The Auburn Players are pleased to announce auditions for the comic murder mystery The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 by John Bishop. Directed by Bob Frame this 10 character romp is a sure crowd pleaser! Performances are April 17-19.
Auditions will be held at Cayuga Community College’s Bisgrove Theatre Monday and Tuesday, February 23 and 24 from 7-9 PM.
Those planning on auditioning are asked to prepare a one to two minute comic monolog. Those auditioning for singing roles please also prepare 16 measures of a Broadway style uptempo song. You will sing without accompaniment.
THE STORY: The creative team responsible for a recent Broadway flop (in which three chorus girls were murdered by the mysterious “Stage Door Slasher”) assemble for a backer’s audition of their new show at the Westchester estate of a wealthy “angel.” The house is replete with sliding panels, secret passageways and a German maid who is apparently four different people—all of which figure diabolically in the comic mayhem which follows when the infamous “Slasher” makes his reappearance and strikes again—and again. As the composer, lyricist, actors and director prepare their performance, and a blizzard cuts off any possible retreat, bodies start to drop in plain sight, knives spring out of nowhere, masked figures drag their victims behind swiveling bookcases, and accusing fingers point in all directions. However, and with no thanks to the bumbling police inspector who snowshoes in to investigate, the mystery is solved in the nick of time and the “Slasher” unmasked—but not before the audience has been treated to a sidesplitting good time and a generous serving of the author’s biting, satiric and refreshingly irreverent wit.
Characters (in parenthesis is the age range the character should appear.)
Helsa Wenzel (20’s to mid 30’s) Helsa is the maid of the Grossenknueten estate. She is killed in the first scene of the play, only to be impersonated by her twin brother, Dieter. Must be strong in physical skills.
Elsa Von Grossenknueten (late 40’s+) Elsa is the owner of the mansion and is the financial backer of many musicals. She is extremely eccentric, and thinks that the idea of chasing after a killer is great fun.
Nikki Crandall (20’s) Nikki is considered a typical chorus girl-but she is eventually revealed to be Ensign Nicole Crandall, of United States Naval Intelligence. Must sing and move well.
Marjorie Baverstock (50’s+) Marjorie is a Broadway producer. She constantly flatters everyone around her, and speaks in elevated language; her “new word” is “divoon.”
Bernice Roth (30’s to 50) The perpetually thirsty lyricist, she is Roger’s partner. Bernice is very odd and emotional, frequently losing her composure and screaming.
Michael Kelly (30’s to 40’s) Kelly is an undercover cop. Kelly’s tough, no-nonsense attitude puts him at odds with the zany Elsa and the dramatic types that visit.
Patrick O’Reilly (40’s) O’Reilly claims to be an Irish tenor, but he is very suspicious, He has a physical brawl with Helsa. Must sing and be able to do broad Irish, Bronx and German dialects!
Ken De La Maize (40’s+) Ken is a “typical” director, speaking of theater as a “pure art.” He has an annoying habit of name-dropping, constantly citing the various celebrities he has worked with over the years. Eccentric, affected.
Eddie McCuen (20’s-30’s) Eddie is the out of work comedian that ties the different story lines together. He is attracted to Nikki, but fumbles when he tries to talk to her but still wins her in the end. Must sing and move well.
Roger Hopewell (30’s- 50) Roger is the composer for “White House Merry-Go-Round”, and Bernice’s partner; the two have had a string of Broadway hits. Roger enjoys teasing Ken about his artistic ways, but flares up whenever someone insults his musical style. Eccentric.
Click this link to read through the entire script.
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