Auditions for Shadowlands
Wheaton Drama is pleased to announce auditions for Shadowlands by William Nicholson (known for screenplays: Les Misérables, Gladiator, and Unbroken). Shadowlands is the unlikely true-life love story between noted British Christian author C.S. (Jack) Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia) and American writer Joy Gresham, who happens to be both Jewish and divorced. Before Joy and her son unexpectedly drop into Jack’s life, he led a comfortable bachelor existence, teaching, writing, and lecturing at Oxford. Once Joy appears, things dramatically change. He is forced to approach everything, including his personal faith in God, from his heart, not his mind. Shadowlands will be directed by Stan Austin, assistant directed by Kim Lambert-Haak, and produced by Julie Kanturek.
Shadowlands will be performed March 17, 2023 – April 2, 2023. Show times are Thursdays-Saturdays at 7:30 pm, Sundays at 2:00 pm.
Auditions will be held on Sunday, January 22 and Monday, January 23 from 6:30 to 9:30 pm at the theatre, 111 N Hale Street, Wheaton. If needed, callbacks will be conducted on Tuesday, January 24 by invitation only. Auditions are by appointment at 10-minute intervals, but walk-ins will be heard if time permits.
To reserve an audition time, please go to this Sign-Up Genius link. Audition times between 6:30 and 6:50 each evening are reserved for children auditioning for the role of Douglas. Audition forms can be found here. You can download a copy to edit. Please send completed forms to [email protected], or bring the completed form with you to your audition, including any/all prospective conflict dates. First auditions will consist of any dramatic monologue of the auditioner’s choosing, approximately two minutes in length, in the style of the show, and preferably with an RP British accent. British accents will be used in the show for all characters except Joy and Douglas.
All roles are available.
C S (Jack) Lewis – age mid-50’s, British professor at Oxford University, and noted author of, among others, The Chronicles of Narnia. He is a confirmed bachelor, with a big and brash personality, who loves to debate all topics including his personal faith in God.
Major W H (Warnie) Lewis – Jack’s older brother and housemate, who is also a confirmed bachelor who has shared Jack’s life and the family house for years. He is quiet, unassuming, but always there for Jack.
Professor Christopher Riley – a colleague of Jack’s at Oxford and a devout atheist. He is diffident, arrogant, and more than a bit sarcastic. He enjoys verbal jousts with Jack about any and all issues including Jack’s writings and Christianity.
Reverend “Harry” Harrington – Anglican priest at Oxford who is part of Jack’s inner circle, and with whom Jack exchanges ideas about his faith.
Joy Gresham, née Davidman – age late 30’s, American divorcée, who was raised in a Jewish home and became a Christian through reading Jack’s writings. She has exchanged letters with Jack, and when troubles happen at home, she arrives in London and seeks a meeting with Jack. Brash for her times and smart enough to go toe to toe with Jack in a debate on any topic.
Douglas Gresham – 8-year-old son of Joy, who accompanies her on her trip to England.
Other roles will be combined as follows:
Male presenting- Alan Gregg/Doctor
Male presenting- Dr. Maurice Oakley/waiter in tea room/priest
Male presenting- Registrar’s clerk/waiter in hotel
Female presenting- Registrar/nurse
During your audition prep, the director encourages all potential auditioners to consider as many roles as possible.
Rehearsals will begin with a first read-through on January 29, and thereafter will be Monday through Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 9:30, and Sunday afternoons from 3-6. Not all actors will be required to be at all rehearsals until run-throughs commence.
