FLI Announces Auditions for THE MUSICAL COMEDY MURDERS OF 1940

Sunday, August 17^th 6:00pm-9:00pm
Monday, August 18^th 6:00pm-9:00pm

Auditions held at Footlighters, Inc. (Stained Glass Theatre): 802 York Street, Newport, KY

Director: Amanda Emmons

Rehearsals begin middle of October.
Show runs January 9^th-24^th

• Resumes and headshots requested but not required.
• Those wishing to audition should schedule an audition slot on SignUp Genius by following this link http://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050d44a5ab23a64-auditions.  Those without an appointment are encouraged to still audition and will be seen in the first available time slot.  Please arrive early to your audition time to complete your audition form and conflict sheet.
• Those auditioning should be prepared to read from the script.  You can preview audition sides by following this link http://www.avhstheatre.org/Forms/Audition%20Sides%20Musical%20Comedy%203514%20Murders
• The show has characters with different dialects, so the director may ask people to demonstrate their dialect capability.
• While NOT a musical, this show has some characters who are very theatrical and sing randomly in the show, so you will be asked to sing a few bars of a favorite song (unaccompanied)
• The director may ask you to participate in short improvisation exercises.
• The director is looking for individuals who are not afraid to have a great time on stage.  Those auditioning are encouraged to show big personalities and not be afraid to come out of their shell.

Questions?? Contact Amanda at Amanda.y.emmons@gmail.com!

Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 Character Break Down:

• Helsa Wenzel: Helsa is the German maid of the Grossenknueten estate. She is killed in the first scene of the play, only to be impersonated by her twin brother, Dieter. The actress who plays Helsa also appears at the end of the play as “Katrina, the cook from Koblenz.”
• Elsa Von Grossenknueten: Elsa is the owner of the mansion and is the financial backer of many musicals. Elsa summons the group together in an attempt to find out who murdered her “friend” Bebe McAllister. She is extremely eccentric, and her grandfather was a spy. She claims that espionage runs in her blood.
• Michael Kelly:  Kelly is an undercover cop. Elsa appeals to him to help solve the mystery of the Stage Door Slasher. Kelly’s tough, no-nonsense attitude puts him at odds with the zany Elsa and the dramatic types that visit.  Ideally reads with Irish accent.
• Patrick O’Reilly:  O’Reilly claims to be an Irish tenor (fake Irish accent helpful). Eventually, O’Reilly claims to be “Tony Garibaldi”, an undercover cop with a bronx accent-only to reveal himself as a Gestapo Agent named Klaus Stansdorff, sent to find German defectors.  German accent helpful.
• Ken De La Maize:  Ken is a “typical” director, speaking of theater as a “pure art.” He also has an annoying habit of name-dropping, constantly citing the various celebrities he has worked with over the years. Everyone always claims to have seen the films he makes, only for him to reveal that they have not yet been released.
• Nikki Crandall: Nikki is considered a typical chorus girl-but she is eventually revealed to be Ensign Nicole Crandall, of US Navel Intelligence. Her secret mission was to find the Germans who were to sabotage American war efforts. She is also interested in solving the mystery of the Stage Door Slasher.
• Eddie McCuen: Directly based on Bob Hope, Eddie is the out of work comedian. He has an obvious attraction to Nikki the whole play. He’s afraid of everything and uses humor to mask his true cowardly nature.
• Marjorie Baverstock: Marjorie is a Broadway producer. Think New York upper class broadway groupie. She constantly flatters everyone around her, and speaks in elevated language; her “new word” is “divoon.”
• Roger Hopewell:  Roger is the composer and Bernice’s writing partner; the two have had a string of Broadway hits. The American Fop, Roger enjoys teasing Ken about his artistic ways, but flares up whenever someone insults his musical style. He also knows how to deal with Bernice’s many quirks.
• Bernice Roth: All the time is Martini time for Bernice.  She is Roger’s writing partner. Bernice is very odd and emotional, frequently losing her composure and screaming. Think hippy mets gypsy mets drunk uncle (aunt).