Reckless Auditions
Grads’ open auditions for Autumn show
The Edinburgh Graduate Theatre Company has put out an open audition call for its December 2017 production of Reckless by Craig Lucas, which will be playing the Assembly Roxy for four nights.
Auditions for this amateur production will be held Sunday 23 and Sunday 30 July, 2017, in the Grads offices at 18 Buccleuch Place, starting at 12 noon on both days.
A somewhat alternative Christmas tale, this is dark comedy – to the point of being pitch black. The production is being directed by David Grimes and will use North American accents.
The New York Times described the show as: “… a bittersweet Christmas fable for our time. It’s a Wonderful Life as it might be reimagined for a bruising contemporary America in which homelessness may be a pervasive spiritual condition rather than a sociological crisis.”
At home on Christmas Eve, Rachel is informed by her guilty husband that it isn’t Santa Clause she hears breaking in, but a hitman he’s hired to kill her – and she must flee for her life.
And run she does, plunging herself into a labyrinth of murder, embezzlement, faked disabilities, game shows and a never-ending stream of psychiatrists.
Reckless was first staged in 1983 and Lucas wrote the screenplay for the 1995 film adaptation, directed by Norman Rene, starring Mia Farrow and Scott Glenn.
Character Listing:
David Grimes will use a cast of 15 – eight female and seven male performers – with some doubling.
Grimes says that the ages listed are only the lower limits of playing ages. Given that many of these characters are related, ages will be decided by the overall make up of the cast. The play, written for doubling, has quite a bit of flexibility when it comes to casting, both in terms of ages as well as genders.
Female:
Rachel: (30+) Winsome, optimistic, unflappable, loves Christmas. A survivor.
Pooty: (30+) Lloyd’s wife(ish). Desperately in love, a bit ruthless in a kind way, on edge through constant vigilance. Wheelchair bound and pretending to be deaf and dumb.
Trish: (40+) efficient, duplicitous, suspicious. Definitely up to no good with a secret or two to hide.
First Doctor / Third Doctor / Fifth Doctor: (Any age) Rachel’s doctors. Looking for three different takes on a psychiatrist.
Second Doctor / Fourth Doctor / Sixth Doctor / Woman Patient: (Any age) Rachel’s doctors. Looking for three different takes on a psychiatrist.
Game Show Announcer / Derelict 2: (Any age) Game show announcer, is over the top and gregarious. Think Rod Roddy from the US Price is Right (1986-2003). In theory, the same person fallen on incredibly hard times.
Sue / Receptionist: Think self help guru, motivational speaker. Susan Powter-esque.
News Announcer 3: (Any age). Typical morning Announcer. Think big smiles and nothing gets her down, even the depressing news.
Male:
Tom: (35+) Rachel’s husband. Typical WASP. Claims to love his wife, but does he really?
Lloyd: (30+) Married(ish) to Pooty. Saviour complex. Running from his past. Self destructive if his vigilance slips.
Roy: (40+) Typical corporate director. He’s pompous without realizing it.
Tim Timko / Derelict 1: (40+) Dale Winton on crack but a bit snarkier. In theory, the derelict is the same person fallen on incredibly hard times.
Talk Show Host / News Announcer 2: (Any age). Think more Oprah Winfrey and less Jerry Springer.
Man in Ski Mask / Tom Junior: (20+) Rachel and Tom’s son (now grown and in college). A nice kid but a bit lost. The disappearance of his mother has left him more vulnerable than he realizes.
News Announcer 1 / Radio Announcer: (Any age) Typical news anchor. Think big smiles and nothing gets him down, even the depressing news.
The following will all make up the “elf chorus” responsible for moving a lot of the action forward, as well as some of the physical theatre pieces that will be part of the show: Game Show Announcer, Sue, News Announcer 3, Roy, Talk Show Host, Tom Junior, News Announcer 1, and Tim Timko.
Listing & Links:
Reckless Auditions
18 Buccleuch Place, 1st floor in the Graduate Association offices, EH8 9LN.
Sunday, 23 and Sunday 30 July 2017
12 noon – 5pm, both days.
For a copy of the script or audition sides contact the director, David Grimes, at davidegrimes@hotmail.com.
Event facebook page: www.facebook.com.
Reckless
Assembly Roxy, 2 Roxburgh Place, EH 9SU.
Wednesday 6 – Saturday 9 December 2017
Daily at 7.30 pm.
Details: http://www.egtg.co.uk/productions/reckless
Edinburgh Graduate Theatre Company (The Grads)
Website: http://www.egtg.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/edingrads/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheGrads
To see the text and acting script from Amazon, click through the images below.
ENDS
