​​​

The Play That Goes Wrong

Auditions will consist of readings from the script and comedy improvisations. There are roles for 6 men and 2 women (ages 16 and up). Trinity Bird will direct. Allison Tappen will stage manage.

About the Play
Welcome to opening night of the Cornley University Drama Society’s newest production, "The Murder at Haversham Manor," where things are quickly going from bad to utterly disastrous. This 1920s whodunit has everything you never wanted in a show—an unconscious leading lady, a corpse that can’t play dead, and actors who trip over everything (including their lines). Nevertheless, the accident-prone thespians battle against all odds to make it through to their final curtain call, with hilarious consequences! Part Monty Python, part Sherlock Holmes, this Olivier Award–winning comedy is a global phenomenon that’s guaranteed to leave you aching with laughter!

Available Roles

• ANNIE is the company's stage manager. American accent. 
• TREVOR is the company's lighting and sound operator. American accent. 
• CHRIS is the head of the drama society, directed the play and plays Inspector Carter.
• JONATHAN plays Charles Haversham. 
• ROBERT plays Thomas Colleymoore. 
• DENNIS plays Perkins. 
• MAX plays Cecil Haversham and Arthur the Gardener
• SANDRA plays Florence Colleymoore. 

Sauk Shorts 2023

Auditions will consist of readings from the scripts. There are roles for 14 men, 14 women, one teen boy, one pre-teen boy, two teen girls, one pre-teen girl. There are three gender neutral roles. Anyone age 8 and up can audition. Trinity Bird is the production coordinator. Joella Hendrickson will stage manage.

A Tale of Two Oversharers

By Sarah Gray (of Jonesville), Directed by Sandi Miller

Lisa and Karen meet and bond outside a department store dressing room - much to the dismay of their teenage daughters!

• Karen - woman in her late 30s to early 40s
• Lisa - woman in her late 30s to early 40s
• Lindsey - high school age girl
• Emma - high school age girl

Angels and Pastrami

By Bruce Karp, Directed by Grace Balkan
Despite his mother's objection, a teenaged boy befriends a homeless man, who prefers living on the street to dangerous shelters. The man's only wish is to recreate the best meal he's ever had, a pastrami sandwich like the one he had at a New York deli, years earlier. An angel drops in from time to time to watch over the proceedings. It's a story about kindness, compassion, and the difficulties of rising up from homelessness.

• Homeless Man - middle-aged, scruffy
• Mother - well-dressed, age 35-40 years
  
• Child - gender neutral, well-dressed, teenager, middle school age
  
• Angel - dressed for business, but with wings (any age, gender neutral)
  

Hero Day

by Hugh MacKay, Directed by Sandi Miller
It's Hero Day at Medville Elementary school. Sean has come to school dressed as his hero, Dr. Martin Luther King. The costume is fine. The makeup is not. Sean's mother has been called to school to meet with the principal. Can her good intentions justify her poor judgement?

• Principal Baird, a white man - school principal
• ​Susan Sullivan, a white woman - mother of a student
  

Plain Salad 

by Josh Lightner (of Springport), Directed by Meghan Barnes
A dinner with friends takes a turn when Dan discovers that his friends had secret plans for the night, and they conflict with his own. 

• Dan - Man with a hopeless crush, not very self-aware, wearing a Pokémon shirt
• James - Dan's friend, in a relationship with Becky
  
• Becky - Dan and Lily's friend, has been talking up Dan to Lily in hopes of setting them up
  
• Lily - Becky's friend
  
• Allison - A waitress just trying to do her job
  

Press Pray

by Seth Freeman, Directed by Andy Anderson
It’s a dark and unsettled night.  When a desperate 21st Century soul seeks refuge in an ancient house of worship and seeks divine guidance, he receives a very 21st Century response.

• Martin, a desperate soul, any age
• Response, any age or gender
  

Put Asunder

by James McLindon, Directed by Angela Forant
A bride has a few loose ends to tie up before walking down the aisle: Is anyone ever sure about forever?

• Janet - a bride, mid 20s to 30s
• Haley - her maid-of-honor, around Janet's age
  
• Bob - a man around Janet's age
  
• Trey - a man around Janet's age
  
• Angela - another man around Janet's age
  
• Sydney - another man around Janet's age
  

Thanksgiving with the Exterminator

by Rosamaria Nagle, Directed by Tim Ambrose
Chuck, our hero exterminator, gets more than he bargained for when he shows up for a job on Thanksgiving Eve. In this existential comedy, Chuck's small task has big consequences. But, our hero is ready for the challenge. "I can crawl up into an ant's mind"! Nothing, bug massacres, infestations, and worse, stops Chuck from completing a job.

• Brad - 40s, husband, dim-witted and kind
• Magpie - 30s, wife, very antsy
  
• Chuck - 40-50, exterminator, thinks of himself as more of a terminator for bugs.
  

The Challenge

by Meaghan Bryant (of North Adams), Directed by Josh Lightner
All families face challenges. But the Matthews family is facing their biggest challenge yet. Will they rise to the occasion and succeed? Will they fail? Will they kill each other before they reach the finish line? Mom, Amy, is eager to find out.

• Amy Matthews - mom
• Bill Matthews - dad
  
• Tyler Matthews - teenage son
  
• Hailey Matthews - preteen daughter
  
• Shirley Matthews - grandmother
  

You Better Be Good (for goodness sake)

by Sarah Gray (of Jonesville), Directed by Christina Dube
A prosecutor and defense attorney battle it out on some important cases just before a big deadline. Will they help the benevolent judge make the right decisions in time?

• Holly - female prosecutor (late 30s to early 40s)
  
• Jangle - male defense attorney (late 20s to early 30s)
  
• Merry - female bailiff (20s and up)
  
• Santa - male (adult, any age)
  
• Sprinkles - male or female (teen)
  

Agatha Christie's

Murder on the Orient Express

Audition requirements will be announced at a later date. Bruce Crews will direct.

About the Play

​Just after midnight, a snowdrift stops the Orient Express in its tracks. The luxurious train is surprisingly full for the time of the year, but by the morning it is one passenger fewer. An American tycoon lies dead in his compartment, stabbed eight times, his door locked from the inside. Isolated and with a killer in their midst, the passengers rely on detective Hercule Poirot to identify the murderer – in case he or she decides to strike again.

Available Roles

• Hercule Poirot
  
• Monsieur Constantine Bouc
  
• Mary Debenham
  
• Hector MacQueen
  
• Michael the Conductor/Head Waiter
  
• Princess Natalya Dragomiroff
  
• Greta Ohlsson
  
• Countess Elena Andrenyi
  
• Mrs. Helen Hubbard
  
• Samuel Ratchett/Bruno Cassetti
  
• Colonel James Arbuthnot
  

Plays-in-Development 2023

Auditions will consist of cold readings from the scripts. This is a small commitment of time. No experience necessary. No memorization required. The four plays call for eight men, seven women, three teenage boys, five teenage girls and two young girls. Directors TBA.

The House

By Elisa Manzini (Los Angeles, CA)

Away from home because of work, Sabrina decides to visit the house where she was born. Jane, the young woman who now lives in the house, welcomes her warmly. They chat about relationships, family and blueberry pies. Jane confesses she feels lonely sometimes and can’t wait to have a baby. The following day Sabrina goes back to meet Jane’s husband, Jerry, and during their conversation she realizes she’s stuck in a weird time capsule in 1977, and Jane and Jerry are her parents. After trying to convince the couple about her identity, Sabrina begs them not to have kids, revealing that her mom suffered from severe postpartum depression and ended up killing herself and her father. Will Jane believe her though?

• Sabrina (female) - early 40s, troubled forensic psychiatrist who lost her mom and dad when she was only a few months old. 
• Jane (female) - early 20s. Insecure housewife who wants a baby.
• Jerry (male) - early 20s. Jane's husband. He works at his father's convenience store. He loves Jane but he's note ready to have a kid. 

The Lost Recording

By Jo Ann Simon (Danbury, CT) and Jennifer Yokell (Hillsdale, MI)

Jo Ann is a mother and a grandmother.  She was also a wife.  A surprising discovery is made when an old forgotten recording is found on a tape recorder.  Jo Ann is transported back in time to a single night through the recording of her and her husband from several years earlier.  On that night, Tom and Jo Ann are at a crossroads in their relationship.  With the backdrop of 40’s music the scenes play out. They  work through their differences until a hidden truth is revealed about Tom’s health which changes everything.  Their vow to love each other through sickness and health, till death do them part will be tested. The question is, whether her past can bring peace to her present. This play is based on a true story.

• Jo Ann/Grammy - late 50s, wife of Tom, Mother of Jen
• Tom/Tom Tom - early 50s, husband of Jo Ann
• Jen - Mid 30s, wife of Greg
• Greg - Mid 30s, husband of Jen
• Esther - Age 6, daughter of Greg and Jen
• Mimi - Age 100, grandmother of Tom 

The Lion in the Snow Globe

By Paul Lewis (Bainbridge Island, WA)

17-year-old Veronica is a great admirer of female superheroes. What she loves most about them is that they don’t start out wanting to be superheroes, but when there's a life in the balance, they’ll leap into the fray in order to set things right. Every Christmas season since she was very young, Veronica has visited the magnificent bronze lion standing watch in front of her great-uncle’s department store, sharing confidences as well as the scent of a marzipan cookie. Over time she becomes aware that this bronze statue is a sentient being. Late one Christmas Eve, threatened with exile from the town square he loves, Lion makes one final leap and transforms into a live African lion, prowling the city streets in search of the long-shuttered amusement park that was his first home. It’s up to Veronica to find him and keep him safe from police bullets long enough to restore him to his place on the town square.

• Young Veronica - a 7-year-old girl
  
• Veronica - a teenaged girl, 14-years-old early on, then 17. A passionate admirer of girl and woman superheroes. 
  
• Great-Uncle Hugo - Veronica's great uncle. 
  
  • ​Also plays Lion, a bronze statue who eventually speaks
    
  • Also plays Editor of the Dayville Daily Bugle
• Det. Delaney, with the Metropolitan Police. Fifteen years on the job when he first appears in Act One, on the eve of retirement in Act Two. Late 40s or older.
  • Also plays Workman 2
• Harriet - Veronica's mother, a single mom, 30s to 40s
• Alice - Veronica's childhood babysitter, then friend. A young journalist, 20s. 
  • Also plays Chester, a sock monkey
  • Officer Watson, Metropolitan Police
• Mr. Anastasia - a middle-aged accordion teacher. A widower.
  • Also plays Workman 1

With Regards to Marty McFly

By Linda Howard Cooke (Hastings, NE)

The plot is set in motion when Sophie turns her teachers into their 1980s teen-aged selves, using the time machine she invented for the science fair. By looking into the teachers’ pasts, Sophie and her classmates get a glimpse into their own futures, and they’re not sure they like what they see. 

• ​Becca Crooner - high school student and wannabe singer/actress
  
• Aaron Brooks - high school students and wannabe pro athlete
  
• Sophie Kostopoulos - high school science nerd
  
• Mrs. Abbott - 40s, soft touch English teacher, a little dowdy
  
• Mr. Bennet - 40s, tough guy science teacher
  
• Mr. Conners - 40s, drama and music teacher extraordinaire
  
• Barry - teenaged Mr. Conners, talented but shy student
  
• Rick - teenaged Mr. Bennet, high school bully
• Wendy - teenaged Mrs. Abbott, snotty popular girl
  

Gathering Blue

Audition requirements will be announced at a later date. Andy Anderson will direct.

About the Play

​In an apocalyptic future where children are kept like animals and human life is cheap, young Kira learns the ugly truth about the powers controlling her world. A gifted weaver, her talent catches the attention of the Council of Guardians. Under their custody, Kira is made to mend and embellish the ceremonial Singer's Robe—a garment that tells the history of the world. But the longer she works, the more she learns about the horrifying secrets that keep her community hostage. Can she use her knowledge and art to reshape the future? Based on Lois Lowry's companion piece to The Giver, Gathering Blue tells a suspenseful tale of the power of creativity to fight brutality.

Available Roles

• Kira - A teenaged girl finding her gift. 
  
• Katrina - Kira's mother, newly taken. 
  
• Christopher - Kira's father, taken long ago. 
  
• Matt - A young boy, hungry for the world.
  
• Vandara - A scarred woman of the village.
  
• Chief Guardian - The voice of order in the village. 
  
• Jamison - A guardian of the village.
  
• Thomas - A teenaged boy who knows his gift.
  
• Annabella - An old woman who knows.
• Jo - A very young girl with a future.
  
• The Singer - A man who remembers.
  

​

Pinocchio

Audition requirements will be announced at a later date. This production rehearses in the afternoons and includes Friday morning performances. Mari Nuñez will direct.

About the Play

One lonely night the Blue Fairy grants Geppetto's wish and brings his wooden puppet to life. So begins Pinocchio's journey...Pinocchio tangles with tricksters, Fox and Cat, and Lampwick and his no-good buddies in the Land of Toys. Will he ever prove that he is good enough to become a Real Boy?​

Available Roles

• Pinocchio
  
• Hickory Cricket
• Lorenzo - also plays Coachman
• Alberto - also plays Puppeteer, Geppetto, Lampwick
• Macaroni - also plays Puppet, Ivana, Blue Fairy, Lefty the Cat, Girl in Land of Toys
• Pepperoni - also plays Puppet, Lucky Star, Fibber the Fox, Boy in Land of Toys

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Audition requirements will be announced at a later date. Trinity Bird will direct with Kristi Gautsche as musical director. Sarah Kilgore will choreograph.

About the Play

One of the most enduring shows of all time, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is a reimagining of the Biblical story of Joseph, his father Jacob, eleven brothers and the coat of many colors. Told entirely through song with the help of a main character Narrator, the musical follows preferred son Joseph. After being sold into slavery by his brothers, he ingratiates himself with Egyptian noble Potiphar, but ends up in jail after refusing the amorous advances of Potiphar’s wife. While imprisoned, Joseph discovers his ability to interpret dreams, and he soon finds himself in front of the mighty but troubled, Elvis-inspired, Pharaoh. Joseph’s solution to Egypt’s famine elevates him to Pharaoh’s right-hand man and reunites him with his family. The magical musical is full of catchy songs in a variety of styles, from a parody of French ballads (“Those Canaan Days”), to country-western (“One More Angel in Heaven”) and calypso (“Benjamin Calypso”), along with the unforgettable classics “Any Dream Will Do” and “Close Every Door.”

Available Roles

• Narrator - Soprano
• Joseph - Tenor
  
• Jacob, Joseph's Father - Baritone
  
• Potiphar - Baritone
  
• Mrs. Potiphar - Alto/Mezzo
  
• Butler - Tenor/Baritone
  
• Baker - Tenor/Baritone
  
• Pharaoh - Tenor/Baritone
  
• Joseph's Brothers: 
  
  • Reuben
  • Simeon
    
  • Levi
    
  • Naphtali
    
  • Issachar
    
  • Asher
    
  • Dan
    
  • Zebulon
    
  • Gad
    
  • Benjamin
    
  • Judah
    
• ​Ensemble Women/Wives
  
• Children's Choir (Boys and Girls)

Rounding Third

Audition requirements will be announced at a later date. Director TBA. 

About the Play

ROUNDING THIRD is the tumultuous journey of two Little League coaches through an entire season, from their first tentative meeting to the climactic championship game. Don is the tough, blue-collar, win-at-all-costs veteran coach whose son is the star pitcher. Michael is a newcomer both to the town and to baseball. He's a corporate executive who agrees to be Don's assistant because he wants a special activity with his son, who's never played baseball before. Despite their differences, Michael and Don form an uneasy alliance for the benefit of the team. And over the course of exhilarating victories, heartbreaking defeats, and interminable rain-outs, the two men battle over how to lead the team. Michael believes that the job of the coaches is to shield the kids from the intense pressure of competition while making sure everyone has a good time. Don thinks they should be teaching the kids how to win. Out of these conflicting philosophies, the real issues of the play emerge: how should we raise our children? Since we live in such a ferociously competitive society, do we protect our children as long as possible? Or do we prepare them to be tough enough to win? And what does it mean to be an American man?

Available Roles

• Don
• Michael
  

TBA Musical

The details, including the title, of this production will be announced January 1, 2023. 

The 24-Hour Theatre Project

Auditions are open to anyone age 15 and up. Actors are auditioning for plays that have not been written. Actors are given two minutes to do whatever shows off their talents best - a monologue, tell a story, sing a song, recite a poem, do a dance, etc. Playwrights and directors will then choose actors to write for. Rehearsals begin Saturday morning at 8 a.m. and continue all day through the 8 p.m. performance. More details including playwrights and directors will be announced at a later date. 

Prancer

Audition requirements will be announced at a later date. Ron Boyle will direct.

About the Play

Young Jessica Riggs’ family has fallen on hard times. Still, she keeps her belief in Santa Claus and the idea that there are miracles in the world. When an injured reindeer appears in Jessica’s backyard, she believes it is Prancer. While she is nursing the creature back to health, the whole community of Three Oaks eventually learns about Prancer, causing big problems for Jessica as she tries to return the reindeer home. Based on the cherished film, "Prancer," this piece uses a heartwarming story and breathtaking puppetry to bring light into your holiday season.

Available Roles

• JESSICA RIGGS - 9, high-spirited, energy to burn, a true believer
  
• JOHN RIGGS - late 30’s, Jessica’s father
  
• STEVE RIGGS - 12, Jessica’s brother
  
• AUNT SARAH - early 40’s, John’s sister, Jessica’s aunt
  
• CAROL WEATHERBY - 10, Jessica’s best friend
  
• DR. BENTON - 50’s, the town’s veterinarian
  
• TOM STEWART - 40’s, the Santa at the mall
  
• MRS. MCFARLAND - 50’s, a recluse, the richest woman in town
  
• PASTOR WILLIAMS - 40’s, minister of Jessica’s church
  
• DORA BENEDETTI - 30’s, a Three Oaks policewoman
  
• HERB DRIER - 40’s, a butcher, owner of the town’s Christmas tree lot
  
• MISS FAIRBURN - 50’s, a teacher at Jessica’s school
  
• RYAN NICOLSON - one of Jessica’s classmates
  
• GAVIN - one of Jessica’s classmates
  
• NITA - one of Jessica’s classmates
  
• STACY - one of Jessica’s classmates
  
• RILEY - one of Jessica’s classmates
  
• EMMA - one of Jessica’s classmates
  
• TOMMY - one of Jessica’s classmates
  
• CREW WORKER - 30’s
  
• HAROLD - 8 years old
  
• SAMMY - 6 years old ​