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Audition for our February 2025 production of
The Social Secretary!
Auditions will be held at Rust Library, in the large meeting room, on September 28th, 2024, from 11:30am to 4:30pm. If you are unavailable during this time, but would like to audition, please email us at info@jupitertheatercompany.com to request a make-up audition.
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Auditions will consist of cold-reads of excerpts from the script along with other auditionees. Please expect to read for characters that you'd like to audition for, but also to read opposite other actors as other characters. If you need to leave at a particular time, please note that on your audition sign-up form below, and also let our staff know at check-in. Otherwise, we will assume you are available to continue reading scenes with other actors.
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Auditionees will be provided with printouts of the excerpts at the time of auditions. Some excerpts are available at the author's website, here: The Social Secretary | Ellen Dean Price. Please feel free to review them ahead of time to get a feel for the script.
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Callbacks will be held from Sept 29-Oct 1st. We will hold as many callbacks as possible on the 29th. If you audition, please keep the afternoon and evening of the 29th open on your calendar. Please let us know on your audition form if you have any conflicts during these dates.
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​Callback invitations (and then role offers!) will be sent as soon as possible, beginning with the larger roles. Invitations will be sent via email only. If you are offered a role, please respond within 24 hours, so that we can proceed to cast the rest of the play. Once the play is fully cast, we will contact every auditionee who was not offered a role to let them know. Some roles will be offered without a callback audition (so if you don't get a callback, it doesn't necessarily mean that you won't be cast! Don't give up hope!). Some callbacks may also be used to determine suitability for roles besides the ones named in the callback invitation.
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​Showdates will be:
February 7, 2025, 7pm (All cast called at 5pm)
February 8, 2025, 7pm (All cast called at 5pm)
February 9, 2025, 3pm (All cast called at 1pm)
​AND:
February 14, 2025, 7pm (All cast called at 5pm)
February 15, 2025, 7pm (All cast called at 5pm)
February 16, 2025, 3pm (All cast called at 1pm)
At Franklin Park Arts Center
36441 Blueridge View Lane
Purcellville, VA 20132
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Rehearsals run EVERY Wednesday and Saturday from Wednesday, October 16th - January 18th. Expect to be called every Wednesday and Saturday throughout this time, except December 15th - January 3rd (Christmas break). If you have any conflicts with any of these dates, please note them on your audition form. If a conflict is not noted on this form, and you accept a role offer, please consider yourself committed to these rehearsal dates.
Additionally, all cast are called for the following dates:​​
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Sunday, October 6th - Read Through
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Saturday, November 2nd - Costumes Parade
- Saturday, November 9th - Photoshoot
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Saturday, November 23rd - Full Run
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Saturday, January 18th - Full Run
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Monday, February 3rd, 2024 - Load-In, 12pm call-time
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February 4th, 5th, & 6th Tech Week and Dress Rehearsals (5pm call-time)
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February 7th-9th Performances (5pm call-time, 1pm on the 9th)
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February 13th Dress Rehearsal (5pm call-time)
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February 14th-16th Performances (5pm call-time, 1pm on the 16th)
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Scroll down for:
1. Audition Form
2. Character Descriptions
3. Tentative Doubling Chart
Audition Form
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Character Descriptions (feel free to audition for roles that are technically older or younger than you are):
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CLARA RUTHERFORD (F, 30-45) The levelheaded social secretary. The actress portraying Clara must have strong stage presence and make the audience root for her. She is firm, while being kind. She must have strong chemistry with Eli and the other members of the household.
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ELIJAH (ELI) BOYD (M, 35-45) A boisterous self-made shipping tycoon. The actor portraying Eli must have a strong stage presence and make the audience love him, despite making jokes at others’ expense. He is funny, charismatic, and flirtatious. Must have strong chemistry with Clara, Iona, and the other members of the family.
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IONA BOYD (F, 55-75) Eli’s blunt Scottish mother. (Accent required) Iona needs a strong presence and personality. She is hard and opinionated because of her past experiences. The audience must understand Iona and sympathize with her. Iona is Scottish and an accent is required.
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SIMPSON (M, 45-60) The butler. Has a hidden sly streak. Simpson must be proper and professional, while still having a humor about him.
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MRS. PETERS (F, 40-65) The exasperated housekeeper. Mrs. Peters is strict and professional. She does not always appreciate Eli's antics. Think Mrs. Hughes from Downton Abbey.
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BETH (F, teens-30) A kitchen maid. Intrudes whenever possible. Beth is young and full of life. She enjoys reading Town Topics and gossiping about the town’s upper-class families with the other staff.
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KATE (F, teens-30) Another kitchen maid. Naive, eager. Slightly more naive than Beth, Kate also enjoys gossiping about the upper-class families of the town.
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NIKOLAY KOTOV (M, 25-50) The dance master/teacher. Imperious, unrelenting. Nikolay must have a strong presence with an air of confidence. Russian accent is encouraged.
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VALENTIN (M, 30- 50) The disappointed chef. Volatile, unpredictable. Valentin feels he is better than the meals that he is required to make. He is always grumpy and most of the staff dislike him.
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FAYE DICKERSON (F, 40-any age) Clara’s feisty landlord. Faye is the owner of a flower shop and Clara's landlord/friend. She is part of the working class.
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LILY (F, 6-9) Eli’s niece. Imaginative, exuberant. Lily is the youngest of the children and is quiet at first, but warms up to the people around her.
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THEO (M, 8-10) Eli’s nephew. Bookish, pesky. Theo has a stubborn streak to him; he gets caught up reading during the day and forgets his responsibilities.
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VERA (F, 12-14) Eli’s other niece. Reserved, with an inner strength. Vera is the oldest of the children and the most serious. She remembers losing her mother and it shows in her reserved nature.
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MARTHA (F, late teens-any age) The hapless governess. Martha must seem like she has completely lost control of the children. She is tired and the children constantly 'run circles' around her.
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FRED (M, teens-30) A footman. Young, still learning his job, but doing an okay job at it.
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LULU MONROE (F, late 20s-45) A wealthy Newport socialite. Married to Charles. Very full of herself and pompous.
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HAZEL LONGSTREET (F, 30-40) Also a socialite. Married to Philip, it's not a happy marriage and Hazel finds joy in flirting with the eligible bachelors of town.
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RUTH SLOANE (F, 35-55) Lulu’s older sister, of the Old Guard. Married to Wesley, they have a happy marriage and are very flirtatious with each other.
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DORIS (F, 40- 65) Also of the Old Guard. Doris is an older member of the Socialite ladies.
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WESLEY SLOANE (M, 40-55) Old Guard Society man, Ruth’s husband. Wesley is married to Ruth, and they have a good marriage. He becomes good friends with Eli and is more accepting of him than the other Socialites.
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CHARLES MONROE (M, 35-50) Pompous society man. Lulu’s husband. Married to Lulu. Full of himself.
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PHILIP LONGSTREET (M, 30-50) Dispirited society man, Hazel’s longsuffering husband. Unhappily married to Hazel.
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MRS. ASTOR (F, 60-any age) The ultimate Old Guard society matron. Historical figure. Prominent American Socialite. Kind, but in control. Whatever she says, goes.
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MR. DALE (M, 25-any age) The tailor. Part of the working class of Newport
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Director's Note: These characters are comedic, but should still be portrayed as real people, not caricatures. The director is looking for believable performances. The comedy in this script is primarily situational, not slapstick.
For your reference, below is our tentative doubling chart, showing the scenes in which the various characters show up across the play. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at info@jupitertheatercompany.com
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X = Speaking
Φ = Present but not Speaking
