CHARACTER BREAKDOWN: 5 women, 3 men: Please note that age, race and gender will not be a barrier to casting.
WILLIAM GILLETTE – Broadway star. Aged 30s to 60s Strikingly handsome man, smartly dressed, good-humored, full of irony and life. Very much like Cary Grant.
MARTHA GILLETTE – William’s mother. Smartly dressed, somewhat vague and dithering woman in her mid-70s, yet spirited.
FELIX GEISEL – Plays the actor Moriarty. Aged 30s to 60s and married to Madge. Historic and arch in a Lionel Barrymore/Sir Toby Belch sort of way.
MADGE GEISEL – Plays the actor Marian. Aged 30s to 60s and married to Felix. Flamboyant and wry in a Rosalind Russell smart mouthed-gal-about-town sort of way.
SIMON BRIGHT – Plays the actor Zerlinsky. Sweet and enthusiastic, age 25ish, affectionate, good-natured. Bright and Wheeler are a couple.
AGGIE WHEELER – Plays the actor Alice. She is a real product of her age; 25ish, beautiful, bright-eyed and full of spunk, affectionate, good-natured. Bright and Wheeler are a couple.
INSPECTOR GORING – late 30s-mid 50s. She is a unique sort of detective, logical yet eccentric.
DARIA CHASE – late 30s to 50s. She is the most feared person in all of the Theatre world…….a critic. Strong, sharp and to the point.
Reading for characters: Gillette, Daria, Felix, Madge, Simon and Aggie
Reading for characters: Inspector, Gillette and Martha