MAJESTICPIECE THEATRE PRESENTS: The Rover
By Aphra Behn
Directed by BreAnna Manassa
Adapted by Rachel Kohler and BreAnna Manassa for the digital stage
Auditions due Monday, August 10 by 5pm
To be performed Saturday, August 22 at 7:30pm on Facebook Live
Readthrough on Thursday, August 13 at 7pm
Rehearsal on Wednesday, August 19 at 7pm
Dress rehearsal Friday, August 21 at 7pm
VIDEO AUDITION SUBMISSIONS DUE AUGUST 11 AT 5 PM!
The Majestic Theatre (a division of the City of Corvallis Parks and Recreation department) is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion and to creating a safe place for actors of all backgrounds to explore their craft. We are particularly eager to work with artists of color and other artists from marginalized communities. All auditions are free and open to the public. This audition is for an amateur, volunteer production. The Majestic Theatre staff and volunteers do not discriminate on the basis of age, national origin, race, gender, ethnic background, disability, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation.
From the director:
It’s my great pleasure to be bringing The Rover to the stage for my directorial debut! This saucy tale full of love, lust, and disguises promises to be tons of fun in these less than fun times. For this adaptation I wanted to add an additional twist to the already present themes of gender and sexuality by setting the play during Pride. June may be gone but that doesn’t mean we can’t still fly our rainbow flags! Actors of any gender are encouraged to audition for any role that strikes their fancy.
Synopsis:
Two witty siblings get mixed up with a group of English cavaliers on vacation during a Pride celebration. Some are looking for love, some are looking for sex, but what they all end up finding... is trouble.
Please choose ONE of the following sides. Record a video on your phone or computer of you reading the side, and email it to btmanassa@gmail.com by 5PM on Monday, August 11. 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!
- Actors of any gender, age, race, or ability are invited to audition for any role. We will be casting 15 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.
- In order to participate in the performance, you’ll need a stable internet connection; a smartphone, computer, or tablet that can run Zoom; and a pair of headphones.
- If you have any questions, feel free to email and ask!
CHARACTERS
(In order of appearance)
NARRATOR
Character Age: Any
Character Race: Any.
Character Ethnicity: Any.
Desired Actor Gender: Any.
FLORINDA: Determined woman in love with Belvile, but is being set up to marry Don Antonio.
Character Age: Any
Character Race: Any.
Character Ethnicity: Any.
Desired Actor Gender: Any. Character will present as a woman.
HELLENA: Witty youth looking for passion, being forced towards a monastic life. Sibling of Florinda.
Character Age: Any
Character Race: Any.
Character Ethnicity: Any.
Desired Actor Gender: Any.
DON PEDRO: A local Noble. Paternalistic brother of Hellena and Florinda.
Character Age: Any
Character Race: Any.
Character Ethnicity: Any.
Desired Actor Gender: Any. Character will present as a man.
CALLIS: Governess of Florinda and Hellena.
Character Age: Any
Character Race: Any.
Character Ethnicity: Any.
Desired Actor Gender: Any.
STEPHANO: Servant to Don Pedro.
Character Age: Any
Character Race: Any.
Character Ethnicity: Any.
Desired Actor Gender: Any.
FREDERICK: A friend of Belvile and Blunt.
Character Age: Any
Character Race: Any.
Character Ethnicity: Any.
Desired Actor Gender: Any. Character will present as a man.
BELVILE: A Colonel. Passionately in love with Florinda.
Character Age: Any
Character Race: Any.
Character Ethnicity: Any.
Desired Actor Gender: Any.
NED BLUNT: A gullible Englishman visiting his friends Belvile and Frederick. The only heterosexual here.
Character Age: Any
Character Race: Any.
Character Ethnicity: Any.
Desired Actor Gender: Actors of all genders will be considered; strong preference for a man. Character will present as a man.
WILLMORE: A flat broke sailor. Charming, but an aggressively philandering rogue.
Character Age: Any
Character Race: Any.
Character Ethnicity: Any.
Desired Actor Gender: Actors of all genders will be considered; strong preference for a man. Character will present as a man.
LUCETTA: Tricky scammer.
Character Age: Any
Character Race: Any.
Character Ethnicity: Any.
Desired Actor Gender: Actors of all genders will be considered; strong preference for a woman. Character will present as a woman.
SANCHO: Lucetta’s partner in crime.
Character Age: Any
Character Race: Any.
Character Ethnicity: Any.
Desired Actor Gender: Any.
MORETTA: Shrewd business partner of Angelica.
Character Age: Any
Character Race: Any.
Character Ethnicity: Any.
Desired Actor Gender: Actors of all genders will be considered; strong preference for a woman. Character will present as a woman.
ANGELICA: Proud, world famous courtesan. Has a fiery temper when pushed.
Character Age: Any
Character Race: Any.
Character Ethnicity: Any.
Desired Actor Gender: Any. Character will present as a woman.
DON ANTONIO: The Viceroy's son. Friend of Don Pedro.
Character Age: Any
Character Race: Any.
Character Ethnicity: Any.
Desired Actor Gender: Any. Character will present as a man.
DIEGO: Page to Don Antonio.
Character Age: Any
Character Race: Any.
Character Ethnicity: Any.
Desired Actor Gender: Any.
VALERIA: Helpful kinsman of Florinda and Hellena.
Character Age: Any
Character Race: Any.
Character Ethnicity: Any.
Desired Actor Gender: Any.
PHILLIPO: Lucetta’s lover.
Character Age: Any
Character Race: Any.
Character Ethnicity: Any.
Desired Actor Gender: Any.
OFFICER
Character Age: Any
Character Race: Any.
Character Ethnicity: Any.
Desired Actor Gender: Any.
PAGE
Character Age: Any
Character Race: Any.
Character Ethnicity: Any.
Desired Actor Gender: Any.
Sides
BELVILE
When shall I be weary of railing on Fortune, who is resolv’d never to turn with Smiles upon me?—Two such Defeats in one Night—none but the Devil and that mad Rogue could have contriv’d to have plagued me with—I am here a Prisoner—but where?—Heaven knows—and if there be Murder done, I can soon decide the Fate of a Stranger in a Nation without Mercy—Yet this is nothing to the Torture my Soul bows with, when I think of losing my fair, my dear Florinda.—Hark—my Door opens—a Light—a Man—and seems of Quality—arm’d too.—Now shall I die like a Dog without defence.
HELLENA
Now you have provided yourself with a Man, you take no Care for poor me—Prithee tell me, what dost thou see about me that is unfit for Love—have not I a world of Youth? a Humor gay? a Beauty passable? a Vigor desirable? well shap’d? clean limb’d? sweet breath’d? and Sense enough to know how all these ought to be employ’d to the best Advantage? Yes, I do and will. Therefore, lay aside your Hopes of my Fortune, by my being a Devotee, and tell me how you came acquainted with this Belvile; for I perceive you knew him before he came to Naples.
WILLMORE
Yes, I am poor—but I’m a Gentleman,
And one that scorns this Baseness which you practice.
Tho I admire you strangely for your Beauty,
Yet I contemn your Mind.
—And yet I wou’d at any rate enjoy you;
At your own rate—but cannot—See here
The only Sum I can command on Earth;
I know not where to eat when this is gone:
Yet such a Fool I am to Love and Beauty,
This last reserve I’ll sacrifice to enjoy you.
—Nay, do not frown, I know you are to be bought,
And would be bought by me, by me,
For a mean trifling Sum, if I could pay it down.
By Heaven, bright Creature—I would not for the World
Thy Fame were half so fair as is thy Face.
BLUNT
Oh Lord! I am got out at last --and now to Damning and Cursing,—What a dog was I to believe in Women! Oh Coxcomb—ignorant conceited Coxcomb! to fancy she cou’d be enamour’d with my Person, at the first sight enamour’d—Oh, I’m a cursed Puppy,’tis plain, Fool was writ upon my Forehead, she perceiv’d it,—saw the Essex Calf there—for what Allurements could there be in this Countenance? —Oh, dull silly Dog! to be thus sooth’d into a Cozening!—But my Comrades! Death and the Devil, there’s the worst of all—Fred, that Rogue, and the Colonel, will abuse me beyond all Christian patience—had she left me my Clothes, I have a Bill of Exchange at home wou’d have sav’d my Credit—but now all hope is taken from me—Well, I’ll home (if I can find the way).
ANGELICA
Tell me
How many poor believing Fools thou hast undone;
How many Hearts thou hast betray’d to ruin!
— Yet these are little Mischiefs to the Ills
Thou’st taught mine to commit: thou’st taught it Love.
—Love, that has robb’d it of its Unconcern,
Of all that Pride that taught me how to value it,
And in its room a mean submissive Passion was convey’d,
That made me humbly bow, which I ne’er did
To any thing but Heaven.
—Thou, perjur’d Man, didst this, and with thy Oaths,
Which on thy Knees thou didst devoutly make,
—’Twas then I was undone.
FLORINDA
Well, thus far I’m in my way to Happiness; I have got my self free from Callis; my Brother, too, I find by yonder light, is gone into his Cabinet, and thinks not of me: I have by good Fortune got the Key of the Garden Back-door,—I’ll open it, to prevent Belvile’s knocking,—a little noise will now alarm my Brother. Now am I as fearful as a young Thief. —Hark,—what noise is that?—Oh,’twas the Wind that plaid amongst the Boughs.—Belvile stays long, methinks—it’s time—