Auditions!
Auditions for The Heiress
Auditions for The Heiress will take place on November 7 and 8, 2021 at 6 p.m.
Set in New York City in the 1850s, The Heiress follows Catherine, a plain-looking but exceedingly wealthy woman who lives with her father, Dr. Austin Sloper, in Washington Square. Despite having a staff of maids and chefs and the best clothing money can buy, Catherine is awkward, shy and “unmarriageable.” When she falls in love with Morris Townsend, a charming but penniless suitor, Dr. Sloper is immediately suspicious the man is after Catherine’s inheritance. In an attempt to end the relationship, Dr. Sloper vows he will write Catherine out of her will if she marries Morris. When Dr. Sloper becomes ill, Catherine is forced to make the painfully difficult choice between her father and the man she hopes to marry.
Show dates are March 4, 5, 11, 12, and 13, 2022
- Catherine Sloper (28-40) a gawky, socially inadequate woman of intelligence and warmth but huge insecurity
- Morris Townsend (30-40) a penniless, charming and romantic gentleman, who has lived abroad and whose motives are in question throughout the play
- Dr. Austin Sloper (60-70) Catherine’s father, a successful but emotionally cold doctor who has never truly embraced his daughter for who she is. He lives with the memory of her beautiful dead mother as a comparison.
- Lavinia Penniman (50-70) Austin’s sister and Catherine’s aunt Lavinia is a foolish, but sweet woman torn between her devotion to her brother and her romantic idealism.
- Maria—(20-50) the Sloper housekeeper
- Mrs. Montgomery—(30-50) Morris’ sister, a poor widow with children, who defends her brother and his intentions to Dr. Sloper.
- Marian Almond—(20-30) Catherine’s cousin, pretty and vivacious
- Elizabeth Almond—(50-60) Marian’s mother and Dr. Sloper’s sister, a handsome wealthy woman of New York society.
- Arthur Townsend—(20-30) Marian’s fiancée and Morris’ cousin; a young man of wealth and status.
Directed by Jena Lane Blair
Auditons for You Can't Take it With You
Auditions for You Can't Take it With You will take place January 24, and 25 at 7 pm
If you are unable to make those audition dates and would still like to audition please contact director JR Wells at president@midohiovalleyplayers.org
The family of Martin Vanderhof lives “just around the corner from Columbia University — but don’t go looking for it.” Grandpa, as Martin is more commonly known, is the paterfamilias of a large and extended family of charming eccentrics. His granddaughter, Alice, is an attractive and loving girl who is still embarrassed by her family’s idiosyncrasies. When Alice falls for her boss, Tony, a handsome scion of Wall Street, she fears that their two families – so unlike in manner, politics and finances – will never come together. But why be obsessed by money? After all, you can’t take it with you...
Show dates are April 22, 23, 29, 30, and May 1
Directed by JR Wells
Penelope Sycamore: The daughter of Martin Vanderhof, mother of Essie and Alice, and wife of Paul, Penelope is the fluttery, gentle lady of the house. She decided to become a playwright when a typewriter was delivered to their house by mistake. Since that time this accidental playwright has spent much of her time writing works with titles such as Poison Gas.
Essie: The daughter of Penelope and Paul, granddaughter of Martin Vanderhof, and wife of Ed, Essie is a pixie in toeshoes. At the age of twenty-nine, she wants to be a dancer in the worst way--and, according to any unbiased observer, that is exactly what she is. The eternal student, she takes lessons from Boris Kolenkhov and is constantly dancing across the living room.
Rheba: The maid in the Vanderhof household, she probably understands this unusual family better than anyone.
Paul Sycamore: The husband of Penelope and father of Essie, Paul Sycamore is in his mid-fifties, but with a kind of youthful air. His quiet charm and mild manner are distinctly engaging. However, under that unassuming exterior lies a man who lives for his fireworks--the ones he manufactures in the cellar.
Mr. De Pinna: Years ago Mr. De Pinna was delivering ice to the Vanderhof home--and just decided to stay. Now the mad genius of pyrotechnics helps out Paul in the cellar.
Ed: The husband of Essie, Ed is a nondescript young man in his mid-thirties. However, he has two passions: the printing press and the xylophone.
Donald: Rheba’s boyfriend, Donald spends a lot of comfortable time at the Vanderhof home.
Martin Vanderhof: The patriarchal head of the family, Grandpa Martin Vanderhof is about seventy-five, a man whom the years have treated kindly. He is a man who made his peace with the world long, long ago, and his whole attitude and manner are quietly persuasive of this. He does, however, have a long-standing “disagreement” with the Internal Revenue Service.
Alice: The daughter of Penelope and Paul and sister of Essie, Alice is a lovely, fresh young girl of about twenty-two. Because she is a secretary in a Wall Street office, she is in daily contact with the world and seems to have escaped the tinge of mild insanity that pervades the rest of the family; however, her familial devotion and love are readily apparent. In the course of the play she is engaged to marry Tony Kirby, her boss’s son.
Tony Kirby: The boyfriend and later fiancé of Alice, Tony Kirby is a personable young man not long out of Yale and Cambridge. Although he fits all the physical requirements of a boss’s son, his face (and his spirit) has something of the idealist in it, invoking in him a certain fondness for the Vanderhofs’ quirkiness.
Boris Kolenkhov: Essie’s dance teacher, Boris Kolenkhov is a hearty, explosive, Russian ballet-master.
Auditons for Robin Hood
Auditions for Robin Hood by Larry Blamire are March 6, 8, and 9, 2022 at 7 p.m.
Robin Hood is a hysterical, sprawling, action-packed drama that challenges and reinvents the myth and ably retells the tale. This includes a wise-cracking, superior swordsperson in Marian and a Robin who only by chance finds himself a hero. But true to the legend, of course, all ends well: The Sheriff’s sleazy scheme to wed and bed young Ellen fizzles, King John’s vicious taxes are rescinded, the Sherwood Foresters are finally legitimized, and justice descends on England’s green and pleasant land.
Show dates are June 17, 18, 24, 25, and 26, 2022
Directed by Amber Smrek
Male Characters:
*Stage Combat roles
Robin Hood* – the main character; a dashing woodsman
with a witty and sarcastic sense of humor. An outgoing and
natural leader.
Will Scarlet* – a handsome and roguish woodsman and
good friend to Robin. He likes his drink a little too much, but
is a skilled fighter and loyal friend.
Sheriff of Nottingham* – the principal assistant to the King
and the overseer of Nottingham, the Sheriff is an angry,
scheming, somewhat wicked man who looks out for himself
more than anything
Bishop of Hereford – a man of the cloth in name only, he is
a self-indulgent, self-important, easily frightened man who
often talks to hear the sound of his own voice. He has a very
carefree attitude – until he’s captured, anyway.
King John* – the imperious, harsh, aristocratic King of the
land. He is obsessed with solidifying his rule by any means
necessary.
Little John* – a towering man of few words, he joins Robin
Hood’s cause out of duty. He is not the brightest but is
among the fiercest when pushed to it.
Much – a miller, he is very often intoxicated but always has
a strong air of panache to everything he does
Arthur-a-Bland* – the pessimistic local tanner
Alan-a-Dale* – a young minstrel, he consistently fills the
forest with music and seriously enjoys providing it. He is
engaged to Ellen Deirwold
Eadom – a workmanlike and focused man, he runs the Blue
Boar Inn with his wife Catherine.
Friar Tuck* – a friar known for his girth and somewhat
touchy nature, he also has a nice sense of humor and a
passion for food.
Guy of Gisbourne* – a very odd and eclectic assassin
Female Characters:
Marian Harper* – chief lady-in-waiting to the Queen, she is
also a skilled hunter and fighter. She is confident, fiery, and
practical. She is a “damsel” that needs no help to get out of
distress.
Hilton* – the Sheriff’s primary aid, she is a woman of few
words but goes to the extreme to flatter those in charge in
order to get ahead
Meg Scathelocke* – a rough, cockney-speaking inhabitant of
Sherwood
Ellen Deirwold – a young dancer and member of the
Sherwood forest group. She is spirited and strong. She is
engaged to the musician and fellow artist Allan-a-Dale.
Catherine – a confident, outgoing woman, she runs the Blue
Boar Inn with her husband Eadom
Queen Eleanor – she is royal in the best sense of the word.
She is high class, but kind, understanding, progressive, and
cares for others. In short, she is the opposite of her son, King
John.
Prioress of Kirklees – as a result of being responsible for her
community, she is a pragmatic and clearminded woman who
does what is necessary. She is cousin to Robin Hood.