open – the resort nurse who tends to panic at the slightest injury. (Must be able to faint on stage and fall to the floor.)

ED PARLOR ~ Age Open- guest of Lady Riverdale’s, he is a writer with a cheery disposition and enjoys the opportunity to try and solve the mysterious deaths by chocolate. (Private eye type character.)

HENRY MEADOWBROOK ~ Age Open – the founder of the Meadowbrook Health Resort. (Since he dies in the opening moments of the play this actor can be double cast or Asst. Stage Manager/Running crew.)

Production dates are January 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, & 22, 2017.

For additional information, contact the director at jmhardaway@hotmail.com.

November 13 & 14, 2016 at 7 PM

Clarksville Little Theatre
301 E. Montgomery Ave.
Clarksville, IN 47129

Payment: Non Paid

City or Location of call: Louisville, Kentucky
Please submit to: Open call, see above

This casting notice was posted by: John M. Hardaway, Diirector