Peridot Theatre Inc. and Encore Theatre Inc.
VDL Awards Entry: 2024
Author: Christopher Sergel
Director: Susan Rundle
Genre: Drama
Agent: ORiGiNTM Theatrical, on behalf of Dramatic Publishing
Synopsis
Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel is brought to the stage by Christopher Sergel. The story of Jean Louise Finch, who shares her memories of growing up in Maycomb, Alabama during the summer of 1935. Known as “Scout” as a young girl, the nine-year old’s world is turned upside down when her widowed father, lawyer Atticus Finch, defends a young black man accused of raping a white woman.
As tensions erupt and neighbours take sides in the life-and-death case, it is Scout’s clear-eyed courage in the face of ignorance and bigotry that ultimately brings hope to a damaged community.
Characters
Characters Summary:
Children – need to look the ages indicated:
“Scout” Finch – Female age 9-10, a young girl about to experience the events that will shape the rest of her life, she should, ideally seem as young as nine or 10. Scout is courageous and forthright. If a question occurs to her, she’ll ask it.
Jeremy Finch (Jem) – Male age 12-14, he is a few years older than his sister Scout, and like his sister – perhaps even more than his sister – he’s reaching out to understand their unusual and thus not conventionally admirable father. Probably the strongest undercurrent in Jem is his desire to communicate with his father.
Charles Baker Harris (Dill) – Male age 12-14, small, blond and wise beyond his years, he is about the same age as Jem. Dill is neater and better dressed than his friends. There’s an undercurrent of sophistication to him, but his laugh is sudden and happy. Obviously, there is a lack of his own home life and he senses something in Atticus that’s missing from his own family relationship.
Adults – (ages indicative only)
Maudie Atkinson – Female age 45-50, younger than Atticus, but of his generation, she’s a lovely sensitive woman. Though belonging to the time and place of this play, she has a wisdom and compassion that suggests the best instincts of the South and that period.
Mrs. Dubose – Female age 70+, she’s an old woman – ill, walking with difficulty, her pain making her biting, bitter and angry. However, she’s fighting a secret battle within herself, a battle about which few people are aware and her existence has in it a point of importance for Jem and Scout.
Heck Tate – Male age 45-60, the town sheriff and a complex man. He does his duty as he sees it and enforced the law without favour. The key to this man’s actual feelings is revealed in his final speeches to Atticus, and this attitude should be an undercurrent to his earlier actions.
For the remaining character summaries, please contact the Director (Susan Rundle) at theatre@psrundle.com
Characters Description:
Scout – a young girl to look 9 or 10 years old
Jem – her brother – to look 12-13 years old
Dill – young boy – to look 11-12 years old
Maudie Atkinson – Neighbour
Mrs Dubose – Neighbour
Mayella Ewell – a young woman, daughter of Bob Ewell
Sheriff Heck Tate – the town sheriff
Judge Taylor – the Judge
Mr Gilmer – Public prosecutor
Reverend Sykes – a minister (African descent)
Helen Robinson – his wife (African descent)
Precast Characters:
Atticus
Stephanie Crawford
Nathan Radley
Boo Radley
Bob Ewell
Walter Cunningham
Tom Robinson
Calpurnia
Audition Venue & Dates
Audition Dates and Times:
1:00pm on:
Audition Venue Name: Fleigner Hall
Audition Venue Address:
31 Highland Avenue Oakleigh East
Audition Enquiries Contact: Susan Rundle
Performances
Season Dates: 10 May 2024 - 19 May 2024
Showtimes:
2:00pm on:
- Sun 12th May 2024
- Sat 18th May 2024
- Sun 19th May 2024
7:30pm on:
- Fri 10th May 2024
- Sat 11th May 2024
- Wed 15th May 2024
- Thu 16th May 2024
- Fri 17th May 2024
- Sat 18th May 2024
More info
Other Information
Other Information:
Auditions are by appointment only - for a copy of the script, full character descriptions and to book an audition time, please contact the Director (Susan Rundle) at theatre@psrundle.com.
NB. All 18+ cast and crew members of the production must hold a current Working With Children Check (V)
