THE WESTERN RESERVE PLAYHOUSE IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE AUDITIONS FOR…
The Miser
Adapted by Daniel Hunsicker
Full-Length Play, Comedy
The Miser centers around the age-old conflict of love and money. The miser of the title is the elderly Harpagon, who is a wealthy man but worries that he never has enough money. His obsession with money spells disaster for all those around him, including his two children, Elise and Cléante. Elise is passionately in love with the penniless Valère, but her father has arranged for her to marry a wealthy old man, Anselme. Meanwhile Cléante loves the girl next door, the young, impoverished Marianne. In a further twist, Harpagon has set his sights on marrying Marianne himself! With the help of some wily servants, Elise and Cléante plot against their frugal father.
Directed by: Daniel Hunsicker
Audition Dates:
Sunday March 24th, 2024 - 2pm-4pm
Monday March 25th, 2024 - 7pm-9pm
Callbacks:
Only as needed.
Audition Location:
The Western Reserve Playhouse
3326 Everett Road
Bath, Ohio 44286
Performances:
05/31/24 -06/15/24 (Fridays and Saturdays @ 8pm, Sunday 06/9/24 @ 2pm)
Rehearsals:
Pending cast availability rehearsals will be Sundays from 2:00-5:00 and Monday to Thursdays from 7:00-10 pm. Starting the week of April 22nd, 2024. Please note tech week will be May 26th, 2024 with Monday May 27th off for Memorial Day.
What to prepare:
You will be asked to cold read from the script
Please bring all conflicts for the rehearsal and performance process.
How to sign up:
You may sign up here (https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C4BA5AB2FABF8C52-48322325-auditions) for an audition slot. Please bring a headshot and resume if you have one. We also are asking for all conflicts at this time.
If you are unavailable for any of these time slots, but would still like to audition, contact the Director, Daniel Hunsicker @ dhuns1515@gmail.com to set up an alternative audition time.
No equity contracts available at this time. All positions are volunteer.
Roles are open to all races, ethnicities, gender/gender identities, ages, and abilities, unless directly specified by the playwright as integral to their storytelling. None of these parts are precast.
Roles Available:
Harpagon - The tyrannical father of Cléante and Élise Harpagon is a miser whose love for his cash box exceeds that for his children. He builds his wealth by lending at a usurious rate while pinching every penny at home, refusing to replace the worn-out clothes of the servants he abuses. He is the suitor of the young Mariane, whom Cléante also wishes to marry
Cleante - Harpagon's profligate son, Cléante is also in love with Mariane. Intending to run away with her, he attempts to procure an illegal loan to provide Mariane and her ill mother with money, only to discover the lender is his own father. There is mutual resentment between the two over not only money but over love when Harpagon tricks his son into revealing his love for Mariane.
Elise - The daughter of Harpagon, Élise owes her life to Valère, who saved her from drowning just before the beginning of the play. She opposes her father's plans to wed her to the elderly Anselme, who has agreed to take her without a dowry.
Valere - Valère has saved Élise from drowning and has come into the employ of Harpagon with intentions to win her. Harpagon mistrusts him and suspects him of wanting to rob him.
Marianne - The young woman whom Harpagon intends to wed is also the woman his son Cléante intends to run away with.
Frosine - Frosine is an elderly woman who acts as a go-between to ensure the marriage of Harpagon and Mariane; she convinces Harpagon that Mariane's frugality will outweigh her lack of dowry, and that Mariane loves bespectacled old men.
Master Jaques - Master Jacques is cook and coachman to Harpagon.
La Fleche - A servant in Harpagon's household, La Flèche helps Cléante arrange a clandestine loan through Master Simon.[8] In a dramatic turn he digs up and steals Harpagon's cash box.
Anselme - An older gentleman and suitor to Élise, Anselme is a wandering Napolitan noble who believes his wife and children drowned sixteen years earlier. Role may be doubled with others.
Brindavoine - Lackey to Harpagon. Role may be doubled with others.
La Merluche - Lackey to Harpagon. Role may be doubled with others.
Clerk - The recorder for the magistrate. Role may be doubled with others.
Master Simon - A dishonest broker that tries to arrange a usurious loan between Cléante and his father. Role may be doubled with others.
Magistrate - Comes to investigate the theft of Harpagons cash box. Role may be doubled with others.