Auditions

Directed by Samvel Gottlieb
Performance Dates: July 24-26, July 31-August 2, August 7-9

Auditions dates: Saturday, May 2nd at 2pm, and Tuesday, May 6th at 6pm.

Requirement: Auditions will consist of one 30 sec - 1 min monologue and cold reads from the script.    

*A monologue is preferred, though not required.*

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Synopsis: Something is afoot at Ravenswood Manor. Miss Maple - that’s Maple, without an ‘r’ - has invited the country's finest mystery writers for a charming weekend charade, each arriving not as themselves, but as the detective hero of their novels. You may find the guests oddly familiar: The trench coat. The clerical collar. The magnifying glass. The couple with the dog. Somewhere between the sherry, the storm, and the blue cheese fondue, a real murder turns up and the figurines begin falling from the mantle one by one. The Butler Did It is a gleefully twisty love letter to the golden age of detective fiction, for audiences who know exactly whodunit … and are delighted to be wrong.

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Character Descriptions: 

This audition notice is open to actors of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. Ages are approximate.

MISS MAPLE (65+): The imperious mistress of Ravenswood Manor, sharp as a tack, fond of eccentric company, and absolutely determined to have a lovely weekend no matter who turns up dead. A commanding role for a character actress who can hold a room with a raised eyebrow.

HAVERSHAM / MABEL DUPRE (20s–40s): A mousey, sniffling maid in a dress two sizes too large, hiding considerably more than just her figure. A role for an actor who relishes the long game and knows that the best reveals are the ones nobody saw coming. 

RITA EYELESBARROW (20s–50s): Miss Maple’s cool, composed social secretary, always nearby, always clutching a mysterious hatbox, and considerably more resourceful than her title suggests. A role for an actor who can make loyalty and secrecy look identical.

CHANDLER MARLOWE (30s–50s): A trench-coated private eye who prowls the mean streets, or would if the mean streets weren’t currently underwater. Wisecracking, world-weary, and talking out of the side of his mouth since 1939. Strong enunciation skills and comic timing are essential.

FATHER WHITE (60+s): Gentle, slightly meandering, and given to philosophical tangents involving invisible crocodiles. He sees the world differently from everyone else in the room, which, in a house full of detectives, turns out to be rather useful. A comic role with unexpected depth, and a clerical collar.

PETER FLIMSEY / PHARAOH LINK (30s–50s): A proper English gentleman sleuth: magnifying glass, impeccable manners, and not entirely who he claims to be. Requires dry wit and the ability to say everything with very little.

LAURA CARLYLE (30s–50s): Witty, urbane, and carrying a private fury beneath the elegance that has a way of surfacing at the worst possible moments. A role for an actor who can make a single look do the work of a monologue.

RICK CARLYLE (30s–50s): The other half of the sophisticated Manhattan detective duo, arriving with a stuffed dog in lieu of the real thing. Charming, quick with a quip, and considerably harder to kill than he looks. Requires strong comic timing and the ability to play dead convincingly.

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Rehearsals will begin as early as the final week of May. They may be held during the evening on weekdays and will include some weekends, depending on cast availability. 

Consider this your first case: There's a clue hiding in plain sight. 

A sweet surprise at the audition for anyone who cracks it and tells me all about it.

If you have further questions or would like to audition but can’t make either of the above times, email me at sam.k.gottlieb@gmail.com or call/text at 650-339-2625.