Bowie Community Theatre announces auditions for “Frankenstein” adapted from novel by Mary Shelley and directed by Brian Douglas. Auditions will be held on Monday, November 6, and Tuesday, November 7, from 7:00pm – 9:30pm at the Bowie Playhouse, 16500 White Marsh Park Dr. in Bowie MD.
Actors will be grouped together and will read from sides. No monologue is required, but if you wish to do one, please keep it under two minutes. A headshot and resume are helpful but not required. Everyone’s photo will be taken at the audition. Please come prepared with a list of ALL possible conflicts between 11/13/2017 and 3/7/2018, including Christmas and other holidays. We must schedule rehearsals during a very busy time of year. Actors must be available for all performances. The play runs weekends from March 9 through March 25. Please contact the director at bdsomega@yahoo.com for further questions.
Synopsis
Set in nineteenth-century Switzerland, this classic tale of horror and suspense details the ill-fated experiments of young Dr. Frankenstein as he attempts to fathom the secrets of life and death. Purchasing cadavers from two unsavory grave robbers, he gives life to a creature both hideous and touching—and so physically powerful and mentally twisted that he soon brings death or destruction to all who stand in his way. Adhering more closely to the original novel than did the famous motion picture versions, the play blends moments of brooding terror and sudden shock with questions of morality and the dangers of unrestrained scientific inquiry.
NOTICE:
This production contains scenes which simulate intense violence and death, with victims that include women, a young boy, and a dog. Please give due consideration to this before agreeing to participate.
Character Descriptions (ages listed are guidelines only)
Alphonse Frankenstein: (40’s – 50’s) Patriarch of the Frankenstein Estate and Victor's father – Kind and nurturing, dignified and noble. He is just now beginning to lose his grip on the family legacy.
Victor Frankenstein: (20’s) A young scientist – Intense and driven, charismatic and charming. A romantic in the sense that he has an idealized view of reality. An emotionally and physically demanding role, Victor is in every scene in the play.
Metz & Schmidt: (30’s or more) Villagers, thieves and graverobbers – If there is any dark comedy to this piece, it is these two characters. Driven only by profit, they are the “wild cards” in the plot. A creepy Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Laurel & Hardy, or R2-D2 and C-3PO, they are Dracula’s Renfield in two separate bodies. Physically demanding roles. Stage combat experience is a plus.
Henry Clerval: (20’s) Best friend to Victor – The play’s “conscience” that reminds us that even the noblest of intentions can be swept away in the excitement of discovery. He dies in a spectacular electrocution.
Elizabeth Lavenza: (20’s) Ward to Alphonse and Victor's adopted "cousin" – She is in love with Victor and has been since childhood. Out of genuine concern, she covertly plots with Henry to learn Victor’s secrets. Strong-willed by 19th century standards, she has an unexpected and quite memorable confrontation with Victor’s creation.
William Frankenstein: (8-12) Victor's much younger brother – He is pure and simple innocence personified, which makes his fate all the more tragic. He sees Victor’s creation with the fearless naiveté of a child, neither frightened or distrusting.
Justine Moritz: (20’s – 50’s) A maidservant – Loyal and caring to all the Frankensteins, though she shows a particular fondness for William. Warm, loving, and sincere, she is swept up in events she could never have imagined.
Herr Mueller: (40’s – 50’s) The local Magistrate and longtime friend to Alphonse – With a no-nonsense attitude, his head is often on his work of catching and executing criminals. Lacking in the social graces, he has become accustomed and somewhat immune to the grisly aspects of his job. He is efficient to the point of seeming ruthless. Possibly has a slight Germanic accent.
Frau Mueller: (40’s – 50’s) The Magistrate's wife and friend to the Frankensteins – She is Herr Mueller’s better half, acting as a buffer between the Magistrate and his friends. A proper, moral, and principled lady, she knows her place in Society. She dotes on Elizabeth as if she were a daughter. Possibly has a slight Germanic accent.
De Lacey: (50’s and older) A blind hermit – A kind, lonely, and religious man shut away from an unsympathetic world. He embraces Victor’s creation as a kindred spirit, trying to care for and educate this peculiar new friend. Must be able to convincingly portray blindness.
The Creation: (30’s) Some call him “Creature” – A literal combination of brain, body, and heart, all he wishes is to find his place in the world. A tall and imposing presence. Very physically demanding role. Mime or dance experience is a plus. Stage combat experience is also a plus. Must wear extensive specialty make-up. Must appear shirtless in one scene. Actor will be instructed on the proper technique of a High Fall.
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