LADIES IN BLACK

Characters

Characters Summary:

11F (teens to 60s) ; 6M (30s to 40s)

Characters Description:

• Lisa (playing late teens): shy and inexperienced, but also intelligent and keen to break free from her parents’ world; a great reader and lover of literature, especially poetry; “I can’t wait until tomorrow becomes today” (vocal range G#3-D5)
• Magda (40-ish): a glamorous, sophisticated (perhaps a little intimidating) Hungarian who is in charge of the Model Gowns Dept at Goodes; intelligent and generous, she takes Lisa under her wing; “When women come into this salon, they are not just shopping for new dress, they are shopping for new life” (A3-E5)
• Fay (late 20s/early 30s): works in the Cocktail Frocks Dept at Goodes; still looking for the right man after a number of bad experiences; anxious she might never be married and considered respectable; “At least with a Continental you’re going somewhere new” (G3-Eb5)
• Patty (early 30s): unhappily married (to Frank); keen to have a baby but with no success so far and thus increasingly frustrated; “He’s only interested in two things. Pub and golf” (G3-Eb5)
• Mrs Miles (late 30s/40s): Lisa’s mother; very proud of her daughter’s success academically but anxious not to upset her conservatively-minded husband; very much a product of her times, dedicated to her family; “It’s a big step, going all the way to the city on your own” (D4-A4)
• Rudi (30s): possible double with Fred/Lloyd; Rudi is a Hungarian refugee keen to find a wife; charming, intelligent and irrepressible; “I am not fussy. I just want beauty, less than thirty, cultivated, perhaps also rich” (C3-A4)
• Miss Cartwright (late 30s/early 40s): possible double with Joy; manager of the Ladies Dept at Goodes; stylish and focussed, she has dedicated her life to her work; “This last-minute rush brings its own particular excitement, don’t you think?” (A3-C#5)
• Mr Miles (40s): possible double with Stefan; a man constrained by his time, conservative and authoritarian; loves his daughter but only sees her future in terms of becoming a housewife; “I’ve said no. I mean no. Final!” (G2-D4)
• Stefan (30s/40s): Magda’s husband and Hungarian intellectual; great enthusiast and lover of all things literary, especially the great English classics; “It is good to read Shakespeare in English. And Charles Dickens. Mon Dieu. Dickens.” (D2-C4)
• Frank (mid to late 30s): Patty’s husband; a bit of a hopeless case; struggles to come to terms with his responsibilities and the possibility that he might be to blame for their not having a baby; “It’s just, everything went wrong all at once” (G#2-G4)
• Miss Jacobs (50s/60s): possible double with Mrs Crown; she has worked at Goodes all her life, knows what she wants and can be quite bossy; “Some of these frocks are out of order” (E3-C5)
• Mrs Crown (50s/60s): Patty’s mother; widowed, she has a very down-to-earth, no-nonsense approach to life and its hazards; “Frank might be a bastard but at least he’s the standard issue variety” (A3-A4)

Ensemble Roles
• Joy (30s): Patty’s older sister; worn down by responsibilities to her family and the house; perhaps somewhat disappointed in life; bit of a gossip; “Men are hopeless on their own” (vocal range A3-C#5)
• Fred & Lloyd (both mid to late 30s): Young men on the look-out for a good time and girls to share it with them; “You little tease, leading a man on” (vocal range C3-A4)
• Myra (mid to late 20s): possible double with Dawn; Fay’s best friend, keen to find her suitable male company; “Hey, Fay, we’ve got a double for Friday” (vocal range A3-B4)
• Dawn (20s/30s): Patty’s sister; forthright and plain-spoken; “He’s a gormless idiot. A no-hoper” (vocal range A3-B4)

Precast Characters:

None

Audition Venue & Dates

Audition Dates and Times:

7:00pm on:

• Sun 23rd Jul 2023
• Tue 25th Jul 2023

Audition Venue Name: Heidelberg Theatre

Audition Venue Address:

36 Turnham Ave
Rosanna

Audition Enquiries Contact: timascott56@gmail.com

Performances

Season Dates: 17 Nov 2023 - 2 Dec 2023

Showtimes:

8:00am on:

• Fri 17th Nov 2023
• Sat 18th Nov 2023
• Wed 22nd Nov 2023
• Thu 23rd Nov 2023
• Fri 24th Nov 2023
• Sat 25th Nov 2023
• Wed 29th Nov 2023
• Thu 30th Nov 2023
• Fri 1st Dec 2023
• Sat 2nd Dec 2023

2:00pm on:

• Sat 18th Nov 2023
• Sun 19th Nov 2023
• Sat 25th Nov 2023
• Sun 26th Nov 2023

More info

Other Information

Other Information:

• Please note: ALL Cast members will need to be able to sing, solo and ensemble, and perform simple dance movements
• Accents: most characters use Australian accents; Magda, Rudi and Stefan need European (Hungarian) accented English; all actors will need to be able to sing: not all have solo lines
• Format will be Group auditions. They will include a short singing audition (no need to prepare anything) and an acting/movement audition. You will be asked to read one or more scenes from the play and practise some simple dance movements. The scenes will be provided at the audition. Be prepared to stay for a couple of hours if needed.
• To register for an audition, please email the director (timascott56@gmail.com). In your email nominate the session that you wish to attend (see page 1) and the part(s) that you are interested in auditioning for.
• Each accepted applicant will be emailed an audition form to complete. It would be helpful if the completed form is emailed back prior to the audition
• We request each auditionee include a named, recent photo (passport-size is ideal) in the email with your audition form, or when you attend the audition.
• For queries, including arranging for a perusal copy of the script, contact the Director: timascott56@gmail.com .

Read-through of play with all cast: Sunday 6 Aug 6-9pm (tbc)
Rehearsals:
o Sundays in Aug/early Sep: 10am (tbc) on 13, 20, 27 Aug; 3, 10, 17 Sep (mainly singing and dance/movement)
o From Sun 24 Sep: every Sunday at 2pm, Wed at 7.30pm & Thur at 7.30pm
o Sitzprobe with band: 2pm on Sun 5 Nov
o Production Week: Sun 12 Nov (Tech, time tbc); 7pm Mon 13 Nov (Dress 1) and 7pm Tues 14 Nov (Final Dress). Preview Night Thur 16 Nov at 8pm.