If Interested: Email Patrick@blankcanvastheatre.com to sign up for one of the below dates and include your ideal date and time for auditioning. Otherwise we will just assign you the best available slot. We will do our best to accommodate you.
Audition Date: Tuesday August 23rd and Wednesday August 24th
Time: 7:00pm-10:00pm (Time slots will be assigned every 5 minutes)
What to prepare: Please prepare two contrasting 32 bars or short songs in a contemporary musical theatre style. Please bring sheet music in the correct key. An accompanist will be provided. Please bring a headshot and resume to auditions. Headshots and resumes are appreciated, but not required.
Performance Dates: October 21st - November 5th. Shows will be Thursday-Sunday. Thursday, Friday & Saturday at 8pm. Sunday performances will be at 7pm. (Show will open on a Friday night and close on a Saturday night)
Rehearsals: Begin September 18th, with potential music rehearsals the week prior. Rehearsals will be Sunday-Thursdays. Typically 7pm-10pm, though Sundays may be a longer day based on conflicts.
Pay: Blank Canvas Theatre dedicates 20% of the net profit to the cast of each show. The cast splits this evenly.
*At this time there are no AEA Contracts for this show. However we may explore the option if needed.
Location:
Blank Canvas Theatre
1305 78th Street, Suite 211 (at 78th Street Studios)
Cleveland, OH 44102
The Story
The Unauthorized Parody of The Silence of the Lambs!
In the Academy Award-winning film The Silence of the Lambs, rookie FBI agent Clarice Starling matches wits with the brilliant but insane cannibal, Dr. Hannibal Lecter, to catch the serial killer known only as Buffalo Bill. Clarice must face her own demons and race the clock to unlock Lecter’s clues before another innocent girl is killed and skinned by Bill. It’s a hair-raising thriller that’s kept countless millions on the edges of their seats and permeated the pop lexicon with delightfully creepy quotes like “I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti” and of course “It places the lotion in the basket.” And now, at last, this delicate symphony of suspense has been turned on its ear and retold in the only way it can be – as a musical. A singing chorus of floppy eared lambs narrates the action; Buffalo Bill gleefully dances a hoedown while kidnapping hapless Catherine Martin; and even Dr. Lecter, scary as ever, sings about the life he’d like to lead someday outside the prison walls.
*This show contains adult content.
Character Breakdown
* The age range for each character is flexible and all ethnicities will be considered. Due to subject matter, we will only consider actors 18 years of age and older.
Actors are not necessarily required to mimic the film directly, but they should strive to capture the nuanced essence of the original performances combined with a strong comedic take. Familiarize yourself with the movie. The cast recording is available on iTunes and Spotify.
Clarice Starling: (Female, 20's-40, Alto/Mezzo-Soprano) A student at the FBI Academy. She hopes to work at the Behavioral Science Unit, tracking down serial killers and ultimately apprehending them. Her mentor, Jack Crawford, sends her to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter. A mix of tough with a touch of unaware sexy. West Virginian accent with accentuated lisp.
Dr. Hannibal Lecter: (Male, 30's-50's, Tenor/Bari-tenor) A brilliant psychiatrist and cannibalistic serial killer who helps Clarice out in her investigation and eventually escapes prison in a bloody massacre. classy, sadistic, charming. Think Evil Gilbert & Sullivan.
Jame Gumb/Buffalo Bill: (Male, 20's-40's, Baritone) Serial killer and main antagonist of the plot. He murders overweight women so he can remove their skin and fashion a "woman suit" for himself; he believes himself to be transsexual but is too disturbed to qualify for sex reassignment surgery. Strong comedic actor who can do a Mid-Western accent.
Catherine/Senator Martin/Lamb: (Female,20's-40's, Soprano) Catherine is the “size 14” daughter of Senator Ruth Martin, kidnapped and imprisoned by "Buffalo Bill". Ruth Martin is National Senator and mother of Catherine, who pleads for Buffalo Bill to release her daughter on national television and arranges for Lecter to be transferred to a lighter security prison in Baltimore in exchange for information on the killer. Strong comedic actress. Larger physical build a plus, but not necessary.
Crawford/Papa Starling/Lamb: (Male, 30's-50's, Baritone/Bass) Crawford is the Agent-in-Charge of the Behavioral Science Unit of the FBI in Quantico, Virginia. Papa Starling is Clarice's deceased father, a Virginia Sheriff who was killed during a robbery. He appears in visions to encourage her in carrying out the investigation.
Dr. Frederick Chilton/Cop/Lamb: (Male, 30's-50's, Baritone) The pompous, incompetent director of the Chesapeake State Hospital for the Criminally Insane and later Baltimore Hospital for the Criminally Insane. There, he is the jailer of Hannibal Lecter.
Ardelia/Lamb: (African-American female, 20's-40's, Mezzo-Soprano/Alto) Roommate of Clarice Starling and also a student at the FBI Academy who helps her out in the investigation.
Sgt. Pembry/Lamb: (Male, 20's-40's, Tenor) Plays multiple roles.
Dream ballet Clarice/Lamb: Caucasian female, very strong dancer, to play multiple roles.
Dream ballet Lecter/Lamb: Caucasian male, very strong dancer, to play multiple roles.
Please note: the above combinations are those of the original production. We may choose to switch or divide some of these depending on auditions, etc.