The Washington County Playhouse Dinner Theater and Children’s Theater announces auditions for The Best Christmas Pageant Ever directed by Laura J. Martin, produced by Mack’s Theatricals, LLC.
Auditions will be held at The Playhouse (44 N. Potomac St., REAR, Hagerstown, MD) Sunday, Oct. 4 6-8:30 pm, Monday, Oct. 5 6-8:30 pm.
Please prepare to sing a portion of your favorite Christmas Carol or song acapella (without music). No monologue is necessary. Those being considered for speaking roles will be asked to read from the script (provided at audition). The best preparation for this audition is to read the book, as the script is almost identical.
Please bring your calendar so you can list any and all conflicts during the rehearsal period. Please be prepared to list all school and church activities, pageants, and concerts.
Rehearsals will begin Tuesday, Oct. 13. Rehearsals will be evenings and weekends. Every effort will be made to have children out of rehearsal by 8 pm on school nights (other than tech week).
TECH WEEK (Mandatory Rehearsals) Nov. 29-30 and Dec. 1-3
Performance dates: December 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19 – 7:00 PM, Sunday matinee December 13 at 1 PM
Most adult roles are paid non-union. Wait staff opportunities available. Children will be compensated with two complimentary tickets for family members. Children’s roles may be double cast.
CASTING
4m, 6f, 8 boys, 9 girls
FATHER (Bob Bradley) – solid family man, 35-45ish
MOTHER (Grace Bradley) – assertive, kind, attractive, 35-45ish
BETH BRADLEY – the narrator, strong voice and presence, 10-18
CHARLIE BRADLEY – traditional kid brother, sings a solo 8-13
RALPH HERDMAN – ragged, scroungy, slouching manner, touch of adolescent cool, 12-16
IMOGENE HERDMAN – loud, bossy, crafty, 12-16
LEROY HERDMAN – tough, sure of himself, 10-13
CLAUDE HERDMAN – tough, combative, 8-12
OLLIE HERDMAN – looking for trouble, Claude’s usual partner in crime, 7-10
GLADYS HERDMAN – small, wiry, fiesty, 6-10
ALICE WENDLEKEN – prim, proper, pain in the neck, 10-18
MRS. ARMSTRONG – largish woman, managerial in voice and manner, 50-60ish
MRS. SLOCUM – pleasant, motherly woman, 35-60
MRS. CLARK – 35-60
MRS. CLAUSING – 35-60
MRS. MCCARTHY – a younger, less imperious version of Mrs. Armstrong, middle 40s
MAXINE – l0-18
ELMER HOPKINs – 10-15
HOBIE – 9-10
DAVID – 8-9
BEVERLY – 7-8
FIREMAN – adult male
FIREMAN – adult male
SHIRLEY – 5-6
JUANITA – 5-6
DORIS – 9-10
REVEREND HOPKINS – middle to late 40s
Extra angel choir members, baby angels, shepherds
Additional Info: In this hilarious Christmas classic, a couple struggling to put on a church Christmas pageant is faced with casting the Herdman kids–probably the most inventively awful kids in history. You won’t believe the mayhem – and the fun – when the Herdmans collide with the Christmas story head on! This delightful comedy is adapted from the best-selling Young Adult book, and has become a holiday staple with a few favorite Christmas Carols, and a lot of laughs “One of the best Christmas stories ever – and certainly one of the funniest.” – The Seattle Times