AUDITIONS – ‘Bloody Murder’


Come Play with Us!

Audition Notice:

The Catskill Community Players will be holding open auditions for the play

BLOODY MURDER
A Mystery Comedy
Written by Ed Sala
Directed by Nancy Bondurant-Couch

We will again be welcoming all aspects of production staff: Costumer, Set Design, Artistic Design, House Manager, Stage Manager, Lighting, Sound Design & Operators, Ushers, Box Office, Program, Poster, Publicity, etc. Contact Producer Diana Friedell if you are interested in helping with any aspect of design or production staff.

Audition Location, Dates and Times

The Lotus Center, 41-45 Dietz Street, Oneonta
Saturday, Feb. 3 at 4:00
Sunday, Feb. 4 at 4:00
Monday, Feb. 5 at 6:00

  • Please bring a print out of your schedule/conflicts/commitments
  • You will be asked to read pages from the script in front of the director and other auditionees.
  • If you are unable to attend the auditions, please contact the director by Sunday February 4th
  • or call 607-433-0575 and leave a message

Performance Dates & Location
The Wieting Theatre, Worcester, NY
Friday, April 13
Saturday, April 14
Sunday, April 15

Synopsis
Bloody Murder is a parody on the British murder mystery genre.  Six guests (3 men and 3 women) have been invited to a soirée at the isolated country estate of the elderly Lady Somerset. When one of the guests is murdered before revealing a dark secret, Lady Somerset refuses to let her party be interrupted — even by the police! When the murderer strikes again, however, the remaining guests must work together to revenge themselves on someone who controls their lives — and deaths.

Diabolically different and laugh-out-loud funny, every twist and turn of this extraordinary new play will leave you on the edge of your seat… or falling off it with laughter!

The comedy features all of the stock characters that you’d expect in an Agatha Christie whodunit.

Depending on cast size, the actors may play dual roles, with each character’s doppelganger conveniently disappearing (or dying) when a new character emerges.

The script allows for flexible casting, and so could be cast with 6 or 8 actors — evenly divided between male and female casting.

Contact Nancy Bondurant-Couch if you would like to read a script ahead of time.

CAST OF CHARACTERS
(They all are stereotypes and are meant to be so.)

  1. LADY SOMERSET – In her 70s. A woman of great wealth and social standing.
  2. JANE – In her 60s.Lady Somerset’s maid and head of staff.
  3. EMMA RESSE – LATE 20s.The far-too-innocent ingénue.
  4. The COUNTESS – Late 30s, quite strikingly well preserved.The mystery woman.
  5. The MAJOR – Late 60s.Served with the military in India and constantly reminds everyone of it.
  6. DEVON TREMAINE – Late 40s to early 50s.Formerly great tragic actor, now declining because of his fondness for single-malt Scotch.
  7. CHARLES – Late 30s to early 40s.Her Ladyship’s worthless nephew.
  8. CHIEF INSPECTOR PHELPS – 40s to 50s.The dimwitted policeman.
  9. MOTORIST – Middle-aged woman – cameo – quickly snuffed in Act Two
  10. NUN – cameo – end of Act Two
  11. MR. WOO – very stereo-typed – cameo – quickly snuffed in Act One
  12. EL GATO – French Accent – cameo – quickly snuffed in Act Two
  13. PRIEST – cameo – end of Act Two in the 8 cast version (written in but not certain he is needed in the 12 cast version)