Character Breakdown

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CHRIS

Male 30-50, plays Inspector Carter

The head of the theatre company and Director of the play, this is the biggest day of his life, it is a nerve wracking and exciting night. He tries his best to keep the show on track while gritting his teeth at the ineptness which surrounds him. Every time someone laughs, he becomes more frustrated at both his fellow actors and the audience. He has equal amounts of contempt for his fellow actors and the audience watching the play.

English Accent
Physically Demanding Role
Note: The actor cast in this role will need to be comfortable performing on a seven-foot-high platform with no railing.

ROBERT

Male 30-50, plays Thomas Colleymoore

He wants to be Richard Burton (formidable and a bit pompous) but remains cheerfully clueless on stage. This ever-optimistic 'best friend' character is embroiled in a leadership rivalry with Chris, yet blissfully unaware of the chaos around him. He does not feel badly when things go wrong and never learns from his mistakes. Robert's naivety amidst ambition makes for a compelling, multifaceted portrayal.

English Accent
Physically Demanding Role
Note: The actor cast in this role will need to be comfortable performing on a seven-foot-high platform
with no railing.

MAX

Male, 25-40, plays Cecil Haversham & Arthur the Gardener

He has never been on stage before; has learned his lines and does exactly what he's told to do, unfortunately he has zero connection with any of the other actors. But when he gets a laugh, he breaks the 4th wall and engages with the audience; his mistakes are fundamental and filled with unintentional humor. He does not think anything through, just looks for approval.

English Accent and Cockney
Physically Demanding Role

DENNIS

Male, 40-60, plays Perkins the Butler

New to the stage, he struggles with lines and pronunciation, and audience laughter often feels like a spotlight on his mistakes. He has no real desire to be involved in the theatre; he just wants to make friends. Laughter from the audience is agony for him; he has difficulty pronouncing big words and must write a cheat sheet on his sleeve/arm.

English Accent
Physically Demanding Role
Note: The actor cast in this role will need to be comfortable performing on a seven-foot-high platform with no railing.

TREVOR

Male, 25-60, Lighting & Sound Operator

Wants to get on with the show; curmudgeonly and doesn’t care for actors; he is easily distracted, occasionally missing cues or forgetting to turn his mic off. He does many things he should not, including engaging with the audience when things go sideways. Comfortable behind the scenes, he is suddenly required to act, briefly taking on the role of Florence.

American dialect
Note: The actor cast in this role will need to be comfortable being in an enclosed box for up to 10 minutes.

JONATHAN

Male, 25-35, plays Charles Haversham

He is cast as a corpse but has trouble playing dead and does have some lines as the play progresses. He is a bad actor but sees himself as a very cool a ‘James Bond’ type. He is excited to be in the show and is having fun. Tasked with driving the narrative, he approaches his role with enthusiasm but feels the weight of each mistake deeply.

English Accent
Physically Demanding Role
Note: The actor cast in this role must be comfortable performing on a seven-foot-high platform with no railing. 

SANDRA

Female, 25-35, plays Florence Colleymoore

She is a diva and the company’s leading lady, with ambitions to go to Hollywood and will hurt anyone standing in the way of what she wants. But she is smart enough to stay on the good side of someone who can help her (like the director). Will appear in less than full costume dressed in underwear in a comical way.

English Accent
Physically Demanding Role
Note: The actor cast in this role will need to be comfortable being in an enclosed box for up to 10 minutes.

ANNIE

Female 25-40, the company’s Stage Manager

Initially working tirelessly behind the scenes to solve problems, she has the biggest journey of any of the characters. She is unexpectedly cast into the spotlight as Florence, starting with a book in hand and initially terrified. Annie soon discovers a newfound comfort and love for acting - a passion so strong she's determined to fight for her place on stage. She starts small but grows and grows.

Physically Demanding Role
American Dialect

STAGE CREW

The Cornley Drama Society Stage Crew (Any gender, any age)

They are the backbone of this important show to the director. They believe in Annie, their Stage Manager, and will do anything for her as well as jump in should Trevor demand action. They will be working throughout the show to fix problems, recover items, save face, and hopefully save the show. There will be many times they are “part of the show” and will be seen.

At times they will also be assisting the REAL Stage Manager.