Auditions

Directed by Jason Darlington Cast: 5 Females 4 Males Genre: Comedy/Farce Period: 1920s Setting: The hall of the Bliss’ home at Cookham in June Season: 22nd June (preview 21 June) - 27th July. [17 Performances] Synopsis: Hoping for a quiet weekend in the country with some guests, David Bliss, a novelist and his wife Judith, a retired actress, find that an impossible dream when their high-spirited children Simon and Sorel appear with guests of their own. A house full of drama waits to be ignited as misunderstandings and tempers flare. With Judith's new flame and David's newest literary "inspiration" keeping company as the children follow suit, the Bliss family lives up to its name as the "quiet weekend" comes to and exhausting and hilarious finale. First Round Audition Dates: Tuesday 23rd April – 6.30pm – 9.30pm Marrickville rehearsal space, Cadogan Street. Thursday 25th April – 4.00pm – 9.00pm On Stage, 420 Kent Street, Sydney. Friday 26th April – 5.00pm – 8.00pm On Stage, 420 Kent Street, Sydney. Sunday 28th April 10am – 12pm Marrickville rehearsal space, Cadogan Street. Recall Dates: [If needed] Sunday 28th April 12.30pm – 4.30pm Marrickville rehearsal space, Cadogan Street. Monday 29th April 6.30pm – 9.30pm Marrickville rehearsal space, Cadogan Street. Audition requirements: Actors will read scenes from the script (given in the audition pack) for each character. Familiarised reading from the script is acceptable, no need to learn. English accents preferred. Book a 15 minute audition slot by sending a headshot, one page bio and preferred day/time and part/s you’d like to be considered for to hayfever@genesiantheatre.com.au In return, an audition pack will be emailed to you. Location will be confirmed when booking your audition. Note for Actors: English accents preferred. There are moments of intimacy within the script which will be rehearsed, and as such, some actors will need to be comfortable kissing, hugging, embracing and flirting within the play. There is also a choreographed slap, and robust physical movement. Theatrical cigarettes will be used. Please note the Genesian Theatre is an amateur company, and therefore this is an unpaid production - however we pride ourselves on being a great community to be part of and a supportive training ground for Sydney talent. CHARACTERS: (Ages are suggestions only) JUDITH BLISS (F 50 – 60) David Bliss’s wife and Sorel and Simon’s mother. She is a recently retired actress which correlates with her personality of everything is a performance to Judith, a way to make herself and higher status known to those around her. She is not afraid to take up space. Judith is a singing role. DAVID BLISS (M 50 – 60) Judith Bliss’s husband, and father to Sorel and Simon. He is an egomaniac but loveable, he is a novelist of some acclaim. He feels as if he understands style and feels it. SOREL BLISS (F 20 – 30) Daughter of Judith and David, she has a strong sense of independence, speaks her mind, is afraid of becoming her mother. SIMON BLISS (M 20 – 30) Son of Judith and David, Simon puts his talent into caricatures, creating cartoons of other people. He competes with Sorel for his mother’s attention. Self-indulgent. MYRA ARUNDEL (F 25 – 40) Myra is the ideal of a 1920’s woman, she is put together at all times as well as sassy. She stands clear on who she is. Myra was invited by Simon. RICHARD GREATHAM (M 25 – 40) Richard is a diplomat in the group. He has a tall presence yet stands kind of grey. Inside, he is a passionate and warm character, but that is rarely shown. He was invited by Sorel. JACKIE CORYTON (F 20 - 30) Jackie is a ‘perfectly sweet flapper’. She is not the brightest, maybe a little over her head. She is invited by David. SANDY TYRELL (M 25 - 35) Sandy is animated, loving, a man who hardly has enemies. He is an athlete-jock character, a ‘boxer in his prime’. He is invited by Judith. CLARA (F 40+) Clara is the housekeeper, and she is not a good one. Being very loud, she makes her, sometimes dirty, presence known. Judith’s former dresser.

Auditions - Saturday April 13th and Sunday 14th (callbacks) A music-obsessed recluse, allergic to sunlight and excitement, finds solace in a forgotten vinyl: "The Drowsy Chaperone," a 1928 musical brimming with madcap energy. The record player crackles to life, transforming his apartment into a vibrant stage. Enter a lovesick oil tycoon chasing a showgirl named Janet, torn between marrying him and the allure of "Feldzieg's Follies." Chaos erupts as gangsters disguised as pastry chefs (don't ask!) try to sabotage the wedding, while a bumbling Latin lover attempts (and fails) to steal Janet's heart. Our narrator, a walking encyclopedia of musical trivia (with a dash of questionable opinions), hilariously guides us through the mayhem. As mistaken identities multiply and dream sequences melt into reality, we catch glimpses of the narrator's own life, reminding us that even the most isolated can find connection and joy in the wackiest of places. The music fades, leaving the record player silent, but the memory of "The Drowsy Chaperone" – with its gangsters, showgirls, and a tipsy chaperone with a penchant for stealing the spotlight – remains, a testament to the transformative power of theatre.