REHARSAL FOR MURDER
Adapted for the stage by D.D. Brooke
From the television play by: Richard Levinson & William Link
Directed by: Joel Brown
Produced by: Lyric Theatre at the SORG
Production Stage Manager: Angie Markham
Auditions:
Sorg Opera House
Auditions by Sign-up Genius appointment
- Sunday, June 1, 2025 – Two Sessions
12pm – 2:15pm or 5pm – 7:15pm - Monday, June 2, 2025
6:30pm – 8:15pm
Cold Readings from the script
First Rehearsal: Monday, August 11 – Rehearsals will be 3 – 4 days a week
Conflict Free: September 7 – September 20
Production Information
Performances held at The SORG Opera House
Friday, September 19 @ 8pm & Saturday, September 20 @ 3pm & 8pm
This production is being produced as a fundraiser for & by The SORG Revitalization Group & Middletown Lyric Theatre for on-going Lobby Renovations and creation of Dressing areas.
Synopsis
The play is set in an empty Broadway theater, giving the audience a “fly-on-the-wall” experience, as the action of the play unfolds all around them, in real time. We first meet Alex Dennison, a Broadway playwright. Through flashbacks, we learn that exactly one year ago, his comedy Chamber Music opened in this very theater, starring his fiancé Monica Wells in her first Broadway show. Later that same night, after a cast party at her apartment, she tragically died in what was ruled a suicide.
Now Alex had invited back to this same theater several people involved in Chamber Music, including the cast, director and producer. He tells them they are reading scenes for a new play he is writing, but these become flashbacks to events surrounding the previous production, all of which serve to set up possible motives for each of the participants to have murdered Monica. With mysterious men in the shadows, re-enactments using Monica’s furniture set up on the stage, concealed identities and masterful manipulation, Alex sets out to prove that Monica was murdered, and to unmask her murderer.
Character Descriptions
- Alex Dennison. Male. Lead. An experienced and successful Broadway playwright, Alex is handsome, debonair, witty, intelligent, and willing to do just about anything to trap the killer of his beloved fiancé. Alex is the lead of the play and keeps the pacing of the entire story. The success of this show depends on his ability to control the action, as he controls the other characters through persuasion, manipulation and even threats. Must be able to express the full range of emotions as well: being in love, grief, vengeance, desperation, etc.
- Monica Welles. Female. A successful leading lady in Hollywood, Alex’s Dennison’s fiancé, and (as is gradually revealed in the play), our murder victim. Cast as the lead for her first time on stage in Dennison’s comedy Chamber Music, she mysteriously died after the opening night performance. Although Monica died a year before the events portrayed in this play, she is “brought to life” through flashbacks to help Alex trap her killer. These scenes do not show Monica in a consistent light, so the actor portraying her must be able to express the full range of emotions: being in love, fear, desperation, disdain, naivete, etc.
- Lloyd Andrews. Male. The play’s director for Alex’s show Chamber Music who has some experience with directing on Broadway. Lloyd pushes back at many of Alex’s theories, though mostly from a position of friendship. But when it comes right down to it, he’s able to confront Alex with cold hard truths.
- Bella Lamb. Female. The play’s producer for the show Chamber Music. Bella is bright, extremely wealthy, glamorous, and sophisticated. She is extremely confident, and can be sarcastic and cynical about show business, but without being nasty to the people she works with. She is experienced in the business side of theater, and aware of the profits and risks in financing any show.
- Karen Daniels. Female. Merely an up-and-coming Broadway actress when we see her in flashbacks, Karen is now a sought-after star. She was Monica’s understudy a year ago in Chamber Music, but she has since worked her way to the top. Karen is beautiful and no longer the innocent ingenue she was. She is meek and mild in early flashbacks, but in the past year she has grown to be ambitious and conniving. She is also Leo’s ex, and not above making cutting remarks at his expense.
- David Mathews. Male. A popular, successful and handsome Broadway actor, David is also very smug and full of himself, believing that every woman worships him. He approaches each show with the belief that he’ll have to dust off his fireplace mantle for another Tony. A year ago, he played the lead in Chamber Music, opposite Monica.
- Leo Gibbs. Male. A supporting Broadway actor. He, too, was in Chamber Music. Leo is a tad awkward, and obnoxious, especially around Karen, his ex, but he is a team player and doesn’t let his supporting role get in his way. When things get tense, he sometimes gets visibly anxious.
- Sally Bean. Female. Alex’s new assistant/secretary from Maine. She is young, energetic, bright but naive. She is very excited to help Alex with his new play. This is her first trip to New York, with a wide-eyed enthusiasm for the Big Apple.
- Frank Heller. Male. A mysterious observer in Act One to everything occurring on-stage during the present and flashbacks, Frank intervenes in Act Two. At first, he is identified as Lieutenant McElroy, the detective who closed Monica Welles’ case; later it is revealed that he is a jack-of-all-trades: actor, (often out of work), bartender, cab driver, etc. He is the typical struggling New York actor.
The Following Roles will be doubled:
- Ernie. Male. Any age. The gruff, no-nonsense backstage theatre manager who reveres Alex: he was also stage manager a year ago during Chamber Music and was genuinely fond of Monica.
Doubles as: - Santoro. Male. Any age. The delivery man who brings in furniture from Monica’s study, which Alex has kept in storage since her death, and which is set up exactly as it was on the day of her death for the perfect re-enactment. He is a true New York working man, all business and not impressed by Broadway big shots.
- Policeman. Male. Any age. One of NY’s finest, he assists in the investigation of Monica’s death during the flashback to the night she died. He is sympathetic to Alex as he is questioned about the night’s events.
Doubles as: - Mac. Male. Any age. An unseen observer to everything that is happening on-stage during the present and “flashbacks.” He is a cop who was involved in the investigation into Monica’s death a year earlier. During the last portions of Act Two, he joins in the action.
- Loretta. Female. Any age. The play’s stage manager for Chamber Music (and the last time Monica was on stage). She is very efficient and determined.
Doubles as: - Policewoman. Female. Any age. One of NY’s finest, she assists in the investigation of Monica’s death during the flashback to the night she died. She is sympathetic with Alex as he is questioned about the night’s events.
Behind the Curtain Cincinnati 