San Leandro Players' auditions for "The Man Who Came to Dinner"
Great roles still available: Maggie (leading role; 30's), Lorraine (supersar; 30's-40's), Jefferson (male romantic lead; 30's), Sarah (cook; any age). See below for details. If interested, contact director, Sage Hindley at or come to the San Leandro Museum/Aditorium this Thursday, 2/27/20 at 7pm. See below for details.
By Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman, directed by Sage Hindley, are Monday, 2/24/20 and Tuesday, 2/25/20 AT 7:00 TO 8:30 PM; callbacks Thursday, 2/27/20 from 7pm to 8:30 pm at the San Leandro Museum/Auditorium, 320 West Estudillo Avenue, San Leandro (next to the historic Casa Peralta, and 2 blocks east of the San Leandro BART Station). All ethnicities encouraged, non-AEA, no pay. Rehearsals begin Monday, 3/2/20. Open auditions; read from script. Appointments possible. Contact Sage Hindley @ bhindley11@gmail.com.
"The Man Who Came to Dinner" runs Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm 4/18 thru 5/17/20, and Fridays at 8pm 5/8 and 5/15/20.
"The Man Who Came to Dinner" is a 1930's American romantic comedy. While on a speaking tour in Ohio, opinionated and arrogant radio personality Sheridan Whiteside injures himself slipping on ice and becomes an unexpected houseguest for a prominent area family, the Stanleys. Whiteside proceeds to make brash proclamations and offer his unsolicited advice to the family members; he drives his hosts mad by viciously insulting them, monopolizing their house and staff, running up large phone bills, and receiving many bizarre guests, including paroled convicts. When a romance begins between Whiteside's assistant and a local reporter, he interferes with that as well. Mix in a plethora of bizarre characters, antics and complications, and hilarity ensues.
Cast of Characters:
Sheridan Whiteside (pre-cast) A middle-aged, Falstaffian celebrity. He is a critic, lecturer, and radio personality, the intimate friend of anyone worth knowing. He is an egomaniac, a cruel wit, and is obviously impossible to live with. Most of the time, he is a consummate tyrant, but a few isolated acts of genuine kindness make him human, although not redeemable. For all of his sins, he remains disdainfully unrepentant.
Maggie Cutler (30’s to 40’s) Whiteside’s private secretary and chief interference runner for the past ten years. She is sarcastic and cynical, and she knows where the bodies are buried.
Lorraine Sheldon (30’s to 40’s) is a beautiful, bitchy actress, the vicious epitome of the glamorous, brainless, superficial superstar.
Professor Metz (40+) is a strange-looking little man; an entomologist who once lived for two years in a cave with nothing but plant lice. An eccentric, he brings Whiteside a colony of ten thousand roaches.
Mr. Ernest W. Stanley (40+) Rich factory owner, uptight and put out by the audacity of his guest.
Mrs. Ernest W. Stanley (“Daisy”) (40+) Always trying to play the hostess, and keep her husband from flying off the handle.
Miss Preen (pre-cast) Whiteside’s frantic nurse, not enjoying the task of taking care of him. A spinsterish, humorless prude, she becomes the constant butt of his insults and name-calling, to which she reacts with routine indignation.
Richard Stanley (18-20’s) Son of Earnest and Daisy Stanley, photographer, wishes he could travel and take pictures.
June Stanley (18-20’s) Daughter of Earnest and Daisy Stanley.
Harriett Stanley (50+) Earnest Stanley's eerie sister, floats in and out when Whiteside is alone.
John (40+) Butler who has been around awhile
Sarah (40+) Housekeeper who has been around awhile
Mrs. Dexter (30+) Visiting society friend of Mrs Stanley
Mrs. McCutcheon (30+) Visiting society friend of Mrs Stanley
Dr. Bradley (50+) Whiteside's doctor while Whiteside is in Mesalia. He diagnoses Whiteside's injuries by looking at the wrong X rays. He is also a late-blooming author who tries to get Whiteside to read his book, Forty Years an Ohio Doctor.
Bert Jefferson (20’s to 30’s) The owner and editor of the Mesalia Journal. He is "an interesting looking young man" who has written a producible play. He naïvely and ambitiously allows himself to be lured by the chance of making it to the big time, even if it means the sacrifice of personal happiness.
Beverly Carlton (male; 30’s to 50’s) English thespian, songwriter, musician. A Noël Cowardish character who dashes around the world composing and writing plays and being devastatingly charming (pianist preferred, not required).
Sandy (20’s) a labor-organizer in Mr. Stanley's factory, big strong lad.
Banjo (30’s to 50’s) a famous Hollywood comedian, a grown-up adolescent. He is as loony off-screen as on-the Marx Brothers all wrapped into one.
Also seeking (may be doubling):
The Luncheon Guests (prisoners)
Mr. Baker (guard)
Expressman
Westcott (head radioman)
Two Radio Technicians
Six Young Boys
Two Deputies and A Plainclothes Man
