Yearly Archives: 2017

The Beechmont Players and director Laura Berkemeier are happy to announce auditions for SUITE SURRENDER.

Synopsis: It’s 1942 and two feuding Hollywood divas have descended upon the luxurious Palm Beach Royale Hotel. Everything seems to be in order for their performances at a wartime benefit … that is, until they are somehow booked into the same hotel suite. Close encounters, mistaken identities, overblown egos, double entendres and a lap dog named Mr. Boodles round out this hilarious riot of a love note to the classic farces of the 30s and 40s.

Auditions will be held on Sunday, October 1st and Monday, October 2nd from 7pm-10pm at Cherry Grove United Methodist Church, 1428 8 Mile Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45255.  If needed, Call Backs will be on October 4th from 7pm-10pm.

Complete the audition form prior to September 25th:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd-5f-TU_rJeid5HA3W69t5KLRf4uZjksVokTu8H4ZlBpqAjA/viewform?usp=sf_link or https://goo.gl/forms/FUeXvdu7qbc36Vka2

Rehearsals will be determined based on actor availability but will most likely be held 3 evenings per week excluding weekends.

Show dates are February 16, 17, 23 and 24 at 8:00 PM and Sunday, February 18 and 24 at 3:00 PM, 2018.

Headshots and resumes are helpful, but not required.

A Note on Actor Ages: Many of the role ages are dependent on the character’s opposite on stage, for example, Murphy and Francis need to be of believably similar ages so that the audience believes they were once in a relationship.  As a director, I hesitate to limit character age ranges because it really all depends on who I see and who fits together on stage.  Please do not let ages, or any other qualifier such as gender, race, etc. prevent you from auditioning for any role.

FEMALE ROLES

• Claudia McFadden – must be similar age to Athena – larger than life, America’s Beloved Matron of Song, moves into every room like an elegantly dressed tornado.
• Athena Sinclair – must be similar age to Claudia – a great star of stage and screen, beautiful, stylish, and every inch the diva, former screen siren.

NOTE: Women auditioning for the roles of Claudia McFadden or Athena Sinclair should also prepare 16 to 32 bars of a “Torch Song”. Please bring a CD for accompaniment.

• Murphy Stevens – must be similar age to Francis – personal secretary of Athena and former fiancée of Francis, once wanted to be a big star but settled for being secretary to a big star.
• Dora Del Rio – any age – a gossip columnist, can smell a juicy story and will try just about anything to get it, must be good at physical comedy.
• Mrs. Everett P. Osgood – stage age 40+ – a society matron and President of the Palm Beach Ladies for Unity, a bit daft, sees the War Effort as equivalent to one of her cotillions.

MALE ROLES

• Bernard S. Dunlap – stage age 50’s – 60’s – the General Manager of the Palm Beach Royale Hotel & Spa, wants everything at his hotel to run smoothly and doesn’t handle it well when it doesn’t.
• Mr. Pippet – any age – personal secretary of Claudia, pretty much resigned to the fact that his lot in life is to be yelled at, a tiny man compared to his employer.
• Francis – must be similar age to Murphy – a bellhop and former fiancé of Murphy, quit show business to join the army, now hiding out in Palm Beach after they wouldn’t take him.
• Otis – stage age 25 – 35 – another bellhop, tends to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, must have excellent physical agility and comedic timing.

For more information, please contact director Laura Berkemeier at Laura.Berkemeier@gmail.com.