AUDITIONS for
"RUMORS"
by Neil Simon. Directed by Joe Lauderdale
Performances are January 17-February 9th
Thursday-Saturday at 7:30 pm, Sunday
(and one Saturday)matinees at 2pm.
​
Monday & Tuesday, November 18 & 19, 6:30 pm
Newport Theatre Arts Center 2501 Cliff Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92663
Callbacks (by invitation only) - Wednesday, November 20, 7:00 pm
​
Four couples arrive at the townhouse of a deputy New York City mayor and his wife to attend a party celebrating their tenth wedding anniversary. However, the four couples soon discover that there are no servants, the hostess is missing, and the deputy mayor has shot himself in the head (it’s only a flesh wound). Comic complications arise when, given everyone's upper-class status, they decide they need to do everything possible to conceal the evening’s events from the local police and the media. This is a non-equity, volunteer community theatre production. There is no pay.
General Rehearsal Schedule:
The general rehearsal schedule is Monday - Friday, 7pm - 10 pm and Saturdays 1:00 - 5 pm.
Read Through - Saturday, November 23 @ 1:00 pm
Character Breakdown:
​
*Character age is somewhat flexible.
* The play is a typical farce – very fast-paced with verbal & physical comedy that requires a good range of movement.​
KEN GORMAN - Male, 35-45. Chris’ husband. A well- spoken lawyer who takes charge of a very dicey situation. A bit pompous, serious, a know-it-all. Physical comedy.
CHRIS GORMAN - Female, 30-40. A lawyer married to Ken. Elegant, nervous, slightly neurotic, and easily flustered. She recently quit smoking but quickly falls off the wagon. Some smoking. Physical comedy.
CLAIR GANZ - Female, 30-40. Lenny’s Wife. Very concerned with appearances (hers and others) A smart- mouth, witty sense of humor, seemingly amused by everything that is going on and a gossip.
Leonard “Lenny” Ganz - 35-45. Claire’s husband and an accountant. Foul-mouthed, sarcastic, outspoken, but also likable and funny.
ERNIE CUSACK - Male, 45-55, Cookie’s husband and a psychiatrist. He is also Charley’s analyst. Smug and somewhat quiet and a calming presence in the midst of the storm of confusion, although he does lose it a couple of times. Smokes a pipe.
COOKIE CUSACK - Female, 40-55, Ernie’s wife. Flamboyant host of her own cooking show. Garish, a bit ditzy, a dramatic personality and a bad back. Physical comedy.
GLENN COOPER - 35-45, Married to Cassie. A candidate preparing to run for the New York State Senate and ambitious. The TV cameras love him. Constantly worried about his polished image and how his involvement in the possible crimes being committed all around him might impact his candidacy.
CASSIE COOPER - Female, 25-35. Glenn’s trophy wife. Jealous, insecure and totally nuts. She and Glenn hate each other. She doesn’t want to be there. Believer in the power of crystals and must rub her quartz crystal to calm herself down.
OFFICER WELCH - All Genders, 30-50. No nonsense, vigorous, straight talking, Veteran city police. Sees through the "classy" facade that the others put up. (Only appears in Act II.)
Officer Pudney - All Genders, 25-35. Officer Welch's partner, Rookie Cop, strong but silent type. (Only appears in Act II)