Come audition for the Majestic's new weekly livestreaming show, Majesticpiece Theatre! Bring entertainment to both yourself and others while we're stuck at home! Every week, a director and a public domain play are streamed live to our Facebook page!
MAJESTICPIECE THEATRE PRESENTS: AN IRISH ENGAGEMENT
A farce in one act by Walter Watts
Directed by Tyler Mann
Adapted for the digital stage by Rachel Kohler
To be performed Saturday, April 11th at 7:30pm on Facebook Live
Dress rehearsal Friday, April 10 at 7:00pm
From the director:
“My name is Tyler Mann. Some of you know me from ushering at the Majestic or acting with me in Curious Incident. I have always dreamed of directing a main stage show. Now that we have Majesticpiece Theatre, it gives me a chance to try my hand at directing.
I have chosen An Irish Engagement because of the absolute hilarity of it. It reminds me of a family affair that happened a few years ago with my cousin trying to convince my aunt he was dating one girl when in actuality he was dating another.”
Synopsis:
Mrs. Bullfinch, a rich widow, agreed a long time ago to marry her only daughter Julia to her friend’s only son, although neither young person has ever met the other. Julia, however, loves another, the dashing but poor Captain Foxlove. Along with Foxlove’s clever valet, Tim, the lovers hatch a plan to convince Mrs. Bullfinch to let Julia marry where her heart takes her. After many wacky hijinks involving disguises and scones, they succeed, and everyone gets their heart’s desire.
Please choose ONE of the following sides. Record a video on your phone or computer of you reading the side, and email it to tmann0301@gmail.com by 5PM on Tuesday, April 7th. Feel free to include what role you’re interested in within the body of the email. Some guidelines:
- Perform while seated, trying to frame yourself from the shoulders up. This is what you’ll look like in the video chat during the performance, so we’ll want to see how well you can emote in this limited space.
- Props and costume pieces are encouraged! Whatever you have lying around. Just keep in mind that we can only see your torso and head!
- While these characters are all Irish or English, accents are optional. With a such a truncated rehearsal “schedule,” don’t worry about the accents unless you feel very comfortable with them.
- Actors of any gender, age, race, or ability are invited to audition for any role. We will be casting 6 performers and one Emergency Backup Actor, an understudy for all roles who can hop into the digital performance at any time to cover for another actor who might be experiencing technical difficulties.
- If you have any questions, feel free to email and ask!
If you'd like access to the full script, to get a sense of the show, click here!
CHARACTERS
MRS. BULLFINCH, Julia’s mother, friend to Mr. McCarthy’s mother
MR. McCarthy, betrothed to Julia sight-unseen, an Irishman
CAPTAIN FOXLOVE, Julia’s true love, but too poor for her mother’s taste
TIM RAFFERTY, Captain Foxlove’s clever valet, an Irishman
JULIA BULLFINCH, Mrs. Bullfinch’s only daughter, in love with Captain Foxlove
NORAH, ladies’ maid to Julia, also from Ireland
SIDE ONE
NORAH
And isn't it in a good cause, Miss Machree*? Och! If you'd only had the luck to fall in love with an Irishman,--with one of the darling boys of Tipperary, they're the jewels to lay hold of a poor girl's affections, and kick up a rebellion in her heart. They twist and they turn, wheedle, flatter, and kiss, until they so bewilder a poor girl, that it's glad she is to say, "Paddy, you devil, take me at once, and make an honest woman of me." But here comes your mother, miss: I'll be off and prepare for the scrimmage; what a flustration I'm in! Oh, this love! This love! It bothers all creation entirely, and us poor servants into the bargain.
*An Anglicization of the Irish "mo chroi", an exclamation meaning "my heart."
SIDE TWO
MRS. BULLFINCH
But you'll see him before you do, I suppose: and here, listen to what his father says of him--by the blood of the Bullfinches, it does my heart good to read it. (Reads from a letter.) "My dear son, who has been brought up and educated in England, is a quiet, amiable, good tempered, fascinating young man, possessing all the qualities necessary for making a good husband; and I think I may venture to say, worthy of your lovely daughter." There! What would you have more than that?
SIDE THREE
TIM
And ain't I after knowing I am. So I'll be making myself as much at home as Paddy that took all his meals and slept in the drawing-room. Here, John, you rascal --be after getting my room ready; learn the way of the house; take pattern by me, make yourself easy and comfortable. Kiss the cook; unbosom yourself to the housemaid; and show them how we do it in Old Ireland--you devil.
SIDE FOUR
MR. MCCARTHY
Well, here I am at last; in the house of my father's old friend, in the character of a suitor to his daughter, who I have never seen; but if she is ever so beautiful I can never love her, my heart is already given to another; so I must manage to break off the match as easily as possible, so as not to exasperate either of the old gentlemen, or be the death of the lady; who, luckily, can't care a straw about a person she never set eyes on. Who have we here?
SIDE FIVE
JULIA
(Pretending to be mad in order to put off her unwanted suitor)
I'm in a galaxy of delight! When, quite an infant, I toddled from my mother's arms, I heard thy name blended with my future fate; our names were woven with a wreath of roses! I treasured up all in my heart; there thine image has lain slumbering. In murmuring brooks I've pictured thee; on starlight nights were wafted unto thee; and now, like a bright luminary, you burst upon my sight, and dazzle me with thy lustre.