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Center Stage Theatre Auditions - You Can't Take it With You

Tuesday, January 16, 2018
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Location

FAB Theatre

Details

• Prepared monologues are suggested but not required.
• Everyone will have an opportunity to do cold readings from the script.
• Scripts are on reserve at the SCC Library.
• Auditions are open to the community.
• This audition is open to all. Diverse types, sizes and abilities are all encouraged to audition.

All auditions will be held in the Donald Shook Fine Arts Building theatre on the SCC Campus at 4601 Mid Rivers Mall Drive, Cottleville, MO.

Rehearsals will be held on campus Monday - Friday evenings  beginning January 19.

Synopsis:
One of the most popular and successful plays of the last century; You Can’t Take It With You is a madcap, idealistic comedy that reinforces the idea that you can only live life to the fullest by doing whatever makes you happy. It is not your typical “meet the parents” dinner as Alice Sycamore introduces her fiancee's conservative parents to her eccentric family full of zany personalities, complete with fireworks, xylophones, a ballerina, wrestling, and Marxist propaganda. This high-spirited comedy opened on Broadway in 1936 and won the 1937 Pulitzer Prize for Drama as well as the 1938 Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Director.

Roles Available: 12 men, 7 women

Martin Vanderhof (Grandpa) Clearly the patriarch of his clan, Grandpa walked away from his successful business career 35 years ago for no other reason than to just relax. He lives his life by the philosophy: “Don’t do anything that you’re not going to enjoy doing.” He goes to circuses, commencements, throws darts, and collects stamps, and he imparts his infectious philosophy of personal happiness to all he meets.
Penelope Sycamore (Penny) Grandpa’s daughter and heir to his ideal of carefree happiness. She writes plays and paints as hobbies because it makes her happy, although she’s really not very talented at either. Penny is a loving mother and wife who is constantly concerned with the welfare of her family. Her main goal is to make sure everyone is happy.
Paul Sycamore Penny’s husband, who gave up a career as an architect to buy into Grandpa’s way of life. His hobbies include manufacturing fireworks in the basement and building models with erector sets.
Essie Carmichael Penny and Paul’s daughter, who dreams of being a ballerina. She has spent 8 years studying ballet with Boris Kolenkhov but without having achieved any level of proficiency or talent. Her only source of income is making and distributing candy. She’s very childlike.
Ed Carmichael Essie’s husband. He is a xylophone player and an amateur printer who prints anything that sounds good to him, such as dinner menus for his family and little quotes that he places in the boxes of Essie’s candy. He is also childlike in demeanor.

Alice Sycamore Another daughter of Penny and Paul, Alice is the only “normal” family member and one who is in regular contact with outside society. She has an office job and is in love with the boss’s son. Although she loves her family dearly, she is also sometimes frustrated and embarrassed by their absent-mindedness and unconventionality.
Tony Kirby The fiancé of Alice, son of Mr. and Mrs. Kirby, and vice president of Kirby and Co. He sees how, even though the Sycamores appear odd, they really are the perfect family because they love and care about each other. His own family is very proper and he clearly rebels against the boredom of the life his father has scripted for him.
Anthony W. Kirby, Sr. Tony’s proper and conservative father. As president of Kirby and Co. he values his position and social status and is a member of many clubs. His hobby is raising expensive orchids. As a young man, however, he had other less traditional dreams ...

Miriam Kirby Wife of Mr. Kirby, mother of Tony. She is an extremely prim and proper woman and is horrified by the goings-on in the Sycamore household. Her hobby is spiritualism. Although outwardly conservative, she also seems to conceal a discontentment with the monotony of her life.
Rheba The Sycamore family’s maid and cook. She is treated more as a member of the family and trusted confidant than a servant. She is dating Donald.
Donald Reba’s boyfriend who, although “on relief,” helps out with odd jobs around the house. He is also part of the family’s inner circle.

Mr. De Pinna The ice man who came inside to speak to Paul eight years before and never left. He helps Mr. Sycamore build fireworks and moonlights as a model in Mrs. Sycamore’s paintings.
Wilbur C. Henderson An employee of the IRS. He comes to collect the tax money owed by Grandpa and can’t understand why the latter won’t pay income tax.
Boris Kolenkhov A Russian who escaped to America shortly before the Russian Revolution. He is very concerned with world politics and the deterioration of Russia. He is Essie’s ballet instructor and is aware but unfazed that she is terrible at dancing, because he knows she enjoys it. A good friend of Grandpa’s.
Gay Wellington
An actress whom Mrs. Sycamore meets on a bus and invites home to read one of her plays. She is an alcoholic, gets very drunk, and passes out shortly after arriving at the Sycamore’s home.
G-Man 1 (The Man), G-Man 2 (Jim), G-Man 3 (Mac)
Three agents who come to investigate Ed because of the communist quotes he prints up and places in Essie’s candy boxes, such as “God is the State – the State is God”.
The Grand Duchess Olga Katrina
A friend of Kolenkhov, Olga was a Grand Duchess and cousin to the former Russian Czar. After her fall from grace, she escaped to America and is now a lowly waitress at Child’s restaurant in Times Square, but her aristocratic background is still apparent. She likes to reminisce about pre-Revolutionary Russia with Kolenkhov and loves to cook blintzes.

Performance Dates:

Feb. 28, March 1,2, & 3 - 7:30 pm March 1 -10:00 am
March 4 - 2:00 pm

For more information email Director Lynne Snyder at lsnyder@stchas.edu