Audition Dates
16 Sept 2001 – 17 Sept 2001
- Sun 16 September 2001
- Mon 17 September 2001
Details
- Playwright
- Garson Kanin
- Director
- Ray Hare
AddressWilliamstown Little Theatre, 2 Albert St, Williamstown (Melways 56 B7)
Williamstown Little Theatre
2 Albert Street, Williamstown
(Melways 56 B7 - Auditions at the Theatre)
BORN YESTERDAY
By Garson Kanin
Directed by Ray Hare
Auditions: Sunday 16th September from 1:00 pm
Monday 17th September from 7:30 pm
Please Contact Ray Hare on 5368 7228 for an appointment
Season Dates: 22nd November to 8th December
The Cast
Billie Dawn (25-30)
The archetypal "dumb blonde" (think Marilyn Monroe/Barbara Windsor). The author's description..."Billie is breathtakingly beautiful and breathtakingly stupid..." This is a large complex role for an accomplished actress. As the play progresses her acquired wisdom and confidence must be reflected not only in her speech, but also her personality, attitude and body language.
Harry Brock (35-40)
Millionaire/Businessman - a huge body and a tiny brain. Boorish, brutal, used to getting what he wants and doesn't care how he gets it or who he has to pay off or crush in his way. This is a big part for a big actor.
Paul Verrall (30-35)
Newspaper reporter - handsome, alert, energetic, inquisitive, altruistic, warm, gentlemanly - the antithesis of Harry Brock. Possibly takes himself a little too seriously, but can embody charm, irony, and fortitude. He wears spectacles, apparently to lend the character a professional and/or nerdish-harmless demeanour, in an era that espouses such sayings as "men seldom make passes at girls who wear glasses."
Ed Devery (45-50)
Lawyer. Harry's pawn and "mouth-piece", once with the potential for a brilliant career, now a victim of the bottle and his own awareness of what might have been. With Harry as his only client, his fat salary has corrupted him for Harry's less than legitimate wheeling and dealing. He is moody, argumentative and often intoxicated to varying degrees.
Eddie Brock (30-40)
Harry's cousin and servant or "gopher". His duties include anything from mixing Harry's drinks to "strong-arming" anyone that Harry sees as stepping out of line. He is basically a "yes-man" but could be played as either a dumb "heavy" or an energetic "funnyman" subject to appropriate casting availability.
Senator Norval Hedges (55-60)
Once an Assistant Attorney General, he is now weak and tired from his efforts to achieve a small "greatness". A suitable target for Harry's moral and financial capacity to corrupt and manipulate.
Mrs Hedges (55-60)
The Senator's wife. A "Society Matron" - an ornament to a politician's life.
There are a further eight roles scripted: the Assistant Manager; Helen, a maid; a waiter; two bellhops; a barber; and a manicurist. These can be reduced to four actors with judicious doubling and/or cutting. These may be seen as ideal opportunities for beginners of various ages to gain experience, not only in performance, but, if inclined, in the many and varied back-stage activities such as sound and lighting, props, prompt, director's assistant, stage manager's assistant.
The Play
The play is set in Washington DC over two months from September 1945. Harry Brock owns a multimillion-dollar business in junkyards across the United States. He has achieved his goals through manipulation, bribery, corruption and thuggery, crushing in his path any who would stand in his way. He has come to Washington with his entourage to manipulate a Bill through the Senate that will gain him control over the tons of scrap metal throughout Europe as a result of the preceding war years. His "broad", Billie Dawn, is highly decorative but not very bright. Harry sees her as an embarrassment when he's manipulating the political or business elite and hires a local newspaper reporter, Paul Verrall, to educate her..."put her wise"..."show her the ropes". Billie is a fast learner who discovers a voracious appetite for knowledge, and thus armed, soon comes to confront Harry. The sparks begin to fly when Billie's natural honesty and integrity, enhanced by her newly acquired wisdom appears set to thwart and upset all Harry's well laid plans. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing; and Harry, always dangerous, becomes more so when Billie displays how much more knowledge than him she possesses.
2 Albert Street, Williamstown
(Melways 56 B7 - Auditions at the Theatre)
BORN YESTERDAY
By Garson Kanin
Directed by Ray Hare
Auditions: Sunday 16th September from 1:00 pm
Monday 17th September from 7:30 pm
Please Contact Ray Hare on 5368 7228 for an appointment
Season Dates: 22nd November to 8th December
The Cast
Billie Dawn (25-30)
The archetypal "dumb blonde" (think Marilyn Monroe/Barbara Windsor). The author's description..."Billie is breathtakingly beautiful and breathtakingly stupid..." This is a large complex role for an accomplished actress. As the play progresses her acquired wisdom and confidence must be reflected not only in her speech, but also her personality, attitude and body language.
Harry Brock (35-40)
Millionaire/Businessman - a huge body and a tiny brain. Boorish, brutal, used to getting what he wants and doesn't care how he gets it or who he has to pay off or crush in his way. This is a big part for a big actor.
Paul Verrall (30-35)
Newspaper reporter - handsome, alert, energetic, inquisitive, altruistic, warm, gentlemanly - the antithesis of Harry Brock. Possibly takes himself a little too seriously, but can embody charm, irony, and fortitude. He wears spectacles, apparently to lend the character a professional and/or nerdish-harmless demeanour, in an era that espouses such sayings as "men seldom make passes at girls who wear glasses."
Ed Devery (45-50)
Lawyer. Harry's pawn and "mouth-piece", once with the potential for a brilliant career, now a victim of the bottle and his own awareness of what might have been. With Harry as his only client, his fat salary has corrupted him for Harry's less than legitimate wheeling and dealing. He is moody, argumentative and often intoxicated to varying degrees.
Eddie Brock (30-40)
Harry's cousin and servant or "gopher". His duties include anything from mixing Harry's drinks to "strong-arming" anyone that Harry sees as stepping out of line. He is basically a "yes-man" but could be played as either a dumb "heavy" or an energetic "funnyman" subject to appropriate casting availability.
Senator Norval Hedges (55-60)
Once an Assistant Attorney General, he is now weak and tired from his efforts to achieve a small "greatness". A suitable target for Harry's moral and financial capacity to corrupt and manipulate.
Mrs Hedges (55-60)
The Senator's wife. A "Society Matron" - an ornament to a politician's life.
There are a further eight roles scripted: the Assistant Manager; Helen, a maid; a waiter; two bellhops; a barber; and a manicurist. These can be reduced to four actors with judicious doubling and/or cutting. These may be seen as ideal opportunities for beginners of various ages to gain experience, not only in performance, but, if inclined, in the many and varied back-stage activities such as sound and lighting, props, prompt, director's assistant, stage manager's assistant.
The Play
The play is set in Washington DC over two months from September 1945. Harry Brock owns a multimillion-dollar business in junkyards across the United States. He has achieved his goals through manipulation, bribery, corruption and thuggery, crushing in his path any who would stand in his way. He has come to Washington with his entourage to manipulate a Bill through the Senate that will gain him control over the tons of scrap metal throughout Europe as a result of the preceding war years. His "broad", Billie Dawn, is highly decorative but not very bright. Harry sees her as an embarrassment when he's manipulating the political or business elite and hires a local newspaper reporter, Paul Verrall, to educate her..."put her wise"..."show her the ropes". Billie is a fast learner who discovers a voracious appetite for knowledge, and thus armed, soon comes to confront Harry. The sparks begin to fly when Billie's natural honesty and integrity, enhanced by her newly acquired wisdom appears set to thwart and upset all Harry's well laid plans. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing; and Harry, always dangerous, becomes more so when Billie displays how much more knowledge than him she possesses.
Contact
This audition has concluded. Contact details are not available for past events.