Wheaton Drama Inc. invites you to audition for Moon Over Buffalo by Ken Ludwig. In the madcap comedy tradition of Lend Me A Tenor, Ken Ludwig’s Moon Over Buffalo centers on George and Charlotte Hay—fading stars of the 1950s. At the moment, they’re playing Private Lives and Cyrano De Bergerac in rep in Buffalo, New York with five actors. Down on their luck doesn’t begin to describe it. But the great movie director Frank Capra is coming to town to see their matinee. If he likes what he sees, he might cast them in his movie remake of The Scarlet Pimpernel. Naked ambition takes over as George and Charlotte do everything in their power to make Capra love them.
Audition Dates
- Sunday, July 28, 2024 at 5:30 p.m.
- Callbacks, as needed, Monday, July 29, 2024 at 7:00 p.m.
Location
Playhouse 111
111 N Hale St, Wheaton, IL
Key Dates
- Cast Read Through: Saturday, August 3 at 12:00 p.m. at the theater
- Rehearsals: Sunday–Thursday evenings (not everyone will be called for each rehearsal until we get closer to opening; please come to auditions with all conflicts)
- Tech Week: September 15–19, 2024
- Show Run: September 20 – October 6, 2024 (evening performances on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.; matinees on Sundays at 2:00 p.m.)
Auditions
Auditions will consist of readings from the script. Sides for each character are listed below with character descriptions. Audition forms can be found here. Please complete the audition forms and email them to [email protected]. Please include a headshot. Casting will depend heavily on actors’ comedic timing, delivery, and chemistry among fellow cast members.
Callbacks will be conducted as needed and by invitation only. All roles are available for consideration, and all actors are strongly encouraged to apply. Age ranges are for the characters, not necessarily the actors.
Characters
- George Hay (50s-60s), a traveling actor
- sides: 1-all cast, 2-Charlotte & George, 3-Char Roz Paul Geo, 4-Geo Roz Char Paul Ethel, 5-George & Charlotte, 6-George & Eileen
- Charlotte Hay (50s-60s), George’s wife and actress in his company
- sides: 1-all cast, 2-Charlotte & George, 3-Charlotte & Howard, 4-Charlotte & Richard, 5-Char Ethel Howard, 6-Char Roz Paul Geo, 7-Geo Roz Char Paul Ethel, 8-George & Charlotte
- Rosalind (“Roz”) (30s-40s), George & Charlotte’s daughter who left the stage to lead a “normal life”
- sides: 1-all cast, 2-Roz & Ethel, 3-Roz & Howard, 4-Roz & Paul, 5-Char Roz Paul Geo, 6-Geo Roz Char Paul Ethel
- Paul (30s-40s), stage manager for George’s company and Rosalind’s ex-fiancé
- sides: 1-all cast, 2-Roz & Paul, 3-Char Roz Paul Geo, 4-Geo Roz Char Paul Ethel
- Howard (30s-40s), a TV weatherman and Rosalind’s fiancé
- sides: 1-all cast, 2-Charlotte & Howard, 3-Roz & Howard, 4-Char Ethel Howard
- Ethel (70s-80s), Charlotte’s nearly-deaf mother
- sides: 1-all cast, 2-Roz & Ethel, 3-Char Ethel Howard, 4-Geo Roz Char Paul Ethel
- Richard (50s-60s), a love-sick lawyer who is courting Charlotte
- sides: 1-all cast, 2-Charlotte & Richard
- Eileen (20s-40s), an actress in George’s company who was George’s one-night stand
- sides: 1-all cast, 2-George & Eileen
Moon Over Buffalo Creative Team
- Rebecca Poole, Production Manager
- Kevin Taylor, Director
- Susan Carr, Assistant Director
- Karin Kramer, Assistant Director/Stage Manager
- Jim Van De Velde, Lights
- Lisa Crank, Sound Design
- Don Dumper, Set Construction
- Don Dumper, Scenic Design
- Katy Smith, Set Decorator
- Claire Yearman, Fight/Intimacy Choreographer
- Ken Beach, Photographer
- Rebecca Poole, House
- Eileen Gilligan and Rebecca Poole, Tickets
- Kathy Heinze, Program
