Author Archives: robbucher

Auditions for OF MICE AND MEN
Directed by Jim Curtis
Produced by Amanda Emmons-Shumate, Katie McCarthy & Janet Wisner

• Sunday, August 4 – 1-4pm
• Monday, August 5 – 7-9pm

CALLBACKS: Wednesday, August 7 – 7:00 – 9:30 p.m. (if necessary)

REHEARSALS: Begin in November
SHOWDATES: February 13-29, 2020

Audition signup link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0448AEAE2BABFC1-auditions5

ADDITIONAL INFO: Contact Jim Curtis at jjt9461@yahoo.com. Please address the subject line with Of Mice and Men Auditions.

Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script. Scripts are available through Dramatists Play Service, Inc.

SYNOPSIS:
Two drifters, George and his friend Lennie, with delusions of living off the “fat of the land,” have just arrived at a ranch to work for enough money to buy their own place. Lennie is a man-child, a little boy in the body of a dangerously powerful man. It’s Lennie’s obsessions with things soft and cuddly, that have made George cautious about with whom the gentle giant, with his brute strength, associates. His promise to allow Lennie to “tend to the rabbits” on their future land keeps Lennie calm, amidst distractions, as the overgrown child needs constant reassurance. But when a ranch boss’ promiscuous wife is found dead in the barn with a broken neck, it’s obvious that Lennie, albeit accidentally, killed her. George, now worried about his own safety, knows exactly where Lennie has gone to hide, and he meets him there. Realizing they can’t run away anymore; George is faced with a moral question: how he should deal with Lennie before the ranchers find him and take matters into their own hands.

GEORGE – A migrant worker who protects and cares for Lennie. George dreams of someday owning his own land, but he realizes the difficulty of making this dream come true. Lennie’s friend, George gives the big man advice and tries to watch out for him, ultimately taking responsibility for not only his life but also his death.

LENNIE- A migrant worker who is mentally handicapped, large, and very strong. He depends on his friend George to give him advice and protect him in situations he does not understand. His enormous strength and his pleasure in petting soft animals are a dangerous combination. He shares the dream of owning a farm with George, but he does not understand the implications of that dream.

CANDY – Sometimes called “the swamper,” he is a old handyman who lost his hand in a ranch accident and is kept on the payroll. Afraid that he will eventually be fired when he can no longer do his chores, he convinces George to let him join their dream of a farm because he can bring the necessary money to the scheme. He owns an old sheep dog that will become a symbol of Lennie before the play ends.

THE BOSS – The stocky, well-dressed man in charge of the ranch, and Curley’s father. He is never named and seems to be a fair-minded man. Candy happily reports that the boss once delivered a gallon of whiskey to the ranch-hands on Christmas Day.

CURLEY – The son of the ranch owner, Curley is a mean little guy who picks fights with bigger guys like Lennie. He is recently married and extremely jealous of any man who looks at or talks with his wife. Lennie crushes his hand, earning Curley’s future enmity.

CURLEY’S WIFE – Please
Note this role has been precast.

SLIM – A highly skilled mule driver and the acknowledged “prince” of the ranch, Slim is the only character who seems to be at peace with himself. The other characters often look to Slim for advice

CARLSON – The insensitive ranch hand who shoots Candy’s dog. He owns a Luger, which George later uses to mercifully kill Lennie.

CROOKS – The African American stable worker who cares for the horses. A symbol of racial injustice, Crooks is isolated from the other hands because of his skin color. He also convinces Lennie to let him join their dream of land, but he must give up that dream.

WHIT – A ranch hand.